Five of the Sodder children were believed to have perished in a fire that destroyed their home, but their bodies were never found, leading to speculation that they may have been kidnapped or survived.
The fire department concluded that the intense heat of the fire cremated the children's remains, but the Sodder family disputed this, pointing out that the fire did not reach temperatures high enough for complete cremation.
Several sightings of the children were reported in the years following the fire, including a motel manager who claimed to have seen them on Christmas Day 1945 and a resident who saw four of the children with unknown adults.
Before the fire, the Sodder family experienced strange incidents, including a man watching the children as they returned from school, a warning about a potential fire due to an electrical issue, and an insurance salesman who threatened the family after a dispute over Mussolini.
The family found inconsistencies in the official investigation, such as the disappearance of their ladder, the failure of their trucks to start during the fire, and the discovery of bones that did not match their children's ages, leading them to believe the fire was deliberately set.
The case remains officially unsolved, with no conclusive evidence of what happened to the children. The Sodder family continued to investigate and offer rewards for information, but no definitive answers were ever found.
William Hirons was a young man arrested for burglary who was later linked to Suzanne Degnan's murder through a fingerprint found on the ransom note. He was tried, convicted, and died in prison, but many believe the evidence against him was circumstantial.
Despite William Hirons' conviction, many doubt his guilt due to the weak evidence and the existence of other suspects, such as Richard Russell Thomas, who had a history of violence and matched the profile of the killer.
Several people who lived in the apartment building where Suzanne was dismembered reported seeing the ghost of a young blonde girl, believed to be Suzanne, in the basement hallway, suggesting her spirit may not have found peace.
Darkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version. https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate)Info on the next LIVE SCREAM event. https://weirddarkness.com/LiveScream)Info on the next WEIRDO WATCH PARTY event. https://weirddarkness.com/TV)IN THIS EPISODE: One of the most haunting mysteries to ever occur in West Virginia – and perhaps even in America – began during the predawn hours of December 25, 1945. The fire that occurred at the Sodder home that night was the key to the mystery, but whether it was a vanishing, a kidnapping, or a mass murder has never been determined. *** Plus, even though a young man was tried, convicted, and died in prison for the murder – along with two others – there are many who believe that Suzanne Degnan’s murder was never actually solved. And that may be the reason that Suzanne’s spirit has never rested in peace. CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Disclaimer and Show Intro00:02:14.348 = The Missing Sodder Children, Part 100:17:20.884 = The Missing Sodder Children, Part 200:36:03.654 = Waite For Word, Part 101:09:42.631 = Waite For Word, Part 201:31:19.507 = Show OutroSOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…“1945: The Missing Children” (The Christmas Disappearance of the Sodder Children) and “1946: Waite For Word” (The Bloody Murder and Ghost of Suzanne Degnan) written by Troy Taylor from the book “Suffer the Children: American Horrors, Homicides and Hauntings”: https://amzn.to/3SszFMA)Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness.= = = = =Originally aired: December 28, 2017CUSTOM LANDING PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/SodderChildren