MURDERED: Malvina Krutz
When a young woman is found brutally murdered in her Indianapolis home in 1958, police start pointing fingers at everyone that’s been in and out of the house. But for every twist and turn and decade that has passed, there’s still so many questions around who killed Malvina.
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Hand-drawn diagram of the Krutz home published in The Indianapolis Star.
Photo courtesy of The Indianapolis Star.
The lead pencil with hairs stuck to it.
Photo courtesy of The Indianapolis Star.
The Indianapolis Star article, published on February 21, 1958, about the release of suspect Robert Smith.
Photo found here
Please contact the authorities if you have any information:
Crime Stoppers
If you have any information about the murder of Malvina Krutz in Indianapolis in 1958, please contact Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-TIPS (8477), or via their app.
Indiana State Police
You can also contact the Indiana State Police’s cold case hotline at 1-800-453-4756, or visit their website at [email protected].
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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
- Greencastle Daily Banner (Greencastle, IN): Dead Woman’s Missing Auto Found By Police by United Press. Published January 30, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via NewspaperArchive.com.
- Greensburg Daily News (Greensburg, IN): Man Held in Tub Slaying by International News Service. Published February 20, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- Logansport Pharos-Tribune (Logansport, IN): Check Pencil At Monticello In Slaying Case by United Press. Published January 31, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- Monticello Daily Herald Journal (Monticello, IN): Monticello REMC Pencil Is Found At Murder Scene. Published January 31, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- Palladium-Item (Richmond, IN): Murder Victim’s Background Studied At Indianapolis by International News Service. Published February 18, 1958. Accessed August 14, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- RetroReport: An Overturned Conviction Magnifies Flaws in a Discredited Forensic Technique by Anny Oberlink. Published December 2, 2021. Accessed October 5, 2024.
- Sightline Institute: Rooming Houses: History’s Affordable Quarters by Alan Durning. Published November 14, 2012. Accessed October 5, 2024.
- The Daily Reporter (Greenfield, IN): Possibility Krutz Death Accidental by International News Service. Published February 3, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Daily Reporter (Greenfield, IN): Mysterious Phone Calls Investigated by International News Service. Published February 8, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Herald (Jasper, IN): Indianapolis Woman Found Dead In Bathtub by International News Service. Published January 30, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Herald (Jasper, IN): Indianapolis Woman Found Dead In Bathtub by International News Service. Published January 30, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Stolen Car of Murdered Wife Found Abandoned by Max Friedersdorf and Horace Ketring. Published January 30, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Fingerprints May Be Clue to Murder. Published January 31, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Tipster in Murder to Meet Police. Published February 1, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Sex Offenders to Be Quizzed in Krutz Death. Published February 11, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Worker Grilled All Day Over Bathtub Murder. Published February 19, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Police Free Suspect in Krutz Case. Published February 28, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Top Police to Meet With Board. Published March 31, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Krutz Killing Suspect Will Get Lie Test. Published June 13, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Krutz Suspect Names 4th Man. Published June 18, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Detective Still Hunts Clues Year After Krutz Murder by Fremont Power. Published January 29, 1959. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Slayers Found In 9 Cases of 10 by Joe Jarvis. Published February 25, 1963. Accessed August 13, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): 1958 Murder ‘Was Similar’. Published December 2, 1977. Accessed August 13, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Many Clues Fruitless In Malvina Krutz Slaying. Published March 22, 1979. Accessed August 13, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Man Indicted for Murder. Published April 30, 1962. Accessed October 5, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Life Term Given in Beating Death. Published February 6, 1963. Accessed October 5, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): 1958 Murder ‘Was Similar’. Published December 2, 1977. Accessed October 5, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Recorder (Indianapolis, IN): Lie Detector Clears Painter Questioned in Krutz Murder. Published February 22, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Hoosier State Chronicles.
- The Indianapolis Recorder (Indianapolis, IN): Krutz Murder Suspect Freed, But Police “Not” Satisfied. Published March 8, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Hoosier State Chronicles.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Bathtub Slayer Hunted: Woman’s Body Found By Mate On North Side. Published January 30, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Pencil Gives ‘Hot Lead’ In Murder. Published January 31, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Man Saw Krutz Car In Garage Before Murder. Published February 1, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Husband Questioned In Slaying. Published February 2, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Rugs Found Under Body In Tub. Published February 4, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Rugs Found Under Body In Tub. Published February 4, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Slain Woman’s Husband, Friend May Take Lie Test. Published February 5, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Silence Cloaks Slaying Probe. Published February 6, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Phone Calls Probed In Krutz Case. Published February 8, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Painter, Father Of 7, Booked In Krutz Killing. Published February 20, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Krutz Suspect Released After Lie Detector Test. Published February 21, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Painter Held By Police In Krutz Death. Published February 23, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Painter Held By Police In Krutz Death. Published February 23, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): 3d Lie Test Planned For Slaying Suspect. Published February 24, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): New Evidence Uncovered In Krutz Case. Published February 25, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Paint Samples May Link Krutz Suspect To Crime. Published February 26, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Malvina Krutz Slaying Suspect May Be Freed This Morning. Published February 28, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): New Police Teams To Find Likeness In Two Murders by David Watson. Published March 9, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Larceny Case Leads To Break. Published June 13, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Larceny Case Leads To Break. Published June 13, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): He’ll Name Krutz Killer, Says Shifting Confessor by Donald W. Ruby. Published June 15, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): He’ll Name Krutz Killer, Says Shifting Confessor by Donald W. Ruby. Published June 15, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Police Ask Aid Of Krutz Tipster. Published July 15, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): ‘Lost’ Tip In Krutz Slaying Found by Donald C. Herring. Published December 11, 1960. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Krutz Slaying Suspect Quizzed In Fatal Beating. Published March 11, 1962. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Painter Quizzed In Mate’s Death Admits Hitting Her During Row. Published March 12, 1962. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Penick Takes Stand In Murder Trial. Published January 24, 1963. Accessed October 5, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Krutz Holds His Own, But Remains Critical. Published September 14, 1958. Accessed October 5, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Missing Car Is Clue in Death by United Press. Published January 30, 1958. Accessed August 9, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Terre Haute Tribune (Terre Haute, IN): Charges Dropped In Tub Murder by United Press. Published February 21, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Times-Mail (Bedford, IN): Hold Young Man Who Says He Killed Woman by Associated Press. Published June 13, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
- The Tipton Daily Tribune (Tipton, IN): Mystery Woman Sought by International News Service. Published February 11, 1958. Accessed August 12, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
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