Jolly Jane Toppin, a nurse in late 19th century Lowell, Massachusetts, became one of New England's most prolific serial killers, confessing to 31 murders and claiming responsibility for up to 100 deaths. Her story reveals how she used her position as a trusted caregiver to poison patients and family members while deriving sexual pleasure from watching them die.

The haunting legacy of "Jolly Jane" Toppin still echoes through Massachusetts more than a century after her crimes. Born Honora Kelley to struggling Irish immigrants in 1857, Jane's transformation from abandoned child to one of America's most prolific female serial killers reveals a disturbing journey through the dark corners of New England history. Stripped of her identity at a young age, Jane became an indentured servant to the Toppan family who erased her Irish heritage, renamed her, and created a fictional past for her. This early experience of identity manipulation foreshadowed the deceptions that would later define her murderous career.

As she trained to become a nurse, Jane developed not only medical skills but a disturbing fascination with death and suffering that would claim dozens of lives. What makes Jane's story particularly chilling is her methodical approach to murder. Working as a private nurse for wealthy New England families, she poisoned her victims with morphine and atropine, sometimes prolonging their suffering for her own pleasure. She confessed to killing 31 people but claimed the true number might be closer to 100. From her foster sister Elizabeth to the entire Davis family, Jane eliminated anyone who stood in her way or owed her money. The case of Jolly Jane represents a perfect storm of historical circumstances: the vulnerability of patients in early medical care, the limited forensic capabilities of the time, and the trust placed in caregivers. Her victims' deaths were typically attributed to natural causes until suspicions finally arose after the Davis family murders in 1901. Following her arrest and trial, Jane spent the remaining 37 years of her life in Taunton State Hospital, ironically developing a fear that her own food was being poisoned. This episode explores not just the crimes of a serial killer, but the societal conditions that allowed her to operate undetected for so long. Uncover the disturbing psychology behind one of New England's most notorious murderers and examine how her legacy continues to influence our understanding of female serial killers today.

Join us Friday, June 20th at Memorial Field in Taunton, Massachusetts for a gathering to remember Debra Melo on the 25th anniversary of her disappearance.

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Veteran crime reporter Bob Ward of Boston 25 News joins me for a candid conversation about the recent online hysteria surrounding a New England serial killer after 12 people have been recovered around Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Drawing from his nearly three decades as host of "New England's Unsolved," Bob shares the profound impact of covering cases like Theresa Corley's 1978 murder—a young woman he personally knew before her death. This intimate connection frames a deeper discussion about the responsibility journalists carry when amplifying victims' stories.

The conversation turns to the troubling social media frenzy claiming a serial killer is responsible for recent bodies discovered throughout New England. While acknowledging the region's history with serial predators, we agree that there is cause for concern about how unfounded speculation harms legitimate investigations and re-traumatizes families.

"It's very tempting to think that one bad guy or two bad guys are responsible for all this evil, "but I just don't think life works that way." -Bob Ward

We spotlight numerous cases deserving attention—Melanie Melanson, Debra Melo, Bruce Crowley, Reina Morales Rojas—whose families continue waiting for answers while internet sleuths chase shadows.

• The justice system often fails victims' families by providing few updates while requiring them to repeatedly relive trauma at parole hearings

• Online speculation about a "New England serial killer" diverts resources from legitimate investigations

• Internet misinformation is causing real harm, from false confessions to wrongful accusations

• True crime advocacy should focus on supporting families and respecting victims rather than sensationalizing cases

Join us at Middlesex County Superior Court on Monday, May 12th at 10am for the arraignment in Charlene Rosemond's murder case, whose family has waited 16 years for justice.

Other cases included: Andy Puglisi, Beth Brodie, Jeffrey Curley, Janet Downing, Colleen Ritzer, Shaun Ouillette, Miguel Oliveras, New Bedford Highway murders, Boston Strangler, Henry Bedard, Jr, Deanna Cremin, Bruce Crowley, Brittany Tee, Maura Murray, Shannan Gilbert, Lonene Rogers "Lonnie's Law"

Up next, the history of serial killers in New England.

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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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What do Auntie Em, Dropkick Murphys, Mr. Ballen, and HoJos have in common? We roll into Quincy for a look and a story.

A Missing Mom Mystery. Sandra Crispo vanished from her Hanson, Massachusetts home on August 7, 2019. She left her beloved dog, Clarance, behind without food or water and her home unlocked with lights and air conditioning running. She was living her best life in her new home and spending quality hours with her young grandsons.

Six years later, her case remains unsolved despite evidence suggesting foul play, including blood found throughout her house and witness reports of an argument the night she disappeared.

• Sandra had recently moved to Hanson from Quincy, downsizing to a small house after her father passed away
• Her father left behind a substantial estate including reported gold bars, creating significant family tension
• Sandra was last seen on surveillance at Cumberland Farms buying cigarettes after her son-in-law helped her drop her car at a mechanic
• Neighbors reported hearing an argument involving two men at Sandra's home the night she disappeared
• Blood from Sandra and an unidentified male family associate was found in the home six weeks after her disappearance
• Sandra was 54 years old when she vanished and had found new purpose in being a grandmother to her daughter's children
• Despite grand jury testimony and ongoing investigation, no arrests have been made in the case

Information is needed in Sandra Crispo's disappearance, contact Hanson Police Department at 781-293-4625 or Massachusetts State Police Detectives at 508-894-2600.

More at CrimeoftheTruestKind.com

Support the show

Follow Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | TikTok | Threads | YouTube
For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.com

Give the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkind
Become a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind

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

Support the show: patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.