CRIME

Rock formations at Illugastaðir farm in Iceland.

The Mysterious Murder Case That's Captivated Iceland for Nearly 200 Years

Iceland's last execution involved a woman whose crime may never be understood.

Karen Neoh, Flickr, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

20 Surprising Facts About America’s Most Wanted

In 1988, one year before 'Cops' began asking the bad boys of America “What'cha gonna do when they come for you?,” noted victims’ advocate John Walsh was turning every American with access to Fox into a potential crime-solver on 'America’s Most Wanted'.

California's Proposed Straw Ban Won't Actually Threaten Restaurant Employees With Jail Time

As it currently reads, restaurant employees would face $1000 fines or jail sentences of up to six months for handing out straws unasked.

The Bloody Benders, America's First Serial Killer Family

The Benders lured travelers in with food and lodging, but their guests were never seen again.

Linguistic Analysis Finds that Two Famous Jack the Ripper Letters Were Fake

What experts have long suspected has been confirmed.

4 Suspect Historical Theories for Predicting Criminality

People used to think your skull revealed your propensity for a life behind bars.

15 Surprising Facts About Hill Street Blues

Until the impressive record was surpassed by 'The West Wing in 2000', 'Hill Street Blues' held the title of most Emmy-awarded freshman series, with eight trophies for its debut season alone (despite its basement-level ratings).

20 Fascinating Facts About Investigation Discovery

Viewers can’t get enough of the true crime network.

The Computer Virus That Brought Down Whac-A-Mole

In 2008, the popular arcade game started malfunctioning. The company blamed a rogue programmer. He insisted they were digging in the wrong hole.

When Lewis Carroll Was Suspected of Being Jack the Ripper

The author of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' might have also been busy disemboweling prostitutes. Or not.

Photo illustration by Lucy Quintanilla, Mental Floss. Newspaper clippings: Washington County Historical Society. Images: iStock

A Colorful History of The Prison Mirror, America's Oldest Continuously Operated Prison Newspaper

Funded by members of the infamous James-Younger gang, the 19th century penal paper was the first to be produced solely by inmates, for inmates.

Photo illustration by Lucy Quintanilla. Family Photo: Unknown, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain. Headlines: Clarion-Ledger, April 26, 1913; The Madison Journal, May 3, 1913; The Times-Democrat, August 7, 1913. Background: iStock

The Bizarre Kidnapping Mystery That Stunned the 1910s South

In 1912, 4-year-old Bobby Dunbar went missing in Louisiana. Eight months later, his parents insisted he had been found. But there was something about Bobby that wasn't quite right.

How 9 Famous Acquitted Defendants Spent Their Lives

Here’s how life shook out for a few acquitted defendants in high-profile trials.

The Terrible Crime at Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin

The servant locked the door, and started pouring in the gasoline.

There have been some pretty cute criminals prowling the streets.

25 Animals That Have Been Imprisoned or Arrested

From foul-mouthed parrots to prison-breaking cats, these 25 animals are proof that “crime” can sometimes be cuddly.

British mystery author Agatha Christie autographing French editions of her books in 1950.

15 Mysterious Facts About Agatha Christie

With more than 2 billion copies of her books in print, British novelist Agatha Christie has kept countless readers up into the early morning hours.

Keystone Features / Stringer / Getty Images

Police Recover Nearly 100 Artifacts Stolen From John Lennon’s Estate

Among them is a diary entry written hours before Lennon's death.

How a London Tragedy Led to the Creation of 911

Connecting to emergency services used to be much less efficient—until a 1935 disaster.

The Barnes Mystery: A Twisted Tale of Maids, Murder, and Mistaken Identity

Julia Martha Thomas disappeared—but her maid seemed to be doing great.

Cowboy Bob: The Mysterious Middle-Aged Bank Robber Who Fooled the FBI

When they finally caught up with Cowboy Bob, they found something that turned their investigation on its head.

A Pizzeria Owner's Bizarre Plot to Capture the Zodiac Killer

In 1971, fast food franchisee Tom Hanson spent $13,000 to make a low-budget movie about the Zodiac murders. He expected the killer to attend the premiere. What he didn't expect was to come face-to-face with him at the urinal.

The Lawyer Who Fought to Free the First Woman Sentenced to Death in Chicago

A new book tells the real story behind the trial of the doomed ballerina in the musical 'Chicago.'

12 Admissible Facts About Judge Judy

After 25 seasons, 'Judge Judy' is coming to an end—though Judith Sheindlin isn't ready to give up the gavel just yet.

Mata Hari: Famous Spy or Creative Storyteller?

One of the most cunning and seductive spies of all time was executed for her crimes 100 years ago. But was she actually a spy?

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