Lizzie Borden Case | Mental Health, Personality, & Psychopathy 

On the "parasitic lifestyle" we also have to consider that at the time an unmarried woman was expected to live with and be supported by her parents. There was nothing at all unusual about Lizzy and her sister being entirely financially dependent on their father.

Being a Borden who was not only born in fall river but worked for the fall river PD, I can say that that the city is still very divided on Lizzie's guilt.

You summed it up beautifully: "Lizzie Borden's guilt and her innocence are BOTH improbable for many reasons." Now THAT is why the fascination of that hot day in Fall River will never go away,

My dad died of cancer in March; I was his sole caregiver; I was NUMB for about a week, then it hit me like a ton of bricks. It isn't fair for anyone to judge someone else based on their reaction to death in the family.

A couple things you left out of the time line. Lizzie was originally with Emma in Fairhaven, but returned home due to obligations with the church. Dr. Bowen sent Mrs Borden home due to "summer illness" or food poisoning. Lizzie dismissed Bridgette, after asking if she would like to go to Sargent's Goods for some dress fabric. Mrs Borden the second was actually struck by an instrument between am inch and 1.5 inches which isn't possible for a hatchet. Now Mrs Churchill, the nextdoor neighbor, saw Lizzie shortly after the bodies are found, noted she looked pale and dismayed. One thing never mentioned is the fact that Lizzie is on large doses of morphine due to "hysteria". All information given to police, any information given during testimony she is under the influence. From my experience in the house her personality is that of a diva. She spent far to much time with children and animals to be a psychopath. Bull headed and bossy sure, hate filled enough kill two people? I don't think so. Now if you have made it this far you are wondering "who is this guy," well I happen to be one of the guides for the house and knowing Lizzie is my job.

Dr. Todd is cranking em’ out lately and I’m so here for it !

The fact that she said "someone came in and killed him!" sealed it for me. She was covering her tracks with her first sentence. Her other behaviors leading up to the murders (including trying to poison her WHOLE FAMILY) were giant red flags.

"Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead". Lizzie wasn't going to confess - ever. She knew her best defense was silence.

Feel you treated Lizzie fairly and didn't do a hatchet job on her. Please do an analysis of people who cannot seem to stop using puns.

24:21 I don't see how you reach the conclusion that Lizzie Borden didn't have much to gain by the deaths of her step-mother and father. 1) She gained her independence from a controlling father. 2) She inherited a fortune, even after dividing it with her sister. 3) She rid herself of step-mother Abby, whom she hated. 4) She bought a fine home on "The Hill", the prestigious part of town where she lived an upper-class lifestyle. 5) She opened her home to the bohemian crowd she enjoyed (actors, painters, musicians) for parties that would have been forbidden while living with her father and step-mother. In those days being involved with the theatre/actors was considered scandalous by religious folk. 6) She transformed from a plain, provincial spinster into a grand, fashionable lady of independent means, free at last to pursue her passions: animal welfare, the arts, and perhaps even a romantic relationship with the actress Nance O'Neil.

The hated stepmother was her intended victim. I think she felt she had to kill her father, there was no way he wouldn't think she had done it. Killing both of them turned out to be an effective strategy for her, though it was very risky considering Bridget was around. People love to imagine scenarios where she was innocent, but the fact there was so much time between the murders proves that she alone did it. She was IN THE HOUSE, people, an innocent Lizzie would have at least heard Abby being murdered.

I think we need to remember that we have very little information about her childhood and her behaviors throughout her life. What we do know is that her mother passed when she was a toddler. That would definitely impact her and would be a loss. What was their relationship like? We don't know. What we do know is that Lizzie was not close with her stepmother whom she had since she was around 4. If the stepmother was loving toward Lizzie and her sister, then why wasn't that affection/love given back? I think that sheds some light on her compassion/empathy/relationships. I would also dig deeper into what type of parent her father was. Was he cold, distant (yes, I know he bought her gifts), formal, involved? How many nanny's did Lizzie have as a young child which would have resulted in more losses? All of those experiences contribute to her possibly developing a personality disorder such as Borderline. Also, it shouldn't be overlooked that people in the home felt nauseous in the days prior to the murders. Was she attempting to poison them and that didn't work out? Lizzie is also trying to buy lethal chemicals (could be used a a weapon) in the days preceding the murders and the pharmacist wouldn't sell it to her (if he trusted her and believed her reason for needing it, then why not sell it to her?). Women in her day and age and economic status of course volunteered. It's what they did. So I don't give too much credit to that as showing her compassion for others. Plus, people with Borderline Personality disorder can be compassionate and have some empathy for others in certain situations. They are not psychopaths. However, they can have uncontrollable rage, be manipulative, AND make themselves out to be the victim. Based on lack of evidence, stories, etc. of her childhood, we just don't know enough about her past behaviors to say dysfunctional/violent behaviors didn't exist. They could have, but maybe people explained it away, dismissed it, or didn't know how to handle it so it wasn't discussed. We do know she was accused of shoplifting and killing a cat. So, if she's wealthy, why shoplift? What's that about? If she has so much compassion, why kill an animal? If she's so well liked, who were her longtime friends? Did she have any? And what did they say about her? We have to remember the culture of the upper class in the 1800's and also take all of that into consideration. Overall, what are the chances of someone walking into the house, murdering Mrs. Borden, waiting around for Mr. Borden, and then killing him. It was overkill for both people, so it's likely the murderer had a personal relationship with them and was angry/enraged with them. Who was that? Why were there no other suspects? I think it's likely that she did commit the murders.

I have really studied this case carefully and if you dig deep enough you will find that Lizzie had a great love and respect for animals. Her father had killed all her homing pigeons not long before his death. This could have triggered her rage but I believe she had help. When she died she left all her money to the care of animals so the killing of a cat in her past was most likely a rumour.

A few months before the murder Andrew Borden actually beheaded Lizzie's pet pigeons with an axe in a fit of temper because he claimed the birds were a nuisance. That detail always made me sympathetic toward Lizzie, guilty or not.

John Morse, the uncle, was also suspect with his sudden and unusual visit, beyond perfect alibi, arguement with Andrew over money, and return to the house. When he returned, police were everywhere and people milling around but he didn't ask what was wrong? He went around back and ate pears!

Hey, very interesting videos, thank you, I always enjoy them. Lizzie Borden was my grandfather's Sunday school teacher! He swore by her innocence, saying that he couldn't possibly believe she committed the crime.

I used to study and read her case files on my down time. I read the forensic reports, blood splatter reports, the police statement reports, court transcripts etc. I think we can all make a biased opinion one way or the other... But shoddy police work will keep this one cold. The M.O. of this brutal display of savagery in a homicide is 1. Someone who knew the vic well enough to be really pissed... 2. Or a straight up sociopath. As someone with a humble law background I like her for it. She had motive, she had opportunity, and going off the hints of possible childhood trauma loss of mother and potential sexual abuse by father... She could have mustered the rage.

Since I am an overly simplistic person, what points to Lizzie's guilt to me was her hatred towards her step mother, the frustration with her father's parsimony & the dress with the wet paint that was burned. I just can't account as to why Lizzie was so clean after the murders, except for bloody rags soaking in a basin down in the cellar that Lizzie said were menstrual rags. So who knows? Thank you for another very interesting video. Cheers!

Years ago I helped publish a book that described why they feel the “secret” half brother did this crime because he was seen as an outsider to the family

I always thought Lizzie, her sister and the maid were in on it together. As far as I’m aware there is little to no evidence of her sisters whereabouts during the murders. I would really like to see the timeline of when she left to visit friends and returned and any absences that may have been witnessed while she was there. I think it is possible that Lizzies sister committed the murder with Lizzie and the maids help. It would explain why they supposedly heard nothing and there was no blood on Lizzie. Was there time for Lizzies sister to return, commit the murders, clean up and change clothes at another location and then return to the friends house? I wonder why they never investigated her sister further?

As soon as Lizzie was found innocent, she purchased "Maplecroft" a house on "The HIll" where upper society lived. I've read a lot of books on Lizzie, but I think the one written by Victoria Lincoln was the most decisive. Victoria was of the upper society, born and grew up in Falls River, she knew Lizzie by sight (her house was 1 1/2 blocks away), her parents generation were Lizzie's peers. She asked her mother once why Lizzie was not liked, her mother replied tha Lizzie was "unkind" to her parents. She was very descriptive of the mores of that society. Although the upper crust pretended to be supportive of Lizzy, she was cut from their society when she was released. Her shoplifting was not just that one time at the Tilden-Thurber gallery. She was a well-known shoplifter. The clerks at the store were just instructed to write down what she stole and a bill was sent to Andrew. Note that Lizzie's allowance was quite liberal, she could have easily paid for these items. So I believe she was thrill-seeking and impulsive. She was also an animal lover, she left a rather large bequest to the local humane society. She had pet pigeons in the barn, her father had killed them all a short time before because they were attracting boys to the barn. Pretty sure she had to be very angry about that. But nothing was ever communicated verbally in the Borden household, even Bridgette said they never raised their voices while she was there. The Borden's called her Maggie, because it was the name of the last maid. Strange. When the house got broken into the year before nothing was taken except Abby's things. They weren't expensive items, things like tram tickets, costume jewelry. They always locked the doors, even their room doors (which is kind of telling). Lizzy told the police that she believed the thief used a 10 penny nail to break into her parents room. Her father soon asked the police to stop the investigation, but from then on would place the key to his room on the mantel in front of Lizzy, from Bridgette's testimony. It's really a great read, and I've read them all.

I agree with your conclusion. In addition, I read her father had given some of his property to Abby and her family members. A property had just been given again recently. Witnesses said Lizzie was very upset about it. I see that as additional motive.

I also have heard the theory that Andrew had repeatedly molested Lizzie. Maybe Abby knew and so Lizzie had rage toward her, as well as Andrew. This could also explain why Andrew would buy Lizzie expensive gifts, despite normally being frugal.

You didn't mention her sister stayed by her side during the trial, but after she was acquitted, I'm not sure how long after, her sister moved away and reportedly never had contact with her again. I've always wondered if she slipped up and let her sister know she was guilty and she just couldn't accept it.

Dr. Grande, I like your take on the trauma angle. Not just because of her mother's death, but also because her father's not providing a dowry so the girls could marry was likely the cause of much resentment from them, and evidence of selfishness and lack of concern for them by their father. Being spinsters dependent on a father would be a much less ( potentially) rewarding lifestyle than having one's own husband, children, and household. It was a major plot point of the novels of that time. Henry James' Washington Square is particularly relevant, as it also features a father who could afford to provide a dowry, but did not due to various psychological factors. For a woman of that era, to be denied a dowry and hence marriage, was a hostile act on the part of a parent. Plus there is his unscrupulous business practices. It is also quite telling that they had only one servant. Even relatively poor households at that time had at least one servant. So the girls were likely household drudges.

Great video Dr. Grande. Few points though: Lizzie was on morphine when she was initially questioned by the police, she wasn't identified by the pharmacist, someone said "that's Ms. Borden" (something along those lines) when she left; there were hundreds of Ms. Borden's in Fall River at the time. Abby Borden was supposed to babysit for her sister the day of the crime, the sister changed plans last minute. There was a policeman's ball the day of the crimes and the police were working with a skeleton crew, and it was also an election year; someone needed to be convicted. There is a surviving letter written by Lizzie in prison expressing deep anguish related to the loss of her father. In Fall River the way they lived was keeping with their station ( no electricity or indoor bathrooms) there was extreme wealth around (think Hetty Green, Newport, RI). The Borden's were merely comfortable in relation. Yes, I have always thought something highly unusual went on that day. Finally, making the statements fearing for her fathers safety...something was going on that that family didn't want out for public consumption.

Fascinating story! July of 2021, I was on my annual road trip from Illinois to the East Coast I had to stop in Fall River, MA to tour the Lizzy Borden House. During the tour, we were told that most likely Lizzy was guilty. It is speculated that Lizzy did this out of severe desperation. Had her stepmother out lived her father, she and her sister would eventually end up poor and living in despair, as their stepmother didn't care for them very much. As for her mental capacity during the trial, certain professional figures made sure she was well sedated as to not be capable of delivering a competent defense. It is rumored that others were aware of the horrible living conditions and strict conditions Mr. Borden made for his two daughters. There were certain townspeople were actually trying to protect Lizzy, and it worked. Another interesting fact, the ever so popular nursery rhyme "Lizzy Borden took an axe, and gave her mother forty whacks and gave her father forty-one" was just for rhyming affects. The mother suffered 18 whacks and her father suffered 11 whacks. It is plain to see who she disliked the most.

When I was growing up my Dad bought an encyclopedia type series called Crimes and Punishment and I there was this story complete with graphic photos. I’ve been hooked ever since and I was 6 years old! I love your series!

I've read two alternate interpretations of this story, both of which exonerate Lizzie Borden, though I have forgotten the authors and titles. I just looked up the wikipedia article as a reference. The article states that the girls' maternal uncle was staying in the house at the time to discuss "business" with Andrew Borden. One fairly recent alternate interpretation accuses this uncle of the murder, on financial grounds. The other, a book I read many years ago, details the stress in the house from the debilitating heat, the determination by at least one of the parents to finish the rapidly deteriorating leg of lamb (appearing at every meal, including breakfast) before buying anything else, and the insistence by Mrs. Borden over several days that the maid wash the windows. The maid did not wash the windows until the day of the murders. This book (in contrast to the wikipedia article) states the Bridget Sullivan confessed, not to lying about Lizzie's testimony, but to the murders themselves. The reason given for Lizzie's changing account of where she was, was embarrassment. She reportedly was in the basement washing out her menstrual rags. In context of the mores of the time, most women in her situation would have shaded the truth, too.

I'm really surprised you didn't mention the well known suspicion that Lizzie was sexually molested by her father. They even refer to it during tours of the Lizzie Borden house. That certainly explains the rage.

Excellent assessment! - As a former Homicide Detective, I've "Armchair-ed" the Lizzie Borden case many, many times - and over the past 20 years I've read at least 4 full books on the case - as well as numerous articles - and although there are several sides, theories, etc.. I feel that Lizzie had nothing to do with her Father and Stepmother's grisly murders. No idea who did - (although some interesting potential suspects) - but it wasn't Lizzie...

How odd this video popping up when just yesterday I was having a conversation about this. I'm reading Parallel Lives, a book from the Fall River Historical Society. It's an extremely intensive look at the time period, the city and its people. Journals, letters, official documents and records (merchants and the like) are used to try and get the best perspective of actual events. One of the first things you mentioned, the house, isn't what it was assumed to be. It had central heating (radiators are shown in pictures) they were connected to city water, and had a water closet, not just an "outhouse" type system. Not being connected to gas isn't nearly as backward as it's portrayed to be. That would have been very expensive to do, a lot of people didn't trust it, many even wealthier folks didn't use it and many of the street lights in town still were lit at dusk, and extinguished at daybreak. There is zero evidence of the "shoplifting legend" Despite extensive detailed records of merchants for years, and every transaction and person(s) involved. Lizzie was one of the founding members and one of the strongest supporters of their local "Humane Society, ASPCA" and did in fact leave them a sizeable donation in her will. The largest of her will, iirc. One item that I did find odd, was that "friends" had remarked on how Andrew Borden didn't seem to like,let, or approve of his daughters socializing. Things that make you go hmmm.

I’ve always felt that the evidence from this crime had been hidden under floor boards someplace in the house. I wonder if anyone has lifted every board from top to bottom. Wouldn’t that be something.

I've always been able to be extremely calm in high stress situations. I had no idea that could be a bad thing! When I was in the military it was part of our training.

Lizzie did it with the old heavy iron used for ironing clothing. She put a large dress on over her clothing to prevent the splatter from getting on her. She burned the dress later in the stove. EVERYBODY in that house knew she did it after she had done it, but everybody hated the victims with a passion. I think some hush money was paid out and people were sworn to secrecy. I also think there where failed attempts at killing them prior to the murders. Money can make entire groups of people do some strange and evil things.

Great video as always! One point I remember from a documentary I watched on Lizzie is that she was reputed to be deeply resentful of her father not buying a house up on the hill where the wealthier community lived. She was unable to attend balls and luncheons that the wealthier people had, and she felt entitled to this too, but resentful that this wasn’t her life. She resented Andrew not buying a house on the hill because he could afford it. There was no running water in their house. Her step mothers sister got into financial woes and nearly lost her house, and Andrew bought her house for her, causing Lizzie and Emma to protest. He was known to be very frugal, yet he opened his wallet generously this time. This for me is an important point... Lizzie was supposed to be very angry about this. Also, this documentary says Lizzie did in fact have a history of shop lifting; she would steal from a local store, and they simply took a note of what was stolen and Andrew would reimburse them. There apparently was a a history of criminality in her shoplifting. In one of the documentaries, an older lady who knew Lizzie in her later years also spoke up and spoke of her kind personality. So quite a conflicting elements. Of course, it is hard to know as this was so long ago, and the collection of evidence is not nearly up to modern day standards, but I agree with you Dr Grande, it does seem likely she was guilty. There was motive - she hated Abby, she resented the favouring of Abbys sister by her father, and she wanted a finer lifestyle, so perhaps this was the motive for killing Andrew.... Interesting assessment as always, great learning to be had! Thank you for this video Dr Grande. Hope you are safe for COVID-19!

There was a theory that the girls had been molested by their dad and the step mother new about it. If it was true the maid probably knew too. It does seem strange that the daughters were never allowed to go out into society, have friends, date and get married. The father controlled everything.

Abuse will make a person remain calm in scary situations. They just shut down. They also tell people what they think the person wants to hear. I really like this vid! Thank you, I'm a new subscriber today!!!

This was so interesting. Also I always thought the morphine played a role in the so called " lack of feeling" etc. She was essentially toddling betwesedation and impairment.

Just an FYI -- the house is now a B&B. I toured it with a friend from Korea while on a road trip, and we could have stayed there if Hee Kyung hadn't decided that the house was too stuffy to be comfortable in the summer. (Since she's Korean, the idea of staying in the Lizzie Borden House didn't have any specific appeal to her.) It's very much worth a detour if you're traveling in the area.

I just learned of this channel. Very interesting presentation, Dr. Grande!---I'd like to share some of my own thoughts about this case. (Some may have been mentioned below.) 1) I've seen the coroner's photos and I think it's possible Mrs. Borden could have fallen to the floor without much sound: Women wore a lot of clothing then and the layers of material provided sound-absorbing padding. I don't recall if there was a rug rather than bare floor boards, something else to absorb sound. Mrs. Borden also was in an kneeling or bowing down position so may not have fallen straight down with all of her weight at once. Also the Borden house looks rather large to me. I think it's possible for something to happen to Mrs. Borden without it being heard above or below in the possibly brief time it took for the murder to happen. 2) I've heard the house has no hallways because Mr. Borden thought them a waste of space so maybe the walls and doors also kept sound from extending far. 3) One documentary I saw mentioned an odd inheritance law concerning widows: if Mrs. Borden died second, her family would have received a big portion of Mr. Borden's estate. There would have been lot less for Lizzie and Emma to inherit. 4) I've heard that shortly before six members of the DeFeo family were killed in the famous Amityville murders in 1975, Mrs. DeFeo had said "something terrible" was going to happen, much like Lizzie had said many years earlier. 5) I once had a really awful roommate I wish I could tell you about. He was sadistic and I consider him capable of doing a lot. It would be interesting to get your thoughts on HIM!

Dear Dr. Grande, Peace. Thank you for the video. I found it fascinating, but I have one caveat you failed to mention. There was another axe murderer operating in the same area at the same time. His name was Jose Correa deMello, and all the murders were very similar. It was believed he couldn't have committed the Borden murders because he was out-of-town, but dates and times were not accurately kept then. It's just food for thought.

When Lizzie yelled to Bridgette that her Father had been killed, she said that "Someone had come in" and murdered her Father. This seams to me to be an attempt to divert blame away from herself. Why wouldn't she say Fathers been murdered or someone murdered Father instead of "someone came in and murdered Father". I feel the murder was a spur of the moment one and not planned ahead, although her feeling that something bad was going to happen could have been her realizing that she was near her breaking point.

The detectives from the epstein case would have ruled it a double suicide.

Second time you’ve posted when I’m supposed to be working on my social psych paper. It can wait another day. This is a sign 😂

Dr. Grande, I read that Andrew Borden had talked about helping Abby's family financially, and that it caused Lizzie to be jealous. I also believe that Lizzie resented having to live with no electricity and no indoor bathroom, even though Andrew Borden could certainly afford those amenities. I so enjoy listening to you, sir! Thanks for your hard work.

Hi, Dr. Grande! I am a Fall River native, and it's a small enough city for people to find things out. We all went "uptown" to the same stores, same movie theaters, banks, and city hall ,churches, and post office, all was right there in the vicinity of the Borden financial building. Lizzie's family lived literally "around the corner" from every place she frequented for business OR for social purposes. I point this out because anyone with "business" uptown would come into the same contact with the shopkeepers and workers that Lizzie would. Word got around, in other words. Most everyone went to church, too. My question is, if the family was so very wealthy, why weren't men literally chasing after those girls to marry them? And if her father was worth that much money, why didn't the girls get more than what they did? Their only social affairs that Andrew would allow them was church activities? She was deprived of all the social affairs of her rich peers, which were many. Fall River was a boom town during the industrial revolution due to textile mills. We were a world leader. Andrew Borden was from a family of businessmen and mill owners. Though he had to make his own fortune he was more than a little jealous of his other Borden relations. His second marriage was to a lady named Abby Durfee Gray. The Durfees were a VERY rich and powerful family in Fall River's textile business and banks, although Abby herself did not appear to be a rich one. He may have married Abby for the name itself, for prestige? Probably. But, like you said, he was a miserly skin flint. The daughters were totally exasperated with him because they has to live at the "Bottom of the Hill". Fall River is, literally, a hill. The city was built at the base of the hill. The immigrants working in the mills lived at the bottom of the hill. The wealthy lived "at the top of the hill", hence Lizzie's frustration. The girls wanted their own home on the hill somewhere, but Andrew bought someone in step mom's family a HOUSE! WELL! That was TOTALLY unacceptable since they lived without most all of the then modern conveniences of their day. Maybe both of them were holding out as long as they could putting up with things at home, but something happened to make them SNAP. (You can tell that I spent ALOT of time in the Historical Society!😉) BOTTOM LINE: My grandmother told us that as a child she heard a lot of grown ups discuss this lady. Verdict: consensus was: GUILTY! Personally, I think that she WAS responsible for the crime, but she paid someone else to kill her parents and she, her sister, AND the maid were all involved in this plan.

This was exceptional. I have studied this case and your grasp of the important details is thorough. However, I believe there was some question about whether Lizzie's alleged attempted purchase of prussic acid actually took place.

I have been interested in the Lizzie Borden case for 20 years plus...and have watched numerous documentaries and read many articles..books etc...this is the first time that I have really thought about and focused on Lizzie's extract words...when you stayed them out loud..it really made me think.... I believe most people (especially if they were innocent of the crime)....esp a young women in that time..woukd have been so shocked and in such disbelief of what had occured...would be screaming...crying..and carrying on a great deal...and in total shock...and would not have been so calm...and to make comments as...."come quick...father is dead..someone came in and killed him".....I have always thought she was most likely quilty..but those exact words..for sure...make me have no doubts.. If you really thought "some stranger" came in "broke in"...what ever..any rational person....would be running out of the house screaming for help..as well as would be in fear of their own life...assuming she had no knowledge of whether the "killer" was still in the house or not!

This is an amazing mystery that still leaves people scratching their heads to this day. That said, I can't escape the feeling that their is some missing information, evidence if you will, that is not in the record. What would have made sense of all of this? Thanks for the video. Appreciated.

And if Lizzie didn’t do it, who did? Some unknown person entered the house and made it up the stairs and killed Abby without being seen or heard? And then managed to stay in the house or leave and come back and kill Mr. Borden without being seen or heard? I find the scenario of an outsider being the murderer very difficult to believe.

What's another interesting connection is that James Fallon, who wrote The Psychopath Inside, in which he explores the genetic determinants of psychopathy (including his own), is related to Lizzie Borden.

One thing puzzles me: why have I never heard anyone analyze the movements of the uncle who came to visit? Could he have been familiar enough with the household to have come back and either waited between deeds or left and come back again to do the second? Could Lizzie and Bridget have known something? If Lizzie was the murderer, why exonerate Sullivan like that, when she might have made a convenient scapegoat? There are a lot of possibilities here; I guess that's why we're all still talking about it. Thanks for another interesting video.

Andrew, Lizze and her sister are distant cousins of mine. Ever since learning that, I've been fascinated by this case. This case has been so mishandled in every way possible. I really appreciate your input on the case, thanks Dr Todd!

A few additions: Lizzie was the only person with access and opportunity to linger unseen for an hour and a half. She was the only person with access who had a significant financial motive, control over half of the money, and her older mother/ sister was highly suggestible, giving up a larger bedroom twice. No one looked at the easily washable metal sad irons, 6# metal irons that Lizzie stated that she was using that day. How much effort would it take to quickly, quietly disable an adult with head wound from a lifted 6# pointed iron? Lizzie would have had to have heard Abby's body fall upstairs, if Lizzie had been innocent. Andrew's top coat and the wall would have blocked most blood. Would a woman with two sad iron double-handed hits to the left side of the head spin and fall or run to crawl under the bed? Knowing how long it took to undress/redress in the period attire, makes me wonder if Lizzie wrapped unused menstrual rags around her forearms or as an apron. These were found later in the basement. We know she burnt a dress that already had "paint" on it. The sick friend note Lizzie said Abby received was never identified. We know, years before, Emma left school early to return to her mother role with Lizzie, and Lizzie may have been influenced to hate Abby and steal from her.

This case has always made me feel sick to my stomach! There is something that feels very unnatural about the relationships between the father and the people living in the home !!! 😢.

In his book, The Cases That Haunt Us, FBI profiler John Douglas does a psychological profile of the killer, looks at the circumstances of the case and concludes...Lizzie done it. Your take on the case is interesting as well. It was believed at the time that the jurors thought she did it but sympathized with her because her father was an unusually awful and abusive man and he had recently threatened to disinherit Lizzie and leave everything to his wife.

I lived in Fall River for the first 18yrs of my life, so I thought it was cool that you were doing this video. I don't think Lizzy completed to act of murder, but I do believe her sister and a man (not 100% sure that it was the Uncle) planned it and carried it out, involving Lizzy only so she would be the scapegoat. The fact that the police didn't really investigate or gather evidence right away allows for too many unknowns to really know for sure though.

I love your material and your humor...subtle and awesome! I just finished my doctorate and your SPSS videos saved me!!! Thank you!💜

Being that Abby Durfee Grey was a maternal cousin of mine I've always been fascinated with this case.

It was a hot day and people questioned Lizzy’s story about being in the loft of the barn. No one seemed to question the fact that Ms. Sullivan was napping on the third floor in that heat?

I am not an expert but I recall doing research on Lizzie Borden for a presentation years ago and reading biographies about her. I felt she was quite the enigma.

This depiction is so much better than the movie "Lizzie." I absolutely love criminal profiling, and writing forensic reports.. Dr. Grande I appreciate what you bring to this platform! Thank you

Hi Dr Grande, Excellent choice in subject! It’s so difficult to judge the case with today’s eyes! A women’s life was SO different in those days, societal constraints on women left them next to no options in what their life was going to be. Women usually married by their late teens, and arraigned marriages were common place. It’s very shocking in those days that a woman didn’t marry, let alone two sisters. That was VERY unusual. I believe that ALONE would’ve made her suspect. As for her behavior and emotional state, women were expected to be seen and not heard. She would’ve been raised to be in control of emotional outbursts. Women in the upper class would’ve been schooled in proper etiquette, and wouldn’t have broke away from that as it wasn’t accepted. The very fact the police were shocked she didn’t “faint” was proof of what people expected from women. If this happened today, I believe she would’ve been convicted. The theory I believe is most plausible, if your stand is she was guilty is this. In cases if child abuse, sexual molestation and incestual

Elizabeth Montgomery, who played Lizzie in the movie, is related to her!

'Parasitic lifestyle'? In her social class, it was quite normal for one or more daughters to remain spinsters and act as housekeepers and carers for their elderly parents, instead of marrying, or becoming nuns (if they were Roman Catholics). Leaving home and having a career, and possibly affairs, like the heroine of Tales of San Francisco, was just not an option.

I agree there was reasonable doubt. I’ve always wondered what happened to the servant afterwards and whether she received a windfall from somewhere. Thanks Dr G!

22:49 Lizzie Borden’s appearance [irregardless of guilt or innocence] post an horrific double murder: "The reports indicated that her _HAIR_ wasn’t even disheveled!" Me [in response] immediately assessing my *OWN* reflection in a mirror, _4 WHOLE WEEKS_ into social-distancing/COVID-19 pandemic-panic lockdown: *OH DEAR GOD!!!😬NOOO!😳* But still, I _DEFINITELY_ haven’t been suspected of committing a murder... *YET!*

You did a great job considering this is a complex case. Those of us who have researched the case for years can bring up all sorts of things. A lot of what is said and believed has been proven false or unsubstantiated. Factors that point toward guilt are the small size of the house, limited entry for an outsider, an intruder remaining in the house perhaps for an hour or more. A cogent theory for guilt is that Lizzie became enraged with her stepmother and struck out. Not wanting to lose her father's love--she did love her father--she killed him too because she couldn't explain away Mrs. Borden dead upstairs. On the other hand IMO there are many factors that support her innocence. Perhaps odd behaviour was related to survivor's guilt? Lizzie called to Bridget upstairs within minutes of Mr. Borden being killed. The murder weapon was never found. Modern forensics has proved the "headless hatchet" has no human blood on it and that it could not have been washed away. There is a chunk of wooden handle still attached. It is possible the murder weapon could have been hidden irrevocably by Lizzie somewhere in the house so this does not establish guilt or innocence. Investigation in 1892 did indicate the hatchet used was new because of very small flakes of gilt paint in the wounds of Mrs. Borden. The Borden home was in the business district so it is possible someone had purchased a new hatchet prior to entering the home. Much has been made of supposedly Lizzie making sure all the doors were locked. False! The side, screen door was unlocked. Lizzie and Bridget had a short conversation about this door. Bridget said it was OK to lock the door as she could get window washing water in the barn. Whatever happened, Bridget was able to let herself into the house when it was time to wash the inside windows so I assume it was left unlocked and anyone could have entered. If a killer planned to target the Bordens, he could reasonably assume Lizzie and her sister were gone away. Lizzie had just returned because of an activity at her church. Thursday was the day the maid--and other maids on the street--washed windows. It was also a half day out for Bridget Sullivan in the afternoon. My theory is that Lizzie was in the "cellar", the basement, perhaps using the WC there as well as collecting her laundry which had been done the days before the fatal day. I think she went upstairs with her laundry as she said and the killer got stuck in the guest bedroom after killing Mrs. Borden. Lizzie came downstairs when her father returned home. I think Lizzie did go outside but her story of what she did exactly is convoluted. I think the killer tried to exit, maybe caused the napping Mr. Borden to stir or perhaps intended all along to kill him. The killer left and Lizzie reentered. As noted there was no sign of blood on her dress, in her hair, on her hands, etc. Her hair was said to be in perfect order. In those days hairpins were not as secure and tight as they are today. I would think axe murder would derange an 1890's hair style. Again, there was not time enough between Mr. Borden's murder and Lizzie summoning Bridget, for Lizzie to do much toward checking her appearance and hiding any evidence. Lizzie's sister Emma was present in the kitchen when Alice Russell saw Lizzie burning the dress. Either this was an innocent activity or Emma was part of a cover-up. At trial Emma said she had told her sister to get rid of that dress which was stained and had not worn well. Much later, after the sisters were no longer living together (1906?), Emma was quoted as saying she could not imagine her sister guilty of murder because Lizzie was, "so fond of dumb animals." (Lizzie left a large bequest to the Fall River animal rescue and she doted on her dogs.) A factor in support of her innocence, IMO, is that she initially said her father had been "cut" with something like a razor. She never slipped and said anything like hacked, whacked, chopped, etc. She seemed to believe her father had been somehow cut severely. Inheritance is not a great motive. With both Bordens dead and no wills, Emma as the oldest child, inherited all. She chose to share with her sister but she did not have to. Obviously I can say a great deal more. I had an interesting discussion with an unknown person on the internet who claimed to have seen some documents pertaining to the case. He encouraged me to believe Lizzie innocent. Anyone can say anything on the internet so I simply replied with my theories and based on this other person's replies, I believe he did have information that will never be made public. Of course I have no idea who was the killer. A small clue was given but I am not sure how to apply it. I do however believe Lizzie was innocent.

A suggestion has been that "they were in on it". A set up with the Uncle doing it. And back then I see your poisoning point. And why did the Uncle just come for a visit?

“Capes” meant something different back then. What we know today as wraps and women’s coats were known as “capes” at the time.

I would love a video on Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka.

Years ago, I read about this murder, that Lizzy's sister did it. Though she had left town before the murder occurred, her carriage was spotted outside the house at the time of the murder, and there is even a photo of it parked briefly on the street. When she had packed to leave, she took with her a full length rain slicker, which she most certainly would not have needed at that time of year. When she was an old woman, she installed a panel beside her bed where she could instantly turn on every light in the house, because she said that eventually the public would find out about her and come to get her. Near that panel, she kept a hatchet. The rain slicker she had worn during the murders was never found. Sorry I can't remember the name of the book. Reading about that light panel and the nearby hatchet chilled me to the bone.

At 5:15 you mention that the police describe Abby as being calm. I think you meant Lizzie was calm. Abby was dead. I guess that is as calm as you can get. But otherwise, I enjoyed your presentation. I was just telling my husband that we need to go stay at the Lizzie Borden B&B. Weirdly enough, he had never heard about the murders and did not know who Lizzie Borden was!

As far as Lizzie showing no emotion, we need to remember that (despite what we see in movies) people of high social status were taught not to show emotion. That showing emotion, hysterics, sobbing, etc. was for the "lower" classes. Lizzie was keeping a "stiff upper lip" just as she had been taught.

Please do Typhoid Mary next!!!! It’s so pertinent to what’s going on right now with covid-19.

If she did not do it, she knew who did and helped plan it in my opinion.

Why couldn’t Lizzie have hired someone to do it? That would explain no forced entry. Also, the person could have hid in the house with Lizzie’s help in between the murders.

I've read that at times her composure at the trial was less than stoic - she cried so hard at one point she vomited.

When I studied this case, I came to the conclusion that Lizzy killed her parents because of sexual abuse. I think her father sexually abused her, and she shared that with her step mother who refused to believe Lizzy. Alternately, her step mother could have been complicit in the abuse by either knowing it was happening, and not stopping it, or actually participating in the abuse. And, because many young women knew nothing about sex, it is possible that Lizzy didn't realize she was being sexually abused until she was in her twenties. Once she realized she was being abused, it had to have been horrific to realize there was nothing she could do about it legally. No one was likely to believe her over her parents. I imagine she felt helpless until she realized she could kill her parents and end the abuse. That was basically the only option society gave her. I suspect Lizzie's contradictory statements were a result of a combination of shock, from her father coming home early, and disassociation as I don't think Lizzie was normally prone to violence or illegal behaviors. It was the presents, her father gave her, that made me suspect sexual abuse. By all accounts, he was incredibly frugal yet he bought Lizzie expensive presents. That always sends up warning flags, to me, when a person acts out of character. So I came to the conclusion that Lizzie murdered her parents, probably with help from the maid, but it was done to prevent a lifetime of further abuse, so it was justified.

Anybody else squeal for joy when you see a new Dr Grande ? 🤗yeaaaaaay

I’ve heard the story ( and the poem) all my life. My grandmother lived in the area, and would have been a small child when the murders happened. Reading through some of the comments I learned there was a bastard half brother. Well now, that certainly complicates things. Lizzie had mentioned the house had been robbed, her father threatened in a letter. That sounds like something an illegitimate, ignored, likely destitute offspring might do. Rage for the position his wealthy father had left him in. He was the family secret.

Unboxing videos can get millions of views but Dr. Grande hundreds of thousands, he deserves way more attention!

The "spinster" life was often most chosen by those who were lesbian (not all). One had to marry within one's own social class too. Lots of rules there. I think it is safe to say, she did it. I think it is safe to say, it was done with her sister's understanding and support. I think the maid may very well have known exactly what was happening. .. who said "not my business here" simply because she'd have been worked to death and paid very little by Andrew & Abby. She'd have had to play a low profile since her re-employment elsewhere would have depended on her discretion in this case. People during this time didn't like publicity in any form. When it was about servants or women doubly so. Just having a minor involvement would have been a determent to her being re-employed. Lizzy's involvement in any form guilty or not would have ostracized her and resulted in being a spinster for life...Emma too. They had nothing to lose and everything to gain by these murders. I think there was plenty of guilt to go around.

Couldn’t she have hired someone to do it? Many female murderers do that. That would explain a lot. She could have been aware and witnessed it all, but avoided the blood spatter, and of course the goal was financial independence from a perceived tyrannical life in a different era where spinsterhood seemed her future. Maybe her dad forbade her from marrying? Maybe she tried to secure the acid for poisoning first and when that failed had a lover or someone kill those she resented the most? I’ve seen “Snapped”, it seems to happen a lot.

I love the combination of history and true crime so much! In my opinion, the most likely theory is that Lizzie Borden got away with murder, but I also think that Maggy helped her with her testamony. Also, how would Lizzy have been able to put on a dress without help that quick? And why did Maggy not hear the brutal murder of Andrew although she hears anything else all the time. This was a brutal crime, it was for sure anything but silent... I also covered this case and it is so fascinating even after all these years :)

If you stumble upon someone freshly killed in your house, you’re gonna run outside for fear that you are next. Unless you are the killer.

It would be interesting to know, has anyone gone to the house and tried a recreation of the murders, to see how the sound traveled and how long it would have taken Lizzie to have changed her cloths (getting someone who is familiar with clothing of that period).

At 15:25, from what I have read and seen in documentaries, Lizzie DID have grandiosity, ie a grandiose nature. She often complained about her father not spending enough money to keep up appearances, and once he was dead, she bought a mansion in the wealthy part of town; even though the neighbors shunned her.

The Borden house had no hallways. To get to one room, you would have to walk through another. And there was only one closet that wasn't in a bedroom. It would have been too small for someone to hide in. The house, in its entirety, wasn't that large. To my way of thinking, it would have been virtually impossible for a stranger to get inside the house because Andrew kept the doors locked, even during daylight hours. Also, Lizzie harbored a seething hatred of her stepmother, refusing to take meals with the family and calling her "Mrs. Borden". The fact that Andrew had recently transferred some property into the name of Abbey's sister was said to have made Lizzie furious. She knew as a spinster, she would always be dependent on Andrew for support. Unmarried women simply did not live on their own back then. It would have been unseemly and Lizzie, at least while her father was alive, valued her good reputation. The all-male jury simply refused to believe that a woman (and especially one from a good family) would be capable of such a crime. Most female killers in those times used poison to kill. And it should be noted that Lizzie did make an attempt to buy poison, but the jury didn't get to hear that. I've always believed she was guilty.

Loved your analyses and comments. As a woman it is so hard for me to believe that any woman could complete such a grisly set of murders. I can't imagine a woman being able to do what she did! (or any person) But maybe after losing her pet pigeons in such a horrible way she was pushed over the edge? What would her motive have been? Freedom? Would she not have freedom when her parents passed without the guilt and horror of what she did? So many unknowns make it hard to believe. I think we don't know enough to ever have a feeling either way.... whoever did it was a tortured soul! So sad and scary! Thank you for an interesting video!

My mum has a Grey cape with a faux fur collar & she rocks that sh*t at 79yrs old. It’s probably the most expensive thing in her wardrobe (unless you count an expensive pair of shoes her sisters bought her). A friend spilled something on it & offered to have it replaced because dry cleaning looked unlikely to help. Then Kate had to tell the poor women that she’d never be able to afford to replace it & neither will we as it was a gift from my eldest sister when she got a big bonus at work... *LONG* story short? Capes are still a thing but only old ladies can pull them off

She lied about where Abbey went...hmmm. Too bad DNA tools and blood/fluid sensing lights weren't available yet.

The servant was not in the house. Also it is a fact her father was very controlling man and Lizzy wrapped too tightly and she snapped. Enraged people can have extreme energy

I remember watching the tv movie Lizzie Bordon. Lizzie was played by one of my favorite stars Elizabeth Montgomery. “Lizzie Bordon took an ax and gave her mother 40 wacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41….” 😕

Has anyone else heard the theory that she was in a relationship with the maid? I have this vague recollection that she lived with another woman for most of her life and there was a letter from her sister when they were older implying she was shaming the family in some vague way?

The inheritance money that Lizzy and her sister got back then would be equal to 10 million dollars in today's money.

One of the best books I've ever read is on this case: A Private Disgrace, by Victoria Lincoln. Lincoln grew up in Fall River, a generation after Lizzie. She accounts for all the facts of the case, using the original trial transcripts meticulously. I recommend it. Thank you Dr. Grande!

A thought just occurred to me about how the COMPLETE absence of blood on Lizzie after the murders happened may actually speak to her guilt instead of her innocence. If you read the Q&As of the Inquest Lizzie claims after she found her father she did not know if he was dead or not. (Yet she immediately ran to the bottom of the stairs and yelled up at Bridgett (Maggie) that someone had come in and killed him. She did not start screaming at her father desperately wanting a response from him. No effort for or hope of his survival is made or even claimed to have been made.) I think most innocent people if they walked in and to their utter surprise saw a loved one beaten and/or stabbed to a bloody mess would rush to their aid and thereby get blood on them and because they are truly innocent would not be concerned about blood getting on them and making them look guilty because their primary concern is helping their injured loved one. However, a guilty murderer would go to the lengths of making sure they are completely blood free as Lizzie was (minus the small speck on her undergarment).

God, this case has been analyzed 1000’s of times for a very long time! It’s crazy that people still talk about it!