The Man in the Attic: A Forgotten Crime of Passion from Los Angeles’ Roaring Twenties

In the heart of 1920s Los Angeles—an era of silent films, speakeasies, and seismic social change—a shocking crime unfolded behind the closed doors of a quiet suburban home. What seemed like a typical domestic dispute between a husband and wife turned out to be the final act in a chilling secret that had been hiding just above their heads.

For years, unbeknownst to her husband, Dolly Oesterreich had harbored a secret lover in their attic. When tensions in the household reached a breaking point, the hidden man descended from the rafters—gun in hand—and forever altered the lives below. This is the true story of love, deception, and murder in the shadows of Los Angeles’ golden age.

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Blindfolded, Bound, and Walked into Traffic: The Bizarre Death of Stephen Melkey

On December 22, 1939, William Joyce was driving down highway U.S. 20 between South Bend and Mishawaka, Indiana. At around 3:00 in the morning, a figure stumbled out onto the snowy roadway ahead of him. Unable to stop in time, Joyce hit the person, sending him flying 40 feet down the road. Joyce jumped out of his vehicle to give aid. When he saw the state of the man, he knew there was nothing he could do but find a phone to call police.

When the police arrived, they found that this wasn’t simply a case of a vehicle versus pedestrian accident. The gravely injured man before them was blindfolded, gagged, and bound. This obviously led to many questions, the main one being…who tied up Stephen Melkey and left him by the highway?

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Jane Toppan, An Unusual Type of Female Serial Killer

“Jolly” Jane Toppan was quoted as saying that her goal in life was “to have killed more people—helpless people—than any other man or woman who ever lived.” Her career as a nurse gave her the perfect opportunity to carry out that mission. She had access to drugs that were lethal if given at wrong dosages and elderly patients, whose deaths may not raise much suspicion. Eventually “Jolly” Jane became too enthusiastic with her killings, murdering four members of a family she was supposed to be caring for, causing authorities to take notice.

When she was arrested, she claimed to have killed as many as 31 people, though only 12 were proven to have been connected to her. What made Jane Toppan’s case unusual is her motive. The majority of female serial killers commit their murders for financial gain, maybe even for attention, but not “Jolly” Jane. She did it for the sexual thrill she gained from holding and caressing them as they died.

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