The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth Eps. 4

About this episode

The episode explores the mysteries surrounding the death of John Wilkes Booth and the theories that have emerged over time.

Did Abraham Lincoln’s killer really die in that burning barn in Virginia, or did the manhunt miss its mark? In the gripping finale of the Hunt for John Wilkes Booth, Thornton Kennedy and James Ottley, joined by Atlanta raconteur Will Edmonds, unravel the contradictions, missing evidence and lingering whispers that have fueled one of America’s oldest conspiracy theories. From David Herold’s puzzling claims to the vanished post-mortem photo, this episode chases the truth through shadowy testimony and Southern lore, asking the question history never quite settled and leaving you to decide what really happened to John Wilkes Booth.

People in this episode

Hosts: Thornton Kennedy, James Ottley

Guest: Will Edmonds

Topics covered

• John Wilkes Booth
• Abraham Lincoln
• conspiracy theories
• American history

Keywords

• manhunt
• evidence
• Southern lore
• testimony

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth

Places: Virginia, Atlanta, America

More episodes of History for Cocktail Parties

• The Louisiana Purchase & the Battle for New Orleans: The Making of New Orleans Eps. 2 · April 23, 2026 · 26 min
• Bluffs, Blood and Bourbon: The Making of New Orleans Eps. 1 · April 16, 2026 · 22 min
• The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth Eps. 3 · March 26, 2026 · 24 min
• The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth Eps. 2 · March 19, 2026 · 29 min
• Hunt for John Wilkes Booth Eps. 1 · March 12, 2026 · 41 min
• The Plot to Kill Abraham Lincoln Episode 3 · February 26, 2026 · 31 min