105. North Carolina's First Serial Killer: The Chilling Confession Of Asbury Respus Hard Times And True Crimes podcast

105. North Carolina's First Serial Killer: The Chilling Confession of Asbury Respus

13d ago 57:14

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In 1931, a little girl named Vera Leonard vanished while waiting for the school bus in Guilford County, NC. Hours later, her body was found in the ashes of her burned-down home. The man arrested—“Will Moore”—turned out to be an escaped convict named Asbury Respus, who would go on to confess not only to Vera’s murder but to as many as nine others across North Carolina.
Some of his confessions were confirmed. Others remain unverified. Asbury Respus became North Carolina’s first known serial killer—a man whose crimes crossed racial, gender, and age lines in a time already weighed down by racism, poverty, and fear.

🔍 We explore:

Life in Guilford County during the 1930s: farming, factories, and community life

The role of racism, mob justice, and prohibition in shaping public reaction
The confession, trial, and execution of Asbury Respus
Forgotten victims and the haunting question: how many did he really kill?

⚖️ This episode is told with care, drawing from archived newspaper reports, public records, and field interviews. We aim to honor the truth, not exploit the pain.

🎵 Music:

by Isaiah – used with permission. Haunting instrumental with Appalachian roots, fitting the tone and time period.

Sources & References:

Greensboro Daily News Archives (1931–1932)

Salisbury Post (1931)
Library of Congress: Historic Rosenwald Schools & Henry Reed Collection
North Carolina Room, Greensboro Public Library
“Guilford County: A Brief History” by Gayle Hicks Fripp
“Before He Was Caught” – Prison and execution records from NC State Archives
📝 Update: We forgot to include this excellent blog post during our original source list. It offers helpful background and images from the Asbury Respus case:
“Asbury Respus – North Carolina’s First Serial Killer” – Abandoned NC

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In 1931, a little girl named Vera Leonard vanished while waiting for the school bus in Guilford County, NC. Hours later, her body was found in the ashes of her burned-down home. The man arrested—“Will Moore”—turned out to be an escaped convict named Asbury Respus, who would go on to confess not only to Vera’s murder but to as many as nine others across North Carolina.
Some of his confessions were confirmed. Others remain unverified. Asbury Respus became North Carolina’s first known serial killer—a man whose crimes crossed racial, gender, and age lines in a time already weighed down by racism, poverty, and fear.