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Lizzie Borden: The Axe Murders, Trial & Unsolved Mystery
Episode 51
Published 2 weeks ago
Description
Lizzie Borden took an axe… or did she?
On August 4, 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were brutally murdered inside their home in Fall River, Massachusetts. Andrew was found on the sitting room sofa. Abby had already been dead upstairs for significantly longer. Their daughter, Lizzie Borden, was home during the morning of the murders — and within days, investigators began focusing on her.
But the real Lizzie Borden case is far more complicated than the famous rhyme.
In this episode of Kat Has Questions, we're going inside 92 Second Street to reconstruct the morning of the murders, the strange Borden family dynamics, the mysterious note that supposedly took Abby out of the house, Lizzie's controversial barn alibi, the missing murder weapon, the lack of blood evidence, the burned dress, and the allegation that Lizzie tried to buy prussic acid the day before the killings.
Then we'll follow Lizzie through her arrest and sensational 1893 murder trial — including the evidence the jury was never allowed to hear — before asking the question people have debated for more than 130 years:
Did Lizzie Borden actually murder Andrew and Abby Borden?
Or did one of America's most infamous unsolved murder cases become a story we only think we know?
New episodes of Kat Has Questions every Wednesday.
Stay curious.
–
Conforti, J., & Anderson, S. (2024, May 3). How Lizzie Borden got away with murder. Smithsonian Magazine. Smithsonian Magazine article
Inquest testimony of Lizzie Borden. (1892, August 9–11). Famous Trials. Lizzie Borden inquest testimony
Kellem, B. G. (2026, September 17). How the gruesome Lizzie Borden rhyme gets the murders wrong. HISTORY. HISTORY article
Library of Congress. (2025, June 12). Arrest and trial of Lizzie Borden: Topics in Chronicling America. Library of Congress research guideLinder, D. O. (n.d.).
The trial of Lizzie Borden: An account. Famous Trials. Famous Trials case overview
Robertson, C. (2019). The trial of Lizzie Borden. Simon & Schuster.
Testimony of Bridget Sullivan in the trial of Lizzie Borden. (1893, June 7). Famous Trials. Bridget Sullivan trial testimony
Testimony of Dr. Edward S. Wood in the trial of Lizzie Borden. (1893, June 13). Famous Trials. Dr. Edward Wood trial testimony
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/kat-has-questions-true-crime-and-unsolved-mysteries--7346258/support.
⸻
About the Show
Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior.
New episodes every week.
⸻
Support the Show
Foll
On August 4, 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were brutally murdered inside their home in Fall River, Massachusetts. Andrew was found on the sitting room sofa. Abby had already been dead upstairs for significantly longer. Their daughter, Lizzie Borden, was home during the morning of the murders — and within days, investigators began focusing on her.
But the real Lizzie Borden case is far more complicated than the famous rhyme.
In this episode of Kat Has Questions, we're going inside 92 Second Street to reconstruct the morning of the murders, the strange Borden family dynamics, the mysterious note that supposedly took Abby out of the house, Lizzie's controversial barn alibi, the missing murder weapon, the lack of blood evidence, the burned dress, and the allegation that Lizzie tried to buy prussic acid the day before the killings.
Then we'll follow Lizzie through her arrest and sensational 1893 murder trial — including the evidence the jury was never allowed to hear — before asking the question people have debated for more than 130 years:
Did Lizzie Borden actually murder Andrew and Abby Borden?
Or did one of America's most infamous unsolved murder cases become a story we only think we know?
New episodes of Kat Has Questions every Wednesday.
Stay curious.
–
Conforti, J., & Anderson, S. (2024, May 3). How Lizzie Borden got away with murder. Smithsonian Magazine. Smithsonian Magazine article
Inquest testimony of Lizzie Borden. (1892, August 9–11). Famous Trials. Lizzie Borden inquest testimony
Kellem, B. G. (2026, September 17). How the gruesome Lizzie Borden rhyme gets the murders wrong. HISTORY. HISTORY article
Library of Congress. (2025, June 12). Arrest and trial of Lizzie Borden: Topics in Chronicling America. Library of Congress research guideLinder, D. O. (n.d.).
The trial of Lizzie Borden: An account. Famous Trials. Famous Trials case overview
Robertson, C. (2019). The trial of Lizzie Borden. Simon & Schuster.
Testimony of Bridget Sullivan in the trial of Lizzie Borden. (1893, June 7). Famous Trials. Bridget Sullivan trial testimony
Testimony of Dr. Edward S. Wood in the trial of Lizzie Borden. (1893, June 13). Famous Trials. Dr. Edward Wood trial testimony
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/kat-has-questions-true-crime-and-unsolved-mysteries--7346258/support.
⸻
About the Show
Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior.
New episodes every week.
⸻
Support the Show
Foll