March 8, 1943 Los Angeles, California Rosary Shelfo (23, pictured) kills her infant son Ross Shelfo was born on February 21, 1943 to Joseph (26) and Rosary Shelfo (also spelled Shellfo). Almost immediately, Rosary became insistent something was “wrong” with her baby. Joseph’s sister Mary Sidotl later testified Rosary believed “there was something wrong with…
Two men executed for beating and shootings deaths of elderly couple
February 9, 1940 Reidsville, Georgia James Fisher (alias James Johnson) and Joe Mathis are executed for the murders of an elderly couple during a robbery On September 12, 1939, John E. and Emma Trainer (ages 73 and 72 respectively) were killed in the dining room of their home. The apparent motive was robbery; the couple…
The last man to be hanged in Perth, for bludgeoning a woman with a shotgun
February 6, 1948 Perth, Scotland Stanislaw Myszka (pictured) is hanged for murder On September 26, 1947, Archie McIntyre left his home to have tea. When he returned, he found the home locked and there was no response to his knocks. He believed his mother, Catherine McIntyre, had possibly gone to have tea as well and…
Man arrested, cannot be fingerprinted as fingertips are devoid of ridges
October 31, 1941Austin, TexasRobert Pitts is arrested, though police attempting to fingerprint him are puzzled when his fingertips are devoid of ridges Pitts was arrested during a wide scale round-up of suspected draft dodgers. Technicians were confused by the smooth smudges left in place of typical fingerprints. Pitts simply explained, “My fingers got burned in…
The first of 20 people die from the Donora Smog
October 30, 1948Donora, PennsylvaniaThe first of 20 victims of the Donora smog dies An ominous thick, yellow cloud descended on the town of Donora on October 27, 1948. The mist was comprised of a lethal mixture of carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and metal dust from the nearby zinc plant and steel mill, and was trapped…
