S6 Ep13: Wesley Elkins: The 11-Year-Old Killer

S6 Ep13: Wesley Elkins: The 11-Year-Old Killer

May 25, 2026 · 55 min · Season 6 · Episode 13

About this episode

The episode explores the case of an 11-year-old boy who witnessed the murder of two adults and the subsequent legal and moral questions it raised.

On a hot July morning in 1889, two adults were found murdered in their beds on a small Iowa farm, shot and bludgeoned to death while they slept. The only witness was an 11-year-old boy who said a stranger had done it. What followed was a legal and moral reckoning that divided the country and forced a question the American justice system wasn't remotely prepared to answer: What do you do with a child who kills? Crimes of the Centuries is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history. You can get early and ad-free episodes and more over at www.grabbagcollab.com Order the Crimes of the Centuries book at your favorite bookstore or at www.centuriespod.com/book ! Follow us on Instagram and other social media: @centuriespod Episode Sponsors: Storyworth: Save up to $20 on Storyworth at storyworth.com/cotc . Boll and Branch: Get 20% off plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/cotc with code cotc.

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