The Murder of Julia Martha Thomas
Morbid
07/15/24
•65m
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In early March 1879, fifty-five-year-old widow Julia Martha Thomas disappeared from her home in southwest London. Julia often travelled by herself on moment’s notice, so neighbors thought nothing of her absence; however, when several female body parts were discovered in the Thames, police uncovered a gruesome crime that not only involved theft and impersonation, but also the ghastly murder of Julia Martha Thomas.
Thomas’s maid, Kate Webster, was quickly arrested and charged with Julia’s murder. Through their investigation, detectives discovered that Thomas had recently given Webster notice of termination after only one month. Days before she was to leave Thomas’ home, Webster murdered her employer, then dismembered her body and posed as Julia in order to sell off the murdered woman’s belongings for a quick profit. Although she maintained her innocence, Kate Webster was tried, convicted, and executed for the crime, finally confessing her guilt just hours before she went to the gallows.
The ”Richmond Murder,” as it was dubbed by the press, captivated Londoners for months and Webster’s trial and execution became something of a public spectacle. In Victorian-era England, few people believed a woman capable of committing murder, much less dismemberment and rendering of a human body. Given that, and the shocking viciousness of the crime itself, the Richmond Murder remains one of London’s most notorious murders of the late nineteenth century.
Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!
References
Birmingham Evening Mail. 1879. "Solution of the Barnes mystery." Birmingham Evenign Mail, March 26: 3.
Blake, Matt. 2011. Attenborough skull mystery finally solved. July 6. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/attenborough-skull-mystery-finally-solved-2307530.html.
Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper. 1879. "The Barnes mystery." Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper, March 16: 5.
O'Donnell, Elliot. 2010. The Trial of Kate Webster. New York, NY: Gale, Making of Modern Law.
Portsmouth Evening News. 1879. "The Richmond murder." Portsmouth Evening News, July 9: 3.
Shaver Hughes, Sarah, and Brady Hughes. 1997. Women in World History: Readings fom 1500 to the Present. London, UK: Routledge.
The Citizen. 1879. "The Barnes Mystery." The Citizen, March 13: 3.
The Journal. 1879. "The Barnes mystery." The Journal, March 14: 3.
The Times. 1879. "TRhe murder and mutilation at Richmond." Reynold's Newspaper, April 6: 6.
—. 1879. "The murder at Richmond." The Times, April 1: 5.
—. 1879. "The supposed tragedy at Richmond." The Times, April 3: 2.
Wood, Walter. 1916. Survivors' Tales of Famous Crimes. London, UK: Cassell.
Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Previous Episode
The Murder of Patricia Lonergan
July 11, 2024
•70m
On the morning of October 25, 1943, the body of twenty-two-year-old Lion Brewery heiress, Patricia Lonergan, was discovered in a locked room in the New York apartment she shared with her infant son. Patrica was nude and had been bludgeoned with a candelabra. Suspicion quickly fell on her estranged husband, Wayne Lonergan, who had fled the country to Canada, where he was serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Wayne Lonergan was apprehended a few days later and returned to New York, where he was charged with the murder and two days later confessed to killing Patricia in a jealous rage. Despite his confession, Lonergan’s case went to trial and quickly became one of the most sensational trials of the decade. While the murder itself was a terrible tragedy, the extensive press coverage and intense public interest was on Wayne’s sexual identity and the supposedly scandalous lives of the two high society figures at the center of the case.
Wayne was ultimately found guilty of the murder and served more than two decades in prison, after which he was deported back to Canada, where he resided until his death. Few people ever doubted that Wayne had indeed killed his wife; however, to this day many have questioned whether his sexuality and the couple’s nontraditional marriage biased the jury against him and led to an unfair trial.
Thank you to the incredible Dave White (of Bring Me the Axe and 99 Cent Rental Podcasts) for research!
References
Anderson-Minshall, Diane. 2021. Did this queer man kill his wife? March 24. Accessed June 18, 2024. https://www.advocate.com/crime/2021/3/24/did-queer-man-kill-his-wife#rebelltitem1.
Buffalo News. 1943. "Boats grapple for vanished RCAF uniform." Buffalo News, October 28: 1.
Dunne, Dominick. 2001. "The Talented Mr. Lonergan." Vanity Fair, July 01.
Levine, Allan. 2020. Details Are Unprintable: Wayne Lonergan and the Sensational Cafe Society Murder. Guilford, CT: Lyons Press.
New York Times. 1944. "35 years to life given to Lonergan." New York Times, April 18: 1.
—. 1942. "Husband is held for questioning in heiress' murder." New York Times, October 26: 1.
—. 1944. "Lawyers rebuked in Lonergan case." New York Times, February 17: 20.
—. 1944. "Lonergan choked wife, Grumet says." New York Times, March 23: 21.
—. 1944. "Lonergan confession read; tells of bluedgeoning wife." New York Times, March 28: 1.
—. 1944. "Lonergan defense is ended abruptly." New York Times, March 30: 1.
—. 1944. "Lonergan guilty in second degree of slaying wife." New York Times, April 1: 1.
—. 1943. "RCAF cadet's wife slain in home here." New York Times, October 25: 1.
—. 1944. "State asks death in Lonergan case." New York Times, March 31: 1.
Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Next Episode
Peter Manuel: The Beast of Birkenshaw (Part 1)
July 18, 2024
•54m
With a violent criminal history going back to his early teen years, Peter Manuel turned out to be one of Scotland’s worst serial killers. His tumultuous early teenage years were peppered with break-ins and destruction of property, but quickly escalated to horrific acts of brutality.
Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!
References
Birmingham Post and Gazette. 1958. "3 shot dead: no gun found." Birmingham Post and Gazette, January 7: 1.
Coventry Evening Telegraph. 1956. "Three dead in bungalow beds." Coventry Evening Telegraph, September 17: 1.
Daily Record. 1956. "Fifth tee murder." Daily Record, January 5: 1.
—. 1956. "Fifth tee murder: dramatic appeal." Daily Record, January 6: 1.
—. 1957. "Teenager vanishes." Daily Record, December 30: 1.
—. 1958. "Two sensations as trial opens." Daily Record, May 13: 7.
Daily Telegraph. 1958. "1958." Daily Telegraph, May 15: 15.
Evening Sentinel. 1956. "Bloodstains found on bed sheets." Evening Sentinel, September 17: 1.
—. 1957. "Tjhick snow hampers moors hunt." Evening Sentinel, December 11: 1.
Hull Daily Mail. 1957. "Police seek fresh clues in murder mystery." Hull Daily Mail, December 10: 5.
Lundy, Iain. 2007. "Psychopath who brought terror to the west." Evening Times, December 27.
MacLeod, Hector. 2009. Peter Manuel, Serial Killer. Edinburgh, Scotland: Mainstream Books.
Nottingham Evening News. 1956. "Bungalow riddle: two women and girl dead in bed." Nottingham Evening News, September 17: 4.
Silvester, Norman. 2022. The story of Scotland's first known serial killer Peter Manuel. October 10. Accessed June 9, 2024. https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/23034356.story-scotlands-first-known-serial-killer-peter-manuel/.
The Times. 1958. "Statement on 8 murders." The Times, May 22: 5.
Western Mail. 1958. "Watt denies shooting his wife." Western Mail, May 16: 5.
Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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