True Crime All The Time Unsolved – Dorothy Kilgallen

Podcast: True Crime All The Time Unsolved
Episode: Dorothy Kilgallen
Date: January 5, 2026
Hosts: Mike Ferguson & Mike “Gibby” Gibson

Episode Overview

In this episode, Mike and Gibby delve into the mysterious death of Dorothy Kilgallen, a renowned journalist, columnist, and television personality. Kilgallen’s high-profile coverage of crime, her celebrity status, and her dogged investigation into the John F. Kennedy assassination made her both influential and controversial. When she died in 1965 of an apparent overdose while probing conspiracy angles into the JFK case, the unusual circumstances led to decades of speculation: Was her death accidental, suicidal, or the result of a deliberate silencing due to what she knew?

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Who Was Dorothy Kilgallen?

• Early Life & Career

  • Born July 3, 1913, in Chicago to journalist parents, eventually moving to NYC.
  • Briefly attended the College of New Rochelle before starting her journalism career at the New York Evening Journal.
  • Gained fame in 1936 from a race-around-the-world contest and published “Girl Around the World.”
  • Wrote “Voice of Broadway” column, syndicated to over 140 newspapers, covering show business, organized crime, and politics.

    “Now, organized crime, that would scare me just a tad.” (B, 06:46)

• Media Success & Socialite Life

  • Hosted “Breakfast with Dorothy and Dick” with husband Richard Kollmar from 1945–1963.
  • Regular panelist on “What’s My Line?”
  • Part of NYC’s high society, friends with Frank Sinatra (until she published exposés about him), Rock Hudson, and others.
  • (“She was often photographed with celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Rock Hudson and Beatles guitarist George Harrison.” – B, 09:01)

• Notable Influence

  • Played a role in overturning the conviction of Sam Sheppard after exposing possible judicial prejudice.

    “She played a part in the overturning of his conviction.” (B, 11:44)

2. Kilgallen & the JFK Assassination

• Personal Reaction and Investigation
  • Publicly mourned JFK’s death and criticized “the Warren Commission’s laughable… finding that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.” (B, 12:30)
  • Only journalist to privately interview Jack Ruby during his 1964 trial.

    “Jack Ruby’s eyes were as shiny brown and white bright as the glass eyes of a doll… his hand trembled in mine ever so slightly, like the heartbeat of a bird.” (Kilgallen, quoted by B, 17:18)

  • Ruby allegedly confided, “he was a patsy.” (B, 17:40)
  • Published transcript of Ruby’s Warren Commission testimony. Refused to reveal source:

    “I’d rather die than reveal the source.” (Kilgallen, quoted by B, 18:09)

  • Maintained a closely guarded investigative file on the JFK case, always keeping it with her.

3. Mysterious Death (Nov 1965)

• Discovery & Initial Details

  • Found dead in bed by her hairdresser (not in her usual sleeping spot; in full makeup, robe, etc.)

    “She was naked under a blue bathrobe and was wearing the same makeup, false eyelashes, and floral hair accessories she was wearing during filming the night before.” (B, 19:38)

  • Autopsy was performed in Brooklyn despite her Manhattan residence; cause: “acute ethanol and barbiturate intoxication, circumstances undetermined.” (B, 23:07)

• Oddities at the Scene

  • No signs of violence, suicide, or history of substance abuse.
  • Her key research file missing—never found.

    “Most concerningly, Dorothy’s research file was missing, and to this day it has not been found.” (B, 21:40)

  • Her disposition & location contradicted her normal routines—friends thought the scene was staged.

4. Conspiracy & Theories

• Potential Motives: What Did She Discover?

  • Kilgallen believed Jack Ruby was mob-connected; had expressed intent to expose more about the JFK assassination and was in contact with key figures like New Orleans DA Jim Garrison.
  • Had planned a trip to New Orleans claiming, “I’m going to break the real story and have the biggest scoop of the century,” but canceled last minute. (B, 19:30)
  • Mafia head Carlos Marcello had both strong motive and opportunity to silence critics; connections drawn between Marcello, Oswald, Ruby, and the JFK hit.

    “[Marcello] had the motive, means and opportunity to have President John F. Kennedy assassinated, though it was unable to establish direct evidence of Marcello’s complicity.” (B, 32:14, summarizing HSCA Report)

• Forensic Red Flags

  • Amount of barbiturates in her system required consumption of 15–20 capsules, not prescribed to her.
  • Tests suggested drugs may have been administered via drink (glass residue).

    “But you’re not going to do that 15 to 20 times?” (B, 36:17)

• Other Suspects and Theories

  • Newspaper columnist Ron Pataky—allegedly close to Kilgallen, written a cryptic poem, “somebody who’s dead could tell no tales.” (A, 39:00)
  • Kilgallen had told her hairdresser and attorney that what she knew “would cost me my life.” (A, 39:42)

• Government & Law Enforcement (In)action

  • 2016: Attorney/author Mark Shaw presented new evidence to authorities: prompt investigation, but quickly closed (“the office refused to discuss its findings,” B, 42:07).
  • 2024: Further calls to reopen the case; police cite resource/budget constraints and lack of prosecutable suspects.

    “If we do find foul play, who do we prosecute?” (Holden, quoted by B, 43:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the nature of Dorothy’s death:

  “The whole 15 to 20 capsule thing… that throws me. Because that’s not something that’s going to happen accidentally… You’re either doing that on purpose or someone is giving that to you without you knowing it.”
  — Mike Ferguson, 46:37

• On her missing files:

  “If [Dorothy’s file] goes missing, what are people to think? And this file was supposed to blow this thing right open?”
  — Mike and Gibby, 22:07–22:16

• On investigation reluctance:

  “If we do find foul play, who do we prosecute?... I also do feel like… any of her family that are still living, deserve to know what really happened.”
  — Gibby and Mike, 43:27–43:50

• On conspiracy vs. coincidence:

  “There’s a lot of cases where I think, yeah, people are grasping at straws… This case is a little different… There’s a lot of things that point to the fact that it could be that she was murdered.”
  — Mike Ferguson, 47:30

Segment Timestamps

• Dorothy's Life & Media Career: 04:47–09:00
• Sam Sheppard Case Involvement: 10:30–12:00
• JFK Assassination, Ruby, & Investigative File: 12:30–19:30
• Discovery of Death & Scene Oddities: 19:30–23:07
• Autopsy/Forensic Details & Conspiracy: 23:07–39:49
• Carlos Marcello Background & Motives: 24:25–32:14
• Recent Attempts to Reopen the Case: 41:05–43:50
• Hosts’ Final Thoughts on Uncertainty & Legacy: 44:46–48:04

Takeaway & Flow

This episode lays out the compelling and often chilling details of Dorothy Kilgallen’s life and death, weaving in her fearless reporting, connection to powerful people (and enemies), and the unresolved mysteries still haunting her story. The hosts balance facts and speculation, highlighting why her case continues to fascinate and what’s at stake in chasing unresolved true crime stories. For both seasoned conspiracy theorists and newcomers, the dialogue brings this decades-old case to life, always with the hosts’ signature blend of seriousness and humor.

Conclusion:
Sixty years after Dorothy Kilgallen’s sudden death, questions outnumber answers. Was she collateral damage in a historic cover-up? The missing file, forensic uncertainties, and swift silencing of new inquiries continue to fuel intrigue. As Mike summarizes, “maybe the file surfaces someday… but because we’re 60 years on, we’re just never going to really know.”

For More Unsolved Mysteries:
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