Town file
McHenry, Illinois
McHenry, Illinois (McHenry County, Illinois) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 629, "Killer Cookie Conspiracy" (11 September 2025). In the summer of 1980, two healthy women in one extended family died within twelve days of each other in McHenry County, Illinois, and the deaths were put down to natural causes.
- Town
- McHenry
- County
- McHenry County
- State
- Illinois
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 629
- Approximate location
- 42.336, -88.292
Episode 629 / 11 September 2025 / 180 min / full
Killer Cookie Conspiracy
"Let's go to McHenry, Illinois ... This is in McHenry County." about 0:04:34
The case: Murder of Mary Lambert, Marian Muller and Michael Albanese Sr. (August 1980 to May 1981). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2025
- Population
- 27,237
- Median household income
- $76,858 a year
- Median home value
- $238,000
- Two-bedroom rent
- $1,550 a month
- Cost of living
- 102
- Religious
- 54%
- Property crime
- ▼ about one-third under the national average
- Violent crime
- ▼ about half
History, in brief
- Settlers began arriving in the 1830s and created a settlement where McHenry now stands. about 0:05:34
- George Gage arrived in 1835 and bought a large plot of land west of the Fox River; it became Gagetown and was later called West McHenry. about 0:05:45
- A dam was built in 1851. about 0:05:58
- The count's house was completed in 1860; its most notable owner was Count Oscar Bop von Oberstadt, an Austrian count. about 0:06:03
- The town's motto is the heart of the Fox River; its area codes are 815 and 779. about 0:05:23
The reviews read out
5 stars
"It still has a small town feeling, streets without much traffic, farms and farm animals along the road, nice neighbourhoods, great parks, a good place to raise a family and an outdoor theatre."about 0:06:55
3 stars
"A small town, great for families who enjoy the outdoors and local events, with memories of farmers' markets and fairs."about 0:07:49
3 stars
"Petty theft in the stores, high unemployment, and vandalism that is relatively high because there is a lack of entertainment facilities."about 0:08:19
2 stars
"Spring and summer are beautiful with occasional thunderstorms, but winters are bitter, with cold temperatures and snow making winter horrible."about 0:09:06
2 stars
"No White Castle, not near the ocean, a nineteen-hour drive to Florida, nice neighbourhoods but some to avoid, a nice library and skatepark, an auto shop every five feet, the town will go downhill when they dig the pit, and the police pulled the reviewer over for sitting at a stop sign too long."about 0:09:28
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Woodstock, Illinois7.6 miles
- Spring Grove, Illinois8.3 miles
- Libertyville, Illinois17 miles
- Streamwood, Illinois23 miles
- Arlington Heights, Illinois23 miles
- Elk Grove Village, Illinois27 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.