12205 Imperial Avenue
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12205 Imperial Avenue
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About this listen
Cleveland, Ohio. October 2009. A foul odor seeps from a modest two-story home in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood. When police finally investigate 12205 Imperial Avenue, they make a discovery that shocks the nation: the bodies of eleven women, decomposing in shallow graves inside the house, buried in the backyard, and hidden in crawlspaces.
The man responsible is Anthony Sowell — a convicted sex offender who had been living freely, undisturbed, for years. His victims were mostly poor, Black women from the surrounding community. Many had been reported missing. Most had been ignored.
As the investigation unfolded, a second horror emerged: the failure of the systems meant to protect them. Reports went unanswered. Warnings were dismissed. The women were forgotten — until it was too late.
This episode retraces the chilling story of the Cleveland Strangler, from the disturbing conditions inside 12205 Imperial Avenue to the trial, the house’s demolition, and the legacy of a city forced to reckon with who it listens to — and who it doesn’t.
📍 Featured Address: 12205 Imperial Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio
⚠️ Content Warning: Graphic descriptions of violence, sexual assault, and the murder of multiple women. Listener discretion strongly advised.