The Mysterious Death of Christina Kettlewell | Morbid | Podcast
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- Опубликовано: 20 дек 2023
- On May 20, 1947, decorated army veteran Jack Kettlewell and his friend Ronald Barrie barely escaped a devastating housefire at Ronald’s cabin along the Severen River in rural Ontario, Canada. One day later, Jack’s twenty-two-year-old wife, Christina Kettlewell, was discovered dead a short distance from the cabin, lying face down in a pool of shallow water and still wearing the pajamas she had on the night of the fire. During the autopsy, it was discovered that Christina’s lungs were clear of smoke and her body was free of any burns or other signs of violence; rather, as unbelievable as it seemed, the cause of death was drowning.
Christina and Jack had married in a secret ceremony held just eight days before the fire, leading many to wonder whether her new husband had something to do with her death. Was it a crime of passion? A calculated murder to cash-in on a life insurance policy? Or was it truly just a tragedy? And what of Ronald Barrie’s presence on the trip? If it was indeed a honeymoon of sorts, why had the young newlyweds brought along a friend?
In the months that followed, Christina Kettlewell’s mysterious death captivated the residents of eastern Canada. With each new day, a piece of the puzzle seemed to fall into place, indicating that the mystery might soon be solved. Yet by mid-summer, a police investigation and the coroner’s inquest had failed to provide an explanation for Christina’s death or a satisfactory conclusion to the case. Today, more than seventy-five years later, the death of Christina Kettlewell remains one of Ontario’s most enduring mysteries.
Thank you to the wonderful David White, of the Bring Me the Axe Podcast, for research assistance!
References
Isai, Vjosa. 2017. What happened to Toronto's 'eight-day bride?'. July 4. Accessed November 27, 2023. www.thestar.com/news/gta/what....
Kingston Whig-Standard. 1947. "Coroner's jury to view place bride died." Kingston Whig-Standard, June 25: 1.
North Bay Nugget. 1947. "Open verdict is returned in Kettlewell case." North Bay Nugget, June 26: 1.
Owen Sound Daily Sun-Times. 1947. "Possibility of suicide in drowning of bride investigated by police." Owen Sound Daily Sun-Times, mAY 23: 1.
Sun Times. 1947. "Open verdict is returned by Kettlewell case jury as no decision reached." Sun Times, June 26: 1.
-. 1947. "Open verdict is returned by Kettlewell case jury as no decision reached." Sun Times, June 26: 1.
Toronto Daily Star. 1947. "Police report distrubance before Christina married." Toronto Daily Star, May 28: 2.
-. 1947. "Suicide notes bride's expert tells inquest." Toronto Daily Star, June 20: 1.
Windsor Star. 1947. "Police hint at foul play in mystery." Windsor Star, May 22: 1.
-. 1947. "Probe for missing cash in honeymoon mystery." Windsor Star, May 26: 1.
-. 1947. "Statement of Ronald Barrie reveals some strange events." Windsor Star, June 21: 8.
It sounds like Jack and Ronald were using her as a beard
This was my exact thought. That they hid their relationship from her and led her on as a cover and during the honeymoon maybe she found out? That coupled with the unfortunate potential personality disorder explains a lot of strange behaviors made by all 3 of them.
I’ve been waiting for this theory to unfold but it hasn’t and I have to share. (Also- I’m not finished listening so maybe it will still come to fruition)
I think Christina wasn’t actually obsessed or in love with him. I think Ronald made that up and fabricated the suicide notes. I think she was being paid to get married to cover up the fact that to two men were long time lovers, totally unacceptable at that time of course. That would explain the money exchange, ot would explain why Ronald fireman carried him out of a burning house, it would explain why Christina continued on a relationship with her boyfriend Eddie, it would explain why they were going to go away to the cabin ALL summer. Maybe she was just going to marry him and then once they got to the cabin, her and Eddie would take the payout and run away together, leaving the two gentlemen lovers alone with a nice cover story. Her meeting Eddie right before the wedding could’ve been to finalize their own plans. Maybe she threatened to out them and Ronald couldn’t risk that or maybe he had planned to get rid of her all along. As long as they got married, it would ‘prove’ that they were straight men. I don’t think she was actually crazy or suicidal or anything. I think at that time it was really easy to convince other people that a woman was “hysterical”. She probably just wanted to help her friends hide their love, get paid for it and then run away with her own true love Eddie.
Ronald has major Talented Mr. Ripley vibes
I just heard the end and I cried after hearing Jack left his pension to Ronald
Maybe they paid her to marry him so people would quit talking about the two men. I think they were blackmailing her.
I was thinking that maybe SHE was blackmailing them! They don't really seem to have grounds to blackmail her but it's all so confusing! I was thinking maybe she was blackmailing them but then it threw me when she asked for money from the landlady. Such a weird story!
Love you ladies!
Fascinating and heartbreaking 💔
"I AM CONFUSION" lol guys, great breakdown love it!
All this story from Ronald is suspect. Ronald really gave her money and watched all this. She got married and found out her husband and Ronald were in love. Ronald drugged her and wanted them married to hide the men's relattionship.
Now I’m remembering this case and the two guys were presented as shady as
i love yall xoxo
This is a totally other angle to the story than I've heard before. I think you should listen to the podcast from "They got away with murder": A Honeymoon for Three: The Death of Christina Kettlewell, 1947 ruclips.net/video/lW_fvv0Ggvo/видео.html
Christina obviously had an extremely hard time taking any accountability for her actions. Thus, it’s very likely since the story was that she and Jake had already married, in a bid to remain in her parents’ good graces as well as be in the more favorable position of victim, Christina told her parents she was drugged and forced to marry (and possibly spend at least one night with a man out of wedlock) without her consent to lessen her parents’ anger over the fact she was married to a non-Catholic and hadn’t told anybody nor asked for parental permission. She seemed to skew every questionable situation she found herself to her own positive advantage, so why wouldn’t she do the same when speaking to her parents?
I think Ronald was in love with Jack not Christina that’s why he’s on the honeymoon etc All the sisters sound dramatic and unhinged but still listening so so far only got Ronalds version so far
Yeah let’s talk about cheese dip
🥰🥰🥰
I love dipping my pizza in Cesar dressing especially pepperoni pizza 🤤🤤🤤
She probably used it as her excuse for why she stayed out all night.
I think this ”romantic gay story” in the 40’s has really blinded these two podcasters to the very obvious crime they committed. I understand that gay people couldn’t live their true self back then but let’s not disrespect the victim here making her out to be a crazy person.
What this podcast failed to research to make this episode less biased:
Was there any evidence of the first suicide attempt?
Why would a gay man insist on marrying a woman who tried to kill him?
Was there any evidence that Christina borrowed money?
Was there any evidence that her sister didn’t use the money Christina borrowed from the landlord to but the ticket?
How convenient was it for them to only save the bag with the suicide notes?
How wasn’t Christina a beard? She was the closest they had to have a “wedding” and a “honeymoon” without raising eyebrows.
Which is easier to do? A woman drugging and hitting a man, then drugging herself, writing a note, placing it conveniently for the guys to save from the fire. Make sure Ron saved his lover. Set the cottage on fire and drown herself in 9 inch water.
Or
Two men drug a woman, set the house on fire she escaped and one of them ran after her and drowned her.
As many lovers who commit a crime like this the secret drove a wedge between them and they separated after the scrutiny and scandal. Like it had happened so many times.
I understand we want gay people to only be victims because they were but these two were victims in one aspect and perpetrators in another.
I am saddened to hear how little respect Christina was shown in this episode. Such a shame
Agree with no marinara with mozzarella sticks. But I don't care for them much to begin with. I like spicy cocktail sauce.