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The bodies were discovered nearly 48 hours after their car was found abandoned with its doors hanging open, its occupants vanished in the surrounding woods. It was an execution-style killing, times two. The dead were discovered with their watches and shoes missing, their wallets emptied. Gags were found stuffed in their mouths and both had been fatally shot in the head. And though the FBI took over the investigation, the leads winnowed away to an infrequent drip, which kept it on life support, waiting for someone to uncover the truth. Decades later, a relative of one of those killed will reach across time in an attempt to put the case's scattered pieces together and shine a light on those responsible. Today, I'll tell you about the unsolved Crater Lake Double Murder of 1952, that may have been solved.
Episode Host: Josh McCullough
Sources
Alta Online - Crater Lake Murders | Story of '52 murders at Crater Lake near finish - Jan 30, 2000 | The Crater Lake murders and the 9-fingered man - July 21, 2002 | 3 Suspects Taken In Oregon Killings - September 19, 1952 - Crater Lake Institute - Enhancing the Visitors Experience | Murder at Crater Lake | Area's unsolved murders | Members | heraldandnews.com | Le Grand Observer - 08.23.1952 Cars Checked | Corvallis Gazette Times - 07.23.2002 Man Says He Witnessed | Medford Mail Tribune - 11.11.1962 Double Murder | Corvallis Gazette Times - 07.44.1952 No Clues Reported | Medford Mail Tribune - 09.21.1952 California Police Holding Suspects | FBI's legendary pioneer Tampa agent is dead at 89 | Federal Official Crime conference, 1952 — Calisphere | Herald and News - 10.10.1956 FBI Still Confused | The Capital Journal - 03.10.1958 Crater Lake Stop | Contra Costa Gazette - 08.22.1952 Companion Also Killed | Herald and News - 07.28.1952 Chief Guides Crater Probe | Herald and News - 08.11.1952 Crater Murder Still Mystery | Pasadena Independent - 08.01.1952 Feds Pinch Braggart | The News Review - 08.02.1952 Youth Goes Back on Crater Lake | Los Gatos times - 09.19.1952 Speeders Suspected in Crater Lake Murder | The Eugene Guard - 09.22.1952 Gun Checked in Crater Case | Statesman Journal - 07.20.1967 No Solution in 15 Years | Oakland Tribune - 12.01.1953 FBI Mum on Santo Link | Statesman Journal - 07.28.2002 Details of the Day | The Capital Journal - 10.11.1956 FBI Baffled | The World - 07.22.2002 Man Says He's Witness | St Joseph's News - 09.27.1953 Mountain Murder Mom | Valley Times - 06.02.1955 Knight to Rule | The Sacramento Bee - 04.21.1954 Santo Case | The Sacramento Bee - 02.04.2007 Sacramento Gangsters | The Eugene Guard - 01.29.1954 Mass Murder | The Sacramento Bee - 06.10.1953 Santo Still | The Sacramento Bee - 08.11.1953 Linked to Santo