Hanged: Ruth Ellis and the Price of Passion – Q&A Aftershow

Hanged: Ruth Ellis and the Price of Passion – Q&A Aftershow

In this special Aftershow episode, Esther and Lorena answer listener questions and reflect on the powerful story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in the United Kingdom.

Together, we unpack the psychology, the heartbreak, and the social forces behind one of Britain’s most infamous true crime cases. From Ruth’s volatile relationship with David Blakely to the justice system that sealed her fate, we dive deeper into what drove her — and what doomed her.

Plus, Esther reflects on Ruth’s final act, and whether she believed it was her only escape.

If you loved the Hanged series, this Aftershow gives you a chance to go behind the scenes, hear deeper insights, and join the conversation about love, obsession, and justice.


Highlights:

  • The emotional toll of toxic relationships and what they reveal about human behavior
  • Gender, class, and morality in 1950s Britain
  • How Ruth Ellis’s childhood and early adult experiences informed her choices about love, relationships, and obsession



✈️ Travel with Us to Mexico City! 🇲🇽

We’re taking Once Upon a Crime on the road—and you’re invited! In March 2026, join us for a fun, fabulous 4-day group trip to vibrant Mexico City. Explore incredible sights, savor delicious food, and connect with fellow true crime fans on an unforgettable adventure.

Reserve your spot today with just 25% down—but hurry, space is limited and will sell out fast!

🔗 Click here to learn more and book your spot now!


Support the Show:

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review. Your support helps us bring more stories like Ruth’s to life.


Sources:

A Fine Day for a Hanging: The Ruth Ellis Story, Carol Ann Lee, Mainstream Publishing, 2013.

The Last Woman to be Hanged: The Ruth Ellis Story, Robert Hancock, Seven Dials Publishing, 2020.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Ellis

https://realcrimes.co.uk/ruth-ellis-jealousy-rejection-and-a-hanging/

https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/ruth-ellis-real-story-last-woman-hanged-murder-a-cruel-love-b1141748.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20141204212735/http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/women/ellis/5.html

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/sep/12/ukcrime.claredyer

https://www.hampshirelive.news/news/history/woman-hanged-ruth-ellis-hampshire-4192091

https://www.crimemagazine.com/ruth-ellis-love-lust-and-death-gallows


Sponsors:

See a list of our sponsors and discount codes on our website:

https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/sponsors/


Links:

Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime

Our Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcast


✈️ Travel with Us to Mexico City! 🇲🇽

We’re taking Once Upon a Crime on the road—and you’re invited! In March 2026, join us for a fun, fabulous 4-day group trip to vibrant Mexico City. Explore incredible sights, savor delicious food, and connect with fellow true crimefans on an unforgettable adventure.

Reserve your spot today with just 25% down—but hurry, space is limited and will sell out fast!

🔗 Click here to learn more and book your spot now!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episoder(393)

Breaking Down Kemper with Emerson Murray

Breaking Down Kemper with Emerson Murray

In this episode I break down the myths and realities of infamous serial killer, Edmund Emil Kemper, “The Co-Ed Killer”. My special guest is Emerson Murray, author of The Murder Capital of the World. You can find out more about Emerson and purchase the book at www.emersonmurray.com/murder-capital-of-the-world To enter a drawing to receive a copy of Murder Capital of the World sign up for texts from OUAC by texting “OUAC” to 408-676-1770 (Texting rates may apply. U.S. listeners only are eligible for this giveaway. Text messaging provided by Text Sanity). Deadline to enter drawing is December 22nd. Winners will be randomly chosen December 23rd.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

6 Des 20211h 20min

Listener Suggestions - Aarushi Talwar

Listener Suggestions - Aarushi Talwar

A young girl living outside of New Delhi, India is found murdered in her own bedroom in a high-security apartment building with her parents sleeping mere feet away. Was her murder an inside job or caused by an unknown intruder? Join us for this “whodunit” that has been called the “JonBenet Ramsay case of India”. Resources: “Behind Closed Doors: How a 13-Year-Old’s Murder Ignited Class Warfare” by Nick Schager for The Daily Beast, July 14, 2019. “Arushi murder case: A timeline of events”, The Hindu, October 12, 2017. “2008 Noida double murder case”, retrieved from Wikipedia.com. The Talwars: Behind Closed Doors (2017), Directed by P.A. Carter for HBO Asia and Star World. Links Get links to all our social media at our website www.truecrimepodcast.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

15 Nov 20211h 15min

Listener Suggestions: Jamison Bachman

Listener Suggestions: Jamison Bachman

Jamison Bachman spent his adult years being “the roommate from hell”. He destroyed property, bullied his housemates, filed lawsuits for petty complaints, and rarely paid his rent. But, growing more desperate once his history of scamming people was revealed, he crossed the line from annoying to dangerous.  Resources: “Worst Roommate Ever” by William Brennan for New York Magazine, Feb 19, 2018.  “Philadelphia judge to squatter in viral roommate story: ‘You’re frightening’” by Andrew Parent, for The Philly Voice, Feb. 22, 2018.  “Woman details terrifying ordeal of roommate from hell” by Aoibhinn McBride for The Daily Mail, Feb. 23, 2018 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

8 Nov 202142min

Listener Suggestions: Paulette Gebara Farah

Listener Suggestions: Paulette Gebara Farah

The mysterious disappearance of a 4-year-old from her own bedroom takes a bizarre twist and rumors and conspiracy theories soon follow. This case would come to be known as “The JonBenet Ramsey Case of Mexico.” Resources: “Resignation in Mexican missing girl Paulette case”, BBC News, May 26, 2010 “Mexico Shocked by Discovery of Girl’s Body,” CBS News, April 5, 2010 Misterios favoritos en espanol/Unresolved Mysteries, reddit.com - https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/80s8r6/request_misterios_favoritos_en_espanol_what_are/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1 Nov 202126min

Creepy AF Halloween Tales

Creepy AF Halloween Tales

On this special Halloween episode, I’ll share creepy tales of corpses that were mistaken for Halloween displays. I’ll also share the bizarre tale of a failed outlaw who became a successful carnival oddity…after his death.  Resources: “Was a Suicide Mistaken for Halloween Decoration?” by David Mikkelson for Snopes.com, Oct. 28, 2005.  “75-Year-Old Marina Man Found Dead on Apartment Balcony” by Vince Echavaria for The Argonaut, October 22, 2009. “Body is Mistaken for a Halloween Display” by Rebecca Cathcart for The New York Times, Oct. 17, 2009.  “Dead man slumped on balcony mistaken for Halloween decoration” by Seema Mehta for LA Now, October 16, 2009 “Woman’s Dead Body Mistaken for Halloween Decorations” by Maya Rhodan for Time, October 15, 2015.  “Murdered woman hanging from fence mistaken for Halloween decoration”, WKRC/WSYK/Sinclair Broadcast Group, Oct 15, 2015.  “Man faces murder charges after woman’s body found” by Sara Nealeigh for The Chillicothe Gazette, Oct 13, 2015. “See the Funhouse ‘Mannequin’ that was Actually the Body of an Old Bank Robber”, retrieved from All That’s Interesting, December 20, 2017.  “How a Real Corpse Ended Up in a California Fun Park Spookhouse” by Ella Morton retrieved from Atlas Obscura on Slate.com, April 11, 2014. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

25 Okt 202128min

The Devil Made Me Do It: Arne Cheyenne Johnson

The Devil Made Me Do It: Arne Cheyenne Johnson

In this episode, a family claims a family member has become possessed by a demon. When a young man challenges the demon in an attempt to save his friend, he may have gotten more than he bargained for. He would later claim that demons drove him to commit a brutal murder. Resources: “By Demons Possessed” by Lynn Darling for The Washington Post, September 13, 1981.https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1981/09/13/by-demons-possessed/3479fa6b-eee3-4233-a2fc-b9defa403504/ “The Murder That Inspired The Conjuring III” by Josie Klakstrom for Medium.com, June 8, 2021. https://medium.com/the-true-crime-edition/arne-johnson-the-devil-made-me-do-it-cf6ff04f611aSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

18 Okt 202132min

The Devil Made Me Do It: Sean Sellers

The Devil Made Me Do It: Sean Sellers

A teenager takes the life of family members as well as a random stranger and then claims his involvement in “satanic rituals” lead him to murder. Was 16-year-old Sean Sellers demon possessed, mentally ill, or simply a cold-blooded killer?  Resources:  "On Thursday He Dies",  The Mirror (London), Jan 30, 1999 https://www.thefreelibrary.com/_/print/PrintArticle.aspx?id=60226483 "Reaching Out as Time is Running Out" by Lois Romano, The Washington Post, Jan 22, 1999. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1999/01/22/reaching-out-as-time-is-running-out/4a28249b-d5e3-4c50-908c-39226d069304/  "Open Letter to Satanists", writings by Sean Sellers. Retrieved from The Wayback Machine. https://web.archive.org/web/20081120020450/http://www.seansellers.com/open_letter_to_satanists.htm# Sean Richard Sellers - from the files of Clark County Prosecutor http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/death/US/sellers512.htm "Sean Sellers: The Devil and Death Row", Doug Mesner for DailyKos.com, June 21, 2013. https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2013/6/21/1217873/-Sean-Sellers-The-Devil-and-Death-Row Links: Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime TikTok - @OUACpodSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

11 Okt 202150min

Once Upon a Crime + A Psych for Sore Minds LIVE in London

Once Upon a Crime + A Psych for Sore Minds LIVE in London

In this bonus episode, you’ll hear the live show from CrimeCon UK in London. Esther discusses the motivations and psychology behind mass shooters with Forensic Psychiatrist Dr. Sohom Das, host of the YouTube channel A Psych for Sore Minds. Check out True Crime Week on Stitcher where they are kicking off the spookiest month of the year with the creepiest and crawliest True Crime Podcasts. Check out their curated homepage to find your next True Crime Pod obsession. If you’re on your phone you can download Stitcher in your app store or go to Stitcher.com For tickets to CrimeCon UK, June 11-12, 2022 go to www.crimecon.co.uk. You can still use ONCEUPON21 for 10% off your pre-sale tickets. For info on CrimeCon in Las Vegas in May 2022 go to www.crimecon.com. Dr. Das’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/APsychForSoreMindsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

4 Okt 202135min

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