Buried Bones - a historical true crime podcast with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes Murder on the Range PT 1
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Aug 20, 2025 A journey to Colorado during western expansion reveals the dark secrets behind a single murder linked to numerous others. The hosts blend humor with history, discussing hairstyles from the 80s and the implications of the Civil War on crime. Intriguing tales of Franklin Bruce's mysterious death and the brutal attack on Henry Harkins present a chilling view of violence in remote areas. The investigation of murders unfolds through environmental clues, hinting at financial desperation and complex motives behind each crime.
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Territory Change Fueled Local Tensions
- Colorado Territory in the 1860s had rapid demographic change and land dispossession that created deep local tensions.
- Environmental and social shifts can create crime-prone conditions, according to Kate and Paul.
Use Environmental Criminology Lens
- Paul frames this context as environmental criminology: place and social conditions shape crime patterns.
- He uses that lens to connect displacement, resources, and motive for violence.
Sawmill Owner Found Shot With Cross
- Franklin William Bruce left for his sawmill and never returned, with horses later found alone pulling an empty wagon.
- His youngest son went to the sawmill and reported his father shot through the heart with a cross carved into his chest.
