Casefile True Crime Case 287: Half & Susanne Zantop
Jun 8, 2024
Beloved Dartmouth College professors Half and Susanne Zantop were brutally murdered in their home, leading to a shocking investigation. Two high school students with a deadly plan were uncovered as unlikely suspects. The podcast delves into the gruesome crime scene, the tracking down of the murder weapons, the mysterious disappearance of the teens, their arrest, and the aftermath of the trial.
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The Zantops' Tragic Murder
- Hoff and Susanne Zantop were found brutally stabbed to death in their own home in Etna, New Hampshire.
- The violent nature and the fact that both were professors shocked their community and left police puzzled initially.
Personal Motive Inferred
- The brutal overkill suggested a deeply personal motive fueled by rage.
- The attack was in broad daylight and showed signs of a targeted, not random, crime.
Key Forensic Clue: Knife Sheaths
- Two unique knife sheaths matching SOG SEAL 2000 combat knives were found at the crime scene.
- This forensic clue was key in identifying the killers due to the rarity and specificity of the weapon.