Shockingly Wicked: A True Crime Podcast
True Crime
On April 28th, 1908, news of the Gunness home having gone up in flames spread quickly through LaPorte, Indiana. Some recalled the dire cries of warning coming from the farm’s owner, Belle Gunness, that her farmhand had threatened to burn the home down with her and her children inside, and it seemed like he had finally acted on it. Four bodies were found in the wreckage of the home, but upon closer inspection, a more macabre picture started to take shape. Although there's no real way of knowing how many fell by her hands, she's estimated to have killed 28 people throughout her life and gotten away with it... by faking her own death? Join us this week as we take a look at this fascinating case of greed turned butchery.
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Sources we used for this episode:
League of Lady Poisoners by Lisa Perrin
American Spy, Belle Gunness, Oarfish (Season 2 Episode 6) of Mysteries at the Museum
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belle_Gunness
https://allthatsinteresting.com/belle-gunness
https://www.historicalcrimedetective.com/ccca/belle-gunness-story/
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/belle-gunness/
https://www.biography.com/crime/belle-gunness
https://www.norwegianamerican.com/belle-gunness/
https://www.historicmysteries.com/belle-gunness/
https://murderpedia.org/female.G/g/gunness-belle.htm
https://stmuscholars.org/belle-gunness-serial-killer/
https://laportelibrary.org/at-the-library/explore-local/belle-gunness/
https://laportecountyhistory.org/exhibits/belle-gunness/
https://www.chicagotribune.com/visuals/vintage/ct-viz-belle-gunness-seriel-killer-bluebeard-indiana-photos-20230420-lz4cfptembfobbatkg3sfe3cze-photogallery.html
http://www.orrville.k12.oh.us/sites/orrville.k12.oh.us/files/11-12_Hall_Psychology_0.pdf
https://www.indystar.com/story/entertainment/arts/2021/07/06/serial-killer-belle-gunness-explored-in-the-garden-of-spite/6840681002/
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2017/11/10/female-indiana-serial-killer-comely-belle-gunness-loved-her-suitors-death/848023001/
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=4c28f9a48ab61d2a3dbf5c166c27517f4292cca5
https://guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-belle-gunness-murder-farm
https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/triflers-need-not-apply-the-story-of-deadly-belle-gunness
https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/belle-gunness-murders-serial-killer-mystery-butcher-of-men-hells-princess
https://headstuff.org/culture/history/belle-gunness-deadly-lonely-heart/
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/queen-black-widows-murdered-dozens-farm-article-1.2028012
https://anymystery.com/belle-gunness-the-story-of-hells-bell-murders/
https://norwegianridge.com/2012/10/12/halloween-special-belle-gunness-norwegian-american-serial-killer/
https://taramrose.medium.com/women-who-kill-belle-gunness-47e7bc6788a7
https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv21hrfkf
https://murderousroots.com/episodes/minisode-2-hells-belle
https://www.southbendtribune.com/story/news/local/2018/07/04/laporte-serial-killer-belle-gunness-to-be-subject-of-tv-series/46489093/
https://www.crimelibrary.org/serial_killers/history/gunness/12.html
https://www.historynet.com/belle-gunness-poisonous-pen/
https://www.documentarytube.com/articles/belle-gunness-the-true-black-widow-of-the-midwest/
https://www.grunge.com/1023769/belle-gunness-most-likely-motive-for-murdering-her-suitors/
https://www.themidwestcrimefiles.com/post/hell-s-belle-the-mystery-of-belle-sorenson-gunness
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/belle-gunness-36384.php
https://crimeopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Belle_Gunness
https://www.thegunnessmystery.com/
https://www.gypsyjournalrv.com/2023/03/belle-gunness-the-lethal-lady-of-la-porte-2/
https://blog.newspapers.com/belle-gunness-murders/
https://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/strychnine/basics/facts.asp
https://www.healthline.com/health/psychopath#signs
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