EPISODE 31March 09, 2023

The Murderer and the Mind Reader

On Monday, July 9, 1928, four cold-blooded murders were committed on the Booher family farm, just outside the small village of Mannville in central Alberta. The crime shocked the nation, and the police made headlines when they decided to employ a self-proclaimed "mind reader" to help them find the missing murder weapon. It has been called the first criminal case to have ever been solved by a psychic or clairvoyant, but that's not entirely true. In this episode, blending true crime and folklore, we'll look at the legend, the history, and the facts of the case that show how the truth can sometimes be stranger than fiction.

Sources

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Cooper, Holly. “The Booher Family Murders: Solved by a Psychic?” An Almanac of Infamy (http://infamyalmanac.blogspot.com/2019/07/the-booher-family-murders-solved-by.html), 8 July 2019. Accessed 2021.

 

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History.com Editors. “A spiteful son kills four in a fit of rage.” History (https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/a-spiteful-son-kills-four-in-a-fit-of-rage). 13 November 2009. Accessed 2021.

 

Hogg, Sara Marie. “The Man Who Crawled Inside the Mind of a Murderer.” Caleb and Linda Pirtle – https://www.calebandlindapirtle.com/inside-mind-murderer/ 24 February 2018. Accessed 2021.

 

McFedries, Archie. “Mind over Murder.” Coronet, August, 1944: Vol. 16, No. 4, pp 131-135

 

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Robbins, Rob. “Psychic reads killer’s tormented mind.” Weekly World News. 27 September 1988, p 36.

 

Simmons, C.J. “REX v. BOOHER.” [1928] 4 D.L.R.] Dominion Law Reports. Alberta Supreme Court, Simmons, C.J., September 26, 1928. P 795-797.

 

Singer, Kurt and Gier, Michael. “A Murder Case.” True Experiences in Telepathy. Toronto: New American Library of Canada, 1967. P 17-31

 

Thomas, Don. “Good-looking farm-boy was a real killer.” Edmonton Journal. 13 September 1980, p 71.

 

Townsend, Catherine. “The Booher Family Mass Murder and the Mind Reader Who Helped Crack the Case.” The Lineup (https://the-line-up.com/booher-family-mass-murder), 24 August 2017. Accessed 2022.

 

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“Berlin Turns to Hypnotism.” The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, MD. 2 November 1919, p 6.

 

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“Hypnotized policeman kills three.” Evansville Press, Evansville IN. 28 December 1923, p 1. 

 

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“Crime Expert to Give Demonstration at Royal Victoria.” Times Colonist, Victoria, BC. 2 July 1928, p 23.

 

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“Four are slain on Alberta farm.” The Montreal Star. 11 July 1928, p 4

 

“Murder shots fired two hours apart.” Edmonton Journal. 12 July 1928, p 1.

 

“Gruesome Murder at Manville Baffles All Efforts at Solution.” Calgary Herald. 12 July 1928, p 1.

 

“Shots were heard by neighbors at 6 o’clock and again at 8 o’clock.” Edmonton Journal. 12 July 1928, p 15

 

 “Alberta Youth Jailed on Charge of Murder.” Star-Phoenix. 18 July, 1928, p 1.

 

“Vernon Booher Arrested.” Edmonton Bulletin, 18 July 1928, p 1-9.

 

“Vernon Booher Sent to Trial.” Calgary Herald, 19 July 1928, p 13.

 

“Hold V. Booher in Provincial Jail.” Edmonton Journal. 19 July 1928, p 13.

 

“Thought Waves Reveal Murder Clue.” Edmonton Journal. 24 July 1928, p 1.

 

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Tomorrow Night! At the Empire 8:30 p.m.: The Master Mind of All Time…” Star-Phoenix, Saskatoon, SK. 1 November 1928, p 7.

 

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“Didn’t Work.” Dayton Daily News. 15 July 1932, p 16.

 

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