Chicago murder plot by Leopold and Loeb

In Chicago, Nathan Leopold Jr. (19) and Richard Loeb (18), two wealthy and highly educated youths, orchestrated a murder to prove they could commit a “perfect crime” without detection.

On May 21, 1924, the pair used a rented car and false identities to lure 14-year-old Robert “Bobby” Franks into their vehicle. Franks, who had a distant family connection to Loeb, was attacked and killed inside the car. The perpetrators then hid the body in a culvert near railroad tracks.

Following the murder, the duo attempted to execute a ransom scheme, demanding $10,000 to return the boy, whom they intended the family to believe was still alive. However, the plan began to unravel when a worker discovered the body on the morning of May 22.