On February 4, 1941, Bronx police officers were called to the home of John and Catherine Pappas for a report of a homicide. Based on the evidence, detectives theorized that someone had been invited into the Pappas apartment while Catherine was home alone and that same someone had strangled her to death, then ransacked the apartment looking for valuables. To investigators the scene resembled a fairly straightforward robbery-homicide; however, to detective Ed Burns, there were elements of the crime scene that bore a striking similarity to another assault and robbery case he’d been assigned to just two weeks earlier in another part of the Bronx.
What followed was an investigation that exploded in size from a single robbery-gone-wrong that resulted in a murder to a sprawling serial sexual assault case that would eventually involve more than eighty victims in eight states, all victimized by the same man. The hunt for the Aspirin Bandit is among the more remarkable cases in New York criminal history, not only because of the number of victims, but also because of the tremendous effort and coordination put forth to catch the killer—effort and coordination that, in 1941, was virtually unheard of.
Thank you to the Amazing Dave White (of BRING ME THE AXE PODCAST) for research and writing assistance!
References
Brooklyn Eagle. 1941. "Papas slayer, faced by victims, confesses." Brooklyn Eagle, March 4: 1.
Connor, Christine, and Elise Greven. 2017. "Gentleman Killer." A Crime to Remember. Janaury 3.
Dillon, Edward, and Howard Whitman. 1941. "Cigarets, aspirin clues to woman's strangler." Daily News (New York, NY), February 6: 4.
New York Times. 1941. "Alarm for burglar sent in Pappas case." New York Times, February 8: 32.
—. 1941. "Cvek found guilty of Pappas murder." New York Times, May 20: 46.
—. 1941. "Cvek tells court he killed in anger." New York Times, May 16: 24.
—. 1941. "Mystery cloaks woman's murder." New York Times, February 6: 15.
—. 1941. "Pappas strangler admits 15 crimes." New York Times, March 5: 1.
—. 1941. "Slayer of woman 'rebukes' press." New York Times, March 8: 34.
—. 1941. "Sun lamp halts trial." New York Times, April 22: 23.
Rice, William. 1941. "Cvek a killer? No surprise to his relatives."
Daily News (New York, NY)
, March 5: 4.
Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.