73 - Earle Leonard Nelson, Part One

Throughout 1926 and 1927, a so-called "Dark Strangler" roamed up and down the West Coast and eventually across the country.  Earle Leonard Nelson was one of the more prolific American serial killers, but his name isn't as well known as many others.  In the first part, I'll look at his crimes on the West Coast.

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Opening music from https://filmmusic.io. "Dark Child" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Closing music by Soma.

SOURCES

“6th Murder Laid To New Strangler.” Oakland Tribune, August 19, 1926.

“Admits Attack On Many Women.” Muncie (IN) Star-Press, August 13, 1926.

“Aged Victim, Choked, Ribs Crushed, is Found Dead.” San Francisco Examiner, June 11, 1926.

“Alameda Girl Routs Attacker.” Oakland Tribune, June 13, 1926.

“Bay Woman Will Bury Slain Sister.” Oakland Tribune, October 25, 1926.

“Cafe Owner of San Jose is Held As Strangler.” Sacramento Bee, October 20, 1926.

“Dark Killer Strangles S.F. Woman.” Oakland Tribune, November 19, 1926.

“Dark Strangler Suspect Laborer on Merced Ranch.” Modesto News-Herald, August 19, 1926.

“Dark Suspect Identified As Old Offender.” San Francisco Examiner, August 22, 1926.

“Death Witnesseses To Face Suspect.” Oakland Tribune, August 22, 1926.

“Finds Mother Murdered in Attic Trunk.” Salem (OR) Capital Journal, October 20, 1926.

“Fingerprints Only Clues in Strangling.” San Francisco Examiner, February 22, 1926.

“Foster Kin of Mystery Victim Finds Body in Attic.” San Francisco Examiner, February 21, 1926.

“Jewels Held As New Clew to Strangler.” San Bernardino County Sun, December 2, 1926.

“Key, Jewels Give Clue To Strangler.” Oakland Tribune, November 20, 1926.

“Landlady of Yoloan is Victim of Strangler.” Woodland Daily Democrat, March 6, 1926.

“Man Sentenced For Attack.” San Francisco Examiner, December 11, 1926.

“Maniac Held For Slaying; Doubt Sanity.” Albany (OR) Democrat-Herald, August 12, 1926.

“Mysterious Strangler Kills Woman in Portland.” Sacramento Bee, November 30, 1926.

“New Clues Spur Search For Slayer.” Oakland Tribune, August 17, 1926.

“Police Sure ‘Strangler’ Was Fulton St. Slayer,” San Francisco Examiner, November 20, 1926.

“Says Suspect Not Slayer of His Aunt.” Modesto News-Herald, June 16, 1926.

“S.F. Woman Attacked in Bed at Home.” San Francisco Examiner, June 14, 1926.

“S.F. Woman Strangled to Death.” Oakland Tribune, February 21, 1926.

“Spouse Finds Rich Woman Strangled.” San Francisco Examiner, March 3, 1926.

“Strangler Identified.” Pottsville (PA) Republican, August 12, 1926.

“’Strangler’ Kills S.F. Woman, 63.” Oakland Tribune, June 11, 1926.

“Third Woman Found Victim of Strangler.” San Francisco Examiner, March 5, 1926.

“Two Women Beat Off Strangler.” Oakland Tribune, March 6, 1926.

“Wealthy Widow Slain in Home.” Spokane Chronicle, November 25, 1926.

“Withers Case Jury Fails To Reach Verdict.” Roseburg (OR) News-Review, October 28, 1926.

“Woman Foils Strangler in Apartment House Attack.” San Francisco Examiner, March 14, 1926.

“Woman Found Strangled in San Jose Home.” Stockton Independent, March 3, 1926.

Graysmith, Robert. The Laughing Gorilla: The True Story of the Hunt for One of America’s First Serial Killers. New York: Berkley, 2009.

Schechter, Harold. Bestial: The Savage Trail of a True American Monster. New York: Pocket Books, 1998.