Tea Time Crimes

The Blonde Butcher: Winnie Ruth Judd

Episode Summary

On October 19, 1931, two trunks arrived on the platform of the Los Angeles Central Station, leaking blood. It was no mystery who the trunks belonged to: Winnie Ruth Judd had already been to the depot to collect her luggage. However, when pressured to open them on site, she quickly found an excuse to leave and did not return. It’s not long before the police realize Winnie Ruth Judd’s two best friends, Anne LeRoi and Hedvig “Sammy” Samuelson have been murdered. What happened to leave two women dead and another on the run? Join us as we cover all possibilities and theories.

Episode Notes

On October 19, 1931, two trunks arrived on the platform of the Los Angeles Central Station, leaking blood. It was no mystery who the trunks belonged to: Winnie Ruth Judd had already been to the depot to collect her luggage. However, when pressured to open them on site, she quickly found an excuse to leave and did not return. It’s not long before the police realize Winnie Ruth Judd’s two best friends, Anne LeRoi and Hedvig “Sammy” Samuelson have been murdered. What happened to leave two women dead and another on the run? Join us as we cover all possibilities and theories. 

Tea of the Day: Evening in Missoula Tea 

Theme Music by Brad Frank 

Sources:

• The Trunk Murderess: Winnie Ruth Judd by Jana Bommersbach
• Sammy and Sunny: The Story of Hedvig Samuelson, Murdered by Winnie Ruth Judd and The Story of Sunny Worel's Search for Sammy
• Winnie Ruth Judd: The Trunk Murders The Classic Edition by J. Dwight Dobkins and Robert J. Hendricks
• https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/94269
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532277/
• https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/ruthless-a-long-lost-confession-letter-may-finally-tell-the-real-story-of-winnie-ruth-judd-6657689
• The Spokesman-Review 07 Nov 1992, Sat ·Page 52 https://www.newspapers.com/image/573806513/
• Arizona Republic - 13 May 1973, Sun ·Page 194 https://www.newspapers.com/image/117263354/
• The Monroe News-Star - 19 Oct 1931, Mon ·Page 23  ttps://www.newspapers.com/image/87190850/
• Los Angeles Evening Express - 20 Oct 1931, Tue ·Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/608479160/
• Los Angeles Evening Express - 21 Oct 1931, Wed ·Page 5 https://www.newspapers.com/image/608479281/
• Los Angeles Evening Express - 22 Oct 1931, Thu ·Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/608479394/
• Los Angeles Evening Express - 23 Oct 1931, Fri ·Page 3 https://www.newspapers.com/image/608479537/
• Los Angeles Evening Post-Record - 24 Oct 1931, Sat ·Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/678109867/
• The San Francisco Examiner - 25 Oct 1931, Sun ·Page 2 https://www.newspapers.com/image/457923176/
• Los Angeles Evening Express - 26 Oct 1931, Mon ·Page 3 https://www.newspapers.com/image/608479750/
• The Sacramento Union - 01 Nov 1931, Sun ·Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/998618685/
• The Sacramento Union - 15 Nov 1931, Sun ·Page 46 https://www.newspapers.com/image/998622447/
• The San Francisco Examiner - 29 Nov 1931, Sun ·Page 4 https://www.newspapers.com/image/457526799/
• The Oakland Post Enquirer - 19 Jan 1932, Tue ·Page 3 https://www.newspapers.com/image/999160264/
• Visalia Times-Delta - 20 Jan 1932, Wed ·Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/531501354/
• Standard-Speaker - 21 Jan 1932, Thu ·Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/500521416/
• Daily News - 22 Jan 1932, Fri https://www.newspapers.com/image/414655871/
• Daily News - 24 Jan 1932, Sun ·Page 350 https://www.newspapers.com/image/414553793/
• Daily News - 31 Jan 1932, Sun ·Page 3 https://www.newspapers.com/image/414572116/
• The Daily Times - 02 Feb 1932, Tue ·Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/303050073/
• The Tribune - 03 Feb 1932, Wed ·Page 18 https://www.newspapers.com/image/49404409/
• The Birmingham News - 07 Feb 1932, Sun ·Page 2 https://www.newspapers.com/image/573508808/
• The Los Angeles Times - 09 Feb 1932, Tue ·Page 2 https://www.newspapers.com/image/380402854/
• Daily News - 14 Feb 1932, Sun ·Page 39 https://www.newspapers.com/image/415210526/
• Evansville Courier and Press - 06 Mar 1932, Sun ·Page 3 https://www.newspapers.com/image/764575799/
• Arizona Daily Star - 01 Nov 1931, Sun ·Page 9 https://www.newspapers.com/image/162841672/ (pictures) 
• The Californian - 30 Dec 1932, Fri ·Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/529140315/
• The Capital Journal -07 Oct 1930, Tue ·Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/94752062/
• The Indianapolis Star - 22 Oct 1931, Thu ·Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/108120738/
• Lancaster New Era - 25 Oct 1939, Wed ·Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/560279871/
• The York Dispatch - 28 Oct 1939, Sat ·Page 14 https://www.newspapers.com/image/615109597/
• The York Dispatch - 28 Oct 1939, Sat ·Page 14 https://www.newspapers.com/image/960406783/
• The Edwardsville Intelligencer - 03 Dec 1939, Sun ·Page 2 https://www.newspapers.com/image/26497156/
• Shamokin News-Dispatch - 11 May 1947, Sun ·Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/355555307/
• The Herald-News - 30 Nov 1951, Fri ·Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/526669115/
• The Los Angeles Times - 01 Dec 1951, Sat ·Page 2 https://www.newspapers.com/image/380912109/
• The Los Angeles Times - 04 Feb 1952, Mon ·Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/380954965/
• The Decatur Daily Review - 09 Oct 1962, Tue ·Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/88583595/
• https://www.jcdr.net/article_fulltext.asp?id=6130#:~:text=Adverse%20effects%20include%20hepatitis%2C%20peripheral,illness%2C%20including%20psychosis%20in%20tuberculosis