After Theora Hix was murdered, her paramour Dr. James Snook was quickly identified as the suspect. The ensuing trial became famous for its salacious details, with Theora's personal life put under the microscope. But no matter what Dr. Snook did to try and distract the jury, nothing could stop them from learning the truth. Murder: True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original. For more, follow us on TikTok and Instagram @crimehouse. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Full Episode
This is Crime House. When it comes to murder trials, the investigation can be long and winding, even when the case seems open and shut. There can be no room for doubt. The stakes are just too high. One slip up and a killer could go free. That means investigators have to put together a detailed timeline, find a possible motive and gather ironclad evidence.
Even with things like GPS tracking and phone logs, it's hard to do today. Now imagine how difficult it was nearly a hundred years ago in 1929. After 24-year-old Theora Hicks was found dead, the older professor she'd been having a years-long affair with, Dr. James Snook, became the primary suspect. And although detectives had a mountain of evidence against him, the case wasn't clear-cut.
During his trial, James Snook turned the tables. Without Theora there to defend herself, he dragged her name through the mud and tried to convince the court she deserved what happened to her. And it was up to the jury to decide which version of the truth they believed. People's lives are like a story. There's a beginning, a middle, and an end. But you don't always know which part you're on.
Sometimes the final chapter arrives far too soon and we don't always get to know the real ending. I'm Carter Roy, and this is Murder True Crime Stories, a Crime House Original. Every Tuesday, I'll explore the story of a notorious murder or murders. And for more true crime stories that all happened this week in history, check out Crime House, the show.
Each episode covers multiple cases unified by the same theme. So every week you get something a little different. At Crime House, we want to express our gratitude to you, our community, for making this possible. Please support us by rating, reviewing, and following Murder True Crime Stories wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback truly matters.
And to enhance your Murder True Crime Stories listening experience, subscribe to Crime House Plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get every episode ad-free, and instead of having to wait for each episode of a two-part series, you'll get access to both at once, plus exciting bonus content.
This is the second and final episode on the murder of Theora Hicks, a promising medical student whose burgeoning career was cut short at only 24 years old when she was murdered by her much older professor and lover. Last time, I told you about Theora's childhood, her academic career, and her tumultuous affair with Professor James Snook. For several years, that affair seemed like a true romance.
Until it ended in tragedy. Today, I'll follow the quest to bring Theora's killer to justice. As detectives piece together the facts, they became convinced James Schnook was Theora's killer. But the question remained, could they prove it? All that and more, coming up. On June 14th, 1929, the body of 24 year old medical student Theora Hicks was discovered at a rifle range in Columbus, Ohio.
The story of her shocking murder made front page news as people wondered who could have wanted Theora dead and why. Thankfully, there were plenty of leads for the police to chase down. After seeing Theora's photo in the newspaper, a local landlady named Margaret Smalley came forward. She said she recognized the murder victim, but she knew her as Theora Howard, not Hicks.
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