Summary
Overview
This episode covers the 1933 kidnapping of 10-year-old Peggy McMath on Cape Cod by Kenneth Buck, a desperate 28-year-old who concocted an ill-conceived ransom scheme during the Great Depression. Drawing parallels to Netflix's film 'Animals,' the hosts explore how economic desperation drove Buck to commit this crime, his laughably incompetent execution, and the surprisingly lighthearted trial that followed. Despite the trauma, Peggy went on to live a remarkable life, though she rarely spoke of the ordeal.
Kenneth Buck: From Petty Theft to Kidnapping
Kenneth Buck grew up in Harwich, Massachusetts, becoming the family provider at age 12 after his father's death. While he tried legitimate work as a mechanic's assistant and chauffeur, he consistently struggled financially and supplemented his income through petty theft and bootlegging. Despite having a criminal side, including being a "window peeker," he was surprisingly well-liked in his small town and even nearly won election as constable. His inability to save money due to traffic tickets and other expenses would eventually lead him down a darker path.
- Kenneth Buck's father died when he was 12, forcing him to become the family provider for his mother and four siblings
- He had an arrest at age 16 for being an accessory before the larceny of an automobile tire, which scared him straight temporarily
- Kenneth was a confirmed window peeper who had a .45 fired at him by a neighbor who caught him
- He ran for constable and almost won despite his criminal activities
- Kenneth never allowed another car to pass him on the road, earning numerous traffic tickets that wiped out his savings
" Kenneth is so wrapped up in his love of his little boy that it furnished and added amazement that he could be so heartless as to steal Peggy McMath. "
The Great Depression Context and Kidnapping Epidemic
By the early 1930s, kidnapping had become a trending crime in America as the Great Depression left millions desperate for money. The phenomenon was so prevalent that newspapers ran regular features on kidnappings, treating them like routine events alongside births and weddings. Just a year before this case, the Lindbergh baby kidnapping had shocked the nation, proving that even wealthy families weren't safe from this crime wave.
- The New York Times published a regular feature called 'Recent Kidnappings in America'
- Time magazine reported kidnappings alongside births, deaths, and weddings
- The Lindbergh baby kidnapping demanded $50,000 ransom and horrified the nation
" kidnappings happened every day, so it couldn't really be that hard to successfully pull one off. And he didn't plan to hurt anybody. "
📚 17 more sections below
Sign up to unlock the complete summary with all insights, key points, and quotes
Get this summary + all future Morbid episodes in your inbox
100% Free • Unsubscribe Anytime
Sign up now and we'll send you the complete summary of this episode, plus get notified when new Morbid episodes are released—delivered straight to your inbox within minutes.