The Bloody Benders

In this episode, we uncover the gruesome story of the Bloody Benders, a family of 19th-century serial killers who ran a roadside inn on the Kansas frontier. This so-called “family” lured travelers in with the promise of a warm meal and a place to rest—only for them to meet a horrifying fate. How did they manage to kill so many without immediate suspicion? What ultimately led to their downfall? And what became of them after they vanished without a trace?

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References

Bloody Benders. (n.d.). Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Benders

Cappello, N. (2019, August 19). The Bloody Benders: America's First Family of Serial Killers. Retrieved from Crime Reads: https://crimereads.com/the-bloody-benders-americas-first-family-of-serial-killers/

Chang, E. (2023, October 30). The Shocking Story of the Bloody Benders. Retrieved from History Defined: https://www.historydefined.net/bloody-benders/

Colclough, J. (2024, October 8). The Bloody Benders: Homestead of Horrors. Retrieved from Library of Congress blogs: https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2024/10/bloody-benders/

Dimri, B. (2022, July 2). The Bloody Benders: What Happened to this Family of Killers. Retrieved from Historic Mysteries: https://www.historicmysteries.com/history/bloody-benders/25264/

Jonusas, S. (2022). Hells Half Acre. Viking.

Katz, B. (2020, February 4). The Kansas Homestead Where America's First Serial Kill Family Committed Its Crimes Is Up For Sale. Retrieved from Smithsonian Magazine: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sale-kansas-land-where-bloody-benders-committed-their-crimes-180974121/

Redd, W., & Johnson, C. (2025, March 3). The BLoody Benders, The 19th Century Kansas Family Who Murdered At Least 11 Travelers At Their Inn. Retrieved from All Thats Interesting: https://allthatsinteresting.com/bloody-benders

The Bloody Benders-Serial Killers of Kansas. (n.d.). Retrieved from Legends Of America: https://www.legendsofamerica.com/ks-benders/