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Delphine Downing

Death by Force
Case Description
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Delphine Downing, a 28-year-old widow, met a tragic end on February 26, 1949. She was a Caucasian woman living in a suburb of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her death was a result of a sinister plot orchestrated by Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck, infamously known as the 'Lonely Hearts Killers.' The couple, who met their victims through personal ads in newspapers, targeted Downing and her 2-year-old daughter. Fernandez gave Downing sleeping pills, rendering her unconscious. When she became upset, Fer ...Read More
Links to Additional Sources (8)
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  • Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck - Wikipedia
  • People v. Fernandez, 301 N.Y. 302 | Casetext Search + Citator
    •     ...View 6 additional sources
    Victim Details

    Delphine Downing

    Female

    White / Caucasian

    Grand Rapids

    MI

    1949-02-26

    28

    Delphine

    Downing

    11/06/2025

    Forum Posts (3)
    I was reading up on this case again and something that stood out to me is how easily these two manip... ...Read More
    06/06/2024
    I’ve been really interested in the background of how Fernandez and Beck targeted their victims, es... ...Read More
    08/05/2023
    I've been reading about the tragic case of Delphine Downing and her little daughter, and one thing t... ...Read More
    07/17/2023
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