Episode 8: The Tip (the Smokey Wrona story)

 

It’s an unfortunate reality that cold cases generally only grow colder with time. Evidence is lost.  Memories fade. Witnesses die. Collective interest wanes. And eventually, unsolved crimes become nothing more than local legends told around campfires. Hope of ever really finding answers all but vanishes. But sometimes the truth of what really happened in the past survives in something as simple as a tale told by an old-timer at the end of a bar. 

The truth of the past lives on in stories told to us; stories that contain answers to questions we never thought to ask. Perhaps contained within a second-hand story passed from one generation to the next exists the truth of what really happened in St. Louis Canyon on March 14th, 1960.   

This week we discuss a tip that we received, illuminating the story of Smokey Wrona and potentially narrowing a gap in the understanding that we have about the Starved Rock murders. 

There is a lot more to this conversation so make sure you listen to the episode and take a look at the documents and photographs provided and outlined below for more context to the discussion and the case! For our audience without the ability to listen to the audio, check out the full transcript provided!


Referenced Documents in the Episode

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Episode 9: The Red Fibers (and Chester's cousin is mysteriously found dead)

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Episode 7: The Smoking Gun (bloody overalls & the conversation overheard by the telephone operator)