Scams, Money, & Murder

True Crime This Week: American Crimes of the Century

Date: November 23, 2025
Host: Vanessa Richardson (Crime House Daily)

Episode Overview

This episode of "True Crime This Week" explores two of the most infamous crimes in American history, both of which captured headlines and left the nation grappling with grief and unanswered questions. Host Vanessa Richardson unpacks the notorious Lindbergh baby kidnapping and murder of the early 1930s, followed by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the subsequent killing of Lee Harvey Oswald by Jack Ruby in 1963. Each case is used to illustrate the enduring fascination with century-defining crimes that leave lingering mysteries.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bruno Richard Hauptmann & The Lindbergh Kidnapping (00:55–26:47)

Background on Hauptmann

• Born November 26, 1899, near Dresden, Germany; youngest of five siblings.
• Survived WWI, lost brothers in combat, and turned to crime due to postwar hardship.
• Fled to America under forged documents in 1923; initially sought an honest life in New York.

Rise of Charles Lindbergh

• Renowned aviator, achieved world fame with the first nonstop transatlantic flight in 1927.
• Married Anne Morrow; the couple sought privacy and family life in Hopewell, New Jersey.

The Crime (11:18)

• March 1, 1932: Lindbergh's 20-month-old son, Charles Jr., kidnapped from his crib.
• Ransom note demanded $50,000 (over $1 million today); soon raised to $70,000.
• Notable intermediary: Dr. John Condon becomes the negotiator, communicating via coded newspaper ads and clandestine meetings.

Memorable Quote – The Kidnapper’s Note (07:41)

"The note, which was full of spelling mistakes, demanded $50,000 for Charles Jr.'s safe return, which would be over 1 million in today’s money." – Vanessa Richardson

Investigative Missteps and Public Frenzy

• Media and curious onlookers trampled evidence.
• Serial numbers from ransom gold certificates were tracked.

The Grim Outcome (15:37)

• May 12, 1932: The body of Charles Jr. was found in the woods.
• FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover took over investigation.

Quote – The National Obsession (15:05)

"The kidnapping would become a new nationwide obsession. President Herbert Hoover was briefed on the crime and law enforcement officials offered a $25,000 reward for information." – Vanessa Richardson

Breakthrough & Hauptmann’s Arrest (18:28)

• 1934: Ransom money surfaces in New York after two years, leading to Hauptmann’s arrest.
• Handwriting, carpentry clues, and found gold certificates tie him to the crime.

Trial & Execution

• Hauptmann stands trial starting January 3, 1935; convicted on circumstantial and physical evidence.
• Maintained innocence until his 1936 execution.

Quote – Bitter Justice (25:36)

"Although Bruno Hauptman never admitted to killing Charles Jr., the Lindberghs remained convinced that he was responsible. And they didn’t let his actions destroy them." – Vanessa Richardson

2. The Kennedy Assassination & Oswald/Ruby (28:56–52:02)

The Crime: November 24, 1963 (28:56)

• President John F. Kennedy assassinated in Dallas on November 22; Lee Harvey Oswald arrested within hours.
• Two days later, Jack Ruby shoots Oswald in front of live TV cameras.

Quote – In the Aftermath (29:15)

"One journalist called out and asked Oswald if he shot the President. Oswald responded, ‘I’m just a patsy.’ Moments later, a man in a black jacket burst out of the crowd clutching a .38 revolver." – Vanessa Richardson

Lee Harvey Oswald: From Loner to Assassin

• Troubled childhood, fascination with Marxism.
• Defected to Soviet Union in 1959; married Marina, returned to U.S. in 1962.
• Attempted assassination of anti-communist Edwin Walker in 1963.

Quote – Oswald's Isolation (33:34)

"Oswald was an average student and got along well enough with his classmates. But when he had the choice, he preferred to be alone." – Vanessa Richardson

The Assassination Sequence (41:11)

• Worked at Texas School Book Depository; purchased a rifle via mail-order.
• After shooting Kennedy and Governor Connally, Oswald escapes, killing Dallas Officer J.D. Tippit en route.

Oswald’s Arrest and End (47:11)

• Captured in a theater after Tippit’s murder.
• Interrogated for hours, denying all charges.
• On November 24, Jack Ruby fatally shoots Oswald in police custody.
• Ruby convicted of murder, dies in prison in 1967.

Quote – The Enduring Mystery (51:56)

"There’s a lot we’ll probably never know. But the closest thing we have to the truth is the US government’s 888-page report on the killing called the Warren Commission." – Vanessa Richardson

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the National Impact of Crime
  "We can see why some crimes live on in the public consciousness… the most crucial ingredient in making something the crime of the century is a few missing puzzle pieces to keep the public guessing." (51:30)

• On Media and Evidence Contamination
  "By the time police were able to regain control of the crime scene, the intruders had trampled over any additional evidence. This was the first of many complications that the Lindberghs’ celebrity status would bring to the case." (10:36)

• Oswald’s Justification (Live on TV)
  "I’m just a patsy." – Lee Harvey Oswald (29:16)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:55 | Introduction — Overview of episode and theme | | 04:23 | Bruno Hauptmann’s background and early crime in Germany | | 07:41 | The Lindberghs, the kidnapping, and ransom demand | | 11:18 | The investigation, negotiations, and failed resolution | | 15:37 | Discovery of the Lindbergh baby's body, national outrage | | 18:28 | The two-year investigation and trail of ransom money | | 21:22 | Hauptmann’s arrest and evidence | | 23:47 | Hauptmann’s trial, defense, conviction, and execution | | 26:47 | Introduction to Kennedy assassination case | | 28:56 | The murder of Oswald by Jack Ruby | | 29:38 | Oswald’s life: upbringing, activism, isolation, Soviet defection | | 33:10 | Oswald’s return to America, obsession with Cuba, and local enemies | | 38:35 | Attempted assassination of Edwin Walker | | 41:11 | Kennedy assassination sequence, Tippit murder, Oswald's arrest | | 47:11 | Police investigation, Ruby's motives, aftermath and conspiracy | | 51:30 | Reflections on what makes a “crime of the century” |

Tone and Language

Vanessa Richardson balances historical narrative with a thoughtful, engaging delivery, occasionally inserting sharp, reflective commentary about the enduring legacy of these cases and the complexities that keep their stories alive in the collective memory.

Conclusion

The episode draws a powerful parallel between two crimes that shaped American consciousness through their unthinkable nature and the persistent mysteries they left behind. Richardson underscores how the enduring public fascination with these events is driven by unanswered questions and coinciding national trauma.

For listeners interested in the dark, unresolved corners of American history, this episode provides a compelling, well-researched journey through the country’s most haunting crimes of the century.