All language subtitles for A Crime to Remember S05E02 The Bad Old Days

WHAT'S YOUR NAME, MA'AM?

JACQUELINE MILLER.

I JUST CAME HOME
FROM -- FROM MY LUNCH BREAK,

AND THAT'S HOW
I FOUND HER.

SHE'S MY MOTHER.

MAYBE IT WAS JUST ME
BECAUSE I WAS NEW ON THE JOB,

BUT ALL OF US REPORTERS

HANGING AROUND THE CRIME SCENE
LIKE THAT --

IT FELT LIKE I WAS RUNNING
WITH A PACK OF WILD DOGS.

BACK THEN, COPS HAD THEIR HANDS
FULL WITH UNSOLVED MURDERS,

SO THAT'S WHERE WE CAME IN --
THE NEWSPAPER MEN.

YOUR FIRST DEAD DOLLY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK, KID?

SEE, IF IT WASN'T FOR US,
STUFF GOT MISSED.

LIKE, WE COULD HAVE MISSED
THAT THIS WAS THE BEGINNING

OF SOMETHING BIG,

SOMETHING
WE'D NEVER SEEN BEFORE,

SOMETHING SENSATIONAL...

...AND THAT'S WHAT
SELLS NEWSPAPERS.

JUNE 5th, 1945,
JACQUELINE MILLER COMES HOME

AND IS HORRIFIED TO SEE
HER MOTHER'S BODY

BRUISED AND LIFELESS.

OWENS HERE. LISTEN.
I GOT SOMETHING GOOD HERE.

JOSEPHINE ROSS.
SHE'S BEEN MURDERED.

IT'S TERRIFIC.

STAB WOUNDS TO
THE NECK AND THE FACE.

THE WORLD WAS
SO DIFFERENT IN 1945.

THERE ARE FIVE MAJOR
DAILY NEWSPAPERS IN CHICAGO

WHO WANT FRONT-PAGE STORIES,

AND THEY ARE VERY COMPETITIVE.

PHOTOGRAPHERS ARE THERE.

POLICE ARE ELBOW TO ELBOW
WITH REPORTERS.

COPS ARE JUST
GETTING HERE NOW.

HI, BOYS!

GET YOUR PICTURES
AND CLEAR THE ROOM!

TALK TO YOU SOON.
OKAY.

NO, NO. FRANKS AND ROBERTS,
YOU GUYS CAN STAY.

I'M NEW.

WHEN THE PRESS AND THE POLICE
EXAMINE JOSEPHINE ROSS' BODY,

THEY FIND A RED SKIRT
ON HER HEAD.

IT'S BEEN TIED WITH A SCARF.

ALL RIGHT, KID.

TAKE THAT GARMENT OFF.

SHE HAS SEVERAL
LACERATIONS ON FACE,

AND THOSE LACERATIONS HAVE BEEN
AFFIXED WITH ADHESIVE TAPE

IN SOME KIND OF EFFORT
TO MEND THEM.

INJURIES LIKE THIS --

SHE SHOULD BE
COVERED IN BLOOD.

LOOKS LIKE
SHE'S BEEN WASHED.

THE BLOOD THAT IS
EVIDENT ON THE BED

IS NOT EVIDENT
ON THE BODY.

DETECTIVE KANE,
YOU BETTER COME SEE THIS.

THE ASSAILANT TOOK THE TIME
TO CLEAN HER BODY

AND BRING HER BACK
TO THE BEDROOM

AND PUT HER IN
A POSITION OF REPOSE.

THE WOUND'S
FROM BACK TO FRONT,

WHICH MEANS THE ASSAILANT
HAD TO USE TREMENDOUS FORCE

TO GO THROUGH THE BONES
AND CARTILAGE.

WHOEVER DID THIS
WAS REAL ANGRY.

THE POLICE ARE CONTEMPLATING
THAT THE VIOLENT INJURIES

ARE INDICATIONS
OF AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE.

POSSIBLY THIS IS
A CRIME OF PASSION.

KILLER COULD HAVE
LEFT OUT THE WINDOW,

THROUGH THE FIRE ESCAPE.
GO TALK TO THE NEIGHBORS.

LET'S GET THIS PLACE
DUSTED FOR PRINTS.

POLICE LOCATE TWO
INDIVIDUALS IN THE BUILDING

WHO REPORT THAT AT APPROXIMATELY
10:30 IN THE MORNING

THEY HAD SEEN A MAN IN HIS 20s
OR 30s WITH DARK WAVY HAIR

ON THE FIRE ESCAPE.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD HAVE
WANTED TO HURT YOUR MOTHER?

IS YOUR FATHER AROUND?

NO. SHE --
SHE'S DIVORCED.

BUT SHE'S ENGAGED
TO OSCAR NORDMARK.

BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE
I SHOULD TELL YOU.

SHE WAS ALSO SEEING
ANOTHER GUY, CHESTER.

THEY'VE BEEN ON AND OFF
FOR YEARS.

THERE'S A FIANCé
AND A BOYFRIEND?

THE POLICE INTERVIEW
THE VICTIM'S FIANCé, MR. NORDMARK.

HAVE A SEAT.

THANKS FOR COMING DOWN.

CAN YOU ACCOUNT FOR
YOUR WHEREABOUTS

BETWEEN 9:30 A.M.
AND 1:30 P.M. YESTERDAY?

YEAH.
I WAS AT WORK.

CAN YOU PROVE IT?

LOOK. I'VE BEEN TUCK-POINTING
A BIG JOB OUT ON LINCOLN.

TUCK-POINTING?
WHAT'S THAT?

BRICKLAYING.

ANYBODY SEE YOU?

YEAH. I'VE BEEN
ON IT FOR WEEKS.

ALL THE GUYS
SAW ME THERE.

HE WAS AT WORK
AND COULD PROVE IT.

WERE YOU AWARE THAT YOUR
FIANCéE ALSO HAD A BOYFRIEND,

CHESTER RICE?

HE'D BE CAPABLE
OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS?

I WOULDN'T
PUT IT PAST HIM.

THE GUY'S A REAL NUTJOB.

HAVE A SEAT.

POLICE FIND CHESTER
RICE, AND THEY INTERVIEW HIM.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN
JOSEPHINE ROSS?

WE GO BACK
A LONG WAY --

CHILDHOOD SWEETHEARTS.

IS THAT RIGHT?

YOU MUST BE
PRETTY BROKEN UP.

BROKEN UP?

MS. ROSS WAS FOUND
DEAD IN HER APARTMENT

YESTERDAY MORNING.

THAT HAS NOTHING
TO DO WITH ME.

YOU GUYS HAVE
A REPUTATION TOGETHER.

A STORMY ROMANCE.

DID YOU KNOW SHE WAS
GETTING MARRIED?

YEAH. I KNEW SHE WAS
GONNA MARRY THIS STIFF.

WHERE WERE YOU
YESTERDAY MORNING?

SAME PLACE I'M AT
EVERY MORNING.

I WAS AT THE BAR.

WINKY, THE BARTENDER,
AND EIGHT OR NINE DRUNKS

CAN VOUCH FOR ME THERE.

HE CLAIMS
TO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT,

AND HE HAS AN AIRTIGHT ALIBI
FOR HIS WHEREABOUTS

ON THE MORNING OF THE MURDER.

I WASN'T ANYWHERE
NEAR HER.

CRAWFORD.
YEP.

WE WERE ALL LOOKING FOR
AN ANGLE

TO GET BACK ON THE FRONT PAGE,

BUT THE COPS HAD NOTHING FOR US
BUT DEAD ENDS.

THE INVESTIGATION
WAS GOING NOWHERE.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE
KINDS OF CRIMES

THAT WOULD PROBABLY GET
LOW PRIORITY.

THERE'S NO SUSPECT.

THERE'S LITTLE,
IF ANY, EVIDENCE.

THERE'S NOT MUCH THEY CAN DO,

AND ULTIMATELY, THE PRESS
WASN'T ALL THAT INTERESTED.

McGONAGLE, DROP THE ROSS STORY.

IT'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
NOBODY CARES ANYMORE.

IN 1945, THERE ARE MURDERS
THAT GRAB EVERYONE'S ATTENTION,

AND THERE ARE MURDERS THAT ARE
CONSIDERED TO BE CHEAP MURDERS.

I GOT SOMETHING ELSE FOR YOU.
COME HERE.

JOSEPHINE ROSS WAS NOT WEALTHY.

SHE WAS DIVORCED.

HER MURDER IS NOT A STORY.

BUT SIX MONTHS LATER
ON DECEMBER 10th OF 1945...

...A HOUSEKEEPER DISCOVERS HER
EMPLOYER, FRANCES BROWN,

MURDERED.

DETECTIVES ARE CALLED
TO AN ADDRESS

NEAR JOSEPHINE ROSS' APARTMENT

IN THE SLIGHTLY BETTER AREA
OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THEY FIND A WOMAN'S BODY.

AND THEY NOTE THAT THE VICTIM
IS POSITIONED IN AN UNUSUAL POSE

AT THE EDGE OF THE TUB.

THEY SEE
A JACK-THE-RIPPER-TYPE MURDER.

THE VICTIM HAS BEEN SHOT TWICE,
STABBED MULTIPLE TIMES,

A KNIFE LEFT IN HER BODY.

IT'S A HORRIBLE SCENE.

BUT THEY DO NOTICE SIMILARITIES
BETWEEN THESE CRIMES.

AND AGAIN, THE WINDOW IS OPEN.

HEY, FELLAS!

YOU'RE GONNA WANT
TO SEE THIS.

ON THE WALL OVER HER BED,

THE KILLER HAS TAKEN
RED LIPSTICK AND HAS WRITTEN,

"FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE,
CATCH ME BEFORE I KILL MORE.

I CANNOT CONTROL MYSELF."

THE KILLER WROTE,
"CATCH ME BEFORE I KILL MORE."

SO THAT MADE ME THINK,

"WAS IT POSSIBLE
THIS WAS THE SAME PERPETRATOR

THAT KILLED JOSEPHINE ROSS?"

BECAUSE IF THAT WERE THE CASE,

IT WAS GONNA BE
A MAJOR HEADLINE.

YEAH, McGONAGLE.
WHAT DO YOU GOT?

LISTEN TO THIS,

"FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE,
CATCH ME BEFORE I KILL MORE.

I CANNOT CONTROL MYSELF."

IT WAS AS IF THE KILLER HAD LEFT
A GIFT TO THE NEWSPAPERS.

SO YOU'RE TELLING ME
THE KILLER LEFT A MESSAGE

WRITTEN ON THE WALL
WITH LIPSTICK?

THAT'S GOLDEN.

WE'LL CALL HIM
THE LIPSTICK KILLER, OKAY?

HE'S TAUNTING THE POLICE
TO "CATCH ME BEFORE I KILL AGAIN."

IT'S A MIND-BOGGLING STORY

THAT WOULD SELL THOUSANDS
OF NEWSPAPERS LATER THAT DAY.

AT THE TIME, IT'S THE MOST
SENSATIONAL STORY

OF THE 20th CENTURY.

POLICE THINK THAT
THESE MURDERS ARE LINKED

BECAUSE OF THE SIMILARITIES
IN THE WASHING OF THE BODIES,

THE WRAPPING OF THE HEAD

AND THE POSSIBLE ENTRIES
THROUGH WINDOWS.

THEY DO A CANVASS
OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD

NEAR THE APARTMENT
OF FRANCES BROWN.

THE SUPERINTENDENT
FOR THE BUILDING SAYS

THAT HE SAW A STRANGER
ON THE ELEVATOR IN THE BUILDING

ABOUT 35 TO 40 YEARS OLD,

ABOUT 140 POUNDS

AND LEFT THE BUILDING
AT 4:00 IN THE MORNING.

CORONER'S REPORT
SHOWS NO SIGN OF RAPE.

THERE IS NO EVIDENCE
OF SEXUAL ASSAULT,

SO WHEN THE DETECTIVES ARE
TRYING TO DETERMINE MOTIVE,

THEY'RE A LITTLE AT A LOSS.

THERE'S NOTHING OF
ANY SIGNIFICANT VALUE

MISSING FROM THE APARTMENTS.

THERE'S NO INDICATION
OF REVENGE OR JEALOUSY.

MAYBE HE'S NOT
ABOUT THAT, RIGHT?

MAYBE HE'S JUST
SOME SORT OF SICKO

WHO COMMITS THESE CRIMES
BECAUSE HE LIKES TO DO IT.

HE TAKES PLEASURE
IN THE KILLING.

LOOKING AT THE WASHING OF
THE BODIES CERTAINLY INDICATES

THAT THERE IS A RITUALISTIC
COMPONENT TO THESE CRIMES.

WELL, IF THAT'S THE CASE,
THEN HE'LL BE AT IT AGAIN.

YEAH.

SO WHAT THEY'RE LEFT WITH
IS THAT THIS KILLER

ENJOYS WHAT HE'S DOING.

TODAY YOU'D CALL THAT
A SERIAL KILLER,

BUT IN 1945, THAT TERM
HADN'T EVEN BEEN INVENTED YET.

BUT THE STORY WAS SELLING
NEWSPAPERS LIKE GANGBUSTERS,

SO THAT GOT THE PUBLIC
CLAMORING

FOR THE COPS TO FIND THEIR MAN.

KANE, MY OFFICE
IS GETTING

CONSTANT CALLS
FROM THE PUBLIC.

'45 INTO '46 WAS
AN ELECTION YEAR.

THE STATE'S ATTORNEY
WAS ELECTED TO HIS FIRST TERM.

PHIL, WE'RE DOING
EVERYTHING WE CAN.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME
THE PUBLIC NEEDS JUSTICE.

THERE'S AN ENORMOUS
AMOUNT OF PRESSURE

ON THESE DETECTIVES
TO PUT SOMEBODY IN PRISON

OR IN THE ELECTRIC CHAIR
FOR COMMITTING THESE MURDERS.

I'M GLAD WE UNDERSTAND
EACH OTHER.

IF YOU DID NOT PRODUCE,
YOU'D BE BACK WALKING A BEAT.

MY READERS WANTED TO KNOW,
"WHO WAS THE LIPSTICK KILLER?"

BUT THE COPS HAD
NOTHING TO GO ON.

ALL ANY OF US COULD DO
WAS WAIT FOR HIS NEXT KILL.

JIM, CAN YOU GET
SUZANNE UP?

SHE CAN'T BE LATE
FOR SCHOOL AGAIN.

SUZANNE, HON,
IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP.

SUZANNE!

SUZANNE?!

JUST AS THE CITY WAS
REELING FROM THE LIPSTICK MURDER,

FOUR WEEKS LATER
IN EARLY JANUARY OF 1946,

THE POLICE GET A CALL
FROM THE DEGNAN FAMILY.

THEIR DAUGHTER IS MISSING.

THEY FIND NO BLOOD,
NO SIGNS OF STRUGGLE,

NO EVIDENCE OF DISRUPTION.

IT'S A NOTE.

THEN THE POLICE FIND
A SCRAWLED RANSOM NOTE.

WHAT'S IT SAY?

THE RANSOM NOTE
SAYS, "GET $20,000 READY

AND DO NOT NOTIFY
FBI OR POLICE."

OUTSIDE THE VICTIM'S WINDOW,
POLICE FIND A LARGE LADDER.

POLICE THINK THAT THE KIDNAPPER

HAD SNATCHED HER
FROM HER BEDROOM

AND THEN TAKEN HER
THROUGH THE BEDROOM WINDOW

AND DOWN THE LADDER.

OKAY.
WE'RE ON THE AIR.

I AM ADDRESSING THE KIDNAPPER
OF MY LITTLE GIRL, SUZANNE.

I WILL RAISE THE $20,000,

AND I HAVE BURNED
THE RANSOM NOTE LIKE YOU ASKED.

JIM DEGNAN GOES ON THE RADIO

AND MAKES A PLEA
FOR THE RETURN OF HIS CHILD.

THIS IS A VERY
SENSATIONAL STORY --

SOMETHING THAT WILL
SELL MORE PAPERS.

A LITTLE GIRL
HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED.

THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY DAY.

CHICAGO PD.

THE CHICAGO POLICE
GET AN ANONYMOUS TIP

TO LOOK IN THE SEWERS BENEATH
THE STREETS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD

IN WHICH THE DEGNAN APARTMENT
IS LOCATED.

IN THE EXAMINATION
OF ONE OF THE MANHOLES,

THEY NOTE SOME BLOND HAIR
BOBBING IN THE WATER.

THEY DISCOVER THE BLOND HAIR
IS SUZANNE DEGNAN.

HOW LONG
HAS SHE BEEN DEAD?

IT'S CUT
WITH PRECISION.

HE KNEW EXACTLY
WHAT HE WAS DOING.

GRUESOMELY, THE HEAD HAD BEEN
CLEANLY SEVERED FROM HER BODY.

WHOEVER DID IT HAD TO BE
EITHER A BUTCHER OR A SURGEON

BECAUSE THE CUTTING
IS SO PRECISE.

SHOW ME THIS.

THE POLICE FIND
THE RESIDUE OF COAL DUST

ON SUZANNE'S FEET.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR A FURNACE --
A COAL FURNACE!

I WANT ALL THESE
BASEMENTS CHECKED.

CHECK OUT
THE BIG BUILDINGS FIRST,

AND THEN MOVE ON TO
THE SMALL RESIDENCES.

TWO AT A TIME.

COME ON, GENTLEMEN.
LET'S MOVE.

MUCH OF CHICAGO
AT THAT TIME WAS HEATED

WITH A COAL-BURNING FURNACE
IN THE BASEMENT.

IN THE HOUSE-TO-HOUSE
SEARCH, THE DETECTIVES FIND A BASEMENT.

THERE'S A COAL BIN,

AND THAT COAL BIN
HAS RECENTLY BEEN FILLED.

BOSS, YOU BETTER
GET OVER HERE.

THEY ALSO FIND A WASH BASIN.

IN THAT BASIN, THEY FIND
WHAT APPEAR TO BE HUMAN REMAINS.

DETECTIVE!

WHAT'S YOUR NAME,
SON?

HECTOR VERBURGH.

HECTOR VERBURGH.
YOU WORK IN THE BASEMENT?

YEAH, SOMETIMES.

THE POLICE LEARN
THE BUILDING'S SUPERINTENDENT,

HECTOR VERBURGH,
HAS ACCESS TO THE BASEMENT

WHERE THEY FIND
THE INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE.

YOU WORK LAST NIGHT?
YEAH.

YOU'RE HERE EVERYDAY?

EVERY DAY.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ACCESS
TO THE BASEMENT?

OWNERS, PORTERS --
I DON'T KNOW.

OFFICER, I THINK WE SHOULD
BRING HIM DOWNTOWN.

THIS IS -- I GO TO --
HEY, VICTOR.

NOBODY TOLD YOU
YOU CAN GO YET.

AND SO THEY ARREST HIM.

THE OFFICERS INFORM THE PRESS

THAT THEY THINK
THEY'VE CAUGHT THEIR MAN.

NEWSPAPERS
TELL THE CHICAGO PUBLIC

THAT A CONFESSION
IS AROUND THE CORNER.

JUST MAKE THIS
EASY ON YOURSELF.

JUST TELL US HOW
YOU KILLED THAT GIRL.

I NO KILL NO GIRLS!

THE PRESS -- THEY'RE
REPORTING ALL OF THESE DETAILS

THAT ARE JUST TERRIFYING,

AND THE POLICE START FEELING
MORE AND MORE PRESSURE.

ALL RIGHT, VICTOR.
THIS CAN ALL END RIGHT HERE.

JUST TELL US
WHAT YOU DID TO HER!

I DIDN'T DO IT.

I NO DO NOTHING!

COME ON, YOU PERVERT.

YOU LIKE
LITTLE GIRLS?

YOU LIKE LITTLE GIRLS?
TELL US HOW YOU DID IT.

COME ON, VICTOR!
TELL US HOW YOU DID IT!

THESE DETECTIVES
ARE WILLING TO DO

ALMOST ANYTHING
TO SOLVE THIS CASE.

I'D BEEN COVERING
THE STORY OF THE LIPSTICK KILLER

FOR OVER A YEAR.

I WASN'T A ROOKIE REPORTER
ON THE CITY BEAT ANYMORE.

IT WAS MY STORY -- TWO DEAD
WOMEN AND NOW A LITTLE GIRL.

I KNEW IF THEY GOT
A CONFESSION,

THIS WOULD GO STRAIGHT
TO THE FRONT PAGE.

JUST TELL US
YOU KILLED SUZANNE DEGNAN

AND ALL THIS
WILL BE OVER.

I -- I --

ACCORDING TO MR. VERBURGH,
THE POLICE BEAT HIM MERCILESSLY,

TIED HIS HANDS TOGETHER AND
RAISED HIS ARMS UP TO THE POINT

THAT HE SUSTAINED
A SERIOUS SHOULDER INJURY.

I -- I NO...

THE POLICE SAY ANYBODY

WHO WOULDN'T CONFESS
UNDER THIS PRESSURE

MUST NOT BE GUILTY,
AND THEY LET HIM GO.

- THERE HE IS!
- MR. VERBURGH!

HEY! COME ON!

DID YOU KILL HER?

I DIDN'T KILL HER.

I ALWAYS TRIED TO BE
IMPARTIAL AS A REPORTER,

BUT OUR READERS WANTED BLOOD.

THEY WANTED TO IDENTIFY
THE LIPSTICK KILLER.

WE HAD AN OBLIGATION TO THE
PEOPLE TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH.

AS THE PUBLIC CLAMOR
FOR FINDING THE MURDERER,

REMARKABLY, THE POLICE
GET OVER 3,000 TIPS.

THEY CONDUCT OVER 800 INTERVIEWS
AND 170 POLYGRAPH EXAMINATIONS.

AND THEY ALSO PUT OUT A REWARD,
BUT ALL OF THIS TO NO AVAIL.

THE PRESSURE'S ON,
BUT THEY'RE GETTING NOWHERE.

THE STORY NEVER FADES
FROM THE NEWS.

IT'S THERE CONSTANTLY
FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.

NOW, HERE'S WHERE THE STORY I
WAS COVERING TAKES A LEFT TURN.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU'VE GOT
NOTHING TO GO ON,

EVERYTHING IS A POSSIBILITY.

FIVE MONTHS AFTER
VERBURGH WAS RELEASED...

DEAR, LOOK AT THAT.

...A FEW BLOCKS FROM
THE DEGNAN HOME,

NEIGHBORS SEE, IN AN ADJOINING
APARTMENT, A PROWLER.

HEY, STOP!

HALT! POLICE!

THE PROWLER IS HIT
WITH A FLOWERPOT

AND IS OUT COLD.

THANK YOU.

THE OFFICERS GO
THROUGH HIS POCKETS.

THEY FIND AN IDENTIFICATION --

THE NAME OF
WILLIAM GEORGE HEIRENS...

...AND THEY ALSO FIND A LETTER
FROM AN INDIVIDUAL NAMED GEORGE.

AND THEY TAKE WILLIAM HEIRENS
INTO THE POLICE STATION.

THE POLICE FIND OUT
HE'S 17 YEARS OLD.

HE IS A STUDENT
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO.

HE'S SMART,
HE MAKES GOOD GRADES,

BUT HE'S ALSO A CHRONIC BURGLAR.

STARTING AT AGE 11,

HE HAS BURGLARIZED
AT LEAST 13 HOMES.

AS A JUVENILE, HE HAD SERVED
TIME IN A REFORM SCHOOL

AND WAS A REALLY TROUBLED KID.

COME TAKE A LOOK
AT THIS.

IN THE SEARCH OF
HEIRENS' RESIDENCE,

DETECTIVES RECOVER
A NUMBER OF STOLEN ITEMS,

INCLUDING KNIVES, GUNS,

AND A PHOTO ALBUM OF NAZIS...

BINGO.

...AND WHAT APPEARS TO THEM
TO BE A SMALL SURGICAL KIT.

CLEARLY, THE POLICE HAVE
A COMPULSIVE BURGLAR

AND THEY ALSO HAVE
THIS SURGICAL APPARATUS.

THEIR EVALUATION IS
THAT THIS IS COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR.

INEXPLICABLY, THE POLICE
LINK THIS MISCELLANEA THAT THEY FIND

TO THE THREE UNSOLVED MURDERS
AND THINK,

"AHA! WE'VE GOT
THE LIPSTICK KILLER."

MEANWHILE, THE PHOENIX POLICE

WIRE CHICAGO POLICE
TO TELL THEM,

"WE GOT A GUY HERE
WHO'S CONFESSING

TO THE DEGNAN MURDER."

INSPECTOR.

DETECTIVES ARRIVE IN PHOENIX

TO INTERVIEW THE SUSPECT,
RICHARD THOMAS.

SO, WHAT'S THIS YOU'VE BEEN
TELLING THE LOCAL POLICE?

WELL, IT WAS
LATE AT NIGHT.

I WAS WALKING THROUGH
A PRETTY NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT WAS SO QUIET YOU COULD
HEAR THE WATER

FLOWING THROUGH
THE SEWERS UNDERGROUND.

IT'S A PRETTY SOUND.

ANYWAY, THERE WAS
A WINDOW OPEN,

SO I CLIMBED IN.

THERE WAS THIS PRETTY
LITTLE BLOND GIRL THERE.

WHAT DID YOU
DO TO HER?

I MADE HER ALL QUIET.

MADE HER DRIFT
THROUGH THE SEWER

UNDER ALL THOSE
MANHOLES.

WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO PUT
HER BODY PARTS IN THE SEWER?

AFTER THE BASEMENT,
SHE WAS SO DIRTY.

SHE NEEDED
TO BE CLEANED.

YOU WANTED TO
WASH HER?

YEAH.

NONE OF US IN THE PRESS KNEW
ABOUT THIS SUSPECT IN ARIZONA

BECAUSE BACK IN CHICAGO,

THEY WERE TELLING US
THEY HAD THEIR MAN,

AND HIS NAME
WAS WILLIAM HEIRENS.

BACK IT UP!

WE HAVE FOUND
SUZANNE DEGNAN'S KILLER.

WAIT. WAIT.
WHAT WAS HIS MOTIVE?

THE CHICAGO POLICE
TELL THE PRESS

THAT WILLIAM HEIRENS IS THE MAN.

HE'S A CAT BURGLAR.

HE COULD HAVE EASILY
GOTTEN IN THE WINDOW

AND HAD HIS BRUTAL WAY
WITH SUZANNE DEGNAN.

TELL ME WHAT
HER ROOM WAS LIKE.

HER WALLS WERE YELLOW.

THERE WAS...

SORRY
TO INTERRUPT, BOYS.

I GOT YOUR CAPTAIN
ON THE PHONE.

HE WANTS YOU BACK
IN CHICAGO RIGHT NOW.

NO, NO, NO.
WAIT A SECOND.

THE SUSPECT REALLY
KIND OF FITS THE BILL,

BUT BY THE TIME
THE POLICE GET THERE,

THE STATE'S ATTORNEY ANNOUNCES,

"NOW WE'VE GOT OUR MAN.
IT'S HEIRENS,"

AND SO RICHARD THOMAS
IS TOTALLY IGNORED.

ALL RIGHT, FELLAS.

KID'S GOT HIS FIRST
FRONT PAGE.

GIVE HIM A HAND.
GIVE HIM A HAND.

GOOD JOB, KID.
GOOD JOB.

YOU DID A NICE JOB.
WE LIKE WHAT YOU WROTE.

TURN THE PAPER
AROUND.

THERE WE GO.

ALL RIGHT. EVERYBODY
GET BACK TO WORK.

COME ON, NOW.
COME ON.

THE TERROR THAT PLAGUED CHICAGO
WAS COMING TO AN END.

THE COPS FINALLY HAD THEIR MAN,

AND WE COVERED
EVERY TWIST AND TURN.

WHEN THIS ALL STARTED, I HAD
JUST BEEN A ROOKIE REPORTER

WHO DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER,

SO I HAD FELT LUCKY
JUST TO BE A PART OF IT.

I CAN TELL YOU FROM
MY OWN FAMILY'S EXPERIENCE --

IT WAS SCARY!

IT WAS FRIGHTENING,
AND WE REMEMBER VIVIDLY

THE ARREST OF HEIRENS
JUST A FEW BLOCKS FROM US.

AND THERE WAS A SIGH OF RELIEF

THAT MAYBE THE POLICE HAD
CAUGHT THE GUY WHO'D DONE IT.

COME ON, KID.
LEVEL WITH ME.

COME CLEAN.
TELL US WHY YOU DID IT.

I -- I NEEDED
THE MONEY.

YOU CHOPPED UP THAT
LITTLE GIRL FOR MONEY?

N-NO! OKAY.

I BROKE INTO THE HOUSE
TO STEAL SOME THINGS,

BUT I DIDN'T KILL ANYONE.

COME ON, HEIRENS!

EVERYBODY KNOWS
THAT YOU DID IT!

I DIDN'T KILL ANYONE!

THE SCALPELS WERE FOUND
IN YOUR APARTMENT!

THE POLICE WANT A CONFESSION,

AND SO THEY PULL OUT
ALL THE STOPS.

HE'S DEPRIVED OF FOOD
FOR THE BETTER PART OF THREE DAYS

WITH VERY LITTLE REST
IN BETWEEN.

WHERE DID YOU
CUT HER UP?

YES.

WHERE?

THE C-CELLAR.

WHAT DID YOU
CUT OFF?

TOES?

YOU KNOW YOU DIDN'T
CUT OFF HER TOES.

HER TOES ARE
STILL ATTACHED.

OKAY.

HER TOES ARE
STILL ATTACHED.

COME ON, HEIRENS.
CUT THE BULL.

I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW.

I SWEAR
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING.

THEY TELL HIM THAT THEY HAVE
EVIDENCE AGAINST HIM.

THEY TORTURE HIM
PSYCHOLOGICALLY.

AND YET HE STILL
DOESN'T CONFESS.

AT THIS TIME, THESE DETECTIVES
DEALING WITH A CHILD

FOUND MURDERED
AND THROWN INTO SEWERS --

THIS WOULD HAVE VIOLATED
THEIR SENSE OF HUMANITY,

AND THESE GUYS WOULD GO
TO ANY GREAT LENGTH

TO EXTRACT A CONFESSION.

A NURSE FROM THE JAIL
STAFF PUT ETHER ON HIS TESTICLES,

GAVE HIM A SPINAL TAP.

IT WAS A BRUTAL INTERROGATION.

TWO PSYCHIATRISTS ENTER
THE INTERROGATION ROOM

TO INJECT HEIRENS
WITH A TRUTH SERUM

TO GET HIM TO CONFESS.

THIS IS A DRUG
TO HELP YOU SLEEP --

HELP YOU SLEEP,
AND IT'LL HELP YOU TALK.

THE NOTORIOUS
LIPSTICK KILLER HAD BEEN CAUGHT,

BUT I WAS STILL UNDER ORDERS

TO KEEP TURNING OUT
FRONT-PAGE STORIES ON THIS

UNTIL THE COPS
GOT THE CONFESSION

THEY NEEDED TO PUT HIM AWAY.

WHERE'S THE REST OF
SUZANNE DEGNAN'S BODY?

FRUSTRATION WAS BUILDING TO THE
POINT THAT THE STATE'S ATTORNEY,

WILLIAM TUOHY,
ORDERS THAT HEIRENS

BE INJECTED
WITH SODIUM PENTOTHAL.

THE THEORY BEHIND
GIVING THIS TRUTH SERUM

IS THAT IT RELAXES PEOPLE.

THEY LOSE ANY FEARS
THEY MIGHT HAVE OF CONFESSING.

WHAT ABOUT GEORGE?

IS GEORGE YOUR FRIEND?

BECAUSE OF THE NOTE FROM GEORGE
FOUND IN HEIRENS' POCKET,

UNDER THE DIRECTION
OF THE STATE'S ATTORNEY,

ONE OF THE DOCTORS
ASKS HIM ABOUT GEORGE.

DID GEORGE DO IT?

YES. YEAH.

YEAH, GEORGE.

GEORGE -- GEORGE MURMAN.

GEORGE MURMAN DID IT.

HE KILLED HER.

WILLIAM,
BEING A SMART YOUNG MAN,

BEING IN
A SUGGESTIBLE STATE, SAYS,

"YES. IT WAS GEORGE."

COULD THIS GEORGE BE THE
NAME OF HIS DEVIANT SIDE?

COULD BE A CLASSIC CASE
OF SPLIT-PERSONALITY DISORDER.

THE PSYCHIATRIST BELIEVES
THAT WILLIAM REALLY DOESN'T

HAVE ANY MEMORY OF WHAT'S
HAPPENED, BUT GEORGE DOES,

AND THE POLICE JUMP ON THIS.

MEMBERS OF THE PRESS,
THANK YOU FOR COMING.

WE HAVE SOME FURTHER
DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS CASE.

THIS HEIRENS BOY
IS A PROPER SPLIT PERSONALITY.

ALL IN ONE, WE HAVE JACK THE
RIPPER AND JEKYLL AND HYDE.

WHAT MORE COULD THE MEDIA WANT?

WE ALSO HAVE SOME
HARD EVIDENCE IN THIS CASE.

WE'VE MATCHED A FINGERPRINT
TO THE RANSOM NOTE

TO SUZANNE DEGNAN.

HEY! HEY,
SO WHAT'S THE NOTE?

THE POLICE ANNOUNCE
THAT THEY'VE FOUND A MATCH

OF WILLIAM HEIRENS'
FINGERPRINT ON THE BACK

OF THE SUZANNE DEGNAN
RANSOM NOTE.

THEN A REPORTER FROM
"THE CHICAGO DAILY NEWS,"

HE DEDUCES WHAT HE BELIEVES
TO BE INDENTATION WRITING.

IMAGINE A PAD OF PAPER,

AND IMAGINE YOU WRITE A NOTE
ON THE TOP PIECE OF PAPER

AND THEN HAND IT TO SOMEBODY.

THE SECOND PIECE OF PAPER LEFT

WILL HAVE
INDENTED WRITING ON IT.

AND HE SAID THAT THE RANSOM NOTE
CONTAINED SUCH INDENTED WRITING

SAYING "E, I, R, E,"

AND "E, I, R, E" ARE THE MIDDLE
LETTERS OF HEIRENS' NAME.

DETECTIVES, HAVE YOU GOT
A CONFESSION?

IT WON'T BE
VERY LONG NOW,

THAT'S FOR SURE.

THE STATE WAS STARTING TO BUILD
A SOLID CASE AGAINST HEIRENS,

AND I KNEW MY ROLE WAS JUST TO
REPORT THAT THEY HAD THEIR MAN,

BUT SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT.

HONESTLY, THIS CASE WAS
STARTING TO LOOK

A BIT FISHY TO ME.

HEIRENS' CELL IS ONLY STEPS
AWAY FROM THE ELECTRIC CHAIR.

SEE THAT?

IT'S WAITING FOR YOU,
HEIRENS.

IT HAD TO BE SCARY.

BOSS?

I JUST HEARD THEY'VE
MATCHED A FINGERPRINT

FROM THE LIPSTICK KILLER
TO HEIRENS.

THAT MEANS HEIRENS KILLED
ROSS, BROWN, AND DEGNAN?

AND THE POLICE ARE SAYING
IT WAS HIS HANDWRITING

ON THE RANSOM NOTE
AND THE LIPSTICK WRITING.

SO WHAT ARE YOU DOING
STANDING AROUND FOR?

GOT TO GET THIS IN PRINT
BEFORE ANYBODY ELSE DOES.

GO!

AND HOLD
NOTHING BACK, KID!

WE WERE IN A RACE
WITH THE OTHER NEWSPAPERS,

AND MY BOSS WAS TELLING ME
TO WRITE IT UP FAST.

BUT I GOT TO SAY, CONNECTING
ALL THREE CRIMES

TO HEIRENS LIKE THAT
WASN'T ADDING UP FOR ME.

ALTHOUGH HEIRENS HAD NOT
CONFESSED, ON THE 16th OF JULY,

THE "CHICAGO TRIBUNE"
CARRIED A MASSIVE STORY.

"THE HEIRENS STORY!" --
EXCLAMATION POINT --

"HOW HE KILLED SUZANNE DEGNAN
AND TWO WOMEN."

AND ONCE THIS STORY BROKE
UNDER THIS BANNER HEADLINE,

THE OTHER FOUR DAILIES IN TOWN
GO CRAZY,

AND IT'S JUST
ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THIS WAS A NATIONAL STORY.

THERE'S NOT MUCH CHANCE
OF A FAIR TRIAL NOW

WITH HEADLINES
LIKE THESE.

IF HE IS CONVICTED OF
THE MURDERS OF JOSEPHINE ROSS,

SUZANNE DEGNAN,
AND FRANCES BROWN,

THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT HE WILL
BE SENTENCED TO DEATH,

AND IN THE 1940s,

YOU COULD HAVE BEEN PUT INTO THE
ELECTRIC CHAIR PRETTY QUICKLY.

IT'S NOT LIKE TODAY
WHEN IT'S OFTEN 20 YEARS

AFTER YOU'VE EXHAUSTED
THE COURT SYSTEM.

BUT THE STATE'S ATTORNEY THEN
OFFER HEIRENS A PLEA BARGAIN.

IF YOU CONFESS,
THEY GIVE ONE LIFE SENTENCE --

NO ELECTRIC CHAIR.

I RECOMMEND
PLEADING GUILTY.

A FEW DAYS LATER...
THANK YOU.

...IT'S ALL ARRANGED.

HEIRENS SAYS HE'S
GOING TO CONFESS.

WHEN HE SHOWS UP,
IT'S NOT JUST

THE STATE'S ATTORNEY AND POLICE.

IT'S THE MEDIA.

YOU COULD HAVE HEARD A PIN DROP
IN THE ROOM.

EVERYBODY IS FIXATED
ON WHAT HE'S GOING TO SAY.

HE SEES HIS PARENTS.

IT'S AS IF THEY WERE
GOING TO A WAKE.

COME ON, KID.
GET UP.

MR. HEIRENS,

ARE YOU READY
TO GIVE A STATEMENT

AND TO TELL THE TRUTH?

YOU WANT THE TRUTH?

TRUTH IS
I DIDN'T DO IT.

BECAUSE OF THIS EMBARRASSMENT,

BILL TUOHY TOOK THE ORIGINAL
PLEA DEAL OFF THE TABLE.

"NOW IT'S GOING TO BE THREE
CONSECUTIVE LIFE SENTENCES,

AND YOU'RE NEVER
GOING TO GET OUT."

THE CONFESSION, THE FINGERPRINT,
THE INDENTATION WRITING --

THEY REALLY GOT HIM PRETTY COLD.

MR. HEIRENS,
HOW DO YOU PLEAD?

HE MUST HAVE FELT
UTTER DESPAIR

REALIZING THAT HIS LIFE,
FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES,

IS OVER.

HE WAS ASKED TO PLEAD.

HE CLENCHES HIS FISTS.

HE LOOKS AROUND NERVOUSLY.

MR. HEIRENS,
HOW DO YOU PLEAD?

GUILTY.

'NIGHT, McGONAGLE.
GOOD NIGHT.

EVEN THOUGH
HEIRENS PLED GUILTY,

I STILL HAD MY DOUBTS.

SO I STARTED GOING BACK
OVER ALL MY NOTES.

THIS STORY HAD BEEN MY TICKET
TO THE FRONT PAGE,

BUT WHAT IF WE HAD
GOTTEN IT ALL WRONG?

LOOKING WITH
21st-CENTURY HINDSIGHT,

WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE CONFESS TO
CRIMES THAT THEY DIDN'T COMMIT.

TO SUBJECT ANYBODY TO
THIS KIND OF QUESTIONING

IS UNCONSCIONABLE.

HE DENIED UNDER
SODIUM PENTOTHAL.

HE DENIED UNDER
ETHER-TO-THE-TESTICLES TORTURE

THAT HE HAD ANYTHING
TO DO WITH THIS...

...UNTIL HIS LAWYER SAID,
"UNLESS YOU CONFESS,

YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE CHAIR."

AND IN ORDER TO SAVE HIS LIFE,
THIS BOY SAID, "I DID IT."

ALMOST CERTAINLY,
THIS CONFESSION WOULD BE SUPPRESSED

AS INVOLUNTARY TODAY.

THE CONFESSION WAS
UNRELIABLE AND FALSE.

I'M SORRY.

THE STORY WAS OVER, AND MY BOSS
TOLD ME TO DROP IT AND MOVE ON,

BUT I JUST COULDN'T DO THAT.

IT HAD BEEN A RUSH,

BUT NOW THAT IT
WAS WEARING OFF,

I COULDN'T SHAKE THAT FEELING
THAT MAYBE

THE WAY WE'D COVERED IT
HAD CHANGED THE OUTCOME.

THERE WERE SO MANY PROBLEMS
WITH THE EVIDENCE IN THIS CASE.

FIRST OF ALL,
AFTER HEIRENS WAS IN PRISON,

PEOPLE BEGAN TO SPECULATE

THAT THE LIPSTICK INSCRIPTION
HAD BEEN WRITTEN

BY SOMEBODY IN THE PRESS.

FAKE NEWS IS NOTHING NEW.

FAKE NEWS EXISTED IN THE 1940s.

IF SO, THE PERSON WHO DID IT
PROBABLY THOUGHT,

"THIS IS JUST
HYPING THIS STORY."

IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN VIEWED
AS A MORAL WRONG IN THAT DAY.

HEIRENS NEVER HAD
HIS DAY IN COURT.

ALL OF THE EVIDENCE
AGAINST HIM WAS IN THE MEDIA.

NONE OF IT WAS EVER SUBJECTED
TO CROSS-EXAMINATION

OR EXPERT ANALYSIS.

THIS CASE WAS ONLY TRIED
BY THE MEDIA.

SO WE'LL NEVER KNOW.

I REPRESENTED WILLIAM HEIRENS
IN THE EARLY 1990s

THROUGH THE MID-1990s
AS HIS LAWYER,

TRYING TO GET HIM
RELEASED FROM PRISON.

SIX MONTHS AFTER
THE BROWN MURDER,

THE POLICE CLAIM
THAT THEY COME UP WITH

A BLOODY FINGERPRINT
AT THE APARTMENT.

WE HIRED A FINGERPRINT EXPERT,

AND HE SAID,
"IT'S ABSOLUTELY WILLIAM'S."

BUT HE SAID, "NEVER IN MY LIFE
DID I EVER SEE

THE FULL LEFT AND RIGHT MARGINS

OF A FINGERPRINT
ON A CRIME SCENE."

THIS IS A ROLLED-INKED
FINGERPRINT

THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN
FROM A FINGERPRINT CARD,

PLACED ON A CRIME SCENE,
AND THEN REMOVED.

WE'VE MATCHED A FINGERPRINT
TO THE RANSOM NOTE

FOR SUZANNE DEGNAN.

THE FINGERPRINT ON
THE DEGNAN RANSOM NOTE

HAD ONLY SIX POINTS
OF COMPARISON.

TO BE VALID TODAY,
YOU WOULD NEED TO HAVE

AT LEAST 11 POINTS
OF COMPARISON.

THE SECOND PIECE OF
EVIDENCE WAS THE SO-CALLED

INDENTED WRITING
ON THE DEGNAN RANSOM NOTE.

WE FOUND A COMMUNICATION FROM
J. EDGAR HOOVER FROM THE FBI,

SAYING, "THE INDENTED WRITING
IS A FRAUD. DO NOT USE IT."

THAT NOTE WAS NEVER GIVEN
TO THE DEFENSE TEAM.

WE ALSO HIRED
A HANDWRITING EXPERT,

AND SHE AND AT LEAST FIVE
OTHER RENOWNED EXAMINERS

SPOKE WITH A SINGLE VOICE.

THEY SAID,
"THE HANDWRITING FROM HEIRENS

IS NOT THE HANDWRITING
ON THE WALL,

NOR IS IT THE HANDWRITING
ON THE RANSOM NOTE."

IN FACT, ACCORDING
TO EXPERT ANALYSIS,

IT APPEARED TO BE IN THE
HANDWRITING OF THE MAN IN PHOENIX

WHO HAD CONFESSED TO
THE CRIME -- RICHARD THOMAS.

THOMAS WAS A CONVICTED FELON

WHO HAD SEXUALLY
ASSAULTED HIS OWN CHILD.

HE HAD A HISTORY OF LEAVING
RANSOM NOTES IN OTHER CRIMES,

AND HIS BACKGROUND
AS A SURGICAL NURSE

IN AN ARMY FIELD HOSPITAL

IS CONSISTENT WITH
THE SURGICAL PRECISION

WITH WHICH THE CHILD'S BODY
WAS DISSECTED.

RICHARD THOMAS WAS IN CHICAGO
AT THE TIME OF THE DEGNAN MURDER

AND FREQUENTED A CAR LOT
CLOSE TO THE LOCATION

WHERE SEVERAL OF HER
BODY PARTS WERE FOUND.

THE CASE AGAINST RICHARD THOMAS
IS OVERWHELMINGLY MORE POWERFUL,

MORE RELIABLE, MORE COMPELLING,

THAN ANY OF THE NONSENSE

THAT SENT HEIRENS
TO PRISON FOR LIFE.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT
THE FIRST TWO MURDERS,

THERE ARE SOME SIMILARITIES.

BUT IN COMPARISON
TO THE DEGNAN MURDER,

THERE IS BASICALLY NOTHING
THAT WOULD LINK THESE TOGETHER.

HEIRENS WAS SUPPOSED
TO BE PRESUMED INNOCENT

UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY,

BUT WE TRIED TO CONVICT HIM
OF THREE MURDERS

RIGHT THERE ON THE FRONT PAGE.

EVEN WORSE, THE REAL KILLER --
AND MAYBE MORE THAN ONE --

WAS STILL OUT THERE, ON ACCOUNT
OF HEIRENS TAKING THE RAP.

THE COPS GOT TO
CLOSE THEIR CASE.

A LOT OF NEWSPAPERS GOT SOLD,

AND I HAD BEEN
A PART OF ALL THAT.

ALL RIGHT, KID.

YOU KNOW,
I'VE BEEN THINKING.

YOU'VE DONE GOOD WORK
ON HEIRENS.

WHY DON'T YOU CONTINUE
TO COVER HIM IN JAIL?

WHAT IS IT,
A NEW STORY?

IT'S MY LETTER
OF RESIGNATION.

I THINK WE NEED TO LAY BLAME

ON THE FIVE
CHICAGO DAILY NEWSPAPERS.

THE PRESS GREATLY INFLUENCED
THIS INVESTIGATION, THE ARREST,

THE CHARGING, AND THE CONVICTION
OF WILLIAM HEIRENS,

KEEPING FEAR AND SENSATIONALISM
IN THE PUBLIC'S MIND.

ON THE DAY THAT HEIRENS
PASSED AWAY IN 2012,

AS A PRISONER
AND NOT A FREE MAN,

I FELT AS THOUGH
I HAD LET HIM DOWN.

I REGRET THAT WE NEVER SUCCEEDED

IN ALLOWING HIM
TO BREATHE FREE AIR.

WE'LL NEVER KNOW FOR SURE
IF HEIRENS WAS AN INNOCENT MAN.

BUT IF GOT ME THINKING
THAT IF THE WHOLE POINT

OF HAVING A FREE PRESS
IS TO KEEP OTHERS ACCOUNTABLE,

WHO WAS GOING TO KEEP US --
THE NEWSPAPER MEN --

ACCOUNTABLE,

STOP US FROM CHASING HEADLINES,
REGARDLESS OF WHO GETS HURT?

MAYBE THAT'S OUR JOB, TOO.