EPISODE · Oct 13, 2025 · 37 MIN
Dorothy Donovan
from Forensic Tales · host Rockefeller Audio
In June 1991, 70-year-old grandmother Dorothy Donovan was found brutally murdered inside her farmhouse in Harrington, Delaware. The crime stunned the small town—and suspicion immediately turned to the person who discovered her body: her own son. Charles Holden told investigators a strange and terrifying story about a violent hitchhiker he’d picked up earlier that night, a man who threatened him with a screwdriver and chased him through the dark. But detectives weren’t convinced. To them, it sounded like a desperate attempt to cover up something far worse. For years, Dorothy’s family was torn apart by grief and suspicion. Was Charles telling the truth, or had he concocted an elaborate alibi to hide his guilt? This is the story of a brutal crime, a family divided, and the forensic evidence that finally uncovered the truth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What this episode covers
In June 1991, 70-year-old grandmother Dorothy Donovan was found brutally murdered inside her farmhouse in Harrington, Delaware. The crime stunned the small town—and suspicion immediately turned to the person who discovered her body: her own son. Charles Holden told investigators a strange and terrifying story about a violent hitchhiker he’d picked up earlier that night, a man who threatened him with a screwdriver and chased him through the dark. But detectives weren’t convinced. To them, it sounded like a desperate attempt to cover up something far worse. For years, Dorothy’s family was torn apart by grief and suspicion. Was Charles telling the truth, or had he concocted an elaborate alibi to hide his guilt? This is the story of a brutal crime, a family divided, and the forensic evidence that finally uncovered the truth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Dorothy Donovan
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