The End Of Reason
Explore the profound mysteries of human behavior with "The End Of Reason" podcast. Journey into the depths of crime and mystery, where logic crumbles in the face of the inexplicable. Unveil unsolved mysteries, delve into the minds of killers, and confront chilling conspiracies that challenge reason. Join us as we navigate the labyrinth of human darkness. And seek justice where reason ends.
The End Of Reason
West Virginia's Vanished Students Mystery
Could the reexamination of a notorious 1970 cold case finally bring justice to two West Virginia University freshmen who vanished under eerie circumstances? Join us as we navigate the haunting mystery of Karen Farrell and Marad Malarick's disappearance and the subsequent discovery of their headless bodies months later. From their last fateful night of hitchhiking to the cryptic anonymous letter that led investigators to their remains, this episode revisits every chilling detail that has left the community grappling for answers for over five decades.
In an episode, we delve into the convoluted investigation, including the false leads from the Psychic Science Church hoax and the puzzling confession and recantation by Eugene Paul Clausen. We'll also explore the reopening of the case in 2006, which brought fresh scrutiny to suspects like William Bernard Hacker Sr., Eddie Slaughter, Ronnie Bird, and John Brennan Crutchley. Tune in to the End of Reason podcast as we endeavor to piece together the fragments of this grim puzzle and spotlight the relentless pursuit of justice that continues to shadow the community.
Before we begin today's episode, we want to provide a subject matter warning. This podcast delves into real-life crimes and their often graphic and disturbing details. Today's episode contains discussions of violence, murder and other sensitive topics that may not be suitable for all listeners. We understand that this content can be triggering or upsetting for some, and we urge you to consider your own well-being as you listen. With that said, let's proceed with today's case. In the heart of a cold West Virginian winter in 1970, two fearless and adventurous young women, karen Farrell and Marad Malarick, embarked on an innocent outing that would eventually plunge them into a chilling mystery when, on January 18th, their ordinary routine took an ominous turn. They vanished into the night, never to be seen alive again. Initially dismissed as runaways by local authorities, their case took a disturbing turn when, several months after their disappearance, their headless and decomposing bodies were found in makeshift graves in a wooded area. What ensued was a frantic hunt for the killer, but as years and decades have passed, their brutal murders are still shrouded in mystery and more questions. Welcome to the End of Reason podcast.
Speaker 1:In 1970, west Virginia, like much of the United States, was undergoing significant social and cultural changes. While the state was known for its natural beauty, tight-knit communities and a sense of rugged independence, it was not immune to the challenges and issues facing the nation. During that time, violent crimes in West Virginia, while not as prevalent as in larger urban areas, were still a concern. The state had its share of criminal activities, including homicides, but the overall crime rate was lower than in more densely populated regions. Law enforcement agencies, often with limited resources, faced the daunting task of investigating and solving crimes, including violent ones. The 1970s marked a time of increasing awareness and concern about violent crimes, thanks in part to the rise of media coverage and the emergence of true crime stories in pop culture. This was the era of crime dramas and documentaries that captured the public's imagination. But for the small community of Morgantown, west Virginia, those crime dramas would soon become a nightmarish reality.
Speaker 1:Marid Malaric hailed from a privileged background. Her father, edward Malaric, a prosperous dentist, provided her family with a comfortable, upper-middle-class lifestyle. Marid had the advantage of a top-notch education, a wide circle of friends and the opportunity to explore various parts of the world. In contrast, karen Farrell grew up in a modest and deeply religious household. Despite the differences in their backgrounds, both young women shared common traits of beauty, intelligence and ambition. These qualities served as a unifying thread in their friendship. Their paths converged during their first semester at West Virginia University, when they found themselves living on the same floor in Westchester Hall. While Karen leaned towards a more reserved and shy demeanor, marid was recognized for her outgoing and vivacious nature. It was the unique blend of their personalities and characteristics that formed the foundation of their close and enduring friendship.
Speaker 1:On the evening of January 18th 1970, marid and Karen, both still freshmen at West Virginia University, went out. They had gone to see a showing of the musical Oliver in downtown Morgantown. As the night fell and the winter cold settled in, the two young women decided to hitchhike their way back to their dormitory in Evansdale, which was less than two miles away from the main campus. Hitchhiking was not uncommon at the time, and for university students on campus who weren't allowed vehicles of their own, they would often have to rely on hitchhiking to get from place to place. Maud and Karen had managed to reach their destination safely on previous occasions. However, on this fateful night, the decision to hitchhike would have dire consequences. They were last seen by two of their friends, clarence Lewis and Paulette Burns, who ran into them during the movie. They would later report, observing Marad and Karen getting into a light-coloured sedan which had stopped to pick them up. The driver was described as a man in his early forties.
Speaker 1:The very next day, just hours after they were last seen, the alarming realisation that Marid and Karen had not returned to their dormitory prompted a missing persons report to be filed with local authorities. Initially, the assumption was that the young women had chosen to leave of their own accord, a common interpretation of such cases during that era. However, friends and family were adamant that both girls were not the kind to vanish without a word. Months passed with no substantial leads or developments in the case. Then, in a chilling turn of events, a 13-year-old boy was picking up soda bottles along US 119 in March when he discovered Mared Malarik's purse in a patch of weeds about 50 feet off the road. A few weeks later, another boy stumbled upon Karen Farrell's driver's license in a remote area just south of Morgantown. These findings were significant, suggesting that the girls may have been in the vicinity of where these items were discovered.
Speaker 1:With the discovery of Marid's purse and Karen's driver's license, the runaway theory began to unravel. A prescription pill bottle bearing Karen's name was later found on the same dirt road where her license had been located, further raising suspicions and fueling the ongoing investigation. The accumulation of these distressing pieces of evidence indicated a much grimmer truth. Maud and Karen had likely met with foul play, but the case was far from over and the following month, on April 8th 1970, an anonymous letter postmarked from Cumberland, maryland, arrived at the West Virginia State Police Department. The letter was signed with nothing but a triangle, the water stated the Fatherland.
Speaker 1:Gentlemen, I have some information on the whereabouts of the bodies of the two missing West Virginia University co-eds, merred Malarick and Karen Ferrell. Follow directions very carefully, to the nth degree, and you cannot fail to find them. Proceed 25 miles directly south from the southern line of Morgantown. This will bring you to a wooded forest land. Enter into the forest exactly one mile. There are the bodies, 25 plus 1, 26 miles total. Will reveal myself when the bodies are located. Sincerely, the letter was published in the newspapers and only several days later another letter postmarked from Cumberland arrived reading Gentlemen, I saw the article in this morning's newspaper concerning my previous letter on the missing two coeds. If you re-read my first letter carefully, you will see the directions were specific direct south from the city, meaning the southern limit of Morgantown, west Virginia, straight south twenty-five miles, you will come to a forest woodland. Enter in one mile south, fanning out, you will locate the bodies of the girls covered over with brush. Look carefully, the animals are now on the move. Do trust this will help you out with exact location. Will still identify myself when bodies are located.
Speaker 1:Sincerely, as the letters containing these cryptic instructions arrived, mounting public pressure demanded a more serious approach to Karen and Marid's disappearance. The governor of West Virginia, responding to this growing concern, ordered a search for the missing girls. Based on the guidance provided in the letters, the West Virginia State Police and the National Guard initiated the search, doing their best to follow the instructions, though the directions proved to be vague and challenging, making it unclear where precisely they should begin the search. Nonetheless, the search did yield some clues and personal items belonging to the missing girls. The items were scattered within a 25-mile radius of where the girls would ultimately be discovered.
Speaker 1:On April 16th 1970, a grim discovery shattered the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Marid Malarik and Karen Ferrell. It had been 88 agonising days since they vanished when members of the National Guard stumbled upon their makeshift graves. Their bodies were found neatly clothed and, remarkably, there were no signs of sexual assault. A pack of cigarettes with two cigarettes still intact was carefully tucked into the waistband of Merid's pants. The clothing they wore matched the clothes they reportedly had on the day they disappeared. But the most stark and unsettling detail was that the two young coeds were decapitated. Their remains were stacked one on top of the other, with Karen's body atop Marid's. Investigators theorised that a hatchet might have been used to sever their heads, a notion supported by the nicks and ragged ends on Karen's sweater. Nicks and ragged ends on Karen's sweater.
Speaker 1:The revelation of this gruesome crime scene reignited the urgency to locate the killer, thrusting the investigation into the spotlight. The bodies were swiftly transported to West Virginia University Hospital for autopsy, revealing more disturbing details. Most of Karen Ferrell's remains were missing, likely consumed by animals, while Marad's body was in better preservation, her head had been completely severed, while more of Karen's neck remained on her body. There were numerous extensive searches of the area where the bodies were found, and yet no traces of their heads have ever been found.
Speaker 1:After the bodies were found, two more anonymous letters were sent On April 21st. One letter was sent to the police and read the heads can be found from the position of the bodies. By striking out 10°SW for the first head and approximately 10°SE for the second roughly one mile, you are already seven tenths of that mile. They are within the mine entrance, if you can call it an entrance, considering its condition. They are buried not over one foot in depth.
Speaker 1:The ones responsible for the murders scattered some of the girls' personal effects over the general area, creating a pattern of confusion making it difficult for you to pinpoint any exact location. My first two letters triggered your intensive search. Don't give up now. Sincerely, the last and final letter was sent to Marid's parents, I have sent three letters to the Morgantown State Police Department concerning your daughter, marid and Karen. Concerning your daughter, marid and Karen, the first and second were taken with some seriousness and instituted a search which was successful in locating two bodies, minus the heads, which were needed for other purposes. All of a sudden, the police have been complaining about an error in the mileage stated in my second letter. After one has driven in an oval pattern for 26 miles, under the weather condition of Jan and under the involved circumstances, it is possible to make about an 18-mile error in the precise location of the bodies. Nevertheless, they were found south of Morgantown, as stated in the letter, even to that which was called a logging lane or old mine road.
Speaker 1:In my opinion, both the same Investigators had good reason to suspect that the person writing the letters was a likely suspect in the murders. But one law enforcement officer later used handwriting analysis to trace back the letters to members of the Psychic Science Church, a small religious cult. In the end, it was believed that the letters were nothing more than a hoax orchestrated by this cult. The individuals responsible for writing them were absolved of any connection to the murders. If the letters were a hoax, they became a detriment to the case because law enforcement had played such significant focus on them and ruled out potential suspects in the process.
Speaker 1:Despite the harrowing discoveries of the bodies, the quest to identify the assailant of the murdered coeds went cold, leaving the community haunted by the unsolved case. It would be six years before a new lead emerged through the confession of a New Jersey prisoner named Eugene Paul Clausen. Clausen, tormented by traumatic nightmares involving the headless co-eds, confessed first to a cellmate, then to a prison guard and ultimately to the West Virginia State Police prison guard and ultimately to the West Virginia State Police. Clausen was born in Morgantown, west Virginia, and for much of his life he had lived in the nearby town of Point Marion. He had a history of prior sexual offences, particularly against children, and at the time of his confession he was serving a prison sentence for the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl. According to him, he had visited his mother in Point Marion, pennsylvania, and borrowed a car where he drove nine miles to Morgantown to pick up Marid and Karen. Claiming to be under the influence of LSD and marijuana, he took the girls to a secluded wooded area outside of Morgantown. There he forced them to participate in sex acts before shooting one of them in the head. He returned to the car, retrieved a machete and proceeded to decapitate one of the girls. He then repeated the same horrifying act on the other and hid their bodies in the woods where he covered them with logs and rocks. Clausen even claimed to have had sex with the severed heads before he disposed of the heads and the murder weapon had sex with the severed heads before he disposed of the heads and the murder weapon.
Speaker 1:Clausen's trial was scheduled for October 1976 in West Virginia and, to everyone's surprise, he entered a plea of not guilty and recanted his previous confessions. Despite his insistence on his innocence, clausen was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. However, the case took another twist when Clausen appealed the ruling and was granted another trial, which occurred on October 26th 1981. This time, the trial took place in Randolph County, a move aimed at reducing potential biases from Monongalia County locals reducing potential biases from Monongalia County locals. He was convicted again for the crime. Clausen staunchly maintained his innocence in the murder case until his passing in prison in 2009. Many individuals involved with the case have now shifted their perspective, strongly leaning toward the belief that he was not the perpetrator of these specific crimes. Leaning toward the belief that he was not the perpetrator of these specific crimes. While the consensus was that he posed a substantial threat to society and deserved a lifetime behind bars for his crimes against children, there was no physical evidence ever linking him to the crime.
Speaker 2:In 2006, the investigation into Marid and Karen's murders was reopened by the West Virginia State Police and yet, over 50 years later, much of the case remains shrouded in mystery, unsolved. Throughout the years, faced with the prospect that the true killer was never brought to justice, many have come up with their own theories about who may have been responsible, and the search for the killer has led investigators and the public down various paths, examining multiple suspects. One of these suspects was William Bernard Hacker Sr, who was arrested in December 1970 for the murder and decapitation of Herbert Coburn in Baltimore. Hacker's history raised suspicions as there had been a series of unsolved decapitations between 1921 and 1952 in areas near his residence. However, after committing a double murder in 1952 and subsequent imprisonment, the decapitations ceased until the Coed murder in 1970.
Speaker 2:Another individual of interest was Eddie Slaughter, a janitor at Westchester Hall, the dormitory where Marad and Karen lived. His involvement came to light when a woman reported a disturbing encounter with him. She described feeling uncomfortable, particularly when Slaughter became fixated on her fur coat and hat. His sick leave on the nights. The girls went missing added to suspicions. Handwriting analysis was conducted, but it indicated that he was unlikely to be the author of the triangle letters initially believed to be from the killer. Consequently, slaughter was ruled out as a suspect In the case's reopening in 2006, investigators looked into Ronnie Bird, who was linked to disturbing activities like animal torture and setting fires.
Speaker 2:It was noted that Bird had a photo of Eddie Slaughter on his wall. This connection raised suspicions due to Slaughter's previous association with the case. Lastly, john Brennan Crutchley, known as the Vampire Rapist, was proposed as a potential suspect by Geoffrey Cameron Fuller, a co-author of a book about the murders. Crutchley's name emerged due to circumstantial factors, such as his sister attending West Virginia University in 1970 and his father's connection to the land where the bodies were found. Yet there is no concrete evidence placing Crutchley in or near Morgantown in 1970, and, apart from his status as a serial killer with ties to the area, there is no substantial proof linking him to the murders of Marad and Karen.
Speaker 1:The case remains unsolved, with no conclusive evidence tying any of these suspects to the gruesome murders, leaving the mystery unresolved. After more than five decades, as investigators continue their relentless pursuit of the truth, the shadow of this haunting mystery still looms over West Virginia. Thank you for joining us on this journey through the shadows of humanity. On the End of Reason podcast. As we conclude today's episode, remember that the pursuit of truth never truly ends. Until next time, stay vigilant, stay curious and never let go of reason.