Last year, Elizabeth Woodman became so intrigued with the unsolved murder of Chapel Hill’s Rachel Crook that she devoted four episodes of her popular “27 Views” podcast to the local mystery. “Who Killed Rachel Crook” was a departure from Woodman’s usual format of casual interviews with mostly local writers, as she and a group of contributing voices snatched listeners back to 1951, and into the remarkable life of the unconventional 71-year-old Rachel Crook.
“Who Killed Rachel Crook” explored not only events up to and immediately after her death, but also the culture of a small, southern town, the south in general, and the often-discounted consideration of unmarried older women. Crook was educated, determined, had business savvy, and was respected by her community, and all of that fell into subcategory status when her death and the trial of her suspected killer made headlines.
“She was ahead of her time, and I think people appreciate that,” Woodman said. “And I think they’re appalled by what a rough time she had. She did well for herself, but how difficult it was for the criminal justice system at that time to giver her her due.”…