Tea Time Crimes

On June 3rd, 1922, hotel staff found Frank Anderson dead, and his lover, Marie “Peggy” Beal, unconscious with a gunshot wound to the chest. Investigators discovered a note at the scene stating Peggy was the culprit. Peggy Beal substantiated this claim as she recovered in the hospital. But why did she do it? Tune in to listen to Peggy’s motive and the media mayhem that followed Frank’s death.  Tea...

On May 14th, 1907, Heinrich Pressler, Chief Engineer was found dead in the room he rented in Chemnitz, Germany. It was at first ruled as a suicide, but the case was soon re-opened and suspicion fell on his fiance, Grete Beier. Unpeel the layers of this disturbing case by diving into a murderer’s mind with us.  Tea of the Day: Kiki’s Spiced Bread Tea  Theme Music by Brad Frank  Sources:  “Girl Pres...

Meet Rhonda Belle Martin, a mother, a wife, and a combination of the two (you read that right…), also nicknamed the Redheaded Hellcat. This woman took 1940s Alabama news outlets by storm. Join us as we jump into a TTC classic to kick off our post-spooky season.  Tea of the Day: Schisandra Tea  Theme Music by Brad Frank  Sources: “11 Highlights of 1907.” By: the Editors of Publications Internationa...

Boston Common has the distinction of being the first Public Park in America after Puritan colonists bought the land in 1634. Though it’s beautiful today, this park has a deeply dark history. It quickly became the grounds for Puritan punishments (think: whipping posts, stocks, and executions). Grab a warm cup as we explore the lives of women who were put to death here and whether or not they still...

In 1898, Sarah Ware went missing from her New England town of Bucksport, Maine. For two weeks, no one bothered to search for her, assuming she’d left town for a new job. But on October 2nd, a grisly discovery was found less than a mile from her house. Join us to hear what happened to Sarah Ware and why she’s said to still haunt the town today. Tea of the Day: Front Porch Special  Theme Music by Br...

On Halloween of 1828, a woman by the name of Mary Docherty was killed and stuffed under the bed of William Burke. Mary was the last of many people to be ‘burked’ - a sick and cruel practice that involved killing people, giving their body to local doctors for medical exploration, and earning rich payment in return. Grab a warm beverage and explore this gritty time in history.  Tea of the Day: Hot C...

Pennsylvania farmer, Howard Wyning, went missing July 21, 1923 and it was weeks before it was discovered he was murdered. At first, it seemed like a robbery gone wrong. But as investigators learned about Howard’s situation at home, there were more complexity and motives for his death. In an attempt for justice, police and Howard himself urge those who know the truth to come forward.  Tea of the Da...

The Mysterious Bennington Triangle is known for alien activity, mysterious murders, bigfoot sightings, inexplicable paranormal activity and unsolved disappearances. Covering only 100 square miles in Vermont, this triangle has been a source of murder and terror for hundreds of years. Grab your tea as we navigate the spooky area between myth and reality.  Tea of the Day: Black Cask Bourbon Theme Mus...

Today, Meagan brings the fun for our 100th episode! Meet Grace O’Malley, Irish pirate from the 1500s, and Ching Shih, Chinese pirate from the 1800s. They redefine the word, ‘badass,’ and take the world by storm. Buckle in for this head-turning adventure following two extraordinary women.  Tea of the Day: Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc  Theme Music by Brad Frank Sources: Pirate Women: The Princesses,...

In 2006, caring, life-loving Susan Walters was attacked in her own home by a complete stranger. Expecting to relax after a long shift in the ER, Susan instead fought for her life, drawing on years of nursing and self-defense training. Would it be enough to save her and unravel the mystery behind this assault? Self Defense Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVpxP3ZZtAc https://www.youtube.com/...

After a frightening assault in her adolescence, Ruth Finley finally has everything she wants: a loving husband, two sons, and a safe house in the suburbs. But one summer day, her past catches up. Terrifying phone calls, deliveries at work, and poems threatening to take Ruth’s life arrive at a constant rate. It's clear to everyone around her that Ruth is in danger, but can the police find the culpr...

On Monday, August 26th, 1893, 20-year-old Anna Wiese was brutally murdered on her way home from a friend’s house. Coined ‘Atrocious Murder in Iowa,’ this crime is incredibly hard to get to the bottom of due to multiple factors: the time period, the environment, and lack of criminal analysis. We at Tea Time Crimes have a hunch on who did it, but we want to hear from you, too!  Tea of the Day: Twini...

In the 1930s, Ohio resident Anna Marie Hahn took the gateway crime of insurance fraud down a dark path of murder. She could not help charming people, convincing them to give her money in their will (think tens of thousands– and this is Great Depression money!), and then making sure that will was in play. We also visit another Ohioan on death row, Dovie Dean, who shared Anna’s method of murder but...

On September 6th, 1952, Betty Butler viciously murdered Evelyn Clark, while fishing at Sharon Woods. An argument occurred, and once they were back to shore, multiple witnesses saw Betty attack and drown Evelyn. No one denies Betty is guilty, not even Betty herself, but what happened to cause such a violent crime? Join us as we peel back the layers of this case and try to understand why Betty did i...

Saturday, September 2nd, 1933, hundreds of people flocked to the station as five women (Ms. Eleanor Jarman, Mrs. Bessie Opas, Mrs. Vera Carl, Mrs. Louise Murphy and Miss Katherine Brockman) were ushered onto a train to be sent to Oakdale Reformatory where they’d carry out their sentences. We know about Eleanor’s crimes, but what did the other four other women do to earn themselves a seat next to t...

Eleanor Jarman was nicknamed ‘The Blonde Tigress’ after a robbery-gone-wrong in 1933. She had a string of successful robberies, until the very last one devolved into murder. The papers paint her as vicious and deadly, but is that a fair portrayal of a woman trying to survive as a single mother during the Great Depression? Listen along and decide for yourself: is Eleanor a vicious murderer, a misun...

In our oldest case yet, Alana tells the story of Queen Medb (pronounced ‘Maeve’) of Ireland. We encounter a war over a bull, a steady line of lovers, and an ex-husband as a lifelong antagonist. Buckle up for this truly wild ride and decide for yourself what is myth or legend. Tea of the Day: Peppermint Chocolate Tea  Theme Music by Brad Frank For a full list of sources, go to https://tea-time-crim...

Monday, January 19th, 1953 was the last time Willie Torrence saw his wife, Rose. On Tuesday, Willie called the police and learned that a body of a woman matching Rose’s description had been found. Join us as we try to make heads or tails of a case fraught with racial tension and sparse news coverage. Tea of the Day: TWG 1837 Black Tea Theme Music by Brad Frank This episode is sponsored by Kyoot Te...

In the US, over 600,000 people are considered missing every year, though the vast majority of those return home quickly. But what happens when someone disappears in a National Park? Are these cases of abduction, runaways, tragic accidents, or murder? This episode covers several women who seem to have vanished into thin air. Tea of the Day: Kiki’s Bakery Lemon Cake  Theme Music by Brad Frank  Resou...

In the fall of 1907, Mary Farmer decided she was tired of her modest life. So, one day, Mary wakes up with a plan to obtain her neighbors’ house…illegally.  Weaving a web of lies, Mary is desperate to stay in her new big house and stay out of prison.  Tea of the Day: Barry’s Tea  Theme Music by Brad Frank Sources: Deadly woman vol 15: 20 Shocking True Crime Cases of Women Who Kill by Robert Keller...

In Maryland 1878, Lillie Duer was reported to have accidentally shot her best friend and lover, Ella Hearn. As Ella fought for her life, the story of an accident quickly devolved into a suspicion of murder. Follow along as we pull apart the pieces of this love story gone wrong.  The Anti-Violence Project: serves people who are LGBTQ; Hotline 1-212-714-1141, Bilingual 24/7 National Domestic Violenc...

On the evening of February 6th, 1918, Nora Coleman said goodbye to her husband and went to help her mother with the nightly chores. But only one of them would survive the night. Tune in to hear the complicated story behind this family tragedy and the unexpected support of a small midwest town.  Tea of the Day: The Pint Theme Music by Brad Frank Sources: No Place Like Murder: True Crime in the Midw...

Part 2! It’s 1924 and 23-year-old, Winona Green, has confessed to murder. Join us in this two-part case as we follow this woman through her next fifty years. Will we ever know how many people she scammed? Or how many people she killed? Tea of the Day: Empath’s Tea Theme Music by Brad Frank Sources: “Police Seek Missing Man.” The Californian, Wed, Dec 02, 1953, Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/im...

It’s 1924 and 23-year-old, Winona Green, has confessed to murder. Join us in this two-part case as we follow this woman through her next fifty years. Will we ever know how many people she scammed? Or how many people she killed? Tea of the Day: Prince of Wales  Theme Music by Brad Frank Sources: Posted by Janie Jones, Apr 1, 2016, Blog, Murder Mystery, People, “Murder Mystery: If Justice is a Lady....

Week 2 of our break: enjoy going back in time to re-listen to some of our favorite episodes. This week is Alana’s pick. Leonarda Cianciulli, a caring mother in late 1930s Italy, believed in magic. Her life had not been an easy one, made worse by the curse her spiteful mother put on her at a young age. So after endless heartache, Leonarda is desperate to put an end to the curse to protect her child...