The Attempted Murder of Olga Rocco
Morbid11 Sep 2023

The Attempted Murder of Olga Rocco

On the morning of December 31, 1946, nineteen-year-old Pearl Lusk boarded a crowded subway train in Brooklyn. A few days earlier, she’d met a man named Allen in a bar who offered her a very strange, yet simple job: she was to follow a young woman named Olga and take a photo to determine whether she was wearing any stolen jewelry.

That morning, as Pearl and Olga exited the crowded subway train, Pearl raised the camera in Olga’s direction and pulled the wire to take a photo, but what happened next would put into motion a series of events that rivals fiction.

Thank you to the wonderful Dave White for Research assistance!

References

Adams, Toni. 1947. "Troopers hunt and kill Alphonse Rocco." Kingston Daily Freeman, January 7: 1.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1947. "Camera-gun suspect flees in stolen car." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, January 6: 2.

Buffalo Evening News. 1947. "'Camera' shooting victim asks N.Y. City to pay her $200,000." Buffalo Evening News, February 14: 1.

—. 1953. "Court frees city of liability for not averting shooting." Buffalo Evening News, April 22: 25.

—. 1947. "Police press quest for spouse of camera-gun victim." Buffalo Evening News, January 2: 9.

—. 1946. "Times Square Station is scene of shooting." Buffalo Evening News, December 31: 10.

International News Service. 1947. "Estranged wife and family glad Ruocco is dead." Buffalo Evening News, Janaury 7: 1.

Kingston Daily Freeman. 1947. "Victim of camera shooting guarded." Kingston Daily Freeman, January 2: 18.

McKelway, St. Clair. 1953. The Perils of Pearl and Olga. August 8. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1953/08/08/the-perils-of-pearl-and-olga.

New York Times. 1947. "Camera-gun victim files for $200,000." New York Times, February 15: 17.

—. 1947. "'Camera-gun' victim loses a leg." New York Times, Janaury 3: 1.

—. 1947. "Girl, dupe in plot, shoots woman with 'camera' gun." New York Times, January 1: 1.

—. 1947. "Lusk girl freed; will leave city." New York Times, Janaury 11: 20.

—. 1947. "Rocco killed by the police in Catskills." New York Times, January 7: 1.

Smith, Delos. 1947. "Gullible girl hoaxed into plot on life of estranged wife." Daily Boston Globe, January 1: 13.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episoder(821)

Listener Tales 11

Listener Tales 11

It's a really fun Listener Tales tonight, guys! Join us as we fight off a half goat/half man demon, summon the Jeepers Creepers demon, time travel in Australia, say goodbye to that bitch in a bonnet, ...

23 Mar 202056min

The West Memphis 3 Part 4

The West Memphis 3 Part 4

It's finally here....the conclusion of our month-long coverage of the West Memphis 3. In this last episode, we talk about Damien, Jason and Jessie's lives in prison, the movement to free them, John Ma...

23 Mar 20201h 36min

The West Memphis Three part 3

The West Memphis Three part 3

We are in the home stretch with one of the most frustrating and horrifying cases we can remember. In this part of our 4 part series, we cover the trials of Jessie Misskelley and Jason Baldwin and Dami...

16 Mar 20201h 38min

Spooky Roads Volume 3

Spooky Roads Volume 3

It's another installment of Spooky/Fucked up Roads! Tonight we talk about a neglectful mother from beyond, a Bunnyman, an exotic light that will have you feeling insecure and a road raging ghost who i...

15 Mar 202047min

The Blackburn Cult Mini Morbid

The Blackburn Cult Mini Morbid

Tonight's episode is a dive into a cult started by a saucy mother/daughter duo who were sometimes sisters! Come on in for a rapture that never comes, some DIY mummies and some seriously sketchy charac...

9 Mar 202042min

West Memphis 3 Part 2

West Memphis 3 Part 2

BREVITY IS NOT MY STRONG SUIT. So here we are in Part 2 of our deep dive into the twisted tale of the West Memphis 3. In this episode we take a look into Damien, Jason and Jessie's lives as well as t...

8 Mar 20201h 33min

Listener Tales 10

Listener Tales 10

It's another installment of Listener Tales! These are some of our favorite episodes and you guys really didn't diappoint this time around. Tonight we talk about possible killer clowns, a creepy stepmo...

2 Mar 202056min

The West Memphis Three Part 1

The West Memphis Three Part 1

This is going to be a doozy of a series, weirdos. Tonight, we start our deep coverage of the West Memphis Three case. Part 1 will cover the tragic murders of 8 year olds Christopher Byers. Michael Moo...

2 Mar 202059min

Populært innen Humor

papaya
rss-spartsklubben
enkel-servering
harm-og-hegseth
storefri-med-mikkel-og-herman
tore-og-haralds-podkast
folk-flest-med-linn-og-nils
tusvik-tnne
topp-3-med-wold-og-fladseth
rss-nesten-hele-uka-med-lepperod
ma-pa-behandling-med-morten-ramm
misjonen-med-antonsen-og-golden
rss-snorre-med-gaute
wolfgang-wee-uncut
hanna-de-heldige
jan-thomas-og-einar-blir-venner
verdens-verste
rss-det-alle-snakker-om-med-siri-og-kim
rss-dannet-uten-piano
gutta-backer