The Infamous Female Serial Killer - Bertha Gifford: The Angel of Mercy - Morse Mill & Catawissa, Missouri 1920's

This Missouri Mayhem episode covers the disturbing case of Bertha Gifford, one of the earliest women in the United States to be labeled a serial killer. It follows how a trusted caregiver in rural Missouri built a reputation for compassion, then became the center of a decades-long poisoning investigation.We discuss the small-town setting of Morse Mill and Catawissa, the pattern of sudden illnesses and deaths under Bertha’s care, and how arsenic, exhumations, and a public trial eventually brought the case into focus.

Dedicated True Crime Books

• Missouri's Murderous Matrons: Emma Heppermann and Bertha Gifford: Written by Victoria Cosner and Lorelei Shannon, this book offers a complete history of Gifford’s time in Catawissa and compares her actions to those of money-driven black widow killers. It can be purchased online through retailers such as Walmart and Barnes & Noble.
• Tainted Legacy: The Story of Alleged Serial Killer Bertha Gifford: Written by S. Kay Murphy, Gifford's great-grandmother, this deeply personal account explores family perspectives and wrestles with whether Gifford was a well-meaning caregiver or a calculating monster.

Primary Sources & Archives

• The Bertha Gifford Case Study Site: A specialized research database containing deep-dive timelines of the Catawissa community during the 1920s. It features digitized copies of the official Missouri Certificates of Death for her alleged victims, including the Shamel boys and Edward Brinley.
• St. Louis Public Library Research Guide: A structured historical directory curated by the St. Louis County Library that aggregates localized archival links to Newspapers.com and the historical St. Louis Post-Dispatch database to track live reporting from her 1928 trial.
• Jefferson County Library Local History Articles: A collection of preserved regional newspaper clippings and historical documents detailing her early life in Morse Mill, Missouri.
• Ancestry Historical Records: Provides a portal to audit public lineage records, primary marriage certificates, and census rolls mapping out her family tree.