The Dry Plate in Her Palm: Proof That Murderer Photographed Her

The Dry Plate in Her Palm: Proof That Murderer Photographed Her

Cold and methodical: a woman found in eight inches of standing water cradling a glass photographic plate that remained bone dry - a plate later developed to reveal the silhouette of a camera on a tripod. Who carried that plate to the ditch, and why was the photographer inadvertently captured in the very image he made?

In this episode, we trace the discovery, the ledger entry that names a traveling photographer, and the diary note about a late-night visitor that ties a stranger to the victim. How did a bookkeeper end up holding a photographic plate that would become the central clue to her death?

Person: Gina Wright
Date: July 14, 1931
Location: Dunnmore, Barton County, Kansas
Case: Dry photographic plate found in victim's palm
Person: Jerry Wilson

- Gina Wright was 25 years old and worked three years as bookkeeper at the Dunnmore Grain Cooperative.
- The plate was found in eight inches of standing water, bone dry on both faces while the surrounding mud was undisturbed.
- A ledger entry dated June 28, 1931 records "four dollars and fifty cents paid to a J. Wilson for commercial photography, inventory documentation."
- Neighbor Agnes Boone recorded a tall man in a canvas jacket visiting Gina on July 11; he stayed about one hour and left carrying a hinged leather case.
- When developed, the plate showed the back lot of the Dunnmore Grain Cooperative and, in the lower right corner, the silhouette of a camera on a tripod.

Tired of ads? Listen to this podcast and 200+ more ad-free on OBOMEDIA.
Try it free for 7 days, cancel anytime: obomedia.com/en/gratis?ref=desc-7194310

© 2026 Created by an independent creator of the OBOMEDIA Network. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the property of their respective creator, who is solely responsible for them, and are distributed by the OBOMEDIA Network on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without the creator's prior written permission is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.