True Crime Stories

This is another case that was recommended to me that surprisingly I had never heard of, even considering all of the things that have been in the news the last few months and days. Researching this case also opened the door to several other cases to research as it appears that the current prosecutor in Philadelphia, Larry Krasner, has uncovered “gross misconduct” in many cases that took place in the city. Actually I found my way to an exoneration website and it appears that this is occurring all over the country. Apparently several drug cases out of Chicago have been thrown out and convictions overturned and thrown out due to the misconduct of a police officer who was found to have doctors results. It is not exactly clear what happened to cause Krasner to look into past cases but I have to say that he is looking to be one of the “good guys.” I can only imagine the gruff he is likely taking however. A new division has been created called The Conviction Integ...

On November 30, 1984 Drexel University student, Deborah Wilson was found murdered in the stairway at the Philadelphia University. There were no signs of rape or even robbery as she was fully dressed, minus her shoes and socks, and her purse was not taken. An investigation was launched and the security guards at the school were questioned. The crime would go unsolved until September of 1993 despite the fact that the answer seemed to be in front of the investigators faces all along. In 1992 police would reopen the murder case and one of the first things they found was a discrepancy in an interview given by security guard, David Dickson. In the interview Dickson told police that he heard the printer working in the computer lab at about 1:30 am so he did not disturb anyone. He claimed that a few hours later when he did his rounds there was no one there. It is unclear if he told the police if he had any interaction with Deborah. Dickson had worked the hall where Deborah ha...

In a previous blog I discussed the differences in the definitions of mass murderer, spree killer and serial killer.  The case of Anton Probst is difficult to categorize.  Some research I found referred to him as a mass murderer.  This can be true in a sense as he killed eight people, basically in the same location but unlike other mass murderers he did not simply spray the area with bullets (or even go after people one right after another with a knife) and the bullets fall where they may, hitting random targets.  No, Anton Probst had laid in wait as one by one his victims arrived.... think John List, only this was not his own family.   Anton Probst was born in Germany around 1843.  He immigrated to the United States about 1863, just around the time of the Civil War.  It appears that his first scheme was to repeatedly join the Union Army in different regiments.  There was a $300 sign up bonus.  Probst would stay a few weeks, desert and the...