Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén - “Australia’s Jack the Ripper” Frederick Bailey Deeming Pt. 2

Episode Date: September 22, 2022

In April 1892, the man authorities now realized was Frederick Deeming was on trial for the murder of his second wife, Emily Williams. But as his story circulated the globe, media began alleging his supposed crimes resembled those of a notorious London criminal — Jack the Ripper. This is a special crossover with the hosts of Solved Murders, a Spotify Original from Parcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, listeners. Today we're wrapping up a two-part merging of our show's serial killers and solved murders. We're diving into Australia's Jack the Ripper to see how solving one murder can lead to the capture of a horrific killer. Sometimes things are much darker than they seem. Due to the graphic nature of these crimes, listener discretion is advised. This episode includes descriptions of dead bodies and discussions of suicide, execution, and murder, including the murder of children. We advise extreme caution for children under 13. The man the authorities knew as Albert Williams sat on a steamship towards Melbourne going over the events of the last two months. Authorities had discovered the body of his wife, Emily, buried in their Windsor home in the suburbs of Melbourne.

He was their prime suspect. In a few short days, he'd be back in that city where he'd face a trial. His mind raced. He had plenty of secrets. It would only be a matter of time before they learned ever. That wasn't good. He needed to find a way out. Luckily for him, he wasn't alone. His dearly departed mother was always with him. She'd tormented him for years, but now he smiled. She might just save him from the gallows. Hi, I'm Greg Poulson. This is Serial Killers, a Spotify original from Parcast. Every episode,

we dive into the minds and madness of serial killers. Today, we'll finish our examination of Frederick Deeming, otherwise known as Australia's Jack the Ripper. I'm here with my co-host, Vanessa Richardson. Hi, everyone. We're teaming up with Carter, Roy, and Wendy McKenzie from the Solved Murders podcast. You can find all episodes of Solved Murders, Serial Killers, and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free exclusively on Spotify. Carter and Wendy, thanks for being here. Absolutely. This is our second episode on Frederick Deeming. an Englishman who drifted across the globe picking up trades as he went along.

But this charming man also had a temper, and those closest to him suffered the consequences. Last time, we uncovered Deeming's accused crimes and followed along as investigators tracked him down. Today we're looking at Deeming's early life and exploring the disturbing claims he made about his psyche. We'll have all of that and more coming up. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Bonnie and Clyde, the lonely hearts killers, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. These are infamous criminal duels.

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Slow burns, second chances, chemistry you can feel through the screen. Your next obsession is waiting. Watch only on Prime. In March, 1892, police in Rainhill, a village near Liverpool and, found the body of a child buried beneath a concrete inside Denham Villa. The home was once occupied by a man who locals knew as Albert Williams. Albert Williams had just been arrested in Australia for the murder of his wife, Emily. Emily's death had prompted the search of Denham Villa and the discovery of the child's horrific fate.

Unfortunately, the villa's story was about to get far darker. detectives dug out more of the concrete in Denham Villa's kitchen. The sickening smell of death and decay assaulted their noses with each shovelful of material extracted. Within minutes, the authorities discovered a second child's body. This child was older, around nine years old, and their flesh had decayed significantly. Authorities could barely tell that it was a little girl. To make matters worse, a thick, redacted. rope was tied around the child's neck. The horrible sight prompted the authorities to take a much-needed

break. They stepped into the fresh air and found a crowd had grown outside the house. They were too overwhelmed to stop some of the spectators from entering Denham Villa to see the horrific site. One of these spectators was reporter Samuel Lowe. Lowe took in the scene, then filed an urgent cable to his editor. Loz paper and several other sent out news bulletins about the bodies found in the home, making the discovery nationwide news. The dark headlines rippled through the region and drew even more people to the crime scene. As people gathered, the police got back to work. They moved the deceased children into an upstairs bedroom for later examination. Then they continue digging. In short order, they uncovered the body of a grown woman wrapped.

in a quilt. Four people strained to move her upstairs. After unwrapping the quilt, they looked at the body of a woman who they later identify as Marie Deeming. She had four children, and it seemed they'd already found two. The excavation was far from over. They returned to the hole in the kitchen floor and discovered the corpses of Marie's last two children just after 3 a.m. The kids ranged in age from 18 months old to nine. Even the hardened police officers were stunned by the dark nature of their deaths. The final two bodies were taken upstairs. The family's remains stayed together one last night until the examiner could come the

following morning. The examiner arrived promptly at dawn and headed upstairs. He looked at Marie and observed a slash across her throat that had severed her veins and windpipe. He had little doubt about how she died. Three of the children, including the toddler, had similar signs of injuries that had likely resulted in their deaths. The oldest child had been strangled with a rope. All of them had pillowcases placed over their heads. By the second day, the whole region had heard the news, and more spectators gathered outside the villa in shock. They weren't allowed inside,

but just being near the house made the horrific stories they'd read in the papers seem all the more real. They stood there in collective shock, processing a forum of communal grief. That same day, police summoned Marie Deeming's brother-in-law, a man named Albert John Deeming. Albert had read the reports and couldn't believe it. He'd known Marie for 10 years, but he hadn't seen her or the kids in eight months. Her husband, his brother, Frederick, had told him they were on holiday. He could hardly believe that Marie and the kids, Bertha, Mary, Sidney, and Lila had been killed. Albert Deeming made his way to the authorities at the villa, who welcomed him inside. They walked him upstairs to positively ID the bodies. The sight of their decayed corpses was ghastly, but he could no longer deny that they were dead.

He confirmed their identities with the police. He knew who had killed them, too. His brother, Frederick Deeming. Albert Williams was just a pseudonym his murderous brother had used. to flee the country. The news from Rain Hill had spread like wildfire, making headlines in both the UK and Australia. Nearly everyone knew about Frederick Deeming's alleged crimes at home and abroad.

The majority of the population saw him as a ruthless killer and a monster, and many wanted to see swift justice. They wouldn't have to wait long. Shortly after arriving in Melbourne on April 1st of 18, The authorities formally charged Deeming with the murder of Emily Mather and sent him to the old Melbourne jail to away trial. With Deeming locked up in his true name now known, information about his recent exploits soon trickled out to the public.

Authorities tracked Deeming's movements after Emily had died and discovered he'd wasted no time in finding replacement. He'd met a young woman named Kate Roundsfeld while on a ship from Melbourne, to Sydney. He courted her as they sailed, and they soon entered into a relationship. He even met her sister. Kate and her sister both found deeming charming, if a little too earnest. He'd only known Kate for a few days, but appeared willing to commit a lifetime to her. For those keeping track, that would be his third wife since the death of Marie in July 1891. Kate and her sister didn't view his background as spotty. Of course, he didn't tell them everything about his life. He said his

name was Baron Swanson. He worked in mining as an engineer and had spent much of his life in the United Kingdom. Deeming said he could provide for Kate, and he intended to prove it. He dressed neatly and even presented her with expensive jewelry. He didn't tell her he'd stolen the jewelry from a shop in Melbourne. Kate fell for his ruse, and using the guise of being wealthy, Deeming repeatedly asked Kate to marry him. Her answer was always a coy no. It wasn't firm. She just wanted to get to know him better. She suggested he go to Western Australia for work. Then, after he further proved himself, she might say yes.

Deeming readily agreed. As we know, he could find work in Southern Cross, but he was also looking to get as far away from Melbourne as possible. It wasn't a romantic start to their new life together, but Deeming said he'd sent for her when he had the funds. It must have come as a shock to Kate when news of her fiancée's past life made it on the front page of nearly every paper in Australia,

a few weeks later. She ended the relationship, and when authorities arrested Deeming, she refused to meet him in prison. For his part, Deeming seemed genuinely crushed that Kate didn't visit the prison. He wrote to her often, hoping she would believe his innocence

and come to see him. He needed her. But he shouldn't have focused so much on Kate. His time in court was approaching, and that would decide his fate. Deeming had a legal counsel in Melbourne. It was made up of Marshall Lyle and Alfred Deakin, the eventual second prime minister of Australia. As they prepped for their upcoming date in court, they knew that they had their work

cut out for them. Deeming was only on trial for Emily's death in Melbourne, but the discovery of the bodies in Rain Hill, England certainly didn't help their case. Deeming was the only one with the means or motive to have committed either of the killings. As his counsel, while and Deacon knew it would be nearly impossible to help him avoid execution. But luckily for them, their defendant, gave them a lifeline. Deeming exhibited strange behavior while locked up. Guards observed him seemingly talking to himself, and almost every night at 2 a.m., deeming screamed uncontrollably.

When the guards came over to see the commotion, he'd stare at them ominously and ask if they could see her too. They'd peer around to see Deeming sitting in the dark empty cell. They'd ask who he saw. Deeming replied that his mother was in the room. She'd been following him for years, and she wanted him to do terrible things. Coming up, Deeming's claims of insanity are examined. They say time heals all wounds, but sometimes time can do anything but. Welcome to Cold Cases, the new Spotify original from Parcast. I'm Carter Roy. Every Monday, join me as I revisit the clues and miscues of some of the most elusive criminal cases in history.

From burglary and arson to kidnappings and murder. Each episode of Cold Cases explores the many types of crime, the many ways they remain unsolved, and how long it takes to find the answers, if ever. Will justice be served? Only time we'll tell. Follow cold cases free and only on Spotify. Are you looking for support in your weight management journey? Zepbound terseptide may be able to help. Zepbound is a prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to help adults with obesity. Or some adults with overweight who also have weight-related medical problems to lose excess body weight and keep the Weight off. Zepbound is approved as a 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, or 15 milligram injection.

Zepound contains terseptide and should not be used with other terseptide containing products or any GLP1 receptor agonist medicines. It is not known if Zepound is safe and effective for use in children. Don't share needles or pens or reuse needles. Don't take if allergic to it, or if you or someone in your family had medullary thyroid cancer, or if you've had multiple endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2. Tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck. Stop Zepbound and call your doctor if you have severe stomach pain or a serious allergic reaction. Severe side effects may include inflamed pancreas or gallbladder problems. Tell your doctor if you experience vision changes before scheduled procedures with anesthesia if you're nursing, pregnant,

plan to be, or taking birth control pills. Taking Zepbound with a sulfonel urea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and worsen kidney problems. Talk to your doctor. Call 1-800-545-99-9 or visit zepbounds.lily.com. Now back to the story. In April of 1892, Frederick Deeming awaited a trial concerning the death of his second wife, Emily Williams. For the prosecution in Melbourne, it must have seemed like an open and shut case. They'd completed the hard work of tracking down the killer. They just needed to walk the courts through the events, but their optimism must have faded when they received word

that Deeming claimed to see the ghost of his dead mother in prison. This proved a wrinkle for the prosecution. If Deeming's claims were sincere, it meant that he was mentally unfit for a murder conviction. And if that were true, the state would place him in a mental facility. The defense grasped this legal lifeline, but they still had a difficult task ahead of them. aiming for an insanity verdict meant they'd have to give up on Deeming's presumption of innocence.

In court, they'd need to prove that, quote, the party was laboring under such a defect of reason from disease of the mind as to not know the nature and quality of the act he was doing, or not know that what he was doing was wrong. It was a risky legal maneuver, but it might have been the only way Deeming could avoid the gallows. By early April, the defense learned about Deeming's life prior to Marie and Emily's death. They looked for any piece of information they could to explain away Deeming's horrible actions.

With their search into his past, they and the public learned more about Deeming. They discovered his life was far more complex than they had imagined. Frederick Deeming was born in 1853, and his childhood was fraught with trauma and tragedy. He was one of six boys born to Thomas and Anne Deeming. Thomas had a career in metalwork. It was tough, but it paid the large family's bills. They didn't live lavishly and had just enough to get by. Thomas didn't spend much time at home and didn't form a strong bond with his children.

But even when he was home, he didn't bring much comfort to the family. He experienced wild mood swings. According to accounts from Deeming's siblings, one minute their father would be fine, the next he'd yell so much that the blood drained from his face. On the other end of that pendulum, Thomas was also prone to bouts of depression, a condition he didn't keep secret from his children. He'd often mumble about wanting to take his own life. On more than one occasion, those negative thoughts became too much for Thomas,

and he attempted to take his own life. While surrounded by his family, he grabbed a razor and went for his throat. His sons jumped into action and stopped him before he harmed himself. Even though the razor didn't draw blood, the emotional damage to the family was done. In Thomas's frequent absences, Deeming's mother, Anne, tried her best. She had a close relationship with her faiths and instilled the same God-fearing tendencies in her children. She wanted to ensure that her children had the correct guidance to succeed despite their difficulties. Frederick didn't take well to his mother's parenting.

He often rebelled and stayed out late at a young age, refusing to explain where he'd been. By the time he was 13, Deeming was a restless spirit. He found his way to the nearby city of Chester, where he'd hitch rides on fishing trawlers. He was looking for a sense of freedom and adventure, anything to get him away from his home. He'd returned days later and act as if nothing had happened. Anne could do little to stop it.

At 16, Deeming left again, going away for weeks before returning home. Around town, he picked up a few times. trades like plumbing and gas fitting. When he was 24, Deeming's mother died, and he had even less reason to stick around. He found work on a steamer that traveled back and forth to India. He was excited about his new opportunity to see the world, but his first voyage would change his life forever. In 1878, Deeming contracted an illness that was likely malaria.

When the vessel finally landed in India, Deeming was, was in bad shape. He had multiple seizures a day, and it didn't seem like they'd subside. Doctors feared for the worse. After nearly three months of suffering, Deeming's conditions stabilized. He pulled through and no longer wanted to work in India, so he headed back to England. He was a little worse for where. According to his brothers, Deeming began rambling to himself from time to time. They didn't know why, but suspected that it might have been a leftover symptom of the seizures. For the next year, Deeming made a steady living working odd jobs, and he adopted a new persona. He wore his loud and brash nature on his sleeve.

He began dressing nicely and carried with him an air of importance. From the outside looking in, it seemed that Deeming wanted to reinvent himself by finding a life far away from anything that resembled his childhood. In 1879, Deeming's brother Albert married a woman named Martha. With that union, Deeming met her sister, Marie. The pair developed a relationship. They eventually married in February of 1881. Even then, Deeming's restlessness didn't subside.

Later that year, Deeming moved across the globe to Sydney to work as a gas fitter. He told Marie he'd sent for her when he'd made enough money. That took longer than he'd anticipated. Months passed and he still hadn't saved up enough. As a shortcut, he stole equipment from an employer, but he was caught in sentence to six weeks in jail. While incarcerated, Deeming had more seizures. Marie finally arrived in Australia in July of 1882,

over a year after Deeming had moved there and they went to Melbourne. But if she looked forward to a perfect new life down under, she was sadly mistaken. For the next few years, Deeming moved to her. around the country as he flitted between jobs and spent time behind bars. Deeming had a pension for committing acts of fraud or petty theft. He had a taste for the finer things in life and always strive to get more. If his current job couldn't supply him with the funds, he'd just get creative. Throughout the next few years, Deeming's family grew. By 1888, he

had two children, and Marie was pregnant with their third. Despite the inherent risk of Marie traveling while pregnant, he decided to move his family to South Africa. Marie gave birth to the baby a boy aboard the ship. Once they arrived in South Africa, Deeming proved unfaithful to his wife. He slept with a sex worker. The infidelity showed how little Deeming cared about his wife and family. Worse still, Deeming later said it contributed to his violent actions. In 1892, he told prison doctors, he'd contracted syphilis in South Africa. Unlike today, where the disease can be easily treated, in 1892, there was no cure. If left untreated, the disease can lead to the degradation of mental and motor function.

But the illness didn't seem to have much bearing on deeming right away. He continued trying to make things work in South Africa. He put Marie and the children in a hotel in Cape Town while he got a job. in the diamond fields of Kimberly. Like everything else in Deeming's life, that didn't last. By August of 1889, Marie and the children headed back to the U.K. For his part, Deeming took a long way home. It's unknown what exactly he got up to,

but we do know that he ended up in Yemen for a short time, and legend says he bought a lion. He made it back to the U.K. in October 1889, but he didn't return to his wife and four children in Birkenhead. Instead, he walked around the town of Hull under the identity of Harry Lawson. There he met a 21-year-old woman named Nellie Matheson. He told her that he was a wealthy sheep farmer from Queensland. She fell head over heels for his charm and wealth.

By February of 1890, they were married. Deeming took her on a honeymoon but pulled a nasty tree. trick. He stole the expense of jewelry he had recently given her and left. His motives for leaving at that moment are unclear. According to the devil's work by Gary Linnell, deeming may have gone on the run from authorities on fraud charges, or perhaps his wife, Marie discovered his bigamy and he felt he needed to flee. He escaped to Montevideo in Uruguay, where he was arrested for defrauding jewelers and extradited back to England. There, he spent nine months in jail, where he wrote letters to Marie and Nellie, claiming his innocence and

loyalty to each. The effectiveness of his efforts were limited. At this point, Marie was in communication with Nellie and told her about Deming's true identity and family. When he was released from prison in the summer of 1891, he went to Rainhill. To say things were strained was an understatement. Marie knew that Deeming was unfaithful and had committed many crimes, but it's unlikely that she knew the true, of his immorality. A life with Frederick deeming came with plenty of challenges, and this was yet another one of them. Marie must have believed that she needed to bear it.

She had to provide for her children. Without Frederick, she'd be on her own. She certainly didn't know that he now went by Albert Williams, and he wanted a fresh start. He'd make that happen in Rainhill. He sent for the family to join him at Dinham Villa, a property he rented from Dove Mather, Emily's mother. He said his sister and her children would be joining him there soon. It was the last place they'd ever stay. By the end of July 1891, they were dead. He told his brother Albert that Marie and the kids had left on holiday. Given the family's frequent travels, that wasn't all that

peculiar. Albert had no idea that they were dead and buried. Only two months after Marie, and the children's deaths, Deeming married Emily Mather. That winter, they set off for Australia as a married couple. Two weeks after they arrived, Emily would be dead. Parsing out Deeming's mental state could be tricky. Yes, he'd lied, cheated, and stolen his entire life, but he also contended with childhood trauma from his father, a dangerous bout of malaria that may have led to lifelong seizures and syphilis. Any of those factors may have contributed to that destructive and violent behavior. But while it was easy to speculate on Deeming's mental health,

and many at the time did, the courts held the power to decide. Deeming's legal counsel worried about what would happen in front of a judge. They had a tough case to prove, and that was made more difficult by the court of public opinion. Many across the world already viewed Deeming as a ruthless killer. That wouldn't help their chances in a jury trial. Worse still, rumors began spreading that Deeming's alleged evil deeds extended far beyond his family. Some claimed that he was Jack the Ripper. Coming up, Deeming meets his fate.

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and the UK printed attention-grabbing headlines that all but said deeming was guilty. Beyond that, they started publishing stories claiming deeming was Jack the Ripper. Four years earlier in the fall of 1888, the Ripper killings had captivated London. Five women were sadistically killed in or near the Whitechapel neighborhood. that year. Most were sex workers and were all alone at night walking the streets. Their slings were brutal, and the victim's bodies were found mutilated. People throughout London worried about where the killer would strike next. Scotland Yard vigorously dug into the case, but came up empty-handed, and the killer's identity

fueled intense speculation in the press. Now, four years later, deeming seemed to fit the M.O. He'd allegedly killed six people, and had spent time with at least one sex worker. It was a tentative connection at best, but the frenzy around Deeming made it all seem plausible. One paper even published a leaked correspondence that Deeming had allegedly had with a lawyer in Perth while he waited for Detective Kauzy to arrive.

According to the paper, Deeming alluded to being the Ripper in the correspondence. To most, that was all they needed. Other papers piled on. People throughout London began claiming they've, seen a man matching Deemings' description in Whitechapel. One woman even claimed she dated a man in 1888 who went by the name of Lawson. She said he talked about the killings and mentioned being familiar with the neighborhood. And it wasn't just your average rag publishing these stories either.

The New York Times even questioned Deeming's connection to the Whitechapel killings. The thing is, there wasn't much to back up these claims. Deeming's counsel in Melbourne pushed back on the assertion that he confessed to being Jack the Ripper. As for the other claims, those are harder to parse through. His movements in the fall of 1888 weren't well documented. As you may remember, Deeming and Marie were in South Africa in late 1888, but he did leave Marie for weeks on end, so it's possible that Deeming left for England killed the women,

then headed back to his family. but that's also unlikely. Beyond the speculation, there was little to link Deeming to those awful crimes. For Deeming, the bad press didn't help his chances in court. By mid-April, Deeming's characterization seemed set in stone. He was a monster, and this popular perception didn't help his chances in front of a jury. The defense didn't believe that Deeming would receive a fair trial.

Deeming's lawyers filed a motion to postpone the trial to wait for the sensationalist press coverage to die down. Those in charge didn't agree and tossed the motion. Deeming's trial would move forward in Melbourne. The evidence provided would decide the case one way or another. Deemings counsel called in doctors to give a psychological assessment of deeming before the trial. The physicians asked for additional time. A few weeks wouldn't be enough to establish Deeming's mental health.

The courts rejected their request, and in late April, the case fired. finally went to trial. During that first day, Marshall Lyle quit in protest because of the rejection. That stumble for Deeming didn't bother the state. For the prosecution, things were simple. Deeming had the means to kill Emily. They never provided what they believed was Deeming's motivation. To them, the facts spoke for themselves. Deeming's first wife, Marie's body, had been found in a similar condition to that of Emily's. their deaths were too similar to be coincidental. Beyond that, deeming had fled west from Melbourne under an assumed identity.

That certainly looked like an admission of guilt to the court. In response, the defense argued that the prosecution based their case on nothing more than circumstantial evidence, which is valid in a modern legal sense. The prosecution didn't have an ace in the hole, no physical evidence, no murder weapon, and no eyewitness, nothing beyond the circumstances tied Deeming to the crime scene. They further argued that if Deeming had committed the crime, the jury must find him mentally unsound and therefore not guilty. Deeming played this part well during the trial. Newspaper accounts portray Deeming's actions in the courtroom as two-faced.

One moment he would be calm and collected, the next loud and bombastic. Deeming even took to the stand and argued he was insane himself. He said that mental illness ran in his family, saying that both of his parents were afflicted. He even claimed that he'd been sent to asylums on two occasions when he was a boy, and it was called Mad Fred. He claimed he moved so often to run from the ghost of his mother. He said she was the one who kept telling him to kill. He also said that he had gaps in his memory,

days where he didn't remember where he was or what he'd done. He had no explanation for the lapses, but he told the court of his past trauma and his syphilist condition. So he argued that if he had been the one to kill Emily, he had no memory of it. He took his defense a step further by calling Emily's character into question. He insinuated that Emily had a hand in the death of Marie and the children. He claimed, without much proof, that Emily had previously been married and that her husband was still living. Deeming also said that a man in the village had been paid 50 pounds to kill Marie. Of course, Deeming's story about Emily was completely false. There are no records of

Emily ever having been married before, and Deeming's telling of the story would have made him an accomplice in Marie's death anyway. Deeming likely thought that his story would shift the blame away from himself, but his devious tactics were greatly misguided. After only four days, the trial wrapped up. Deeming gave a final statement denying that he committed any crime and claimed all of the the witnesses were nothing more than liars out to get him. His counsel, Alfred Deakin, gave a more even-keeled closing argument. He claimed that the prosecution had failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Deeming had murdered Emily. But he also added that if the jury believed that Deeming had killed Emily, they also needed to believe that deeming was mentally unwell. The prosecution

closed the trial out by presenting the facts and explaining what they thought happened in the days leading up to Emily's death. Emily likely wanted out of the marriage. Deeming had promised her a prosperous life, but that promise looked more and more like a lie as time passed by. Deeming had been charming and sweet at first, but now she saw he was manipulative and mean. His temper was short, and she doubted his background in engineering. She could tell from all the conversation she'd seen him having on the ship that he was making it up as he went. He had no idea what he was talking about,

but to those unfamiliar, he could get away with it. It was only after spending so much time with him that she recognized his pattern of lies and deceit. Now, halfway around the globe, and with no true family to call her own, Emily felt alone. All she could do was worry about her future and hope that she might return to England soon.

It was Christmas Eve, and she sat in the wash basin chewing on her nails in response to her nerves. It was a bad habit, but it calmed her. Maybe tomorrow would bring some much-needed levity, but one could never tell how things would turn out with her husband. They'd only been in 57 Andrew Street for a couple of weeks, and she could only hope it wouldn't be for much.

longer. As the water lapped along the tub and she let the stress of the day wash away, she didn't hear Deeming creeping behind her with a large object in his hand. She didn't sense him coming closer as he brought it down on her head. She made no sound. Deeming looked down at the blood pouring from her head. The water in the tub turned crimson. She was out, but he didn't know if she was dead. He needed to make sure she never opened her eyes. again. He grabbed her razor from the bathroom and returned to Emily. He took a fistful of her hair and tilted her head back. He dragged the razor across her neck. Blood spilled quickly, and it was over fast. A breathless deeming surveyed Emily's body slumped over in the bath. He needed to

clean his mess before the sun rose. Deeming worked tirelessly to dig out the fireplace. He tried being quiet, but he knew that someone was bound to hear him. It didn't matter. He'd leave once he'd finished. By sunrise, Deeming had completed his work. It wasn't perfect. The concrete pushed up the hearth stone ever so slightly he doubted the landlord would notice. When the prosecution was finished, the jury was sent to consider the case. The jury's deliberation didn't last long. Deeming was found guilty. He was sentenced to death by hanging. Deeming quickly had his counsel file an appeal, but that proved fruitless. He couldn't escape the fate he'd created for himself.

The gallows awaited, and now he needed to get his things in order. He wrote several letters, leaving his belongings to his brother Albert and other family members. Despite his best efforts, it didn't seem like he had any more tricks up his sleeves. This was it. He spent his last several days, feverishly, his biography. He wanted the world to know his true self and his history. He wouldn't let the court get the last word on how he would be remembered. According to author Gary Linnell, while Deeming was imprisoned, a reverend came to visit him. During the encounter, Deeming allegedly confessed,

saying that his mother had urged him to do it. He said her influence on him built and built and built, and he just couldn't ignore it any longer. It all spilled over in a moment of terrible violence, and Emily died. With no one else in the room at the time, the story coming from the Reverend couldn't be verified. Naturally, this unverified account made its way to the press. Papers printed the story and convinced anyone who remained on the fence of Deeming's guilt. Deeming's private efforts to clear his name seemed moot. He never formally admitted to killing Marie, his first wife, and his four children. Nor was he or anyone else ever tried for those crimes.

Despite that, it's generally agreed upon by scholars and historians that deeming committed the evil deed. The similarities between the two violent acts were too much to ignore. If he killed Emily, he'd killed his first family, simple as that. And in the minds of his peers, they knew it to be accurate. No trial or lack thereof could change that. On May 23rd, guards escorted deeming to the waiting platform. Before him stood the stage of his death.

But that didn't keep his attention for long. No, the large crowd that had gathered captured his gaze. He knew his case had been heard all over the world, but this brought everything into clear focus. The large crowd of nearly a hundred jeered at him. They wanted justice. He slowly, mouthed. the steps.

Within moments, he'd be gone. If he'd genuinely been afflicted by his mother, those thoughts would soon cease. At 10.01 a.m., Deeming dropped through the platform and hung there until his heart stopped beating. The crowd cheered as the whole affair finally ended. In the years that followed, Deeming's legend grew, as people still wondered what drove him to come.

kill those closest to him. No answers materialized, and they never would. While Deeming had spent his final days writing out his autobiography, shortly after his death, the authorities destroyed the only copy. They didn't believe that Deeming had the right to tell his side of the story from beyond the grave. There would be no redemption of his character. He was a killer. That was that. In the end, the police buried Deeming on the grounds of the old Milburn jail, not far from the remains of one of Australia's most infamous criminals, Ned Kelly. Like his victims, he'd encased in the floors of their homes, deeming had no say in where he was laid to rest. He'd built his legacy over a lifetime of deceit and crime. His death cemented

that legacy in blood. Thanks again for tuning in to serial killers. And thanks to Wendy Mackenzie and Carter Roy for joining us. For more information on the case, amongst the many sources we used, we found The Devil's Work by Gary Linnell, extremely helpful to our research. You can find all episodes of serial killers, solved murders, and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify. We'll see you next time. Have a killer week.

Serial killers and solved murders are Spotify originals from Parcast. include Max and Ron Cutler, sound design by Michael Langsner, with production assistance by Ron Shapiro, Nick Johnson, Trent Williamson, Joshua Kern, and Carly Madden. This special episode of serial killers and solved murders was written by Robert Tyler Walker,

edited by Giles Hoveseth, fact-checked by Claire Cronin, researched by Mickey Taylor and Chelsea Wood, and produced by Bruce Kitovich. This special episode of serial killers and solved murders stars Wendy McKenzie, Greg Poulson, Vanessa Richardson, and Carter Roy. Hi, I'm Carter Roy, host of the Spotify original from Parcast, Cold Cases. From burglary and arson to kidnappings and murder,

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