The Bygone Society Show

Episode 2: The Trunk Murderess Part 2

Kate Naglieri Season 1 Episode 2

At the end of part 1, Winnie Ruth Judd gave her first and only public confession about the murder of her two friends, Anne and Sammy, while awaiting her execution at the Arizona State Prison.

The confession led to her lover, Jack Halloran’s indictment, but as you may recall, Ruth pleaded not guilty due to self defense. When the judge agreed with her, he indirectly nullified Jack’s involvement in the murders and the cover up.

Jack was free to go, but Ruth remained under the hot spotlight of the media and the watchful eye of the state.

And the state remained under the searing, hungry eyes of the entire nation. Too much was at stake to let Ruth walk now. With her death sentence overturned, Ruth was deemed, quote, “mentally incompetent”, and became a lifetime patient of the Arizona State Asylum for the Insane. Or did she?

Research, writing and hosting by Kate Naglieri
Production and sound by Jamie Eichhorn

Follow The Bygone Society Show on Instagram @thebygonesocietyshow and on Substack @thebygonesocietyshowpod

People on this episode