Last Podcast On The Left
Last Podcast On The Left
"The interesting thing about serial killers is that these are where, these were in places where there wasn't a whole lot of ground warfare going on. So God knows what actually happened out there in the countryside of France and Germany and everybody like Viet Nam and Falcon of Afghanistan. I still feel like there's a lot of weird shit that happens that we just didn't uncover in our research. Because it was never reported." — Ben Kissel
"He was convicted of killing 23 people in his home in Paris during World War II. He is suspected of killing around 60. That's what they can link him to. Some estimates put it as high as 160." — Marcus Parks
"The blade dropped at five o five a.m. And according to witnesses, Pichwa was smiling as his head tumbled into the best. Cool. Like a real French man." — Danny
The episode begins by discussing the concept of serial killers operating under the radar during wartime, citing examples of how societal chaos can provide cover for heinous acts. The hosts then introduce Gordon Frederick Cummins, also known as "The Blackout Ripper," an English spree killer active during the London blackouts of World War II. Cummins murdered four women and attempted to kill two more in a six-day period in February 1942, utilizing strangulation and severe sexual mutilation. His inexperience and hurried actions led to him leaving behind crucial evidence, including his Royal Air Force issue gas mask and a can opener, ultimately leading to his capture and execution.
The narrative then shifts to France to explore the crimes of Marcel Petiot, "The Butcher of Paris," another serial killer who operated during World War II under the Vichy collaborationist government. Petiot posed as a resistance fighter and promised to help individuals escape Nazi-occupied Paris, but instead murdered them, dismembering their bodies in his home, which he referred to as a "death factory." He was convicted of 23 murders but suspected of many more, claiming his victims were collaborators and enemies. The episode details his methods of administering cyanide disguised as typhoid inoculations and his later attempts to justify his actions by labeling his victims as collaborators.
The discussion concludes with Petiot's trial and execution by guillotine. Despite his claims and a degree of public sympathy, he was found guilty of 26 murders. The execution itself was delayed due to a guillotine malfunction, and witnesses described Petiot as remaining calm and even smiling as he was executed. The hosts also briefly touch upon the theories regarding the continued consciousness of the brain after decapitation. The episode highlights the chilling efficiency and often audacious nature of these wartime killers, masked by the backdrop of global conflict.