Medical Murders
We all know that medical professionals are trained to give exceptional care. But what about those who use their skills not to heal, but hurt? In the Parcast Original, Medical Murders, you’ll discover a disturbing diagnosis… that not every doctor wants to extend your life. Every Wednesday, meet the worst the medical community has to offer—men and women who took an oath to save lives, but instead, used their expertise to develop more sinister specialties. Join host Alastair Murden, as he examines the formative years and motives of history’s most infamous killer doctors, dissecting their medical backgrounds with expert analysis provided by practicing M.D., Dr. David Kipper.
True Crime 33 rész Every Wednesday, meet the worst the medical community has to offer—men and women who took an oath to save lives, but instead, used their expertise to develop more sinister specialties.
“Lambeth Poisoner” Thomas Neill Cream Pt. 1
55 perc
33. rész
In the late 1800s, a dashing young doctor named Thomas Neill Cream used chloroform and strychnine to murder sex workers and women seeking abortions. His crimes spread across fifteen years and two continents.
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“Stepping Hill Poisoner” Victorino Chua
50 perc
32. rész
In January 2012, Victorino Chua was arrested at his home in Stockport, England for murder. During the investigation, authorities uncovered a chilling portrait of the nurse who poisoned 22 patients, drafted by Chua himself in a letter to one of his mistresses.
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“Docteur Satan” Marcel Petiot Pt. 2
54 perc
31. rész
In the 1940s, posing as part of the French Resistance, Dr. Petiot promised safe passage to anyone trying to escape Nazi-occupied France. Instead, he took their money, and killed them in his own secret torture chamber.
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“Docteur Satan” Marcel Petiot Pt. 1
55 perc
30. rész
One of France’s most prolific serial killers was an early 20th century doctor and statesman. Marcel Petiot grew from a troubled boy into a troublesome soldier who later obtained a medical certification. He established himself in the small town of Villeneuve-sur-Yonn — where he learned that, in the public eye, titles trump virtue.
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“Killing for Corpses“ William Burke and William Hare Pt. 2
57 perc
29. rész
In 1828, Burke and Hare managed to successfully run a business selling corpses to anatomy professor Robert Knox. For nearly ten months, the duo went unnoticed — until an eye witness accused the men of murder.
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“Killing for Corpses“ William Burke and William Hare Pt. 1
47 perc
28. rész
In 19th-century Edinburgh, two men on the hunt for money found a lucrative industry: grave robbing. But the infamous Burke and Hare didn’t want to dig up corpses. Instead, they delivered death to the gullible, and brought the bodies to one high-paying professor.
Alastair and Naomi’s Love Story - A Valentine’s Special
23 perc
27. rész
Parcasters, your favorite hosts are getting personal in a heart-warming special from Our Love Story. Listen here to Alastair Murden tag-team with his wife Naomi as they tell their swoon-worthy tale of falling in love. Then search “Our Love Story” to hear real-life couples — including the hosts of your favorite Parcast series — prove that true love exists. Our Love Story is a Spotify Original from Parcast. New episodes every Tuesday. Listen free on Spotify.
“Bitter Physician” Debora Green Pt. 2
57 perc
27. rész
The first target of Dr. Green’s vindictiveness was her husband, Mike. A month later, in October 1995, she set fire to their family home… with their three children still inside.
“Bitter Physician” Debora Green Pt. 1
61 perc
26. rész
By the 1990s, the perfectionism that had driven Dr. Debora Green’s once-promising medical career had turned into disillusionment. Her bedside manner deteriorated, along with her second marriage. When her husband asked for a divorce in 1995, she decided to retaliate.
“Jigsaw” Dr. Buck Ruxton Pt. 2
57 perc
25. rész
After committing a gruesome double-murder, Dr. Ruxton set to work covering up his foul crime. But his efforts were no match for the groundbreaking forensic investigation that ensued.
“Jigsaw” Dr. Buck Ruxton Pt. 1
47 perc
24. rész
Shortly after he began practicing medicine in England, Dr. Ruxton met Isabella Kerr. The intensity between them simmered into volatility — and in 1935, after years of escalating domestic abuse, the Lancaster physician exploded in a murderous rage.
“Black Dahlia Murderer” Dr. George Hodel Pt. 2
56 perc
22. rész
Despite the evidence against him, Dr. Hodel was never convicted of Elizabeth Short’s murder — or any other crime he was accused of in the 1940s and beyond. The skilled physician remained free to hone his dark proclivities until his death in 1999.
“Black Dahlia Murderer” Dr. George Hodel Pt. 1
54 perc
21. rész
In 1999, a former homicide detective flipped through a photo album belonging to his late father. One face stood out above the rest: Elizabeth Short, an aspiring actress whose gruesome murder decades earlier was still unsolved — but not, perhaps, for long.
The Lainz Angels of Death
44 perc
20. rész
The “witch” of Ward D in Austria’s Lainz General Hospital led a group of nurses’ aides on a murderous crusade in the 1980s, killing at least 20 — and possibly up to 300 — patients in their care.
Glennon Engleman Pt. 2: “The Dentist Hitman”
45 perc
19. rész
After killing three people, Engleman was confident he could continue to outsmart the law — so he plotted a three-victim homicide that would earn him his biggest fortune yet.
Glennon Engleman Pt. 1: “The Dentist Hitman”
46 perc
19. rész
Some killers want blood, and some want glory. But more than anything, Missouri dentist Glennon Engleman wanted the hefty life insurance payout that accompanied a well-arranged murder.
William Palmer Pt. 2: “The Prince of Poisoners”
50 perc
18. rész
Drowning in debt in 1855, Dr. William Palmer used his medical knowledge to get away with life insurance fraud. In the process, he became one of the U.K.’s most notorious poisoners.
William Palmer Pt. 1: “The Prince of Poisoners”
49 perc
16. rész
By October 1847, Dr. William Palmer seemed to have it all: a new practice, a loving wife, and a substantial inheritance. But a secret addiction threatened his good fortune, and he was willing to do whatever it took to keep it all together — including killing those closest to him.
Elizabeth Wettlaufer Pt. 2: “The ‘Red Surge’ Nurse”
49 perc
15. rész
Employment at a nursing home would’ve been Elizabeth’s crowning career victory, but it proved to be a fast road to burnout. Struggling to provide medical support to so many people, she began taking her anger and exasperation out on her patients.
Elizabeth Wettlaufer Pt. 1: “The ‘Red Surge’ Nurse”
47 perc
14. rész
Starting in 2007, a Canadian nurse began injecting her elderly patients with lethal insulin overdoses. The inconspicuous method allowed her to escape suspicion for nearly a decade.
Amelia Dyer Pt. 2: “Britain’s Baby Butcher”
46 perc
13. rész
Over three decades, Amelia Dyer killed upwards of four hundred infants. She conned desperate mothers while fine-tuning the details of her operation, until a bargeman’s discovery in 1896 forced the baby-farmer to have a reckoning.
Amelia Dyer Pt. 1: “Britain’s Baby Butcher”
45 perc
11. rész
After her husband died 1869, nurse Amelia Dyer turned to baby-farming to avoid financial ruin. She took out ads in newspapers, and took in unwanted infants for a fee. But for Amelia, this was a business — and she was willing to do anything to keep the money coming.
Walter Freeman Pt. 2: “Ice Pick Lobotomist”
46 perc
10. rész
As criticisms of lobotomy mounted, Dr. Freeman continued performing his dangerous procedure — even without patient consent. Then, with his legacy and career on the line, Freeman spent the final years of his life seeking redemption from patients.
Walter Freeman Pt. 1: “Ice Pick Lobotomist”
50 perc
9. rész
Neurologist Walter Freeman was a top doctor in his field. He was on the cutting edge of brain surgery, even going so far as to develop a new procedure called the 'lobotomy'. Unfortunately, it became one of the deadliest medical techniques of the 20th century.
Jane Toppan Pt. 2: “Jolly Jane”
48 perc
8. rész
During the summer of 1901, Nurse Jane Toppan poisoned her way to the picturesque shores of Cape Cod. When pressed for a sizable debt, she embarked on a killing spree that decimated a family. Dr. David Kipper explores how their murders went undetected, and what eventually brought the truth to light.
Jane Toppan Pt. 1: “Jolly Jane”
45 perc
7. rész
She surpassed all expectations when she became the most sought after nurse in eastern Massachusetts. But instead of providing quality care, Jane Toppan preyed on the sickly and poisoned unsuspecting patients. Dr. David Kipper provides insight on Jane's arsenal of poisons as well as the rigorous demands of the modern day medical field.
Josef Mengele Pt. 2: “Auschwitz Angel of Death”
56 perc
6. rész
Once he arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau, Josef Mengele wasted no time in carrying out ghastly experiments, particularly on twins. Dr. David Kipper takes a closer look at Mengele's bogus science, performed in the name of progress, and examines the early 20th century fascination with eugenics.
Josef Mengele Pt. 1: “Auschwitz Angel of Death”
45 perc
5. rész
Before he was a fanatical Nazi doctor, Josef Mengele was a mediocre student studying medicine and anthropology. Dr. David Kipper offers insight into the changing face of genetics in pre-war Germany, and digs into what might have driven Mengele’s obsession with human experimentation.
H.H. Holmes Pt. 2: “The Torture Doctor”
46 perc
4. rész
He used his medical knowledge to dispatch his victims quickly—and in some cases, to make their deaths look like accidents. But eventually the authorities caught on to Dr. Holmes, and a nationwide manhunt to stop one of history's most infamous killer doctors began.
H.H. Holmes Pt. 1: “The Torture Doctor”
43 perc
3. rész
He’s often cited as America’s first serial killer. Nine of the murders committed by Dr. H.H. Holmes have been confirmed, though many suspect him of slaughtering dozens, if not hundreds, of victims between 1891 and 1894. From the beginning, he entered medicine in order to abuse the power and trust his patients placed in his hands.
Fred Shipman Pt. 2: “Dr. Death”
53 perc
2. rész
After starting a private practice, Dr. Shipman escalated his crimes until a slip-up alerted authorities. The subsequent inquiry into “Dr. Death” forever changed the British medical field. Dr. David Kipper examines how Shipman used his medical training to get away with murder—and why it took almost thirty years to discover what actually happened to his "heart attack" victims.
Fred Shipman Pt. 1: “Dr. Death”
50 perc
1. rész
Between 1974 and 1998, Dr. Shipman killed at least 218 people—more than any other serial killer in UK history. Addiction expert Dr. David Kipper sheds light on how Dr. Shipman's addiction spiraled from pethidine abuse to cold-blooded murder.
Welcome to Medical Murders!
1 perc
1. rész
Last time you went to the doctor, you probably left with a prescription, some answers, and most importantly, the hope you’d recover. But some doctors betray that hope. And their only prescription... is a dosage of death. In Parcast’s newest original, Medical Murders, those who we trust to save lives—end them. Join host Alastair Murden, as he examines the formative years and motives of history’s most infamous killer doctors, dissecting their medical backgrounds with expert analysis provided by practicing M.D., Dr. David Kipper.
Medical Murders, premieres August 26th, with new episodes every Wednesday. Listen to Medical Murders free on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!
