When three Minnesota game wardens are gunned down in front of multiple witnesses, a small town is split on one pivotal question…could a popular catfish be to blame?
EPISODE VISUALS
Marcus E. Whipps
Source: The Minneapolis Star
Marcus E. Whipps
Source: Find A Grave
Adolph Melvin Holt
Source: Worthington Daily Globe
Adolph Melvin Holt
Source: Find A Grave
Dudley Brady and Adolf Melvin Holt
Worthington Daily Globe
Dudley Brady and Adolf Melvin Holt
Source: The Minneapolis Star
Evidence Photos
Source: The Minneapolis Star
Episode Source Material
- Tragedy on Fish Row, The Waterville Shootings: By James M. Keller. Published 2012. Accessed October 28, 2025. Hard copy only. No direct link.
- Officer Down Memorial Podcast: DNR Murders in Waterville. By Scott Rose. Published March 4, 2022. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via Youtube.
- Times, The Picture Paper: 3 Wardens Slain in Climax of Illegal Fishing Probe. By staff. Published July 13, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- The Minneapolis Star: Waterville Folks Tense and Double Probes Started Into Slaying of Three Wardens. By staff. Published July 13, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- Associated Press via The Duluth News Tribune: Killer Takes His Own Life At Waterville. By staff. Published July 13, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- Associated Press via St. Cloud Times: 3 Game Wardens Slain. By staff. Published July 13, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- The Albert Lea Tribune: Two Lucky Game Wardens. By staff. Published July 13, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- UP News via Moorhead Daily News: Trio of Wardens Slain By Enraged Waterville Fish Market Operator. By staff. Published July 13, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- The Star Tribune: State trying to get complete details of case. By staff. Published July 14, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- The Associated Press via The Minneapolis Star: Witnesses to Slaying and Suicide Heard and ‘Risking Life to Save Job.’ By staff. Published July 14, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- Worthington Daily Globe: Community Honors Slain Game Wardens and Slayings Blow Top off Illicit Fish Shipping. By staff. Published July 15, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- The Minneapolis Star: Triple Killing Lifts Lid on Fishing Probe. By staff. Published July 15, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- Post Bulletin: Warden Slaying Inquiry Continues. By staff. Published July 15, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- Brainerd Dispatch: Hold funeral for slayer of three. Published July 15, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- The Albert Lea Tribune: Fish Inquiry Facts Lost By Slaying. By staff. Published July 16, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- The Minneapolis Star: Itasca County Fishermen Defy State Order. By staff. Published July 16, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- The Minneapolis Star: Arms Request for Wardens Is Advanced. By staff. Published July 17, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- The Ellendale Eagle: Waterville Fish Dealer Slays Three Game Wardens and Kills Self Friday. By staff. Published July 17, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- Times, The Picture Paper: Game Wardens Will Get Uniforms, Arms. By staff. Published July 17, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- The Kiester Courier: Three Game Wardens Slain at Waterville. By staff. Published July 18, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- The Albert Lea Tribune: Memorial Rites for Wardens. By staff. Published July 19, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- The Minneapolis Star: Warden Whipps’ War Record. By staff. Published July 22, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- Worthington Daily Globe: LeSeur County Probes Shooting. By staff. Published July 26, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- The Minneapolis Star: Poacher Trio Linked to Fish Ring in State. By staff. Published July 27, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- Associated Press via St. Cloud Times: Seek Repeal of Bullhead Limit. By staff. Published August 1, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- Worthington Daily Globe: Strunk Eulogizes 3 Slain Wardens. By staff. Published August 5, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- The Associated Press via The Austin Daily Herald: Widows of Wardens Given Compensation. By staff. Published August 7, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- Star Tribune: In Cold Blood. By Doug Smith. Published July 18, 2010. Accessed June 9, 2026. Via newspapers.com.
- The Associated Press via Brainerd Dispatch: Minnesota conservation officers killed in 1940 honored. By staff. Published June 6, 2011. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- The Globe: Memorial to slain game wardens to be dedicated Monday in New Ulm. By Kari Lucin. Published June 11, 2011. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- MeatEater: Bullhead Murders, The Day A Fish Bootlegger Killed 3 Wardens. By Patrick Durkin. Published October 25, 2021. Accessed October 28, 2025.
- Forum Communications Company: Illegal fishing ring resulted in 3 murders in 1940 and Armed Game Wardens in Minnesota. By Kari Lucin. Published September 29, 2022. Via Youtube.
- Times, The Picture Paper: Successor to Slain Warden Arrests Trio. By staff. Published September 19, 1940. Accessed December 26, 2025. Via newspapers.com.
- Minnesota Legislative Reference Library: Conservation Department.
- Find A Grave: Adolph Melvin Holt
- Find A Grave: Dudley Phillip Brady
- Find A Grave: Marcus Emerson Whipps
- Find A Grave: Bryant Grant Baumgardner