Murderland Chicago: A Deep Dish of Death

Latest Episodes:

16: Patty Columbo and Frank DeLuca Part III // Season 2 Recap and Season 3 Preview Oct 17, 2023

This is part 3 of our series on the deadly duo of Patricia Columbo and Frank DeLuca, who killed Columbo's family in 1976. We discuss the media aftermath of Columbo and DeLuca's convictions. We also recap season 2 and give a preview of season 3!
Howard, Clark. Love’s Blood. St. Martin’s Paperbacks, 1994.

“Woman Speaks out about 1976 Murder of Her Parents, Brother.” The Daily Journal, 8 May 2006, https://www.daily-journal.com/news/state/woman-speaks-out-about-1976-murder-of-her-parents-brother/article_da4a76ca-7eb2-5857-bb6a-ff726a92046a.html.

“Patty Columbo, Frank DeLuca up for Parole Again in Elk Grove Village Murders.” Daily Herald, 10 Jan. 2017, https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20170110/news/170119902/.

“Patty Columbo Seeks Parole for Elk Grove Killings -- Again.” Daily Herald, 25 Mar. 2014, https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140325/news/140328966/.

Press, The Associated. “Patricia Columbo Speaks from Jail.” The Quad-City Times, 7 May 2006, https://qctimes.com/news/state-and-regional/patricia-columbo-speaks-from-jail/article_5b420d08-d866-58ce-8b6f-46692ee7203b.html.

“A Young Woman and Her Married Lover Kill Her Family.” HISTORY, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/a-young-woman-and-her-married-lover-kill-her-family. Accessed 26 Aug. 2023.

“Officials: Columbo Should Never Get Parole for Killing Family in Elk Grove.” Daily Herald, 19 May 2011, https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110519/news/705189838/.

“Images: Historic Photos from Patty Columbo Case.” Daily Herald, 19 May 2011, https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110519/news/705199980/.

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15: Patty Columbo and Frank DeLuca Part II Sep 21, 2023

This is part 2 of our series on the deadly duo of Patricia Columbo and Frank DeLuca, who killed Columbo's family in 1976. We discuss how the toxic romance between Patty and DeLuca led them to plan and carry out the murder of Patty's parents and younger brother.
Howard, Clark. Love’s Blood. St. Martin’s Paperbacks, 1994.

“Patty Columbo, Frank DeLuca up for Parole Again in Elk Grove Village Murders.” Daily Herald, 10 Jan. 2017, https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20170110/news/170119902/.

“Patty Columbo Seeks Parole for Elk Grove Killings -- Again.” Daily Herald, 25 Mar. 2014, https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140325/news/140328966/.

“A Young Woman and Her Married Lover Kill Her Family.” HISTORY, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/a-young-woman-and-her-married-lover-kill-her-family. Accessed 26 Aug. 2023.

“Officials: Columbo Should Never Get Parole for Killing Family in Elk Grove.” Daily Herald, 19 May 2011, https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110519/news/705189838/.

“Images: Historic Photos from Patty Columbo Case.” Daily Herald, 19 May 2011, https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110519/news/705199980/.

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14: Patty Columbo and Frank DeLuca Part I Aug 29, 2023

This is the first of our3 episode series on the deadly duo of Patricia Columbo and Frank DeLuca, who killed Columbo's family in 1976. In this episode we discuss the culture of Chicago's middle-class suburbs and cover Patty's childhood in the city, adolescence in the suburbs, and how she and Frank DeLuca met and sparked their deadly relationship.
Howard, Clark. Love’s Blood. St. Martin’s Paperbacks, 1994.

“Patty Columbo, Frank DeLuca up for Parole Again in Elk Grove Village Murders.” Daily Herald, 10 Jan. 2017, https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20170110/news/170119902/.

“Patty Columbo Seeks Parole for Elk Grove Killings -- Again.” Daily Herald, 25 Mar. 2014, https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140325/news/140328966/.

“A Young Woman and Her Married Lover Kill Her Family.” HISTORY, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/a-young-woman-and-her-married-lover-kill-her-family. Accessed 26 Aug. 2023.

“Officials: Columbo Should Never Get Parole for Killing Family in Elk Grove.” Daily Herald, 19 May 2011, https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110519/news/705189838/.

“Images: Historic Photos from Patty Columbo Case.” Daily Herald, 19 May 2011, https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110519/news/705199980/.

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13: Leopold & Loeb Aug 22, 2023

In this episode, we discuss how 1920s era Chicago shaped the toxic relationship between Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, what led them to murder Loeb's 14 year old second cousin Bobby Franks, and why this so-called "perfect crime" was anything but.
TW: Kidnapping, sexual assault, murder, the death penalty
Research sources include:
Williams, John. Nothing but the Night. New York Review Books, 2019.

“Nathan Leopold - Loeb, Murder & Death.” Biography, 7 Apr. 2021, https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/nathan-leopold.

Leopold and Loeb | Murder, Trial, & Facts | Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leopold-and-Loeb. Accessed 12 Aug. 2023.

US EPA, REG 05. Environmental Issues in Southeast Chicago. 8 Mar. 2017, https://www.epa.gov/il/environmental-issues-southeast-chicago.

A Short History of Hegewisch, IL | Hegewisch Neighborhood. https://www.hegewisch.net/short_history.html. Accessed 12 Aug. 2023.

Lake Profile -- WOLF LAKE. https://ifishillinois.org/profiles/waterbody.php?waternum=00084#. Accessed 12 Aug. 2023.

“A Trip to Hegewisch, Chicago’s Most Remote Neighborhood.” Chicago Magazine, https://www.chicagomag.com/city-life/a-trip-to-hegewisch-chicagos-most-remote-neighborhood/. Accessed 12 Aug. 2023.

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12: Larry Eyler Part III Aug 15, 2023

This is the final episode of our three part series on Larry Eyler, a serial killer who targeted gay men from the Indianapolis / Terre Haute, IN areas all the way to Chicagoland and beyond. In this episode we discuss his possible accomplice and how competing incentives among different legal players helped to ensure that the whole truth about what happened can never be brought to light.
TW: Sexual assault, torture, murder
A Current Affair Freed To Kill episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU-EU3QYLdA
Research sources include:
Kolarik, G., & Klatt, W. Freed to Kill: The True Story of Serial Murderer Larry Eyler . Garrett County Press, 2012.
“Eyler Dies in Prison; Had AIDS Lawyer to Talk on Confessions.” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-03-07-9403070026-story.html.
“The Eyler Legacy: 21 Deaths.” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-03-09-9403090089-story.html.
“Dead Inmate's Account of 21 Killings Told.” Los Angeles Times, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-03-09-mn-31980-story.html.
“The Return of Larry Eyler.” The Reader, https://chicagoreader.com/news-politics/the-return-of-larry-eyler/.
“Indiana Unsolved: Identities sought for 2 victims of 'The Highway Killer' Larry Eyler.” IndyStar, https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2013/10/22/indiana-unsolved-identities-sought-for-2-victims-of-the-highway-killer-larry-eyler/3149123/.
“New Push to ID 3 More Victims of Serial Killer.” CBS Chicago, https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/new-push-to-id-3-victims-of-notorious-serial-killer/.

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11: Larry Eyler Part II Aug 08, 2023

Here is part two of our three part series on Larry Eyler, a serial killer who targeted gay men from the Indianapolis / Terre Haute, IN areas all the way to Chicagoland and beyond. In this episode we discuss his crimes, how he was caught—and freed!—in Indiana, which culminated in Eyler's arrival to the north side of Chicago.
TW: Sexual assault, child abuse, torture, murder
Research sources include:
Kolarik, G., & Klatt, W. Freed to Kill: The True Story of Serial Murderer Larry Eyler . Garrett County Press, 2012.
“Eyler Dies in Prison; Had AIDS Lawyer to Talk on Confessions.” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-03-07-9403070026-story.html.
“The Eyler Legacy: 21 Deaths.” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-03-09-9403090089-story.html.
“Dead Inmate's Account of 21 Killings Told.” Los Angeles Times, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-03-09-mn-31980-story.html.
“The Return of Larry Eyler.” The Reader, https://chicagoreader.com/news-politics/the-return-of-larry-eyler/.
“Indiana Unsolved: Identities sought for 2 victims of 'The Highway Killer' Larry Eyler.” IndyStar, https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2013/10/22/indiana-unsolved-identities-sought-for-2-victims-of-the-highway-killer-larry-eyler/3149123/.
“New Push to ID 3 More Victims of Serial Killer.” CBS Chicago, https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/new-push-to-id-3-victims-of-notorious-serial-killer/.

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10: Larry Eyler Part I Aug 01, 2023

Welcome to Season 2 of Murderland Chicago: A Deep Dish of Death! This is the first of a three part series on Larry Eyler, an often-overlooked serial killer who targeted gay men from the Indianapolis / Terre Haute, IN areas all the way to Chicagoland and beyond. We discuss the economic and cultural relationship between Chicago and Indiana, the leather community, and how Eyler's upbringing and young adulthood in Indiana set the stage for a years-long evasion of detectives in both Indiana and Illinois.
TW: Sexual assault, child abuse, torture, murder
Research sources include:
Kolarik, G., & Klatt, W. Freed to Kill: The True Story of Serial Murderer Larry Eyler . Garrett County Press, 2012.
“Eyler Dies in Prison; Had AIDS Lawyer to Talk on Confessions.” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-03-07-9403070026-story.html.
“The Eyler Legacy: 21 Deaths.” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-03-09-9403090089-story.html.
“Dead Inmate's Account of 21 Killings Told.” Los Angeles Times, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-03-09-mn-31980-story.html.
“The Return of Larry Eyler.” The Reader, https://chicagoreader.com/news-politics/the-return-of-larry-eyler/.
“Indiana Unsolved: Identities sought for 2 victims of 'The Highway Killer' Larry Eyler.” IndyStar, https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2013/10/22/indiana-unsolved-identities-sought-for-2-victims-of-the-highway-killer-larry-eyler/3149123/.
“New Push to ID 3 More Victims of Serial Killer.” CBS Chicago, https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/new-push-to-id-3-victims-of-notorious-serial-killer/.

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09: Season 1 Recap and Season 2 Preview Jan 31, 2023

Thank you everyone for listening and sending in your feedback! We got together to reflect on season one, highlight themes and patterns that became clear during the making of the podcast, and interview a special guest to get a behind-the-scenes view into the kind of work that goes on in labs! We also preview Season 2 of Murderland Chicago: A Deep Dish of Death, which is currently in production.

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08: The Ripper Crew Part Two Dec 20, 2022

This is part two of our conversation about the Ripper Crew, a group of young men who kidnapped, tortured, and murdered women for years in the early 1980s. In this episode we discuss the known victims, describe the interpersonal dynamics of the Ripper Crew and how they got caught, and finally, where all this fits into the national Satanic Panic of the 1980s.
TW: Kidnapping, sexual assault, torture, murder
Research sources include:

Fletcher, Jaye Slade. Deadly Thrills. Onyx, 1995.

“A Man Described as ‘Robin the Ripper,’ Suspected Along...” UPI, https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/11/11/A-man-described-as-Robin-the-Ripper-suspected-along/9665405838800/.

“BURIAL ENDS ORDEAL, NOT FRUSTRATION.” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-04-26-8501250302-story.html.

“DISAPPEARANCES OF YOUNG WOMEN FORMED A PATH.” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-10-11-8703170164-story.html.

“NEW CLUES UNSETTLE FAMILY IN RITUAL SLAYING.” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1995-11-13-9511130163-story.html.

“FindLaw’s Appellate Court of Illinois Case and Opinions.” Findlaw, https://caselaw.findlaw.com/il-court-of-appeals/1333865.html.

“People v. Kokoraleis.” Justia Law, https://law.justia.com/cases/illinois/supreme-court/1989/65229-7.html.

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07: The Ripper Crew Part One Dec 13, 2022

This is the first of two episodes about the Ripper Crew, a group of young men who kidnapped, tortured, and murdered women for years in the early 1980s, but who are not well-remembered today. We discuss how and why the Ripper Crew averaged a victim per month for nearly 2 years without raising any sort of alarm for the police, media, or general public.
TW: Kidnapping, sexual assault, torture, murder
Research sources include:

Fletcher, Jaye Slade. Deadly Thrills. Onyx, 1995.

“A Man Described as ‘Robin the Ripper,’ Suspected Along...” UPI, https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/11/11/A-man-described-as-Robin-the-Ripper-suspected-along/9665405838800/.

“BURIAL ENDS ORDEAL, NOT FRUSTRATION.” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-04-26-8501250302-story.html.

“DISAPPEARANCES OF YOUNG WOMEN FORMED A PATH.” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-10-11-8703170164-story.html.

“NEW CLUES UNSETTLE FAMILY IN RITUAL SLAYING.” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1995-11-13-9511130163-story.html.

“FindLaw’s Appellate Court of Illinois Case and Opinions.” Findlaw, https://caselaw.findlaw.com/il-court-of-appeals/1333865.html.

“People v. Kokoraleis.” Justia Law, https://law.justia.com/cases/illinois/supreme-court/1989/65229-7.html.

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06: John Wayne Gacy Part Two Dec 06, 2022

We wrap up our coverage of John Wayne Gacy with a discussion about why so many young men and boys went missing in Chicagoland without any repercussions, the locations that Gacy was known to cruise for sexual partners and for victims, and the long term impact that these crimes have had on Chicago.
TW: Kidnapping, sexual assault involving minors, torture, murder
Research sources include:

Wilkinson, Alec. “Conversations with a Killer.” The New Yorker, 10 Apr. 1994. www.newyorker.com, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1994/04/18/conversations-with-a-killer.

“DNA Test Confirms Teen Missing since 1976 Was John Wayne Gacy Victim.” USA TODAY, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/07/19/dna-test-confirms-teen-missing-since-1976-john-wayne-gacy-victim/492937001/.

Stroud, Matt. “Grave Mistake: The Controversial, High-Tech Search for John Wayne Gacy’s Lost Victims.” The Verge, 10 May 2013, https://www.theverge.com/2013/5/10/4315390/the-controversial-high-tech-search-for-john-wayne-gacy-lost-victims.

People v. Gacy, 103 Ill. 2d 1 (1984) | Caselaw Access Project. https://cite.case.law/ill-2d/103/1/.

“The Lost and the Dead: How John Wayne Gacy Led a Family to Its Missing Son.” NBC News, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lost-dead-how-john-wayne-gacy-led-family-its-missing-n156666.

“Walter Jacobson Tells All, and It’s Almost All Worth Reading.” Chicago Magazine, https://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/Felsenthal-Files/September-2012/Walter-Jacobson-Tells-All-and-Its-Almost-All-Worth-Reading/.

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05: John Wayne Gacy Part One Nov 29, 2022

This is the first of two episodes about John Wayne Gacy, a uniquely Chicago monster. We re-examine who Gacy was using Chicago’s cultures and geography as a backdrop. Listen for our analysis of Gacy as a member of Chicago’s Polish community, a member of the Catholic faith, an active participant in local politics, and as a man who embraced cruising in the days just before the AIDS crisis hit Chicago's gay community.
TW: Kidnapping, sexual assault involving minors, torture, murder
Research sources include:

Wilkinson, Alec. “Conversations with a Killer.” The New Yorker, 10 Apr. 1994. www.newyorker.com, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1994/04/18/conversations-with-a-killer.

People v. Gacy, 103 Ill. 2d 1 (1984) | Caselaw Access Project. https://cite.case.law/ill-2d/103/1/.

“The Lost and the Dead: How John Wayne Gacy Led a Family to Its Missing Son.” NBC News, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lost-dead-how-john-wayne-gacy-led-family-its-missing-n156666.

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04: Brian Dugan Part Three Nov 22, 2022

In the prior episode, we talked about how a racist law enforcement system put three innocent men on trial while Brian Dugan remained free for 2 years. Today we're going to talk about the additional crimes that were enabled by this circus, and we're going to get into what happened when we decided to visit Dugan in prison.
TW: Sexual assault, murder, wrongful convictions, and the death penalty.
Research sources include:

“The Legacy of Brian Dugan (Timeline).” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-brian-dugan-murder-timeline-20141212-htmlstory.html.
Individuals in Custody. https://www2.illinois.gov/idoc/Offender/Pages/InmateSearch.aspx.
“Morgan Freeman Visits Illinois Serial Killer Brian Dugan for Documentary.” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-morgan-freeman-brian-dugan-met-20151223-story.html.
“Inside the FBI Files of Brian Dugan.” Daily Herald, 22 July 2009, https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20090722/inside-the-fbi-files-of-brian-dugan.

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03: Brian Dugan Part Two Nov 15, 2022

Part two of our series on Brian Dugan, who terrorized Chicagoland in the 1980s. In this episode we discuss how a racist law enforcement system let a killer go.
TW: Sexual assault, murder, abduction, wrongful conviction, death penalty
Research sources include:

“The Legacy of Brian Dugan (Timeline).” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-brian-dugan-murder-timeline-20141212-htmlstory.html.
Individuals in Custody. https://www2.illinois.gov/idoc/Offender/Pages/InmateSearch.aspx.
“Morgan Freeman Visits Illinois Serial Killer Brian Dugan for Documentary.” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-morgan-freeman-brian-dugan-met-20151223-story.html.
“Inside the FBI Files of Brian Dugan.” Daily Herald, 22 July 2009, https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20090722/inside-the-fbi-files-of-brian-dugan.

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02: Brian Dugan Part One Nov 08, 2022

In this episode we talk about Brian Dugan, who killed at least 3 people in west suburban Chicago in the 1980s. Dugan's crimes were made possible in part by the collapse of blue collar job opportunities alongside the simultaneous population growth of Latinos. This combination of factors helped Dugan to fly under the radar while xenophobia focused the fear and blame onto innocent men, which resulted in decades of false imprisonment and the preventable rape and murder of at least 2 of Dugan's victims.

TW: Sexual assault, murder, cruelty to animals, wrongful convictions, and the death penalty.

Research sources include:

“The Legacy of Brian Dugan (Timeline).” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-brian-dugan-murder-timeline-20141212-htmlstory.html.
Individuals in Custody. https://www2.illinois.gov/idoc/Offender/Pages/InmateSearch.aspx.
“Morgan Freeman Visits Illinois Serial Killer Brian Dugan for Documentary.” Chicago Tribune, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-morgan-freeman-brian-dugan-met-20151223-story.html.
“Inside the FBI Files of Brian Dugan.” Daily Herald, 22 July 2009, https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20090722/inside-the-fbi-files-of-brian-dugan.

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01: Thesis Statement Nov 01, 2022

Why are we making a true crime podcast? What makes it special? Why should you add it to your rotation? And, what should you expect from season 1? Co-hosts Jonathan Sanchez Leos and Meridith Halsey answer these questions and more!

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