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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The Top 10 Greatest Last Words of Forgotten Criminals

This is a collection of some of the greatest last words spoken by criminals before execution. They range from disturbing, chilling, sad, awesome, and even funny.

Wallace Wilkerson's last words — Wallace Wilkinson

Name: Wallace Wilkerson

Crime: Shot and killed William Baxter after an argument about cheating in a game of cribbage.

Sentence: Death by firing squad on May 16, 1879

Last Words: “Oh my God! Oh my God! They have missed!”

The firing squad missed shooting his heart and it took 15-27 minutes for him to die from blood loss.

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The Frightening Icebox Murders: Elderly Couple Found in Freezer

The police arrived at the home of Fred and Edwina Rogers on June 23, 1965. The elderly couple’s nephew contacted them to do a welfare check after his phone calls had gone unanswered for days. At first, the officers didn’t notice anything too unusual in the home… until they opened the freezer. There they saw pieces of hog meat on the shelves which they thought nothing of. But as they were shutting the freezer door, they got quite a shock. The head of Edwina Rogers stared up at them from the vegetable bin. And those pieces of hog? Upon closer inspection they were actually the limbs and torsos of the couple, thus earning this case the moniker “the icebox murders.”

Fred and Edwina Rogers the Icebox Murders — Fred and Edwina Rogers

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Lyda Southard: Killer of Husbands and Escapee of Jail

Lyda Southard was born as Lyda Anna Mae Trueblood on October 16, 1892 in Keytesville, Missouri, about 60 miles Northeast of Kansas City. She is known by many names including “Flypaper Lyda,” “The Black Widow,” and Anna E. Shaw. She is also known as being one of America’s first known female serial killers.

Lyda Southard, Flypaper Lyda, The Black Widow — Lyda Southard

She killed four husbands, a brother-in-law, and daughter. What could be the motive for doing such a thing? How did she get the nickname “Flypaper Lyda”? Read on to find out…

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AMY ARCHER-GILLIGAN: Murder at the Nursing Home

“Sister” Amy Duggan Archer-Gilligan was born in Milton, Connecticut on October 31, 1873. She was somewhat of a pioneer in the care of the elderly. During her time, not many nursing homes existed because up until then it was considered the family’s obligation to care for their loved ones. She was the owner of “Sister Amy’s Nursing Home for the Elderly,” and later, “Archer Home for the Elderly and Infirm.” Pioneer she may have been, but these are no nursing homes where you would have wanted to send your loved ones. “Sister” Amy was later proven to have murdered at least five people, though that number is likely much higher.

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