Ep 6. The Haunting Murder Case of the Hammersmith Ghost

In season 7 episode 6 of BuzzFeed Unsolved: True Crime, entitled "The Haunting Murder Case of the Hammersmith Ghost," hosts Ryan and Shane investigate one of the earliest recorded examples of a ghost sighting being used as a defense in a murder trial.

The Hammersmith Ghost was a figure terrorizing the Hammersmith area of London in the early 1800s. While some believed it to be a real ghost, others speculated that it was a man dressed up in a white sheet and terrorizing the locals.

But in 1804, the Hammersmith Ghost took a deadly turn. A man named Thomas Millwood, who was known for wearing white clothes, was mistaken for the ghost and shot by a local farmer named Francis Smith. Smith claimed that he believed Millwood to be the ghost and that he was acting in self-defense.

But was Smith really in danger, or was this a case of him taking the law into his own hands? Ryan and Shane explore the details of the case, including interviewing experts on both ghosts and forensics, to try and determine the truth.

As they dig deeper into the historical records and visit the locations where the events took place, Ryan and Shane also delve into the societal attitudes and beliefs that may have influenced the case. They question whether the concept of the supernatural and the fear it induced could have played a role in how the case was ultimately decided by the courts.

With their trademark humor and curiosity, Ryan and Shane present the facts of the case and attempt to piece together what really happened on that fateful night when the Hammersmith Ghost met his demise.