logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2023
1h 26m

Episode 425: The Clutter Family Murders

Morbid Network | Wondery
About this episode

In 1959 the state of Kansas was absolutely shocked to find that one of its most prominent and well-liked families, The Clutters, had been murdered. Richard Hickock and Perry Smith, two convicts that had recently been released from prison were the ones responsible. Both had been told by a fellow inmate while incarcerated that the Clutter family had a large amount of cash stashed in a safe on their property. The two broke into the family home and searched for the safe, they then woke up the family when they couldn't find it, tortured and murdered them one by one. 


thank you to exquisite David White for research assistance 



References

Capital Wire Service. 1959. "Two Itinerant Laborers Held for Murder Quiz." Topeka Daily Capital, November 20.

Capote, Truman. 1965. "In Cold Blood." The New Yorker, September 25.

Cowan, Carole. 2005. "Persons Unknown." New York Times, Jan 23: F6.

Garden City Telegram. 1965. "Last Words Attack Capital Punishment." Garden City Telegram, April 14: 1.

Gonsalves, Antone. 1984. "25 years later, 'In Cold Blood' murders still haunt." United Press International, November 11.

Greer, Bob. 1959. "Clutter Family Murders." Garden City Telegram, November 16: 1.

Hegeman, Roxana. 2009. "The Stains of In Cold Blood Still Fresh 50 Years Later." Guelph Mercury, November 10.

Hickock, Richard. 1960. "Spectre of Noose Haunts Prisoner." Topeka Daily Capital, March 25.

Kalbfleisch, Gay. 1959. "Empty Shell Cases, Fatal Shot Found." Topeka Daily Capital, November 19: 1.

Keglovitts, Sally J. 2004. "In Cold Blood Revisited: A Look Back at an American." Federal Probation: A Journal of Correctional Philosophy and Practice 68 (1).

Kull, Ron. 1960. "Crime Plans Listed." Topeka Daily Capital, 03 24: 1.

—. 1960. "'They'll Both Get the Rope'." Topeka State Journal, March 23: 1.

—. 1960. "'Wells Was to Get Cut,' Says Hickock." Topeka State Journal, March 26.

McAvoy, Gary. 2019. And Every Word is True. Bremerton, WA: Literati Editions.

New York Times. 1959. "Wealthy Farmer, 3 of Family Slain." New York Times, November 16: 39.

State Journal News Services. 1960. "Jury Tours Clutter Farm; Death Asked." Topeka State Journal, March 23.

State of Kansas vs. Hickock & Smith. 1961. 363 P.2d 541 (Supreme Court of Kansas, July 8).

Time Magazine. 1960. "Kansas: The Killers." Time Magazine, January 18.

Topeka State Journal. 1965. "Clutter Case Reporter Finds Relief in End of Long Story." Topeka State Journal, April 14: 1.

United Press International. 1959. "Fear, Grief Follow Murder Shock." Topeka Daily Capital, November 16: 1.


See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Jul 10
Episode 688: The Last Call Killer (Part 2)
Between 1991 and 1993, the dismembered bodies of five gay and bisexual men were discovered in garbage bags along the highway in New York and New Jersey. The cause of the death for each was multiple stab wounds, and each victim had been disarticulated into eight pieces and placed ... Show More
48m 41s
Jul 7
Episode 687: The Last Call Killer (Part 1)
Between 1991 and 1993, the dismembered bodies of five gay and bisexual men were discovered in garbage bags along the highway in New York and New Jersey. The cause of the death for each was multiple stab wounds, and each victim had been disarticulated into eight pieces and placed ... Show More
1h 11m
Jul 3
Episode 686: Glen Helzer and the Children of Thunder (Part 2)
When Ivan and Annette Stineman disappeared from their home in Concord, California in the summer of 2000, it immediately raised red alarmed with those closest to the elderly couple. Those alarms proved to be justified when, a week later, the remains of the Stinemans and three othe ... Show More
41m 5s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2023
44. The Hodges Family Murder
On this episode, Payton delves into the Hodges Family Murder, an incident that occurred in a quiet town, where an unknown assailant killed an entire family in their own home.Socials and more: https://linktr.ee/bingedpod Forensic Files, episode “Private Thoughts,” aired April 23, ... Show More
32m 37s
Feb 2024
SERIAL KILLER: The Alphabet Murders Part 2
Dozens of commuters see a young girl fleeing a car on the side of the expressway in Rochester, NY, but no one pulls over to help. The community is devastated when her body is discovered just days later, but it’s assumed to be a tragic but isolated incident. But when more young gi ... Show More
49m 11s
Jul 2023
EP. 117 ILLINOIS - The Coleman Family Killings: Lies, Prayers & Murder
In 2009, a family was found murdered in their home in Illinois. The only survivor was father Chris Coleman, a bodyguard who worked for Joyce Meyer, a famous televangelist. As it turned out, the family had been receiving death threats for months, but no one had really seemed to li ... Show More
1h 38m
Sep 2023
EP. 126 CALIFORNIA- The Wineville Chicken Coop Murders: America's Forgotten Pedophile Serial Killer (PT. 2)
In the 1920's a series of brutal crimes rocked the state of California... young boys were going missing left and right, and no one knew where to look for them... that is, until the day a young kid named Sanford began to talk of the atrocities that his uncle Stewart had carried ou ... Show More
1h 18m
May 2024
Christine Constantien : meurtre en Moselle • Episode 2 sur 3
NOUVEAU - Abonnez-vous à Minuit+ pour profiter de Crimes - Histoires Vraies et de milliers d’histoires vraies sans publicité, d’épisodes en avant-première et en intégralité. Vous aurez accès sans publicité à des dizaines de programmes passionnants comme Espions - Histoires Vraies ... Show More
8m 51s
Jun 2024
A Murder so Cold ////// 767
A Murder so Cold  //////  767  www.TrueCrimeGarage.com  On Friday, January 21st 1994 Evelyn Fleck’s nude body was found in her backyard by a neighbor who saw the 37 year old’s foot protruding from beneath an old refrigerator.  The murder investigation that followed was conducted ... Show More
54m 36s
Apr 2024
#485 - Adopting Murder - Cape St Claire, Maryland
This week, in Cape St Claire, Maryland, a couple tries to build a family, by adopting children, who come from rough beginnings, but when they are brutally killed, in their own home, the suspicion falls on the adopted teenage sons. Was it the one who they kicked out of the house, ... Show More
2h 48m
May 2024
Christine Constantien : meurtre en Moselle • Episode 3 sur 3
NOUVEAU - Abonnez-vous à Minuit+ pour profiter de Crimes - Histoires Vraies et de milliers d’histoires vraies sans publicité, d’épisodes en avant-première et en intégralité. Vous aurez accès sans publicité à des dizaines de programmes passionnants comme Espions - Histoires Vraies ... Show More
11m 1s
May 2024
Christine Constantien : meurtre en Moselle • Episode 1 sur 3
NOUVEAU - Abonnez-vous à Minuit+ pour profiter de Crimes - Histoires Vraies et de milliers d’histoires vraies sans publicité, d’épisodes en avant-première et en intégralité. Vous aurez accès sans publicité à des dizaines de programmes passionnants comme Espions - Histoires Vraies ... Show More
10m 6s