On May 21, 1924, two nifty and wealthy Chicago teenagers attempted to commit the perfect crime. Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb kidnapped 14-year-old Bobby Franks, bludgeoned him to death in a rented car, and then dumped the boy’s body in a distant culvert.
Although they thought their plan was foolproof, Leopold and Loeb made a number of mistakes that led police right to them within only a number of days. The trial, which featured the famous Chicago attorney Clarence Darrow, made headlines and was referred to as "the trial of the century."
Who Were Leopold and Loeb?
Nathan Leopold
Nathan Leopold was an extremely brilliant young adult. He had an IQ of over 200 at the age of only 19, and had already graduated from college and was in law school. However, despite being brilliant, Leopold was very socially awkward and spent a lot of time by himself.
Richard Loeb was also very intelligent, but not to the same calibre as Leopold. Loeb, who had been pushed and guided by a strict governess, had also been sent to college at a young age. However, once there, Loeb did not excel; instead, he gambled and drank. Unlike Leopold, Loeb was considered very attractive and had impeccable social skills.
It was at college that Leopold and Loeb became close friends. Their relationship was both stormy and intimate. Leopold was obsessed with the attractive Loeb. Loeb, on the other hand, liked having a loyal companion on his risky adventures.
The two teenagers, who had become both friends and lovers, soon began committing small acts of theft, vandalism, and arson. Eventually, the two decided to plan and commit the "perfect crime."