Solving JFK

In this Recap and Rebuttals Part 18, we turn our full attention to Jack Ruby, the man who silenced Lee Harvey Oswald, and ask two questions the official record never convincingly answered: how deeply was Ruby connected to organized crime, and why did he pull the trigger? Joining me is returning guest Don from the Fourth Reich Archaeology podcast, whose detailed work on the Warren Commission and Jack Ruby is stellar. Together, we synthesize what we’ve learned across Episodes 84 and 85 and stress-test the strongest arguments on all sides. We trace Ruby’s life from his Chicago upbringing and early exposure to the Outfit, through his union work, nightclub ownership in Dallas, and extensive associations with known mob figures tied to Carlos Marcello, Santos Trafficante, and Johnny Roselli. The episode examines Ruby’s gun-running activities, informant roles, unexplained financial support, extraordinary law-enforcement tolerance, and the dramatic spike in long-distance calls and travel just weeks before the assassination. These facts collectively challenge the idea of Ruby as a lone, impulsive actor. Finally, we confront Ruby’s sudden psychological collapse after examination by Dr. Louis Jolyon West, a psychiatrist deeply connected to CIA MK-Ultra programs. We weigh rebuttals from critics, analyze Ruby’s own recorded statements about “powerful people,” and discuss whether his killing of Oswald was spontaneous or planned. The result is a sober, evidence-driven assessment that leaves listeners to decide for themselves—but makes it increasingly difficult to accept the official explanation at face value. Our Sponsors: * Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/JFK * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://thompsoncigar.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this 17th edition of Recap & Rebuttals, we take a comprehensive look back at the five-part Mafia series (Episodes 79–83) to assess what the historical record really tells us about organized crime’s potential role in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Joined by internationally bestselling author, television producer, and former Gambino crime family associate Lou Ferrante, we revisit the rise of the American Mafia, its clashes with the Kennedy brothers, and the high-stakes world of mob power, politics, and intelligence operations. Together, we explore pivotal moments and figures including the Apalachin raid, the McClellan Committee, CIA-Mafia plots to assassinate Fidel Castro, and the tangled relationships involving Sam Giancana, Johnny Roselli, Santos Trafficante, Carlos Marcello, and Jimmy Hoffa. We also examine competing claims about foreknowledge and motive, the limits of official investigations like the HSCA, and why certain mob figures remain on the suspect board while others can likely be ruled out. Our Sponsors: * Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/JFK * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://thompsoncigar.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Journalist Dorothy Kilgallen was one of the earliest and most prominent national reporters to challenge the official story of the JFK assassination. Best known to the public from What’s My Line?, she was also a respected investigative journalist who covered major cases, interviewed Jack Ruby, and published columns openly criticizing the Warren Commission. In 1965, while actively pursuing new leads, she was found dead under disputed circumstances—and her JFK research file vanished. In this bonus episode, Matt is joined by Sara Jordan Heintz, author of The Incredible Life & Mysterious Death of Dorothy Kilgallen, and her father, Larry Jordan, a longtime JFK researcher and the only journalist to develop a candid, years-long rapport with person of interest in the Kilgallen murder, Ron Pataky. Together, they discuss Dorothy’s reporting, the evidence she uncovered, Larry’s firsthand conversations with Pataky, and why they believe Kilgallen died. Patreon - Patreon.com/solvingJFK Twitter - https://twitter.com/solvingjfk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solvingjfk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solvingjfkpodcast Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@solvingjfk Transcripts and Sources - https://www.solvingjfkpodcast.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/JFK * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://thompsoncigar.com * Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/jfk Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Programming Note: A new video-only episode—20 Dallas JFK Landmarks—is now live on YouTube as of December 3rd at 4pm Eastern. It includes a tour of Dealey Plaza, the Paine House, General Walker’s home, and other rarely visited JFK-related locations. Click Here To Watch the Video Upcoming episodes in the regular feed: December 10December 14Zooming OutDecember 17December 24 Solving JFK merchandise is available at SolvingJFKPodcast.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/JFK * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://thompsoncigar.com * Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/jfk Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In the last episode, we rewound Jack Ruby’s life long before the basement of the Dallas Police Department and found a man deeply entangled with organized crime, Cuban gun-running, and people far more powerful than he let on. This episode goes deeper into Ruby’s world and asks how far inside that orbit he really was. We explore Ruby’s stint as an FBI informant, his close relationship with casino manager Lewis McWillie, and the allegation that Ruby visited Mafia boss Santos Trafficante in prison. We also look at Ruby’s ties to Carlos Marcello and analyze the unusual series of long-distance calls he made in the weeks leading up to November 22, 1963. Finally, we turn to one of the strangest chapters in the Ruby story: the involvement of psychiatrist Dr. Louis Jolyon West — a figure whose role feels stranger than fiction. Our Sponsors: * Check out Hims: https://hims.com/JFK * Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/JFK * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://thompsoncigar.com * Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/jfk Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

When Jack Ruby stepped out of a crowd in the basement of the Dallas Police Department and fired a single bullet into Lee Harvey Oswald, the nation lost its best chance to learn what Oswald might have revealed about the Kennedy assassination. In Episode 26, we covered the strange events of that weekend in November 1963, from Ruby’s mysterious money transfer to the conflicting stories about how he gained access to Oswald. In this episode, we go deeper. Who was Jack Ruby? How did a Chicago-born hustler with mob ties end up silencing the most important suspect in modern American history? We trace Ruby’s journey from his early days working for Al Capone, to his years in Dallas running nightclubs and crossing paths with underworld figures, corrupt lawmen, and political operatives. Was Ruby acting on impulse or under orders? We explore his alleged role as a mob-connected union enforcer, his possible ties to gun-running operations with anti-Castro Cubans, and whether he was “the Chicago Outfit’s man in Dallas.” This is the first of a two-part deep dive into Jack Ruby’s background, relationships, and activities — and how his underworld connections may finally help explain why Lee Harvey Oswald never made it to trial. Patreon - Patreon.com/solvingJFK Twitter - https://twitter.com/solvingjfk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solvingjfk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solvingjfkpodcast Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@solvingjfk Transcripts and Sources - https://www.solvingjfkpodcast.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Hims: https://hims.com/JFK * Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/JFK * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://thompsoncigar.com * Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/jfk Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Was New Orleans mob boss Carlos Marcello the man who ordered the hit on President John F. Kennedy? In this episode, we trace Marcello’s rise from small-time Louisiana gangster to one of the most powerful bosses in America, controlling billion-dollar gambling, racing, and casino operations, and maintaining close ties to figures like Santos Trafficante and Lyndon Johnson. We examine Marcello’s deportation by Robert Kennedy, his alleged revenge plot, and multiple reported confessions tying him to the assassination. You’ll also hear about Lee Harvey Oswald’s uncle Dutz Murret and his verified work for Marcello’s bookmaking network, as well as how Oswald himself lived amid Marcello-connected underworld hubs in New Orleans. Did Marcello use the Murrets, or others in his Dallas network, to reach Oswald? From the CIA-Mafia plots against Castro to the classified CAMTEX prison recordings, we pull together the evidence surrounding Marcello’s possible role in the crime of the century. Our Sponsors: * Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/JFK * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://thompsoncigar.com * Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/jfk Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of Solving JFK, we continue our deep dive into organized crime’s potential connection to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Picking up where we left off, we examine the lives and activities of Johnny Roselli and Santos Trafficante—two of the most powerful mob figures with ties to both the CIA and anti-Castro operations. From Roselli’s role as a liaison between the CIA and the mafia, to Trafficante’s empire stretching from Tampa to Havana, the web of connections between organized crime, intelligence agencies, and political intrigue only grows more tangled. You’ll hear about Roselli’s mysterious murder, Trafficante’s alleged involvement, and an explosive claim about Trafficante made by attorney Daniel Sheehan. Our Sponsors: * Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/JFK * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://thompsoncigar.com * Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/jfk Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Did the mafia have a hand in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy? In this episode, we examine the explosive relationship between the Kennedy Administration and organized crime — and the mob bosses who had the motive, means, and opportunity to strike back. Robert Kennedy’s war on the mob ramped up federal prosecutions and surveillance like never before, enraging mafia leaders across the country. We’ll look at how FBI wiretaps captured mobsters talking openly about killing both Kennedys — and what the House Select Committee on Assassinations ultimately concluded about mafia involvement. Then, we dive into the lives and connections of three key figures potentially linked to the JFK Assassination, including Jimmy HoffaMeyer LanskySam GiancanaFrom wiretaps to mob meetings, this episode unpacks how deep the hatred ran — and whether it was enough to lead to murder. 👉 Next episode: Mafia (Part 4) – Johnny Roselli & Santo Trafficante Patreon - Patreon.com/solvingJFK Twitter - https://twitter.com/solvingjfk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solvingjfk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solvingjfkpodcast Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@solvingjfk Transcripts and Sources - https://www.solvingjfkpodcast.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://thompsoncigar.com * Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/jfk Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode, we look at what the Church Committee had to say about the CIA’s efforts to assassinate Cuban Revolutionary leader Fidel Castro in partnership with the Mafia through cut-out Robert Maheu. Patreon - Patreon.com/solvingJFK Twitter - https://twitter.com/solvingjfk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solvingjfk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solvingjfkpodcast Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@solvingjfk Transcripts and Sources - https://www.solvingjfkpodcast.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/JFK * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://thompsoncigar.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode, we look at a brief history of the mafia leading up to 1963, including the Apalachin, New York meeting, the McClellan Committee, and whether the Chicago mob played a part in the Kennedy-Johnson ticket winning the election in 1960. Patreon - Patreon.com/solvingJFK Twitter - https://twitter.com/solvingjfk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solvingjfk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solvingjfkpodcast Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@solvingjfk Transcripts and Sources - https://www.solvingjfkpodcast.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://thompsoncigar.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode, we’ll get an update on the state of the JFK Records, talk about the McCone Rowley memo that keeps coming up, and go over some thoughts on LBJ and more. We are joined by distinguished author and screenwriter of Oliver Stone’s Destiny Betrayed, Jim DiEugenio, as well as Canadian attorney, national archives explorer, and JFK records act expert Andrew Iler, and attorney and JFK Records expert, Mark Adamczyk. Patreon - Patreon.com/solvingJFK Twitter - https://twitter.com/solvingjfk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solvingjfk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solvingjfkpodcast Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@solvingjfk Transcripts and Sources - https://www.solvingjfkpodcast.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: www.thompsoncigar.com/JFK Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this bonus episode we are joined by Robert Groden - the man who famously took a copy of the Zapruder film to show the world, which he did on Good Night America with Geraldo Rivera, and Groden's associate in the plan to expose the Zapruder film to the world: Dick Gregory. Robert and I talk about his decision to bring the Zapruder film to light, his work on the Rockefeller Commission and HSCA, as well as his take on the authenticity of the now-available Zapruder film. You can order a book from Robert Groden by contacting janetclair29@gmail.com. Patreon - Patreon.com/solvingJFK Twitter - https://twitter.com/solvingjfk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solvingjfk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solvingjfkpodcast Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@solvingjfk Transcripts and Sources - https://www.solvingjfkpodcast.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: www.thompsoncigar.com/JFK Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We are joined today by one of the most public faces of the effort to disclose JFK Assassination records, and long-time expert on the case, Jefferson Morley. If you don’t know Jefferson Morley, you probably have not been following the assassination very closely. He worked as a writer for the New Republic and later for the Washington Post. He has also written for Salon and The Intercept. He is currently on the board of the Mary Ferrell Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving and obtaining all of the JFK Assassination records. On top of those achievements, Morley has been very involved with Representative Luna’s House Committee Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets. We’ll cover many topics in a wide ranging discussion with Jefferson Morley. Show Note: There are a few instances of zoom lag in the first half of the episode, but it's not too bad. Patreon - Patreon.com/solvingJFK Twitter - https://twitter.com/solvingjfk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solvingjfk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solvingjfkpodcast Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@solvingjfk Transcripts and Sources - https://www.solvingjfkpodcast.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: www.thompsoncigar.com/JFK Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We are joined by Jeff Crudele to talk through the various controversies within the study of Lyndon B. Johnson as related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, including LBJ's start in politics, the stolen 1948 election, Bobby Baker, Billie Sol Estes, Henry Marshall, Mac Wallace, Cliff Carter, and many more. We try to answer the big question: Was LBJ involved in the assassination of President Kennedy? Our Sponsors: * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: www.thompsoncigar.com/JFK Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We have devoted the past 8 episodes to studying the life of Lyndon Johnson, with an eye towards whether he had any involvement in the assassination of his predecessor, President John F. Kennedy. In this episode, we review all of the remaining claims against Johnson that we have not yet addressed, and then summarize what we know about Lyndon B. Johnson’s role in the assassination of President Kennedy. Patreon - Patreon.com/solvingJFK Twitter - https://twitter.com/solvingjfk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solvingjfk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solvingjfkpodcast Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@solvingjfk Transcripts and Sources - https://www.solvingjfkpodcast.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: www.thompsoncigar.com/JFK Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this 8 episode of the series, we continue our analysis of Lyndon Johnson by looking at Johnson’s order to his pilots to fly his plane in bad weather, the likelihood that Johnson would have been removed from the 1964 presidential ticket if JFK had lived, Madeleine Brown’s claim about the alleged party at the Murchison home the night before the assassination, and Barr McClellan’s assertion that Johnson’s attorney, Ed Clark, was a central figure in the assassination. Patreon - Patreon.com/solvingJFK Twitter - https://twitter.com/solvingjfk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solvingjfk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solvingjfkpodcast Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@solvingjfk Transcripts and Sources - https://www.solvingjfkpodcast.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: www.thompsoncigar.com/JFK Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Texas oil boom of the early 20 century created fortunes for a few enterprising individuals, who would go on to become powerful figures in the business world. Some of those men also exercised their influence in the political realm. And since we’re talking about Texas, the wealthiest oil men all knew Lyndon Johnson. In this episode, we’ll explore the careers and relationships of H.L. Hunt, D.H. Byrd, Sid Richardson, and Clint Murchison. Did these Texas oil tycoons have a reason to want to get rid of President Kennedy? And, more importantly, if they did want JFK out of office, did they take any actions to accomplish that objective? Patreon - Patreon.com/solvingJFK Twitter - https://twitter.com/solvingjfk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solvingjfk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solvingjfkpodcast Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@solvingjfk Transcripts and Sources - https://www.solvingjfkpodcast.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://thompsoncigar.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode, we analyze the two strongest arguments that Mac Wallace was involved in the murder of President Kennedy at the behest of the Vice President. We look at the alleged Mac Wallace fingerprint found on the Sixth Floor of the Texas Schoolbook Depository Building and the recently released Billie Sol Estes tape that appears to incriminate Mac Wallace and Lyndon Johnson. Patreon - Patreon.com/solvingJFK Twitter - https://twitter.com/solvingjfk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solvingjfk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solvingjfkpodcast Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@solvingjfk Transcripts and Sources - https://www.solvingjfkpodcast.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com * Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://thompsoncigar.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

One of the primary questions in the study of the JFK Assassination is whether Lyndon Johnson was involved as a plotter. This question has become a wedge issue among the critical research community. For those who say Johnson is behind President Kennedy’s assassination, what usually follows is evidence related to Malcolm Wallace – a mysterious man who, without a doubt knew Lyndon Johnson and worked with him on occasion. Proponents of the LBJ did it theory rely on testimony from Billie Sol Estes about Wallace being LBJ’s hitman, a fingerprint that allegedly matches Wallace’s, and a showstopping tape recording with what sounds like a confession from Cliff Carter about Mac Wallace’s involvement. We’ll get to the fingerprint and the tape in the next episode. In this episode, we cover Billie Sol Estes 1984 grand jury testimony, the alleged LBJ kill list, the background of Mac Wallace, and Wallace’s alleged involvement in the murder of USDA official, Henry Marshall. Patreon - Patreon.com/solvingJFK Twitter - https://twitter.com/solvingjfk Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solvingjfk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solvingjfkpodcast Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@solvingjfk Transcripts and Sources - https://www.solvingjfkpodcast.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Mood and use my code JFK for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy