Many crimes have been committed in October over the years but today our blog is going to focus on a select few crimes and give a bit of information about them.
Wayne Lonergan – “The press labelled Lonergan a murderer.”
The Crime: Patricia Lonergan a socialite and brewery heiress was found dead in her apartment after going to a party.
When: Saturday 23rd October 1943
Where: 51st Street, New York City, USA
The Aftermath:
Patricia’s estranged husband, Wayne Lonergan, was an aircraftsman in the Royal Canadian Air Force. After the discovery of Patricia’s body, police contacted Wayne’s commanding officer to provide the bad news. The commanding officer then told police that Wayne had been on leave in New York during the weekend of his wife’s death. Wayne was discovered in Toronto and returned to New York where he spent 84 hours being interrogated and supposedly confessing to murdering of his wife during a quarrel.
The trial brought up many doubts about the confession – could it be proven he was at the crime scene? They only had proof that Wayne was in New York on weekend in question. After many months of trial, Wayne Lonergan was convicted of second-degree murder on 17th April 1944 and sentenced to 30 years to life in jail. He was released in December 1965 after 22 years and deported to Canada.
Albert Tirrell – “Suicide is the natural death of the prostitute.”
The Crime: In 1845 Albert Tirrell, 21, the son of a respectable family in Weymouth, Massachusetts, left his wife and 2 children for Maria Ann Bickford. Maria lived and worked in a brothel in Boston. Not agreeing with her choice to carry on this lifestyle after he left his wife for her – he went on to murder her in her room after her last client had left, before setting fire to the building in three places. Her body was found by the owner of the building Joel Lawrence. The weapon used to murder her and remnants of Tirrell’s clothing were found at the crime scene.
When: 27th October 1845.
Where: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
The Aftermath: Tirrell went on the run the day after the murder after being considered the prime suspect as he had been seen entering the brother by a number of witnesses. He was arrested in December of the same year in New Orleans, Louisiana. When the trial started in April 1846, it was revealed that although many saw Mr Tirrell enter the property nobody saw him actually commit the murder. Rufus Choate, who was hired by Tirrell’s parents to be his lawyer, said at the trial, “What proof is there that she did not rise from her bed, set fire to the house, and in the frenzy of the moment, with giant strength, let out the stream of life… Suicide is the natural death of the prostitute.”
At the end of the trial, Mr Tirrell was acquitted of the murder of Ms Bickford and the arson of the brothel.
Wayne Lonergan – “The press labelled Lonergan a murderer.”
The Crime: Patricia Lonergan a socialite and brewery heiress was found dead in her apartment after going to a party.
When: Saturday 23rd October 1943
Where: 51st Street, New York City, USA
The Aftermath:
Patricia’s estranged husband, Wayne Lonergan, was an aircraftsman in the Royal Canadian Air Force. After the discovery of Patricia’s body, police contacted Wayne’s commanding officer to provide the bad news. The commanding officer then told police that Wayne had been on leave in New York during the weekend of his wife’s death. Wayne was discovered in Toronto and returned to New York where he spent 84 hours being interrogated and supposedly confessing to murdering of his wife during a quarrel.
The trial brought up many doubts about the confession – could it be proven he was at the crime scene? They only had proof that Wayne was in New York on weekend in question. After many months of trial, Wayne Lonergan was convicted of second-degree murder on 17th April 1944 and sentenced to 30 years to life in jail. He was released in December 1965 after 22 years and deported to Canada.
Albert Tirrell – “Suicide is the natural death of the prostitute.”
The Crime: In 1845 Albert Tirrell, 21, the son of a respectable family in Weymouth, Massachusetts, left his wife and 2 children for Maria Ann Bickford. Maria lived and worked in a brothel in Boston. Not agreeing with her choice to carry on this lifestyle after he left his wife for her – he went on to murder her in her room after her last client had left, before setting fire to the building in three places. Her body was found by the owner of the building Joel Lawrence. The weapon used to murder her and remnants of Tirrell’s clothing were found at the crime scene.
When: 27th October 1845.
Where: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
The Aftermath: Tirrell went on the run the day after the murder after being considered the prime suspect as he had been seen entering the brother by a number of witnesses. He was arrested in December of the same year in New Orleans, Louisiana. When the trial started in April 1846, it was revealed that although many saw Mr Tirrell enter the property nobody saw him actually commit the murder. Rufus Choate, who was hired by Tirrell’s parents to be his lawyer, said at the trial, “What proof is there that she did not rise from her bed, set fire to the house, and in the frenzy of the moment, with giant strength, let out the stream of life… Suicide is the natural death of the prostitute.”
At the end of the trial, Mr Tirrell was acquitted of the murder of Ms Bickford and the arson of the brothel.