Soledad O'Brien

Mary Pinchot might show up to the party, but that didn't mean she'd follow any of the rules. And whatever she did do, she did with a confidence that usually made others notice.

Mary Pinchot might show up to the party, but that didn't mean she'd follow any of the rules. And whatever she did do, she did with a confidence that usually made others notice.

Mary started writing features for United Press International, a newspaper syndication service.

Mary started writing features for United Press International, a newspaper syndication service.

Mary knew she'd eventually get married and have children. But for now, she wanted something more. The war took its toll on so many young people, made them realize the senselessness of killing, the futility and waste of it all. She wanted a world free of war. She wanted a husband who also believed in that cause. And as the wounded young men started coming home from battle, Mary found Cord Meyer.

Mary knew she'd eventually get married and have children. But for now, she wanted something more. The war took its toll on so many young people, made them realize the senselessness of killing, the futility and waste of it all. She wanted a world free of war. She wanted a husband who also believed in that cause. And as the wounded young men started coming home from battle, Mary found Cord Meyer.

He was a man of many talents, a poet, an intellectual, but the thing he wanted most was world peace.

He was a man of many talents, a poet, an intellectual, but the thing he wanted most was world peace.

In their short lives, Mary and Cord had seen plenty of death and darkness. Mary had lost an older sister to suicide. Cord enlisted in the Marines after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. He had seen soldiers die. But on their wedding day in the spring of 1945, they both looked overwhelmed with happiness, hopeful. The war was in its waning days. Hitler would be gone weeks later.

In their short lives, Mary and Cord had seen plenty of death and darkness. Mary had lost an older sister to suicide. Cord enlisted in the Marines after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. He had seen soldiers die. But on their wedding day in the spring of 1945, they both looked overwhelmed with happiness, hopeful. The war was in its waning days. Hitler would be gone weeks later.

Death on such a large scale had never been seen by anyone before. It left a mark. But maybe now there were better days ahead. especially for Mary and Cord, because they'd found each other.

Death on such a large scale had never been seen by anyone before. It left a mark. But maybe now there were better days ahead. especially for Mary and Cord, because they'd found each other.

I'm Soledad O'Brien, and on my podcast, Murder on the Towpath, I'm taking you back to the 1960s. Mary Pinchot Meyer was a painter who lived in Georgetown in Washington, D.C. Every day, she took a daily walk along the towpath near the E&O Canal.

I'm Soledad O'Brien, and on my podcast, Murder on the Towpath, I'm taking you back to the 1960s. Mary Pinchot Meyer was a painter who lived in Georgetown in Washington, D.C. Every day, she took a daily walk along the towpath near the E&O Canal.

The young couple was married in the Pinchot family's apartment on Park Avenue. Mary wore a green and white daydress with a string of pearls and a pair of reading glasses around her neck. Cord wore his marine dress uniform. In one image of that day, Mary, arm in arm with Cord, cranes her gaze upward toward her new husband.

The young couple was married in the Pinchot family's apartment on Park Avenue. Mary wore a green and white daydress with a string of pearls and a pair of reading glasses around her neck. Cord wore his marine dress uniform. In one image of that day, Mary, arm in arm with Cord, cranes her gaze upward toward her new husband.

The police arrived in a heartbeat. Within 40 minutes, a man named Raymond Crump Jr. was arrested. He was found nearby, soaking wet, and he was black. Only one woman dared defend him, civil rights lawyer, W. Roundtree. Join me as we unravel this story with a crazy twist. Because what most people didn't know is that Mary was connected to a very powerful man.

The police arrived in a heartbeat. Within 40 minutes, a man named Raymond Crump Jr. was arrested. He was found nearby, soaking wet, and he was black. Only one woman dared defend him, civil rights lawyer, W. Roundtree. Join me as we unravel this story with a crazy twist. Because what most people didn't know is that Mary was connected to a very powerful man.

Wide-eyed and flashing a white smile through red lips, it's as if she sees her future in Cord. By the time they married, Cord knew war was absurd. He had been sent home after he lost an eye in a grenade explosion. He had become a pacifist. On the day of the nuptials, Cord got some good news. He learned he'd get to go to a UN convention in San Francisco to work toward world peace.

Wide-eyed and flashing a white smile through red lips, it's as if she sees her future in Cord. By the time they married, Cord knew war was absurd. He had been sent home after he lost an eye in a grenade explosion. He had become a pacifist. On the day of the nuptials, Cord got some good news. He learned he'd get to go to a UN convention in San Francisco to work toward world peace.