In this episode, we dive into the mysterious case of Bella, whose body was discovered in a wych elm tree in Hagley Wood in 1941. With theories ranging from espionage to witchcraft, we explore the chilling details, the ongoingintrigue surrounding her identity, and the modern-day efforts to solve the case. Join us as we unravel the mystery of "Who put Bella in the Wych Elm?" and take a closer look at the eerie theories that have persisted for over 70 years.

Source Materials:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-07/mystery-over-who-put-bella-down-the-wych-elm-/102171844

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/541525/digital-reconstruction-reveals-face-murder-victim-bella-wych-elm

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/is-this-the-bella-in-the-wych-elm-unravelling-the-mystery-of-the-skull-found-in-a-tree-trunk-8546497.html

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/31-days-of-halloween-who-put-bella-down-the-wych-elm

https://www.the-sun.com/news/11083266/bella-wych-elm-identity-mystery-murder-cold-case/

https://www.curiousarchive.com/who-put-bella-in-the-wych-elm-espionage-witchcraft/

https://www.ranker.com/list/who-put-bella-in-the-wych-elm/patrick-thornton

In 1931, a Liverpool insurance agent returned home to find his wife savagely murdered—and himself at the center of one of Britain’s most baffling murder mysteries. With an airtight alibi, a fake appointment, and no clear motive, the case of Herbert and Julia Wallace remains unsolved to this day.

SourceMaterials:

https://www.williamherbertwallace.com/general/the-murder-of-julia-wallace/

https://www.livpost.co.uk/chess-prank-calls-and-murder-who/

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/551903/impossible-1930s-murder-still-fascinates-crime-writers

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpools-oldest-unsolved-murder-baffled-22804932

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/nostalgia/infamous-man-pru-murder-thats-29642600

https://www.thetimes.com/best-law-firms/profile-legal/article/pd-james-unmasks-the-perfect-killer-r29xwkgdw0b?region=global

https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/wallace.html

In 1930s Texas, Joe Ball was just another bootlegger-turned-barkeep—until the women around him started disappearing. With a backyard alligator pit, a string of missing waitresses, and a pistol always close at hand, Joe’s story blurs the line between fact and folklore. Step into the shadowy legend of the Alligator Man.

Source Materials

Joe Ball: The Butcher of Elmendorf — Introduction — Crime Library

Chilling story about the man known as “The Butcher of Elmendorf”

Two Barmaids, Five Alligators, and the Butcher of Elmendorf – Texas Monthly

Suspected local serial killer who may have fed his victims to alligators killed himself 83 years ago

CRIME HUNTER: Bootlegger Joe Ball fed women to gators | Toronto Sun