American Monsters: Blanche Kiser

0:00 Speaker 1: Warning, Kind of Murdery contains adult themes, explicit language, and descriptions of violence. It is not suitable for anyone, and we recommend you stop listening now.

0:11 Speaker 2: I heard true crime with a dash of the paranormal, the garish, the strange in the darkly comic. I'm Zevan Odelberg, host of kind of Murdery, a podcast that's about more than just murder. It's my very own pocket dimension, home to a curated collection of bizarre and compelling stories, the unsolved, the unsettling, and the unbelievable. I cover it all just so long as it's kind of murdery. That's right, my friends, you heard correctly, just like it says in the intro. I am Zevan Odelberg, and this is kind of murdery.

0:52 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for deciding to spend your precious time with me, you know. In nineteen thirty nine, playwright Joseph Kessel wrote a black comedy, A dark comedy that is about a little old lady who poisoned her borders with arsenic so she could collect their pensions. That play was forever immortalized in pop culture. By the nineteen forty four, Frank Capra film starring Kerry Grant of the same name, also called Arsenic and Old Lace. If you're familiar with Frank Capra, it's probably for his legendary Jimmy Stewart film It's a Wonderful Life.

1:29 Speaker 2: So Arsenic and Old Lace, of course, was a little bit of a different artistic path for Capra to walk down. However, as you're about to find out, seemingly harmless ladies committing murder with arsenic is hardly the sole purview of the imaginary worlds created by playwrights and movie directors. It happens in the real world, the true crime world too. Today I bring you a modern, all too real update of that classic modus operendi, and I ask you to please join me as we uncover what truths we can and solve what mysteries we may kind of murderies Arsenic and New Lace.

2:08 Speaker 2: The harrowing Tale of Black Widow Blanche starts now in the heart of North Carolina, during the tumultuous times of the early nineteen thirties, a girl named Blanche Kaiser was born into a world that was far from ordinary. She was one of seven children in a family where stability was fleeting as the wind. Her father, Harker Davis Kaiser Senior was a man of many faces and even more jobs. He was perhaps the living embodiment of the old label jack of all trades and master of none. Among his self assigned roles, he was an evangelical preacher, albeit without formal recognition.

2:53 Speaker 2: He had no papers to be a preacher, revealed j Ashley, a former reporter with the Alamance News, Woker's approach to religion was unorthodox, to say the least. He would spontaneously begin preaching his sermons, echoing in the streets, irrespective of an audience. Like James Dean Bradfield, frontman for the legendary Welsh rock band, Parker Davis Kaiser Senior was a manic street preacher. Despite his public persona as a devout man, Parker's personal life was marred by controversy and contradiction.

3:25 Speaker 2: Ultimately, he would tear the Kaiser family apart when he abandoned his wife, Blanche's mother for a younger woman. His pension for alcohol and his stern demeanor had weighed heavily on the family long before he left. Blanche. Growing up in this turbulent environment was no stranger to hardship. The family's instability and her father's alcoholism, abuse and abandonment left as one might expect, a profound impact on young Blanche. As soon as the opportunity arose, she seized it, leaving her troubled home behind, and that decision marked the beginning of a journey that would lead her down a path far removed from the chaos of her early life.

4:04 Speaker 2: But, as is often the case sadly in stories shrouded with mystery and violence, and really, as is certainly the case for all of us, once past is never truly left behind. The year was nineteen fifty two, and Blanchekeiser, at the youthful age of nineteen, was embarking on a new chapter of her life. She married James Napoleon Taylor, a man who had just returned from the ravages of the Korean War. Taylor worked as a furniture restorer, a profession that required patience and precision, yet ironically, he was known for his short temper.

4:41 Speaker 2: In stark contrast to his week days, Taylor reserved Sundays for a devout ritual. He meticulously edited taped recordings of sermons from the Glen Hope Baptist Church. These tapes were not for his personal reflection, but were sent across seas for missionary work, spreading the church's message far and wide. Meanwhile, Blanche carved out her own place in the world. She found employment at a Kroger supermarket in Burlington, North Carolina. Her dedication and hard work paid off, and she climbed the ranks to become the head cashier, a position of considerable esteem, especially for a woman in that era.

5:15 Speaker 2: For an impressive thirty two years, Blanche remained a constant figure at Kroger. She was more than just an employee. She was a familiar face, a friend to many who walked through the store's doors. Customers would often find themselves gravitating toward her checkout line, not just to purchase their groceries, but to share a moment of their day with Blanche. She was always pleasant and outgoing to customers, remembered Brenda Green, a former colleague at Kroger, noticed the emphasis on customers there.

5:45 Speaker 2: Blanchekeiser and James Taylor were united in marriage for twenty one years and had two daughters together. Yet amidst these milestones, the shadow of loss was never far behind. In nineteen sixty six, Blanche's father passed away, his death at the age of sixty two, who was attributed to heart disease. Then, in nineteen seventy three, seven years following her father's death, tragedy struck again when Blanche discovered her husband, James Taylor, lifeless in their bed at just forty five years old.

6:13 Speaker 2: He was pronounced dead, and once again a heart attack was cited as the cause. The specter of heart disease seemed to loom over the men in Blanche's life, casting a pall of mystery and unanswered questions. These successive losses, shrouded in the commonality of their cause, painted a picture of a woman acquainted with grief far beyond the ordinary. As our story unfolds, the circumstances surrounding these deaths beg a closer look, hinting at a deeper and perhaps darker narrative playing out beneath the surface of Blanche Taylor's seemingly ordinary existence.

6:45 Speaker 2: In the wake of her husband's untimely death, Blanche, at forty found herself navigating life as a widow, but solitude was not her destiny. Blanche, with her striking looks, keen intelligence and impeccable sense of style soon caught the eye of Raymond C. R Read, a divorced manager at the very Kroger store where she held the position of head cashier. Their budding relationship brought a semblance of normalcy to Blanche's life. Mom never expected to spend the rest of her life by herself. She had too much to offer her daughter, Cynthia Chapman, reflected.

7:15 Speaker 2: Cynthia's sister, Vanessa Woods, shared a similar sentiment about Reed. He was a very good man. She said he was good to us. However, Blanche's long standing employment at Kroger was not without its complications. Despite her popularity among customers, her relationships with some colleagues were strained. Although Kroger acknowledged her skills, lauding her as a good leader and utilizing her expertise to train new checkers, not everyone viewed her in the same positive light. A coworker who preferred anonymity revealed, if you got on her bad side, she could be vindictive.

7:46 Speaker 2: Another colleague bluntly stated everyone thought she was too faced, she could be underhanded. But the most troubling aspect of her work life involved Robert J. Hutton, a top company official. Blanche Taylor alleged that Hutton had had been making unwanted advances and inappropriately touching female clerks for a long time. The situation escalated in an encounter in October of nineteen eighty five. According to missus Taylor, Hutton, partially undressed, confronted her in a conference room. You ready for this, he reportedly said, after grabbing her from behind.

8:19 Speaker 2: In a desperate move, Blanche grabbed his pants and underwear and escaped from the store, leaving Hutton to cover himself with a meat cutter's smock. This incident marked the end of Blanche Taylor's tenure at Kroger. She never returned to her job after that day. Three months later, she filed a sexual harassment lawsuit and understandably described the entire experience as debilitating. Blanche Taylor, in the eyes of many, epitomized the image of a sweet Christian lady. Her involvement with the church was not just a duty, but a heartfelt commitment.

8:49 Speaker 2: She actively participated in her church community, often volunteering to bring food to those who were ill. Mom would have been one of those women who would have made a great pastor's wife, her dog, Cindy Chapman, shared. Blanche's deep knowledge of scripture further accentuated her devout persona, and her lifelong spiritual journey led her to a pivotal moment. On Easter Sunday nineteen eighty five, a relative introduced her to the Carolina United Church of Christ, a serene place of worship nestled near the textile mills on the Haw River outside of Burlington.

9:21 Speaker 2: It was here that she met Reverend Dwight W. Moore, a man of her age who, like her, had experienced the trials of divorce and was raising two grown children. Blanche and Reverend Moore's connection was immediate. Moore, taking a keen interest in her, began reaching out, telephoning, and leaving notes at her door when she was unavailable. It wasn't long before their friendship blossomed into something more, starting innocently with an ice cream cone and progressing to accompanying each other to church events.

9:49 Speaker 2: At this juncture, Blanche's daughters believed her relationship with Raymond c Reed, the former Kroger manager, had begun to wane. However, Nola Halbrook, Reverend Moore's sisters suggested to a more complex scenario. She believed that, unbeknownst to Reverend Moore, Blanche was simultaneously seeing both men. And here we begin to add another layer of intrigue to Blanche Taylor's life, hinting at a tangled web of relationships and secrets that extended beyond her public image as a devout and caring church member.

10:19 Speaker 2: The darkness begins to spread with the sudden illness of Raymond Reed. His admission to the hospital for severe and inexplicable nausea and vomiting marked the beginning of a mysterious and troubling chapter. Throughout Raymond's prolonged hospitalization, Blanche remained a constant presence by his side. She would do the nice thing and bring his favorite dish or a milkshake, recounted Raymond's son Steve, Her visits were marked by gestures of kindness, such as bringing him homemade banana pudding, which she lovingly spoon fed to him.

10:50 Speaker 2: This particular scene, observed by nurses on October first, nineteen eighty six, would later gain significance in our unfolding story. Tragically, just one week after Blanche spoon fed him the banana pudding, Raymond Reid passed away. His death was initially attributed to complications from Gianne Barr syndrome, a rare and severe autoimmune disorder. The diagnosis, as explained by the Mayo Clinic, involves the immune system attacking the nerves, leading to symptoms like weakness, numbness, and potentially fatal cardiac arrest.

11:21 Speaker 2: Despite the complexity of his condition, the randomness of his symptoms raised unanswered questions. In the wake of Raymond's death, Blanche played a crucial role in the decisions regarding his remains. She persuaded his family against an autopsy, arguing, as relayed by his son Steve, your dad's been cut up enough. He wouldn't want this. Her influence extended beyond his medical care to his estate. As the executor of Raymond's will, Blanche presented a document to his son's stating that Raymond wished to divide his assets three ways, including her.

11:54 Speaker 2: The will, signed just a month before his death, added a layer of suspicion to the already mysterior circumstances. The aftermath of Raymond Reid's death in nineteen eighty six brought significant changes in Blanche Taylor's life. The very next year, the sexual harassment lawsuits she had filed against Robert J. Hutton and Kroger, which had been a source of considerable stress, finally reached a resolution. As the jury was being selected for the trial. The case was settled out of court. The terms of the settlement were kept confidential, yet it was hinted by one lawyer that Missus Taylor received a good sum of money from the agreement.

12:28 Speaker 2: Following the settlement, Blanche sought psychiatric help. Blanche's psychiatrist, doctor Jesse N. McNeil, in an affidavit, noted that the prolonged sexual harassment she endured at Kroger contributed significantly to her mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and a serious suicidal condition. The text of the lawsuit's complaint further revealed her emotional state, claiming that she felt quote completely antagonistic towards men and had not been able to maintain any meaningful social contacts with members of the opposite sex.

12:59 Speaker 2: However, her lawyer, Mitchell M. McIntyre, offered a different perspective on her condition. He suggested that the statements in the lawsuit might have been exaggerated. She's not a man hater, he stated, adding that her response to the harassment was normal and not indicative of any profound psychological change. Despite these claims and her reported aversion to men, Blanche continued her relationship with Reverend Dwight Moore. They remained together for years, although they never married. Reflecting on his own father's relationship with Blanche, Raymond Reid's son Steve, acknowledged her polite demeanor, but also noted her manipulative tendencies.

13:36 Speaker 2: She was very good at manipulating people to get her way, he said. At the dawn of nineteen eighty eight, Blanche Taylor and Reverend Dwight Moore's relationship deepened, marriage was on the horizon. Plans for a grand wedding in his church after Thanksgiving were set in motion. However, in a twist of fate, just before the event, Moore fell severely ill, exhibiting symptoms of vomiting and weakness. The severe verity of his condition led to multiple hospitalizations and two surgeries on his intestines.

14:05 Speaker 2: Despite these challenges, Moore's health gradually improved. Finally, on April nineteenth, the couple exchanged vows in a modest ceremony. A stark contrast to their initial plans. Doris Pender, a witness and friend, fondly remembered the occasion she had on a real pretty dress. They were beaming. It seemed like there was electricity there. The newlywed celebrated their union with a weekend trip to New Jersey. Upon their return, life seemed to resume its normal rhythm, with Moore busying himself around their white framed parsonage.

14:35 Speaker 2: But this semblance of tranquility was short lived. After consuming a chicken sandwich Blanche brought him, Moore's health rapidly deteriorated. Former Burlington Policed First Sergeant Dexter Lowe detailed the grim symptoms numbness and neuropathy in his hands, in his feet, nausea, vomiting diarrhea, shortness of breath, excruciating pain all over the body. The mysterious nature of Reverend Moore's illness baffled the medical team until a medical student suggested testing him for heavy metals. The results were astonishing.

15:06 Speaker 2: Moore's blood contained arsenic levels one hundred times above normal, an unprecedented finding. In light of this alarming discovery, the hospital contacted the police, who began monitoring and restricting Moore's visitors, including Blanche. Remarkably, once these measures were implemented, Moore's condition began to stabilize. The focus shifted to uncovering how and why this near fatal poisoning occurred. As the perplexing case of Reverend Dwight Moore's poisoning unfolded, authorities naturally turned to Blanche Taylor for answers.

15:38 Speaker 2: Despite the alarming discovery of arsenic in her husband's system, Blanche maintained her innocence. She offered an alternative explanation, suggesting to the investigators, as recounted by First Sergeant Dexter Lowe, that Dwight was struggling with depression and might have poisoned himself. However, Dwight, when interviewed by the police, firmly denied any attempt at self harm, in express pressed bewilderment at the thought of someone wanting to harm him. It was during this interview that he mentioned Raymond Reid, prompting a new angle of investigation.

16:08 Speaker 2: His sister, Nora Halbrook, reflecting on Reed's death, said, we thought it was an accident, but the police saw the situation differently. Their suspicions gravitated toward Blanche, leading them to delve deeper into her past. In a significant move, authorities exhumed Raymond Reed's body for toxology tests, seeking clues that might link the two cases. The results were startling. The examination of mister Reed's tissues reveal elevated levels of arsenic, not just a little more than normal, but in a concentration associated with fatalities, said former North Carolina Chief Medical Examiner John Butts.

16:45 Speaker 2: This revelation was compounded by the fact that Reverend Dwight Moore's arsenic level, as reported by the News and Record, was thirty times higher than normal. The investigation into the mysterious illness of Reverend DWIGHTE. Moore led authority to revisit the past, specifically the unanticipated death of Blanche Taylor's first husband, James Napoleon Taylor. His demise, previously attributed to heart failure, now piqued the interest of investigators due to the recent arsenic poisoning cases connected to Blanche.

17:16 Speaker 2: Acting on this suspicion, former North Carolina Chief Medical Examiner John Butts recommended exuming Taylor's body for an autopsy. The findings were shocking. Taylor's arsenic levels were found to be sixty times the normal rate. While the small, close knit community of Burlington was rocked by these revelations, Blanche Moore now missus Moore, maintained her composure publicly despite the growing suspicion and media attention. She continued to visit her husband in the hospital until he ultimately ended their marriage, leaving her in tears.

17:46 Speaker 2: Dwight defended her and wouldn't believe it until the authorities gave him the evidence. On reed, his sister Nola Halbrook recounted the unfolding investigation prompted the authorities to question the number of unusual deaths in Blanche's life. We had a list at the time of twenty two people that we obtained court orders to obtain their medical records, stated Burlington Police Sergeant Dexter Lowe. In a further twist, the bodies of Blanche's father P. D. Kaiser Senior and her mother in law, Isa Taylor were also exhumed.

18:15 Speaker 2: Autopsies revealed high levels of arsenic in their systems as well, although as low noted, not in lethal amounts. These startling discoveries painted a grim picture suggesting a pattern that extended far beyond a single incident. The authority's deepening probe into Blanche Taylor's past was unearthing a trail of death and suspicion that seemed to follow her throughout the years. The saga surrounding Blanche Taylor reached a critical juncture on July eighteenth, nineteen eighty nine, when she was arrested at her home and held without bond.

18:45 Speaker 2: She was charged in all three of those cases Taylor read and more, two charges for murder and one for attempted murder. Blanche's attorney, Mitchell m McIntyre, expressed his client's disbelief at the charges. This is incredible to her, he stated. She said it was a nightmare that seemed to be stalking her. How do they know to go to her first husband, and then a friend and then her former husband. There seems to be some figure that's pointing out where to go. Despite Blanche and her lawyer's assertions of an unfathomable mistake, lead police investigator Lynch dismissed the idea of an unseen hand guiding the investigation, emphasizing that following the trail of Blanche's dead lovers and husbands was just common sense.

19:29 Speaker 2: While McIntyre refrained from allowing direct interviews with Blanche, he conveyed her stance to the public. She said, she is not guilty. She wants the public to know that. In a dramatic twist, before Blanche's trial commenced, her attorney presented a confession purportedly written by a man named Garvin Thomas. In this handwritten note, Thomas claimed responsibility for the poisonings, alleging he committed the crimes out of love for Blanche. However, this confession was soon discredited. The State Bureau of Investigations, after examining various samples of Blanche's handwriting, concluded that she had authored the note herself.

20:06 Speaker 2: In October nineteen ninety, the case against Blanche Taylor Moore for the murder of Raymond Reid proceeded to trial. The state's case was robust, backed up by a lineup of fifty four prosecution witnesses, including the recovering Dwight Moore, who had barely survived severe arsenic poisoning. The verdict was swift and unequivocal. On November fourteenth, nineteen ninety, the fifty seven year old Blanche was found guilty of Raymond's murder. The Associated Press reported that she was subsequently sentenced to death.

20:37 Speaker 2: Following her conviction, authorities decided not to pursue the other charges against her, including the death of her first husband, Taylor, and the poisoning of Dwight. Despite the gravity of her sentence, Blanche's familial bonds remained strong. Her devoted daughters continued their weekly fifteen minute visits, separated by a glass partition, a ritual sometimes joined by one of her three grand children. The family grappled with the bewildering turn of events. Nobody wants the truth more than we do, Cynthia Taylor Chapman, Blanche's thirty year old daughter, expressed, Vanessa Woods, Cynthia's thirty six year old sister, added, behind the headlines is a person who is not capable of doing this.

21:18 Speaker 2: The repercussions of the case extended beyond the courtroom. Dwight Moore was still battling the effects of arsenic poisoning, struggling to regain mobility in his hands and feet, and the white streaks growing on his fingernails stood as a grim reminder of his ordeal. The investigation continued to cast a long shadow over the community. Authorities considered exuming bodies of others who had known missus Moore. I would say it's the most talked about crime this county has seen, Lieutenant Steve Lynch commented.

21:47 Speaker 2: The case became a topic of intense local interest in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, known for its tobacco fields, textile mills, and outlet stores. The community's reactions ranged from dark humor evidenced by a Blanche Taylor Moore cookbook t shirt with ant poison recipes, to frustration and annoyance with the ongoing attention. Weeks after Blanche's death sentence, Reverend Dwight Moore filed for divorce. He later remarried, moved to Virginia, and passed away in twenty thirteen from natural causes.

22:18 Speaker 2: As of April twenty twenty three, Blanche turned ninety, becoming North Carolina's oldest death row inmate and one of only two women in the state to be condemned. With North Carolina having not executed a prisoner since two thousand and six, it is assumed that Moore will spend her remaining days in prison. Despite the overwhelming evidence and her conviction. She maintains her innocence. I'm Zevan Odelberg and this has been kind of Murdery.

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