INFAMOUS: Circleville Letters
An anonymous letter-writer antagonized residents of Circleville, Ohio for years, singling out the school superintendent, Gordon Massie, and a local bus driver, Mary Gillispie, as the focus of much of the vitriol. When Mary finds a booby trap with a loaded gun in 1983, the gun is traced to her brother-in-law Paul Freshour – but the letters would continue long after Paul went to prison for attempted murder.
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The first anonymous letter Mary Gillispie received in March of 1977; in evidence in the State of Ohio V. Paul L. Freshour 1983 case file in the Common Pleas Court, Pickaway County
Photo Source: audiochuck staff
The second anonymous letter Mary Gillispie received in March of 1977; in evidence in the State of Ohio V. Paul L. Freshour 1983 case file in the Common Pleas Court, Pickaway County
Photo Source: audiochuck staff
The envelope for the third letter Mary Gillispie received from the Circleville Letter-Writer in April of 1977 had a return address of the Westfall school superintendent; in evidence in the State of Ohio V. Paul L. Freshour 1983 case file in the Common Pleas Court, Pickaway County
Photo Source: audiochuck staff
One the letters Ron Gillispie received from the Circleville Letter-Writer in April of 1977; in evidence in the State of Ohio V. Paul L. Freshour 1983 case file in the Common Pleas Court, Pickaway County
Photo Source: audiochuck staff
Gordon Massie, superintendent of the Westfall school district
Photo Source: The Circleville Herald; Published June 9, 1972
An announcement of Mary’s engagement to Ron Gillispie
Photo Source: Published in The Circleville Herald on August 24th, 1961
Ronald Gillispie’s obituary
Photo Source: Published in The Circleville Herald on August 22nd, 1977
An article about Ron Gillispie’s fatal crash
Photo Source: Published in The Circleville Herald on August 20th, 1977
The scene of Ron Gillispie’s fatal accident on August 19th, 1977
Photo Source: Pickaway County Sheriff’s Department; Audiochuck staff public records request
The back of a Christmas card Mary received from the Circleville Letter-Writer in December 1982 warning her that signs will be posted about her daughter, in evidence in the State of Ohio V. Paul L. Freshour 1983 case file in the Common Pleas Court, Pickaway County
Photo Source: audiochuck staff
An evidence photo of the area where Mary Gillispie found a booby trap
Photo Source: State of Ohio V. Paul L. Freshour 1983 case file in the Common Pleas Court, Pickaway County
An evidence photo of the booby trap
Photo Source: State of Ohio V. Paul L. Freshour 1983 case file in the Common Pleas Court, Pickaway County
An evidence photo of the booby trap
Photo Source: State of Ohio V. Paul L. Freshour 1983 case file in the Common Pleas Court, Pickaway County
A page from the attempted murder investigative file
Photo Source: Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation reports; audiochuck staff public records request
A graphic created by the Columbus Dispatch of Paul Freshour and the booby trap, published on March 3, 1983
Paul Freshour’s handwriting from a document in his personnel folder at work was compared with the Circleville Letter-Writer’s handwriting
Photo Source: State of Ohio V. Paul L. Freshour 1983 case file in the Common Pleas Court, Pickaway County
A page from the attempted murder investigative file
Photo Source: Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation reports; audiochuck staff public records request
Paul Freshour at Riverside Mental Health Center during an interview with the Columbus Dispatch in May of 1983
A pile of letters Mary Gillispie received from the Circleville Letter-Writer; in evidence in the State of Ohio V. Paul L. Freshour 1983 case file in the Common Pleas Court, Pickaway County
Photo Source: audiochuck staff
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If you’re a law enforcement agency or family member of one of the people we mentioned in this episode, or if you’re looking for more coverage on a case, please reach out. You can email us at:
Episode Source Material
-
- The Circleville Herald: Gordon Massie is Westfall superintendent
- The Circleville Herald: Mary Hinton is engaged
- The Circleville Herald: Local man killed in pickup crash
- Ranker: The Circleville Letter Writer Terrified Ohioans In The ’70s, by Jacob Shelton
- Mental Floss: Unknown Sender: The Mystery of the Circleville Letters, by Jake Rossen
- 48 Hours on CBS: The Circleville Letters
- Unsolved Mysteries: Mystery/Wanted: Circleville Writer/Murder: Ron Gillispie (segment)
- Whatever Remains podcast on Circleville
- Paul Freshour’s website
- Forensic Handwriting Identification: Fundamental Concepts and Principles, by Ron Morris. Second edition. (Chapter 14: Obtaining Handwriting Samples)
Records
- Ohio V Paul Freshour 1983 trial transcript
- Paul Freshour appeals
- Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation reports
- Pickaway County Sheriff’s Department, Paul Freshour case file
- Ron Gillispie State of Ohio traffic crash report/Pickaway County Sheriff’s Department death report
- Pickaway County Sheriff’s Department reports on David Longberry
- Paul Freshour V Karen Freshour
- Letters 1977-1978 (Downloaded PDF from the Invisible Ships Podcast page, but only used letters, not any of the podcast material itself)
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