The Uncaught Serial Killer

4min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

Elliot Ness was seen to be doing all he could to run the killer to ground. One newspaper characterized the uncaught serial killer as Cleveland's shame. Civilians offered to try to help police officers make sure there weren't more bodies in the dump. By this point, Elliot Ness' wife had left him.

In 1934, a man collecting driftwood along the Lake Erie shore found a human torso on the beach. No one could figure out what had happened. Over the next several years, more bodies were discovered. Eventually, a coroner assembled something he called the “Torso Clinic” to work on the case. It was made up of about 30 people – doctors, professors, police officers, and a young Prohibition agent named Eliot Ness.

We're excited to announce Criminal Plus - our new membership program. Sign up to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes, ad-free listening of Criminal, This is Love, and Phoebe Reads a Mystery and members-only merch. Our first bonus episode is available now! Learn more and sign up here: thisiscriminal.com/plus.

Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.

Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop.

Episode transcripts are posted on our website.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices