South Florida From Crime To Crime - A look into South Florida's unique true crime history.
A WLRN Original Production Tuesdays immediately following DEATH IN PARADISE which begins at 8pm.
Since the latter part of the 19th century, people have flocked to Florida looking for adventure and opportunity. Out of this vast untamed swamp land came a tropical oasis so seductive it's nickname became The Magic City casting a spell on all things good and evil. From pioneers with shady business deals to the iron fists of mob bosses and from corrupt politicians to rogue drug dealers, South Florida has had its share of dubious deadbeats. These are stories of the darker side of the Sunshine State as we delve into the complicated, yet fascinating past of South Florida from Crime to Crime.
UPCOMING EPISODES:
September 25th at 8:50pm - PREDICTIONS OF AN ASSASSINATION
Shortly after John F. Kennedy was assassinated, it was revealed two weeks prior that an undercover Miami police informant met with right wing radical racist, Joseph Milteer in a downtown Miami Hotel where he predicted the whole conspiracy in perfect detail and it was recorded on tape. Excerpts from the surveillance tape are featured in this show. To hear the whole uncut version WLRN obtained from the National Archives and Records Administration, click below. The conversation varies on subject and even Dr. King's name is mentioned. Reference to Kennedy comes up at 15 min and 44 seconds into the discussion.
October 2nd at 8:50pm - THE 305 GOES 007
Crooks, crooked cops and corruption might be the obvious criminal activity, but it's the not so obvious that makes you wonder who your neighbors really are. South Florida happens to be the perfect place for a spy to blend in and go unnoticed for years. Suburban secret agents have been here since World War II where German spies communicated with U-Boats in an effort to sink ships. Ultimately they were responsible for sinking 100 ships off the coast of Florida. In more recent years, we've had one of the largest spy rings ever known to have operated on US soil and it was being orchestrated through Cuba. From Nazi spies to Cuban spies we learn who's been watching us and sharing our secrets.
October 9th at 8:50pm - THE CASE OF THE CLINKING BRASSIERES
A 1950's theft ring in which women who worked in the counting room of Miami's Southern Bell Telephone Company would stash rolls of quarters in their bra. The money was stolen before it was placed in coin counting machines, which made it almost impossible to determine how much had been taken. Southern Bell was embarrassed and reluctant to press charges. After an audit, it was estimated that $100,000 in quarters was taken from The Southern Bell Telephone Company. News of this scandal spread like wildfire and it became nationally known as the "Case of The Clinking Brassieres".
MUSEUM OF MURDER AND MAYHEM
Catering to those who are seeking a different kind of history lesson, we feature the Crime Tours Museum in Fort Lauderdale, the nexus of notorious behavior. Here you can put yourself at the scene of the crime and learn the twisted history of South Florida from the super sleuth of lawlessness, Chris Mancini. His experiences as a longtime attorney and his love of history is what led to opening the museum. It has floor to ceiling displays, exhibits, original newspapers, and artifacts that will give you insight as to how South Florida rose to fame through the many illegal activities that took place.
- NOTE: THE CRIME TOURS MUSEUM IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF RELOCATING TO A LARGER FACILTY AND WILL REOPEN SOON. BUS TOURS ARE STILL AVAILABLE.
BEHIND THE SCENES
The Crime Tours Museum in Fort Lauderdale is the perfect backdrop for the South Florida From Crime to Crime series. Here the WLRN team which includes veteran DP Felipe Marrou and Producer Mia Laurenzo, interviews crime history aficionado Chris Mancini who guides us through these twisted tales.
Some stories are met with the fun task of re-enactments. This is a scene from the "CASE OF THE CLINKING BRASSIERES" played by Raudy Colon (L) and Yetcel Jimenez (R).
This scenes falls under the heading... "BECAUSE IT'S COOL" and was the mastermind of Chris. Indeed it was cool and it is part of CRIME TOURS MUSEUM OF MURDER AND MAYHEM.
Special thanks goes to Felipe Marrou of VTM Productions, the Wolfson Archives for historical news footage, the Miami Herald archives division, the National Archives and Records Admisnitration and the staff of the Crime Tours Museum.
Read about the Crime Tours Museum in the Sun-Sentinel
