In this episode of Friends Who Crime, I’m joined by my friend, Andy, as we dive into the bizarre and unsettling unsolved murder of Donna Doll. In 1970, the quiet college town of DeKalb, Illinois, was rocked by the mysterious death of the NIU student, whose body was found with an eerie and unexplained detail—six pounds of potatoes in her stomach. Was this a crime of passion? A case of poisoning? Or something even stranger? We’ll break down the theories, the suspects, and the lingering questions that still haunt this case 55 years later. And remember- friends don't let friends commit crimes! Follow @friendswhocrime on Instagram!
Trigger warning: This episode includes a brief mention of suicide.
Show Notes:
- DeKalb County Police are still accepting tips on Donna's murder. Call them at 404-294-2911 with any information you may know surrounding the case.
Sources:
- "Murder case remains unsolved." Northern Star. Link
- "Murder by Potatoes: The Curious Case of Donna Doll." The Wicked Truth on Medium. Link
- Donna Susan Doll Memorial. Find A Grave. Link
- "Who was Donna Doll? The college student murdered in 1970 with six pounds of potatoes in her body." We Got This Covered. Link
- r/MyFavoriteMurder discussion on Reddit. Link
- "University Student Found Suffocated to Death in Cornfield." Vocal Media. Link
- The Daily Chronicle (DeKalb, Illinois), October 20, 1970.
- "Bizarre True Crime Stories." Weird Darkness. Link
- "Hold the Starch: Confounding Carbohydrates in the Deaths of Donna Doll and Elizabeth Lightfoot." I Did It For Jodie Archive. Link
