Scammed to Death: Acid Baths and Estate Fraud Pt. 2
Podcast: Scams, Money, & Murder
Hosts: Vanessa Richardson & Carter Roy
Date: October 23, 2025
Episode Theme:
A chilling deep dive into the final murder and subsequent investigation of serial killer John George Haigh, known as the "Acid Bath Murderer," whose financial schemes and cold-blooded crimes ultimately unraveled due to the determination of his victim's friends.
Episode Overview
Carter Roy and Vanessa Richardson return to the infamous case of John George Haigh, focusing on his final victim, Olive Duran Deacon. The episode meticulously traces the events surrounding Olive's disappearance, the subsequent police investigation, Haigh's web of deceit, and how the bonds of friendship ultimately brought a calculating killer to justice. This is the second part of a two-part series, shifting from Haigh’s backstory and previous crimes to his downfall.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Olive Duran Deacon’s Disappearance and Initial Deception
[04:41-07:23]
- In 1949, Haigh was posing as a "friendly, successful businessman" at London’s Onslow Court Hotel, though he was, in fact, “a vicious serial killer who’d murdered at least five people and forged his way into their bank accounts.”
- Olive, a wealthy widow, approached Haigh with a business idea (acrylic fingernails). He lured her to his Crawley workshop under this pretense.
- Haigh shot Olive with a .38 revolver and disposed of her body in a barrel of sulfuric acid, planning to forge her signature and steal her assets.
- Notably, Olive’s absence at her regular meals was immediately noticed by hotel staff and friends, foiling Haigh’s assumption “that no one would notice if she disappeared.”
2. Friends Refuse to Let Olive’s Disappearance Go Unnoticed
[07:24-09:58]
- Olive’s friend, Constance Lane, became concerned and involved the hotel staff after finding Olive’s bed unslept in and no sign of her.
- Constance’s vigilance leads her to declare: "This was completely out of character for Olive... So even though she likely didn't think John had something to do with it, Constance was worried something bad had happened to Olive and she was going to take her suspicions to the Police." [09:32]
3. Haigh’s Attempts to Cover His Tracks
[10:56-13:43]
- Haigh hesitated to access Olive’s assets immediately, fearing the attention surrounding her disappearance.
- He pawned Olive’s jewelry under a fake name, dropped her coat at a dry cleaner, and worked to dissolve her remains.
- Despite outward confidence, "he had no idea he was being investigated," and Constance insisted on involving the police.
4. The Police Investigation & Early Suspicions
[13:44-17:23]
- Sergeant Lamborn, the policewoman who first received the case, was suspicious of Haigh’s “well-practiced and evasive” account of events.
- Lamborn’s background check revealed Haigh’s criminal past (“gone to prison multiple times for fraud”), heightening suspicion: “It wasn’t clear proof he’d murdered Olive, but it showed John was a criminal. If he'd committed fraud before, it was entirely possible he'd do it again. And maybe this time he took it a step further.” [11:16]
- Meanwhile, Haigh disposed of Olive’s partially dissolved handbag in his workshop yard—unknowingly leaving key evidence behind.
5. Closing In: Evidence Mounts Against Haigh
[17:24-20:54]
- Police found a receipt for Olive’s coat at the dry cleaner in Haigh’s workshop, documents referencing previous victims, and a diary detailing his crimes.
- Haigh grew bolder in interviews, telling crime reporter Harry Proctor: “The police are idiots who have nothing on me.” [19:25]
- Proctor confirmed that Haigh had lied about his whereabouts during Olive’s disappearance, a detail he forwarded to police.
6. The Interrogation and "Insanity" Defense
[20:55-23:30]
- In police custody, Haigh refused to confess at first, but after a period of silence, he asked chillingly: “Tell me frankly, what are the chances of anyone being released from Broadmoor now?” (23:00) referencing the asylum for the criminally insane.
- He confessed to killing Olive, the McSwanns, and the Hendersons, and—bizarrely—claimed he had “drunk all of his victims’ blood.”
- The detectives suspected this “vampiric” detail was an attempt to bolster an insanity defense.
7. The Trial: Insanity Claims, Solid Evidence, Swift Verdict
[23:31-25:50]
- Haigh’s lawyer presented 33 witnesses to assert Haigh’s ‘unsound mind,’ including famed Dr. Henry Yellowlees, who called Haigh’s condition a “paranoid constitution.”
- The prosecution countered: “He wasn’t insane and unable to understand the consequences of his actions. He was evil and his crimes were premeditated.” [24:17]
- The jury deliberated just 17 minutes: Haigh was found “guilty and sane” and sentenced to death.
- On August 10, 1949, Haigh was executed. His confidence and belief that “no body, no crime” ultimately failed because “evidence comes in all forms. And John had just left Sergeant Lamborn a smoking gun.” [19:48]
8. Final Reflections: Justice Through Friendship
[25:51-26:07]
- The episode closes with a meditation on loyalty and the role of victims' communities: “While John manipulated his victims into trusting him, it was the true bonds of friendship that finally brought him to justice.” [25:57]
Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)
-
On the nature of survival in a world of deceit:
“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. It’s not just a saying, it’s a means of survival. Because in the world we're entering, trust is a trap and betrayal is often fatal.”
— Carter Roy [01:48] -
On Constance Lane’s determination:
“This was completely out of character for Olive... So even though she likely didn’t think John had something to do with it, Constance was worried something bad had happened to Olive and she was going to take her suspicions to the police.”
— Narrator [09:32] -
On Haigh’s criminal record:
“John had gone to prison multiple times for fraud... If he'd committed fraud before, it was entirely possible he'd do it again. And maybe this time he took it a step further.”
— Narrator [11:16] -
On Haigh’s arrogance:
“The police are idiots who have nothing on me.”
— John Haigh (to Harry Proctor, as recounted by narrator) [19:25] -
On Haigh’s chilling confession:
“Tell me frankly, what are the chances of anyone being released from Broadmoor now?”
— John Haigh [23:00] -
On the prosecution’s closing principle:
“He wasn’t insane and unable to understand the consequences of his actions. He was evil and his crimes were premeditated.”
— Prosecution closing argument [24:17] -
On the verdict:
“When they returned to the courtroom, the judge read off their decision. John was guilty and sane. The judge sentenced him to death with no possibility of an appeal.”
— Narrator [25:22] -
On the power of friendship in justice:
“While John manipulated his victims into trusting him, it was the true bonds of friendship that finally brought him to justice.”
— Narrator [25:57]
Timeline & Timestamps for Crucial Segments
- Introduction to Olive’s Disappearance: [04:41–07:23]
- Constance Lane’s Advocacy: [07:24–09:58]
- Haigh’s Cover-up and Pawn Shop Visit: [10:56–13:43]
- Sergeant Lamborn’s Investigation: [13:44–17:23]
- Police Search and Haigh’s Cockiness: [17:24–20:54]
- Haigh’s Interrogation and Confession: [20:55–23:30]
- Trial and Sentencing: [23:31–25:50]
- Closing Reflections: [25:51–26:07]
Summary
This episode weaves together the pragmatic, observant approach of Olive’s friends, the methodical suspicion of Sgt. Lamborn, and Haigh’s own arrogance and sloppiness, ultimately showing how the smallest details and the loyalty of a community can undo even the most calculating criminal. The hosts maintain a suspenseful, reflective tone, with Carter Roy’s narration especially highlighting the psychological complexity and tragic irony of the case.
For listeners seeking both a riveting true crime narrative and an illustration of how justice sometimes depends on the everyday observations and loyalties of ordinary people, this episode is rich with detail and unforgettable moments.