Live from the Revolving Stage at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix

Further reading for Winnie Ruth Judd/ Jodi Arias

The Trunk Murderess: Winnie Ruth Judd : The Truth About an American Crime Legend Revealed at Last

Picture Perfect: The Jodi Arias Story: A Beautiful Photographer, Her Mormon Lover, and a Brutal Murder

Born in 1905, Winnie Ruth Judd was born Winnie Ruth Mckinnell. At the age of 19 she was married to Dr William C Judd, the couple moved all over the United States often looking for work.

Along the way William became a drug addict and Winnie Ruth was diagnosed with tuberculosis, she soon left her husband in CA to live in the dry air of Phoenix, where she found a job as a secretary at a clinic.

It didn’t take long for Winnie Ruth to make friends, X-ray technicians Agnes Anne LeRoi and Hevig “Sammy” Samuelson. She also found herself a boyfriend in a local lumber giant, Jack Halloran, both she and Jack were still married to other people, but that didn’t seem to matter to them.

The night of Friday October 16, 1931 Winnie Ruth went to her friends apartment for a girls night. It started out with dinner and drinks and what ensued from there was tragically devastating.

Apparently an argument broke out between the friends, exactly about what is unknown, a gun was pulled and all three women were shot. Winnie Ruth got it in her hand, Agnes and Sammy however, were fatally shot.

Agnes’ body was jammed in a trunk, Sammy’s body however, was too heavy and would not fit, so her body was then dissected and placed into multiple suitcases and covered with clothing.

Winnie Ruth, taking with her the body-filled trunks got on a train headed for LA. On the way the trunks began to leak fluids and give off a horrid smell. When she made it to her destination, the police were waiting and asked Winnie Ruth to open her trunks. She however claimed she couldn’t as her husband had the keys and quickly took off, but the police forced the trunks open and found the bodies.

The murder trail against Winnie Ruth started Jan, 1932 she claimed self-defense. She was pronounced guilty and sentenced to death by hanging, and placed on death row at the Arizona State Prison. Days before her execution, however, she was found mentally insane and would not be hanged.

One of the biggest stories was up next

Jodie Arias was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the posibility of parole on April 13, 2015. She was convicted of the murder of Travis Alexander who had dated Arias off and on for a year and a half.

Episode 107

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