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- [00:07]
Carter Roy
This is Crime House. Sex sells. It always has and always will. But sometimes our desire for salacious details and juicy escapades can come at a great cost. After 24 year old Theora Hicks was killed in 1929, the news of her murder shocked the nation. But it wasn't just because of the brutal nature of her death. It was also because of what Theora's killer said about her sex life. For almost a century now, Theora's story has been told through the lens of the man who murdered her. He convinced the courts and the world that Fiora was a drug addled nymphomaniac who couldn't control her own desires. And because Theora wasn't able to defend herself against those accusations, that's what many believed. And for decades, she never got true justice. People's lives are like a story. There's a beginning, a middle, and an end. But you don't always know which part you're on. Sometimes the final chapter arrives far too soon and we don't always get to know the real ending. I'm Carter Roy and this is True Crime Stories, a Crime House original. Every Tuesday I'll explore the story of a notorious murder or murders. I'll be bringing awareness to stories that need to be heard, with a focus on those who are impacted. And for more true crime stories that all happened this week in History, check out Crime the Show. Each episode covers multiple cases unified by the same theme. So every week you get something a little different. At Crime House, we want to express our gratitude to you, our community, for making this possible. Please support us by rating, reviewing and following Murder True Crime Stories. Wherever you get your podcasts, your feedback truly matters. And to enhance your Murder True Crime Stories listening experience, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get every episode ad free. And instead of having to wait for each episode of a two part series, you'll get access to both at once plus exciting bonus content. This is the first of two episodes on the murder of Theora Hicks, a promising medical student whose burgeoning career was cut short at only 24 years old when she was murdered by her much older professor and lover. Today I'll introduce you to Theora. I'll fill you in on her time in medical school and her years long affair that eventually resulted in her murder. Next time, I'll walk you through the investigation into Theora's death and a trial that was so salacious the details couldn't be published in newspapers. Nearly a century later, Theora's story remains one of the most complex, fascinating murder cases in U.S. history. All that and more coming up. Hey everyone, it's Carter. If you're loving Murder True Crime Stories, you won't want to miss our studio's new show, Crime House True Crime Stories. Every Monday, you'll go on an in depth journey through two of the most notorious true crime cases from that week in history, all connected by a common theme, from notorious serial killers and mysterious disappearances to unsolved murders and more. Follow Crime House True Crime Stories now wherever you get your podcasts. And for ad free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts.
- [04:20]
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- [04:21]
Carter Roy
Easy.
- [04:22]
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- [05:24]
Carter Roy
As the only child of Melvin and Joanna Hicks, Fiora was her parents pride and joy. When she was born in a small village in upstate New York in 1904, Melvin and Joanna were already well into middle age. And although they loved Theora unconditionally, the large age gap between them and their daughter meant they viewed the world very differently. Melvin and Joanna had come of age in the late 1800s and were raised with traditional Victorian values. While Melvin worked, Joanna chose not to pursue an education or a career. Instead, she was a housewife and homemaker. While her mother was content to stay home with her daughter, Theora didn't want to follow that same path. When Theora was a little girl, her family moved to Flushing, Queens in New York and was exposed to a whole new world, one in which women had more opportunities. By the time Theora was in high school, she dreamed of becoming a doctor. At the time, only 4% of US physicians were women. Theora aspired to Join their ranks. Melvin and Joanna couldn't quite wrap their heads around it. But being the supportive parents they were, they gave Theora their blessing to pursue her goals. And in 1923 or 1924, Theora enrolled at the Ohio State University in Columbus, one of the few colleges that allowed women at the time. But even though OSU welcomed female students, they weren't given the same options as their male counterparts. They had fewer classes to choose from and they also weren't allowed to live in the dorms, which meant Theora had to find off campus housing. None of it deterred Fiora. Although her ultimate goal was to become a doctor, she decided to pursue an undergraduate degree in business. But still, Theora didn't leave medicine behind completely. She also worked as a stenographer in the veterinary department to help pay for her tuition. Despite the excitement of being away at college, Theora wasn't much of a social butterfly. Her roommates, sisters Alice and Beatrice Buston, said she was quiet and very private. She didn't share much about her life with them. Eventually they stopped asking her personal questions altogether because they knew Theora wouldn't answer. But they insisted she wasn't rude or mean spirited. Theora just seemed like the kind of person who kept her cards close to her chest. Plus, Theora had a demanding job and a full course load. Beatrice and Alice assumed she just didn't have time for chit chat. According to the Buston sisters and Theora's classmates, she was straight laced. She didn't drink or smoke and rarely went out on the town. She dedicated herself to school, filling most of her time with sports studies and work. And while Fiora wasn't the most social person, she maintained a close relationship with her parents while she was at school. They wrote letters to each other constantly and Fiora filled them in on her day to day life. At some point while she was at osu, Melvin and Joanna had moved from New York to Florida. During school breaks, Theora would drive the thousand miles from campus to their home in Bradenton to visit. But although Fiora kept in touch with her parents, she didn't tell them everything about her life, including her unlikely friendship with an older man. In 1926, three years into her time at OSU, 21 year old Theora met 46 year old Dr. James Snook at her stenography job in the veterinary department. To Theora, it looked like James had it all. Before becoming a professor of veterinary medicine at osu, he'd invented the Snook hook, a tool that's still used today to spay and neuter dogs and cats. As if that wasn't enough, he was also an Olympian. In 1920, James took home gold in the Antwerp Olympics as a member of the US Pistol team. His wife Helen supported all of his professional accomplishments, and by the time Theora Met James in 1926, he and Helen had a two year old daughter. Despite James busy schedule, he still made time to attend church, play golf with his colleagues, and practice his shooting at a nearby range. To those around him, James seemed like a stand up guy, but his behavior with Theora indicated otherwise. At first, their interaction seemed purely professional. He dictated information to Theora and she wrote it down. But one evening after a long day of work, James offered Theora a ride back to her apartment. It was raining and he figured she didn't want to walk. Theora agreed and before long their car rides grew more frequent. It's unclear if anyone at the vet's office noticed James was driving Theora home or considered it inappropriate. If they did, they didn't say anything, and they didn't seem concerned that Theora might have felt pressured to say yes to his offers. Either way, their car ride soon turned into coffee dates. They were both progressive thinkers and spent hours discussing taboo topics like STDs and common law marriages. But it wasn't just their conversations that were intimate. Within three weeks of that first rainy drive to Theora's apartment, she and James were sleeping together. Theora had no idea their affairs would change the course of her entire life.
- [11:55]
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- [12:22]
Carter Roy
Learn more@capella.edu hey everyone, it's Carter. If you're loving murder true crime stories, you won't want to miss our studio's new show, Crime House, True Crime Stories. Every Monday, you'll go on an in depth journey through two of the most notorious true crime cases from that week in history, all linked by a common theme. From infamous serial killers and mysterious disappearances to unsolved murders, we are bringing you the defining events that shape true crime both past and present. Each episode dives into the stories behind the headlines featuring high profile cases from past and present, including the murder of Gabby Petito, the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart, the Heaven's Gate cult tragedy, and so much more. Follow Crime House True Crime Stories now wherever you get your podcasts and for ad free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts.
- [13:31]
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- [13:34]
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- [13:51]
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- [13:53]
Carter Roy
Oh sheet, arm and Hammer. More power to you. In 1926, 21 year old Theora Hicks was close to accomplishing one of her many goals. She was just a year away from getting her undergraduate degree in business from the Ohio State University. After that she planned to attend medical school. But while her roommates and family saw her as a docile, mild mannered young woman, Theora was hiding a racy secret. She was sleeping with a married professor named James Snook. What started out as casual car rides quickly turned into a full blown affair. Before long, Fiora and 46 year old James were spending three nights a week together for hours at a time. And they weren't exactly secretive about it. They were seen out and about going shopping and hitting the town. Sometimes James would even take Theora to the shooting range. It's not clear where they went when they wanted alone time, but it seems like they were able to keep that side of the relationship a secret. When James wife Helen asked why he was home late, he told her he was working or going shooting. Helen believed him. Even when Theora called the house looking for James. With no one the wiser about the affair, he and Theora continued seeing each other. By the time she started medical school at OSU in 1927, 22 year old Theora had been dating 47 year old James for about a year. Looking past the impropriety inherent in their relationship, the two of them actually clicked on multiple levels. Both of them were incredibly smart and ambitious. They could talk for hours on end about science and politics, literature and music. But there was another very important aspect of their relationship that made things work. Unlike most other men at the time, James was happy to let Theora take the lead in the bedroom. Theora was more sexually adventurous than James. In fact, she was more adventurous than Most people of the era. In 1927, only half of women enrolled in college reported being sexually active. And not only was Theora having sex, but she was curious about it in a way that wasn't exactly acceptable back then. For example, she introduced James to oral sex. Now, keep in mind, oral sex wasn't just taboo at the time, it was illegal. But Theora viewed sex as something that should be celebrated and embraced. More than that, she saw it as a topic that should be studied the same as other disciplines. Fiora would even give James assignments, instructing him to read books like the Art of Love. She encouraged him to explore sex beyond what was deemed socially acceptable. James was happy to oblige. He had no issue admitting he had more to learn. Beyond their erotic escapades, there were other parts of James and Theora's relationship that were unorthodox. At this time, James had no plans to leave his wife for Theora. In fact, it seems like James was having multiple affairs. And Theora didn't seem to mind because she was seeing other people too. Before Theora ever met James, she was dating a 33 year old OSU graduate student named Marian Meyers. They were never exclusive, which he was fine with at first. But eventually Marian wanted to be monogamous. He even asked Theora to marry him, but she said no. Still, Theora and Marian continued sleeping together. Like James, she and Marian were adventurous. Once, they were even caught having sex by a local river and fined $20 each. James knew all about Theora's relationship with Marian, and then some. According to James, she often compared his performance in the bedroom to Marion's. And although she used Marian's sexual prowess to shame him, the doctor didn't seem to mind. If anything, he seemed to encourage their relationship. By June 1928, about two years after 23 year old Theora and James first started dating, she was in New York taking summer classes at Columbia University. She asked James to come visit, but he couldn't make the trip without tipping off his wife. Still, he was worried Theora was lonely, so he got in touch with Marion and asked him to go instead. Marian agreed on the condition James stop seeing Theora. And he did, for a while at least. But eventually she and Marion started fighting. Theora broke things off with him and got back together with James. If James was to be believed, it was Theora who started the arguments between her and Marian. He would later testify she started experimenting with drugs around this time, which made her erratic and violent. The drugs in question were mostly suppressants. Things like cannabis and an aphrodisiac called cantharidin. Neither would cause the kind of behavior James described. And no one else in Theora's life reported her acting strangely. Because the only person she may have been using drugs with was James. The drugs he claimed Theora was using were available to him in his capacity as a veterinarian. Later, quantities of these medications were found missing from his office. Whether he pocketed the drugs and gave them to Theora, we still don't know. And despite his insistence that Theora was difficult to be around, James continued seeing her. Once Theora finished her summer classes, she returned to Ohio. James rented them a room at a nearby boarding house under an alias. To explain why he wasn't there all the time, he told the landlady, Margaret Smalley, that he was a traveling salt salesman named James Howard. He said Fiora was his wife. Once their new secret meeting place was secured, he and Theora used it to their full advantage. They would enter through the back of the building and speak with Mrs. Smalley as little as possible. Despite their efforts at keeping things under wraps, they didn't get any more discreet about their public outings. By the spring of 1929, three years into their affair, 25 year old Theora started to develop real feelings for James. She asked him to leave his wife several times. He always refused, claiming he didn't want to tear his family apart. He asked her to think logically about the situation they were in. But while James pretended to be a level headed, clear thinking partner, it soon became obvious he was a far more unpredictable man than Theora ever knew. And when Theora realized who he really was, it was too late for her to run.
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- [23:01]
Javier Leyva
Con artists and scammers? People pretending to be someone they're not? I'm Javier Leyva, the host of Pretend, the podcast where I interview real con artists and uncover why they do what they do. Like the family who claimed that they were being stalked only to find out that the messages were coming from their own house. Yeah, they were the stalkers.
- [23:22]
True Crime Author
It's ridiculous when I I get death threats about him wanting to go and blow my husband's head off and then I get accused of having a split personality and maybe you're doing it and you don't realize it. That's ridiculous.
- [23:37]
Javier Leyva
Or the true crime author accused of harassing the very same victims that she was writing about.
- [23:43]
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- [24:08]
Carter Roy
By the spring of 1929, 25 year old Theora Hicks had been having an affair with 49 year old Dr. James Snook for around three years. For a while, neither of them expected anything from one another beyond sex and good conversation. But that spring, Theora began to have actual feelings for James. She even started asking him to leave his wife, something she'd never done before. James said no. Although Theor was disappointed, she still didn't want to break things off. It seemed like maybe she hoped James would change his mind. But now that she told him how she really felt, Theora couldn't pretend she was happy with the status quo. According to James, Theora became anxious and angry around this time. He said she wanted more from him. Weekends away together, constant communication. In other words, she wanted a real relationship. But James wasn't prepared to give her that, and before long, they were fighting constantly. Most of the time these arguments happened in private, at the boarding house or during car rides. But soon they were bickering out in the open, and it was only a matter of time until their secret affair became public knowledge. One day that spring in 1929, possibly on June 9, James was golfing with his colleagues at a country club near Osu. He was out on the course when Theora called the front office asking to speak with him. According to James, the Staff went outside to alert him and he went to the office and tried calling her back, but no one answered. However, other sources say he refused to take the call from the outset. Regardless, Fiora eventually showed up at the club. She was furious that James had ignored her and demanded he leave with her. And he couldn't exactly say no. Not only was James affair with Theora out in the open, but she was screaming at him in front of his colleagues. Leaving was the only way to subdue her, but he definitely wasn't happy about it. After this incident, things between them became more strained. Theora's movements over the next few days are up for debate. But by June 13, 1929, it became clear that something had happened to the 24 year old medical student. It wasn't unusual for Theora to spend nights away from the apartment she shared with sisters Alice and Beatrice Buston. That didn't surprise them. Even though Theora was very private, they were aware that she was dating. They knew she used to see graduate student Marion Myers. But they had no idea she was in a relationship with James. And while she may have kept things from them, Theora was still responsible and reliable. She always returned home eventually. So when she didn't come back to the apartment the morning of June 13, the sisters began to worry. By that afternoon, Theora still hadn't shown up. That's when Alice and Beatrice reported her missing to the police. They didn't have to wait long to find out where Theora was. The next day, June 14, two teenage boys, Paul Krumloaf and Milton Miller, were at the local rifle range. As they prepared for target practice, they noticed a bundle of clothing in the weeds. They went to get a closer look and realized it was a woman lying face down on the ground. She was unresponsive. The boys immediately notified the police who rushed to the scene. But when they approached the body, it was immediately clear the woman was dead. Officers turned her body over and quickly realized they were dealing with a murder. The victim's injuries were extensive. She was bloodied and bruised and looked like she'd received several blows to the head. But the fatal strike appeared to be a deep slash across her neck. Before going any further, the responding officers contacted the department's detectives. They knew Theora Hicks had been reported missing and wondered if the two cases might be connected. The detectives agreed. They contacted the Buston sisters and asked them to come down to the police station. But the victim's body was so badly beaten, it was impossible to identify the woman based on her features. But Alice And Beatrice recognized the victim's clothes. It was Theora. Suddenly, her missing person case was now a murder investigation. While detectives waited for Theora's autopsy results, they began searching for her killer. Alice and Beatrice Buston told them that Theora was dating around and knew she was seeing Marion Myers. So that's where detectives started. Although 35 year old Marion had since graduated from OSU and moved 130 miles north of the school's campus, he happened to be in town the night of the murder. He was at a party at his old fraternity house. By the time detectives arrived at the house, Marion was already aware of Theora's death. He was distraught about what happened and insisted he had nothing to do with it. He explained his relationship with Theora had ended over a year earlier and they hadn't spoken since. Besides, Marion's frat brothers confirmed that he was partying with them the entire evening of June 13th. However, a few witnesses told police they saw her on the night of the 13th with a man matching his description. That was enough for the authorities to bring Marion in for questioning. Now, police procedure has changed dramatically since 1929, but back then they were able to hold Marion indefinitely without charges. Detectives used that time to gather more information about Theora's movements the night of her death. Meanwhile, local papers reported on the young medical student found dead at the local rifle range. And that's when more witnesses started to emerge. They claimed to have seen Fiora at various points on the night of the 13th. Apparently, Theora went to a nearby hospital that evening for a job interview. She had just wrapped up her second year of medical school and would have been looking for a summer job. A hospital employee said Theora had left the building around 9pm the next person to come forward was a local taxi driver. He said he picked up a woman outside of the hospital that evening. The woman was agitated and asked the man to drive around in circles. She seemed to be looking for someone who never appeared. But the most important witness to speak with detectives was Margaret Smalley, the landlady at their boarding house where Theora and James rented a room. Mrs. Smalley told police she had recognized Theora's photo in the local papers. But Mrs. Smalley knew Theora Hicks by a different name, Theora Howard. She believed Theora was the wife of James Howard, a local salt salesman. Detectives honed in on the name. They knew if they could find this James Howard, it might bring them one step closer to identifying Theora's killer. And after doing some research, authorities realized James Howard was actually James Snook, Olympic gold medalist and professor of veterinary medicine at osu. Once police had confirmation that James Snook was sneaking around with Theora and Mrs. Smalley's boarding house, they spoke with him directly. They found him at home peacefully eating breakfast. When they confronted James, he vehemently denied having anything to do with Theora's murder. They brought him in for questioning anyway. Under questioning, James maintained he barely knew Theora. He said she'd worked as a stenographer in the veterinary department, but they never spoke. After a bit more prying, James admitted she had done some secretarial work for him. But he insisted their relationship was strictly professional. Besides, he said he was at his office on the night of June 13th until 9pm Then he drove home. Detectives then interviewed his wife, Helen, who confirmed she saw him in the kitchen around 9.30pm but the authorities weren't convinced by either of their stories. Especially because James left hand was bandaged. When they asked him about it, he said he'd hurt himself while working on his car. The authorities didn't buy it because by then Theora's autopsy results had come in. The coroner determined she had a fractured skull, bone particles lodged in her brain and a clean slice across her neck. Her official cause of death was a severed jugular vein and carotid artery. And most telling, her body showed signs of a struggle. If she had fought against her attacker, it's possible they would have come away from the brawl with their own injuries, just like the one James seemed to have. Once they realized James wasn't telling them the whole truth, detectives booked him. Like Marion, they held him indefinitely with no charges. With the two men in Theora's life sitting shackled in an interrogation room, it was time for the police to narrow down their list of suspects. To do that, they brought in Mrs. Smalley. They led the landlady inside and asked her to identify the man she knew as Mr. Howard. Sure enough, she pointed to James. James knew the jig was up. He didn't try to argue. Finally, he admitted that he had been having an affair with Theora for years. But the story he told investigators painted a very dark picture. One that made it difficult for anyone to argue that James was a buttoned up, respectable professor. And if he was to be believed, Theora was a sex crazed woman with a violent streak. But the lies wouldn't last forever. Eventually, the world would learn the truth about James Snook. And it was terrifying. Thanks so much for listening. I'm Carter Roy, and this is murder. True Crime Stories. Come back next week for part two of our series on the murder of Theora Hicks. True Crime Stories 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, cross Crime House on TikTok and Instagram. Don't forget to rate, review and follow True Crime Stories wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback truly makes a difference and to enhance your Murder True Crime Stories listening experience, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get every episode ad free and instead of having to wait for each episode of a two part series, you'll get access to both at once plus exciting bonus content. We'll be back next Tuesday. True Crime Stories is hosted by me, Carter Roy and is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. This episode was brought to life by the Murder True Crime Stories team. Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Natalie Pertzofsky, Lori Marinelli, Sarah Carroll, Emma Lehman, Sheila Patterson and Russell Nash. Thank you for listening. Looking for a deep dive into history's most notorious true crime cases? Check out Crime House True Crime Stories. Follow Crime House True Crime Stories now wherever you get your podcasts and for ad free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts.