Buried Bones - a historical true crime podcast with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes Railroad Ties
17 snips
Aug 13, 2025 Dive into the chilling world of late 1890s New York, where a train conductor's grim discovery sets off a gripping investigation. Explore the tragic story of a missing teenage girl, Sarah, uncovering dark family secrets and community responses. The podcast raises intriguing questions about the nature of her death—accident, suicide, or murder? Fascinating insights into historical forensics and societal norms enrich the narrative, making it a captivating tale filled with mystery and complexity.
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Reconstruct Position To Infer Manner
- Paul emphasizes reconstructing pedestrian position to determine whether a victim was standing or laid on tracks when struck.
- He urges investigators to analyze vehicle front design, impact forces, and body dispersal to infer manner of death.
Site Choice Points Toward Staged Disposal
- Witnesses noted the train's view would be blocked and a body placed carefully on the track would be hard to see beforehand.
- Workers observed the chosen crossing was an ideal spot to have a body run over without detection.
Missing Teen From Prominent Family
- Investigators canvassed and found the wealthy Tripp family had reported a 16-year-old, Sarah Mumford, missing after she left at nine p.m.
- The family lived about four miles from the crossing where the body was found.
