The Dumbell Murders

Welcome to season two! On this episode of Women of Death Row, your hosts, Amanda and Mariel, discuss the case of Ruth Snyder. To open the podcast, the two give an update on the previously discussed Lori Vallow case. After giving the most recent update and their thoughts on this case, the conversation shifts to the Ruth Snyder case. Ruth Snyder (formally Ruth Brown) was a telephone operator in the 1910s who married a magazine art director, Albert Snyder. After just a few years of marriage, Ruth discovered she was pregnant. This created tension in their marriage because Albert did not want to have children, while Ruth was excited about the birth of their daughter. The biggest underlying flaw in their marriage, however, was their extreme personality differences. Albert was very introverted and prone to outbursts, partially due to the death of his late fiance. He would often unfavorably compare Ruth to his late fiance and refused to remove a painting of her from the wall of their home. Ruth, on the other hand, had many friends and enjoyed late nights out with friends, often coming home smelling of bootleg alcohol. These outings led to Ruth getting involved in various affairs. One of the most passionate affairs was with Judd Gray, a corset salesman who was also married. The two bonded over their involvement in loveless marriages, and it eventually became apparent that Ruth was ready to get out of her marriage with Albert. Ruth made several comments to Judd about plans to kill Albert. Ruth attempted to kill Albert multiple times to no success, which led her to enlist Judd’s help. Initially, Judd protested, but Ruth eventually wore him down by using Albert’s life insurance money as incentive. Their crime would later inspire the film Double Indemnity and has inspired many other plays, novels, and films.. Learn more about Ruth SnyderLearn more about Lori Vallow casePlease wear your masks & wash your hands; protect yourself AND others