Posts
The historic Old Spanish mine was located and prospected by local miners before, the year 1894, and was once a lucrative producer of gold in the boundaries of the Lower Springs Mining District, near Redding, California, which was later subdivided into a local neighborhood with modern homes. Its adits and winzes were also plugged for safety reasons at that time as well. However, its history can still be documented, and this former mining property is where Shasta County authorities removed the remains of Mrs. Ruth (Bedford) Rhoades-Knight who went missing from Marysville, California, in 1945, eighty-one years ago. Mrs. Knight's gruesome murder occurred at the Old Spanish mine, and her body was dumped into a 60-foot winze of this mine by her husband, Louis Barney Knight. For those of you who are true crime fans I hope you enjoy this episode of Exploring Shasta County history as I trace the life and chilling murder of Mrs. Ruth (Bedford) Rhoades-Knight whose tragic story has become forgotten over the years. She is buried in the Anderson District Cemetery in Anderson, California. For more information click the YouTube link below, please watch, like, comment, share and subscribe to my YouTube channel.
RESOURCES:
1900 U.S. Census
1910 U.S. Census
1920 U.S. Census
1930 U.S. Census
1940 U.S. Census
Woman's Body Found in Mine is Identified - The Sacramento Union newspaper of Sacramento, July 21, 1946
Hubby Held In Mine Death - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 22, 1946
California Authorities Enroute to Return 1st Degree Murder Suspect - The Daily Herald newspaper of Provo, Utah, July 23, 1946
Man Will Face Slaying Probe - The Albuquerque Tribune newspaper of Albuquerque, New Mexico, July 23, 1946
The Deseret News newspaper of Salt Lake City, Utah, July 23, 1946
Knight Waves Extradition in Shasta Slaying - The Sacramento Bee newspaper of Sacramento, July 24, 1946
Slain Woman's Husband Held on Murder Charge - The Chico Record newspaper of Chico, July 24, 1946
Knight Agrees to Face Wife’s Death Inquiry - The Albuquerque Journal newspaper of Albuquerque, New Mexico, July 25, 1946
Man Held in Utah for Shasta Death - The Salinas Californian newspaper of Salinas - July 25, 1946
Knight Waves Extradition in Mine Slaying - The Sacramento Union newspaper of Sacramento, July 25, 1946
Knight Declares That Wife Killed Self - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, July 25, 1946
The Almost Perfect Crime - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 25, 1946
Suspect Admits Striking Wife With Hatchet Officers Say - The Salt Lake Tribune newspaper of Salt Lake City, Utah, July 25, 1946
Mine Murder Count Names Louis Knight - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 25, 1946
Knight is Taken to Murder Scene at Shasta Mine - The Sacramento Bee newspaper of Sacramento, July 26, 1946
Knight Craves Water; Has Sheriff Shake Rain Water Onto His Face - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 26, 1946
Knight Declares Wife Suicide - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 26, 1946
Knight to Stand Murder Trial - The Sacramento Bee newspaper of Sacramento, July 26, 1946
Officer Studies Knight Murder Car - The Daily Herald newspaper of Provo, Utah, July 26, 1946
Knight's Story Unchanged at Murder Scene - The Sacramento Union newspaper of Sacramento, July 27, 1946
Coroner's Jury Indicts Knight - The Sacramento Union newspaper of Sacramento, July 29, 1946
Knight is Held Responsible for Death of Wife - The Sacramento Bee newspaper of Sacramento, July 29, 1946
Jury Names Knight As Slayer - the Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 29, 1946
Knight May Get Hearing Tomorrow - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 30, 1946
Knight Sticks to Same Story - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 31, 1946
Knight Confesses Slaying - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, August 1, 1946
Knight Arraignment Continued; Toung-Slip Helped Break Case - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, August 2, 1946
Delay is Granted Confessed Wife Slaying for Plea - The Sacramento Bee newspaper of Sacramento, August 2, 1946
Knight Admits Wife Murder - The Sacramento Union newspaper of Sacramento, August 2, 1946
Knight Given Delay Before Making Plea - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, August 3, 1946
Slip of Tongue Brings Confession in Knight Case - The Chico Record newspaper of Chico, August 4, 1946
Knight Arraignment Continued; Tongue Slip Helped Case - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, August 8, 1946
Knight Given Postponement- The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, August 13, 1946
The Daily Herald newspaper of Provo, Utah, August 14, 1946
Body of Former El Dorado Woman Discovered in Mine - The El Dorado Springs Sun newspaper of El Dorado Springs, Missouri, August 15, 1946
Knight Guilty; Goes to Prison - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 3, 1946
Knight Pleads Guilty to Wife Slaying Charge - The Sacramento Bee newspaper of Sacramento, September 4, 1946
Louis Knight Gets Five Year to Life for Murder of Wife - The Daily Herald newspaper of Provo, Utah, September 5, 1946
Knight Sentenced in Wife Slaying - The Albuquerque Journal newspaper of New Mexico, September 5, 1946
Engineer Captured at Provo, Draws Sentence in Killing - The Salt Lake Tribune newspaper of Salt Lake City, Utah, September 5, 1946
Wife Slayer Seeks Parole - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, February 12, 1948
North State Felons - The Sacramento Bee newspaper of Sacramento, March 30, 1948
California, U.S., Prison and Correctional Records, 1851-1950 for Louis Knight