EP 83 | True Crime North Shore, Recorded Live at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass plus Q+A (part two)

Crime of the Truest Kind

More from our sold out live in March. We have decades worth of unsolved mysteries and forgotten tragedies in our own backyards. In this continuation of our show at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass, in March, we plunge into the case of Beryl Atherton—a 47-year-old schoolteacher brutally murdered in her Marblehead home during a 1950 Nor'easter, her throat cut in the sign of a cross. Decades later, her killer remains unidentified and her story largely untold. Beyond the details of these chilling cases lies a deeper exploration of how society treats victims of violent crime. Too often, especially with female victims, their characters become posthumously dissected and villainized—a disturbing pattern that continues from Elizabeth Short (the Black Dahlia, who grew up just miles away in Medford) to modern cases. This victim-blaming serves as a psychological buffer, allowing us to believe such horrors only happen to people who somehow "deserve" it.
Audience members are welcome to share their connections to local crimes. We know these aren't just stories; they're lived experiences that have shaped neighborhoods and families across generations. Most importantly, this episode introduces the work of a new Massachusetts-based victim advocacy coalition formed alongside documentary filmmaker Melanie McLaughlin and forensic anthropologist Dr. Anne-Marie Myers. Our mission exemplifies what I call "everyday advocacy"—sharing accurate information, supporting grieving families, and refusing to sensationalize tragedy at the expense of human dignity.
We learn from these unfiltered conversations is the importance of advocacy. The stories we tell about victims shape how we understand not just crime, but humanity itself.
• Case of Beryl Atherton, a 47-year-old Marblehead teacher murdered in her home during a Nor'easter in 1950
• Discussion of how crime victims are often villainized posthumously, particularly women
• Introduction of a new Massachusetts-based victim advocacy coalition with Anngelle, documentary filmmaker Melanie McLaughlin, and forensic anthropologist Dr. Ann Marie Miers (MMMPAC)
• Open Q&A covering lesser known cases and the controversy around the Karen Reid murder case and its impact on our communities.

More about this show at crimeofthetruestkind.com.

Have a case, location for a show, ask a questiont? Reach out at [email protected] and join our growing community of everyday advocates.

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This podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.
Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King
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Chapters

1. Live Show Introduction (00:00:00)

2. The Beryl Atherton Murder (00:01:35)

3. Victim Blaming and Advocacy (00:09:55)

4. Starting a Victim Advocacy Coalition (00:16:12)

5. Open Q&A with Audience (00:22:25)

6. Karen Reed Case Discussion (00:34:32)

7. Final Thoughts on Justice and Advocacy (00:36:53)