The Big Story: Shotgun and Fatal Accident (EP4972)

This episode of 'The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio' presents a dramatized retelling of 'Shotgun and Fatal Accident,' a classic 'Big Story' radio episode from 1950. The narrative follows Bill Griffith, a reporter for the Youngstown Vindicator, as he investigates the mysterious death of Amy Hodge, a wealthy woman shot in her home by her husband, Clive Hodge, who claims it was an accidental discharge of a shotgun. Despite the official ruling of accidental homicide, Griffith becomes suspicious due to the absence of powder burns on the victim’s head—impossible if the gun was fired just ten inches away. His investigation uncovers a web of secrets: a secret affair with Madge Carey, a suspiciously clean crime scene, a hidden note in the wife’s room expressing fear of her husband, and financial motives tied to insurance claims. With the help of ballistics expert Ed Vesey, Griffith proves that the wound was far too large to have been caused at close range, indicating deliberate aim. A dramatic demonstration at the Culver Valley Hunting Club confirms the gunshot was fired from eight feet away, exposing Hodge’s lie. The case is reopened, Hodge is arrested, tried, and convicted of murder. The episode concludes with a reflection on the episode’s forensic accuracy and its place in the legacy of old-time radio mystery storytelling.