English 箭头
Podcast Cover

[The Tragic Disappearance and Brutal Double Murder of the Haysom Couple]-[Episode 285: The Murders of Nancy and Derek Haysom Part 1]

Morbid · B2 · 2021-12-20

True crime
Or study on the web version

📋 Summary

The Life and Tragic End of Derek and Nancy Haysom

This podcast episode serves as a deeply personal and somber return for the hosts, Ash and Elena, following a hiatus defined by grief, illness, and family crisis. Beyond the personal updates, the hosts delve into a haunting true crime narrative: the brutal 1985 double murder of Derek and Nancy Haysom in Boonesboro, Virginia.

Personal Turmoil and Resilience

The hosts open by candidly discussing their recent "shit storm" of a week. The narrative is anchored by the heartbreaking loss of Ash’s dog, Bailey Rose, a companion of 12 years who suffered from worsening health, including pancreatitis, forcing the hosts to make the "terrible decision" to euthanize her. This personal tragedy, described as "shattering," was compounded by a COVID-19 outbreak in their household, which affected the youngest, unvaccinated child, as well as a serious fall suffered by Ash’s mother. The hosts emphasize the importance of self-care and allowing oneself to "crumble" during times of extreme stress, rather than attempting to "bust through" emotions.

The Distinguished Lives of the Haysoms

Transitioning to the case, the podcast explores the background of Nancy and Derek Haysom. Nancy, born in 1932 to a distinguished Virginian family, was a "multifaceted" artist—a painter, musician, and actress. After an early, failed marriage to Ian Hall, she met Derek Haysom, an incredibly intelligent engineer born in 1913. Derek was a man of integrity who, while serving as a CEO of a government-owned mill in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), defied the racist policies of Prime Minister Ian Smith by treating Black employees with equality, eventually leading to his house arrest and the family's flight to Switzerland.

The Troubled Path of Elizabeth Haysom

Central to the narrative is the couple's daughter, Elizabeth, a brilliant student who attended the prestigious Wycombe Abbey. The hosts detail a dramatic shift in Elizabeth's behavior during her senior year. Pressured by her parents to pursue engineering—a path she resisted—Elizabeth began acting out, using drugs, and cutting her hair in a "punk rock" style. Her academic performance plummeted, leading to her expulsion.

Following her expulsion, Elizabeth and her friend, Melinda Duncan, embarked on a harrowing "march into the ends of hell" across Europe. This journey was marked by trauma, including muggings, exposure to bad drugs, and sexual assault. They were eventually located by an army colonel working for intelligence, Stuart Harrington, who helped reunite the girls with their families. Elizabeth later enrolled at the University of Virginia, where she met Jens Soaring, a highly intelligent Jefferson scholar. Their relationship was characterized by intense, obsessive, and at times threatening rhetoric, with Elizabeth writing to Jens about her desire to make men "humiliate" themselves to obtain her.

A Brutal Discovery

In April 1985, after failing to reach Nancy and Derek, Elizabeth contacted a family friend, Annie Massey, to check on the house. Upon entering, Massey discovered a gruesome crime scene. Derek and Nancy Haysom had been dead for days. Derek had been stabbed over 30 times, his throat slit, and his face slashed. Nancy was found in her nightgown, also with a slit throat and multiple stab wounds. The presence of three chairs pushed back from the dining table suggested the killer may have been a dinner guest, turning a domestic scene into a site of "real personal rage-killing."

The episode concludes by setting the stage for a second part, promising to explore the "satanic angle" and the ensuing trials, leaving listeners with the chilling reality of a senseless act of violence against a family that had traveled the globe in search of a peaceful life.

🎯Key Sentences

1
I'm not yours. Just kidding.
2
That was our commitment before our commitment.
3
My brain isn't working.
4
I was such a wreck.
5
It comes in threes.
Expand All

📝Key Phrases

1
hit it off
2
bury the lead
3
go downhill
4
take a toll
5
come in threes
Expand All

📖 Transcript

Hey weirdos, before we unleash today's macabre mystery, we were wondering, have you ever heard of Wondery Plus?
It's like a secret passage to an ad free layer with early access to episodes.
You can join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or an Apple podcast or Spotify.
You're listening to a morbid network podcast.
Listening on Audible helps your imagination soar.
Whether you listen to stories, motivation, expert advice, any genre you love, You can be inspired to imagine new worlds, new possibilities and new ways of thinking.

ListenLeap Brings You Into Real Context Learning

🎨 Interesting Content
🌍 Real Materials
📱 Listen Anytime
Or study on the web version