S10 E4 - The Quiet widow: Euphemia Mondich - A Michigan Story History Almost Erased

In the late nineteenth century, illness inside the home was often indistinguishable from something far more sinister. Limited medical knowledge, common household poisons, and deeply ingrained social fears created a perfect environment for suspicion to thrive.

This episode examines the case of Euphemia Mondich, a Michigan woman whose marriages ended repeatedly in prolonged illness and death. As rumors spread and authorities became involved, Mondich was transformed in the public eye from a grieving widow into a symbol of domestic danger.

Through contemporary reporting, historical context, and careful examination of what can and cannot be known, this episode explores how accusation, uncertainty, and gendered assumptions shaped one of Michigan’s most unsettling nineteenth-century cases.

A companion research document for this episode is available for listeners who want to go deeper.

Link below:

https://tracypreston4.gumroad.com/l/vkqae 

Researched, written, recorded and edited by Tracy Preston

Music created by Tracy Preston

Original artwork by Todd Preston

Sources:

Detroit Free Press. Trial Coverage and Crime Reports on Euphemia Mondich. 1919–1922. Detroit Free Press Archives.

Detroit News. Poisoning Investigation and Court Proceedings. 1921–1922. Detroit News Archives.

Michigan Department of Corrections. Historical Prison Records: Michigan State Prison (Jackson). State of Michigan.

Schechter, Harold. The A–Z Encyclopedia of Serial Killers. Simon & Schuster, 1996.

Federal Bureau of Investigation. Behavioral Perspectives on Female Serial Offenders. FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit, archival reference material.

Vronsky, Peter. Female Serial Killers: How and Why Women Become Monsters. Berkley Books, 2007.

#MaliceInTheMitten
#SilentKillers
#MichiganTrueCrime
#EuphemiaMondich
#ForgottenCrimes
#WomenWhoKill
#HistoricTrueCrime
#TrueCrimePodcast