What is about unsolved murders that stay with us? In particular why does the true crime genre skew female? In this episode of Strange Country, co-hosts Beth and Kelly talk about Julie Monson and Jane Britton, two young women cut down in the prime of their lives. Monson disappeared after a night out in September 1981 in Auburn, NY. Britton was found bludgeoned inside her Harvard University apartment in January 1969. Today's Strange Country episode is sponsored by the Cayuga County Arts Council.
Theme music: Big White Lie by A Cast of Thousands
Cite your sources:
Case, Dick. “One Case Closed; Slaying Probe Reopened.” The Post Standard, 8 March 1993, pp. A9.
Conroy, J Oliver. “Why Are Women Obsessed with True Crime? Rachel Monroe Has Some Answers.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 20 Aug. 2019, www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/aug/20/rachel-monroe-savage-appetites-true-crime-book-interview.
Cooper, Becky. WE KEEP THE DEAD CLOSE: a Murder at Harvard and a Half Century of Silence. Windmill Books, 2021.
Howland, Lance. “Auburn Girl's Murder Baffles Family, Cops.” Syracuse Herald Journal, 25 Sept. 1983.
“The Julie Monson Case.” Syracuse Herald Journal, 6 Oct. 1984.
Kenyon, Jim. “FBI Resumes Dna Tests in Julie Monson Murder Mystery.” WSTM, WSTM, 21 July 2015, cnycentral.com/news/local/fbi-resumes-dna-tests-in-julie-monson-murder-mystery.
LaRue, William. “Bianco's Close Friends on the Stand.” The Post Standard, 25 Feb. 1986, pp. 1–1.
LaRue, William. “Testimony Suggests Monson Body Was Moved.” The Post Standard, 28 Feb. 1986, pp. 4–4.
LaRue, William. “Witness Says He Was Mistaken About Car.” The Post Standard, 22 Feb. 1986, pp. 3–3.
Nolan, Maureen, and Neil MacFarquehar. “'There Is No Happy Ending for Us'.” Syracuse Herald Journal, 6 July 1985, pp. 1–2.
“Social Psychologist Amanda Vicary and Spotify Reveal Why Women Are So Obsessed with True Crime-And Share 4 New Podcasts Coming in 2020.” Spotify, 29 Jan. 2020, newsroom.spotify.com/2020-01-29/social-psychologist-amanda-vicary-and-spotify-reveal-why-women-are-so-obsessed-with-true-crime-and-share-4-new-podcasts-coming-in-2020/.
Tuttle, Kate. “Why Do Women Love True Crime? New York Times. 16 July 2019. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/16/books/review/kate-tuttle-true-crime-women.html
Wallack, T. (2017, Jun 17). Unsolved cambridge murder raises a question: When should outside investigators get a chance? Boston Globe Retrieved from https://login.ezproxy.oswego.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.oswego.edu/newspapers/unsolved-cambridge-murder-raises-question-when/docview/1910533609/se-2?accountid=13025
Wallack, T. (2018, Nov 21). Killer identified in 1969 murder of harvard student in cambridge: DNA offers link to serial rapist. Boston Globe Retrieved from https://login.ezproxy.oswego.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.oswego.edu/newspapers/killer-identified-1969-murder-harvard-student/docview/2135909993/se-2?accountid=13025
“Widow Killed Near Radcliffe Dorm; Police Cite Britton Case Similarities: News: The Harvard Crimson.” News | The Harvard Crimson, 7 Feb. 1969, www.thecrimson.com/article/1969/2/7/widow-killed-near-radcliffe-dorm-police/.
“Woman's Hour - True Crime: Five Reasons Why Women Love It.” BBC Radio 4, BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5BQCFMQd3mPqj7YT4hlvdCL/true-crime-five-reasons-why-women-love-it.