Episode 157 Murder at the Richards Mansion

Over 80 years ago, a coal mining town in Tennessee was rocked by the murders of two wealthy sisters and their 16-year-old houseworker. Who had the motive to kill the sisters, and why would someone harm the teenager who worked for them? In 2001, a former police chief claimed to have solved the case and named several suspects, but it remains shrouded in mystery. Want more Southern Mysteries?  Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime, and more when you patronize the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries Connect Website: southernmysteries.com Facebook: Southern Mysteries Podcast Instagram: @southernmysteries Email: [email protected]  Episode Sources The Commercial Appeal: Mystery Surrounds Tennessee Murders, Feb 6, 1940 Knoxville Sentinel-Times: Hint Murder Tale Not Yet Told, Feb 7, 1940 Knoxville Sentinel-Times: Oliver Springs Divided Over Theories of Sisters’ Slayings, Feb 8, 1940  The Knoxville Journal: Sheriff Offers Slaying Case Reward, Feb 8, 1940 The Knoxville Journal: Jurors reject Murder-Suicide Theory, Feb 14, 1940 The Knoxville Journal: Slain Sisters Cousin was Mysteriously Killed, Feb 18, 1940 Oliver Springs Historical Society: Historical Timeline of Oliver Springs Oliver Springs Historical Society Newsletter: The Richards Sisters Murders The Tennessean: Clearing of suspect deepens 60 year old mystery, January 27, 2001 Seattle PI: The cousin did it, investigator says, November 15, 2001 WBIR 10 News: Appalachian Unsolved: Murder in the mansion, May 22, 2023 Episode Music Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.