127. Vintage Episode: The Trunk Murders

On October 16, 1931, on a typical Friday night in the dry desert air of Phoenix Arizona, Winnie Ruth Judd went to her friends' bungalow for dinner and drinks. What happened next was an ever changing mystery told by the sole survivor through years of court cases and escapes from mental hospitals. Winnie, as the only survivor of the mysterious altercation fled to Los Angeles by train, carrying with her some of probably the most disturbing luggage contents in history. Join us for another vintage episode where we look back through history to unravel the conflicting motives that led to a gruesome murder.

Resources

  • “A Short History of La Viña | Altadena Heritage.” Altadena Heritage, altadenaheritage.org/a-short-history-of-la-vina/. Accessed 4 Feb. 2023.

  • Arizona Memory Project. “Murder & Mayhem - the Strange Saga of Winnie Ruth Judd.” Arizona Memory Project, azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/303. Accessed 4 Feb. 2023.

  • Crime, Pop Culture. “Winnie Ruth Judd: The Story of the Trunk Murderess.” Medium, 10 May 2022, popculturecrime.medium.com/winnie-the-story-of-the-trunk-murderess-825b868af985. Accessed 3 Feb. 2023.

  • “History.” Barlow Respiratory Hospital, www.barlowhospital.org/about-barlow/history/. Accessed 4 Feb. 2023.

  • Rodriguez, Nadine. “Did You Know: Grunow Clinic among the First of Its Kind in Arizona.” KJZZ, 9 Jan. 2015, kjzz.org/content/87175/did-you-know-grunow-clinic-among-first-its-kind-arizona. Accessed 4 Feb. 2023.

  • Wikipedia Contributors. “Central Station (Los Angeles).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Dec. 2022, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Station_%28Los_Angeles%29. Accessed 4 Feb. 2023.

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128. Funeral Home Crimes

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126. Survivor Guilt