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A disagreement over just 15 cents ended in tragedy and led to Lackawanna County's first execution by hanging. In this episode, we explore the shocking true story behind one of Northeast Pennsylvania's most infamous crimes and examine how a seemingly minor dispute spiraled into a deadly confrontation that captivated the region.

A spilled glass of water. A heated argument. Then gunfire shattered a quiet Saturday night in West Scranton. In this episode, we uncover the shocking true story of the May 21, 1910, murder at Bennie Ricciardi’s store on Scranton Street — a crime that left one man dead, another gravely wounded, and launched a dramatic manhunt stretching from Pennsylvania to New York. Who was Benedetto Tripodo? Was he a man acting in self-defense… or someone connected to an earlier unsolved killing with possible ties to the feared Black Hand era? Drawing from newspaper archives, prison records, census documents, and forgotten historical sources, we retrace the events of one of West Scranton’s most compelling early 20th-century crimes — from the fatal confrontation to the railroad escape, capture, plea deal, and the lingering mysteries left behind. More than a century later, questions remain. 🎙️ A true crime story buried in Scranton history — until now. #TrueCrime #ScrantonHistory #HistoricalCrime #PennsylvaniaHistory #Genealogy #ItalianAmericanHistory #BlackHand #LocalHistory #HistoryPodcast

A burst of gunfire at Murderer’s Corner in Bull's Head left a community shaken and investigators searching for answers. Conflicting witness accounts, lingering rumors, and unanswered questions turned the shooting into a local mystery. Was it targeted, mistaken identity, or something else entirely? This episode revisits a forgotten Northeastern Pennsylvania case that still refuses to give up its secrets.

In 1934, two decomposed bodies were discovered at the bottom of an abandoned mine shaft in Old Forge, Pennsylvania. Investigators later recovered a third victim, buried in the ice. All three were shot execution-style. With ties to robberies, underworld associates, and possible New York mob connections, the killings bore the hallmarks of a professional hit. Despite multiple suspects, the frozen shaft murders remain an unsolved cold case to this day.

A long-simmering rivalry in Boone Hill erupts into deadly violence, leaving a community shaken and searching for answers. In this episode, we discuss the case, unraveling the tensions, the confrontation that changed everything, and the haunting aftermath of a feud that went too far.

In 1915, detectives uncovered a secret counterfeiting operation on a farm in Chinchilla near Scranton. A dramatic raid exposed a group producing fake half-dollar coins and revealed the growing reach of organized crime in early 20th-century Northeastern Pennsylvania.

A successful doctor. A suspicious past. A brutal murder. In 1867, Dr. John D. Durkin was found dead on the floor of his hotel room in Scranton. The man accused of killing him was tracked across multiple states, arrested, and convicted… only to be mysteriously acquitted at a second trial. Decades later, a shocking courtroom outburst reignited the question everyone had been asking: Who really killed Dr. Durkin? Listen to this discussion and decide for yourself. 🔎

At the turn of the 20th century, Scranton’s Bull’s Head neighborhood — a bustling Italian immigrant enclave — became the unlikely backdrop for one of the region’s most violent and mysterious crime waves. Known as the Black Hand Society, this secretive group blended extortion, family feuds, and street justice, shaping a chapter of American Mafia-style lore far removed from the Southern Italian shadows most of us imagine. Tonight, we dig into the rise of the Black Hand in Bull’s Head — the deadly disputes, the infamous murders, and the feud that gripped a community struggling to find order amid chaos.

Before dawn on September 21, 1872, a man was found dead in a pool of blood near a place known as Fellows’ Corners in Hyde Park. His skull had been crushed. His killer was never found. Who was James Monaghan? And what really happened that night in the early days of Scranton?

This episode explores the life and tragic death of Captain Albert Gleason, a longtime police officer in Scranton who was killed in the line of duty on December 27, 1933. We trace his personal journey from miner to respected lawman and the circumstances surrounding his death. The story also touches on broader, contemporary questions around crime and illegal immigration that echo through today’s headlines, inviting listeners to reflect on how these issues resonate across decades.

She vanished on December 17, 1938. Days later, she was found murdered. Margaret Martin’s disappearance and killing shocked Northeastern Pennsylvania—and the case remains unsolved more than 80 years later. Today, we remember her and revisit the mystery that still lingers. #UnsolvedCase #MargaretMartin #TrueCrime #ColdCase #HistoricCrimes #KingstonPA #NEPA #historicNEPAcrimes

December 7, 1978. Scranton, PA.22-year-old Joanne Williams kissed her parents goodbye, hopped into her red Datsun, and vanished into the night. Her car was found abandoned across town. Purse inside. Glasses inside. No Joanne—ever again. 47 years later, no body, no answers, no closure. Where is Joanne Williams? 🖤 #Unsolved #TrueCrime #ScrantonMystery

A routine train run into Scranton in 1911 turned into one of the region’s most shocking crimes when 18-year-old express messenger William “Bill” Bishie murdered courier Irvan Borger during the four minutes between Taylor and Scranton. What followed was a gripping saga: a swift confession, a death sentence, a community divided, multiple appeals, prison drama, a daring escape, seven years on the run, and a surprising capture. Decades later, Bishie walked free—living an unassuming life far from the tracks where it all began. This true Pennsylvania crime story spans justice, media influence, redemption, and the long shadow of a single violent moment.

November 1, 1973, two South Scranton boys were reported missing – Paul “PJ” Freach (13) and Edmond “Buddy” Keen (12). Their bodies were found just days later. The hunt for the killer terrified Scranton and the surrounding area. This is the story of William Wright.

A deadly 1875 encounter leaves one man dead and the shooter haunted, sparking a gun control debate 150 years ago.