Premeditated

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The early 1900s in Missouri ("Missour-a", as Kate says) was a weird time. But nothing was quite as weird as Bertha Gifford. Between 1906 and 1928, Bertha portrayed herself as a helpful nurse, when in fact, she was poisoning her patients- including at least 17 men, women and children. Nobody was safe from her "tonics", but despite her best efforts, her cruel charades would end in 1928. 

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In 1988 and 1989, a maniac was hunting at-risk women in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Leaving a trail of horror in his wake, at the end of the spree, 9 women were dead, and 2 more were missing. Did this killer get caught? Stop on his own? Get imprisoned? Or move to Portugal and start his murdering spree all over?

In August 1978, Olive and Burle Bramhall were settling in for the evening in their home near Seattle when their lives were cut short by a senseless act of violence. Nearly as bad as the crime itself is the complete and utter failure of the system meant to help and protect the mentally ill.

In March of 1960, Frances, Mildred and Lillian wanted a break from the hustle and bustle of Chicago housewife life, and slipped away for a gals weekend near the Illinois State Park of Starved Rock. Within moments of arriving at their hotel, the women disappeared, never to be seen alive again. This is another case of an investigation that was less than acceptable and a conviction that may have missed the mark.

On January 29, 2010, Tanya Nikitina was just leaving her job as a preschool teacher, when shots were fired, and her life was cut short. Her ex mother-in-law was arrested for the murder, and the strange explanations for the killing have evolved over the years.

June 12, 1977 was a dark day at Camp Scott in Mayes County, Oklahoma. That night, while nestled safely in their tent on the first night of sleepaway Girl Scout camp, Lori Farmer, Michelle Guse, and Doris Milner were brutally assaulted and murdered. While the case has been closed- just in the last year- many questions still remain. 

This week, we take a cross-country roadtrip from New Orleans to Chicago and then to Washington D.C., following Joseph Dunbar Medley, a man with a penchant for red headed women. After escaping prison in Michigan in November of 1944, Joseph Medley goes on a three month long killing and robbing spree, leaving three young women dead.

Between February 1926, and June, 1927, cities across North America were rocked by despicable slayings of mostly middle-aged land-ladies. In addition to being strangled, these women were sexually assaulted, and in some cases, mutilated. While he alluded police for over a year, Earle Nelson would finally get taken down by our wonderful neighbors to the north- the Canadian police.

Sources: Bestial by Harold Schechter

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In Part 2 of the Servant Girl Annihilator, Kate discusses the brutal murders of the final 5 victims. The mystery of whether they are all connected remains to this day, but the killings between New Years Eve 1884 and Christmas Eve 1885 will never be forgotten in Austin, Texas.

 

Sources: The Midnight Assassin, by Skip Hollandsworth Chilling Historical Crimes by Tim Huddleston

In 1884 and 1885, Austin, Texas was rocked by a series of brutal slayings - most involving an axe - and all on young servant girls. In Episode 1, we focus on the murders of Mollie Smith, Eliza Shelly, and Irene Cross, all murdered at the hands of a deranged, barefooted creep in the middle of the night.

Sources:

The Midnight Assassin, by Skip Hollandsworth

Chilling Historical Crimes, by Tim Huddleston

In part 2, Caitie focuses on a brutal attack in the middle of the day, which ultimately leads to the arrest of Don Miller. But, if you thought his arrest would be the last part of this saga, you would be very wrong!

 

Source: KILLING WOMEN: The True Story of Serial Killer Don Miller's Reign of Terror

This week, Caitie brings us part one of a two part episode, where we head to Michigan to discuss the despicable life of Don Miller. In episode 1, we will discuss his four murder victims, Martha Sue Young, Marita Choquette, Wendy Bush, and Kristine Guske Stuart.

 

Source: KILLING WOMEN: The True Story of Serial Killer Don Miller's Reign of Terror by Rod Sadler

In November 1957, the city of Lincoln Nebraska became a target for a weeks long spree killing, which would ultimately leave 11 people dead, and a young couple on the run through Nebraska and eventually Wyoming.

Caitie brings us another oldie this week, when we travel to Illinois in 1949. Joan Coward and her fiancé, Arthur Marino, were out on a late June evening, celebrating Joan's 17th Birthday. What happened next would be disputed, but it ends with Joan dead, and Arthur severely injured.

In the early morning hours of September 8, 1981, a Sheriff's Deputy near Mount Vernon, South Dakota, received a phone call from a frantic man stating his entire family had been killed. With a quick arrest came a sense of ease in the community. However, it would not last long.

Sources: South Dakota's Mathis Murders: Horror in the Heartland, by Noel Hamiel