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Unsolved Murders: True Crime Cases Uncovered
Explore the mysteries of 20 compelling unsolved murder cases, from the Zodiac Killer to the death of JonBenét Ramsey, with this true crime book.
Featuring both well-known and more obscure cases spanning across the 20th and 21st century. Dive into 'UNSOLVED MURDERS' audiobook and have a go!
RUNNING TIME ➔ 5hrs. and 38mins.
©2019 Amber Hunt and Emily G. Thompson (P)2020 Random House Audio
Audible Audio
First published February 5, 2019
244 people are currently reading
1325 people want to read
About the author
Amber Hunt
6 books74 followersAmber Hunt is an award-winning journalist who works for the Cincinnati Enquirer as an investigative reporter. She's the co-creator and host of the podcast "Accused: The Unsolved Murder of Elizabeth Andes," which reached No. 1 on iTunes' U.S. and U.K. charts. She previously covered crime for the Detroit Free Press and the Dakotas for The Associated Press and was a 2011 Knight-Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan. She’s written three true-crime books: Dead but Not Forgotten, All-American Murder and See How Much You Love Me, and is co-author of The Kennedy Wives: Triumph and Tragedy in America’s Most Public Family with longtime friend David Batcher.
Amber is a past recipient of the Al Nakkula Award for Police Reporting, the only national award dedicated to crime coverage. She has appeared on NBC’s Dateline and A&E’s Crime Stories, among other TV shows. She lives in Ohio.
Amber is a past recipient of the Al Nakkula Award for Police Reporting, the only national award dedicated to crime coverage. She has appeared on NBC’s Dateline and A&E’s Crime Stories, among other TV shows. She lives in Ohio.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
March 8, 2020
Much like Cults Uncovered, Unsolved Murders offers up an eclectic mix of murderous morsels of some of the most notorious crimes over the past 100 years. From JonBenet Ramsey to Tupac and Biggie to the Black Dahlia murder(s), authors Amber Hunt and Emily G. Thompson bite off each crime, providing short, sharp, factual and fascinating glimpses into the case to whet the readers appetite.
With 21 unsolved murders packed into a little over 200 pages, there's a lot to take in, yet the authors write each chapter in such a free flowing and easily readable way that the book never feels overwhelming.
Be it a crime committed pre DNA, a bundled investigation, or simply a killer who looks to have outsmarted law enforcement, each unsolved murder case is equally as heinous as the one preceding it. How these killers remain free is as much as a mystery as is their identity.
Unsolved Murders is a great place to start if you're looking to delve deep into the annals of crime.
With 21 unsolved murders packed into a little over 200 pages, there's a lot to take in, yet the authors write each chapter in such a free flowing and easily readable way that the book never feels overwhelming.
Be it a crime committed pre DNA, a bundled investigation, or simply a killer who looks to have outsmarted law enforcement, each unsolved murder case is equally as heinous as the one preceding it. How these killers remain free is as much as a mystery as is their identity.
Unsolved Murders is a great place to start if you're looking to delve deep into the annals of crime.
December 28, 2018
This colourful, hardback book, gives basic outlines to twenty unsolved murders. There are no gruesome photographs and some interesting cases. These include:
The Villisca Axe Murders, 1912
William Desmond Taylor, 1922
The Hinterkaifeck Murders, 1922
The William Wallace Case, 1931
The Shark Arm Case, 1935
The Cleveland Torso Killer, 1935-38
The Happy Valley Murder, 1941
Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm? 1943
The Black Dahlia, 1947
The Murder of Marilyn Sheppard, 1954
The Murder of Lynne Harper, 1959
The Lake Bodom Murders, 1960
The Zodiac Killer, 1968-69
The Oakland County Child Killer, 1976-77
The Tylenol Murders, 1982
The Murder of JonBenet Ramsey, 1996
Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, 1996-97
The Murder of Jill Dando, 1999
The Murder of Kathleen Peterson, 2001
The Long Island Serial Killer, 2003-10
Many of these are famous cases and I have read books about some of them – JonBenet Ramsey, William Desmond Taylor, The Happy Valley Murder and the Black Dahlia. As each of the cases covered in this volume only have a few pages, this is very much an introduction and, although the subject matter is, obviously, murder, the lack of crime scene photographs (the author uses plans of locations where bodies were found and photographs of those involved instead) means that this is suitable for most ages – young adult and upwards. A good introduction to some famous unsolved crimes, but fans of the True Crime genre, will probably want more detail.
Rated 3.5
The Villisca Axe Murders, 1912
William Desmond Taylor, 1922
The Hinterkaifeck Murders, 1922
The William Wallace Case, 1931
The Shark Arm Case, 1935
The Cleveland Torso Killer, 1935-38
The Happy Valley Murder, 1941
Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm? 1943
The Black Dahlia, 1947
The Murder of Marilyn Sheppard, 1954
The Murder of Lynne Harper, 1959
The Lake Bodom Murders, 1960
The Zodiac Killer, 1968-69
The Oakland County Child Killer, 1976-77
The Tylenol Murders, 1982
The Murder of JonBenet Ramsey, 1996
Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, 1996-97
The Murder of Jill Dando, 1999
The Murder of Kathleen Peterson, 2001
The Long Island Serial Killer, 2003-10
Many of these are famous cases and I have read books about some of them – JonBenet Ramsey, William Desmond Taylor, The Happy Valley Murder and the Black Dahlia. As each of the cases covered in this volume only have a few pages, this is very much an introduction and, although the subject matter is, obviously, murder, the lack of crime scene photographs (the author uses plans of locations where bodies were found and photographs of those involved instead) means that this is suitable for most ages – young adult and upwards. A good introduction to some famous unsolved crimes, but fans of the True Crime genre, will probably want more detail.
Rated 3.5
December 8, 2020
This is a pretty good factual read. It compiles the "knowns" of these various true cases very nicely. But still, I found myself wanting more exacting details; More of the little, if insignificant, details of the incident; as small a thing as it might have been. Sometimes, it seems to me, that with these "unsolveds" the truth is often times revealed in smallest detail that connect a web of obscure clues together.
Also, I was wanting more pictures/photos of suspects, victims in life, and crime scenes. But undoubtedly that would add to the page count.
Overall, I'd say, a very good volume concerning unsolved true crime.
Also, I was wanting more pictures/photos of suspects, victims in life, and crime scenes. But undoubtedly that would add to the page count.
Overall, I'd say, a very good volume concerning unsolved true crime.
March 1, 2020
There's nothing inherently wrong with this book, but there's nothing inherently right either. It's just a series of introduction to some of the creepiest unsolved murders in history. I'm sure it's journalism-wise more accurate, but it's not that different from reading Wikipedia entries.
And it's not that much more accurate either. They leave the Black Dahlia/Tupac Shakur cases looking mysterious when there's pretty much an accepted explanation for these crimes. I learned about some cases I wasn't previously familiar with like the Lake Bodom murders or Jill Dando's assassination so that was cool. But there's not nearly enough space for each cases to learn something about what these crimes might have in common or what were the motives. I don't even blame the authors, they did their job. It's just a questionable marketing decision.
And it's not that much more accurate either. They leave the Black Dahlia/Tupac Shakur cases looking mysterious when there's pretty much an accepted explanation for these crimes. I learned about some cases I wasn't previously familiar with like the Lake Bodom murders or Jill Dando's assassination so that was cool. But there's not nearly enough space for each cases to learn something about what these crimes might have in common or what were the motives. I don't even blame the authors, they did their job. It's just a questionable marketing decision.
March 3, 2020
I’ve not read any other books by these authors but I’ll definitely be reading more in the future as this was a very interesting read. Quite a few of these murders I hadn’t heard of so it certainly piqued my interest. As there are no gruesome photos included I think young adults could read this. This is a well written and interesting read.
March 18, 2024
honestly these all seem like a obstructions of justice to me.. do ur job @1950's police officers
April 7, 2019
Several interesting unsolved cases
The unsolved cases covered in this volume are not written about in depth. That would require a separate book for each case. However, each true crime story contains sufficient information to tell what the case is about.
All of these unsolved cases are puzzles waiting for the final piece to take its place. Some of them will most likely never be solved, such as the Villisca axe murders and the Hinterkaifeck farm murders. They are too old: there were no clues (or any clues were lost due to authorities not preserving the scene): there were no witnesses and no survivors. Also I doubt we will ever learn who put Bella in the wych-elm.
With the advent of DNA, cold cases are being solved on a regular basis, so it's still possible we might learn the identity of the Gilgo Beach Killer, just as we did the Golden State Killer.
4
The unsolved cases covered in this volume are not written about in depth. That would require a separate book for each case. However, each true crime story contains sufficient information to tell what the case is about.
All of these unsolved cases are puzzles waiting for the final piece to take its place. Some of them will most likely never be solved, such as the Villisca axe murders and the Hinterkaifeck farm murders. They are too old: there were no clues (or any clues were lost due to authorities not preserving the scene): there were no witnesses and no survivors. Also I doubt we will ever learn who put Bella in the wych-elm.
With the advent of DNA, cold cases are being solved on a regular basis, so it's still possible we might learn the identity of the Gilgo Beach Killer, just as we did the Golden State Killer.
4
June 27, 2020
Several intriguing cases that were new to me as well as good writeups of the others I had heard about.
December 27, 2019
I finally finished this book!
It is a collection of unsolved murders, phenomenally researched with great graphics. And while I really enjoyed the heck out of it, this book is more for people who are just starting to get into true crime. A lot of the cases are familiar to me and therefore nothing new was added. Like I said it's a beautiful book, well-written, researched. One thing I do take away from reading all these cases compiled all together like this is the large number of people who are wrongfully accused and imprisoned. It's incredible.
I do wish that some modern cases would have been added, like Rebecca Zahau or Garrett Phillips. In all honesty, I wouldn't have included The Black Dahlia, The Zodiac or JonBenet which have been done to death. But some of the most interesting ones that are included:
The Hinterkaifeck Murders
The Villisca Ax Murders
The Cleveland Torso Killer
The Lake Bodom Murders
The Oakland County Child Killer
The Murder of Kathleen Peterson
The Long Island Serial Killer
That being said it is a great addition to your true crime library.
It is a collection of unsolved murders, phenomenally researched with great graphics. And while I really enjoyed the heck out of it, this book is more for people who are just starting to get into true crime. A lot of the cases are familiar to me and therefore nothing new was added. Like I said it's a beautiful book, well-written, researched. One thing I do take away from reading all these cases compiled all together like this is the large number of people who are wrongfully accused and imprisoned. It's incredible.
I do wish that some modern cases would have been added, like Rebecca Zahau or Garrett Phillips. In all honesty, I wouldn't have included The Black Dahlia, The Zodiac or JonBenet which have been done to death. But some of the most interesting ones that are included:
The Hinterkaifeck Murders
The Villisca Ax Murders
The Cleveland Torso Killer
The Lake Bodom Murders
The Oakland County Child Killer
The Murder of Kathleen Peterson
The Long Island Serial Killer
That being said it is a great addition to your true crime library.
June 14, 2023
I found this book at Five Below and got it because it seemed interesting. I'm a fan of true crime shows, so I knew most of the cases here, but it was still good. The book covers 21 unsolved murders that occurred between 1912 and 2010. Each chapter is 10 pages and there are 2 picture inserts.
You can tell that the authors really did their research on each case, which is great. I learned new things about the ones I had heard of and also learned about completely new cases. I wish the murders could get solved to give the families closure though.
You can tell that the authors really did their research on each case, which is great. I learned new things about the ones I had heard of and also learned about completely new cases. I wish the murders could get solved to give the families closure though.
December 10, 2023
I don't normally read non-fiction books about real-life tragedies but there's something about unsolved murders that just compels me to wanna know more. This book details unsolved cases from the beginning of the 1900s all the way into the 2000s. Right away the cases are quite gruesome and horrific and as someone who does a video series on unsolved mysteries, I'm surprised I didn't know about some of these. I enjoyed the amount of details the author gave about the victims, the suspects, and the overall cases themselves. Every time I read a new case I was drawn in and had to know more as there always seemed to be something crazy in each of them.
Many of the cases at least from my standpoint were murders I'd never heard of but as they got more modern I became more familiar. Despite being familiar with the newer cases I didn't know a lot of the details which made me enjoy the book all the more. For instance, I knew about the Tylenol Pill Murders in the 80s but didn't know certain aspects of the case. When I got to the Jon Benet case I was livid as this one had me yelling into the book at the sheer insanity and ridiculousness. The lack of common practice and care the police took in that case is certainly a headscratcher. The one depressing factor of this book is that not only are they all still unsolved but there are certain suspects that absolutely sound like they committed the murders but for whatever circumstance they got off scot-free.
Overall, if you enjoy reading about unsolved murders, suspense turned up to 100 and at the edge of your seat wanting to know as much about the case to the point where you yourself think you could solve it then this book is a must-read for you.
Many of the cases at least from my standpoint were murders I'd never heard of but as they got more modern I became more familiar. Despite being familiar with the newer cases I didn't know a lot of the details which made me enjoy the book all the more. For instance, I knew about the Tylenol Pill Murders in the 80s but didn't know certain aspects of the case. When I got to the Jon Benet case I was livid as this one had me yelling into the book at the sheer insanity and ridiculousness. The lack of common practice and care the police took in that case is certainly a headscratcher. The one depressing factor of this book is that not only are they all still unsolved but there are certain suspects that absolutely sound like they committed the murders but for whatever circumstance they got off scot-free.
Overall, if you enjoy reading about unsolved murders, suspense turned up to 100 and at the edge of your seat wanting to know as much about the case to the point where you yourself think you could solve it then this book is a must-read for you.
August 26, 2023
Solid collection of True Crime cases that you’ve probably heard of.
Each case has a few pages detailing case and its key points.
Though there was nothing new here for myself, it was a good read.
4/5
Each case has a few pages detailing case and its key points.
Though there was nothing new here for myself, it was a good read.
4/5
February 10, 2019
For an aspiring crime writer like myself this book gives a good overview of strange cases from the past century up to the present day. The more recent or infamous cases such as the Staircase and Black Dahlia Murders were cases I had come across before but it was the more historical cases that I hadn't heard of that were more interesting. I didn't realise how much some of these older cases had influenced classic crime writers like Raymond Chandler either. The cases were very varied and I think it's safe to say that many of the older cases could be solved by advances in forensic science and technology if they had been committed today. The possibility of genealogical DNA being used to solve cold cases as seen in the Golden State Killer case also provides opportunity to solve some of the cases where enough DNA is still in storage for this to be done. For me the most infuriating cases were where the forensics or preservation of the crime scene were not carried out such as in the JonBenet case. If only this had been done then the culprit could have been caught and the mystery solved. If you're not great with gore like me then the most difficult read from that perspective is the Cleveland Torso Murders. So beware of that one. Overall this is a good overview of mysterious crimes,, some of which we may see solved in the future.
May 16, 2019
Very easy to read and all cases are presented concisely
April 8, 2020
Very good book has made me want to read more of the story’s in great detail or watch the films about them
May 14, 2021
DNF towards the end, just same old stories I’ve read a million times
November 9, 2023
If you like "Who-Done-it" mysteries and enjoy crime details, this book is right up your alley.
I will say that these cases are infamous and most are so perplexing that these may never truly be solved.
I have heard several of these elsewhere and to actually see Floorplans or certain crime scenes opens a new dimension to potentially solving the case.
I recommend this book for any mystery fan who isn't afraid of reading some gruesome details.
I will say that these cases are infamous and most are so perplexing that these may never truly be solved.
I have heard several of these elsewhere and to actually see Floorplans or certain crime scenes opens a new dimension to potentially solving the case.
I recommend this book for any mystery fan who isn't afraid of reading some gruesome details.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2025
Lots of different cases covered which I liked, but the chapters on each case are so small that you don’t get very much information on any of them.
I did really enjoy it but the book needed to be longer or contain less cases and use the page/word count to better explain the ones that are in there. Nevertheless I read about cases I’d never heard before which is always a massive plus for me when I learn something new.
I did really enjoy it but the book needed to be longer or contain less cases and use the page/word count to better explain the ones that are in there. Nevertheless I read about cases I’d never heard before which is always a massive plus for me when I learn something new.
March 27, 2025
Each chapter deals with an unsolved murder. Some I had heard of and some I had not. Overall, they were all interesting in their way. To me, this audiobook felt like a podcast with 21 episodes. It was a great intro to true crime, and I am a sucker for a woman narrator if she has a beautiful accent.
The subject matter is tragic and sad and makes me question why certain humans do what they do. But if you enjoy true crime and mysteries, then you might enjoy listening to this.
The subject matter is tragic and sad and makes me question why certain humans do what they do. But if you enjoy true crime and mysteries, then you might enjoy listening to this.
January 25, 2022
tbh so confusing but solved crimes would be better
January 30, 2023
Love this book! A true crime junkie must!
December 5, 2023
The book highlights some of the more interesting cases over the years. It is a good book to read at the airport.
Read
January 9, 2024these were so sad to read about :(
hopefully, they somehow get solved soon
hopefully, they somehow get solved soon
November 17, 2024
This was a good thrift store find. Really interesting if you’re into true crime, and I loved that it came with a little section with pictures in the middle, of things from every case. Some of these are so crazy and I’m scared.😨
March 27, 2019
Overall I greatly enjoyed this book. The writing was clear and concise without glamorizing horrible events. There are helpful diagrams and maps as well to make often redundant seeming actions clear. Crime scene pictures are included but nothing is too graphic or exploits the victims. It is rather dry in parts but is factual and the few quotes included come from publications, law enforcement, or victims families.
This book is clearly about unsolved murders so the opus is on suspects instead of one devious killer. Because of this there is no obsessive cult of personality in the text as you often see in writing about Ted Bundy or Charles Manson. Unfortunately some chapters didn't focus on the victims as much as I might have liked.
Four out of five stars.
The following are chapter by chapter notes that I was afraid to losing.
The Shrouded House: Villisca Ax Murders, 1912 🔥
Weird having visited Villisca recently
Purpose of bludgeoning faces beyond recognition in a town that size combined with obvious location? How were Ina and Lena Stillinger possibly misidentified?
Concealment of mirror/windows, hiding in attic, most blows was to J. B. Moore.
Nothing missing
Cleaned and left murder weapon in house
Four pounds of bacon left on the wall, single piece on piano--table had full plate and bowl of bloody water.
Oldest GIRL in the house, Lena (11) found with nightgown pushed up but hadn't been assaulted--checking for sexual maturity? Pedophile?
Theory involving serial killer Henry Lee Moore (unrelated) who favored axes. (Credit to the book The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery for a different man, German man Paul Mueller with same MO)
Self inserting Reverend Lyn George Kelly-later diagnosed as schizophrenic by Ed Epperly, PhD--also accused of being a pedophile and a peeping-tom
1917 Kelly is indicted, deadlocked 11 to 1 for acquittal, second jury acquits
A Hollywood Whodunit: William Desmond Taylor, 1922
African American valet, Henry Peavey, finds the body like it died of natural causes-then told to clean up and remove bootleg liquor or "compromising materials"
Taylor shot in the back
Taylor potentially inappropriate with teenage girls, bi/gay rumors
Taylor actually an Irish immigrant who abandoned wife and daughter for Hollywood
The Bodies in the Barn: The Hinterkaifeck Murders, 1922
Hinterkaifeck, Bavaria, Germany
Grandparents, daughter, two grandchildren, and a maid
Incest between Andreas (grandpa) and Viktoria (daughter)-served time for this
A Munich newspaper was found in the house despite it not being locally circulated.
Family and previous maid all mentioned something in the woods near the home
Neighbors found all doors locked
All six victims had fatal blows to the head-maid and 2 year old boy in house, other four in the barn, it was the maid's first day
Killer remained at the farm for several days-signs in feeding and milking of animals, missing food
Records as well as victim's skulls went missing from police evidence during WWII.
The Impossible Murder: William Wallace Case, 1931
Liverpool, England 1/20/1931
Indoor/outdoor lock switching
William goes to meet stranger, returns to find his wife, Julia, bludgeoned to the point that her skull cracked open-points out to the neighbors that you can see her brain. (Yikes!)
House drains were all dry, believed killer left covered in blood
William arrested in 1933 for the murder, sentenced to gallows after four days, conviction is dismissed a month later
Coogee, Sydney, Australia
Father and son catch a 14'6'' tiger shark-8 days in Sydney Aquarium before shark coughs up a human arm with rope burns
Edwin Smith calls authorities, recognizes tattoo on the arm matching his missing brother, James
Decided arm was severed with a knife
James Smith had mob connections
Shark killed and dissected looking for clues, none found
Mobster Reginald Holmes found attacked, points to Patrick Brady who rented a house that was mysteriously cleaned and had random objects missing and replaced
Court decides missing an arm does not equal a dead body so trial cannot proceed
Panic in the City: Cleveland Torso Murders, 1934-8 🔥
Torsos preserved with chemicals
9/23/1935 Two men are found decapitated and emasculated, decapitation was cause of death
1934 Eliot Ness transfered to Cleveland
13 victims, only 2 were positively identified (potential victim was Rose Wallace, a black woman, meaning both race and gender lines were crossed)
Ness had Kingsbury Run shanty town burned, runs arrests and fingerprinting, this ends murders
1939 Slovak immigrant Frank Dolezal (52) is arrested for the crime but evidence is all circumstantial, today he is considered innocent
Ness had a secret subject who he kept in a hotel for weeks-Dr. Francis McSweeney
Scandal in Shangri-La: Happy Valley Murder, 1941)
Colonial Kenya
Basically wealthy, annoying white people in Kenyan highlands swinging.
Lady Carberry was character witness
Victim had potential connection to the Germans/Nazis
The Skeleton in the Wood: Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?, 1943 🔥
Hagley Woods, England
Taffeta stuffed in Bella's mouth, potential strangulation
Bella estimated at 35, irregular teeth, light brown hair, 5ft, given birth once
No dentist in the area recognized teeth
Christmas 1943 first graffiti appears but called "Luebella"
Fake wedding ring?
Anthropologist, Professor Margaret Murray is the first to question Hand of Glory ritual about bones around tree
German Spy? (Una Mossop)
Josef Jakobs (convicted of espionage ring) is the last man executed at Tower of London
Death of a Dreamer: Black Dahlia, 1947
Elizabeth Short
Police believed she had been hung upside-down by her feet and tortured.
Hyper sexualized after her death
How was all her blood drained?
LAPD Steve Hodel suspects his father Dr. George Hodel (tried for incest with his own daughter, brought up Black Dahlia in transcripts)
Physical evidence has gone missing from police holdings
Did Sam do it?: Murder of Marilyn Sheppard, 1954
Sam is (doctor) is husband
Ernest Hemingway wrote about this case
Bay Village, Ohio
Sam was having an affair with medical technician Susan Hayes, Marilyn was 4 months pregnant
1954- Sam is convicted, freed 9 years later
2000- son brings case to court to clear Sam's name, this fails
DNA experts 90% sure that Richard Eberling, local cleaning man, left blood in the house
F. Lee Bailey won Sam's second acquittal
Last Bike Ride: Murder of Lynne Harper, 1959
Steven Truscott (14) youngest inmate on Canada's Death Row
Lynne Harper (12) hitched a bike ride from Truscott- ends up raped and strangled with her own blouse
Did she get in another car after Truscott dropped her off or did the boy kill her?
Found 2 days later even with early search parties, maggots already present
Truscott released from prison in the late 60s
2006- case is reopened, Truscott clears name, modern science says she was killed later than maggots suggested at the time
3 fringe suspects all pedophiles
2007- Truscott is acquitted of all charges, Harper family maintains it was him
Campsite Murders: Lake Bodom Murders, 1960 🔥
Finland's Lake Bodom
Maila Björklund and Anja Mäki (15) and boyfriends Seppo Boisman and Nils Gustafsson (18)
Nils is only survivor
Bludgeoning and stabbing/slashing, no weapon discovered
Nils' girlfriend, Maila, got the worst of the attack
Investigators determine attack started from outside the tent- stole motorcycle keys but not the bikes, flea scene wearing Nils' shoes, stolen items found a short way away
Karl Gyllström (Kiosk Man, suspect) previous slashed other tents, filled well on his property shortly after, wife says on her death bed it was him
Man with the Blond Hair- alleged KGB spy named Hans ASSMANN, climbed to have been a guard at Auschwitz, went to the hospital next day with a fake name, similar looking man attended funerals, linked to other murders
WAS ASSMANN THE ONE WITH THE MASK FACE?
2004- case opened, Nils finally arrested as suspect, sperm on pillowcase matches neither Seppo nor Nils
Nils spends 500 days in custody, acquitted, awarded 44,900 in compensation
Killing for Fun: The Zodiac Killer, 1968-9
7 victims, 18 letters, 5 key suspects, 1 bomb ass movie
Letters to San Fransisco Chronicle, Examiner, and Vallejo Times-Herald- specific details and code
Code broken by Mr and Mrs Donald Harden, says he was collecting slaves for afterlife
Calls in his own attack of Cecilia Shepard and Bryan Hartnell
Potentially called in to a TV show insisting that he just wanted to kill kids
How long was Zodiac actually active? 1966? 1963?
January 1974- SF Chronicle gets last confirmed letter, claims he killed 37 people
Arthur Leigh Allen- suspect named by author/Chronicle cartoonish Robert Graysmith, identified by survivor Michael Mageau
Earl van Best Jr- suspect, traveling book salesmen with rage issues
Louis Myers- confessed on his death bed, connections to some victims
Ross Sullivan- suspect, bipolar and schizophrenic, wore similar boots
Donald Lee Bujok- felon in Montana for 11 years, details harkening back to what Bryan Hartnell remembers from his attack
Stranger Danger: Oakland County Child Killer, 1976-7 🔥
Oakland County, Michigan
2 male victims show sign of sexual assault, 2 female victims do not- all were bathed and dressed neatly before dumping, white dog hair on all 4
Mark Stebbins (12), Jill Robinson (12), Kristine Mihelich (10), and Tim King (11)
King's mother begged him to come home with the promise of KFC, Tim killed an hour before being found, last meal was fried chicken
Birmingham, Michigan PD Chief Jerry Tobin believed killer was seeing a psychiatrist, being protected by someone close to him
Conspiracy theory that it was John Wayne Gacy shut down in 2013 using DNA
Death at the Drug Store: The Tylenol Murders, 1982 🔥
7 victims, 5 stores
Potassium cyanide
NORTHWEST COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
Copycats across country
"Within days of the deaths, legislators proposed new laws requiring manufacturers to seal drug containers." (129)
A Christmas Nightmare: Murder of JonBenét Ramsey, 1996 🔥
Boulder Colorado- John and Patsy, Burke (9), JonBenét (6)
Marks on her face could have been made by a stun gun or a piece of track from Burke's electric train set
Body on it's back, arms raised, duct tape on mouth, blanket over body, white cord on wrists and neck, garrote make with a broken paintbrush (other half with Patsy's art supplies), blow to the head- John immediately takes off tape and holds body- autopsy says she was asphyxiated
Pineapple in stomach eaten within 2 hours of death- Patsy and Burke have prints on the pineapple bowl
Police bow under John and Patsy's power/influence/money
JonBenét was a chronic bedwetter (common in cases of abuse)
DA Alex Hunter refuses to sign indictments of John and Patsy in 1999
Family photographer says the year before Burke hit JonBenét in the head with a golf club out of rage
Drive By Shootings: Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, 1996-7
9/7/1996 Tupc (25) is killed in Las Vegas, dies 6 days later
3/9/1997 Christopher Wallace "Biggie Smalls" (24) shot in his car in LA
Bad Boy Records (Sean "Puff Daddy Combs, Crips) vs. Death Row Records (Marion "Suge" Knight, Bloods)
Tupac's mom, Afeni, had been a Black Panther
Shot in Broad Daylight: Murder of Jill Dando, 1999
Television presenter killed on her London doorstep
Ironically worked on a show called "Crimewatch"
DOA at Charing Cross Hospital
Gun had been pressed to skull when shot
Theory that she had been killed by Yugoslavian or Serbian assassin after appeal for Kosovo-Albanian refugees on TV (anti- Slobodan Milosevic)
Theory it had been someone she exposed on "Crimewatch"
Theory of an obsessive stalker
Somehow it is all pinned on Barry George, a man with Asperger's who was obsessed with Freddie Mercury- I find this flimsy as hell
George is acquitted in 2008 after seven years in prison
Staircase of Death: Murder of Kathleen Peterson, 2001 🔥
Kathleen found dead at the bottom of her North Carolina home (shared with husband and novelist Michael)
When running for mayor Michael had said he earned a Purple Heart in Vietnam but he actually got it for a car accident
Medical examiner determines she died of a beating rather than a fall baed on slices in her head
16 years before Elizabeth Ratliff (43) died in a similar way while teaching on an American military base in Frankfurt, Germany- she had been a friend of Michael's who was living there with his previous wife and two sons- Michael helped plan her funeral and then ADOPTED HER FUCKING DAUGHTERS
Elizabeth's body is exhumed in Texas for another autopsy, determined she had also been beaten
Micheal had been soliciting sex from men online, gay porn
10/10/2003 Michael is sentenced to life- 2 days later his team starts prepping appeals- overturned in 2011 for use of outdated methods
Michael takes an Alford plea to manslaughter
"The Staircase" documentary is what started the owl theory, brought up my Michael's friend Larry Pollard in 2003
Lost in the Marshland: Long Island Serial Killer, c.1996-2010 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
SOMEONE CALL THE KILLING SEASON
Also known as Gilgo Beach Killer
Killed between 10 and 16 people associated with sex work
May 1, 2010- Shannan Gilbert (24) a Craigslist escort disappears after running out of Joseph Brewer's home- he claims she was erratic, knocked on neighbors doors begging for help
December 2010- 4 bodies are found along Ocean Parkway on Gilgo Beach- Amber Lynn Costello (27, missing since September 2010), Melissa Bathelemy (24, missing since July 2009), Maureen Brainard-Barnes (25, missing since July 2007), and Megan Waterman (22, missing since June 2010)-ALL had been Craigslist escorts, wrapped in burlap sacks
6 more victims found a mile east-4 women, a female toddler, and an Asian man dressed in women's clothing (trans? forced sex act?)- only one has been identified, Jessica Taylor (20, missing since July 2003)
Taylor's torso dismembered found in Manorville, New York, skull/hands/singular forearm found in Gilgo Beach
Jane Doe Number 6 also found dismembered between Manorville and Gilgo Beach
December 2011- Gilbert's purse, lip gloss, phone, jeans, shoes found in marsh near Oak Beach- Remains found on December 13, 2011 in a shallow mash near where she disappeared- authorities say she drowned by the family slams this
Gilbert family hires a forensic pathologist, Michael Baden, to autopsy remains- he says there is no evidence of natural death, drug overdose, or drowning- insufficient information to name cause of death- found deformed hyoid bone in her neck which is often a sign of strangulation
Snuff films?
"One of the more likely theories was that the killer was a police officer-or an ex-police officer- with extensive knowledge of law enforcement techniques." (169)
Melissa Barthelemy's sister, Amanda (16), gets calls from LISK asking if she knew what her sister was doing, calls come from busy places like Madison Square Garden and New York's Penn Station and all are under 3 minutes
Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke steps down in 2012, arrested for assaulting a man named Christopher Loeb who stole a duffle bag of porn and sex toy's from Burke's car- escort comes forward to say Burke was into rough sex
Suspect Dr. Peter Hackett- physician and neighbor of Joseph Brewer, called Gilbert's mom the day after she went missing claiming to run "a home for wayward girls" but denies this call despite phone records
2017: Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Robert Biancavilla names suspect John Bittrolff- carpenter who beat two sex workers to death in 1993 and 1994, lived near Manorville
Jim Clemente ❤️ (criminal profiler)🍑 makes a profile with Scott Bonn (assistant prof. of sociology at Drew University) and Fred Klein (former Nassau County DA)-killer was likely... white male, mid 20s to mid 40s, married or had a girlfriend, intelligent, articulate, decent job with access to burlap sacks, lived/once lived near Ocean Parkway
Theory of serial killer Joel Rifkin- 1989-1993 he killed at least 9 women in New York and Long Island using the same hunting ground as LISK- he denied it, called proximity of bodies "sloppy"
As of writing, 6 more cases being reviewed for a link to LISK
This book is clearly about unsolved murders so the opus is on suspects instead of one devious killer. Because of this there is no obsessive cult of personality in the text as you often see in writing about Ted Bundy or Charles Manson. Unfortunately some chapters didn't focus on the victims as much as I might have liked.
Four out of five stars.
The following are chapter by chapter notes that I was afraid to losing.
The Shrouded House: Villisca Ax Murders, 1912 🔥
Weird having visited Villisca recently
Purpose of bludgeoning faces beyond recognition in a town that size combined with obvious location? How were Ina and Lena Stillinger possibly misidentified?
Concealment of mirror/windows, hiding in attic, most blows was to J. B. Moore.
Nothing missing
Cleaned and left murder weapon in house
Four pounds of bacon left on the wall, single piece on piano--table had full plate and bowl of bloody water.
Oldest GIRL in the house, Lena (11) found with nightgown pushed up but hadn't been assaulted--checking for sexual maturity? Pedophile?
Theory involving serial killer Henry Lee Moore (unrelated) who favored axes. (Credit to the book The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery for a different man, German man Paul Mueller with same MO)
Self inserting Reverend Lyn George Kelly-later diagnosed as schizophrenic by Ed Epperly, PhD--also accused of being a pedophile and a peeping-tom
1917 Kelly is indicted, deadlocked 11 to 1 for acquittal, second jury acquits
A Hollywood Whodunit: William Desmond Taylor, 1922
African American valet, Henry Peavey, finds the body like it died of natural causes-then told to clean up and remove bootleg liquor or "compromising materials"
Taylor shot in the back
Taylor potentially inappropriate with teenage girls, bi/gay rumors
Taylor actually an Irish immigrant who abandoned wife and daughter for Hollywood
The Bodies in the Barn: The Hinterkaifeck Murders, 1922
Hinterkaifeck, Bavaria, Germany
Grandparents, daughter, two grandchildren, and a maid
Incest between Andreas (grandpa) and Viktoria (daughter)-served time for this
A Munich newspaper was found in the house despite it not being locally circulated.
Family and previous maid all mentioned something in the woods near the home
Neighbors found all doors locked
All six victims had fatal blows to the head-maid and 2 year old boy in house, other four in the barn, it was the maid's first day
Killer remained at the farm for several days-signs in feeding and milking of animals, missing food
Records as well as victim's skulls went missing from police evidence during WWII.
The Impossible Murder: William Wallace Case, 1931
Liverpool, England 1/20/1931
Indoor/outdoor lock switching
William goes to meet stranger, returns to find his wife, Julia, bludgeoned to the point that her skull cracked open-points out to the neighbors that you can see her brain. (Yikes!)
House drains were all dry, believed killer left covered in blood
William arrested in 1933 for the murder, sentenced to gallows after four days, conviction is dismissed a month later
Coogee, Sydney, Australia
Father and son catch a 14'6'' tiger shark-8 days in Sydney Aquarium before shark coughs up a human arm with rope burns
Edwin Smith calls authorities, recognizes tattoo on the arm matching his missing brother, James
Decided arm was severed with a knife
James Smith had mob connections
Shark killed and dissected looking for clues, none found
Mobster Reginald Holmes found attacked, points to Patrick Brady who rented a house that was mysteriously cleaned and had random objects missing and replaced
Court decides missing an arm does not equal a dead body so trial cannot proceed
Panic in the City: Cleveland Torso Murders, 1934-8 🔥
Torsos preserved with chemicals
9/23/1935 Two men are found decapitated and emasculated, decapitation was cause of death
1934 Eliot Ness transfered to Cleveland
13 victims, only 2 were positively identified (potential victim was Rose Wallace, a black woman, meaning both race and gender lines were crossed)
Ness had Kingsbury Run shanty town burned, runs arrests and fingerprinting, this ends murders
1939 Slovak immigrant Frank Dolezal (52) is arrested for the crime but evidence is all circumstantial, today he is considered innocent
Ness had a secret subject who he kept in a hotel for weeks-Dr. Francis McSweeney
Scandal in Shangri-La: Happy Valley Murder, 1941)
Colonial Kenya
Basically wealthy, annoying white people in Kenyan highlands swinging.
Lady Carberry was character witness
Victim had potential connection to the Germans/Nazis
The Skeleton in the Wood: Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?, 1943 🔥
Hagley Woods, England
Taffeta stuffed in Bella's mouth, potential strangulation
Bella estimated at 35, irregular teeth, light brown hair, 5ft, given birth once
No dentist in the area recognized teeth
Christmas 1943 first graffiti appears but called "Luebella"
Fake wedding ring?
Anthropologist, Professor Margaret Murray is the first to question Hand of Glory ritual about bones around tree
German Spy? (Una Mossop)
Josef Jakobs (convicted of espionage ring) is the last man executed at Tower of London
Death of a Dreamer: Black Dahlia, 1947
Elizabeth Short
Police believed she had been hung upside-down by her feet and tortured.
Hyper sexualized after her death
How was all her blood drained?
LAPD Steve Hodel suspects his father Dr. George Hodel (tried for incest with his own daughter, brought up Black Dahlia in transcripts)
Physical evidence has gone missing from police holdings
Did Sam do it?: Murder of Marilyn Sheppard, 1954
Sam is (doctor) is husband
Ernest Hemingway wrote about this case
Bay Village, Ohio
Sam was having an affair with medical technician Susan Hayes, Marilyn was 4 months pregnant
1954- Sam is convicted, freed 9 years later
2000- son brings case to court to clear Sam's name, this fails
DNA experts 90% sure that Richard Eberling, local cleaning man, left blood in the house
F. Lee Bailey won Sam's second acquittal
Last Bike Ride: Murder of Lynne Harper, 1959
Steven Truscott (14) youngest inmate on Canada's Death Row
Lynne Harper (12) hitched a bike ride from Truscott- ends up raped and strangled with her own blouse
Did she get in another car after Truscott dropped her off or did the boy kill her?
Found 2 days later even with early search parties, maggots already present
Truscott released from prison in the late 60s
2006- case is reopened, Truscott clears name, modern science says she was killed later than maggots suggested at the time
3 fringe suspects all pedophiles
2007- Truscott is acquitted of all charges, Harper family maintains it was him
Campsite Murders: Lake Bodom Murders, 1960 🔥
Finland's Lake Bodom
Maila Björklund and Anja Mäki (15) and boyfriends Seppo Boisman and Nils Gustafsson (18)
Nils is only survivor
Bludgeoning and stabbing/slashing, no weapon discovered
Nils' girlfriend, Maila, got the worst of the attack
Investigators determine attack started from outside the tent- stole motorcycle keys but not the bikes, flea scene wearing Nils' shoes, stolen items found a short way away
Karl Gyllström (Kiosk Man, suspect) previous slashed other tents, filled well on his property shortly after, wife says on her death bed it was him
Man with the Blond Hair- alleged KGB spy named Hans ASSMANN, climbed to have been a guard at Auschwitz, went to the hospital next day with a fake name, similar looking man attended funerals, linked to other murders
WAS ASSMANN THE ONE WITH THE MASK FACE?
2004- case opened, Nils finally arrested as suspect, sperm on pillowcase matches neither Seppo nor Nils
Nils spends 500 days in custody, acquitted, awarded 44,900 in compensation
Killing for Fun: The Zodiac Killer, 1968-9
7 victims, 18 letters, 5 key suspects, 1 bomb ass movie
Letters to San Fransisco Chronicle, Examiner, and Vallejo Times-Herald- specific details and code
Code broken by Mr and Mrs Donald Harden, says he was collecting slaves for afterlife
Calls in his own attack of Cecilia Shepard and Bryan Hartnell
Potentially called in to a TV show insisting that he just wanted to kill kids
How long was Zodiac actually active? 1966? 1963?
January 1974- SF Chronicle gets last confirmed letter, claims he killed 37 people
Arthur Leigh Allen- suspect named by author/Chronicle cartoonish Robert Graysmith, identified by survivor Michael Mageau
Earl van Best Jr- suspect, traveling book salesmen with rage issues
Louis Myers- confessed on his death bed, connections to some victims
Ross Sullivan- suspect, bipolar and schizophrenic, wore similar boots
Donald Lee Bujok- felon in Montana for 11 years, details harkening back to what Bryan Hartnell remembers from his attack
Stranger Danger: Oakland County Child Killer, 1976-7 🔥
Oakland County, Michigan
2 male victims show sign of sexual assault, 2 female victims do not- all were bathed and dressed neatly before dumping, white dog hair on all 4
Mark Stebbins (12), Jill Robinson (12), Kristine Mihelich (10), and Tim King (11)
King's mother begged him to come home with the promise of KFC, Tim killed an hour before being found, last meal was fried chicken
Birmingham, Michigan PD Chief Jerry Tobin believed killer was seeing a psychiatrist, being protected by someone close to him
Conspiracy theory that it was John Wayne Gacy shut down in 2013 using DNA
Death at the Drug Store: The Tylenol Murders, 1982 🔥
7 victims, 5 stores
Potassium cyanide
NORTHWEST COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
Copycats across country
"Within days of the deaths, legislators proposed new laws requiring manufacturers to seal drug containers." (129)
A Christmas Nightmare: Murder of JonBenét Ramsey, 1996 🔥
Boulder Colorado- John and Patsy, Burke (9), JonBenét (6)
Marks on her face could have been made by a stun gun or a piece of track from Burke's electric train set
Body on it's back, arms raised, duct tape on mouth, blanket over body, white cord on wrists and neck, garrote make with a broken paintbrush (other half with Patsy's art supplies), blow to the head- John immediately takes off tape and holds body- autopsy says she was asphyxiated
Pineapple in stomach eaten within 2 hours of death- Patsy and Burke have prints on the pineapple bowl
Police bow under John and Patsy's power/influence/money
JonBenét was a chronic bedwetter (common in cases of abuse)
DA Alex Hunter refuses to sign indictments of John and Patsy in 1999
Family photographer says the year before Burke hit JonBenét in the head with a golf club out of rage
Drive By Shootings: Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, 1996-7
9/7/1996 Tupc (25) is killed in Las Vegas, dies 6 days later
3/9/1997 Christopher Wallace "Biggie Smalls" (24) shot in his car in LA
Bad Boy Records (Sean "Puff Daddy Combs, Crips) vs. Death Row Records (Marion "Suge" Knight, Bloods)
Tupac's mom, Afeni, had been a Black Panther
Shot in Broad Daylight: Murder of Jill Dando, 1999
Television presenter killed on her London doorstep
Ironically worked on a show called "Crimewatch"
DOA at Charing Cross Hospital
Gun had been pressed to skull when shot
Theory that she had been killed by Yugoslavian or Serbian assassin after appeal for Kosovo-Albanian refugees on TV (anti- Slobodan Milosevic)
Theory it had been someone she exposed on "Crimewatch"
Theory of an obsessive stalker
Somehow it is all pinned on Barry George, a man with Asperger's who was obsessed with Freddie Mercury- I find this flimsy as hell
George is acquitted in 2008 after seven years in prison
Staircase of Death: Murder of Kathleen Peterson, 2001 🔥
Kathleen found dead at the bottom of her North Carolina home (shared with husband and novelist Michael)
When running for mayor Michael had said he earned a Purple Heart in Vietnam but he actually got it for a car accident
Medical examiner determines she died of a beating rather than a fall baed on slices in her head
16 years before Elizabeth Ratliff (43) died in a similar way while teaching on an American military base in Frankfurt, Germany- she had been a friend of Michael's who was living there with his previous wife and two sons- Michael helped plan her funeral and then ADOPTED HER FUCKING DAUGHTERS
Elizabeth's body is exhumed in Texas for another autopsy, determined she had also been beaten
Micheal had been soliciting sex from men online, gay porn
10/10/2003 Michael is sentenced to life- 2 days later his team starts prepping appeals- overturned in 2011 for use of outdated methods
Michael takes an Alford plea to manslaughter
"The Staircase" documentary is what started the owl theory, brought up my Michael's friend Larry Pollard in 2003
Lost in the Marshland: Long Island Serial Killer, c.1996-2010 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
SOMEONE CALL THE KILLING SEASON
Also known as Gilgo Beach Killer
Killed between 10 and 16 people associated with sex work
May 1, 2010- Shannan Gilbert (24) a Craigslist escort disappears after running out of Joseph Brewer's home- he claims she was erratic, knocked on neighbors doors begging for help
December 2010- 4 bodies are found along Ocean Parkway on Gilgo Beach- Amber Lynn Costello (27, missing since September 2010), Melissa Bathelemy (24, missing since July 2009), Maureen Brainard-Barnes (25, missing since July 2007), and Megan Waterman (22, missing since June 2010)-ALL had been Craigslist escorts, wrapped in burlap sacks
6 more victims found a mile east-4 women, a female toddler, and an Asian man dressed in women's clothing (trans? forced sex act?)- only one has been identified, Jessica Taylor (20, missing since July 2003)
Taylor's torso dismembered found in Manorville, New York, skull/hands/singular forearm found in Gilgo Beach
Jane Doe Number 6 also found dismembered between Manorville and Gilgo Beach
December 2011- Gilbert's purse, lip gloss, phone, jeans, shoes found in marsh near Oak Beach- Remains found on December 13, 2011 in a shallow mash near where she disappeared- authorities say she drowned by the family slams this
Gilbert family hires a forensic pathologist, Michael Baden, to autopsy remains- he says there is no evidence of natural death, drug overdose, or drowning- insufficient information to name cause of death- found deformed hyoid bone in her neck which is often a sign of strangulation
Snuff films?
"One of the more likely theories was that the killer was a police officer-or an ex-police officer- with extensive knowledge of law enforcement techniques." (169)
Melissa Barthelemy's sister, Amanda (16), gets calls from LISK asking if she knew what her sister was doing, calls come from busy places like Madison Square Garden and New York's Penn Station and all are under 3 minutes
Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke steps down in 2012, arrested for assaulting a man named Christopher Loeb who stole a duffle bag of porn and sex toy's from Burke's car- escort comes forward to say Burke was into rough sex
Suspect Dr. Peter Hackett- physician and neighbor of Joseph Brewer, called Gilbert's mom the day after she went missing claiming to run "a home for wayward girls" but denies this call despite phone records
2017: Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Robert Biancavilla names suspect John Bittrolff- carpenter who beat two sex workers to death in 1993 and 1994, lived near Manorville
Jim Clemente ❤️ (criminal profiler)🍑 makes a profile with Scott Bonn (assistant prof. of sociology at Drew University) and Fred Klein (former Nassau County DA)-killer was likely... white male, mid 20s to mid 40s, married or had a girlfriend, intelligent, articulate, decent job with access to burlap sacks, lived/once lived near Ocean Parkway
Theory of serial killer Joel Rifkin- 1989-1993 he killed at least 9 women in New York and Long Island using the same hunting ground as LISK- he denied it, called proximity of bodies "sloppy"
As of writing, 6 more cases being reviewed for a link to LISK
August 3, 2025
I really liked this book because it was a composition of many different small crime stories that have actually happened in the past.
August 25, 2025
2.7 ☆
Okropnie nudnawa. Pierwsze parę zagadek naprawdę mnie zaintrygowaly jednak po jakims czasie stalo sie to stare.
Spowodowane jest to przedewszystkim tym, że ksiazka nie ma nic do zaoferowania oprocz opisu morderstwa, spekulacji jak i teorii zainteresowanych. Dla osob, ktore są nowe w temacie True Crime jest to dobry wybór.
W przeciwnym razie nie dowiesz się nic, o czym byś nie wiedział.
⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔
Okropnie nudnawa. Pierwsze parę zagadek naprawdę mnie zaintrygowaly jednak po jakims czasie stalo sie to stare.
Spowodowane jest to przedewszystkim tym, że ksiazka nie ma nic do zaoferowania oprocz opisu morderstwa, spekulacji jak i teorii zainteresowanych. Dla osob, ktore są nowe w temacie True Crime jest to dobry wybór.
W przeciwnym razie nie dowiesz się nic, o czym byś nie wiedział.
⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔
May 31, 2020
Informative
A compelling and Well written rundown of some of the most infamous unsolved cases in history. Some I already knew about, some I didnt . Overall, I greatly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it.
A compelling and Well written rundown of some of the most infamous unsolved cases in history. Some I already knew about, some I didnt . Overall, I greatly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it.
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