True Crime Stories

On January 24, 1988 Janet Overton collapsed in her driveway in Santa Ana California and died.  She had not been feeling good in a long time but doctors could find nothing wrong with her.  On this particular day she was going to go whale watching with her teenage son but she obviously would not make it. Janet was a well known and popular member of her community and a member of the local school board.  Her husband, Richard, was part owner in a mining business but was a well educated business consultant.  He had a doctorate in psychology and a mathematician and often lectured at local colleges. Janet and Richard had been married nineteen years at the time of her death.   Upon her death a medical examination could find no determination for her death.  She was quickly cremated although apparently her ashes were not spread anywhere.  After Janet's obituary was placed in the local newspaper the police received a call from a woman named Dorothy Boyer. ...

Criminals like Jane Toppan are often called "Angels of Mercy" or "Angels of Death."  This crime generally involves someone who is a nurse or takes on the role of a caregiver in the in the process kills their patients in one form or another.  In modern times we have seen these cases throughout the years, generally involving nurses in hospitals or doctors offices.  In Jane's case, when her crimes came to light in 1901 she had been an in-home nurse. Jane Toppan was born about 1857 and was named Honora Kelley.  She was the youngest child of Bridget and Paul Kelley.  Her mother died when she was very young.  Her father obtained, or maintained, a reputation that likely was more legend than fact. He was apparently an alcoholic and was notorious for his antics and thought to be unbalanced.  Later rumors were that he eventually ended up in an asylum after he was found working for a tailor and was attempting to sew his eyelids shut.  Again, many of the t...