In this episode we drive into the Gruesome Crimes of Jake Bird – Tacoma’s Ax-Killer, possibly one of America's most prolific, yet lesser-known, serial killers. Though he was born in Louisiana, he spent much of the short time that he wasn’t incarcerated traveling across the country as a transient laborer, allegedly leaving a bloody trail of unsolved murders. However, it wasn’t until he committed a horrifying double homicide in Tacoma, Washington, that he was finally caught, tried, and ultimately sentenced to death.
Jake Bird was arrested in 1947 after murdering Bertha and Beverly Kludt in their Tacoma home, using an axe he found on their property. That might seem like the end of the story but Bird’s reign of terror didn’t stop there—he shockingly confessed to being involved in over 40 additional murders throughout the United States, potentially making him one of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history, as well as, a potential suspect in crimes that occurred in numerous states all over the country at the time. This episode also explores the chilling "Jake Bird Hex.” His infamous statement given before the court left many with an eerie sense of unease, particularly once several people connected to his trial met their end in short succession following his sentencing. This narrative is rich in historical detail (and a dash of superstition) and may leave you questioning whether the curse of Jake Bird still lingers today.
