In 1976, residents of the small town of Circleville, Ohio began receiving disturbing anonymous letters—each one filled with personal threats, secrets, and accusations. What started as a handful of notes quickly escalated into a decades-long mystery involving a suspicious death, a bizarre booby trap, a controversial conviction, and one chilling question that still haunts the community: Who was writing the letters?

In this episode of The Midnight Report, we unravel one of the most bizarre and unresolved true crime cases in American history. From the initial letters sent to a local school and a bus driver named Mary Gillispie, to the tragic death of her husband Ron, to the public panic and twisted web of theories—this story feels more like a psychological thriller than real life.

We dig into the investigation, the trial of Paul Freshour, and the conflicting theories that continue to divide people to this day. Was Paul truly the author of the letters? Was he framed by someone close to him? Could this have been the work of multiple conspirators—or even a law enforcement cover-up?

With no confirmed identity of the letter writer and new details still coming to light, the Circleville Letters case remains a chilling reminder that sometimes the most dangerous crimes aren’t committed in the dark—they’re delivered straight to your mailbox.

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