Criminal · Podcast summary
Family Secrets, Part 2
In the second part of a two-part series, we delve into the tragic murders of Delores and Janie Lynch, and the subsequent investigation that uncovered a shocking family secret involving Tom Lynch, his ex-wife Suzy, and her cousin Fritz Klenner.
Listen on the show ↗Key takeaways
- 🏠Delores and Janie Lynch were found murdered in their Kentucky home, with Delores shot on the driveway and Janie inside.01:24
- ❓The initial investigation considered robbery, but the lack of stolen high-value items raised doubts.02:43
- 🕵️♂️Tom Lynch, Janie's brother, became a suspect due to potential insurance benefits, but passed a polygraph test.04:35
- 😠Suzy, Tom's ex-wife, had a contentious relationship with Delores, who viewed her as overbearing and pretentious.06:57
- 🤕Suzy was accused of child abuse, with reports of physical harm to her sons, John and Jim.08:49
- 📞Tom Lynch reported his former in-laws' murder in Winston-Salem, suspecting Suzy and her cousin, Fritz Klenner.10:25
Chapters
- 1:44The Lynch Murders: A Family's Dark Secrets Unfold
- 3:52Initial Investigation and Suspicions
- 7:15Tom Lynch Under Scrutiny
- 10:16The Troubled Relationship of Tom and Suzy
- 17:01A New Lead: The Winston-Salem Murders
- 34:59The Final Confrontation and Explosive End
- 48:19Aftermath and Lingering Questions
The digest
In July of 1984, the quiet community outside Louisville, Kentucky, was shattered by the discovery of 68-year-old Delores Lynch and her 39-year-old daughter Janie Lynch, found dead in their home. Police officer Dennis Clark, with the Oldham County Police Department, arrived at the scene on Covered Bridge Road to find Delores shot in the back and head on the driveway, and Janie fatally shot inside, seemingly attempting to reach a panic alarm. The initial assessment by police suggested the women had been murdered several days earlier.
Initial Investigation and Suspicions
Inside the house, investigators found an overturned jewelry box and an empty purse, indicating a possible robbery. However, the lack of other stolen valuables, such as TVs and silver, raised questions. The chief of police, recognizing the high-income area and the pressure to solve the case, called in state and Louisville evidence technicians, stating, "if this goes sour and we don't arrest nobody, at least we can spread the blame."
Delores Lynch, known in her community as a woman with a temper, had lived in the home for over a decade, mostly alone since her husband's death the year prior. Officer Clark recalled her as "cantankerous" from previous encounters responding to her burglar alarm. Janie, a recent dental school graduate, had a brother, Tom Lynch, also a dentist living in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Tom received the devastating call from authorities in Kentucky, informing him of his mother and sister's murders.
Keep reading in The Digest
The full 6-minute article, 5 more sections, and every new episode from Criminal and the creators you follow.
- Tom Lynch Under Scrutiny
- The Troubled Relationship of Tom and Suzy
- A New Lead: The Winston-Salem Murders
- The Final Confrontation and Explosive End
- Aftermath and Lingering Questions
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