The Big Story

A Dead Certainty

English · Radio, Drama, True Crime

Set in Highland Park, Michigan, in May 1939, this episode recounts the murder of widower William Reigart, whose body is found in his ransacked home. At first, the scene appears to point to a burglary. The investigation turns toward neighbor Walter Boss, who killed Reigart during a drunken argument after Reigart refused to buy more drinks.

The story follows how a small misunderstanding fuels Boss’s fear of discovery. When his wife, Greta, mentions what she believes are fingerprints on Reigart’s neck, Boss takes her words as a warning that the police have evidence against him. The marks were signs of choking, not fingerprints. As the pressure mounts, Boss goes to a friend’s house and dies by suicide.

Reporter Ken McCormick of the Detroit Free Press is identified with the story. The Big Story presents crime reporting as radio drama, bringing the investigation and its human consequences into focus through narration and acted scenes. This episode’s stark account turns on a domestic conversation and the fatal conclusions Boss draws from it.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.