On February 4, 1941, Bronx police officers were called to the home of John and Catherine Pappas for a report of a homicide. Based on the evidence, detectives theorized that someone had been invited into the Pappas apartment while Catherine was home alone and that same someone had strangled her to death, then ransacked the apartment looking for valuables. To investigators the scene resembled a fairly straightforward robbery-homicide; however, to detective Ed Burns, there were elements of the crime scene that bore a striking similarity to another assault and robbery case he’d been assigned to just two weeks earlier in another part of the Bronx.

What followed was an investigation that exploded in size from a single robbery-gone-wrong that resulted in a murder to a sprawling serial sexual assault case that would eventually involve more than eighty victims in eight states, all victimized by the same man. The hunt for the Aspirin Bandit is among the more remarkable cases in New York criminal history, not only because of the number of victims, but also because of the tremendous effort and coordination put forth to catch the killer—effort and coordination that, in 1941, was virtually unheard of.

Thank you to the Amazing Dave White (of BRING ME THE AXE PODCAST) for research and writing assistance!

Brooklyn Eagle. 1941. "Papas slayer, faced by victims, confesses." Brooklyn Eagle, March 4: 1.

Connor, Christine, and Elise Greven. 2017. "Gentleman Killer." A Crime to Remember. Janaury 3.

Dillon, Edward, and Howard Whitman. 1941. "Cigarets, aspirin clues to woman's strangler." Daily News (New York, NY), February 6: 4.

New York Times. 1941. "Alarm for burglar sent in Pappas case." New York Times, February 8: 32.

—. 1941. "Cvek found guilty of Pappas murder." New York Times, May 20: 46.

—. 1941. "Cvek tells court he killed in anger." New York Times, May 16: 24.

—. 1941. "Mystery cloaks woman's murder." New York Times, February 6: 15.

—. 1941. "Pappas strangler admits 15 crimes." New York Times, March 5: 1.

—. 1941. "Slayer of woman 'rebukes' press." New York Times, March 8: 34.

—. 1941. "Sun lamp halts trial." New York Times, April 22: 23.

Rice, William. 1941. "Cvek a killer? No surprise to his relatives."

Daily News (New York, NY)

, March 5: 4.

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Weirdos, REJOICE! It’s that time that's brought to you, BY you, FOR you, FROM you and ALLLLL about you! This week, Ash & Alaina enter their villain era, and focus on tales from the early oughts! We’ve got haunted plants! We’ve got stories about a break in! We’ve got ghostly babysitters! So sit down, grab a cup of ambrosia and join us as we say farewell to September!

LISTEN to this (nearly)Nicholas-free version on all podcast platforms OR WATCH the Nicholas version on Youtube on 9/25/2025!

If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com 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! :)

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Weirdos! This week, we’re diving headfirst into the haunted and the unexplainable with none other than Sam & Colby! They’ve shared their passion for seeking the paranormal, taunting the unknown, and occasionally screaming at shadows in abandoned places. Sam & Colby talk about some of their most terrifying (and hilarious) experiences on the road, as well as answer questions we can confidently say they’ve never been asked!

Want to watch their ghost hunts? Check out their YouTube Channel HERE!

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