THE CASE OF DR. BUCK RUXTON

Dr. Ruxton killed both his wife, Isabella Kerr, and their maid, Mary Rogerson.

Buck had convinced himself that his wife was having an affair, even though no evidence was ever found.

He had jumped on her and strangled her with his bare hands, then later suffocated the maid so she couldn't turn him in.

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• Ruxton then mutilated the corpses.
• He removed identifying marks, such as moles and scars.
• He also dismembered them into about 70 pieces.
• He wrapped the body parts in newspaper and dumped them in a ravine.

THE MISTAKES

• Suspicion fell on Ruxton because the bodies were dismembered so skillfully.
• He had cut his hand while dismembering the bodies.
• A cleaning woman had reported strange odors and blood stains in the house.
• The body parts were also wrapped in special edition newspaper.
• Lastly, maggots were collected from the corpses.

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• Dr. Mearns, an expert on insects, established when the bodies had been dumped.
• It was the first time maggots gad been used to convict a criminal.
• With these insects and the other evidence it wa enough to prove Ruxton was guilty.
• The case heavily relied on Dr. Mearns knowledge of insects, and the presence of maggots.

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• In 1935 Ruxton was charged with murder.
• There was a petition with 10,000 signatures begging to show the doctor mercy.
• Despite this He was hung in May the following year.