Marie Berlin Clara Branch had money and her friend Marie Jarvis Berlin wanted some of it. It was as simple as that. Clara's brutal murder on November 14, 1919 (a Friday) wasn't one of cold calculation but one of impulse, motivated by greed. By all accounts the two women were friends, had been for years.  And yet, Marie (aged 31) knowingly and willingly struck her friend multiple times in the head and face with a hammer - thus prematurely ending the life of 41-year-old Clara Branch. How does that happen? I've tried to find the origins of the friendship between Clara and Marie but ..read more

In a slight break with tradition, I've decided to write about a more well-known individual.  Hopefully, I'll provide something new or I'll manage to bring together a variety of sources in an interesting way.  Since I'll be quoting multiple sources throughout, I've decided to assign each voice their own individual font. Today's story is a classic "Did she or didn't she?" from the world of entertainment. This is for anyone who loves musical theater and has seen some version of "Gypsy."  Curtain up....light the lights.....it's Mama Rose's turn. Rose Evangeline Hovick nee' Thompson ..read more

Not all autobiographies are created equal; some are more revelatory than others.  Much of what Cassandra Peterson shared in her 2021 book "Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of The Mistress of The Dark" came as a surprise to me and, I dare say, to many others. With everything that Cassandra wrote about in her book, there are two things which received the most attention from the media.  In no particular order, other than perhaps bad news first,  Cassandra claims that when she was in her 20s (the 1970s), basketball superstar Wilt Chamberlain sexually assaulted her during a party at h ..read more

I've start a Facebook page as a way to further promote the blog.  My "As Close to Crime" YouTube channel is doing quite well but I do still hope that people will read my written accounts of historical crimes.  Perhaps I'll be able to redirect some traffic from FB to the blog. Here's a promotional video, for all things As Close to Crime, created by Matthew Plotecher -        ..read more

This blog entry is a lengthy one. It has to be if I'm to tell the story as completely as I can.  Because of the title I've settled on, I feel a brief introduction is required. You see, these crimes certainly involve more than three mothers and I've written about more than two abductions however, only three of the women and two of the abductions are directly linked.  There is just the one murder; that part of the title is accurate.  With that disclaimer out of the way ....... There has been much written about women entering the workforce during WWII, to take the place of the men ..read more

Topics for my true crime blogs entries can come from just about anywhere and this subject is a prime example of that fact. It was while watching Season 1, Episode 27 of "The Untouchables" ("Head of Fire, Feet of Clay") that I saw Leo Gordon without his shirt on and wondered "Is that a shark bite?"  A quick Google search led me to Leo's Wikipedia page and I had my answer within minutes. "Gordon was in southern California where he and a cohort attempted to rob a bar and its patrons with a pistol. He was shot in the stomach by one of the officers making the arrest.Convicted of armed robber ..read more

Bronwen Mason For Bronwen Mason, being born on Valentine's Day didn't guarantee she would have an easy time of when it came to romance and eternal love. In fact, just the opposite was true. Bronwen met Joseph Benedict Centifanti, later "Jay" to his friends, in the mid-1960's when they were both students at the University of Pittsburgh. An outstanding student, Joe had earned two scholarships and was working multiple jobs to pay his way. Bronwen recalled being attracted to Joe's vitality and spontaneity.  People might now recognize Joe's frenzied, hyperactive, manic behavior as be ..read more

It would be an oversimplification to say that Professor Wren A. Stone ruined Christmas in 1935. His actions on December 24th of that year most likely left a sorrow that would linger for years to come; as anyone who has lost a loved one on or around a specific holiday can attest. For me, Easter Sunday is when my maternal grandmother died. Thanksgiving is the last time I spoke to my Aunt Tish before she died. Etc, etc. Most of us have a similar sadness. In 1935, Wren Stone let his anger, bitterness and hatred for one man get the better of him and on Christmas Eve, he exacted his revenge.  O ..read more

Minneapolis Star photo Picture a young mother enjoying a day out.  She's delighted to have scored a ticket to one of Pittsburgh's hottest shows. And it's a seat on the aisle.  But things take a nasty turn and she leaves the theater in tears - thoroughly humiliated by the star performer who has taken liberties. If you're thinking this is a blog post about R Kelly - you're wrong. The man in question is Jimmy Durante and the year is 1935. Jimmy had been booked for a week long engagement at Pittsburgh's Penn Theater, starting February 15th and ending February 21st.  He arr ..read more

Nothing ruins a night out like coming home to discover your home has been burgled. Such was the situation, on November 15, 1919, for Clara and Albert Yost. Missing from their Lockport, Illinois home was a small sum of cash, a suitcase containing old clothing and some groceries, including salt, sugar, potatoes and 25 pounds of raisins.  That's a lot of raisins. Why would anyone, other than a commercial baker, have 25 pounds of dried fruit on hand.  Could it have something to do with the passage of The Volstead Act on October 28, 1919? Prohibition, soon to be the 18th Amendment to our ..read more