Dark Downeast: The Murder of Abraham Levine and Trial of Eleanor Johnson

Host: Kylie Low (Audiochuck)
Air Date: March 5, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Dark Downeast delves into the 1931 murder of Abraham Levine, a 19-year-old cattle dealer in Waterville, Maine, and the subsequent trial of Eleanor Johnson, the Levine family's Black housekeeper. Investigative journalist Kylie Low reconstructs the crime, the tangled relationships within the Levine household, the racially charged investigation and trial, and the enduring mystery of an unsolved homicide that haunted a small New England community for nearly a century.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Crime Scene

[03:39]

• On September 26, 1931, Eleanor Johnson, with neighbor Herbert Hart, discovered a lifeless body at the Levine farm.
• Abraham Levine was found face down near his desk, an unfinished check in hand, shot four times at close range.
• The murder weapon, likely a .32 caliber revolver, was missing and there was no sign of a struggle.
  Host: "He was the victim of multiple gunshot wounds... all four shots were fired at extremely close range."

Notable Moment

• Powder burns and singed hair indicated a point-blank shooting.
• A check for $10 was made out to "Leland Gray," a person no one could identify.

2. The Levine Household & Eleanor Johnson

[06:37]

• While the Levine brothers ran the farm, Eleanor managed the household, handling significant responsibility.
• Eleanor, a Black woman, initially felt included in the family but later faced discrimination and town gossip regarding her relationship with the Jewish Levine family.
• Tensions worsened after Abraham fired Eleanor's son from the farm five weeks before the murder.

Quote

• "People in town began whispering about her relationships with members of the Levine family... over time, members of the Levine family became less willing to be seen with her out and about in town."
  (Kylie Low, 09:28)

3. Death Investigation & Community Rumors

[11:43]

• Eleanor had an alibi—she was at the Haines Theater in town during the presumed time of the murder, supported by ticket stubs and multiple witnesses.
• Merton Levine, Abraham’s brother, admitted to a friendship and past intimacy with Eleanor; Abraham had warned Merton to stay away from her.
• Police discounted robbery as a motive; cash and other checks were found with Abraham.

Memorable Details

• A check stub was missing, and two different handwritings were identified on the incomplete check, suggesting the possibility of staging.
• Town gossip speculated about "whoopee parties" at the Levine farm, suggesting social rather than criminal improprieties, and posited romantic jealousy as a possible motive.

4. Forensic Dead-Ends & Unusual Evidence

[13:31]

• Police found an unfired .32 caliber cartridge in the attic, inside a box addressed to Eleanor, but its late discovery and lack of secured crime scene cast suspicion on whether it was planted.
• Anonymous threatening letters signed "M.C." targeted Merton Levine and associate Roy Adams but were likely hoaxes.
• Investigators even exhumed a dog to compare bullets, but leads continually fizzled.

Quote

• "They even exhumed a dog previously shot and buried on the Levine farm to retrieve bullets for ballistic comparison... that effort proved the bullets were actually the same caliber..." (Kylie Low, 14:41)

5. The Turn: The Revolver & Shifting Suspicions

[16:50]

• The murder weapon—a .32 caliber Iver Johnson revolver—was found at the Gilman Street dump, months after the killing.
• Tracing the purchase led police to Samuel Morrison, who said he bought the gun at Eleanor Johnson’s request; Eleanor stated she did so with Merton Levine’s money and at his direction.
• Eleanor then claimed Merton threatened to kill Abraham if he interfered with their relationship.
  Host: "If her account was true, the case was no longer a mystery. It was a crime of retaliation carried out by a brother..."

Legal Developments

• Both Eleanor and Merton were arrested; Morrison and another man were charged as accessories but later released.
• At grand jury, only Eleanor was indicted; Merton was released and no longer a defendant.

6. The Trial of Eleanor Johnson

[19:14]

• The state’s case relied on circumstantial evidence: motive, opportunity, access to the gun, and a witness who saw Eleanor near the dump where the gun was discarded.
• The timeline remained crucial: revised estimates put the time of death between 8:00–8:30pm, potentially overlapping Eleanor’s claimed theater visit.

Witnesses & Alibi

[22:45]

• Multiple theater witnesses placed Eleanor at the Haines Theater at the critical time.
• Theater ticket records further corroborated her presence.

Forensic Disputes

• State ballistic experts claimed the revolver matched the bullets.
• Defense experts countered that firing pin and breech block marks didn’t match; the gun could have been planted.

Eleanor’s Testimony

[25:37]

• She described her role as maternal, denied threats or desire for revenge, and stated she never saw the revolver after giving it to Merton.

Defense & Verdict

• Defense emphasized reasonable doubt: "There were no eyewitnesses, no confession entered... no direct proof that Eleanor had been inside the house when the shots were fired."
• Jury initially split (10-2 for conviction), but after 3 hours, unanimously found Eleanor not guilty.
• Memorable moment:
  • "Eleanor turned and asked her attorney quietly, 'Can we go home now?'"
    (Kylie Low, 29:14)

7. Aftermath & Legacy

[30:21]

• Eleanor remained in Waterville for a time, sued for libel after local papers falsely attributed a criminal record to her, then moved to New York, marrying and living a long, respected life.
• She re-visited her past in 1977, stating, "If I had been a white woman, I never would have been put through that ordeal."
• By 2003, she was honored as Skowhegan’s oldest resident at age 109.
• Eleanor died in 2004 at 110, outliving her notoriety and the cloud of suspicion.

Race & Justice

• Kylie Low underscores the role of race in Eleanor’s ordeal:
  • "She described the fear she felt while in custody, particularly as a black woman accused of killing a white man in 1931 Maine..." (Kylie Low, 34:10)

Unsolved Case

• Abraham Levine’s murder has never been solved, and the central questions remain:
  • Who was Leland Gray?
  • Was the check staged?
  • Who killed Abraham Levine—if not Eleanor?

Quote

• "We are left with a crime that had opportunity but no witness. Motive but no certainty. Physical evidence in the form of a revolver found at a dump that may or may not have been the murder weapon, but no uncontested interpretation."
  (Kylie Low, 36:10)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On race and the justice system:
  "If I had been a white woman, I never would have been put through that ordeal."
  (Eleanor Johnson Robinson, reflecting, 33:21)

• Closing narrative:
  "The unanswered questions remain... the farm is gone. The buildings are gone. The land has changed. But the question that began on September 26, 1931, still lingers. Who killed Abraham Levine and why?"
  (Kylie Low, 37:40)

• Eleanor’s calm in the courtroom:
  "'Can we go home now?'"
  (Eleanor Johnson to her attorney after the verdict, 29:14)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Discovery of Abraham Levine’s body: 03:50–06:30
• Eleanor Johnson’s background & household dynamics: 06:37–09:28
• Investigation and alibis: 09:28–13:31
• Forensic troubles and rumor mill: 13:31–16:50
• Discovery of the revolver and new suspicions: 16:50–19:14
• Pre-trial and charges: 19:14–22:15
• Trial proceedings and defense: 22:15–29:10
• Jury verdict: 29:10–30:21
• Life after trial and legacy: 30:21–36:10
• Unresolved questions and closing reflections: 36:10–end

Tone & Ethical Approach

Kylie Low delivers this complex story with respect for the individuals involved, a nuanced understanding of historical context, and a commitment to ethical true crime reporting. The episode foregrounds both the human cost and the continued resonance of race, justice, and doubt in Maine’s criminal history.