Winnie Ruth Judd
| Winnie Ruth Judd | |
|---|---|
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| Born |
Winnie Ruth McKinnell January 29, 1905 Oxford, Indiana, United States |
| Died | October 23, 1998 (aged 93) Phoenix, Arizona |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | "The Trunk Murderess", "The Tiger Woman", "The Blonde Butcher" |
| Occupation | Medical Secretary |
| Criminal penalty | Death; later commuted to incarceration |
| Spouse(s) | Dr. William C. Judd (m. Apr 1924 - Oct 1945) |
| Parent(s) | Rev. HJ McKinnell and Carrie McKinnell |
| Conviction(s) | Murder |
 You can watch and listen to a 2007 documentary about Winnie Ruth Judd titled Winnie Ruth Judd - Arizona Stories Full Version featuring Jana Bommersbach here
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Winnie Ruth Judd (born Winnie Ruth McKinnell, Oxford, Indiana, January 29, 1905 – October 23, 1998) was a Phoenix, Arizona medical secretary accused of murdering her friends Agnes Anne LeRoi and Hedvig Samuelson in October 1931, allegedly over the affections of Jack Halloran, a prominent Phoenix businessman. The murders were discovered when Judd transported the victims' bodies, one of which had been dismembered, from Phoenix to Los Angeles by train in trunks and other luggage, causing the press to name the case the "Trunk Murders". She was tried for LeRoi's murder, found guilty, and sentenced to death, but the sentence was later repealed after she was found mentally incompetent, and she was committed to the Arizona State Asylum for the Insane (later renamed the Arizona State Hospital). Over the next three decades, she escaped from the asylum six times, the final time during the 1960s when she remained at large for over six years and worked under an assumed name for a wealthy family. She was ultimately paroled in 1971 and discharged from parole in 1983.
Judd's murder investigation and trial were marked by sensationalized newspaper coverage and suspicious circumstances suggesting that at least one other person might have been involved in the murders and/or the disposal of the bodies. Judd's sentence also raised debate about capital punishment.
Winnie Ruth McKinnell was born on January 29, 1905 to a Methodist minister and his wife in Indiana. At age 17, she married Dr. William C. Judd, a World War I veteran more than twenty years her senior, and moved to Mexico with him, taking his last name of Judd. The doctor was reportedly a morphine addict as a result of war injuries and had difficulty keeping a job, forcing the couple to move frequently and live on an uncertain income. The marriage was further strained by problems in having children and by Winnie Ruth Judd's health problems.
By 1930, the couple were living separately for the most part, although they remained in constant communication. Winnie Ruth Judd, called by her middle name of "Ruth", moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where she worked as governess to a wealthy family. During this time she met John J. "Happy Jack" Halloran, a 44-year-old well-to-do Phoenix businessman who was active in the city's political and social circles. Although married, Halloran was a known playboy and philanderer. Judd and Halloran became friendly and eventually had an extramarital affair.
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