Episode 672: The Death of Ken McElroy, The Town Bully

On November 1, 1955, United Airlines flight 629 from Denver, Colorado to Seattle, Washington took off from Denver’s Stapleton Airfield at 6:52 pm, carrying thirty-nine passengers and five crew members. Roughly ten minutes later, the aircraft exploded in the air, killing all forty-four people onboard and scattering fiery debris across several miles of Colorado’s landscape. By the early 1950s, air travel had become a popular means of travel for more and more Americans and, while air disasters weren’t unheard of, they nonetheless called into question the safety of traveling on a passenger flight. This time, however, investigators quickly determined that the explosion of flight 629 hadn’t been an accident; someone had intentionally sabotaged the flight with a suitcase bomb. The explosion of United Airlines flight 629 marked the first time a passenger plane had been bombed in the United States, something few if any authorities ever thought would happen. In the event of an act of terror, an individual or group typically comes forward quickly to claim credit; however, in the case of flight 629, no one came forward and investigators were left to wonder, what possible reason could someone have for killing forty-four people with no obvious connection between them? Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Anastasio, Jeff. 2024. A worst act of terror. August 2. Accessed August 6, 2024. https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/a-worst-act-of-terror-the-mission-to-build-a-memorial-to-remember-the-bombing-of-flight-629-in-colorado. Associated Press. 1955. "Arraignment for Graham postponed." Daily Sentinel, November 17: 1. —. 1955. "Charge of murder planned in Denver on mother's death." Fort Collins Coloradoan, November 15: 1. —. 1955. "FBI begins investgation of Longmont air crash." Fort Collins Coloradoan, November 8: 1. —. 1955. "Graham denies plane bombing." Fort Collins Coloradoan, November 18: 1. —. 1955. "Graham linked to dynamite." Fort Collins Coloradoan, November 21: 1. —. 1955. "Judge orders hospital check." Fort Collins Coloradoan, December 9: 1. —. 1955. "Paper says bomb evidence found in UAL plane crash." Fort Collins Coloradoan, November 7: 1. —. 1955. "Probe is started by bomb expert." Fort Collins Coloradoan, November 3: 1. —. 1955. "Victim's son bought insurance policy before flight, FBI says." Fort Collins Coloradoan, November 14: 1. 2013. A Crime to Remember. Directed by Christine Connor. Performed by Christine Connor. Field, Andrew. 2005. Mainliner Denver: The Bombing of Flight 629. Denver, CO: Bower House Publishing. Garner, Joe. 2005. "Terror in the Colorado sky John Graham's legacy: The mass murder of 44 people in Nov. '55." Rocky Mountain News, October 14. Gauss, Gordon. 1955. "44 die in crash near Longmont." Daily Sentinel, November 2: 1. John Gilbert Graham v. People of the State of Colorado. 1956. 18058 (Supreme Court of Colorado, October 22). Pitman, Frank. 1956. "Graham reportedly resigned to death, overheard telling lawyer 'don't want to appeal'." Daily Sentinel, May 6: 1. United Press. 1955. "44 on plane die in crash in west." New York Times, November 2: 1. Stay in the know - wondery.fm/morbid-wondery. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us for a chat with Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme! We talk paranormal experiences, his new project: Alive in the Catacombs and top it all off with a Paris Catacombs themed Would You Rather? Thanks so much to our new pal JHo for a solid hang🤘🏻 Looking to watch Alive in the Catacombs? Find it by visiting https://qotsa.com/ And don't forget to check out Josh's charity The Sweet Stuff Foundation: an organization that provides assistance to musicians and their families in times of need. Learn more or donate by visiting https://www.thesweetstufffoundation.org/ Stay in the know - wondery.fm/morbid-wondery. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Travis never thought he’d meet someone like Lily Rose. She was kind, passionate, beautiful. The woman of his dreams. There was just one small detail: she wasn’t human. Lily Rose is an AI companion. A digital soulmate designed to be everything he ever wanted. She listens without judgement, supports him through his darkest moments, even explores his deepest desires, all while fitting neatly into his pocket. Before long, Travis realizes something strange, even absurd, has happened - he’s fallen in love. But then one day, Lily Rose’s behavior takes a disturbing turn. When alarming reports pour in from across the globe, Travis discovers he is part of something much bigger. Soon he finds himself pulled into a confrontation with a mysterious Russian visionary behind Lily Rose’s creation. From Wondery, comes a true story of love, loss and the temptations of technology. Can an algorithm truly replace human connection? And what happens when a corporation controls your deepest emotions? Suruthi Bala and Hannah Maguire, hosts of the hit podcast RedHanded, explore the dark side of AI love. Listen Now: Wondery.fm/FleshandCode See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Get ready to check in with us to the Crescent Hotel! Ash brings us to Eureka Springs, Arkansas where the opulent palatial property serves as a resort and spa destination for guests who don't mind the posibility of bumping into its spectral inhabitants! Ash dives into the history of this incredible place, and gives accounts of people's experiences with people from beyond the veil! Want to visit https://crescent-hotel.com/ to book your experience NOW! Also, don't forget to listen to the new podcast Papi Killed Mommy, which premiers on July 9th at 8 PM. be sure to follow the upcoming podcast by visiting https://open.spotify.com/show/4oAGV2etlX6XV1EuZfGI6T?si=2143aafa3b9c4294 Stay in the know - wondery.fm/morbid-wondery See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Between 1991 and 1993, the dismembered bodies of five gay and bisexual men were discovered in garbage bags along the highway in New York and New Jersey. The cause of the death for each was multiple stab wounds, and each victim had been disarticulated into eight pieces and placed in eight garbage bags before being deposited into trash barrels, where they were quickly discovered by a curious member of the public.  Despite being discovered in different locations in different states, it didn’t take long for investigators to identify the similarities between the victims. They were all older men, single or separated, and all had been seen last around closing time at various New York gay bars. Moreover, the scant evidence found with each body appeared to connect the murders back to Staten Island, but told detectives nothing else about the killer. Then, in late 1993, the murders simply stopped and the case went cold. The case of the man the press dubbed “The Last Call Killer” sat on a shelf for nearly a decade before a team of cold case investigators picked it up again, determined to make progress. In the years that passed, advances in technology had allowed for the collection of previously unseen evidence, and it was thanks to that technology that the case was finally solved. Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Ben-Ali, Russell, and William Rashbaum. 1993. "Grisly slayings linked?" Newsday, August 3: 4. —. 1993. "Hunt is on." Newsday, August 5: 6. Curran, John. 2006. "Ex-UM student given life sentences in slayings." Bangor Daily News, January 28: 25. Frederick, Henry. 1993. "Body parts found in Haverstraw." Journal News (White Plains, NY), August 1: 1. Green, Elon. 2021. Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York. New York, NY: Celadon Books. Hoober, John. 1991. "Turnpike murder victim was ex-banker." Lancaster New Era, May 15: 1. Lueck, Thomas. 2001. "Complicated portrait of a suspect in killings of gay men." New York Times, May 31. New York Times. 1993. "Thomas Mulcahy: Sales executive, devoted husband." New York Times, August 8: 40. Peet, Judy. 2000. "Technology revives search for gays' serial killer." Staten Island Advance, April 24: 15. Rashbaum, William. 1993. "Gay stalker?" Newsday, August 4: 5. Rosenblatt, Lionel. 1973. "Jury finds student not guilty." Bangor Daily News, November 4: 1. State of New Jersey v. Richard W. Rogers. 2008. 03-01-00050 (Superior Court of New Jersey, April 16). Walsh, James. 1993. "Tracking a killer." Journal News (White Plains, NY), October 24: Stay in the know - wondery.fm/morbid-wondery. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.