Murder In America - EP. 126 CALIFORNIA- The Wineville Chicken Coop Murders: America's Forgotten Pedophile Serial Killer (PT. 2)

Episode Date: September 22, 2023

In the 1920's a series of brutal crimes rocked the state of California... young boys were going missing left and right, and no one knew where to look for them... that is, until the day a young kid named Sanford began to talk of the atrocities that his uncle Stewart had carried out on their small ranch in the desert. This, is part 2 of the story of the Wineville Chicken Coop murders, and you're listening to MURDER IN AMERICA. - Stay Connected: Join the Murder in America fam in our free Facebook Community for a behind-the-scenes look, more insights and current events in the true crime world: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4365229996855701 If you want even more Murder in America bonus content, including ad-free episodes, come join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/murderinamerica Instagram: http://instagram.com/murderinamerica/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/people/Murder-in-America-Podcast/100086268848682/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MurderInAmerica TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theparanormalfiles and https://www.tiktok.com/@courtneybrowen Feeling spooky? Follow Colin as he travels state to state (and even country to country!) investigating claims of extreme paranormal activity and visiting famous haunted locations on The Paranormal Files Official Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheParanormalFilesOfficialChannel - (c) BLOOD IN THE SINK PRODUCTIONS 2023 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com slash America for free shipping and 365-day returns. Quince.com slash America. The following podcast is not suitable for all audiences. We go into great detail with every case that we cover and do our best to bring viewers even deeper into the stories by utilizing disturbing audio and sound effects. Trigger warnings from the stories we cover may include violence, rape, murder,

and offenses against children. This podcast is not for everyone. You have been warned. In last week's episode, we walked you through part one of the Wineville Chicken Coop murders, a horrible story that took place outside of Los Angeles in the 1920s.

In that episode, we discussed the life of Stuart Northcott, a young and disturbed man who moved from Canada to a farm in Wineville, California. Becoming a farmer was an ideal job for Stewart, not because he loved farming, but because the isolation in the middle of the desert allowed him to carry out his sick and twisted desires without anyone noticing. Stuart had an affinity for young boys, and one of his first victims would be his 13-year-old nephew, Sanford Clark. Sanford was brought to Wineville to help run the farm, but instead, he faced unimaginable physical and sexual abuse at the hands of his uncle. Sanford wanted so badly to run away and escape, but his uncle would never allow it. He was a prisoner

there, and later on he would be forced to be Stewart's accomplice. But in the late 1920s, little boys around the L.A. area started going missing. One was a teenager who was found decapitated on the side of the road, and although he would never be identified, he was Stewart's first known murder victim, and he wouldn't be the last. Unbeknownst to everyone, Stuart Northcott was driving around L.A., abducting little boys. He would bring these boys back to his farm, chain them up in the chicken coop, and then rape them for weeks on end. In last week's episode, we left off on the abduction of 9-year-old Walter Collins, who was Stewart's most famous victim. After abducting the little boy, Stewart's mother, Louise, would find Walter chained up.

And instead of helping him, she and Stewart came up with a plan to murder him, and they would even force Sanford, to participate. So in March of 1928, the three of them would go into the chicken coop while Walter slept, and they all took turns slamming an axe down on the little boy's head, killing him. In today's episode, we are going to walk you through the media frenzy that took place after Walter Collins disappeared and how the LAPD's corruption clouded all judgment

while a child killer operated right under their nose. We will also discuss Stuart Northcott's other known victims. And then finally, his capture. So this is part two of the Wineville Chicken Coat murders. I'm Courtney Browen. And I'm Colin Brown. And you're listening to Murder in America. Donald Walter Collins didn't have the easiest life.

He was born on September 23, 1918. And we don't know exactly when, but sometime after he was born, his father, Walter Joseph Collins, Sr., would be convicted of robbery in California. So at the time of our story, he was serving out his sentence at the Folsom State Prison, meaning Walter's mom, Christine Collins, was raising their son all on her own. And being a single mother is never easy. Many women at the time were usually housewives who stayed home with the kids, which is definitely a job in and of itself, but the husbands were typically the breadwinners.

In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, back in 1920, only 8.2 million women had jobs in the U.S., making up about 20% of the workforce. Today, over 78 million women have jobs, representing about 47% of the workforce. So it definitely wasn't very common for women to be working back in the 1920s. Christine Collins, however, didn't really have a choice. After her husband was sent off to prison, she knew she had to do whatever she could to give Walter a good life. So she eventually found work as a telephone operator in Los Angeles. But given the fact that she didn't have any support, Christine had to make sacrifices.

Working every day meant that she couldn't spend a lot of time with her son. And even paying for child care was more than she could afford. So while she worked to provide for Walter, he was often left at home. And yes, he was very young to be staying at home by himself, but Walter was a good kid. And they had really good neighbors who always looked out for one another. In addition, this was an entirely different time. It wasn't uncommon to see little children walking around town by themselves. Now Walter and Christine lived in a quaint house at 2.17 North Avenue 23 in the Lincoln Heights

neighborhood of Los Angeles. And on March 10, 1928, Christine had to go to work. But 9-year-old Walter didn't want to sit at home all day by himself. So he asked his mom if he could go to the theater to see a movie. Christine agrees, and she gives him a dime to cover the movie cost. And with that, she kisses her son goodbye and heads off for her shift. But little did she know this would be the very last time she would ever see Walter alive. Later that evening, around 5 p.m., Walter was seen walking past a neighbor's house

on the corner of Pasadena Avenue and North Avenue 23, which was only about two blocks away from his house. He was wearing a brown red and black lumber jacket, brown pants, black oxfords, and a gray cap. And he was walking in the direction of the movie theater, but he would never make it there. Unbeknownst to everyone, a child killer named Stuart Northcott who was driving around the area looking for his next victim. And like we mentioned in the previous episode, Stewart used to work at the grocery store that Walter and his mom would frequent. So it's likely that Stewart had even spoken to Walter in the past. So on this day, when he spotted the little boy walking all by himself, he pulled up beside him and said hello. Walter told

Stewart that he was on the way to the movies. But Stewart offered him something even more appealing. Hey Walter, instead of going to the movies, how would you like to come ride some? and ponies at my farm. I'll make sure to bring you right back. And for any little kid, the opportunity to ride around on horses all evening sounded way better than a movie. And since he had likely talked to Stewart before, Walter felt as if he could trust him. So he gets into Stewart's car, never to be seen alive again. Later that night, Christine Collins would get home from work, expecting to see her son sitting in the living room. But her home was quiet.

She walked room to room calling out Walter's name, but there was no response. And once she realized he wasn't in the house, she began to look around outside. Surely he was just playing with some neighborhood kids. But again, nothing. So after a while, Christine decided it was time to call the police

and report her son missing. Now, something important to note is that the Los Angeles Police Department has had a long history of corruption. The LAPD was established in 1869, so at the time of our story, it was still fairly new. In addition, a lot of people within the police department had connections to the mob and would often receive bribes from mobsters and affluent people within the community. So because of this, there was obviously a lot of corruption, and you'll definitely see that come into play with this story. When Christine Collins first reported Walter missing, it didn't seem like there was a lot of urgency to find him.

It was your typical, oh, just wait at home for a bit, I'm sure he'll be home soon. But Christine knew right away that Walter wasn't being rebellious. He didn't just run away. He was nine. And she knew deep down that something horrible had happened to him. In addition, just three months earlier, a 12-year-old little little. girl named Marion Parker had been kidnapped from her school in Los Angeles by a man claiming to know the girl's father. Her family would later receive a ransom demand, but sadly,

Marion's body would be found dismembered on the side of the road. Now her killer, a man named William Hickman, would get arrested before Walter disappeared, so he clearly wasn't responsible. but with these two cases happening within months of each other, everyone around Los Angeles was a little on edge. Even further, just one month before this, another teenage boy was found decapitated on the side of the road and Puente. Now we know that that was Stuart Northcott's first known victim, but at the time that death was still a mystery.

So all around L.A. children were going missing and getting kidnapped, and the public wanted answers, answers that the LAPD couldn't provide. So soon enough, after Walter Collins' disappearance, they began to receive a lot of scrutiny from the public. Many people in the city rallied behind Christine Collins, and after this, his case would start to get the attention it deserved. Investigators searched the nearby Lincoln Park Lake, thinking that maybe Walter drowned, but, nothing was found. So they even started looking at inmates at the Folsom State Prison. Like we mentioned, Walter's father was serving time there and apparently had made a few enemies during his stay. When he found out about Walter's disappearance, he urged the police to look into a few people,

meaning that they may have kidnapped his son for revenge, but it ended up being a dead end. Meanwhile, Christine Collins was left devastated over the loss of her boy. But as the weeks passed, she continued to hold on to hope that he would someday be found. By then, the LAPD had longed launched a nationwide campaign, sending Walter's picture to every state in the U.S., and they did get some tips along the way. Some people reported seeing Walter in San Francisco or Oakland. One woman even claimed to have seen him at a gas station in Glendale, but she said he was dead in the backseat of a car, wrapped all the way up to his head in newspaper, and that the driver was a foreign-looking man, probably an Italian. According to her, another man saw this as well,

and he actually followed the car, but it eventually got away. And both of these witnesses say they'd did believe it was Walter Collins, but in reality, it probably wasn't him. As a little recap from last week's episode, Walter Collins was abducted from the L.A. area and brought to an isolated farm in Wineville, California. Stuart Northcott brought him there and chained him up in the chicken coop. Then, after days of torment and sexual abuse, Stuart and his mother Louise came up with a plan to murder Walter with an axe. They also forced 14-year-old Sanford Clark to participate. It's believed that Walter died around March 16, 1928. He was, acts to death in his sleep by Louise, Stewart, and Sanford. And according to Sanford,

Walter was then buried on the property. But no one had any idea about this at the time. For all anyone knew, Walter could have been anywhere. And Christine was still holding on to hope that her baby was alive. The months after his disappearance were excruciating. But then one day in August, five months later, Christine would get the phone call that she had been waiting for all along. Hi, Mrs. Collins. I believe we found Walter. He was found here in DeKalb, Illinois, and he said that he is indeed your son. As you can imagine, Christine was elated.

She had been feeling a deep ache in her heart for the past five months. And finally, she could breathe again. Her son was okay. The police instructed her to go to the police station so they could work out the technicalities on getting Walter back to California. So that's what she did. However, when she arrived at the police station, they showed her pictures of the boy claiming to be Walter,

and she knew right away that it wasn't her son. And all of the worries she had been feeling quickly flooded back. This was not Walter. Yes, he resembled her son, but it just wasn't him. And she, of all people, would know this. But when she voiced this, the LAPD told her that it was Walter. They told her that it had been a while since she had seen her son and he just looks different. So the LAPD pretty much gaslit Christine into thinking that it was her son.

They even made her pay $70 to have this boy transported back to California, which is about $1,200 today. A lot of money for a single mom who just lost her. her child. After paying the transportation fee, Christine had to wait for his arrival. And over the next few days, part of her thought that maybe the LAPD is right. Maybe it was Walter and her mind was just playing tricks on her. When the boy eventually got to Los Angeles, Christine was nervous as she made her way to the police station. And once she arrived, the officers of the LAPD smiled as they presented her with a young boy, and she knew right then that her worst fears had come true.

Sadly, the boy in front of her was not Walter Collins. Christine then turned to the Los Angeles Police Captain J.J. Jones, and she politely told him that there had been a mistake. This boy was not her son. But J.J. Jones was infuriated that she would even say such a thing. So many children had been getting murdered around L.A. They wanted this case solved, even if that meant giving a mother the wrong child. So Captain J.J. Jones told Christine to just, quote, take the boy home and try it out. So Christine did just that. She took the little boy back to her house where he would stay for three whole weeks. The boy would even tell her that he was indeed Walter Collins, but something was off.

He didn't know certain things that Walter would have known. He didn't know where his bedroom was located. He didn't remember any memories that two shared in the past. It was just a boy that looked somewhat similar to Walter claiming to be him. Christine would even plead with the boy saying, You're not Walter, tell me who you are. But he never would. So Christine invited friends over. She showed them the boy that the LAPD gave her,

and even they were adamant that it was not Walter Collins. Even further, she got Walter's dental records, and with that, it was clear that this was not him. So after three weeks of this random boy living in her home, she finally went to the police again, this time with proof. Christine went back to the police station and approached Captain J.J. Jones with the dental records. She even got her friends to back up her story, but even then he wouldn't budge. He told Christine,

What are you trying to do, make fools out of us all? Or are you trying to shirk your duty as a mother and have the state provide for your son? You're the most cruel-hearted woman I've ever known. You are a fool. Christine couldn't believe what she was hearing. Even with proof, they would not admit that this wasn't her son. Now, comparing dental records is one of the oldest means of identification. In being the police captain, J.J. Jones should have known immediately after looking at those records

that the boy wasn't Walter Collins. But he didn't want to admit that because his work was already done. He closed the Walter Collins case. And he already received all of the praise for bringing the boy back home. So he knew that having to admit that the boy was an imposter wouldn't look very good on the LAPD. So instead of admitting he was wrong, J.J. Jones had Christine Collins committed to an institution.

For the next 10 days, Christine would stay at the Los Angeles County General Hospital in their psychiatric ward, and she was placed there under a code 12, which meant, quote, someone who is deemed difficult or an inconvenience, end quote. Yeah, and if you've ever looked into the abuse and neglect that went on at some of these places, you would be shocked.

Back in the 1920s, they often treated the mentally ill like animals. And on my YouTube channel, the paranormal files, we have investigated a number of infamous psychiatric hospitals and asylums like Pennhurst in Pennsylvania, and the history at locations like that is just so brutal. I mean, some of the old treatment methods were nothing more than torture. And at all times of the day, there was screaming, echoing through the halls of those patient treatment facilities. When you're in buildings like that nowadays, you can just feel the darkness that's soaked into the walls. And let me tell you, it's real and it's left a permanent stain.

So I can't even imagine what it was like to be placed against your will into a facility like that back in the day. And it should be noted that we weren't able to find any documented abuse that Christine experienced while she was there. But I can bet that it was not a pleasant experience. And 10 days is a long time, especially when you didn't do anything wrong. All Christine did was tell the truth, that the boy she was given was not her son. But luckily that truth would soon be revealed. You see, while Christine was in the psychiatric ward, The young boy pretending to be Walter Collins admitted that his real name was Arthur Hutchins and that he was 12 years old, not 9 like Walter was.

Arthur was originally from Iowa, and shortly before all of this took place, his mother passed away. After her death, he was forced to live with his dad and stepmom who didn't really treat him well. So one day he decided to run away. Although he was only 12 years old, Arthur would hitchhike around the country, finding odd jobs along the way. But he always got strange looks from people when they saw he was all by himself. One day, while he was eating at a roadside diner in Illinois, a couple approached him and said that he looked just like the missing Walter Collins from Los Angeles. Arthur assured him that he was not Walter Collins. but after they left, he started thinking.

He had never been to Los Angeles before, and the thought of it sounded nice. So after eating his meal, he walked to the local police station and assumed the identity of Walter Collins. And he kept up with this lie for nearly a month. But once Arthur admitted that he was not Walter Collins, Christine was finally released from the psychiatric ward.

And I'm sure the LAPD police captain, J.J. Jones, was freaking out. and as he should, because Christine Collins was pissed. After being released, she immediately filed a false imprisonment case against the city of Los Angeles and Captain J.J. Jones, and she had the entire city of L.A. behind her. In fact, at the trial, over a thousand protesters came together at the newly built city hall to hear J.J. Jones and police chief James Davis try and defend themselves against Christine's allegations.

At the trial, Walter's dentist testified that Walter had numerous fillings in his mouth, and Arthur, the boy pretending to be. to be Walter, had never seen a dentist before in his life. J.J. Jones could have easily seen this if he would have cared enough to hear Christine Collins out, but he didn't. And ultimately, after two years and two trials, Christine won the case. J.J. Jones was also ordered to pay her $10,800, which today is about $200,000. Christine was very happy about the when, but in the end, she still didn't have her son. She even planned to use the money she won to help her find Walter.

But of course, she would never see one single penny from this lawsuit. J.J. Jones claimed he could never make payments because he was broke. And he didn't even get fired for this, just a slap on the wrist. And the worst part of all was that while the LAPD was trying to cover up their mistakes, a child killer was still operating within their city. Soon after Walter's disappearance, two other little boys would go missing. So let's rewind a bit to May 16, 1928. It had been about two months since Walter Collins was murdered by Stuart Northcott,

his mother Louise and nephew Sanford. And soon enough, he was itching to kill again. On the evening of May 16, 1928, Sanford watched in disgust as his uncle hopped into his car and made his way out of town. And he knew exactly what that meant. Another little boy was about to be abducted, raped, and murdered by his uncle. Around the same time, in the nearby town of Pomona, the Winslow brothers were getting a little restless and wanted to get out of the house.

So 12-year-old Lewis and 10-year-old Nelson approached their mom and asked her if they could walk to the model yacht club, a boy's organization that would build and sell little models of yachts and airplanes. Now, their mom didn't want them to go that night, but she was sick at the time, so she couldn't really entertain them herself. So she decided ultimately to let them go, as long as they agreed to be back within an hour. And the club was only a couple blocks away from their house, so she wasn't too worried. But one thing no one realized was that this was a spot Stuart Northcott would frequent.

Since it was a boys' club, there were always a ton of young men walking to and from the building, providing Stewart with a lot of potential victims. That evening, the Winslow brothers made their way over to the club. Keep in mind, airplanes had just been invented like 20 years before this, so many little boys around this time were very interested in them. Lewis had even brought with him a book that he had recently checked out at the Pomona Public Library, titled The Boys Aeroplane Book. And while at the yacht club, he began working on a small propeller,

while his brother Nelson made a homemade ukulele from an old cigar box. So, as you can imagine, they were having a blast and accidentally lost track of time. When they finally looked at the clock, it was nearly 8.30 p.m. So they quickly packed up their things and started making their way back home. But sadly, they would not. ever arrive. As the brothers walked back to their house, they noticed a car pull up beside them. Inside was a young and friendly-looking man who struck up a conversation. It's unclear exactly what Stewart said to get the brothers inside of his car, but it's possible he offered to give them a ride

home, or he even asked if they wanted to ride horses. The same thing he offered Walter Collins. But regardless, Lewis and Nelson regrettably got inside of Stewart's vehicle, never to be seen alive again. Back at the farm, Sanford was sitting inside enjoying a quiet evening, when he suddenly heard his uncle's car, pull into the driveway. Sanford stepped outside, knowing good and well that his uncle brought home another boy, but he was shocked to see that there were two boys. Stuart grabbed the terrified brothers by their arms and started dragging them towards the chicken coop and once they were all chained up he asked Sanford to hide their belongings in the garage

which was the homemade ukulele and library book and it's here where the Winslow brothers would experience their first night of torture at the hands of Stuart Northcott he spent several hours in the chicken coop with them that night and once he was finished, Stuart forced Sanford to nail the door of the chicken coop shut. It was clear he didn't want to take any chances. After all, this was the first time he ever abducted two boys at once, and as we know, there is strength and numbers.

But after securing the chicken coop, Sanford quickly made his way back inside. He knew that soon enough the boys would start screaming, and he didn't want to be around to hear it. But it didn't matter how far away he was. Their screams would echo throughout the farm all night long, a sound that Sanford was all too familiar with. The following morning, Stuart woke Sanford up extra early so he could tend to the brothers.

He changed their sheets, emptied their chamber pots, and gave them food and water. When he entered the coop, He could see Lewis and Nelson cowering in the corner, so Sanford assured them that he wasn't going to hurt them. And like before, he gave the brothers advice. Do what he says. Don't argue with him. Don't talk back.

And never beg, he told them. The Winslow brothers would stay in the chicken coop for nearly a week. And every single day, Stuart would go in there for hours at a time, abusing the young boys over and over again. One morning, when Sanford went in to clean them up, 10-year-old Nelson was in tears, and he begged Sanford to help them escape. Twelve-year-old Lewis, however, seemed to have already come to terms with their fate. He looked at Sanford and said, quote, he still thinks we're getting out of here, end quote. Lewis's words hit Sanford hard. It was true. They probably wouldn't be getting out of here alive, but he didn't want the brothers to give up hope. After all, he could tell that his uncle was

getting a little paranoid about getting caught. Stuart knew that the boys came from a wealthy family, which meant they probably had resources to search for their missing children. So that day, to cover his tracks, Stuart made the boys write a letter home. The note read, Dear mother and dad, we are going to Mexico to make a lot of money making yachts and airplanes. A woman gave us something to eat. Don't worry, we will be okay. Louis and Nelson. After about a week and a half of horrible physical and sexual abuse, Sanford could tell that his uncle was getting tired of the boys. Disturbingly, he made a comment about how they were as, quote, ripe as I can stand them. He even forced Sanford to dig a hole in one of the hen houses, which meant it wouldn't be long

until Stewart was ready to kill them. But then something strange happened. Stuart started talking about possibly letting the boys go, but only if they were able to keep their mouth shut about what happened on the farm. Now from here, Stewart told Samford to go get the oldest brother Lewis so they could all discuss their plan. And Sanford is excited. Letting the boys go meant that he wouldn't have to help his uncle murder them. So he runs to the chicken coop and grabs Lewis. On the walk back to the house, he tells him, quote,

I think my uncle is going to let y'all go. You just have to get your story straight and promise not to tell anyone. Sanford would later recall that tears filled Lewis's eyes. And he even thanked him for being so kind. But as soon as they stepped in the house, Sanford couldn't find Uncle Stuart, which was strange because he was just there. So he tells Lewis, wait here one second, I'm going to go find him. When Sanford stepped back outside, he saw that his uncle was in the chicken coop with Nelson.

Something wasn't adding up. And as he walked closer, Sanford watched as Stewart slammed an axe down on Nelson's head. Now it all made sense. Stuart never had any plans to let the brothers go. He made up that whole story just so he could separate them, making it easier to kill them. Seeing this, Sanford screamed. But Stewart quickly rushed over and put his hands around his mouth,

saying, "'Shut up, I need his brother to be calm. Don't you dare let him hear you. If you don't make one sound, Sanford, you saw as much shed a single tear, and I will take you out next. Now go put his body in the hole. With tears running down his face,

Sanford lifted Nelson up by the arms and dragged him over to one of the hen houses. There was blood everywhere, but sadly, Nelson wasn't even dead yet. Sanford would later say that the moans coming from the 10-year-old would haunt him for the rest of his life. And against his will,

he was forced to throw Nelson into the shallow grave, However, the moans were so loud, Stuart came over and told Samford to throw dirt on his head to muffle the sound. He didn't want to alert his older brother. So again, Sanford did what he was told, and he buried Nelson alive. But what Stewart said next is what Sanford feared all along. Now, I'm going to go and get Lewis and bring him into the chicken coop. I will distract him and keep him looking at me.

and that's when you'll come up from behind and hit him with the axe. Sanford tried to protest, but his uncle said he would throw him into the grave if he didn't comply. So with that, Stuart handed him the axe and then brought Lewis back into the chicken coup. Sanford followed close behind. He wanted to be as quiet as he possibly could, so Lewis would never see it coming. And as Stewart distracted him, Sanford crept up behind the boy. and slammed the axe down onto his head. From here, they threw him into the shallow grave along with his brother,

and as Sanford filled the hole with dirt. He couldn't stop thinking about how horrible his life had become. He had now helped his uncle murder three boys. Part of him even wished he would die, just so he wouldn't have to live this hellish life. But something inside told him to hold on. After all, his uncle couldn't keep this secret forever, and soon enough he would be exposed for the monster he is. That day was actually just around the corner, but on May 28, 1928, a second letter was sent to Nelson and Lewis's parents after their death.

It read, Dear mother and dad, we are well and having a wonderful adventure. Our only trouble is in getting something to eat. We travel at night and sleep in barns during the day. Is our name in the papers yet? If we can get far enough away and stay hid enough, we will be as famous as Lindberg. Please do not show anyone this letter.

Do not worry. We will be all right. Love from Louis and Nelson Winslow. But this wasn't the only letter Stuart sent out. It had also been a while since Sanford's family had heard from him. So Stewart forced him to write a letter that read, Dear Jesse and Dad, here is your confidential letter to just the pair of you, such as you have requested. Don't tell Winnie, ha ha. Sorry it took so long to write you back, but I wasn't sure

if I wanted to play this game or not. Your confidential letters sure do cheer me up, and you can bet your life that I never let anybody else see them. Ha ha, you will just have to trust me on that. I hope that you will keep writing to me. and also that you will understand that Uncle Stewart is taking very good care of me, and that it is hard for me to get the chance to write very much because of our many projects. Of course, Uncle Stewart does all of the heaviest work, but I still have lots of little chores to do all over the ranch. He is teaching me all about being a rancher.

You would be surprised to see how much skill Uncle Stewart has when it comes to dealing with the other ranchers around here and the merchants in town, et cetera, and so on. Because of his example, I could do all of this myself someday. And of course, that is besides what I am learning in school, which is fine. Your darling boy, just kidding. Ha, Sanford. When Samford's sister, Jesse, read this letter,

she immediately knew that something was off. It just didn't sound like her brother. In addition, he had been gone for two years now, and his handwriting still looked the exact same. And since they were under the impression that Sanford had been going to school this entire time, his handwriting should have improved. So upon reading this, Jesse told her mom Winifred about her concerns. But of course, Winifred just shut them down.

In their family's eyes, Stuart Northcott could do no wrong. So Jesse decided to take matters into her own hands. And she started planning a trip to Wineville, California. and the trip was just so that she could ease her mind. Plus, she missed her little brother and thought it would be fun if they could take a trip to Hollywood. Now, Jesse didn't have the money to travel to California right away. So for the next few months,

she would save up everything she had, just so she could find out exactly what was going on at the Wineville chicken farm. But while Jesse was saving up her money, Stewart had become very paranoid about getting caught, so much so, he actually dug the Winslow brothers up and moved their bodies out to the desert. And it's assumed he did the same for Walter Collins.

But despite him getting paranoid, it still didn't stop him from hunting for more victims. About a month after the Winslow brothers were murdered, Stuart forced Sanford to dig another hole in the same coop where the brothers had been buried. Although their bodies were no longer there, Sanford could still smell the death and decay as he dug into the soil. He could also see small bits of flesh. Stuart was now ready for his next victim, and it was clear with each and every one, Stuart was escalating. In June of 1928, he volunteered to work for the Salvation Army, and while there, he started talking with the employees about how he was in need of young boys that could help with work on the farm. As Stuart was searching for these boys, he was using the name Mr. Craig to hide his real identity.

And being a nicely dressed, charming young man, no one had any idea what his true intentions were. So they told him about the doll family who had fallen on hard to. times. Jacob Dahl, the father, had become ill, making it difficult for him to support his wife, Ella, and their four young sons, aged 8, 12, 14, and 15. So hearing this, Stuart got excited and started coming up with a plan to bring the entire family to the farm. And believe it or not, he would use his own mother to help him execute this brutal plan. Soon after this, Stuart and his mom Louise would drive into town, and again they were using aliases. Stuart was going by Mr. Craig and Luis was pretending to be his aunt, Mrs. Mayo. So the two drive to the Salvation Army

and once there, they offer the doll something that they wouldn't be able to pass up. Stewart tells them that their entire family could come live on the farm as long as their four sons can help with running the farm. And given that Jacob was out of work because of his illness, they were incredibly thankful for the opportunity. But they didn't agree. to it just yet. They wanted to come visit the farm to see if it was a good fit. So from here, they all get into Stewart's car and make the drive to Wineville. The only issue was that Stewart had no plans to let the family live there. In fact, he was going to kill Jacob and Ella as soon as they arrived so that he could have their four sons all to himself. It was a very

risky plan, murdering two parents, but he was willing to do it, and his mother, Louise, was willing to help. When Sanford saw the family step out of the car, he was shocked. It was as if every day his uncle was becoming more and more of a monster. But while the doll family looked around at the farm, Stuart pulled Sanford and Louise aside to tell them about his plan, going into detail on how he was going to kill the boy's parents. Louise told her son she didn't think it was a good idea. But regardless, she would help him get away with it. And hearing this, Sanford was appalled. What do you mean? You're going to kill their parents? You actually think you'll get away with that? He asked. It had been a while since he had talked back to his uncle. And soon enough, he felt a powerful

slap to the side of his face. But there was no amount of physical abuse that would convince Sanford to help. He wasn't going to kill an entire family for his uncle. So he told him that, saying, If you want to kill them, then you do it. I'm not helping you with this one. Angered, Stuart and Louise left the chicken coop, while Sanford stayed put. He sat down and looked at all of the blood splatter on the walls, wondering how on earth he got here. Just a few years back, he was a normal boy, and now he was a murderer, just like his uncle. Sanford anxiously waited for the sounds of screams to fill the air, but instead, to his surprise, he heard Stewart's car, looking through a crack in the wood. He watched as the doll family hopped into the car and made the

way down the road. Finally, he could breathe a sigh of relief, and he couldn't help but feel proud of himself. The doll family was never supposed to leave the chicken farm, but because of his actions, he saved two parents and four children. Later that night, Stewart would come up to Sanford and actually expressed gratitude. He said he was thankful he didn't kill the family because he probably wouldn't have gotten away with it. But this whole situation only made Stewart more hungry for another victim.

The dolls were like a tease, and soon enough he would be on the hunt for someone else. In August of 1928, Stuart had his eye set on 15-year-old Stephen Neil Black. He came across the boy while he was driving through the town

of Alambra. Stewart had stopped by a super service station to get his car fix. And while there, he crossed paths with Stephen's dad, who was a mechanic. From here, he started going by a lot more frequently. And soon enough, Stuart was good friends with Stephen's dad. He even used his charm to get close to their entire family. The blacks thought that this was just a random friendship that blossomed.

But in reality, Stewart was using their family to get to 15-year-old Stephen. This is a common tactic with child predators. They will often use their charm to gain people's trust, making it easier to get a child alone. And after spending a lot of time with their family, Stuart started developing a very unhealthy obsession with him. If you remember in part one, Stewart's first victim was a little boy named Philly,

and unlike the other boy Stuart assaulted, he really, really liked Philly. And this is kind of how he felt with Stephen. Even Sanford began to notice his uncle's obsession. And he figured it was only a matter of time until Stephen was brought back to the farm. But luckily that would never happen. Because towards the end of that summer,

Sanford's sister Jesse finally had enough money to come visit, meaning Stewart would have to be on his best behavior until she left. Jesse Clark left Vancouver by boat, and it ended up taking her a couple of weeks to finally arrive in California. On the day that she got there, her uncle Stuart was supposed to pick her up at around 4 p.m., but he was a no-show. It wouldn't be until the following day when he finally arrived, and she definitely didn't get a warm welcome.

Stuart almost seemed annoyed by her presence, but she didn't care. All Jesse was worried about was finally seeing her younger brother after two long years. When they finally pulled up to the farm in Wineville, Jesse was expecting to see a grown young man. After all, boys around Sanford's age usually hit a growth spurt and even sometimes outgrow their older sisters. But that's not what Jesse would see. In fact, she nearly gasped when she saw her brother. He was extremely thin and malnourished, and he looked far worse now than he did two years ago.

But it was a happy reunion. The two embraced and were really looking forward to catching up with one another. However, Stewart did everything in his power to keep Sanford busy. The last thing he wanted was for Sanford to tell Jesse anything about what had been used. going on, so he made sure to give him extra work on the farm, and Jesse was shocked by how Stewart barely even lifted a finger. She would later say that Sanford did all of the work. His hands were calloused and bloodied, he wore dirty overalls, and he spent all day outside, so much so that she barely even got to talk with her brother. On the second night of her stay on the farm,

Jesse was determined to get Sanford alone. She knew deep down that something wasn't right. So that night, after Stewart went to bed. She snuck over to Sanford's bed and tucked both of their heads underneath the covers. Sanford, what is going on here? I'm so sorry things have been so rough for you. I mean, I figured it was bad,

but this is horrible, she said. You have no idea, Jesse. The things that I've seen here, the things that he's made me. Jesse couldn't believe what she was hearing. Their family had always treated Stuart like he was the golden child. Like he could do no wrong.

And all she could do now was hug her little brother and assure him that it would never happen again. She was going to get him out of there. I knew something was wrong, she told him. When I was in your room earlier, I saw that your underwear had blood on it. I'm so sorry, Sanford. Jesse, he's a monster.

He kills people. He's killed little boys, and he's made me help him. I've buried three boys on this very property. I think he moved their bodies out to the desert, but he's a murderer, Jesse. And Grandma Louise was in on it too. From that moment forward, Jesse's main priority was getting her brother to safety. She would put on a fake smile around her uncle and pretended like nothing was wrong. But behind that smile was pure disgust.

Now, Jesse knew that getting her brother home would not be easy. She barely had any money. And the only people she knew in the United States were her. grandparents, Luis and George. But clearly, Louise would be of no help. She too was a murderer just like her son. So the only option Jesse had left was to get help from her grandpa George. Sanford told her that it would be risky, but they didn't really have any other choice. So one day, Jesse went into town and found a payphone that she used to call her grandpa. When George answered the phone, Jesse quickly filled him in on everything her brother told her. The physical and sexual

abuse, the murders, everything. On the other end of the phone, she heard George sigh. It was clear he was already aware of what was going on. For years, he stood back and let his wife and son break the law, not wanting to get involved. But for whatever reason, he was now ready to help. In fact, he even told Jesse to get to the bus station as quickly as she could, but not to raise any suspicion. Then the following day, George said he would pick up Sanford and drop him off at the bus station so they could ride back to Canada together.

It was a very risky plan, but they had no other options. That very next morning, Jesse packed up all of her things and hugged her brother Sanford goodbye. She also hug her uncle Stuart not wanting to raise any suspicion. But for now, it didn't seem like he was on to them. Everything was going according to plan. Before leaving, she whispered to Sanford that George would be picking him up the following morning. We're going to get you out of here, don't you worry, she said.

But there wasn't a lot of confidence behind those words. From here, Jesse left the farm and headed towards the bus station, praying with everything in her that Sanford would be able to leave. That night, Sanford got into bed. Hopefully, if everything went according to plan, this would be his very last night on the chicken farm. The very thought of it brought tears to his eyes, and he could hardly even sleep.

That next morning, Sanford woke up extra early. His grandpa George had planned on coming to the farm before Stewart woke up. And sure enough, before dawn, Sanford became filled with happiness when he heard his car pulling down the driveway. He quietly ran outside and hopped in the car. He didn't even have a bag with him. None of that even mattered. All he was worried about was getting the hell out of there.

As George's car pulled out of the farm, tears filled Sanford's eyes. He was finally free. But sadly, that feeling of relief wouldn't last long. As he and George neared the bus station, he suddenly saw a car speed up behind them. It was his uncle Stuart. His car then quickly sped in front of them and then slammed on the brakes, cutting them off in the middle of the road.

Soon enough, Stuart emerged from his car with fury in his eyes. Sanford pleaded with his grandpa. Please don't let him take me. Please, Grandpa George. But George Northcott looked at his grandson with defeated eyes. I'm sorry, kid, he said. From here, Stewart opened up the passenger side door and pulled Sanford from the car.

And before he knew it, they were on their way back to the Wineville Chicken Farm once again. Back at the bus station, Jesse anxiously waited for her brother's arrival. But as the clock ticked on, she realized that their plan must have gone awry. Soon enough, the bus they were supposed to have taken together was ready to go. And with no other option, Jesse was forced to leave without her brother. And as her bus pulled away from the station, Sanford and St. Stewart were speeding back to the chicken farm. Sanford was absolutely positive that his uncle Stuart would kill him once they got back.

And at this point, he didn't even mind. Death sounded a lot better than one more minute at that farm. But luckily for Sanford, Stuart Northcott wasn't focused on punishing him. Instead, he was planning his escape. He must have had an inkling that Jesse was going to run off and tell the authorities about what he had done. So later that day, he had a truck come by the farm to load up all of his belongings. When the buyer asked him why he was getting rid of everything,

Stuart told him that his 17-year-old wife was leaving him for an older man, so he just wanted to sell everything and start over. The buyer would later say that Stewart was kind of nervous and in a hurry. He seemed to be anxious to keep things going. Sanford kept his distance, especially when Grandma Louise arrived. She seemed to be just as anxious as her son. She was running around the chicken coops, cleaning up, trying to get rid of any evidence she could.

But after a few hours, once everything was either sold or loaded up into Stewart's car, Sanford watched happily as they took off down the road with no intention of ever coming back. Sadly, they left him there with no money, no food, or anything for that matter. But he didn't even mind. All he cared about was that he was finally free from Stuart Northcott. Stuart Louise and George all quickly packed up their things and started making their way towards Canada. They knew it was only a matter of time until authorities showed up at the chicken farm, and they didn't want to be in the country when that happened. But luckily, Jesse was already one step ahead of them.

As soon as she arrived in Canada, she immediately went to the American consulate in Vancouver and told them everything about her uncle, Stuart Northcott. She said that he smuggled her brother into the U.S. and then abused him for years. And then she told them all about the little boys her uncle had murdered. Jesse was adamant that her brother's life was in danger and that they needed to act quickly. And luckily, they took immediate action.

On August 30th, 1928, Detective Lieutenant Chester A. Lloyd of the Los Angeles Police Department received a telegram about the alleged child killer living in Wineville. We received a telegram from Canada requesting us to locate one Gordon Stewart Northcott who had smuggled in Sanford Clark illegally across the Canadian. border. After investigation and running down many addresses, we located where he was supposed to live on Britannia Street. Back at the farm, on the morning of August 31st, 1928, Sanford watched as a late model automobile pulled into the driveway, and right then he realized it was the authorities. But he wasn't happy to see them. Instead, he was terrified. For years, his uncle Stuart had convinced

him that if he ever got caught, Sanford would be in just as much trouble. Suddenly, horror stories rushed through his mind. His uncle had always told him that boys in prison were often raped, and Sanford winced just at the thought of it. So he quickly hid in one of the chicken coops, afraid that they would come in and arrest him. As the authorities started their search, it was clear that Stewart left in a hurry. There wasn't much left of anything. But off in the distance, they noticed a locked chicken coop. So the officers quickly broke the lock and gained entry. It was dark inside, but off in the corner, they spotted a boy. He looked a lot younger than he actually was.

He was amaciated and afraid. The boy was Sanford. Upon seeing the officers, he began to sob. He thought he was going to jail, but they assured him that he was safe now, and from here he was taken to the hospital. Sanford Clark was in very rough shape. He was so malnourished from the years of abuse and neglect, he would have to stay in the hospital for three whole weeks. And while there, he gave a statement telling the officers exactly what had happened during his two-year stay

and where they could find all of the bodies of the young boys. Investigators went back to the chicken farm, but unfortunately, Stuart Northcott had already gotten rid of a lot of evidence. One police account stated, We took the spade and got the outline of the hole And then dug it out after removing the straw from over the top I should judge that first hole was around two and a half feet wide By four and a half feet long, maybe five.

Why? We found loose earth and down near the bottom of the grave We found a quantity of lime. You may say to the bottom of the grave was covered with lime. Now, this is an important part of our story Because if you remember in part one, Stuart Northcott was told by his neighbor who was a doctor that Quick Lime is the best way to dissolve a human body.

And then shortly after that, Stuart suddenly wanted to become a farmer. So it seems like Stewart took the doctor's advice and used the quick lime to get rid of evidence. And obviously back then, they didn't have the resources we do today, so most of the evidence was indeed destroyed. In addition, Sanford claimed that Stewart moved most of the bodies to the desert, so most of his victim's remains were not recovered. But they did find some evidence. It would take weeks to comb through everything. And by mid-September, the murder farm, as the press named it, was now under 24-hour guard protection.

Following Sanford's confession, officers dug up the graves in the chicken coop and immediately smelled decomposition. They would end up finding several finger or foot and hand bones. In the grave of the Winslow brothers, they found a human tooth that belonged to a child aged 11 or 12 years old. And the quicklime found at the bottom of the grave was mixed in with human hair and human skin. Near the house, investigators found a burned human skull, Boy Scout badges, drawings of yachts, a library book,

in a gray cap that had been worn by Nelson Winslow. They also found murder weapons soaked in human blood. But strangely enough, the police were unable to find an intact human body. It seems like at some point Stuart got paranoid and he moved all of them. But even without the bodies, they had enough evidence to make an arrest. The only issue was that Stuart Northcott and his mother, Luis, were on the run. By September 15, 1928, the sensational story spread throughout the country. The headlines read, evidence of gruesome murders uncovered in Wineville District,

and trail youth as killer of four on murder farm. The hunt to find Stuart Northcott was on. So where was he? Well, after crossing the border into Canada, Stuart and his mother Louise would split up to avoid detection. And for a while, he would stay with his sister, Winifred, who was also Sanford's mother. By then, Winifred had learned all about her brother's crimes.

And she was well aware that he made her son a sex slave. But believe it or not, she still sided with Stewart. In fact, Winifred even helped Stewart evade the police in Vancouver for a while, which clearly shows how dysfunctional his family was. But after about a week, she started getting paranoid. So Stewart came up with another plan. A cruise was coming into town, so he showed up and tried to get a room on the ship to get him out of the region. But when it came time to pay, he only had U.S. currency, which they clearly didn't take, so they denied him a room. And in front of a huge group of people, Stewart started throwing a fit. For his entire life,

he was hardly ever told no. So he started throwing a tantrum like the child he was, which wasn't a great idea. By that point, his picture was in every newspaper in the country, so people quickly started recognizing him, and it didn't take long for the Vancouver police to find him and finally placed Stewart Northcott under arrest. 19-year-old Canadian, Stuart Northcott was arrested in Vancouver today. The Los Angeles Police Department had been looking for him following a gruesome discovery on his chicken farm in Wineville, California. There could be many more victims. The same day Stewart was apprehended, his mother, Luis, was caught trying to purchase a ticket at the Canadian Pacific Railway Office.

using a $50 U.S. bill. She too was immediately recognized and arrested. From here, the mother and son duo were extradited back to the United States. Now, during Stewart's questioning, he proclaimed his innocence. But that didn't really matter because investigators already had enough evidence to charge him with three counts of first-degree murder. For the Winslow brothers and the young Mexican boy he decapitated, who was never probably properly identified. And because there were only partial remains found on the property,

they couldn't technically tie him to any other murders. But investigators had been in contact with Sanford, and according to his confession, his uncle victimized many boys on that farm. In fact, it's suspected that there could have been as many as 20 children murdered by Stuart Northcott. But one boy in particular, the LAPD was curious about, was Walter Collins. Although Walter's body was never found on the farm, Sanford was pretty sure he was one of Stewart's victims. But of course, Stewart denied it.

Now, the LAPD was in contact with Christine Collins, Walter's mom, and they tried telling her that Walter was likely one of his victims, but she refused to believe it since his body was never located. And I don't really blame her. It would be hard to listen to anything the LAPD said after they gave her the wrong child and then sent her to an institution. But while Stewart was awaiting trial, he suddenly wanted to confess to Walter's murder. However, he didn't want to confess to the LAPD. He told the prison guards that if Christine Collins would agree to meet with him, he would tell her everything.

Stewart was a sadistic man. and seeing the pain on Christine's face was a way for him to get off and relive his crimes, even behind bars. So wanting answers, Christine agreed to meet with Stewart at the San Quentin Prison. She was hoping that in doing so, she would get directions on where she could find Walter's body, maybe even get a little closure. But disturbingly, when she arrived at the prison, Stuart changed his mind, He no longer wanted to speak with Christine, telling the guards, quote, I don't know anything about it. I'm innocent.

Now, Louise, Stewart's mother, she would end up confessing to Walter Collins' murder, and she was the one who first asked him to death in the chicken coop, so she decided to take all the blame. And she likely did this because Walter's murder was so widely publicized, and until the very end, she wanted to protect her precious little boy, Stuart. A local news article reported, Mrs. Northcott had related from the stand of, striking the blow which killed the boy named Walter Collins as he lay on a bed in a brooder house on the ranch. She said he had been struck previously, but that no one else was present when she took the axe and killed him. So on December 31st, 1928, Louise Northcott would plead guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.

Now, usually child killers would get the death penalty, but back then, women weren't typically executed, so she was spared her life. But that wouldn't be the case for her son, Stuart. His trial was on January 11, 1929. Beforehand, he ended up firing several defense attorneys before finally deciding to just represent himself, which came as a surprise to everyone. But for the people of this time, this was the trial of the century. For the prosecution's opening statement,

the Riverside County District Attorney, Earl Redwine, said the following. May it please the court and gentlemen of the jury, you have just heard the clerk read the indictment which has been returned by the grand jury of this county wherein Gordon Stewart Northcott, the defendant in this case, is charged with three murders. I'm going to take this opportunity to outline to you to some extent the facts which the evidence in this case will establish. The prosecution's star witness was none other than Sanford Clark. Before the trial, he combed through a ton of pictures of missing boys around L.A., trying to identify any that were his uncle's victims.

Walter Collins included, and unfortunately for Sanford, he would have to come face to face with his uncle during cross-examination since Stuart was defending himself. But Sanford was ready. For years, he had been controlled and abused by him, and now it was time to finally expose Stewart for the monster he was.

During his testimony, it was clear that Sanford, Sanford had gained some confidence, and he was answering each question with ease, something that made Stewart very uncomfortable. And through his testimony, Sanford was able to paint a picture of the horrific life he lived on the Weinville chicken farm. When he was finished, a deputy opened the gate to the witness stand, and Sanford left the courtroom. From that moment on, he would never have to face his uncle ever again, and for that, he

was grateful. As for the rest of the trial, both of Stewart's parents would end up testifying. On the stand, George would say, I was deathly afraid of him. So was his mother if she would tell the truth. Stuart was always in full charge of the house when present. We dared not cross him. Spoiled is no name for him. I would say he is ruined. Now, Louise Northcott, Stewart's mom, would also take the stand. And of course, she was willing to do anything to protect her learned. boy. In her testimony, she even told the jury a very shocking story about how Stewart was the child of an incestuous relationship between his father George and older sister Winifred. Now, it's unclear if this is even true or if she was just making it up to try and save her son from an execution,

but in the end, it would not persuade the all-male jury. On February 8, 1929, After 27 days of trial, the jury had finally reached a verdict after just a few hours. Stuart Northcott was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder, and following that, he was sentenced to death by hanging. The verdict of Stuart Northcott made front-page news across the country. Although the term serial killers wasn't introduced until the 1970s, it's clear that people across time have always been fascinated with true sociopaths, like Stewart. Following his sentence, he continued to be a monster constantly taunting the parents of

Nelson and Lewis Winslow and Walter Collins. He would offer to tell them the fate of their children only to refuse at the last minute. He also confessed to around 20 murders, but then quickly changed his mind and proclaimed his innocence. But luckily, he wouldn't be around much longer to taunt his victim's families, because on October 2, 1930, Stuart Northcott was set to be executed. Usually he was very loud and rambunctious, but on the day of his execution, he was quiet. His one request was that they play his favorite song, Song of Songs, which was his first victim, Philly's favorite song. Once it was finished, the 24-year-old was blindfolded and led up the steps to the hangman's scaffold. It was reported that he cried and begged for

his life as the rope was put around his neck. Stuart then stood above the trap door, pleading for his life, much like his victims did in their last moments. But the hangman showed no mercy for the child killer. And right before he pulled the lever, Stewart screamed out. No, don't! But it was too late. The hangman pulled the lever.

The trap door opened beneath him. him and from here the rope tightened around Stewart's neck however he wouldn't die right away Stewart would struggle at the bottom of the rope for nearly 12 minutes until he finally passed it was a very slow and painful death that many spectators in the crowd were pleased to see but finally the Weinville chicken coop murderer got the justice he deserved the effects of this case would linger around California for quite some time after Stewart's execution. The LEPD had to work to gain the public's trust after their corruption regarding Christine Collins. Parents around California had to teach their children about the dangers of predators,

and even the city of Wineville had to change its name to the current Miraloma, hoping to distance itself from the horrible crimes that tainted their city. In 1931, Stewart's father, George Northcott, left California and bought a small farm in Parsenburg, Maryland, and Louise Northcott was paroled on May 30, 1940. After her release, she left California and joined her husband on his farm in Maryland, only to die four years later from chronic myocarditis. Christine Collins never quite came to terms with the fact that her son was a victim of Stuart Northcott. Without ever finding his remains, she dedicated her life to finding Walter until her death in 1964

at 75 years old. And even as recently as 2008, Clint Eastwood directed a movie called Changeling, which is about the story of Walter Collins. Courtney and I actually watched it before this episode, and it's an amazing film. I would definitely recommend y'all watch it if you want to learn more about this story. But to wrap this up, there are many heartbreaking endings to this story, lives that were destroyed because of Stuart Northcott and his crimes. But the one silver lining is the life of Sanford Clark. He was never tried for his part in the crimes because he too was a victim. After Stewart's arrest, Sanford was sent to the Whittier School for Boys, where he worked through the years of abuse and trauma he faced at the hands of his uncle.

This school actually focused a lot on rehabilitation, and it ended up being Sanford's safe haven. In fact, in January of 1931, Sanford was released early after serving just two years due to his exceptional behavior. and in 1935 he would go on to marry a woman named June McKinness. The two would end up adopting two sons, and despite all odds, Sanford lived an exemplary life. He served in World War II, and he would work for the Canadian Postal Service for 28 years. But even though he worked hard to make up for what happened when he was younger, it seemed like he never quite forgave himself. Throughout his adult life, he would suffer from headaches, nightmares, survivors' guilt, and thoughts of suicide.

It's even been reported that he opted on adoption because he didn't want to carry on his lineage, fearful that his children would somehow get his uncle's genetics. And believe it or not, Sanford never talked about what happened when he was younger. It was too painful. But then randomly, when his kids were older and grown, he opened up to them about his childhood, and he told his family everything. His kids would end up writing a book about his life titled, quote, The Road Out of Hell, Sanford Clark, and the true story of the Weinville murders,

which is a source we used in this episode. However, Sanford would never get a chance to read it, because on June 20, 1991, he would pass away surrounded by his loved ones at the age of 78. On his deathbed, Sanford's son Jerry Clark told his father that he loved him, and his last words were, quote, Why would you? According to Jerry, his father never forgave himself for what happened, and the guilt and pain he faced would be a constant until the very end of his life.

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limited time, listeners can get $25 off their best-selling Carver Matt Frame with code M-I-A. That's A-U-R-A-Frams.com promo code M-I-A. Support the show by mentioning us at checkout, terms and conditions apply. Good hair days do more than we give them credit for. When your hair feels healthy, you show up differently. You feel more confident, more relaxed, and you're not constantly checking the mirror. Nutraful supports hair health from within and delivers results over time. So your hair becomes something you enjoy, not something you stress about. Nutraful is the number one dermatologist recommended hair growth supplement brand, and it's the number one hair growth supplement brand personally used by dermatologists. And Nutriful's

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years now, and we've been using their supplements for months. We figured at one point why not try their supplements because we love their shampoo and conditioner so much, and yeah, it's one of those never looking back situations. But you can let your hair become one less thing taking up space in your head and see thicker, stronger, faster growing hair with less shedding in just three to six months with Nutraful. For a limited time, Nutraful is offering our listeners $10 off your first month subscription and free shipping when you visit Nutraful.com and enter promo code MIA. That's neutrafold.com, spelled n-U-T-R-A-F-O-L dot com, promo code M-I-A. Hey, everybody, it's Colin here.

And Courtney. Thank you for joining us for this week's episode of Murder in America. Courtney. What did you think about this movie, The Changeling? Oh, my God. It is so good. If you haven't seen it, go watch it right now. It is so, so good.

And after we watched it, we immediately knew we had to cover the stories. Yeah, it's kind of one of those stories that you haven't heard of. I had never heard of this crime spree, and it's definitely shocking. And yeah, I just want to thank all of our new patrons this week. We're still catching up. We have Vibe Noi, Janine Ranski, Patricia Mags, Dielana Staplea, Autumn Falls, Grace Merzler, Emily Solitart, Sonia Bridges, Sarah Halituka, Salatucca, Cecilia, Andrea Bird, Caitlin Wallin, Rachel Cuthrill, Russell, Danielle Benet, Stephanie, Dominique Pancake, Charlie Arnold, Rebecca Spikes, Charles Schultz, Julie Mosqua, Brittany, ander. Glow, Jessica Marie, Sarah June, and so many more.

Oh my God, guys. We are still catching up from August. But if you want to get your name read at the end of an episode, you want access to a bunch of bonus content. Just sign up on our Patreon. So for $5 a month, you get access to every single episode every week, ad free and the day before it drops on all streaming platforms. For $10, you get two full-length bonus episodes of the show every single month.

And if you donate $20 to help grow our show, you get four bonus episodes. of murder in America. They are on there right now. So if you go sign up today, you're going to have a whole library of content to go through. But yeah, we cannot thank all of y'all enough for signing up to support us on Patreon. We have some really big news coming with the show soon.

And if you want to follow us on Instagram, follow us at Murder in America to see photos from every case that we cover. But yeah, wow, that is a mouthful. But we love you guys. And we will catch you on the next one.