On This Day

Winnie Ruth Judd murders two friends and then dismembers one of them in Phoenix

Winnie Ruth Judd (January 29, 1905 – October 23, 1998), born Winnie Ruth McKinnell, also known as Marian Lane, was a medical secretary in Phoenix, Arizona, who was accused of murdering her friends,...

Winnie Ruth Judd (January 29, 1905 – October 23, 1998), born Winnie Ruth McKinnell, also known as Marian Lane, was a medical secretary in Phoenix, Arizona, who was accused of murdering her friends, Anne LeRoi and Sarah Samuelson, in October 1931. The murders were discovered when Judd transported the victims' bodies, one of which had been dismembered, from Phoenix to Los Angeles, California, by train in trunks and other luggage, causing the press to name the case the "Trunk Murders". Judd allegedly committed the murders to win over the affections of Jack Halloran, a prominent Phoenix businessman.

Judd was tried for LeRoi's murder, found guilty, and sentenced to death.

Historical Significance

Winnie Ruth Judd (January 29, 1905 – October 23, 1998), born Winnie Ruth McKinnell, also known as Marian Lane, was a medical secretary in Phoenix, Arizona, who was accused of murdering her friends, Anne LeRoi and Sarah Samuelson, in October 1931.

Events Before

  1. Claus von Stauffenberg is promoted to Second Lieutenant

    Claus Philipp Maria Justinian Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg was a German army officer who is best known for his failed attempt on 20 July 1944 to assassinate Adolf Hitler at the Wolf's Lair, part of...

  2. Mao Zedong writes the essay "A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire" to criticize cadres not creating rural revolutiona

    Mao Zedong writes the essay "A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire" to criticize cadres not creating rural revolutionary base areas

  3. Belgium Princess Marie-Jose marries Italian's crown prince Umberto

    Belgium Princess Marie-Jose marries Italian's crown prince Umberto

  4. Businesswoman Estee Mentzer (23) weds businessman Joseph Lauter (later Lauder)

    Businesswoman Estee Mentzer (23) weds businessman Joseph Lauter (later Lauder)

  5. Mahatma Gandhi begins his famous 200-mile (320 km) protest march against the widely hated British salt tax

    Mahatma Gandhi begins his famous 200-mile (320 km) protest march against the widely hated British salt tax

Events After

  1. Jacob Coxey Sr. is chosen as the Mayor of Massillon, Ohio

    Jacob Sechler Coxey Sr. (April 16, 1854 – May 18, 1951), sometimes known as General Coxey, was an American politician and perennial candidate.

  2. Italian-American film director Frank Capra (34) weds second wife, American secretary Lucille Warner (29) in Brooklyn, NY

    Italian-American film director Frank Capra (34) weds second wife, American secretary Lucille Warner (29) in Brooklyn, NYC, until her death in 1984

  3. As a member of the gold medal-winning US four-man bobsleigh team at Lake Placid, Eddie Eagan becomes the only Olympian t

    As a member of the gold medal-winning US four-man bobsleigh team at Lake Placid, Eddie Eagan becomes the only Olympian to win gold medals at both the Summer (boxing gold in Antwerp 1920) and Winter Games in different sports

  4. Sydney Harbour Bridge opens in Sydney, Australia

    The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge in Sydney, Australia, spanning Sydney Harbour from the central business district (CBD) to the North Shore.

  5. "Grand Hotel" directed by Edmund Goulding and starring Greta Garbo and John Barrymore premieres in New York, includes th

    "Grand Hotel" directed by Edmund Goulding and starring Greta Garbo and John Barrymore premieres in New York, includes the line "I want to be alone" (Best Picture/Production 1932)

More from the 1930s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on October 16, 1931?
Winnie Ruth Judd (January 29, 1905 – October 23, 1998), born Winnie Ruth McKinnell, also known as Marian Lane, was a medical secretary in Phoenix, Arizona, who was accused of murdering her friends, Anne LeRoi and Sarah Samuelson, in October 1931. The murders were discovered when Judd transported the victims' bodies, one of which had been dismembered, from Phoenix to Los Angeles, California, by train in trunks and other luggage, causing the press to name the case the "Trunk Murders". Judd allegedly committed the murders to win over the affections of Jack Halloran, a prominent Phoenix businessman.
Why is Winnie Ruth Judd murders two friends and then dismembers one of them in Phoenix significant?
Winnie Ruth Judd (January 29, 1905 – October 23, 1998), born Winnie Ruth McKinnell, also known as Marian Lane, was a medical secretary in Phoenix, Arizona, who was accused of murdering her friends, Anne LeRoi and Sarah Samuelson, in October 1931.

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