The Woodchipper Murder
Arthur Herzog
A book-length account for readers who want more detail.
1986 · Newtown, Connecticut
Helle & Richard Crafts
The story behind The Woodchipper Murder
Flight attendant Helle Crafts disappeared from Connecticut in 1986, and her husband Richard offered explanations for her absence. Investigators recovered tiny human remains and other evidence connected to a wood chipper. The forensic work showed that she had been killed and her body destroyed. Richard Crafts was convicted of murder.
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The Story
When1986
WhereNewtown, Connecticut
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Forensic Files — The Disappearance of Helle Crafts (1996)
IMDb · TV episode
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Clues — Helle Crafts: The Woodchipper Murder
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An audio option for exploring this case while listening.
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Blogs & Essays
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From the journal
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Blogs & essays
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Outside essays and reading guides reflect their authors’ perspectives. Compare claims with reported and primary sources.
Missing Persons Commentary · Blog / essay
Missing Persons Commentary: Forensic Files Series Premiere - Helle Crafts, Richard Crafts, and Lie-Detector Skepticism
An outside blog or essay discussing Helle & Richard Crafts. Read the author’s analysis alongside the dated reporting and court sources in this case guide. Some publishers require a subscription.
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ontariocoldcase · Substack · Blog / essay
Frozen Betrayal: The Wood Chipper Murder of Helle Crafts
An outside blog or essay discussing Helle & Richard Crafts. Read the author’s analysis alongside the dated reporting and court sources in this case guide. Some publishers require a subscription.
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Books
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Books
1 itemsArthur Herzog
The Woodchipper Murder
A nonfiction account of this case. See the linked edition for publication details and available formats.
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Movies & TV
Movies
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TV & documentaries
1 itemsAbout these sources
Episodes, documentaries and title listings. Season and episode numbers follow the linked catalog and can differ by service. Air dates are separate from crime dates. Playback availability varies by service and region.
IMDb · TV episode
Forensic Files — The Disappearance of Helle Crafts (1996)
IMDb episode reference connected to the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Listed release: 1996. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
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Audiobooks
Listen to a book connected to this story. Each edition below is matched to its author and audiobook source.
Audiobook
The Woodchipper Murder
Unabridged
Audio edition verified at the linked source. The Amazon button is a title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed.
Edition checked 2026-10-12
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Fiction Work
Fiction Work
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No verified fictional adaptation or inspiration has been identified in this collection. Nonfiction coverage is listed in the other media sections.
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Podcasts
Podcasts
15 itemsAbout these sources
Audio episodes and oral histories. Personal recollections are attributed perspectives; some services require sign-in.
ivoox.com
Clues — Helle Crafts: The Woodchipper Murder
Direct episode page for this case or its screen adaptation. Open it for listening options and the publisher’s episode notes.
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Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast
The Murder of Helle Crafts: The Woodchip Murder
Podcast coverage of the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Released January 8, 2019. About 51 minutes.
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Murder With My Husband
5. Helle Crafts - The Wood Chipper Slaughter
Podcast coverage of the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Released May 1, 2020. About 32 minutes.
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The Forensic Files Duo
Helle’s Episode - “The Disappearance of Helle Crafts”
Podcast coverage of the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Released November 23, 2023. About 60 minutes.
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True Crime Brewery
The Disappearance of Helle Crafts
Podcast coverage of the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Released May 7, 2019. About 98 minutes.
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Criminal Discourse Podcast
Helle Crafts The Wood Chipper Murder
Podcast coverage of the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Released May 8, 2023. About 44 minutes.
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Show 9 more podcasts
Forensic Fails: The Forensic Files Recap Podcast
The Disappearance of Helle Crafts (S1 E1)
Podcast coverage of the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Released April 1, 2026. About 69 minutes.
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The Minds of Madness - True Crime Stories
Episode 52 - Helle Crafts
Podcast coverage of the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Released June 23, 2019. About 58 minutes.
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Clues with Morgan Absher and Kaelyn Moore
Helle Crafts: The Woodchipper Murder That Made Connecticut Legal History (ft. Annie Elise)
Podcast coverage of the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Released June 3, 2026. About 81 minutes.
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True Crime Kent
Richard Crafts: The Connecticut Woodchipper Murder
Podcast coverage of the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Released April 29, 2026. About 83 minutes.
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Crime Corner With Jessie Wiseman
123 | Helle Crafts | Body Parts and Crafts
Podcast coverage of the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Released June 4, 2026. About 87 minutes.
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A Trial by Podcast
Ep. 119 | The Murder of Helle Crafts
Podcast coverage of the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Released June 30, 2026. About 99 minutes.
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Crossing the Line with M. William Phelps
The Woodchipper Murder: The Helle and Richard Crafts Case
Podcast coverage of the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Released November 29, 2022. About 43 minutes.
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Till Death Do Us Part Podcast
Richard and Helle Crafts
Podcast coverage of the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Released September 19, 2023. About 63 minutes.
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GRIMM: A True Crime Podcast
Episode 4: The Infamous Murder of Helle Crafts
Podcast coverage of the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Released May 18, 2022. About 94 minutes.
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Social Media
BRING YOUR PERSPECTIVE
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News & Reading
More Reading & Audio
3 sourcesExplore book records, previews, library audiobooks and selected documents. Access labels distinguish free material from library loans and paid subscriptions.
Open Library · Catalog / Availability
The woodchipper murder by Arthur Herzog
Bibliographic record for related reading. Check the edition page for previews, lending and other access options; full text has not been confirmed.
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Google Books · Catalog / Availability
Forensic Files Now
Related book record. Google may offer selected pages or another edition; full-book access is not confirmed.
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Google Books · Catalog / Availability
The Woodchipper Murder
Arthur Herzog. Related reading for Helle & Richard Crafts. Book information and any pages made available by Google Books; this is not a promise of full-text access.
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Reading Access Notes
Search reviewed 2026-09-16. Sources searched: Google Books, Internet Archive, Open Library, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Magazine, The Atavist Magazine, Google Books (case/title search), Scribd, Everand, OverDrive and hoopla (combined title search). Search indexing is incomplete; this is not an exhaustive list of the web. Access can change by edition, country and library membership. Library loans may require sign-in or a wait. Everand titles may need a paid subscription; a trial is not permanent free access. Scribd documents are third-party uploads, with uploader details noted where checked. We link to source pages and write our own descriptions rather than reproducing copyrighted books.
A separate Texas Monthly search was blocked by the publisher’s automated-access rules and could not be verified.
News & reporting
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Newspaper clippings
1 itemsFeatured newspaper clipping
Read our original summary below. The archive link opens the newspaper’s own clipping viewer.
Asbury Park Press · 1990-02-08 · Page 23
A newspaper reviews The Woodchipper Murder
A contemporary book review discusses Arthur Herzog’s account of Helle Crafts’s murder.
Book criticism; contains graphic descriptions.
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Internet Archive
1 itemsAbout these sources
Library records and preserved media. A catalog listing does not guarantee full reading or playback.
Internet Archive · Library record · 1989
The woodchipper murder
Herzog, Arthur. A library catalog record for a book connected with Helle & Richard Crafts. The record may offer a preview or borrowing options; full reading access is not guaranteed.
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Court & Files
Court records & documents
1 itemsAbout these sources
Documents are labeled by type and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. This collection is not the complete case file.
Court opinionArchive copy
State v. Crafts — appeal in Helle Crafts’s murder
The Connecticut Supreme Court reviews Richard Crafts’s conviction, including circumstantial evidence, statements attributed to Helle Crafts, and extensive publicity surrounding the trial.
- Court / agency
- Connecticut Supreme Court
- Document date
- July 6, 1993
- Case / citation
- 13886 · 226 Conn. 237
- Hosted by
- Midpage
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Positive Outcome
Positive Outcome
0 itemsAbout these sources
Documented laws, advocacy and reforms. Listing a change does not claim it is effective or universally supported.
No case-specific reform has been verified for this collection yet.
Social Media
9 itemsAbout these sources
Case-specific posts, videos and communities. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting. Platforms may require sign-in.
FilmRise True Crime
The Disappearance of Helle Crafts | S1 E1 | Forensic Files | FULL EPISODE
Full episode or film as labeled by the publisher from FilmRise True Crime covering the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Length: 22:42.
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Clues Pod with Morgan Absher & Kaelyn Moore
REVISITING: The Wood Chipper Murder Of Helle Crafts
Video from Clues Pod with Morgan Absher & Kaelyn Moore covering the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Length: 13:59.
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FilmRise True Crime
Forensic Files - Season 1, Episode 1 - The Disappearance of Helle Crafts - Full Episode
Full episode or film as labeled by the publisher from FilmRise True Crime covering the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Length: 22:50.
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True Crime Brewery
The Disappearance of Helle Crafts
Video from True Crime Brewery covering the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Length: 1:34:33.
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AMERICA Forensic Files
Forensic Files 2026 💀The Disappearance of Helle Crafts 🆘 True Crime Documentary
Video from AMERICA Forensic Files covering the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Length: 1:53:47.
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Forensic Tales
The Woodchipper Murder: Helle Crafts
Video from Forensic Tales covering the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Length: 34:13.
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OUTLORE with Eleanor Neale
The Body In The Woodchipper
Video from OUTLORE with Eleanor Neale covering the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Length: 57:07.
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Clues Pod with Morgan Absher & Kaelyn Moore and 2 more
She Caught Him Cheating... So He Got Rid of Her (ft. Annie Elise)
Video from Clues Pod with Morgan Absher & Kaelyn Moore and 2 more covering the Helle & Richard Crafts case. Length: 1:20:48.
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TikTok · Creator channel
A Trial by Podcast — TikTok channel
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “Ep. 119 | The Murder of Helle Crafts.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
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