CRIME

The Bloody Benders—a.k.a. America’s first serial killer family—committed as many as 21 murders on their Kansas property in the 1870s. Now that land is going up for auction.

The artworks were seized by the Nazis after a Jewish lawyer fled his Parisian home in the early 1940s.

A woman claiming to be Alan Turing’s relative asked the University of Colorado to display the items in 2018, which prompted an investigation.

Galveston residents should keep an eye out for Lilly, an illegal pet capuchin monkey who escaped on January 20.

In any given year, we publish up to 5000 stories, from short news posts to longform features and everything in between. And yes, our writers and editors definitely have our favorites—here are some of them from 2019.

The 2010s saw true crime come to the forefront of popular culture thanks to podcasts, books, and binge-worthy docuseries. These 10 cases prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.

On December 23, 1927, a man dressed as Santa Claus walked into a bank and demanded money. Unfortunately, the bank was in Texas, and practically everyone in town was armed. Determining Santa was on the Naughty List, they opened fire.

In 1983, a prized racehorse named Shergar was abducted at gunpoint from his stable in Ireland and held for ransom. Decades later, no one is quite sure why.

Theodore Roosevelt used a Colt revolver given to him by his brother-in-law during the Battle of San Juan Heights, firing a fatal shot. Nearly 100 years later, the gun disappeared without a trace.

In July 1979, the struggling Chicago White Sox offered cheap admission to anyone bringing in a disco record to destroy. The promotion would prove to be catastrophic.

Driving with ice or snow on your car is dangerous, and in some states, the offense will earn you a fine up to $1000.

In 1908, Mary Farmer came up with a plan to steal her landlord's home. The crime was brutal enough to make her the second woman executed by electric chair in New York's history.