Tom Bird and Lorna Anderson Eldridge
Morbid
01/22/24
•70m
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When Sandy Bird was found dead in her wrecked car in the Cottonwood River in the summer of 1983, everyone assumed the thirty-three-year-old Kansas mother of three had misjudged the turn on the one-lane bridge and gone over the side, her death a tragic accident. Similarly, when Martin Anderson was gunned down on the side of a Kansas state road just a few months later, the residents of Emporia, KS believed he was the victim of robbery gone wrong—the kind of random violence that investigators often struggled to solve.
What no one knew at the time was that the ostensibly accidental death of Sandy Bird and the tragic murder of Martin Anderson were in fact linked by a conspiracy of Sandra’s husband, Tom Bird, and his mistress, Lorna Anderson, designed to rid themselves of their respective spouses. Unfortunately, their plot began unraveling just a few weeks after Martin’s murder and both Tom and Lorna were arrested for the murders, along with their co-conspirators, and eventually went to trial. While the murders shocked the communities in rural Kansas, the most unbelievable aspect of the case was that the killers were a Lutheran pastor and his devout secretary.
Thank you to the wonderful, David White of the Bring Me the Axe podcast, for research assistance!
References
Close, Dan. 1984. "Minister is accused of soliciting murder." Wichita Eagle-Beacon, March 22: 1.
—. 1984. "Minister ordered to stand trial." Wichita Eagle-Beacon, June 1: 1.
—. 1983. "Slaying victim's wife held." Wichita Eagle-Beacon, November 24: 1.
—. 1983. "Unanswered questions plague K-177 tragedy." Wichita Eagle-Beacon, November 8: 1.
Hayes, Jean. 1985. "Jury in bird trial begins deliberations." Wichita Eagle, July 23: 51.
Hays, Jean. 1985. "Bird's wife described as unhappy." Wichita Eagle, July 12: 15.
Kraft, Scott. 1986. "‘We Don’t Have These Type of People Out Here’ : Murderous Affair Shocks Kansas Town." Los Angeles Times, March 17.
—. 2004. "Who Killed Sandy?" Los Angeles Times Magazine, May 2.
State of Kansas v. Thomas Bird. 1986. 240 Kan. 288 (Supreme Court of Kansas, December 5).
State of Kansas v. Thomas P. Bird. 1985. 708 P.2d 946 (Supreme Court of Kansas, October 25).
United Press International. 1985. "At first no one paid uch attention ." United Press International: Domestic News, August 4.
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)
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Previous Episode
Preston Castle and the Murder of Anna Corbin
January 18, 2024
•70m
When it opened in 1894, the Preston School of Industry represented a change in how criminal offenders and wards of the state were treated in American society, shifting towards a more compassionate mission of reform over punishment. However, while the mission may have represented a more progressive approach to reforming young offenders, daily life for the young inmates was often as brutal as it would have been in an adult prison.
Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Ax Podcast and 99 Cent Rental for Research!
References
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 2022. Cemetery Tales Preston holds remains of 18. October 24. Accessed December 22, 2023. https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/insidecdcr/2022/10/24/tales-from-the-cemetery-preston-holds-remains-of-18/.
Daily News. 1950. "Boys' school housekeeper murdered." Daily News, February 23: 1.
D'Souza, Karen. 2015. "Castle of shivers." Oakland Tribune, September 13: 67.
Grandbois, Ruth. 1950. "Housekeep at Preston School found murdered." Stockton Daily Evening Record, February 24: 1.
—. 1950. "Slaying victim 'like mother' to youths." Stockton Daily Evening Record, February 24: 1.
Long Beach Press-Telegram. 1950. "3 Ione School Inmates held after slaying ." Long Beach Press-Telegram, February 24: 1.
Lowery, James F. 1950. "Stained clothes of Ione suspect get blood test." Sacramento Bee, February 25: 1.
McClatchy Newspaper Service. 1950. "What kind of woman was slain Anna Corbin of Preston?" Sacramento Bee, February 27: 1.
McClatchy Newspapers Service. 1950. "Witness bares motive behind Preston killing." McClatchy Newspapers Service, June 15: 1.
—. 1950. "Inmate tells court he saw Preston killing." Sacramento Bee, March 10: 1.
McClatchy Newspapes Service. 1950. "Employees are cleared in Preston killing." Sacramento Bee, February 28: 1.
McManis, Sam. 2015. Discoveries: Ione’s Preston Castle opens up about its harsh, haunting past. June 28. Accessed December 21, 2023. https://www.sacbee.com/entertainment/living/travel/sam-mcmanis/article25499146.html.
Sacramento Bee. 1950. "Chief Preston killing witness changes story." Sacramento Bee, April 6: 41.
—. 1950. "Murder trial of Eugene Monroe is nearing close." Sacramento Bee, April 28: 1.
—. 1950. "Preston suspect was grilled in 1947 LA murder." Sacramento Bee, March 6: 1.
—. 1950. "Prosecutor plans parade of witnesses in Monroe trial." Sacramento Bee, April 26: 10.
—. 1950. "Youth Authority decides to free Preston inmate." Sacramento Bee, October 20: 1.
Sacramento Union. 1951. "Eugene Monroe, Preston parole, confesses sex-murder in Tulsa." Sacramento Union, July 28: 1.
Sacremento Daily Record-Union. 1889. "The reform school." Sacremento Daily Record-Union, February 16: 8.
San Francisco Examiner. 1894. "Preston School of Industry." San Francisco Examiner, August 6: 3.
Valley News Service. 1950. "State planning to reopen case against Monroe." Sacramento Union, April 30: 1.
Wilson, Stanley. 1950. "LA inmate is chief suspect in Ione killing." Sacramento Bee, March 1: 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
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•5m
When a charismatic young doctor announces revolutionary treatments for cancer and HIV, patients from around the world turn to him for their last chance. As medical experts praise Serhat Gumrukcu’s genius, the company he co-founded rockets in value to over half a billion dollars. But when a team of researchers makes a startling discovery, they begin to suspect the brilliant doctor is hiding a secret. From Wondery, the new season of Dr. Death: Bad Magic is a story of miraculous cures, magic and murder. Hosted by Laura Beil.
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