Michael Thomas Barry

Award winning author Michael Thomas Barry was born and raised in the Chicago area and earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Criminal Justice and History from Cal State Fullerton. He also holds a post graduate degree in legal assistantship from the University of California, Irvine. Michael has worked as a sworn Peace Officer for the County of Orange, civil litigation paralegal, and regional asset prevention manager.

Death of Actress Thelma Todd - Murder or Suicide?

Todd

Thelma Todd

by Michael Thomas Barry

On December 15, 1935, comedic actress Thelma Todd is found dead. Todd was a popular actress of the late 1920s and early 1930s and was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1905. Appearing in over 40 movies between 1926 and 1935, she is best remembered for her comedic roles in films such as Monkey Business and Horse Feathers.

First Armed Bank Robbery in American History - 1864

Green

Edward Green

by Michael Thomas Barry

Edward Green was the 32 year old postmaster of Malden, Massachusetts. He is commonly believed to have committed the first (non-war related) armed bank robbery in American history. Green had a bad drinking habit and was heavily in debt, when on December 15, 1863, he robbed the local bank.

Botched burglary leads to possible perpetrators of first child kidnapping case - 1874

Artists rendering of Charley Ross

by Michael Thomas Barry

On December 14, 1874, a botched burglary attempt at the home of wealthy New Yorker Holmes Van Brunt leads to the possible perpetrators of notorious child kidnapping. On July 1, 1874, Charley (then four years old) and his older brother Walter Lewis (aged five) were playing in the front yard of their family's home in Germantown, a well-to-do section of Philadelphia. A horse-drawn carriage pulled up and they were approached by two men who offered the boys candy and fireworks if they would take a ride with them.

Clerkenwell Jail Bombing - 1867

Clerkenwell

Clerkenwell Bombing

by Michael Thomas Barry

On December 13, 1867, Irish terrorist, Michael Barrett plants a bomb at Clerkenwell Prison in London in an attempt to free fellow Irish political prisoners. The bombing killed 12 bystanders and severely injured many more. Barrett had positioned the bomb in a wheelbarrow outside the external wall of of the jail in the belief that it would bring down the prison wall and allow the prisoners to escape.

Queen of Mean is Sentenced

Leona Helmsley

by Michael Thomas Barry

On December 12, 1989, Leona Helmsley, the "Queen of Mean," is sentenced to four-year in prison, 750 hours of community service, and a $7.1 million tax fraud fine for tax evasion. For many, Helmsley became the object of disgust and revulsion when she quipped that "only the little people pay taxes." Leona's husband, Harry, was one of the world's wealthiest real estate moguls.

Bernie Madoff is Arrested - 2008

Madoff

Bernie Madoff

by Michael Thomas Barry

On December 11, 2008, Bernard Madoff is arrested at his New York City apartment and charged with masterminding a long-running Ponzi scheme later estimated to involve around $65 billion, making it one of the biggest investment frauds in Wall Street history.

The Frank Sinatra Jr. Kidnapping - 1963

Sinatra Jr

Frank Sinatra Jr.

by Michael Thomas Barry

On December 10, 1963, Frank Sinatra Jr., (who was kidnapped in Lake Tahoe, California, two days earlier) is allowed to talk to his father. He was abducted at gunpoint from his hotel room at Harrah's Casino on December 8, 1963 and taken to Canoga Park, an area of Southern California's San Fernando Valley. After the brief conversation between father and son, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of $240,000.