Advertise on podcast: Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast

My guest this week is bestselling author Lou Ferrante. He was an associate in the Gambino crime family before going to prison, where he studied history and began writing books. He joins us to talk about the origins of the Sicilian Mafia and how they followed Italian immigrants to the United States, initially establishing themselves in crime-ridden New Orleans alongside a corrupt police force.  His new book is called "Borgata: Rise of Empire: A History of the American Mafia", the first volume of his Mafia trilogy.  More about Lou Ferrante and his work on his website: https://louisferrante.com/ Lou Ferrante's Simon & Schuster Publisher Page: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Borgata/Louis-Ferrante/Borgata-Trilogy/9781639366019 Lou Ferrante on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/louferrante Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lana Turner's meteoric rise to fame after being discovered at a soda fountain by a talent scout in 1936 is a legendary Hollywood story. From that point forward, the starlet's life had been a series of exhilarating highs - including award-worthy performances in critically acclaimed films, and terrifying lows - as she suffered abuse by multiple men over the years. Among the men who terrorized her was her gangster boyfriend Johnny Stompanato, a bodyguard for Los Angeles crime boss Mickey Cohen. Cohen and Stompanato had been working together to extort money from Lana, but on April 4, 1958, that partnership ended when Stompanato was stabbed to death in Lana's home. Her daughter, Cheryl, would ultimately be tried for the killing.  My guest is New York Times bestselling author Casey Sherman. He shares details from his new book "A Murder in Hollywood: The Untold Story of Tinseltown's Most Shocking Crime".  Casey Sherman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caseyshermanwrites Casey Sherman on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/caseysherman123 Casey Sherman on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casey.sherman/ Help the show out by filling out this brief survey. A big thank you from Erik!  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mostnotorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vivian Gordon went out before midnight in a velvet dress and mink coat. Her body turned up the next morning in a desolate Bronx park, a dirty clothesline wrapped around her neck. At her stylish Manhattan apartment, detectives discovered notebooks full of names—businessmen, socialites, gangsters. And something else: a letter from an anti-corruption commission established by Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Led by the imperious Judge Samuel Seabury, the commission had uncovered a police conspiracy to frame women as prostitutes. Had Vivian Gordon been executed to bury her secrets? As FDR pressed the police to solve her murder, Judge Seabury pursued the trail of corruption to the top of Gotham’s powerful political machine—the infamous Tammany Hall. My guest is author Michael Wolraich, and his brand-new book is called "The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age". He shares the story of Vivian Gordon, her 1931 murder, and the dramatic effect it had on New York City politics. More about the author here: https://michaelwolraich.com/ This episode is sponsored by Factor. Go to https://factormeals.com/notorious50 to get 50% off! Use code notorious50. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On August 17th, 1849, London police officers made a grisly discovery at the home of George and Maria (born Marie de Roux) Manning. Her former beau, Patrick O'Connor, had been buried under the floor. A nationwide hunt for the couple would follow, and after that a trial and executions. The murder case would grip London so fervently that Madame Tussaud would later add wax versions of the couple to her infamous Chamber of Horrors.  My guest today is Gavin Whitehead, creator, writer and narrator of The Art of Crime podcast, which is currently in its third season.  More about The Art of Crime here:  https://www.artofcrimepodcast.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gille de Rais is a complicated historical figure. On one hand he was a French military hero - a man who fought side by side with Joan of Arc - and revered for his service to church and state. On the other he was an accused heretic, an occultist, and the self-confessed serial killer of hundreds of children.  My guest is Margot K. Juby, author of "The Martyrdom of Gilles de Rais". She believes that there is not enough evidence to prove that de Rais committed the monstrous crimes he has been accused of, and argues her case on this latest episode of Most Notorious.  A short animated film about the author and her book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBYgr7L-NSk The author's blog: http://www.gillesderaiswasinnocent.co.uk/ The author's Twitter/X handle: https://twitter.com/MorbidMorag Buy her book on US Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Martyrdom-Gilles-Rais-Margot-Juby/dp/1729561357 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a well-to-do couple named Charles and Lois Hitchcock are discovered hacked to death on their fruit farm in Garden Grove, California in January of 1888, suspicions quickly turn to an itinerant German, who has been looking to buy a property in the area.   This is a special "this day in true crime history" episode of Most Notorious, narrated by Erik Rivenes.  References:   Los Angeles Evening Express, 1/27/1888, p. 5. Los Angeles Times, 1/27/1888 p. 4.  Los Angeles Evening Express, 1/28/1888 p. 5 Los Angeles Times, 1/28/1888 p. 4 Los Angeles Herald, 2/1/1888 p. 2, 4. Los Angeles Evening Express, 2/18/1888 p. 5 Los Angeles Herald, 2/19/1888 p. 2 Los Angeles Herald 3/16/88 p. 4 Los Angeles Evening Express, 10/22/1888 p. 8 Los Angeles Evening Express, 11/2/1888 p. 1 Los Angeles Evening Express, 11/15/1888 p. 1  Los Angeles Herald 11/15/1888 p. 1 Orange County history: http://www.ocalmanac.com/History/hi01d.htm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On January 19th, 1900, Martin "Marty" Bergen, star catcher for the Boston Beaneaters baseball team, committed a truly atrocious crime. He murdered his family and then killed himself at their North Brookfield, Massachusetts farm. He had been suffering from depression and paranoia for years prior to the horrific event. Listener discretion is advised, as this episode includes a graphic description of the crime scene taken directly from a Boston Globe article the day after it happened. Helpful Vocabulary: Inmate: One of several occupants of a house. Bromide: Or bromide salts. They were used in the 19th century as sedative hypnotics. Sources: Marty Bergen by Brian McKenna. Society for American Baseball Research. Holyoke Daily Transcript, Holyoke, MA 7/20/1899 p. 5 The Boston Globe, Boston MA 7/28/1899 p. 3. The Boston Globe, Boston MA “Bergen’s Insane Deed”. 1/20/1900 p. 1, 3

The Creek War is one of the most tragic episodes in American history, leading to the greatest loss of Native American life on what is now U.S. soil. What began as a vicious internal conflict among the Creek Indians metastasized like a cancer. The ensuing Creek War of 1813-1814 shattered Native American control of the Deep South and led to the infamous Trail of Tears, in which the government forcibly removed the southeastern Indians from their homeland. The war also gave Andrew Jackson his first combat leadership role, and his newfound popularity after defeating the Creeks would set him on the path to the White House. My guest is international award-winning author Peter Cozzens. His book "A Brutal Reckoning: Andrew Jackson, the Creek Indians, and the Epic War for the American South" is the third in his trilogy about America's westward expansion. Visit the author's website here: https://www.petercozzens.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prolific Australian crime writer Roy Maloy is my guest this week. He gives us the scoop on the complex and violent legacy of Melbourne gangster Squizzy Taylor. Highlights include Squizzy's marriage to notorious madam Dolly Gray, the infamous 1919 Fitzroy Vendetta, and his own bloody death at the hands of his rivals.  His book is called "Squizzy - The Biography: The Forensics - The Man - The Vendetta."  The author's Linktree page: https://linktr.ee/RoyMaloy The author's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/roymaloy The author's TikTok account: https://www.tiktok.com/@roymaloy4 Readers in the United States can buy the book through Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Squizzy-Biography-Forensics-Man-Vendetta/dp/1716377986/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Four-time guest and author Kimberly Tilley joins me once again, this time to talk about two unsolved historical mysteries. First, she tells the story of nineteen-year-old Lillian Hawkins, who was harassed by a murderous stalker in turn-of-the-twentieth century Ohio. Then we're off to 1920 Los Angeles, where a bit-part Hollywood actress named Ruby Reed was brutally slain in her home.  More about Lillian Hawkins' wild story here: https://oldspirituals.com/2023/06/29/mysterious-persecution-1/ More about Ruby Reed's murder and investigation here:   https://oldspirituals.com/2023/08/13/ruby-murder-1/ "Love's Old Sweet Song" by Irene Pavloska: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIvz5zEaRBw&t=17s This episode is sponsored by HelloFresh. Go to https://www.hellofresh.com/notoriousfree to get free breakfast for life! (One breakfast item per box while subscription is active.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On January 1st, 1894, in New Castle, PA, a terrifying drama played out at the home of the Robinson sisters. The story's villain? A principal from a prestigious local school. References: The New Castle News, New Castle, PA 1/11/1894 p. 1 The New Castle News, New Castle, PA 1/25/1894 p. 1 The New Castle News, New Castle PA 1/26/1894 p. 4 The Pittsburgh Post Pittsburg, PA 1/30/1894 p. 8 The New Castle News, New Castle, PA 2/1/1894 p. 4 The New Castle News, New Castle, PA 2/2/1894 p. 1 The New Castle News, New Castle, PA 3/7/1894 p. 1 The New Castle News, New Castle, PA 3/9/1894 p. 1 The New Castle News, New Castle, PA 3/21/1894 p. 1 Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA 3/24/1894 p. 1 The New Castle News, New Castle PA 3/28/1894 p. 5 U.S. City Directories. New Castle, Pennsylvania, p. 210. Alda Robinson. Find a Grave (DOB and DOD on Grave marker) 1880 United States Federal Census Little Beaver, PA (lists the names and ages of the Robinson children, including Margaret (Maggie) Alda and Samuel) The Brooklyn Citizen 9/21/1893 p. 1 (Chloroform causes heart failure)

In this Most Notorious holiday re-release, we revisit an interview that got a lot of attention when it first aired. This is my interview with Lise Pearlman about the fascinating research she did in the infamous 1932 Lindbergh kidnapping, and her jaw-dropping conclusions about who was really behind it all. More information on Lise and her books can be found at her website here: www.lisepearlman.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices