Ep 3. Special Investigations: Texas Servant Girl Murders

In season 11 episode 3 of History Detectives titled "Special Investigations: Texas Servant Girl Murders," the team sets out to uncover the truth behind a 19th-century killing spree in Austin, Texas.

The Servant Girl Murders occurred between 1884 and 1885, and left the residents of Austin in a state of fear. Over the course of a year, eight women, mostly young servants or African American women, were brutally murdered in their homes. The killings were all carried out in a similar manner, with the victims being attacked while they slept. Despite numerous suspects and the involvement of the Pinkertons, the case was never solved.

The detectives start their investigation by examining an old newspaper article that links a man named Nathan Elgin to the murders. Elgin was a black man who had been arrested for attacking a woman with an ax, and some believed he was responsible for the Servant Girl Murders. However, as the detectives dig deeper, they discover that the evidence against Elgin was flimsy at best, and that racial prejudice may have played a role in his arrest.

Next, the team heads to a museum in Austin to examine a bloodstained knife that was reportedly found near one of the murder sites. Using advanced forensic techniques, they are able to determine that the blood on the knife matches that of a woman, but they cannot say for certain whether it was one of the Servant Girl Murder victims.

Finally, the detectives examine an old diary that belonged to a woman who lived in Austin at the time of the killings. The diary contains several passages about the murders, and the woman's personal opinions about who might have been responsible. By piecing together the information from the diary, the newspaper article, and the forensic evidence, the detectives are able to shed new light on the Servant Girl Murders, and offer some possible explanations for why the case was never solved.

Throughout the episode, the detectives are careful to acknowledge the racial and gender biases that existed in 19th-century America, and how these biases may have affected the investigation into the Servant Girl Murders. By taking a nuanced and thoughtful approach to the case, they are able to uncover new insights and challenge some of the assumptions that have been made about the killings over the years.

Overall, "Special Investigations: Texas Servant Girl Murders" is a fascinating and thought-provoking look at a disturbing piece of American history, and a reminder that even the most heinous crimes are not always as simple as they may seem.