Dateline NBC

The Thing About Helen & Olga - Ep. 6: The Bottom Line

February 9, 2026·38 min·3-min readnarrativetrue crime
Podzilla Summary (3 min)
PREMISE
The podcast episode details the chilling true crime story of Helen Golay and Olga Rudder-Schmidt, two elderly women from Los Angeles dubbed the 'Black Widows' by the media. The story centers on their elaborate scheme to profit from the lives — and ultimately the deaths — of homeless me

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Mentions

Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.

People

Helen GolayOlga Rudder-SchmidtBobby GraceTruc DoRoger DiamondEd WebsterSam MayroseJimmy CovingtonKenneth McDavidPaul VadisFred Downey

Topics

Cold CasesCriminal JusticeForensicsFraudInvestigative JournalismSerial KillersTrue CrimeWrongful Convictions

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