Dark Downeast: The Murder of Elizabeth Sterling Seeley (Connecticut)

Podcast: Dark Downeast
Host: Kylie Low
Episode Date: January 8, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, host and investigative journalist Kylie Low examines the decades-old, labyrinthine case of Elizabeth Sterling Seeley, a Bridgeport, Connecticut historical society leader and curator found murdered in her own home in 1974. Weaving together archival reporting, witness recollections, and legal twists, Kylie tells both the story of a confounding murder and the life of a woman dedicated to preserving the memory of Bridgeport.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Disappearance and Grim Discovery

• Routine Broken ([00:03–03:00]):
  Elizabeth Seeley, 77, was deeply punctual and reliable. When she missed a September 5, 1974 lunch with friend Marjorie Morris, it immediately raised concern.

• Search and Discovery ([03:00–06:00]):
  Friends and caretaker checked both of Elizabeth’s homes. Edward Kearney, a friend, found Elizabeth dead, bound to bedposts in her upstairs bedroom.

  • Quote:
    “Something awful has happened to Ms. Seeley.” (Edward Kearney’s words relayed by Kylie Low)

• Forensics and Initial Theories ([06:00–13:00]):

  • No forced entry; house packed tight with over a lifetime of belongings.
  • Seeley’s hands/feet were tied with silk stockings.
  • Autopsy: Bruises and scratches, but no definitive cause; suffocation theorized, with signs of recent sexual assault.
  • Money belt found empty; house so cluttered that burglary was nearly impossible to track.

2. The Life and Legacy of Elizabeth Sterling Seeley

• Local Pillar ([14:30–23:00]):

  • Active in Bridgeport’s civic and historical societies; founding member of the Bridgeport Historical Society, former longtime curator of the Barnum Museum, regular classroom guest, and community preservationist.
  • Preserved local history not for accolades but to keep Bridgeport’s memory alive.

• Quote ([16:20]):
  “The real Elizabeth Seeley was refined and distinctive-looking and always well dressed, generous to a fault, and never forgot a favor, especially when it concerned children.” – Dora F. Brinsmaid (letter to the editor, read by Kylie Low)

• Personal Impact ([18:00]):
  Host Kylie interviews Audrey Blair (president, Bridgeport Community Historical Society), who recalls as a child, Elizabeth giving out old-fashioned candies at the museum.

3. Investigation Stalls — Then Items Resurface

• Estate Auction and Breakthrough ([24:00–28:00]):

  • Elizabeth’s possessions sold at auction months later. Antique dealer August Besinger recognizes a sterling knife as part of a set previously bought from a "Bill Royko."
  • Key Link:
    "Bill Royko" matches Bela Krieger, a local with a lengthy record; multiple pieces of Elizabeth’s jewelry and silverware traced back to him.

• Police Evidence Mounts ([29:00–36:00]):

  • Krieger, in custody on other charges, is linked to a distinctive brown winter jacket with seminal stains found at the scene.
  • Krieger alternately admits and denies ownership of the jacket, presence in the house, and burglaries—changing his story repeatedly.

• Physical Evidence ([34:30]):

  • Krieger’s fingerprint lifted from a window inside Elizabeth’s house.

4. The Escape of the "Butterman"

• A Bizarre Prison Escape ([38:00–44:00]):

  • While awaiting trial, Krieger escaped Bridgeport Correctional Center by coating himself with butter and squeezing through a window after fashioning a body-double out of towels.
  • Memorable Detail:
    “It is entirely possible that a man charged with murder fled the facility naked and covered in butter.” – Kylie Low ([41:00])

• Urban Legend ([42:00]):

  • Krieger’s escape becomes local lore, referenced as the "Butterman" and a cautionary tale for children.

• On the Run, Recaptured ([45:00–47:30]):

  • After a week, caught in North Carolina while fleeing in a stolen car under an alias. Recaptured after escaping briefly from a hospital.

5. The Trials and Appeals

First Trial (1977)

• Defense & Prosecution ([49:00–54:00]):

  • Defense: Case is circumstantial, no proof of homicide or Krieger’s responsibility.
  • Prosecution: Details of restraint, evidence of suffocation, and witness testimony about Krieger’s possession of stolen items.

• Key Quote:
  “I had to hurt the b—.” – Testimony of a friend recalling Krieger’s statement about Elizabeth ([51:30])

• Alternate Suspect Theory ([53:00]):

  • A neighbor testifies to having seen a different man at Seeley’s house the night of her death, which defense tries to leverage.

• Conviction and Sentence ([56:00]):

  • Guilty verdict; Krieger requests death penalty citing “eye for an eye,” denied by judge, receives 25 years to life.

Appeals and Second Trial

• Appeal Grounds ([57:20–59:00]):

  • Connecticut Supreme Court overturns conviction due to Miranda rights violation (pre-advisement jacket identification).

• Retrial Results ([01:00:00–01:02:00]):

  • Second jury again convicts Krieger in 1982, but he dies of a heart attack (or rumored stabbing) months after sentencing, ending further appeals.

6. Open Questions & Reflections

• Lingering Uncertainties ([01:03:00–01:06:00]):

  • Was forensic evidence, especially on sexual assault, underexplored or inconclusive?
  • Would modern DNA testing have provided clarity?

• Host’s Reflection ([01:05:00]):
  “What remains unsettled for me is not the verdict but the gaps around it... They do not themselves explain a killing.”

• Elizabeth’s Real Legacy ([01:07:00–End]):

  • Even after her death, Elizabeth’s archives preserved and catalogued; her memory and impact on Bridgeport history endure.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Discovery of Body:
  “Edward climbed the staircase toward the third floor where Elizabeth’s bedroom was located. That’s when he found his friend, Elizabeth—lay motionless in her bed, she was bound to the bedposts, her body partially covered by a blanket.” —Kylie Low ([05:00])

• Escape Speculation:
  “Along the edges of the window frame was a greasy residue that investigators soon identified as butter… It is entirely possible that a man charged with murder fled the facility naked and covered in butter.” —Kylie Low ([41:15–41:40])

• On Justice & Unanswered Questions:
  “The verdicts stand, but they account for only a fraction of Elizabeth Sterling Seeley’s story and legacy… Her legacy lives on in the organizations she helped build, the students she taught, and the stories of Bridgeport that might otherwise have disappeared.” —Kylie Low ([01:08:00])

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Elizabeth’s Disappearance & Discovery: 00:03–08:00
• Forensic/Scene Details: 08:00–14:30
• Who Was Elizabeth Seeley?: 14:30–23:00
• Auction & Stolen Items–Break in the Case: 24:00–29:00
• Krieger Identified & Interviewed by Police: 29:00–36:00
• The "Butterman" Escape: 38:00–44:00
• Capture and Return: 45:00–47:30
• The First Trial and Verdict: 49:00–56:00
• Appeal and Retrial: 57:00–01:02:00
• Elizabeth's Lasting Legacy: 01:07:00–End

Tone & Approach

Heart-centered and methodical, Kylie Low brings both empathy and a journalist’s rigor, highlighting not just the crime but the person lost. The episode refrains from sensationalism, instead placing emphasis on remembrance, the limitations of criminal justice, and the ongoing importance of community memory.

Summary Takeaway

Kylie Low’s account of Elizabeth Sterling Seeley’s murder is a meditation on the mysteries left unsolved by both time and circumstance, the limitations of then-modern police investigation, and the echoing contributions of a woman who devoted herself to documenting Bridgeport’s history. Elizabeth’s murder is officially solved, but neither motive nor method is ever fully illuminated—a poignant reminder that the truest legacies may be the ones we build, not the ones left to investigators to untangle.