The Death of Cork Miller: Accident or Murder

In the early morning hours of October 8, 1964, thirty-four-year-old housewife and mother of three Lucille Miller placed a frantic call to the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department to report that there had been a car accident on remote Banyan Street and her husband had been killed. When deputies arrived at the scene, the car was still in flames and, as Lucille had described, her husband Gordon “Cork” Miller was in the passenger seat, nearly unrecognizable from the extent of the fire damage.The evidence at the scene appeared to support Lucille’s version of events; the car had gone off the road while they were driving and caught fire. Lucille managed to get out of the car, but Cork was unconscious and she was unable to get him out. Less than twelve hours later, however, Lucille’s story began to fall apart and by the end of the day she was arrested for the murder of her husband. At first, the case against Lucille Miller seemed relatively straightforward; she killed her husband for the insurance money and to pursue a relationship with another man. But as the investigation unfolded and investigators began digging into the Miller’s lives, the story became significantly more complicated and no one seemed able to decide whether Cork’s death was in fact a murder.Want to buy our GORGEOUS Tarot Deck designed by the incredibly talented Marisa Aragón Ware? This deck is a limited edition, so be sure to PREORDER before you miss your chance by visiting morbidtarot.com! Thanks to our friends at Relatable for dreaming this into existence!RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THIS EPISODE: The Frightful Fandom Podcast,  Follow @Jiggysawgirl on tikTok !The Horror Chronicles Podcast Follow @horror_chroniclesDude, It's Entertainment!  Podcast Follow @dude_its_entertainment References2014. A Crime to Remember (season 2, episode 6). Directed by Elise Greven. Performed by Elise Greven.Hartsfield, Jack. 1964. "Alta Loma crash scene sifted by detectives." San Bernardino County Sun, October 9: 16.—. 1965. "Defendant tells her story of 'death night'." San Bernardino County Sun, February 17: 1.—. 1965. "Hayton denies telling loves to Mrs. Miller." San Bernardino County Sun, February 9: 1.—. 1964. "Mrs. Miller charged with murder." San Bernardino County Sun, October 14: 1.—. 1965. "Mrs. Miller's views of Hayton recorded." San Bernardino County Sun, February 2: 1.—. 1964. "No charges filed; divorce action told." San Bernardino County Sun, October 10: 11.—. 1965. "Uproar sweeps court as verdict announced." San Bernardino County Sun, March 6: 1.Hertel, Howard. 1965. "Miller slain for money, trial told." Los Angeles Times, January 20: 29.—. 1965. "Mrs. Miller pictured as boasting of 'romance'." Los Angeles Times, January 29: 2.Hertel, Howard, and Art Berman. 1964. "Judge rules Miller murder case mistrial; re-set Jan. 11." Los Angeles Times, December 8: 2.Hertel, Howard, and Tom Goff. 1964. "Dentist's wife indicted for car fire death." Los Angeles Times, October 21: 2.Los Angeles Times. 1964. "Dentist dies in auto blaze; wife arrested." Los Angeles Times, October 9: 3.—. 1964. "Dentist under drug influence, jury will hear." Los Angeles Times, October 20: 3.Lucille Miller v. State of California. 1968. 392 U.S. 616 (Supreme Court of United States, June 17).Miller, Debra J. 2006. "A mother's crime."  Los Angeles Times, April 2. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In November's BONUS EPISODE, Ash and Alaina deep dive into the cinematic masterpiece/disaster/fever dream known as Twilight. Yes, THAT Twilight. The one where a 100-year-old immortal creature gaslights a teenager into thinking she smells weird. Buckle up weirdos!Check out Why We Love (and Hate) Twilight: The Highs and Lows of the Iconic Vampire Series by Sarah Elizabeth Gallagher.  Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today we are joined by our friend Aliza Kelly, host of Horoscope Weekly: Astrology with Aliza Kelly, to take a cosmic deep dive into one of history’s most chilling mysteries: The Whitechapel Murders.We explore what the stars might reveal about the shadowy figure who terrorized Victorian London. Could astrology shed light on the motive of the crimes? The psychology of the killer? Or even help narrow down which of the many suspects might have fit the Ripper’s celestial profile?From the eerie fog of Whitechapel to the astrological markers seen repeated in the charts of key figures in this prolific case, this episode blends true crime and the metaphysical in a way only Morbid and Aliza can. Check out Aliza's show on Mondays & Wednesdays by clicking HERE! Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the early morning hours of July 14, 1966, Chicago police responded to a call about a woman screaming for help at a townhouse in Chicago’s Jeffery Manor neighborhood. When they arrived, they found student nurse Cora Amurao outside the home she shared with eight other student nurses, all of whom had been strangled or stabbed that night by an unknown intruder, while Cora hid underneath her bed. Considered at the time to be a “crime of the century,” the student nurse murders shocked and terrified Chicago residents all across the city. Not only had one man managed to brutally murder eight people, but he had also managed to escape and was loose somewhere in the city. At the time, racially motivated riots had broken out across the city, making the already-burdened Chicago Police Department even more strained when it came to investigating the case.After an intense manhunt that lasted several days, investigators arrested Richard Speck, a twenty-four-year-old unemployed drifter with a criminal history. There was a strong amount of evidence that linked Speck directly to the murders, including his own confession, so when he went to trial, his lawyer tried unsuccessfully to argue Speck was not legally sane at the time of the murders. Unfortunately, the truth was something far worse: Speck killed eight women for no reason whatsoever. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the early morning hours of July 14, 1966, Chicago police responded to a call about a woman screaming for help at a townhouse in Chicago’s Jeffery Manor neighborhood. When they arrived, they found student nurse Cora Amurao outside the home she shared with eight other student nurses, all of whom had been strangled or stabbed that night by an unknown intruder, while Cora hid underneath her bed. Considered at the time to be a “crime of the century,” the student nurse murders shocked and terrified Chicago residents all across the city. Not only had one man managed to brutally murder eight people, but he had also managed to escape and was loose somewhere in the city. At the time, racially motivated riots had broken out across the city, making the already-burdened Chicago Police Department even more strained when it came to investigating the case.After an intense manhunt that lasted several days, investigators arrested Richard Speck, a twenty-four-year-old unemployed drifter with a criminal history. There was a strong amount of evidence that linked Speck directly to the murders, including his own confession, so when he went to trial, his lawyer tried unsuccessfully to argue Speck was not legally sane at the time of the murders. Unfortunately, the truth was something far worse: Speck killed eight women for no reason whatsoever.ReferencesAltman, Jack, and Marvin Ziporyn. 1967. Born to Raise Hell: The Untold Story of Richard Speck. New York, NY: Grove Press.Breo, Dennis L., William J. Martin, and Bill Kunkle. 1993. The Crime of the Century: Richard Speck and the Murders That Shocked a Nation. New York, NY: Bantam Books.Chicago Tribune. 1966. "Prisoner suffers heart attack, doctor hints." Chicago Tribune, July 20: 1.Chown, Susan. 1966. "Tearful eyes at hospital." Daily Calumet (Chicago, IL), July 15: 1.Goodyear, Sara Jane. 1966. "Hunt for clews in killing of eight nurses on S.E. side." Chcago Tribune, July 15: 1.—. 1966. "Killing leads 'hopeful'." Chicago Tribune, July 16: 1.Hollatz, Tom. 1966. "Grisly scene stuns reporter into silence." Daily Calumet (Chicago, IL), July 15: 1.—. 1966. "Relatives, neighbors are 'shocked beyond words'." Daily Calumet (Chicago, IL), July 15: 1.—. 1966. "The townhouse tragedy." Daily Calumet (Chicago, IL), July 15: 2.Koziol, Ronald. 1966. "Cops weave tight security web around prisoner in hospital." Chicago Tribune, July 18: 1.Siemaszko, Corky. 2016. How Richard Speck's rampage 50 years ago change a nation. July 13. Accessed July 29, 2025. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/how-richard-speck-s-rampage-50-years-ago-changed-nation-n606211.Sowa, Tony. 1966. "Nab killer suspect." Chicago Tribune, July 17: 1.Wiedrich, Robert. 1967. "Death verdict for Speck." Chicago Tribune, April 16: 1.—. 1967. "Filipino nurse tells how eight met their doom." Chicago Tribune, April 6: 1.—. 1967. "Filipino nurse tells how eight met their doom." Chicago Tribune, April 6: 1.—. 1967. "State describes night of horror in nurses' home." Chicago Tribune, April 4: 1. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When Phil and Clara Dandy first saw the house on McMahon Road in Hinsdale, NY, in the spring of 1970, they thought they’d found the home they could spend the rest of their lives in. Since the mid-1960s, the Phil, Clara, and their four children had been vacationing in rural western New York, and the house represented everything they loved about the tranquil region of the state. Within the span of a few months, they’d bought the house and that summer, they began their new life in the country.Unfortunately for the Dandys, their new slower pace of life didn’t last long. Within a few months of moving into what would become known as The Hinsdale House, the family was besieged by disembodied voices, inexplicable sounds, and the presence of ghostly apparitions. In time, what began as bizarre occurrences and disturbing encounters became a daily battle for the health and safety of Phil, Clara, and their children.Want to visit??? Book an experience NOW by visiting https://hauntedhinsdalehouse.comReferencesCurran, Bob. 1974. "For rent: Nice home in Hinsdale suitable for psychics and skeptics." Buffalo News, June 18: 41.—. 1974. "O.J. brings joy in remote resort; lib joke draws a sharp retort." Buffalo News, February 27: 37.—. 1974. "The mystery house and the exorcist." Buffalo Times, February 22: 33.Erkelens, Alluson. 2006. A Haunting - Dark Forest. Directed by Davbid Haycox and Jeffrey Fine. Produced by New Dominion Productions.Miller, Clara. 2009. Echoes of a Haunting - Revisited. Buffalo, NY: Virtual Bookworm .Tokasz, Jay. 2011. "Ghost home up for sale." Buffalo News, October 30: 41. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

ITS HALLOWEEN and we are reaching into our candy bowl to give you a spooooooky episode that's brought to you BY you, FOR you, FROM you and ALLLLL about you! Debdeb has gathered a batch of terrifying tales that will get you in the mood for the most wonderful time of the year!LISTEN to this (nearly)Nicholas-free version on all podcast platforms OR WATCH the Nicholas version on Youtube!If you’ve got a listener tale please send it to DEB by emailing us at  [email protected] with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line- and if you share pictures- please let us know if we can share them with fellow weirdos! :)Huge shout out to our video editor @aidanmcelmanMusic: Www.purple-Planet.com Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When newlyweds Tony and Deb Pickman moved into their new home in Atchison, Kansas in March 1993, they were excited to have found what they believed was the perfect home for their new family. But that summer, when Deb gave birth to their son, Taylor, things in the Pickman’s new house went from perfect to terrifying in a matter of months.Considered one of the most haunted houses in America, the Pickman’s experienced everything from disembodied voices and moving objects to spontaneous fires and violent physical attacks before finally deciding to abandon the house altogether, rather than risk their lives any further. In the years since, “Sallie’s House,” as it’s become known due to its ghostly inhabitant, has become a major destination for ghost hunters and thrill-seekers alike.Want to see the Sam & Colby Video we talked about in the episode? CLICK HERE!ReferencesAmodio, Joe. 2006. A Haunting - "Sallie's House". Directed by Bertrand Morin and Jeffrey Fine. Produced by New Dominion.Business Insider. 2020. "7 haunted houses that were once worth over $1 million." Business Insider, October 14.Pickman, Debra Lyn. 2010. The Sallie House Haunting: A True Story. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications.Tanner, Beccy. 2001. "Atchison's haunted history."  Wichita Eagle, October 26: 25. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Weirdos! We're bring OG MORBID back! THIS week we're reviving something that many of you have been missing: the illusive MiniMORBID! But fear not! We're going to give you a DOUBLE DOSE of Mini  as Ash & Alaina each talk about a different cryptid of the midwest! Get ready for an unhinged episode that had us laughing HYSTERICALLY! And don't forget the hit the comments to let us know what you think of our pitch for November's Bonus Episode! Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Throughout the twentieth century, few names loomed as large in the business and financial worlds as John Paul Getty. Once the richest man in the world, Getty made his fortune in the oil industry and an avid art collector, with a massive collection that served as a basis for the Getty Museum, the wealthiest museum in the world.  Getty’s wealth and business acumen made him a household name well beyond his death in 1976; however, that same wealth and notoriety made him a target for con artists and other criminals. Among those who sought to extort the Getty family, no attempt was more incredible and sensational than the kidnapping of Getty’s favorite grandchild, J. Paul Getty III, by an Italian crime syndicate in 1973.At first, the scion of the Getty family refused to negotiate with kidnappers, arguing that, if he paid the money, they would only kidnap other members of this family. But Getty reconsidered his position just a few weeks later, when his grandson’s ear arrived in the mail, with the promise of other body parts, should he not comply with their demands.ReferencesAssociated Press. 1973. "Getty kidnapers spurn offer of $430,000 ransom as 'paltry'." Buffalo Nerws (Buffalo, NY), August 3: 2.—. 1973. "Getty's mother awaits word from kidnapers on ransom." Buffalo News (Buffalo, NY), July 18: 3.—. 1973. "Grandson of Getty missing." Los Angeles Times, July 13: 9.—. 1974. "Italy arrests 3, seeks 4th in Getty kidnapping ." New York Times, Janaury 17: 14.Miller, Julie. 2017. "What All the Money in the World gets right (and wrong) about the Getty kidnapping." Vanity Fair, December 25.New York Times. 1976. "2 Getty kidnappers sentenced in Italy." New York Times, January 30: 10.—. 1973. "Roman police report a threat to sever a finger of Getty boy." New York Times, July 20: 2.Norman, Judith. 2013. "His favorite wife: A memoir looks back on the life of the fifth and final Mrs. Getty." New York Times, September 1: 10.Pearson, John. 1995. Painfully Rich: J. Paul Getty and His Heirs. London, UK: Macmillan.Reuters. 1973. "Ransom is offered for Paul Getty, 17, his father reports." New York Times, November 18: 8. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.