Trevor Collins

But ultimately, it's unclear exactly why the villagers of Bedburg decided Stump was a werewolf.

Some historians believe that while he was truly a murderer and possibly a cannibal, right?

Maybe he was the one committing these true crime serial killings.

His crimes were so heinous that the only way people could comprehend somebody doing this was to escalate it, attribute it to that which was supernatural rather than just somebody being so bloodlusty that they would do this stuff.

Yeah, you want to think that's like no person in their right mind would ever do such a thing.

Human beings don't have the capability.

They do.

They do.

And especially like back then, a lot more superstition and everything like that.

Oh, yeah.

Less science backed predictions and everything.

Some historians believe that it's possible Stump was innocent all along.

Maybe he was used as a scapegoat or for a way for the town to finally get over its fear of these 25 years.

And so they go, look, we did this very theatrical execution.

Maybe we can all just think it's over and done now.

And maybe this would also

assuming he wasn't the killer, put the fear of God and man into whoever the killer was.

Even if it was a wolf, a wolf sees that and goes, I'm finding another town.

Yeah, exactly.

I don't want to deal with what that person just dealt with.