DeepSummary
In July 1926, journalist Don Mellett was murdered outside his home in Canton, Ohio. Mellett, the editor of the Canton Daily News, had been leading a crusade against the city's corrupt police force, exposing crooked officials and getting some officers fired. His family suspected the police were complicit in his murder and did not trust them to properly investigate the case.
A private investigator named Ora Slater was hired by a newspaper alliance to solve Mellett's murder. Slater began investigating and uncovered connections between the murder and a local bootlegger named Ben Rudner, who may have hired a hitman named Patrick McDermott to kill Mellett. Slater also learned that Mellett had recently uncovered information about who was responsible for the unsolved 1921 murder of an informant named Paul Kitzig, which may have been a motive for Rudner.
Through interviewing witnesses and examining evidence, Slater pieced together a theory that McDermott, along with an accomplice named Louis Maeser, carried out the hit on Mellett at Rudner's behest to prevent Mellett from revealing Rudner's involvement in Kitzig's murder. As the episode ends, Slater has gathered enough evidence to support his theory but now needs to prove it.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Journalist Don Mellett was murdered in 1926, likely due to his efforts exposing police corruption in Canton, Ohio.
- Mellett's family did not trust the Canton police to properly investigate his murder.
- A private investigator named Ora Slater was hired to solve the case.
- Slater uncovered connections between the murder and a local bootlegger named Ben Rudner.
- Rudner may have hired a hitman named Patrick McDermott to kill Mellett.
- Mellett had recently uncovered information about an older unsolved murder that implicated Rudner, providing a potential motive.
- As the episode ends, Slater has a theory about McDermott and an accomplice carrying out the hit on Rudner's orders but still needs to prove it.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “If you're so worried about the truth, why don't you just go out and find who did this?“ by Florence Mellett
- “Don had good reason to be scared for his life. He found out who killed Paul Kitzig.“ by Walter
- “So you're saying I should be on guard?“ by Ben Rudner
- “But anyone who read the papers knew Slater was one of the best private investigators in the state, maybe even the country.“ by Carter Roy
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Episode Information
Solved Murders: True Crime Mysteries
Spotify Studios
5/3/23