41. The Poison Pen Plot

Ian even Brave few times your hometown. What kind is it in County? Wicklow leverage, thank you very much. Ah, have you ever done there? Cliff Walk? Yeah, of course, we have make sure to turn around and I'll tell you what, grown, to the have a with. The we are twins. There's our, there's a stem from Bright strong called the happy pair nosy, great food, great for these handsome Twins, and they're getting to see together and I don't trust them. I do lives quite Why scandalous could you imagine? They've got the bodies that not your average Irish. Men have absolutely tanked think of the bodybuilder episode last week, they're like that but less trustworthy if you ask me, man. No, I'm saying that the kidnapping and torture their Novi to make delicious food, they sell vegan food in a small town in Ireland and it does. Well, that's pray and do you've any any interesting people from Europe from Edinburgh? My shit going on down there. Well my you know, my favorite Scandal Source. Oh no, I'm a can't do the Bobby. We're doing that. No, we've already done it. Minion always thought that on the podcast, you sure. So listen, everyone, God's sake. Some of you may have heard of the story of greyfriars Bobby, if you don't know guy dies and he's got a dog of a loyal dog and the dog, this is very cute after the man's death. The dog waited outside the gates of the cemetery, every day until the dog passed away. Waiting for his own up to come out to get him. So and the dogs are on our, they erected a statue called the greyfriars Bobby. And it's a big tourist attractions little bronze statue of a re Scottie dog. And it's cute and everyone loves it. But here's The Scandal kicks him. The dog is facing onto the road instead of the great. He should be looking at the graveyard, not facing the graveyard. You're wondering. Why is that? That's because apparently Rumor Has It allegedly, the pub which is called the greyfriars Bobby. They got the dog spun around to not face the graveyard and that is. So when tourists take a foot off the dog, the pub is in the back of all the shots. So they've got a lot of it Free Press there. Today's story is all about a small town, whose Dirty Laundry was well and truly aired by a prolific letter writer. A soda. Is it, are we about to do? Bridget said I love that. You reference Britain, it's not quite, but before we get going, I want to warn listeners at this story. Contains descriptions of death and attempted murder. So, listener, caution is advised, as attempted. Those don't get too stressed out. It's December 1993 and the team at the hitting u.s. TV show Unsolved Mysteries. We love watching that good. They're sorting through their mail room. Now, we got a lot of emails with the imagine how much mail that they get. Your bars are ours are done by classier people and saving trees. We don't, we don't have a p.o. box. We do have a p.o. box although no fuel, no? Okay. Now as it's Christmas, there is a jolly are to the mailroom. Many of the letters. The team are opening our Christmas cards for Robert Stack. The show's enigmatic host, they stick on some festive music as they open and sort through the letters. For then. One of the show's, researchers picks up an unusual, lemon yellow postcard, this is definitely Christmas cards, there's a note scrawled in Block capitals on the back. It reads, forget Circleville, Ohio, do nothing to hurt, Sheriff, rise, lift. If you come to a high o UL sickos will pay And it's signed the Circleville writer. Who is Sheriff Radcliffe? And who the hell is the Circleville writer? No, stranger to an unsolved mystery. The researcher shows the rest of the team and they start looking into the case. They soon discover that they are the latest recipients in a letter-writing campaign that has been going on for nearly two decades and stranger still, the man believed to be responsible. For these letters has been in prison protesting, his innocence for nearly 10 years. I like the sound of this one. From Spotify. I'm Laura Whitmore. And I mean, Sterling and this is partners in crime. The podcast, where each week we indulge our fascination with the weird wacky, wonderful, and downright bizarre until you one of our favorite stories from The Strange World of True Crime. That's right. In this week, it's my turn. And this is episode 41. The poison pen process. In. We're heading to Ohio. Oh Ohio. Hi. Oh so before I even get stuck into the story, I'm just gonna give you 30 seconds to try out and a higher accent, get it out of your system. That's what is so high. Oh oh hi. I don't know. Where is its kind of North? It's like they're kind of decide. Isn't it near West Virginia and Indiana? Oh hi. Oh hi there. He's also feminine. Oh, hi. I'm from Ohio. I like to go out in the field and plant my crops and seeds and sometimes when the moods just right, I'll make love to a small small wife of mine and we're done. Okay. I think that was all right. I see. It's one of the better ones I've done. Okay. Now that's out of the way we can get on with today's episode and there's always will read add some of your emails at the end, which may well give Ian another opportunity to try out more of his accents. So keep listening. For those and also I just like to say a big thank you to everyone that's bought tickets to my tour. But sir my new stand-up show relevant this sold-out. Yeah, it's not sold out yet. That's why we're talking about in this podcast. I'm sorry we've gone off piece that. Let's get delving into your in bloody backstories and all that nonsense and actually you'll be sorry to hear that. I struggled to find much backstory for this case. Yes, straight to the good stuff. Luckily, this one is so fascinating and so, full of twists and turns you won't even miss. Finding out all the lovely juicy information about these people's childhoods. So our story today starts in a town called Circleville. It's a small town in the state of Ohio in the US of a. And this town is famed for its annual Pumpkin Festival, aside from its high profile in the exciting world of pumpkins. So Covell is just your average sleepy small town. It's free from Scandal and really capturing any outside attention, folks, and Circleville live pretty ordinary and drama-free lives until mmm. In 1976, one of the town's school bus drivers, Is Mary Gillespie receives a strange letter. It's postmarked from Columbus, the state capital of Ohio, which is just about 40 minute drive from Circleville. Her address is printed in an unusual block Capital scroll in handwriting, she doesn't recognize Aunt, when she opens the envelope, it makes sense that she doesn't recognize the handwriting because the letter is from an anonymous source and whoever this person is they're making a shocking claim. They tell Mary that they know she is having an affair with the school superintendent Gordon massive. So it's a juicy bed ever. Goss the bus driver on the superintendent why I say is a superintendent you know they'll need I know, I know you want to say, is it the Scottish fella? No that's gravel you think of this Simpson? Oh yeah, he's the superintendent your finger, the groundskeeper Willie right here, already superintendent, the guy with a horseshoe haircut. Anyone you know the superintendent base is the manager of the school district that like the boss of several schools in the area and they come around to manage everything on top of the allegations about an affair at the latter is also threatening. I know where you live. It says, I've been observing your house and know you have children. This is no joke. Please take it serious. This is obvious. Scary. But also this person's arm or on by well, they've written a letter addressed it to the person's house and God, I know where you live, of course, of course, you do, you sent me a letter so knocking. On someone's front door. I know where you live. Yeah, you're here. All right, despite this, frankly terrifying threat against her and her family, Mary doesn't mention the letter to her husband, Ron special DD, and especially given that another letter arrives. Just eight days later that she also fails to mention guilty. Assures that she's responsible for this. Always a lady. No. Or do you think he's having the affair? She's done it. I don't trust this merely last at all. I don't trust me as far as I can. Throw her. That's all I'm saying. What are the superintendent? Why is, why is it is her fault that innocent bystander? No less. So, for whatever reason, Mary keeps both these letters secret, but then her husband Ron gets a letter to and Mary decides to tell him about the first two. She kind of asked her in this third lecture, the writer tells Ron about the affair and Mary is supposedly having with the school superintendent Gordon, the letter warned, On that if he doesn't do anything to try and stop it, then his life would be in danger too. But wait was Mary actually having this affair or not? What she did? She was that mansley denies it and one believes her cool. I know it's early in but any idea who could be sending the letters, the superintendent's wife and if she wants it to stop. Yeah an interesting gasps the letters keep coming and they're becoming more and more vicious the letter writers threatening to go public with their claims and even tells Ron that he be killed. If he doesn't inform the school board about Mary's affair with other stuff, is it right? To say that? I know where you live. I can spell Iona Payne other stuff that's obvious from having allow. I can lick envelopes, Mary, and Martha becoming more and more worried for the safety of their family. And of course, they're starting to be suspicious of everyone around them. I would, I would trust anyone any woman that comes near me from from now on, and I'd be like, what do you think? It's a woman who's written the letter? Yeah, because She wants the superintendent herself. Now, Mary has her suspicions about who the letter writer. Might be. You see a fellow bus driver had, come on to her, Mary had declined, his advances, and she says, that he is still sour about the rejection. So, she thinks he might be behind the letters and trying to break her marriage apart. Maybe the heart still in school bus driver, just a picture of her. Yeah, of course, this is a bus driver. It's very pretty, she's absolutely stunning. Imagine you were a kid and she was on your bus. She looks a bit like him more than one road and she it's a bit of an old school picture for the 70s though, doesn't it? Look sold in the 70s. Good point. Actually. She's very pretty, very, very pretty. Got a little beauty mark. Above her lips very like Cindy Cindy Crawford. She looks like Cindy Crawford, a good candidate for breaking. The hearts of the local bus drivers, when Mary tells her husband, she's suspicious of her fellow bus driver, Ron agrees that it makes sense, that his jealousy could be, the poisonous force behind these horrible letter. And they start to plot ways to get back at him with the hopes of putting a stop to the letters. So, despite the threats in the letter, the couple, don't go to the police at this stage, I guess, this is a small town, and even though there's no truth, the letters in that day and age, marry just wouldn't come across looking. Well, particularly as a woman because women had it harder than men. Even if it wasn't true in the 70s, as a woman, you can't say someone's claim. I'm having an affair. Look how nice you were when I told you. She was a bus driver in the 70s. You didn't even really believe it or not because what famous Women can try. She has to get one of the kids said. Every time she asked me, I said a three-point turn. Let's not compare driving. Oh God, that's it. That's it. I don't have you know that Sinister tone Living Legends. I haven't had issues with the police and my driving. Yeah I know. But I did have to replace the rear view mirror yesterday so that anyway, let's move on. So in the summer of 1977 at the With send Mary and Ron invite their nearest and dearest trying to discuss the best way to stop the latter's. This is a tight-knit group of five people. There's Ron and Mary, obviously, and Ron's sister Karen, and her husband Paul. Then the fifth person in the group is Paul sister. So she's the sister of Mary's brother-in-law, I do draw stuff other than this small group, no one else knows about the letters between the five of them. They hatch a plan. They decide that Paul Ron's brother-in-law will start writing letters to this other bus driver in the latter's, Paul says that he knows this guy is riding threatening letters to marry and Ron and tells him to stop and get it played in the letter writer at their own game. I like it. Exactly. And for the next two weeks, their plan works, the letters, stopped, and Mary, and Ron starch, relax, believing that the torment has come to an end. I mean, as it knows that we're not even at the break this episode. Joe on August, the 19th 1977 Mary and Ron's home phone rings. And the call brass their Newfound bubble of security. That the word thing here e is that no one knows what a sat on this call. What we do know is that the coal confirms to Ron exactly who the letter writer is. There's a tell me. How was your horses for a moment? So when he receives it, this mystery called tips, Ron over the edge, he's been stressing about this for months now and just when he thinks it's over it started up again, he's had enough. He tells the children that he's heading out and jumps into the red and white pickup truck. Truck, the exact same truck that the letter writer has mentioned. They're keeping a close eye on before leaving the house. Ron picks up his gun. Yeah, it's so blows my mind that people just have guns. It's like, picked up my phone as I left the house, I picked up the gun but it is, this guns are too readily available in. This is why things happen. So tragically Ron turns the key and screeches out of the drive. This is the last time he's ever seen alive. Oh what? Yes at a Crossroads very close by Ron and Mary's red and white pickup truck is found crashed into a tree and Ron is pronounced dead. At the scene, her Ron and his poor family to their told about the accident and investigations into the scene of the horrible crash. Begin tests are run on Ron's blood and discovered that he has one and a half times the legal amount of alcohol in her system. It is concluded that the tragic crash is, the result of drunk driving. It is believed that he lost control of his vehicle and hit a tree, but his family, in particular, his children, say that Ron did not seem drunk when he left that night. They said that Ron had never been a big drinker and that they don't recall him drinking on the night of the crash blood tests, don't lie though. But how awful for the kids? Obviously? I know, but in there is something much more confusing about this crime scene now. Do you remember that? Ron took a gun out with him as he jump into the car that night. Yeah, we talked about it for two seconds ago. Yeah. Well when they find Ron, they also find his gun next to him in the car and they realize that at some point between leaving the house and crashing. The car Ron's gun was fired once o.m.g. bees When what? Well Allah in there's a lot more. I need to tell you. And I'm pack about this, but I'm afraid that's going to have to wait until after the break. I just can't put my gun on charge. Right? Where we are, you okay? So, Ron Gillespie's gun has been fired at some point between receiving a spooky phone call. His car crashing into a tree and we do not know what on Earth is going on. But there's a woman involved. Shut up. Well, Ian, there is something weird going on and sadly. There's no clear answer because the target of that, gunshot remains a mystery, and, of course we can't ask Ron what was said in the phone call. The local cops do of course. Investigate the crash. The investigator is called Dwight Radcliffe. Pretty great. Isn't it like Dwight? Dwight knows what a strange Johnson. Isn't it. It's white right. Glad she ain't white Radcliffe. That's like Dwayne Johnson. And what's your name? Pussy, Saunders, that's level. That's just like Kirsten Alison, isn't it? Actually you may think that Dwight right of sounds familiar because I actually mentioned in the opening scene. Oh yeah. Yes, my memory is not good as you all know. Well, his name was on the card. That's a TV crew received. So this sheriff is a charge of investigating Ron's crash, I guess from the outside, he seems to be doing an okay job. We know that he looked into one suspect and then eliminated them from the investigation. Due to insufficient evidence. Do we know who the other suspect was? What was it? The other bus driver, to be honest with you. Ian, it's not clear who the suspect is or whether or not the other bus driver is investigated at this point. And this may frustrate you But Ron's death is ultimately ruled as an accident that isn't true, if you ask me, I know particularly because the way he ran out of the house, like had a called ran out of the house and then is found dead and shot a gun. No, remember Paul fresh, our he was Ron's brother-in-law. The guy who wrote the letters to the other bus driver. Wow, Paul claims that the sheriff initially agrees that there must have been Foul Play involved. But Paul says that the sheriff then changed his mind, completely. Either way. Sheriff, I Cliff seems to be done with this investigation but not everyone is soon after the investigation is closed, several Circleville residents, receive letters from the letter writer saying that the sheriff is perpetrating a cover-up more letters. Mad. This, this is actually mad. This story is great. You know, what's so funny though? If this was like in Ireland or over here, like the post has been so shit. Like I got a Christmas card and the end of January February, can you imagine trying to send these letters? You get them like four weeks too late. A Chagall. Oh, I know where you live in. Like I've moved. Hi Scott Rios from the redirected, man. This isn't really taken seriously by the cops though, and as time passes Circleville returns to its old routines and rhythms Mary, and her children are left to mourn. Ron without any clear answers. The letter writer though doesn't stop over the course of the next six years. They pick up their poison pen again, and again, many Circle, the residents continue to receive notes from the letter writer, these often contain details about their personal. Eyes, sometimes about their sex lives and although it's deeply odd and troubling the Circle. The letter writer, eventually just becomes part of the fabric of the time. I wear a little Quirk to add to the annual pumpkin celebrations. However, something related to the story, those managed to shock the community, Mary Gillespie and the superintendent of schools Gordon Massey eventually acknowledge our relationship. Exactly as the letter writer initially accused. Oh, my God. Know this puts a lot of things in a different light. Now, according to them, this relationship only starts after the latter started, but, you know, I don't imagine everyone is wholly convinced by this is obviously a lie. Well, the Circle, the letter writer has another trick up their sleeve for Mary Genoa. I'm no suspicion of a mayor in. I'm actually a my focus is on Mary, let's see. So Mary is now in a relationship with someone very high up in the higher education system, but she still driving her school bus. Maybe she just likes it. Oh, wants to make her own money either. In 1983, which is six years after Ron's death. Mary starts noticing signs appearing along her bus routes. These homemade signs a bit like the ones you see in dancing birthdays or engagements along, roadsides, made obscene claims about Mary and her new partner Gordon for a while. Mary man just to ignore them. But on the 7th of February, Mary sees one that makes her blood boil. The sign, accuses Mary's new partner, Gordon of sexually. Assaulting her 13 year old daughter. No, or not. That's all I know. No, no, I'm not having that Mary can't take it anymore. She Slams on the brakes and jumps out of a bus to go and pull it down. But as you run towards the sign, she notices something behind the sign, there is a box with a piece of string, hanging out of it. That's attached to the, placard something about the seems very strange to marry. So she carefully removes the box from the sign and takes it into a bus. When she's inside, she carefully opens it and her heart skips. A beat, inside is a pistol. It's trigger attached to the string, which connected the box to the sign what he soon. Realizes that this sign is a booby trap. The message was designed to make her pull down the sign in a fit of rage. And there by pulling the string attached to the trigger of a gun, which would have been pointing directly at her. Head took a really aggressive. Malone trap. Yeah, quite aggressive in. Shot in the head. Now Mary takes the box to the police and they set about trying to identify the owner of the gun. Oh my God. You just, you'd be absolutely petrified and actually isn't difficult for them to find out who the owner is because despite an amateurish attempt to rub off the serial. Number on the gun, please are easily able to trace it and this gun belongs to someone that Mary knows who do you think belongs? I can let you guess the brother-in-law. A sister. Okay, the one that was in the circle of trust, remember her? Wow. This gun is traced back to Paul fresh our Ron's brother-in-law. You know, the one who wrote those letters to Mary's fellow bus driver, accusing him of being the Circleville poison pen writer all those years ago, I knew they were involved. Supporters actually just split up with his wife ran sister, who you think was the perpetrator? No, I was horrid between her and Ron. It was a 50-50 actually when you know, Kind of hard. Jeb not. So, you makes absolutely no effort to deny that the gun belongs to him, but he's adamant that he had no idea how it came to be in that booby trap. Maybe he's being set up, or was it him all along either way? Paul becomes a prime suspect in the case and on February 25th 1983 seven years after the first letter, arrived, Sheriff Radcliffe calls. Paul in for questioning and ask him to take. Rather an unusual handwriting test. The sheriff has Paul a copy of the His letter sent by the circle of the letter writer and instructs him to copy these as closely as you can and pull obliges. The sheriff then takes the letters away from Paul and dictates the exact same letters to him. So by this point Paul is writing the exact same text that. He originally copied down from the letters place in front of him. Those are spot her hand right in Texas, Dodge. I mean, I don't know. Bass feels wrong. Yeah, you're totally right. It isn't at all. Usually A text will be dictated to the person being tested without them. Seeing the source material, down the line, experts evaluate the sheriff's methods and conclude that the tests are carried out improper. The experts state that Paul will have unconsciously emulated the original letter, of course, of course he would have police are ideas, man, but at the time I pulled her, ask the sheriff uses the test to inform the prosecutor. That Paul fresh air is responsible for the letters and the handwriting on the booby-trapped signs. Well, how do they concluded the signs and alerts? Right by the same person. The first place question. And one I don't have an answer to I'm afraid. It does seem like a bit of a bold jump, but that is a whole other question. So the prosecutor informs policy Fresher that he is under arrest for the attempted murder of Mary Gillespie and is placed on a 50 thousand dollar cash Bond. Paul's trial takes place on October 24 1983, even though Paul is being tried, only for the attempted murder of Mary Class B, and not for the circle, the letters these letters do make up a large part. Of the case, built against him, a handwriting expert stands up and states that they believe polls handwriting samples, match the letters written by the Circleville, Ohio, letter writer, the handwriting samples that we know were We obtained was very ones, right? So, during the trial, Mary glass be takes the stand, she tells the courtroom and the jury an important fact in the August of 1982, so that's before the booby-trapped sign. She had a visit from Paul's ex-wife Karen. She's Ron sister. If you remember, well, I know, huh? According to marry Karen had told her that she thought Paul her ex-husband was responsible for the letters. Oh hello. So next up in court polls work timetable from the week. Mary found the booby trap is pulled out as evidence. These confirmed that pole was not at work on Monday. The 7th of February 1983. The exact day that Mary stopped her boss at the booby traps. I know it's not looking great for our Paws. Exactly. And but I'm going to throw another spanner in the works. Paul also has an alibi for the entire day. I couldn't find out exactly who this is, but according to reports from the time, it was a silent enough Alibi that people are happy with it. So, working against Paul. We have Mary's claimed that his ex-wife Karen. Thought he was the poison pen letter writer. I mean, if you had a Bad breakup. Just put it on the was just a skit Carlin ask Karen directly with. Yeah, we also have the fact that Paul was definitely off work on the morning. That Mary found the booby trap, but then, working in his favorite, we have his Alibi and also that we now know the way, the handwriting samples were obtained. Although remember, this is information. We have in hindsight, not something that the jury or able to consider during the trial in the end. Look is a non-polar side. When the judge reads out the jury's verdict, they find him guilty of the attempted murder of Mary Gillespie. He is given 7 to 25 years, the maximum sentence for attempted murder. I know you could give some 17 to 25. I know it's quite a range on these. Give the man a number of the, yeah, yeah, I mean, it's a tough old settings. Paul continues to maintain his innocence there. Everyone in Circleville assumes that Paul is responsible for the circle of the letters. And therefore, everyone assumes that Paul being behind bars would put a stop to the latter's but get to see in the letters. Keep on coming. They're being sent out to recipients across a massive area of Central Ohio but you can send letters from prison. Yeah, true. Even and somebody the Paul is doing just that but the letters are postmarked Columbus. The town I mentioned at the start of the episode just a 30-minute drive from Circleville. So someone else would have to be posting my firm. So no, one really can explain how Paul was able to get this postmarked, given that he's being held in Lima prison, which is 200 miles away from Columbus. Okay? So, despite this some still believe that Paul was somehow posting the letters from Um, so he's placed in solitary confinement in a single cell with nothing except essential Furniture. There's no pencils, no paper. Nothing so unless he manages to keep a supply of stationary hidden away during pat-downs and room searches, it is that physically impossible for Paul to write letters as the Circleville letter writer, what's more? His mail is monitored as are his visits and phone calls. So there should be absolutely no way of Paul masterminding, his plot from inside the prison walls, but someone doing his bidding from outside despite all of this. Poison pen letters, don't stop. I mean, come on I just can't beep. All right in the layers. Is that simple? Wow, that's what you would think. But despite all of this, when Paul's parole hearing comes up in December of 1997 years after his conviction, these letters are apparently used as justification to keep him inside, even though it should be impossible for him to write them presents, it just sums them up. They're like, oh, yeah, we've cited something right in there. As we can still do it, you're a present. So if you try and stop them right there, as he shouldn't be able to write letters, they don't even trust the system themselves. It makes they don't trust their own system, apparently, in the weeks and months before his parole, hearing the volume of the letter sent, by Circleville poison pen, letter writer increases drastically. So he's denied parole despite being universally regarded as a model prisoner, then just a few days after the hearing the letter writer pulls their cruelest move yet they write a letter to Paul himself what it reads now, when are you going to believe you aren't going to get out of there? I told. Two years ago, when we set them up. They stay set up. Don't you listen at all? No one wants you out. No one. The Joke is on you, haha. I mean he is the writer than he's deranged. Well as she's not the raises a the cob suppose, the cleverest thing you can do is write a letter to yourself, to prove. It is not you right in the letters of that makes sense. But it's very cruel, I know. But fortunately, there is a small upside to this for Paul, first of all, the warden of the prison starts to take poolside. He writes a letter to Paul's wife stating that he doesn't believe that Paul can be writing the letters from within the Prison Walls. Wait, didn't pose rifle even good memory. Paul's first, wife Karen did indeed leave him. But Paul did actually marry again. Okay? So this letter leads review of the sheriff's initial investigation files, the ones that were used to charge Paul with the murder and this investigation uncovers, some key evidence that was never brought up in the trial. The person investigating this file believes that. This information is so key that could have kept pull fresher out of prison. Go on Apparently, one of the other bus drivers came forward just before the trial, they stated that they saw a yellow El Camino car parked up. The exact same spot Mary had found the booby trap just 20 minutes before she drove the exact same route this supposed driver claims that a large man. With Sandy hair was standing next to the car parked up on the verge. This description, the bus driver gave of the man is totally different to how anyone would describe whole fresher, but this lead wasn't followed up at all by the prosecution. I don't understand why wouldn't they follow up well in someone else. Close to this plot drives a yellow El Camino. Hey Wow, remember Paul's ex-wife Karen. She's yes. Come on. Well, Karen's new partner at this time. Allegedly drove a yellow El Camino. Never liked our knew it. I knew it. Some people speculate that perhaps Karen and her new partner planned, the entire thing to frame Paul, but this of course is total speculation and it's important to say here that there is no new evidence that links Karen and her new partner to the case, So, in 1994 pull fresh air is released from prison 10 years after he was put behind bars in the first place. Over the ten years, the Circleville Ohio letter writer has written, hundreds, if not thousands of anonymous letters and one of these you remember from the start was set to the u.s. TV show Unsolved Mysteries in December 1993, not long before. Paul was released from prison to this day, Paul staunchly maintains his innocence and of Paul is innocent. Then the case of the Circleville Ohio letter writer, Is unsolved when interviewed by Unsolved Mysteries, Paul says that he would like for the police to reopen the case of the letters and Ronald's death as he believes, the culprit is still at Large. So Ian, that was the story of the poison pen letters of Circleville. What do you think of that? And who do you think was the real author? It's a good case that I like that one. I always find a hard when we don't get the answer. No, I generally want to know the answer. So I reckon the answer to that. We'd really disappointed the first call that Ron had in the phone who rented that boat ago. Where did that Polacco what? She had an affair with him the whole time? Well I think she was shagging the superintendent the whole time, definitely. But then why would Ron said, you wouldn't gotta let her go? And all you're having an affair and hardcore. That's not bad. No, no. Someone knows it's that thing with the whole some people in the town now have you know, email and partners increments anyone Circleville, Ohio. Let us know that be some people from Ohio. Definitely the booby trap, though was mad because they thought that she was going to represent, and she's not that type of person, she didn't just rip it down and because you didn't she saved her life. Also, they wouldn't have known. Should we be stood in the right place and all that? It's like ice not does. I said it's a trap from the hormone. Lawn is more like a sauce. Drop the soft films. No, I don't watch them. Some of them are great. Some of them are bad, sweetie, some emails. Yes, please. This one is from Caitlin from Ohio. No way. Oh, hi. Ohio, Caitlyn Caitlyn says hi there. My name is Caitlin and I am from Ohio. I'd love to hear even attempt a Midwestern accent with plenty of soap. So that's helpful. What soaps mean though? Must be like how you say o Pope? Would you be? Nope. What is that? Scope scope. Hope how are you coping? I'm cool. I like to go. Let's go. I've got some hope that dope I like to smoke the dope on the rope and I go from the dope. Nope. Yo I don't understand, I don't understand, let's say we've done a high let's not get bogged down in anything yet. Kaitlyn says I recently found your podcast and wanted to share how much I enjoy it. Thank you Caitlin, your quick whisk and sweet banter. Ring. Next Level entertainment to the True Crime. Genre. Y'all asked share what we do while listening to the podcast. I'm a preschool teacher and a mom to a three-year. Congratulations I wake up very early to get my True Crime fix to feel like a real adult before turning into Mary Poppins for the day lately. I've been listening while I crochet so cool. I'm hoping to start my own business soon. I'll let us know how it goes and I work on writing children's books this morning in particular, I'm listening while decked out and Mickey Mouse PJs. I mean so is een not your average true. I'm fine. I guess I means wearing Crocs socks and well you took the shorts off. I'm wear a jumper. That is an autonomous beer. Mat stitched onto jumper. Pretty cool, I think you'll agree. Caitlyn says, I sound like a sweet little old lady with a secret dark side. Oh, ladies have a dark side. Anyway, I love and appreciate you both and the community. You are building. Let me know if you have any requests. I maybe I can crochet and send you or your little one, something from my side of the park. That's a lot of work on it because you're not crucial partners. In crime thing. I'll Perpetual menace to invest of you khrushchev's to invest or just a small thing, nipple, tassels or something. Kaitlin, you sound great. Thank you for emailing in love the fan, keep crocheting, that's dead. Probably is an Ohio as well, but crochets in London is dead trendy. You know I mean I've got an email here from Les Tyler's. I'll is a hello Eden. Laura, good morning, you beautiful, chuckle bunnies, that's Days. I'm called Les. And I hail from northern lower Michigan, and I'm a new listener. Yo, Liz from Michigan. How you doing buddy? Boy. Is that right? It's Michigan, Chicago, Chicago. I'm from Michigan, man. I'll be no idea, and then she seems cool. Anyway, I've been all your apples in about four days. I'm a homemaker aid for the local Commission on Aging. So I go into houses of the elderly and clean help with Food prep and provide socialization are lessons of the best. They are your convincing? What's convincing mean? I think it's like banter, it's so fun to listen to especially when Ian tries his hand at a Midwest accent. So convincing as to give unsolicited or unwanted advice or make unhelpful or idle comments especially to someone playing a game. Basically it's taking the piss, excuse me, I've never convince them a life of that. I'm gonna use that. Is that a sentence this week? B. I'm reminded of how people say that during a horror film of the jumps together as usual. After afterwards people having a physical release of the unsettling things, they are seeing the two of you allow us to laugh, our physical reaction to the unsettling thing. We are listening to. Thanks for that. What a lovely description to what we do. You've made that a lot more intellectual than it actually is, and we appreciate that list. I don't have my nap Association per se. There are few my clients from my disgust podcast with, I've asked you to do Some that take place during World War Two. I bet there was laws and mad stuff do. That's what they said that Muslims are mad stuff during the blitz, you know? I mean yeah. Mad thanks for being awesome. Les here Les you sound like I'm not. I'm not saying this lately. You sound like an absolutely phenomenal Saul, doesn't she just sounds like well, living legend a living legend says PS. My cat Phoebe really likes. Listen to, she gives a cranky me out whenever ear laughs like she's not amused. I do a cranky me 02 animal. Rub her face on the phone pairing when Laura talks and it's your turn next week. What have you got? Well, I have a tail that will prove once and for all that is always the woman. Yes, Laura next week's episode is all about California's killer Granny's. Can I grab he's who I'm intrigued. Partners in crime, is the Spotify original? If you like the show, we'd love it. If you left us a five star rating on our podcast page Adams our case, you'd like us to cover. Let us know partners in crime. At Spotify.com our sources for this episode, our season 7, episode 6 of Unsolved Mysteries which covers this case and an article by Chrissy Stockton on Thought Catalog called the creepy letters that expose Italians juiciest secrets and ended in Murder. Our dialogue is based on This research partners in crime is a spot of original from Max creative. The producers, Alice Holmwood with support from Laura Williams. The editor is Paloma Kaufman for Spotify. The executive producer is Rachel Simpson, Okay, that's how the way we can get on. With today's episode, as always, we'll read items. Uh, Uh, a a little little uh uh a little a little script. script. You You got got there. there. You You look, look, no no pretty. pretty. Nice Nice wee, wee, little little script. script. Oh, Oh, not not interrupt interrupt anymore. anymore. Let's Let's get get on on with with it it and and we we got got be be got got places places to to be be things things to to do. do. As As always, always, you you realize, realize, Thomas Thomas kind kind of of Coke Coke in in the the second second book. book. I do I do in in a a waster waster snore snore sick. sick. Okay. Okay.