Which cases seem to epitomize a certain era/location?

[SheRaaa]

In adding to the "best true crime books" thread, I was thinking of how certain crimes seem to epitomize the time and place in which they happened. For example, the Manson murders are often pointed-to as symbolic of the time when innocence of the 60s changed into the pessimism of the following years, or when the laid-back culture of southern California became more closed-off and segregated.

Or, the case of the West Memphis 3 is often referenced as the boiling point for satanic panic in the U.S. in the late 80s/early 90s, especially in more religious and conservative parts of the country.

Are there any UM cases that you think encapsulate the feeling of a certain time and place?

I think the Tammy Leppert case (one of my faves on UM) is just sooooo Florida in the 80s. Drugs, partying, excess, shady financial dealings, countless missing persons from that time...UM did such a great job capturing this crazy time in their reenactment.

[zack007attack]

There's lots of cases that really capture the prestige of their respective times and/or locations. Here are some that get my attention:

First of all, many of us probably know how crime-ridden Los Angeles and Las Vegas were during the 1980s. Here are notable UM cases during that time:
Matthew Chase
Kathy Hobbs

There's also the underworld of drug dealers and their notorious efforts to keep their operations secretive (especially in the Southern states):
Don Henry and Kevin Ives
Norman Ladner

[Steve W.]

From reading more about it, the Kurt Sova case made it appear that the Newburgh Heights and greater Cleveland area was very drug-riddled and corrupted in the '80's (at least maybe from the '70's through the mid-80's or so).

[kolson82]

Originally Posted by SheRaaa

I think the Tammy Leppert case (one of my faves on UM) is just sooooo Florida in the 80s. Drugs, partying, excess, shady financial dealings, countless missing persons from that time...UM did such a great job capturing this crazy time in their reenactment.

Yup. I was thinking that one, too. Also, the Zodiac and Son of Sam cases really capture San Fran and New York respectively.

David Fincher's ZODIAC and Spike Lee's SUMMER OF SAM do a perfect job capturing the mood of those eras and how the attitudes and cities changed because of those serial killers. Like you said, those particular killing sprees -- and the coverage/mass hysteria that surrounded them -- really captured the chaos of their time.

[1990 UM fan]

Hitchhiking in the western United States in the 1980's

[UMFaninMD]

The Florida ones Debra Poe, Oba Chandler, Rebecca Davis, Beverly McGowan, Pamela Ray) really seem to capture the threatening presence of stalkers and murderers underneath the palm trees and sunshine.

The New Orleans serial killer segment also showed that not only the city is not the constant party central and culture icon it's made out to be, there's a lot of poverty and disadvantaged people struggling there (as now witnessed by Hurricane Katrina) and that crimes against certain populations aren't reported on as much. I never even knew there was a serial killer operating in New Orleans until I saw the UM story.

I also think UM did a good job with the orange sock murders---they really showed the cold, brutal and harsh climate that Colorado can have during the winter, and how isolated people are in some towns, where the nearest store or bar can be over 20 miles away.

[SageSlowdive]

Originally Posted by SheRaaa

In adding to the "best true crime books" thread, I was thinking of how certain crimes seem to epitomize the time and place in which they happened. For example, the Manson murders are often pointed-to as symbolic of the time when innocence of the 60s changed into the pessimism of the following years, or when the laid-back culture of southern California became more closed-off and segregated.

Or, the case of the West Memphis 3 is often referenced as the boiling point for satanic panic in the U.S. in the late 80s/early 90s, especially in more religious and conservative parts of the country.

Are there any UM cases that you think encapsulate the feeling of a certain time and place?

I think the Tammy Leppert case (one of my faves on UM) is just sooooo Florida in the 80s. Drugs, partying, excess, shady financial dealings, countless missing persons from that time...UM did such a great job capturing this crazy time in their reenactment.

Maybe it's because of the Scarface connection, but Tammy Lee's segment reminds me of that movie sooo much. It's almost like the same locales.

[Sean Conner]

If I'm understanding the question correctly, and I might not be, so, ignore if that's the case, but I think the uncertainty of what happened to Crystal Spencer pretty much sums up the 80s for me. When I watched the episode, you got everything about that decade summed up into one story - crazy hair, light pastels, drugs, Hollywood and, this is potentially a contentious point, selfishness.

I've always felt the 80s was the decade of greed & selfishness and the way Jet Taylor and Susan Akin heard something awful coming from her apartment and didn't even pick up the phone to call the police screams selfishness to me.

That's just my opinion. It really gets to the seediness of that decade. I know we like to look at the 80s with glamour and nostalgia, but crime was high, sympathy low and it seemed a good number of people just didn't care about the well being of their neighbors.

Not to say any of you are guilty. So, if you're from the 80s, don't take this as me calling you selfish. It's just the vibe I got out of that decade and from that episode. The concern for Crystal was just so minimal, which is disgusting.

[WishfulDreamer]

Originally Posted by Sean Conner

If I'm understanding the question correctly, and I might not be, so, ignore if that's the case, but I think the uncertainty of what happened to Crystal Spencer pretty much sums up the 80s for me. When I watched the episode, you got everything about that decade summed up into one story - crazy hair, light pastels, drugs, Hollywood and, this is potentially a contentious point, selfishness.

I've always felt the 80s was the decade of greed & selfishness and the way Jet Taylor and Susan Akin heard something awful coming from her apartment and didn't even pick up the phone to call the police screams selfishness to me.

That's just my opinion. It really gets to the seediness of that decade. I know we like to look at the 80s with glamour and nostalgia, but crime was high, sympathy low and it seemed a good number of people just didn't care about the well being of their neighbors.

Not to say any of you are guilty. So, if you're from the 80s, don't take this as me calling you selfish. It's just the vibe I got out of that decade and from that episode. The concern for Crystal was just so minimal, which is disgusting.

I live in Hollywood right now and I CANNOT look at the Hollywood sign without thinking of that case. I still cannot believe that they didn't call the police. I am getting over a huge admiration I had for the 80s (before my time, I've always wanted to see it myself), but I can't disagree with you. I know not everyone was like Jet and his wife, of course. I still cannot believe they didn't call the police. Hearing screaming is one thing. I hear that outside a lot, and it's often difficult to discern if it's people screwing around or a real problem. But in this case, it was obviously not fun and games. It was OBVIOUSLY a terrible situation going on. I know when bad things happen, a person is afraid and that changes how they think. But still, I can't get over this.

[rhzunam]

Ira Einhorn and Ricardo Caputo.

[lowell3]

All of these 70s and 80s crimes are fascinating to me. The world sure was a different place back then, without cell phones or anything. In a sense, it was a freer place, but that freedom came with a price. You went out somewhere by yourself, and you were utterly alone. Needed to find a payphone if you wanted to have a friend pick you up or what have you. So there are all these terrible cases in the 70s and 80s of women being murdered, often hitchhiking somewhere, or trusting the wrong stranger in some way (that Oba Chandler scum comes to mind). People were a lot more trusting. I don't know why, but it's a fascinating topic to me, the difference between then and now. I agree with the poster who mentioned Fincher's ZODIAC, that is a very good film that does an excellent job of capturing an era and how such horrific crime was dealt with back then. One will never hear Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man" in the same way again after watching that film...

No offense to Floridians, but stuff like the Leppert case, among many many many others (why does it seem FL has so many women being abducted?) make me dislike that state even more. At the same time it paints a very evocative picture: A land full of swamps and alligators and equally barbaric predators preying on the innocent. Someone could make a film out of that. It's not UM, but the more recent Jennifer Kesse case, in Orlando, always disturbed and fascinated me to no end. The idea that one can just "disappear" like that, with virtually no trace or clues. Terrifying.

In the pre-digital age it was the freedom and danger and trusting of strangers that epitomized the crimes of the day. Today, it's the technology, the security cameras, the cell phone tracking, the GPS, everyone watching and being watched at the same time; every creep now aware that their actions are liable to be seen on the nightly news if they make the "wrong" step. So, as I said before, it's kind of a safer world now. Safer yet more paranoid than ever.

[SheRaaa]

Originally Posted by lowell3

All of these 70s and 80s crimes are fascinating to me. The world sure was a different place back then, without cell phones or anything. In a sense, it was a freer place, but that freedom came with a price. You went out somewhere by yourself, and you were utterly alone. Needed to find a payphone if you wanted to have a friend pick you up or what have you. So there are all these terrible cases in the 70s and 80s of women being murdered, often hitchhiking somewhere, or trusting the wrong stranger in some way (that Oba Chandler scum comes to mind). People were a lot more trusting. I don't know why, but it's a fascinating topic to me, the difference between then and now. I agree with the poster who mentioned Fincher's ZODIAC, that is a very good film that does an excellent job of capturing an era and how such horrific crime was dealt with back then. One will never hear Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man" in the same way again after watching that film...

No offense to Floridians, but stuff like the Leppert case, among many many many others (why does it seem FL has so many women being abducted?) make me dislike that state even more. At the same time it paints a very evocative picture: A land full of swamps and alligators and equally barbaric predators preying on the innocent. Someone could make a film out of that. It's not UM, but the more recent Jennifer Kesse case, in Orlando, always disturbed and fascinated me to no end. The idea that one can just "disappear" like that, with virtually no trace or clues. Terrifying.

In the pre-digital age it was the freedom and danger and trusting of strangers that epitomized the crimes of the day. Today, it's the technology, the security cameras, the cell phone tracking, the GPS, everyone watching and being watched at the same time; every creep now aware that their actions are liable to be seen on the nightly news if they make the "wrong" step. So, as I said before, it's kind of a safer world now. Safer yet more paranoid than ever.

So true. Perhaps b/c I was born in the 80s and grew up in the 90s, I saw all this technology grow up right along with me. I am also fascinated by the "different world" of the pre-internet, pre-cell phone era -- one of the reasons why I love UM so much!

[SheRaaa]

Another case that seems to epitomize some of the 80s for me is the Tara Calico case. Young girl out on an innocent bike ride, no cell phones so someone can abduct her without much of a threat on her part...later, creepy photos turn up, imagery straight out of an 80s slasher flick. Even popular 80s phenom VC Andrews turns up in this one!

[RobinW]

I'd say the Jenny Pratt segment totally epitomizes high school life in 1980s California. Curtis Croft sounds exactly like Jeff Spicoli in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (and from all accounts, STILL acts that way today even though he is approaching 50!).