Route 66 was in its infancy, but it was already used to transport stolen cars from one state to another. Likely the most successful at it were the Young Brothers, who along with other family members, became experts. As a result, they were wanted men. When the police came to arrest them, the shootout would change law enforcement forever.

More about the show:
🌐 https://thehistoryofmurder.com

Team & Contributors

Executive Producer- Clare O’Donohue
https://clareodonohue.com

Executive Producer – Margaret Smith

Editor – Jessica Kozdra
https://www.youtube.com/@TheSuperverse/videos

Social Media Manager & Design – Mikayla Bogus
https://mikayladesign.cargo.site

IT Manager – Conor Sweeney

The History of Murder Logo – Bernadette Carr
https://www.bcarrdesign.com

Theme Song “My Carnal Life I Will Lay Down” – Rob Brereton
https://robertbrereton.com

Voice of Harry Young – Jon Crowley

Voice of Frank Pike – Joe Janes

Thanks to The History Museum on the Square and Sean Fitzgibbons
https://historymuseumonthesquare.org/

This was truly a team effort, and we’re grateful to everyone who played a part.

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It was a massive story in the year before the Civil War. A sitting US congressman killed the son of an American legend. Why had he done it? And who was really the victim? It wasn’t an easy question to answer then – or now. And what happened after the trial is also up for debate.

Continue reading “Congressman. Killer. Hero. The Story of Daniel Sickles”

In 1927, at the Bath School in Michigan, children and teachers walked into class, celebrating their last day of school before summer break. But within an hour, half of the school was reduced to rubble as dynamite brought down the building. Those inside were trapped under the debris and parents rushed to save their children. The explosion was devastating – but who caused it, and why, threatened to shatter the town. It remains the deadliest act of school violence in U.S. history.

Continue reading “The Bath School Disaster: The Story of the 1st US School Bombing”

A series of horrific murders plagued Cleveland during the Depression. No one could solve it. So, the mayor turned to one man who had a reputation for going after bad guys – Eliot Ness. Ness, fresh from his time in Prohibition era Chicago, quickly zeroed in on the man he believed was the killer. But something, or someone, kept getting in his way.

Continue reading “The Torso Killer: The Story of Eliot Ness’ Last Case”

In September of 1861, Osceola Missouri was burned to the ground, men were killed and homes were plundered. Led by a Kansas senator and aided by a local minister, the raid was theoretically on behalf of the Union cause. But given the actions of the men who rode into town, the question of their true purpose remains.

Continue reading “Burning Hell: The Story of the Sacking of Osceola”

During WW2, over 400,000 German and Italian POWs were imprisoned in camps around the United States. The ordinary soldiers were thrilled that they had plenty to eat, could play soccer, put on shows, and work on farms. But those who held onto Nazi doctrine would punish their fellow POWs for what they saw as fraternizing with the enemy. In some cases, that punishment included murder. And when the US military convicted the men, it led to a terrifying showdown with the German government, and a death sentence for 15 American POWs.

Continue reading “Killed By Their Own: The Story of Nazi POWs in American Camps”

We’ve all heard of him. But do you know why? There were lots of men who didn’t settle back into their old lives following the Civil War, and some of them turned to the outlaw life, like Jesse and Frank James. But why do we know these names? It’s a surprising answer that likely contributed to Jesse’s death.

Continue reading “Legend or Killer: The Story of Jesse James”

She was the head of a vicious gang of robbers, killers and kidnappers. She was a nice lady who was kind to neighborhood kids. She was a simple woman who enjoyed the finer things and never asked questions about where the money came from. She was a “Karen” who defended her boys to the police, her husband, and anyone who got in her way. So, who was Kate “Ma” Barker and what’s the real story behind the legend?

Check out the Ma Barker House: https://mabarkerhouse.org/

Continue reading “Was She a Killer? The Story of Ma Barker”

On a bridge in Morrison, Colorado, the fate of two men intersected. One man had everything going for him, the other should have. What happened there led to a search, a gruesome discovery and a manhunt through multiple states and two countries. The result wasn’t just the loss of a life, but the destruction of part of the most famous family in Colorado.

Continue reading “Deadly Brew: The Story of the Coors Kidnapping”

A local doctor, known to help anyone who asked, disappeared. The rumors started. Had he run away with a married woman? Gone back to his native Ireland? Or was he a British spy? It soon became public knowledge that he was a member of a secret organization to help bring about Irish independence, and it became clear that there had been some trouble connected to the group. Was he the cause, or was he a victim?

Continue reading “Ireland ’s Cause, America’s Crime: The Story of Patrick Henry Cronin”