Starvation Heights: The Crimes of Dr. Hazzard

In the misty woods of Olalla, Washington, a woman calling herself a doctor built a sanitarium where “healing” meant starvation, control, and death. Wealthy seekers, spiritual wanderers, and vulnerable patients walked into Wilderness Heights hoping for a cure — but many never walked out.

Join Patreon here to binge bonus content! Crime Curious is creating a kick-ass exclusive listener experience | Patreon

Want to just donate to the show? You can do so here:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/crimecurious Music By: Michael Drzewiecki Cover Art By: Charnell

 Washington State Archives – “Linda Burfield Hazzard: Healer or Murderess?” Collection of documents including death records, licensing records, trial materials, and historical commentary. (Washington State Digital Archives)

 Washington Supreme Court – State v. Hazzard, 1913 Official decision upholding Linda Hazzard’s manslaughter conviction in the death of Claire Williamson.

 Washington Supreme Court – State v. Hazzard, 1926 Decision clarifying that Linda’s medical license remained revoked despite her gubernatorial pardon.

 Washington State Penitentiary Records (Walla Walla) Documentation of Linda Hazzard’s incarceration, parole, and release.

 Death Certificate Records (Washington State) Includes documented deaths of patients under Hazzard’s care, including Daisey Maud Haglund.

 Smithsonian Magazine – “The Fasting Cure That Killed” Detailed historical feature on Linda Hazzard, the Williamson sisters, and Starvation Heights.

 Harbor History Museum (Gig Harbor, WA) – “Starvation Heights” Exhibit & Research Notes Regional historical research on Wilderness Heights, patient deaths, and community accounts.

 HistoryLink.org – “Linda Burfield Hazzard and Starvation Heights” Washington State’s online encyclopedia entry summarizing Hazzard’s career, trial, and legacy.

 Gregg Olsen – Starvation Heights: A True Story of Murder and Malice in the Woods of the Pacific Northwest The definitive modern true‑crime book on Linda Hazzard, based on extensive archival research.

 Linda Burfield Hazzard – Fasting for the Cure of Disease (1908) Hazzard’s own book outlining her fasting philosophy and treatment methods.

 Linda Burfield Hazzard – Scientific Fasting (1927) Her later work expanding on her fasting theories; used for understanding her self‑justification and ideology.

 Edward Hooker Dewey – The No-Breakfast Plan and the Fasting Cure The fasting philosophy that influenced Hazzard’s early medical ideas.

 Seattle Daily Times (1911–1913) Coverage of the Williamson case, trial proceedings, and public reaction.

 Seattle Post‑Intelligencer (1911–1913) Reporting on patient deaths, community concerns, and the sanitarium.

 Tacoma Daily Ledger (1911–1913) Articles on the trial, sentencing, and aftermath.

 London Daily Mail (1911–1912) International coverage of the Williamson sisters, including statements from their family.

 Minnesota Birth and Marriage Records (Carver County) Documentation of Linda Burfield’s birth and first marriage to Erwin Harrison Perry.

 Minnesota Census Records (1880–1900) Household listings confirming Linda’s early life, parents, and siblings.

 Washington State Marriage Records (1903) Marriage documentation for Linda Burfield and Samuel Chrisman Hazzard.

 Haglund Family Records (Seattle) Documentation of Daisey Maud Haglund’s death and her son Ivar Haglund’s later biography.

 Kitsap County Historical Society Oral histories and local accounts of Wilderness Heights and community reactions.

 Olalla Community Historical Notes Local recollections of the sanitarium, patient sightings, and the nickname “Starvation Heights.”