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Hi listeners, it's Vanessa Richardson. Real quick, before today's episode, I want to tell you about another show from Crime House that I know you'll love. America's Most Infamous Crimes. Hosted by Katie Ring. Each week, Katie takes on one of the most notorious criminal cases in American history. Serial killers who terrorized cities, unsolved mysteries that keep detectives up at night, and investigations that change the way we think about justice. Listen to and follow America's Most Infamous crimes Tuesday through Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. This is crime house. On May 18, 1926, 35 year old Amy Simple McPherson wanted to get some sun. Amy was a celebrity preacher and often went to the beachfront Ocean Park Hotel in Santa Monica, California to doodle and come up with ideas for her sermons. That day, she jotted down some notes about the battle between darkness and light, something she'd been thinking about a lot recently. AM Amy's secretary, Emma Schaefer was with her. Emma had dedicated her life to serving God, or at least his representative here on Earth. She doted on Amy and followed her everywhere. Amy had written up a few instructions for the church staff, which she asked Emma to relay. Emma watched as her boss ran down the beach into the water. Then she went into the hotel lobby to place the call. But when Emma came back, Amy was nowhere to be found. The most famous preacher in America had vanished into thin air. The search for her would take weeks, but the hunt for the truth would last much longer. From UFO cults and mass suicides to secret CIA experiments, presidential assassinations, and murderous doctors, these aren't just theories. They're real stories that blur the line between fact and fiction. I'm Vanessa Richardson and this is Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes, a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I'll explore the real people at the center of the world's most shocking events and nefarious organizations. These cases are wild and I want to hear what you think at the end of each episode. Leave a comment wherever you listen. Be sure to rate, review and follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes to continue building this community together. And for ad free access to all three episodes, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. Today, we're talking about a crime that took place almost exactly 100 years ago, the disappearance of Amy Simple McPherson. In 1926, Amy was the biggest religious figure in America. She she revolutionized the entire church experience and became just as famous as any Hollywood star. But on May 18, 1926, she became one of the most infamous people in America when she suddenly vanished, then reappeared. Amy stumbled out of a Mexican desert claiming she'd been kidnapped. But when the media started poking holes in her story, Amy's star came crashing down to earth. A century later, we're still wondering what really happened to Amy Semple McPherson. Was she actually held captive? Or was she running away from something or someone? All that and more coming up. This episode is brought to you by. Prime Obsession is in session. And this summer, Prime Originals have everything you want. Steamy romances, irresistible love stories and the to screen favorites you've already read twice off campus. Elle every year after the Love Hypothesis, Sterling Point and more Slow burns, second
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chances chemistry you can feel through the screen.
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Your next obsession is waiting. Watch only on Prime Girl. Winter is so last season. And now spring's got you looking at pictures of tank tops with hungry eyes. Your algorithm is feeding you cutoffs. You're thirsty for the sun on your shoulders. That perfect hang on the path patio sundress. Those sandals you can wear all day and all night. And you've had enough of shopping from your couch. Done. Hoping it looks anything like the picture when you tear open that envelope. It's time for a little in person spring treat. It's time for a trip to Ross. Work your magic. There's something uniquely American about the mega church. While they're a staple in our country today, these massive worship centers are only came into existence about 100 years ago. By the end of the 1800s, America's connection to religion was stronger than ever. From 1875 to 1890, church attendance more than doubled, from 13.7 million to 32.7 million people. Almost half the country's population. And that wasn't the only change that took place at the turn of the century, so did mass entertainment. And as the country became more industrialized, cinemas started popping up in big cities. Many Christian denominations looked down on movies as immoral and ungodly. But times were changing and the gospel needed to change with them. And one woman was determined to lead the charge. According to her mother, Amy Simple McPherson was born to spread the word of God. But before we talk about her, we need to talk about the woman who raised her. Amy's mom, Mildred, known better as Minnie, was born in Salford, Ontario, Canada. When she was just 12 years old in 1883, tragedy struck the family and Minnie became an orphan. She turned to the Methodist church for strength and comfort. And instead of wallowing in her misery, she decided to help others. Soon she joined the Salvation Army. For over a year, she traveled around helping the sick and preaching the gospel. She loved her work with the organization, especially saving the souls of sinners. But at 13 years old, she was forced to take a break when she got sick. Once she recovered, at 14, Minnie got a job as a live in nurse at the home of a local farmer, James Kennedy, whose wife Elizabeth was very sick. Elizabeth died a few months later, but James and Minnie stayed close, very close. Soon after they got married, James was 50 and Minnie was only 15. Minnie was grateful for the life James had given her, but she felt like something was missing. Her connection to religion. One day she got down on her knees and prayed to God. Apologizing for giving up preaching, she vowed to make up for it. She asked God, quote, if you will only hear my prayer and give me a baby girl, I will give her unreservedly into your service that she may preach the word I should have preached and live the life I should have lived in thy service. End quote. So when Amy Elizabeth Kennedy was born a year later, on October 9, 1890, she already had a path she was expected to follow. And Minnie was there to make sure Amy didn't waver. When she was born, Amy wasn't baptized, which scandalized some members of the Kennedy's rural Methodist community. Instead, as an infant, Amy was inducted into the ranks of the Salvation army, which Minnie had joined once again. When Amy wasn't in church or helping her mother in the Salvation army soup kitchens, she spent her childhood outdoors on the farm. Her father's horses, geese and chickens kept her company. Her parents gave her the freedom to explore and play. But they soon realized that Amy had a rebellious streak. When she misbehaved, James and Minnie beat her to, in their words, protect her from sin. And for a while, it seemed to work. Eventually, Amy became a top notch student, both at school and at church. By the time she was 13, she was one of the best public speakers at the ministry and the star in every church play. But Amy hadn't suddenly become less defiant. She'd just gotten better at hiding it. At the turn of the 20th century, the Methodist Church was incredibly strict, gloomy and focused on the Bible. While they sang during services, members were banned from participating in secular entertainment like reading, dancing, or going to the movies. But Amy did it anyway. She loved the freedom it gave her, even though she knew what she was doing was considered a sin. As Amy got older, she became even more curious. In 1905, when she was 15 years old, she was assigned a textbook that taught evolution. She. She started studying Charles Darwin and even questioned the existence of God around her parents. But ultimately Amy's faith won out and she sided with the Bible. In July of 1906, she wrote a letter speaking out against evolution, which was published in the Family Herald and Weekly Star, Montreal's biggest newspaper. Amy's letter attracted attention from all over Canada and the United States. Soon she was getting replies from around the world with people asking her thoughts on scripture. That's when Amy realized she liked spreading the word of God as long as it got her attention. Amy's fight against evolution brought her closer to becoming a preacher. But it wasn't until a year later, when she was 17 years old, that her life became completely dedicated to the gospel. In December 1907, Amy attended a revival meeting in her town led by a 26 year old Irish evangelist named Robert James Semple. Robert was a Pentecostal preacher, a sect of Christianity that Amy had never experienced. Unlike the Methodist Church, Pentecostalism focused on the movement of the Holy Spirit, divine healing powers and salvation by grace. Not only that, but Robert's ministry was upbeat, exciting and promised miracles. Amy was sold on his teachings and on Robert himself. Luckily, he felt the same way about her. Amy soon dropped out of school and in August 1908, just eight months after they met, the two got married. Minnie was furious about Amy's new husband and his religious beliefs. She thought it was just another form of rebellion. But Amy was serious about her newfound faith. She she converted to Pentecostalism and began to travel around with Robert, giving sermons and hosting revivals. Before then, Amy had barely left her small Ontario town. But with Robert, she traveled to Chicago, Dublin and London, learning the craft of evangelism and seeing the wonders of the world. Finally, she was living the exciting life she'd always dreamed of. And soon things got even better. In the summer of 1910, 19 year old Amy learned she was pregnant. She saw it as a blessing, but even then she swore it wouldn't distract her from her work. She soldiered on and soon she and Robert were in China for their next mission trip. Amy didn't know it would change the course of her life forever. Robert and Amy had hoped to save lost souls when they arrived in China. But only two months into their trip, it was their own souls they had to worry about. In August 1910, they both contracted tropical malaria. Soon they were so sick they could barely function. They were sent to Hong Kong on a steamer ship where they'd have access to better medicine. But Robert never made it. On August 17, 1924, five days after the couple's second anniversary, he passed away at 29 years old. Amy was devastated, especially since she'd recovered from her infection while he hadn't. A month after being widowed, Amy gave birth to their daughter, who she named Roberta in honor of her late husband. After that, Amy returned to the United States with a new baby to take care of. She decided to reconcile with her mom, Minnie. Together they resumed their work with the Salvation army traveling around the US But a lot of Amy's enthusiasm for preaching had died with her husband. She was suffering from PTSD and began to show signs of OCD to treat her so called hysteria. Amy had a number of surgeries that left her weak and depressed. To make matters worse, her daughter Roberta was constantly sick. It was a lot to deal with, and though Amy had her mom, she was desperate for another kind of support system. While working in New York, Amy met an accountant named Harold McPherson. He wasn't particularly religious, but he was kind and ambitious. And Amy was incredibly lonely. On February 28, 1912, when she was 21 years old, she and Harold got married. Not long after the wedding, Harold and Amy moved to Providence, Rhode Island. A year later, in 1913, they had a son named Rolf, and Amy settled into her new role as a housewife. But there was more trouble just around the corner. In 1914, Amy became deathly sick again, this time with appendicitis. She prayed to God and promised she would return to his service if he would only show her the way. Amy swore that she heard a voice telling her to preach. Sure enough, two weeks later, she was healed and determined to follow through on her promise. In 1915, 24 year old Amy packed up her kids, hit the road and left a note for Harold saying she was going to fulfill her holy mission. Back then, Amy's preaching was already radical since she was a woman. But there was more to it than that. Her time sneaking off to movies, performing in church plays and evangelizing with her first husband had stuck with her. And Amy used everything she'd learned to create a new kind of gospel. As she traveled around the country preaching. Amy didn't abandon Pentecostalism, but she reshaped how it was presented. She downplayed the elements that might feel unfamiliar to newcomers, or while holding onto its core message of healing and the power of the Holy Spirit. And she made her sermons unforgettable. Amy staged them like performances, complete with costumes, props and vivid storytelling. She spoke in plain emotional language, turning scripture into something people could feel not Just hear it was religion reimagined for a mass audience, and people loved it. Amy even convinced her husband Harold to join her for a while. But eventually he got tired of playing second fiddle to his wife. In 1921, their marriage ended in a bitter divorce. But that didn't slow Amy down. Soon she became known as Sister Amy and was holding faith healing events all over the country, eventually drawing crowds in the thousands. But not everything was perfect. At some point during her travels, Amy and her daughter Roberta both got sick during the Spanish flu pandemic. Amy recovered quickly, but Roberta, who'd been ill her whole childhood, was on the verge of death. As always, Amy prayed over her daughter and asked God what to do. That's when she apparently heard a voice telling her to go to California. When Roberta recovered, Amy followed her vision. She drove to the sunny shores of Los Angeles. It turned out to be the perfect place to take her talents to the next level. Before long, Amy was the city's most celebrated preacher. And it was hard to find a venue that could fit the crowds that came to see her. So Amy set out to build a new house of God, bigger than any other in the United States. She called it a megachurch. When the Angelus Temple was finally built in the Echo park neighborhood in 1923, it was regularly filled with 10,000 people. Amy used the new venue to launch a new venture known as the Four Square Church. It seemed like Amy was flying high and nothing could bring her down. But just a few years later, her entire empire was on the verge of collapse and Amy was nowhere to be found.
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Think about some of the cases that defined true crime in America. Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer. The kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart. The Karen retrial. Some crime cases are so shocking, they don't just make headlines, they forever change a country. I'm Katie Ring, host of America's Most Infamous Crimes. Each week I take on one of the most notorious criminal cases, whether it's unfolding now or etched into American history, revealing not just what happened, but how it forever changed our society. Serial killers who terrorized cities. Unsolved mysteries that kept detectives up at night. And investigations that change the way we think about justice. Each case unfolds across multiple episodes released every Tuesday through Thursday. From the first sign that something was wrong to the moment the truth came out or didn't. These are the stories behind the headlines. Listen to and follow America's Most Infamous Crimes. Available now wherever you get your podcasts.
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By 1926, 35 year old Amy Semple McPherson had become as famous as the biggest Hollywood celebrities. She'd even earned the nickname God's best publicity agent. The key to Amy's success was her vulnerability. She didn't just preach, she pulled directly from her own life, turning personal struggle into testimony. But what truly set her apart was how she told those stories. Drawing on theater and early film, Amy transformed her sermons into living scenes. And she stepped on stage in costume, surrounded by elaborate sets and stage effects designed to make each message feel immediate and real. Week after week, a full production team rebuilt the world around her while a live orchestra underscored the drama. For example, after Amy got a speeding ticket, she spun it into a sermon where she dressed like a cop and blared a siren. On stage, she told her audience they'd been arrested for speeding. Speeding towards hell. The crowd ate it up. By this point, Amy's mom Minnie had moved to Los Angeles and was deeply involved with the church's day to day operations. But she was also focused on maintaining her daughter's image. Amy had dealt with a number of mental health issues throughout her life, which Minnie tried to hide from Amy's adoring fans. But. But despite how far her daughter had come, Amy was still struggling, albeit quietly. She was raising two kids on her own, traveling, writing new sermons and performing week after week. Eventually, that all started to pile up and on May 18, 1926, everything came to a head in the most terrifying way possible. That morning, Amy went to the Ocean View Hotel beach with her secretary, Emma Schaefer. When Emma went to place a call in the lobby, she came back to the beach to find Amy gone. She'd last seen her heading into the water. Emma waited for an hour before she called for help. She was sure Amy would come back. But eventually Emma knew she had to phone Minnie. When Minnie got the news, she had one thing to say. She is drowned. Amy's disappearance didn't come as a complete shock to her mother. And Minnie had always worried that her daughter's mental health issues would cause some kind of fatal accident. That same afternoon, Minnie gave the sermon Amy was supposed to deliver. At the end, she told the audience, sister is with Jesus. The crowd gasped in horror. Many people burst into tears. How could Sister Amy, who had healed so many people, have died at only 35 years old? Soon the rest of Los Angeles heard the news. Vigils were set up along the beaches. Both official and unofficial search parties were set up to find Amy's body. And at least two of her followers drowned looking for her. The mood in the press was just as somber, Amy had been a beloved figure, and the papers gave her the memorialization she deserved. Upton Sinclair, the acclaimed author, wrote a poem entitled the Evangelist Drowns, which was widely printed. After she disappeared, Minnie did everything she could to help in the search. She offered a $500 reward worth about $10,000 today for anyone who could locate Amy's body. Before long, she was getting tons of letters and phone calls. And one of those messages changed everything. A few days after Amy Amy vanished, Minnie got a note that said that Amy wasn't dead, but she was in danger. The note demanded $50,000, worth about a million dollars today, and read, Mum's the word. Keep police away. Minnie was horrified that someone might hurt her daughter, but she also wasn't sure if the ransom was legitimate. So even though the letter told her not to, Minnie went to Asa Kai, the Los Angeles district attorney. The problem was, there wasn't much evidence. The department also didn't want to spook the kidnapper or kidnappers, so there wasn't a lot they could do. That's when Minnie decided to take matters into her own hands. She publicly declared that she would pay half the ransom to anyone who could help recover Minnie, dead or alive. After that, Minnie all she could do was wait for a response. But in the meantime, the media frenzy around Amy only got more intense. After Minnie upped the reward, the press seemed to realize that Amy hadn't drowned, but was actually kidnapped. Which meant this was no longer just a tragic story. It was a crime that could generate tons of headlines. Reporters began to stalk Amy's children, trying to get footage of them mourning. They broke into Amy's house and searched through her room, trying to find a juicy scoop. Amy's daughter, Roberta, was forced to hide in the basement as strangers rummaged through her home. Rumors swirled that Amy had run off or was involved in some kind of criminal activity. Minnie did her best to ignore the noise and waited anxiously for someone to claim the reward. And soon, she got another ransom note from a group calling themselves the avengers. They demanded $500,000, about $10 million today, or they would sell Amy into, quote, white slavery. Minnie threw the letter away, thinking it was fake. With each passing day, it seemed less likely that she would ever see her daughter again. Minnie and the rest of the Foursquare Church faithful waited weeks for a reply from the real kidnappers. But eventually, it seemed like nothing was coming. Which could only mean one thing. Amy really was dead. Five weeks after Amy went missing, Minnie gave up searching. On June 20th, the Angelus Temple held a 12 hour memorial service for Amy. 20,000 people showed up despite the summer heat. In her eulogy, Minnie said that they hadn't found Amy's body because God had taken it to heaven just as he had done with the prophet Elijah. Many people in the congregation believed that Amy would return from the dead, just as Jesus had done. But even though Minnie had declared her daughter was dead, the LA coroner refused to do so. People had allegedly spotted Amy in cities across the country, from Arizona to San Francisco to New York. There were so many reported sightings that she couldn't be confirmed deceased. Minnie was sure all these sightings were just people trying to cash in on the massive reward. But then, on June 23, just three days after Amy's memorial service, Minnie got a call that changed everything. Amy had been found wandering in Agua Prieta, a Mexican desert town close to the US border. She collapsed at the feet of a Mexican couple who weren't sure if she was dead or alive. Amy was transported across the border to a hospital in Douglas, Arizona. Minnie rushed to Arizona and arrived just before the reporters did. She embraced her daughter, who looked as pale as her white nightgown. She asked Amy the same question the world had been wondering for five what happened to you? Amy's voice, which was normally loud enough to fill the massive Angelus temple, now came out in a hoarse whisper. But with reporters crowding around the bed, she began to tell her story. According to Amy, she was swimming at the beach when a young couple approached her. Between her sobs, the woman asked Amy if she could heal their baby, who was sick. With a deadly illness. Helping the sick was second nature for Amy. So she followed the couple to their car where another man was waiting in the driver's seat. When Amy peered her head inside to look for the baby, the man she'd followed shoved her into the car. The woman then knocked her out with chloroform and the car sped away away. When Amy came to, she woke up in a small room wearing a nightgown. Eventually, she learned that her kidnappers were named Steve, Mexicali, Rose and Jake. Steve was the leader of the group and did his best to get information out of Amy to make the ransom notes more legitimate. When Amy refused to help, Steve put out a lit cigar on her fingers, trying to get her to confess. Confess. But Amy stayed strong and kept quiet. After a few weeks, the group realized they were getting nowhere, so they blindfolded Amy and put her back in the car. They drove for a day and a half before leading her into a small two room shack in the Mexican desert. After a few days, the kidnappers left for supplies. Amy realized this was her chance. She maneuvered herself and cut her restraints. Using an old tin can, she crawled out the window and spent 17 hours wandering the desert before finally collapsing in Agua Prieta. After a few days recovering in the hospital, Amy felt well enough to return to her home. And she was coming back a hero. Amy's ordeal was practically biblical with its twists and turns. For the members of the Angelus Temple, it was proof that she was chosen by God. When Amy arrived at Union Station on June 26, more than 50,000 devoted followers were there waiting for her. But behind the scenes, there was doubt creeping in. Amy's story was starting to unravel and soon the spotlight shifted away from Amy's supposed to captors to Amy herself. With Plan B Emergency contraception, we're in control of our future. It's backup birth control you take after unprotected sex that helps prevent pregnancy before it starts. It works by temporarily delaying ovulation and it won't impact your future fertility. Plan B is available in all 50 US US states at all major retailers near you, with no ID, prescription or age requirement needed. Together we've got this. Follow Plan B oninsta at Plan B. One Step to Learn More Use as Directed hi listeners, it's Vanessa Richardson. I wanted to take a brief moment to tell you about another show from Crime House that I know you'll love, America's Most Infamous Crimes, hosted by Katie Rick. Each week Katie takes on a notorious crime, whether unfolding now or etched into American history, revealing not just what happened, but how it forever changed our society. Serial killers who terrorized cities, unsolved mysteries that keep detectives up at night, and investigations that change the way we think about justice. Each case unfolds across multiple episodes released every Tuesday through through Thursday. From the first sign that something was wrong to the moment the truth came out or didn't. These are the stories behind the headlines. Listen to and follow America's Most Infamous Crimes Tuesday through Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Almost immediately after she was discovered in Agua Prieta In June of 1926, there were holes in 35 year old Amy Simple McPherson's kidnapping story. Amy claimed to have wandered in the hot desert sun for 17 hours, but when doctors examined her, they found no signs of dehydration or sunburn. Her shoes looked relatively clean, and the only stains on the white nightgown she was wearing were Some grass marks along the hem. Investigators spent days looking for the shack in the desert that Amy described, but couldn't find anything matching its description. Not only that, but when Amy was found, she was wearing a watch that had been given to her by her mother. The only problem was, she hadn't been wearing it when she disappeared. It didn't take long for people to latch onto all the inconsistencies, and soon, Amy went from a hero to a villain. The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce was especially vicious, and they'd long disagreed with Amy's crusade to teach the Bible in public schools. And the spectacle of her disappearance was the straw that broke the camel's back. They felt like she was reducing LA to a national joke. And they were willing to do anything to take Amy down, including working with the press to find out what really happened to her. During the five weeks Amy was missing, thousands of people had called in with supposed sightings. Most of those reports were fake, but a few were probably real. And some of them claimed they had seen Amy with a man. In 1926, when Amy disappeared, she'd been divorced for five years. She was a single mother of two children, and as the leader of such a huge church, she was living under a microscope as a model of morality. In private, Amy was dealing with crushing loneliness according to her worst enemies. That was what led her to fake her kidnapping and run off with a married man. Kenneth Ormiston was an accomplished radio operator with diplomas from five different radio schools. When Amy came to Los Angeles, Kenneth helped get her sermons on the air, which was instrumental in turning her into a celebrity. Amy and Kenneth continued working closely together for several years, even though Kenneth didn't exactly keep up with the tenets of the Bible. He had several mistresses, and Amy had even stepped in to provide marriage counseling for him and his wife. Then, In December of 1925, Kenneth had his own mysterious disappearance. That month, he quit his job at the temple and vanished. His his wife even reported him missing the following January. When Amy disappeared a few months later, in May 1926, the police immediately identified Kenneth as a person of interest. At that point, he reappeared in Los Angeles and went down to the station. He explained that he was never really missing. He'd just gotten a job as a salesman in Washington state and didn't tell his wife. But that wasn't the only secret Kenneth was keeping. By then, he was back in California, renting a cabin in Carmel by the Sea, a small seaside village near Monterey. A reporter ended up following Kenneth to Carmel, and soon he made a wild discovery. Kenneth was there with a woman. The reporter identified her only as Mrs. X. A woman named Lorraine Wiseman came home forward claiming to be Mrs. X. But that didn't stop people from suspecting it was really Amy. Even if they were right and Amy was actually Mrs. X, she hadn't technically done anything illegal. When she returned to la, the Los Angeles Record even wrote a story saying the whole situation wasn't really all that bad. They wrote, quote, at the worst, Mrs. McFerson is accused by rumor of of a moral lapse and of lying about it afterwards like a gentleman. Either way, Amy's followers at the Foursquare Church certainly seem to believe her story. Despite the controversy, her star power was even greater than before. People all around the world knew her name. Who cared if she made the whole thing up? But Amy didn't see it that way. She thought she was in a battle between good and evil, between God and the devil. She felt like she needed to prove she was telling the truth, no matter the cost. A few days after Amy got back to la, District Attorney Asa Keyes was preparing to charge her supposed kidnappers. As part of the proceedings, Amy was subpoenaed to testify. She had the option to drop the charges, which her mother and her lawyer begged her to do. They didn't want her to testify under oath because they were also starting to doubt Amy's version of events. But Amy did it anyway. On July 8, Amy recounted her story. Minnie also testified. But just a week later, the jury dismissed the kidnapping charges over a lack of evidence. For a while, it seemed like that was the end of it. Amy wasn't necessarily vindicated, but at least she could put the ordeal behind her. But it wouldn't be that easy. Two months later, Lorraine Wiseman, who had claimed to be Mrs. X, told the D A a shocking story. According to Lorraine, she had been paid by the Foursquare Church to lie about being Mrs. X. Suddenly, Asa Kai's had everything he needed to go after Amy. On September 16th, District Attorney Asa Sakai issued arrest warrants for Amy, her mother Minnie, Kenneth Ormiston and Lorraine Wiseman. They faced a range of charges, including conspiracy, obstruction of justice and perjury. Kenneth's Carmel cabin was the key. Although investigators hadn't found any of Amy's fingerprints there, they did find something else. There was a shopping list that looked like her handwriting and a book Bible with highlighted passages matching several of Amy's sermons. On September 27, 1926, the hearings began. But there was a problem. Kenneth Ormiston had banished again. So the proceedings went on without him. For six weeks. Prosecutors argued that Amy had manipulated the public into thinking she was in danger when in reality she'd run off with a married man. They also claimed that Minnie had milked the situation for money and publicity. But the prosecution's evidence was thinner than they'd made it seem. Especially because Amy's alleged shopping list had accidentally been flushed down the toilet. To make matters worse, it soon came out that Lorraine Wiseman's testimony about being paid by the Foursquare church was totally made up. It turned out she had a history of mental illness and had lied from the very beginning. Suddenly, the prosecution's argument became as hard to believe as Amy's kidnapping story. After six weeks, the grand jury dismissed the cases against the defendants. Months later, in January 1927, the charges against Amy and her co defendants were formally dropped. That's that same month Kenneth Ormiston finally returned to LA. At that point he revealed that Mrs. X had actually been a nurse from Seattle. Amy was well and truly vindicated. But her problems were far from over. Amy's disappearance was the beginning of the end of her relationship with her mother. It's not clear if Minnie ever confronted Amy about the kidnapping story. But we know she didn't approve of of the way her daughter interacted with the public and the media. Despite the allegations leveled against Minnie during the trial, she criticized Amy for how she courted publicity. Things got so tense that later in 1927, Minnie even tried to get Amy removed as the head of the church. She failed and resigned from her position. She and Amy briefly reconciled a few years later. But in 1930, Minnie severed all ties with her daughter. Amy took it incredibly hard. In August of that year when she was almost 40, she had a nervous breakdown that kept her from the stage for almost a year. Amy did her best to resume her career in 1931. But more heartache was waiting around the corner. In 1932 she married a Hollywood actor named David Hutton. David had several high profile affairs while married to Amy which damaged the church's reputation even more. The two separated after just a year and divorced in 1934. Amy never fully recovered from the scandal. Over the next decade, Amy's celebrity continued to fade. Her congregation never abandoned her. But her influence over the public was a fraction of of what it once was. On top of all that, the church was losing money hand over fist. And so was Amy. It all came to a tragic end on September 26, 1944. That day, 53 year old Amy arrived in Oakland, California to give a sermon. But she never showed up at the church. Her son Ralph found her in her hotel room room. Amy had overdosed on sleeping pills. 45,000 members of the Foursquare church came to see her body before she was buried. Amy's mom Minnie outlived her by three years. The two never reconciled before Amy's death. Amy's daughter Roberta was supposed to take over the church when her mom died. But there were tensions between Roberta and her half past brother and eventually Rolf pushed her out and gained control. He managed the FourSquare Church for 44 years until 1988. Under his leadership, the church and Evangelical Christianity more broadly reached new heights. Foursquare built several new mega churches, but the headquarters always remained in the same place. The megachurch that is Amy built in Echo park, the Angelus Temple. A hundred years later, Amy Simple McPherson's disappearance is just as mysterious as it was in 1926. Her supposed kidnappers were never caught, but there wasn't much concrete evidence to prove that she'd faked the ordeal. For decades, Amy's family maintained that she was the target of the Los Angeles mafia because of her advocacy against violence. Others think she just needed a break from the stress of leading the church, so she vanished. This one is baffling because there's no concrete evidence. Though in my opinion, the circumstantial evidence stands out. Leaning me towards the thought that she might have faked her kidnapping. But I'd love to get your thoughts. What do you think happened to Amy? Was she lying about being kidnapped or was she really abducted? And do you think she deserved the criticism she received once she was back in la? Tell us in the comments. I'd love to know what you think Today. Amy's legacy is complicated. Besides her controversial disappearance, she had a history of bigotry against immigrants, railed against evolution, and and on more than one occasion, shared her stage with KKK leaders. Beyond all that, the concept of the mega church that Amy created has also come under fire in recent years. Modern megachurch pastors like Kenneth Copeland and Joel Osteen adopted Amy's theatrical style. But they've also been criticized for turning faith into a business. Detractors say these churches prioritize profit and personal branding over spiritual guidance. They point to multi million dollar homes, private jets, and messages that focus more on prosperity than sacrifice. While that may be true, there's no doubt that Amy Simple McPherson was a trailblazer. She changed the world at a time when women were told to put their heads down and follow orders. Instead, she created her own path and millions of people followed her. If nothing else, Amy tried to help her home live up to its name, the City of Angels. Thanks so much for listening. I'm Vanessa Richardson and this is Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes. Come back next time. We'll decode the episode together and hear another story about the real people at the center of the world's most notorious cults, conspiracies and criminal acts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House original. Powered by Pave Studios. Here at Crime House, we want to thank each and every one of you for your support. If you like what you heard today, reach out on social media, rimehouse on TikTok and Instagram. Don't forget to rate, review and follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes wherever you get your podcasts, your feedback truly makes a difference. And to enhance your Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes listening experience, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get every episode ad free. We'll be back on Monday. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is hosted by me, Vanessa Richardson and is a Crime House original. Powered by Pave Studios, this episode was brought to life by the Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes team. Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Natalie Pertzovsky, Lori Marinelli, Sarah Camp, Jake Natureman, Leah Roche, Kaylee Pine, and Michael Langsner. Thank you for listening.
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I'm Katie Ring, host of America's Most Infamous Crimes. Each week I take on one of the most notorious criminal cases in American history. Listen to and follow America's Most Infamous Crimes. Available now wherever you get your podcasts.
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Thanks for listening to today's episode. Not sure what to listen to next? Check out America's Most Infamous Crimes hosted by Katie Ring. From serial killers to unsolved mysteries and game changing investigations, each week Katie takes on a notorious criminal case in American history. Listen to and follow America's Most infamous Crimes now wherever you listen to podcasts.