Tea Time Crimes

We’re sure you’ve heard of the Winchester Rifle, but have you ever heard of the Winchester Curse? Heiress Sarah Winchester built the Winchester Mansion in the late 1800s, an endless building of over 160 rooms containing architectural oddities said to appease the spirits haunting her. Today, the ghost stories have grown to legend, making the Winchester Mystery House one of the most haunted homes in...

When Lottie A. Bernard checks into the Hotel Del Coronado in November of 1892, the staff is mesmerized by the mysterious woman they call “the beautiful stranger.” She appears in the lobby alone, without any luggage, anxiously awaiting the arrival of her brother. A few days later her body is found on the steps leading to the Pacific Ocean, her death ruled a suicide. The mystery only unravels from h...

It’s 1800s England and Maria Marten does not have good luck with men. Twice, she’s been led on by men who never intend to marry her, not even after she had their child. But when William Corder appears, it finally seems a wedding is in her future. The two run away to elope, but Maria is never seen again. That is, not until the ghost of Maria haunts her step-mother’s dreams…  Tea of the Day: Cinnamo...

Halloween season is here! We’re sure you’ve heard about Salem Witch Trials, but have you ever heard of the Hartford Witch Panic? It’s the mid-to-late 1600s in Connecticut and it doesn’t take much to be accused of being a witch. With a history of executions in their past, it takes one sick child to kickstart a panic that caused chaos in colonial America. Come explore this terrifying time to be aliv...

Get ready for this story because Alana can’t stop fangirling over Kate Warne. Decades before women were part of the police force, Kate Warne walked into the Pinkerton Detective Agency to apply to be a detective. Assuming Kate was there to work as a secretary, Allan Pinkerton was taken aback but ultimately swayed by Kate’s persuasive argument and agreed to hire her. Over the course of her life, Kat...

Eva Dugan did not have an easy life: from a childhood in rural Missouri, to a gold rush in Alaska, ending with a bare existence in Arizona. Along the way, she is accused of murdering her employer, Andrew Mathis, a wealthy chicken rancher. If convicted, Eva Dugan would become the first woman to be executed in the state of Arizona. No matter what the outcome, Eva is determined to show the world ther...

In 1876 in Pickens County, Georgia, ladies were expected to marry as soon as possible to avoid becoming spinsters. So when Bob Southern chooses Kate Hamrick over Narcissa Fowler, a rivalry fueled by gossip and jealousy erupts in the small town, leaving one woman dead and another on the run. Tune in to hear what led up to that fateful day and the arguments that begged for a killer to go free. Tea o...

Meet Kelly Brennan and Sheila Trott, two women whose lives intersect for nearly 20 years before exploding in violence. Living in the same small town, the two share dreams and successes, heartbreaks and failures, but their friendship comes under investigation when one of the women ends up missing. Join us as we try to decipher dreams from reality.  Tea of the Day: Evening Unwind Theme Music by Brad...

In 1936, young widow, Florence Ransom, finds love again with successful London publisher, Laurence Fisher. The only hitch? He’s married. But Laurence and his wife, Dorothy, have an understanding that accommodates everyone…until it doesn’t. Grab a big-bodied tea to deal with this one! Tea of the Day: Vanilla Pear White Tea Check out Bite-Sized Crime Podcast as featured in the intro of the episode ...

In July of 1843, two bodies were found in the cellar of a farmhouse outside of Toronto, Canada. The owner of the home, Thomas Kinnear, was found shot once in the chest, his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery had been struck on the skull and then strangled. The two primary suspects, Grace Marks and James McDermott, were domestic servants (because, of course), who had fled the country. With conflicting s...

Content warning: This episode contains suicide ideation and mentions of suicide.  It’s the turn of the twentieth century in North Carolina and Nell Cropsey has gone missing.  All fingers point to Jim Wilcox, her ex-boyfriend who was the last person to see her alive. But the story isn’t that simple: there are fake letters, strange sightings, and too many rumors to count. Follow along and let us kno...

On the night of July 30, 1970, Loretta Jones was brutally murdered, but not before doing everything in her power to save her four-year-old daughter, Heidi. Despite strong investigative theories, no arrest is made and the sad case of Loretta Jones officially becomes a cold case. As Heidi grows up without her mother, she learns that 99% of cold cases are never solved, but she doesn’t care. She refus...

In 1935, Mary Frances Creighton was accused of murder. The ensuing trial revealed twisted motives and a dark past full of victims. Although you may have empathy for some of the ladies here on Tea Time Crimes, we’re willing to bet that is not the case with the Pernicious Poisoner.  Tea of the Day: Tropical Passion Tea  Theme Music by Brad Frank  Sources: https://www.crimelibrary.org/notorious_murde...

In February of 1887, a decapitated, limbless torso was found on the Bristol Turnpike in Pennsylvania. Panic rose and everyone was a suspect until a tip led investigators to Hannah Mary Tabbs and her complicated web of relationships. Follow along this week as we try to untangle the lies from the probabilities.   Tea of the Day: Baroness Grey Theme Music by Brad Frank Sources: Hannah Mary Tabbs and...

On December 8th, 1905, Mary Mabel Rogers became the last woman executed in the state of Vermont. Separated from her husband, Marcus Rogers, Mary had become pregnant and needed to escape one marriage in order to enter another. Murder was her solution. Despite her guilt, thousands rallied for Mary’s sentence to be commuted to life in prison and revolted at the court’s final decision. Jump into this...

The Stiles family toured the country as carnival performers, with Grady Stiles Jr. as the main attraction under the big tent. Charismatic and charming to the crowds who came to see him, no one could have guessed the horror that was going on behind closed doors, especially for his wife, Mary Teresa Stiles. It all came to light the night of November 28th, 1992 when Grady was found shot in his home....

In 1977, Mary Gillispie, a married mother of two, received a threatening anonymous letter. This would be the first letter of thousands to pollute the town of Circleville, Ohio. To this day, no one knows who is responsible for the letters that led to the death of one man and the attempted murder of Mary herself. Follow along with us to try and make sense of what happened for nearly two decades in t...

In 1906, a trunk was found on the platform of the Southern Pacific Depot in Stockton, California. The smell led employees to wonder what, or who, might be inside. Within hours, the police were on the hunt for Emma LeDoux, a woman with a trail of (mostly living) men behind her. Though she was the last person to see the unfortunate victim, Albert McVicar, she will cling to innocence. Tell us what ve...

Sarah Malcolm made very poor decisions: decisions that ultimately lead to her execution. However, it’s not clear what crimes she actually committed. So, we want YOU to tell us what happened based on the evidence we present. Grab a cuppa and jump into 1733 London with us.  Tea of the Day: Dreamy Tea Theme Music by Brad Frank Sources: https://murderpedia.org/female. M/m/malcolm-sarah.htm https://www...

In this Tea Time Crimes episode, hear the amazing stories of Pauline Cushman and Cathay Williams: two women who broke the law and risked their lives to serve their country. Grab a tea with a full body and settle in for these heroic tales. Tea of the Day: Throat Coat  Theme Music by Brad Frank Sources: Cathay Williams: From Slave to Buffalo Soldier by Phillip Thomas Tucker Life of Pauline Cushman:...

Gesche Gottfried was known as the “Angel of Bremen,” before it was discovered she had killed at least 16 people. How does such a heinous individual obtain such a lovely title? Charm, deception, and a whole lot of Mäusebutter. Gesche played on the prevalence of diseases, primitive medicine, and abundant sympathy to get away with murder. Jump into 19th century Germany with us and hear about the woma...

In 1960, 25-year-old second grade teacher, Irene Garza, vanished. Her family knew it was foul play, but no arrest was made. Irene became a cold case and the family’s hope dwindled, but they never gave up. Listen to the sad tale of Irene Garza and the family that fought for her through the decades.  Tea of the Day: Butterfly Pea Tea  Theme Music by Brad Frank Sources: Cold Case Files: Season 2: Epi...

In the 1940’s, back before Tinder, or even Craigslist, there was The Lonely Hearts Club: a way for bachelors and bachelorettes to go from pen pal to spouse. However, it only takes one (or two) to ruin it all. Meet Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck: a couple who will take advantage of lonely women to reap rewards. But how far will they go? Tea of the Day: Green Milk Tea with Boba Theme Music by Bra...

Meet Lizzie Halliday, otherwise known as the ‘Worst Woman on Earth.’ Lizzie came to New York in 1872 as a young girl and it wasn’t long before the people close to Lizzie started to die “unexpectedly.” Learn how this woman avoided capture for so long and earned such a heinous title in the process.  Tea of the Day: Honeybush, Mandarin & Orange Tea Theme Music by Brad Frank Sources: Killing Time in t...

The Reverend and the Reprobate join Tea Time Crimes today for a nerdy tea review and a chilling case. Join the four of us as we navigate through London to follow the life of hard-drinking, kleptomaniac Kate Webster. In January of 1879, Kate finds work as a live-in domestic servant for the wealthy widow Mrs. Julia Thomas. But Kate has no intention of turning her life around, instead she will go to...