Small Town Murder: “Murder For My Love – Lynchburg, Virginia”
Podcast: Small Town Murder
Hosts: James Pietragallo & Jimmie Whisman
Date: November 20, 2025
Episode Theme:
James and Jimmie dive into the infamous “Haysom Murders” that shook a well-to-do family and the rural community near Lynchburg, Virginia in 1985. With deep research, signature banter, and a wild ride through international intrigue, class disparities, and true crime tropes turned upside down, the hosts revisit a brutal crime, the obsessive young couple at its heart, and the decades-long controversy over guilt and innocence.
1. Episode Overview
This episode unpacks the chilling double murder of Derek and Nancy Haysom—a cosmopolitan, wealthy couple—in rural Boonesborough, near Lynchburg, VA. The case became infamous due to its bloody nature, complicated suspects, and the global flight of two young, intelligent lovers: their daughter, Elizabeth Haysom, and her boyfriend, Jens Soering. The hosts offer detailed background, gallows humor, and a thoughtful look at the evidence and enduring doubts over who actually wielded the knife.
2. Key Discussion Points & Insights
A. About Lynchburg, Virginia
- Lynchburg is an “independent city,” meaning it’s not part of any county, a rarity that causes jurisdictional headaches later in the case.
- Hosts riff on the region's reviews—everything from “ever increasing violence” (debated with actual stats) to playground and food complaints.
- Median home price, cost of living, violent crime stats, and local events are all joked about to set the scene for a “sleepy, hilly” town paradoxically rocked by gruesome murder.
B. The Haysom Family
- Derek Haysom: Born in South Africa, distinguished steel executive, dabbled in botany (notably, apple hybrids), described as “gregarious in public, authoritarian at home.”
- Nancy Haysom: Goddaughter to Lady Astor, socialite, American-raised, stylish, fond of gin.
- Both parents are established, private, and live comfortably in a house called “Loose Chippings” (fancy, not flashy).
C. Elizabeth Haysom’s Background
- Born in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Canadian citizen, raised internationally, bright but troubled (self-harm, eating disorders, claims of sexual abuse by her mother).
- Attended elite boarding schools in Europe, often at odds with parents, especially over academic direction (wanted to study history, parents pushed engineering).
- Developed resentment and distance from her parents, which purportedly informed later events.
D. Enter Jens Soering
- German, son of a diplomat, raised around the world (Bangkok, USA, Brussels), brilliant (multi-lingual, top student, scholarship winner).
- Met Liz at University of Virginia, both outsiders, connected instantly over their intellect and shared sense of alienation.
- Relationship dynamic: Liz, charismatic and troubled; Jens, adoring and (possibly) easily manipulated.
E. A Relationship Turns Poisonous
- Intense, codependent love letters—escalating from romantic (and pretentious) to dark, discussing murder (“I would kill for you… burn the world down…” [59:22]).
- Liz repeatedly claims abuse by parents (emotional and physical), and introduces bizarre elements like voodoo rituals and nude photos allegedly linked to her father.
- “Sweet boy. The time is coming. I have been preparing you… make them suffer as they've made me suffer.”
—Letter from Elizabeth to Jens, [120:24]
F. The Murders (March 30, 1985)
- Liz and Jens establish a solid-seeming Washington D.C. alibi, checking into a hotel, making themselves visible.
- Evidence (mileage, receipts, staff testimony) later suggests Jens could have driven to Lynchburg and back while Liz maintained the alibi.
- Scene at Loose Chippings:
- Derek (stabbed ~36 times; decapitation-level neck wound; “like a slaughterhouse” [29:44])
- Nancy (stabbed; nearly decapitated; found seated at the table set for tea/snacks [86:45]).
- No sign of forced entry. The crime is intensely personal and extremely violent—overkill indicative of rage.
- Forensic confusion: sock prints, four types of blood found (A, AB, B, O), but only two victims; missing jewelry and wallet.
G. The Investigations and Suspicions
- Jurisdiction issues muddle initial responses; FBI and state involvement ramp up stakes.
- FBI profile originally suggests “a female known to the family.”
- Talk of “cult killings” and Satanic Panic elements, given 1980s context and weird crime scene (V’s, blood patterns, candle wax).
- Elizabeth and Jens interrogated; alibi seems “too perfect.”
- Letters between the two (eventually found under Liz’s bed) reference planning the murder, including details matching the crime scene (specific date, staged robbery, injuring the victims severely).
H. The Lovers on the Run
- Feeling the heat, Liz and Jens flee to Europe, using fake names and running an elaborate international check-fraud scheme for cash.
- Eventually arrested in England after a botched scam, questioned about the Haysom murders—Liz immediately blames Jens; Jens confesses to spare Liz.
I. Confessions, Allegations, and Trial
- Jens confesses multiple times—details align with the crime scene (“I killed them. She didn’t know. Here’s how it happened…” [141:38-143:12]).
- Later recants, claiming he only confessed to save Liz (as a German, believed he’d only serve time in Germany and would be protected from the death penalty; misunderstands diplomatic immunity).
- Both extradited to the US:
- Liz pleads guilty as accessory before the fact, blames Jens, sentenced to 90 years (parole eligibility after 45).
- Jens goes to trial, claims innocence, argues Liz was the real killer; prosecuted with a bench trial (judge is friend of victim’s family), ultimately convicted, given two consecutive life sentences.
- Both legal and forensic controversies arise—questions about confessions, evidence, and blood samples never fully matching either.
J. Ongoing Controversy, Releases, and Life After Prison
- Over decades, numerous appeals, DNA tests, and documentaries (including on Netflix) cast doubt on Jens’s guilt—new DNA at the scene doesn’t match either Jens or Liz, but also doesn’t exonerate them.
- Both Liz and Jens eventually win parole (2019) after over three decades, each deported: Liz to Canada, Jens to Germany, never allowed to return to the US.
- Both have written extensively, maintain differing accounts of the crime, and live obscure lives—Jens in Germany (writing, reform advocacy), Liz reportedly working at a garden center in Canada.
3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On the Violent Scene
- “I’ve seen some shit, but this—this was something else.” —Chuck Reed [29:21]
- “The rug squished with blood when you stepped on it.” —James [30:41]
On the Couple’s Dynamic
- “Met the most extraordinary girl today… She quotes Nietzsche and Joyce from memory. She understands suffering in a way these American children never could. I think I’m in love.”
—Jens’s diary [55:42] - “My darling, I would die for you—no, that’s not enough. I would kill for you. I would burn the world down if it meant we could rule over the ashes together.” —Jens to Elizabeth [59:22]
- “Sweet boy. You say you would kill for me, but would you? Would you really? My parents think you’re weak. Prove them wrong.” —Elizabeth to Jens [59:53]
On the Investigation
- “Four blood types in evidence. Two dead people. The Hasams A and AB… there was B blood on a rag and O blood in the master suite.” —James [97:15]
- “I think we can also say there’s no affirmative indication of anybody other than the victims being present at the crime scene as well.” —DNA expert on 2020 documentary [171:21]
On Legal Shenanigans
- “He believed his diplomatic passport granted immunity… It’s a Die Hard movie.” —James [145:02]
- “We can’t stay here anymore. The truth isn’t what it seems. We’re innocent but no one believes us.” —Note left by Jens and Liz as they fled [131:01]
Other Gems
- “If you want to test a relationship, run from Interpol with somebody, driving a Fiat through Bulgaria…” —James [132:56]
- “She opened the murder door. The ‘I’ll kill for you’ door.” —James [168:19]
- “An 18-year-old boy hates it when you give him the best f*** of his life and then leave…” —James, on Liz’s manipulative style [63:09]
4. Important Timestamps
- 00:41 – Episode theme set: “A really, really wild, twisty one…”
- 06:14 – 11:47 – Lynchburg background, stats, and host banter
- 23:31 – 30:03 – Murders discovered; crime scene details emerge
- 37:02 – 44:48 – Haysom family background, Liz’s troubled youth
- 49:36 – 62:49 – The Jens/Liz dynamic, letters, and obsession
- 85:01 – 93:16 – Gruesome crime scene details; investigators puzzle over possible cult elements
- 120:24 – 123:10 – Key evidence from diary, investigation closing in
- 129:59 – 132:39 – The couple’s international escape and eventual capture in Europe
- 139:23 – 143:12 – Interrogations, confessions, and blame games
- 148:29 – 149:10 – Liz’s plea/sentence and Jens's recantation
- 150:32 – 154:23 – Trial highlights, witness questioning, convictions
- 167:42 – 176:48 – Where are they now? Paroles, deportations, legacy of doubt
5. Conclusion & Takeaways
This episode is as much a psychological exploration and legal whodunit as straight crime retelling. Between the hosts’ comedic takes on “old money,” academic pressure, and international runaways, and the endless forensic and moral ambiguity, the Haysom murders stand as a notorious (and still controversial) true crime. Listeners are left questioning whether the system got it right, whether love can truly turn deadly, and how—decades later—the truth remains stubbornly out of reach.
For First-Time Listeners
This episode is packed with details, dark humor, and insightful asides—offering both a primer on the Haysom case and a hilarious, biting commentary on class, justice, and the human messiness underlying true crime.
Resources
- Book: Beyond Reason (cited throughout for case detail)
- 2015 New Yorker article by Nathan Heller
- Netflix’s “Killing for Love” documentary
- The Promise (German doc)
- A True Report on the Facts of the Investigation… by Terry Wright