Why are there so many serial killers in the Northwest?

FromI Wonder Why...?

Start listening View podcast show

Why are there so many serial killers in the Northwest?

FromI Wonder Why...?

ratings:

Length:

5 minutes

Released:

Jun 15, 2012

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

From Ted Bundy to Gary Ridgway, some of the most notorious murderers in our nation’s history committed their crimes in the Northwest. While we may not have the most serial killers, we’ve certainly got that reputation. And that got us to wondering: Why are there so many serial killers in the Northwest? Read the story on "I Wonder Why ...?"

Released:

Jun 15, 2012

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (18)

What sorts of things about the Northwest have you wondered about? Attributes you find endearing, odd, even irritating. That's what we explore in our weekly series, I Wonder Why...?

Skip carousel

Did Jesus Christ make Seattle under protest?: You might say Jesus Christ Made Seattle Under Protest. Or, Jesus Christ Made Seattle Under Pressure. Either way, this provocative statement is a big help when you’re trying to get around downtown Seattle. It’s a mnemonic device, a sentence that helps you by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why do we tint our windows in the rainy NW?: You pull up to a stop light, look over and the windows on the SUV next to you are so dark you can’t see in. Why are we hiding behind tinted automobile windows here in the Pacific Northwest? Read more on I Wonder Why ... ? by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why does Seattle still care about the World's Fair?: The Seattle World’s Fair – which opened 50 years ago this weekend – was pretty small on the global scale, compared to later World’s Fairs in Montreal or Vancouver, B.C., or Seville, Spain. It would seem tiny next to the immense Exposition in Shanghai in by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why did Costco start in the Northwest and get so big?: The Northwest is home to a variety of companies that have changed how we live our lives. We spend more now on coffee thanks to Starbucks. Amazon is changing the way we read books. And another company with deep local roots has gotten many of us to buy more by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Why is the 'Boeing Bust' still with us?: Maybe you’ve heard the line, "Will the last person leaving Seattle turn out the lights." That well-worn phrase came from a billboard in 1971 as the Boeing Company stalled and then fell into a tailspin. And while the "Boeing Bust" happened a long time ago, by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why the Alaskan fishing fleet is based in Seattle: On the reality TV show “The Deadliest Catch,” you see the crew of the Northwestern enduring storms and other dangers while crab fishing in the Bering Sea in the middle of winter. You might be surprised to learn that the Northwestern and the hundreds of by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
I Wonder Why ... Reaction to 'Why is Seattle such a white city?': Race can be a volatile subject. Still, judging from the reaction to a recent "I Wonder Why ... ?" story, it’s something people are eager to talk about. Charla Bear’s story explored why Seattle is one of the whitest big cities in the country, whiter than by I Wonder Why...?
3 min listen
Why are we such gear freaks in the NW?: In the Pacific Northwest, we know that yoga pants, polar fleece and hiking shoes are great for grocery shopping. But when we head into the great outdoors, we love to pile on the high-tech gear. Sure, the weather here demands a certain level of protection by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why can't you see the animals at Woodland Park Zoo?: Have you ever been to Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo and had a difficult time seeing the animals through all of the trees and plants? Well, it’s supposed to be that way. It’s all by design. The naturalistic animal exhibit was born in Seattle at Woodland Park by I Wonder Why...?
6 min listen
Why do so many park the wrong way in Seattle?: I just moved here from Chicago, and there’s one thing that has been bugging me – the way people park. In some ways, Seattleites seem to really follow the rules. People don’t jaywalk, for instance. So why do so many people park on the wrong side of the by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Why are there so many serial killers in the Northwest?: From Ted Bundy to Gary Ridgway, some of the most notorious murderers in our nation’s history committed their crimes in the Northwest. While we may not have the most serial killers, we’ve certainly got that reputation. And that got us to wondering: Why are by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Remembering True Crime Author Ann Rule: Friends and fans are remembering true-crime author Ann Rule as a prolific writer, a tireless advocate for victims and an expert about enforcement and crime investigation. Rule died Sunday at the age of 83. KPLU’s Kirsten Kendrick interviewed Ann Rule by I Wonder Why...?
3 min listen
Why does Seattle have so few kids and so many dogs?: Here’s an odd fact: Seattle’s dog population is estimated to be around 140,000 and climbing. The number of kids? … 93,000 and dropping. Seattle’s not such a bad place to raise kids, but based on the 2010 census, roughly 15 percent of our population is 18 by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Why is "Louie Louie" Washington's theme song?: In the 1980’s, the Washington State Legislature considered making it the official state song. The measure failed, but “Louie Louie” is still listed on government websites as the “unofficial” state rock song. Sure it’s got a good beat and it’s easy to by I Wonder Why...?
6 min listen
Why doesn't that part of Washington belong to Canada?: There’s a tiny part of Washington state that is so remote you have to cross an international border twice to get there. Isolated, surrounded by water and Canadians … why did Point Roberts become a part of Washington and not Canada? Read more on 'I Wonder by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Why Tacoma owes its slogan to a ‘crazy person’: Tacoma has been known as the “City of Destiny” for more than 140 years. And while the city’s slogan is unique because it has lasted for so long (when was the last time you heard Seattle referred to as “Jet City?”), it also comes from a 19 Century “crazy by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
How did the 'City of Destiny' lose out to Seattle?: (This is the second installment of a 2-part series about Tacoma’s designation as the City of Destiny .) Why didn’t Tacoma become the premiere city on Puget Sound? How did the City of Destiny lose out to Seattle? Back in 1873, it looked like Tacoma would by I Wonder Why...?
6 min listen
Why are Seattleites averse to stepping out in style?: Do most of the clothes in your closet range from hiking fleece to dress fleece, or some variations of plaid and jeans? That’s probably what has fueled Seattle’s reputation as an unfashionable city. Overdressing – something that’s just not possible in many by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen

More Episodes from I Wonder Why...?

Skip carousel

Remembering True Crime Author Ann Rule: Friends and fans are remembering true-crime author Ann Rule as a prolific writer, a tireless advocate for victims and an expert about enforcement and crime investigation. Rule died Sunday at the age of 83. KPLU’s Kirsten Kendrick interviewed Ann Rule by I Wonder Why...?
3 min listen
Why doesn't that part of Washington belong to Canada?: There’s a tiny part of Washington state that is so remote you have to cross an international border twice to get there. Isolated, surrounded by water and Canadians … why did Point Roberts become a part of Washington and not Canada? Read more on 'I Wonder by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Why are Seattleites averse to stepping out in style?: Do most of the clothes in your closet range from hiking fleece to dress fleece, or some variations of plaid and jeans? That’s probably what has fueled Seattle’s reputation as an unfashionable city. Overdressing – something that’s just not possible in many by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
How did the 'City of Destiny' lose out to Seattle?: (This is the second installment of a 2-part series about Tacoma’s designation as the City of Destiny .) Why didn’t Tacoma become the premiere city on Puget Sound? How did the City of Destiny lose out to Seattle? Back in 1873, it looked like Tacoma would by I Wonder Why...?
6 min listen
Why Tacoma owes its slogan to a ‘crazy person’: Tacoma has been known as the “City of Destiny” for more than 140 years. And while the city’s slogan is unique because it has lasted for so long (when was the last time you heard Seattle referred to as “Jet City?”), it also comes from a 19 Century “crazy by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why does Seattle have so few kids and so many dogs?: Here’s an odd fact: Seattle’s dog population is estimated to be around 140,000 and climbing. The number of kids? … 93,000 and dropping. Seattle’s not such a bad place to raise kids, but based on the 2010 census, roughly 15 percent of our population is 18 by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Why is "Louie Louie" Washington's theme song?: In the 1980’s, the Washington State Legislature considered making it the official state song. The measure failed, but “Louie Louie” is still listed on government websites as the “unofficial” state rock song. Sure it’s got a good beat and it’s easy to by I Wonder Why...?
6 min listen
I Wonder Why ... Reaction to 'Why is Seattle such a white city?': Race can be a volatile subject. Still, judging from the reaction to a recent "I Wonder Why ... ?" story, it’s something people are eager to talk about. Charla Bear’s story explored why Seattle is one of the whitest big cities in the country, whiter than by I Wonder Why...?
3 min listen
Why do so many park the wrong way in Seattle?: I just moved here from Chicago, and there’s one thing that has been bugging me – the way people park. In some ways, Seattleites seem to really follow the rules. People don’t jaywalk, for instance. So why do so many people park on the wrong side of the by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Why are we such gear freaks in the NW?: In the Pacific Northwest, we know that yoga pants, polar fleece and hiking shoes are great for grocery shopping. But when we head into the great outdoors, we love to pile on the high-tech gear. Sure, the weather here demands a certain level of protection by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why can't you see the animals at Woodland Park Zoo?: Have you ever been to Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo and had a difficult time seeing the animals through all of the trees and plants? Well, it’s supposed to be that way. It’s all by design. The naturalistic animal exhibit was born in Seattle at Woodland Park by I Wonder Why...?
6 min listen
Why is the 'Boeing Bust' still with us?: Maybe you’ve heard the line, "Will the last person leaving Seattle turn out the lights." That well-worn phrase came from a billboard in 1971 as the Boeing Company stalled and then fell into a tailspin. And while the "Boeing Bust" happened a long time ago, by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why the Alaskan fishing fleet is based in Seattle: On the reality TV show “The Deadliest Catch,” you see the crew of the Northwestern enduring storms and other dangers while crab fishing in the Bering Sea in the middle of winter. You might be surprised to learn that the Northwestern and the hundreds of by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Did Jesus Christ make Seattle under protest?: You might say Jesus Christ Made Seattle Under Protest. Or, Jesus Christ Made Seattle Under Pressure. Either way, this provocative statement is a big help when you’re trying to get around downtown Seattle. It’s a mnemonic device, a sentence that helps you by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why does Seattle still care about the World's Fair?: The Seattle World’s Fair – which opened 50 years ago this weekend – was pretty small on the global scale, compared to later World’s Fairs in Montreal or Vancouver, B.C., or Seville, Spain. It would seem tiny next to the immense Exposition in Shanghai in by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen
Why did Costco start in the Northwest and get so big?: The Northwest is home to a variety of companies that have changed how we live our lives. We spend more now on coffee thanks to Starbucks. Amazon is changing the way we read books. And another company with deep local roots has gotten many of us to buy more by I Wonder Why...?
5 min listen
Why do we tint our windows in the rainy NW?: You pull up to a stop light, look over and the windows on the SUV next to you are so dark you can’t see in. Why are we hiding behind tinted automobile windows here in the Pacific Northwest? Read more on I Wonder Why ... ? by I Wonder Why...?
4 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

SEATTLE'S FORGOTTEN SERIAL KILLER-Cloyd Steiger: In 1969, the body of a young woman was discovered in the woods of Renton, rocking the communities along Puget Sound. Three more brutal murders followed, drawing the attention of multiple police agencies as they tried to piece together the meager clues... by True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers
61 min listen
The Slayings of Janine Johnson & Stephen Taylor in Ferris, Texas: 29-year-old Janine Johnson and 39-year-old Stephen Taylor had a good thing going. Their romance had blossomed into a full-blown commitment and Stephen had developed an extremely close friendship and bond with Janine’s 11-year-old son. They lived a... by Gone Cold - Texas True Crime
33 min listen
ABSOLUTE MADNESS-Catherine Pelonero: Absolute Madness tells the disturbing true story of Joseph Christopher, a white serial killer who targeted black males and struck fear into the residents of Buffalo and New York City in the 1980s. Dubbed both the .22-Caliber Killer and the Midtown... by True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers
68 min listen
#107: The Barbie Doll Kidnapper (Case of Katie Beers) by Rotten Mango
70 min listen
Horror on Bus 1170 — The Death of Tim McLean by Dark Poutine - True Crime and Dark History
77 min listen
Refrew County Rampage: Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk and Nathalie Warmerdam by Dark Poutine - True Crime and Dark History
69 min listen
THE CORPSEWOOD MANOR MURDERS IN NORTH GEORGIA-Amy Petulla: Author Amy Petulla uncovers the curious case that left two men dead and the incredible story still surrounded by controversy, speculation and myth. In 1982, Tony West and Avery Brock made a visit to notorious Corpsewood Manor under the pretense of a... by True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers
90 min listen
KILLER MINDS-Amanda Howard: Amanda Howard is a bestselling true crime author, fiction writer and violent crimes consultant who has written 19 books over the past 14 years including ten books on a wide range of true crime cases. She has also interviewed some of the world's most... by True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers
61 min listen
Crime Alert 09.26.19 by Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
1 min listen
Murder Of Trey Zwicker - 346 by The Generation Why Podcast
49 min listen
Episode 193 - Central Park Jogger Case by Real Crime Profile
34 min listen
TO KILL OR BE KILLED-Joni Ankerson: Obviously, I knew better than to take a life — but that was before. Before him. The day we met in October of 1997, I was working at the District Court in Traverse City, Michigan as a Deputy Clerk. It was like most other days with arraignments,... by True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers
93 min listen
The Savage Murder of John Godfrey in Victoria Part 2: When John Godfrey’s body was found down a rural road just outside the Victoria city limits on Tuesday, December 7th, 1976 it changed the town for many. Not only was John’s the third unsolved murder that year but his slaying was also especially brutal,... by Gone Cold - Texas True Crime
35 min listen
The Railroad Killer by 48 Hours
40 min listen
Private Eye Lures Stepmom to Reveal Location of Tot Boy Lucas Hernandez’s Tiny Body by Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
37 min listen
Murder of Benjamin Eastman - 371 by The Generation Why Podcast
45 min listen
TKC 449 Patricia Cornwell: Author of Ripper: The Secret Life of Walter Sickert Interview starts at 10:27 and ends at 41:38 “Billie Jean King is very aware of my Ripper book, and we talked about it when I began all this investigation in 2001, because Billie Jean had been a... by The Kindle Chronicles
45 min listen
MY SON, THE KILLER-The Untold Story of Luka Magnotta-Brian Whitney: In 2012, the Canadian Press ignited a firestorm of criticism by naming killer Luka Magnotta as its “Newsmaker Of The Year.” But while the recognition was questionable for its sensitivity, there’s no doubt that few people had captured the public’s... by True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers
84 min listen
DAHMER DETECTIVE-Robyn Maharaj: In the late hours of July 22, 1991, Milwaukee, Wisconsin changed forever. Detective Patrick “Pat” Kennedy would meet a man who had altered many lives in devastating ways. Nothing could possibly have prepared Kennedy for what he witnessed that fateful... by True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers
73 min listen
Best of MURDERISH - "Gabriel Fernandez" E26: We're bringing back a very important episode about first grader Gabriel Fernandez. by MURDERISH
91 min listen
THE BUNDY MURDERS-Kevin M. Sullivan: In this revised, updated and expanded edition, the author explores the life of Theodore Bundy, one of the more infamous--and flamboyant--American serial killers on record. Bundy's story is a complex mix of psychopathology, criminal investigation, and... by True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers
90 min listen
West Texas Boogie Men and the Forgotten: West Texas in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s was seeing more violent crime than ever; the ultimate violence, murder, was certainly no exception. Many cases were solved throughout the region, cases that seemed to have the full attention of the... by Gone Cold - Texas True Crime
39 min listen
SCHOOLGIRL, 14, disappears enroute to school bus stop by Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
40 min listen
TANGLED WEB OF MODERN-DAY “BONNIE & CLYDE” KILLERS by Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
42 min listen
S1E1: Who is Lisa Marie Young? by Island Crime
41 min listen
Patricia Esparza: “Haunted by Her Past”丨MURDERISH Ep. 094 by MURDERISH
59 min listen
Hear serial killer laugh, brag, describe how he 'loved' the 93 women he murdered by Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
37 min listen
Introducing: Shadow of Truth by Shadow of Truth
2 min listen
Chilling new details in armed kidnap of Wisconsin girl Jayme close, brutal murder of her mom & dad by Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
39 min listen
SEASON 4, Evil in the School Yard, Part II by Suspect Convictions
27 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

Why are there so many serial killers in the Northwest?

Why are there so many serial killers in the Northwest?

Description

Titles in the series (18)

More Episodes from I Wonder Why...?

Related podcast episodes