Ep. 119 | The Murder of Helle Crafts
Summary
Hosts Kelsey and Taylor discuss the 1986 murder of Pan Am flight attendant Hella Crafts, who was killed by her husband, pilot Richard Crafts. The episode details Hella’s fears of domestic abuse, her hiring of a private investigator to catch Richard’s affair, and her warnings that her disappearance would not be an accident. It covers Richard’s elaborate cover-ups, including false stories about her fleeing to Denmark, and how her friends’ persistence led to her being reported missing despite Richard’s ties to local law enforcement.
Topics discussed
Introduction and sponsor reads for AquaTrue and episode setup
Hella Crafts' life as a Pan Am flight attendant
Richard Crafts' controlling behavior and financial abuse
Sponsor reads for AquaTrue and Mint Mobile
Hella's disappearance and Richard's initial lies
Police inaction and friends' persistent advocacy
Forensic discovery of blood evidence at the Crafts home
The wood chipper witness and recovery of remains
The trial: prosecuting without a body
Hung jury, mistrial, and second conviction
Richard Crafts' early release and public reaction
True crime media influence and domestic violence resources
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