Morbid Podcast: Richard Speck – The Student Nurse Murders (Part 1)

Hosts: Ash Kelley & Alaina Urquhart
Date: November 6, 2025
Episode Overview:
This episode dives into the true crime nightmare of Richard Speck and the infamous 1966 "Student Nurse Murders" in Chicago. Ash and Alaina blend comprehensive research with their signature banter and dark humor, walking listeners through the horrific events, the investigation, and the backstory of one of America’s most notorious spree killers. The episode balances chilling detail with sensitivity and genuine empathy for the victims, while unpacking how such unimaginable violence unfolded.

Episode Breakdown & Key Points

1. Opening Banter and Setting the Scene (00:46–08:30)

• Lighthearted catch-up: Ash and Alaina discuss recent yoga/Pilates classes, health goals (“I need to be 150 years old. Still kicking it...” – Elena, 01:54), Millennial nostalgia, and quirky “grandparent names.”
• Merch plug & local shout-outs: Promotion for new merch designed by Matt and Ryan of Black Veil Studio, peppered with playful banter and inside jokes (“We need to get merch that just says leave it in.” – Elena, 07:17).
• Transition to episode topic: The hosts shift tone, preparing listeners for a “pretty gnarly case”—warning of the disturbing content to follow.

2. Introduction to the Case: The Night of the Murders (08:32–16:30)

Main Theme: How could one man control and kill eight women in a single night?

• Who was Richard Speck?

  • Noted as a notorious serial killer/burglar; depicted as unattractive “inside and out.”
  • “He’s ugly inside, he’s ugly outside, he’s ugly all around.” – Elena, 09:18

• Setting: July 13, 1966, Jeffery Manor, Chicago, a townhouse dorm for nine student nurses from South Chicago Community Hospital.

• The break-in:

  • Cora Amaro wakes to a knock; assumes it’s a roommate, instead finds a stranger with a gun (12:03).
  • Cora’s testimony: She describes a man with marks on his face, blondish hair, and a threatening demeanor.

• Immediate chaos:

  • As Speck corrals women, three hide in a closet; others try to persuade them to emerge (“He kept telling them, ‘I’m not going to hurt you, just listen, you’ll be fine.’” – 13:21).
  • Gradually, all six women in the house are rounded up and bound.

• Cultural insight:

  • The three Filipino nurses, including Cora, sense Speck’s lies and strategize to rush him, but are outvoted by others paralyzed by fear (14:53–16:04).

3. The Attack and Murders Unfold (19:10–29:50)

Key Segment: A moment-by-moment account, from the first attack to the aftermath.

• Sexual assault & escalating horror:

  • Pamela Wilkening is sexually assaulted and killed (stabbed through the pulmonary artery)—all while other women are forced to listen, bound and helpless (20:51).
  • More roommates arrive home during the attack, are subdued and tied up. Each time, Speck adds new victims.
    • “You think your day is ending and this is in your house doing this. Like that’s so scary.” – Ash, 20:32

• Systematic murder (21:33–24:26):

  • Speck murders each woman one-by-one, alternating between stabbing and strangulation.
  • Notable details:
    • Suzanne Ferris was stabbed at least 18 times before being strangled.
    • Marianne Jordan stabbed multiple times, including once in the eye.
    • Patricia Matusik is strangled, but not before being fatally kicked in the stomach.

• Survival through quick thinking:

  • Cora hides under a bed and Speck fails to notice her absence (24:26).
  • She endures hours of terror, only emerging after 5 a.m. when the alarm signals the nurses’ usual morning routine.

• Aftermath for the survivor:

  • Cora is psychologically transported back to her homeland, yelling for help in a state of trauma (“I am the only one alive on the sampan.” – 29:06), her mind reverting to experiences of violence in the Philippines.

4. Discovery and Police Response (29:51–38:27)

• Neighbors respond:

  • Cora is finally found clinging to a ledge, crying for help (29:51).
  • Quick police response; Officer Daniel Kelly enters the house and discovers grisly scenes—including the body of a woman he recognizes personally.

• Crime scene details:

  • The house is a bloodbath—bodies in every room, belongings strewn about, many victims still bound (33:01).
  • Even hardened officers and reporters are shocked; “I wanted to vomit but held back, there was blood everywhere. I just stared.” – Daily Calumet reporter Tom Holland (33:18).

• Initial investigation:

  • Police and press cannot believe one person committed all the murders; “It seemed completely impossible that a single person could control nine adults...long enough to murder each of them.” – Elena, 34:32
  • Physical evidence is scant: mostly the victims’ belongings, a sweat-stained white T-shirt, 30+ fingerprints, and tire tracks (36:05).

5. Cora’s Recovery and the Investigation Deepens (38:27–47:09)

• Cora as a witness:

  • Initially, Cora is too traumatized to help investigators, often lapsing into Tagalog or silence (38:27).
  • After sedation and rest, she confirms: one attacker, about 25 years old, 6ft, 170 lbs (“I would recognize him. I would know if I saw him again.” – Cora, paraphrased at 43:31).

• Police sweep the city:

  • Tensions in 1966 Chicago are high; civil rights protests have stretched resources, but also lead to a diverse task force.

• Breakthrough leads:

  • Robbery detectives leverage street informants, leading to a garage mechanic’s tip about a rude customer with a “Born to raise hell” tattoo (45:11).
  • At the National Maritime Union, Speck had left contact info while seeking work headed for New Orleans—the line matches a detail shared with his victims.
  • Paperwork at the union confirms the suspect: Richard Speck.

6. Richard Speck’s Background (48:40–59:45)

In-depth profile of Speck’s childhood and descent into crime:

• Family life:

  • Seventh of eight in a poor but religiously devout family; loses his biological father early (50:31).

• Stepparent abuse & instability:

  • Stepdad is physically abusive; by 8th grade, Speck is withdrawn and troubled (“He seems sort of lost. I don’t think I ever saw him smile.” – Elena quoting Speck’s teacher, 51:42).
  • Dropout by 16, Richardson moves into crime, escalating to violence by his early twenties (53:25).

• Predatory relationships and violence:

  • Fathered a child with a 15-year-old; their relationship disintegrates after accompanying domestic abuse.
  • Speck frequently harasses and threatens his ex-wife’s family—in one incident, he’s fought off by his mother-in-law (“I’ll make you eat that knife!” – Elena, quoting Ida Malone, 55:53).

• Criminal progression:

  • In and out of jail; did not adjust to free society, reportedly more comfortable in prison (“In prison, he knew what was expected of him, it felt like it simplified.” – Elena, 57:30).
  • Ultimately returns to live with his sister in Chicago—temporarily promising to “straighten out”—before spiraling back into crime.

7. Leading into Part 2 (59:45–End)

• Next steps:
  • Police have identified Richard Speck as a prime suspect and are closing in. The episode ends setting up the investigation, manhunt, and arrest to be detailed in part two.
  • Reflective commentary:
    • “He’s now living with Carolyn, his sister, in Chicago. He’s promising the world. And he’s still being a shitbag.” – Elena, 60:13

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “He’s ugly inside, he’s ugly outside, he’s ugly all around.” – Elena (09:18)
• “What do you do?...You’re frozen with terror.” – Alaina/Ash (16:03–16:04)
• “It was like an animal at this point, that he didn’t notice that one of the six original women was now missing from the room.” – Elena (24:47)
• “I am the only one alive on the sampan.” – Cora, via Elena (29:06)
• “There was blood everywhere. I just stared.” – Tom Holland, Daily Calumet (33:18)
• “I wanted to vomit but held back…” (33:18)
• “It seemed completely impossible that a single person could control nine adults...” – Elena (34:32)
• “I always carry a screwdriver.” – Speck, quoting his own bizarre excuse to police (53:36)
• “I’ll make you eat that knife!” – Ida Malone, Speck’s ex-mother-in-law, standing up to him (55:53)

Key Timestamps

• Intro/banter: 00:46–08:30
• Case introduction: 08:32–10:39
• Description of the night: 10:39–19:09
• Murders and survivor’s ordeal: 19:10–29:50
• Aftermath and police discovery: 29:51–38:27
• Investigation, Cora’s witness statement: 38:27–43:31
• Suspect identified, police leads: 43:31–47:09
• Richard Speck’s background: 48:40–59:45
• Set up for Part 2: 59:45–60:29

Tone and Takeaways

Ash and Alaina expertly balance the episode’s heavy, disturbing content with moments of levity and empathy for the victims. They take care not to sensationalize, reflect empathy for survivor Cora, and repeatedly highlight the incomprehensible nature of the crime (“I can’t even fathom that…”). Their conversational style makes the narrative gripping, and their dark humor surfaces only at appropriate moments, mainly in reference to Speck’s character and their own reactions.

For Next Time

To follow the gripping conclusion—including Speck’s arrest, trial, and the societal fallout—catch part two of the series.

Content warning: This episode discusses extreme violence and sexual assault in detail, with emphasis on the ordeal of the victims and the lone survivor. Listener discretion is advised.