Winnie Ruth Judd: The Story of the Trunk Murderess

Photo by Tucker Good on Unsplash

Growing up in California, I was aware of the state’s most infamous murder cases. I latched on to the cases of the Original Night Stalker and the Black Dahlia. I had never heard of the so-called “Lizzie Borden of Phoenix,” a woman whose story defied social norms and violated taboos in Arizona’s early days. I decided to dive into one of the most infamous historical cases the state has to offer.

Winnie Ruth McKinnell (known simply as Ruth) was born in Oxford, Indiana on January 29, 1905 to a stern Methodist minister and his wife. Ruth grew into a woman the news would describe as a “slender blonde young woman” who stood just five feet tall.

When Ruth was just 17, she married a World War I veteran with an addiction to morphine. Dr. William C. Judd, who was nearly 40, moved Ruth to Mexico where he tried to find work. His emotional and financial instability led to strain in the marriage, as did Ruth’s failing health. The couple was living separately by 1930.

Winnie Ruth Judd Moves to Phoenix

When Dr. Judd moved to Los Angeles, Ruth ended up in Phoenix where she became a governess for a wealthy family. It was during this stint that Ruth met John J. Halloran, sometimes referred to as Happy Jack. At 44-years-old, Halloran was a successful businessman with many social…