For years, Gone South has been a podcast about crime in the American South. But in Season 5, we’re widening the lens.
Through deeply reported, narrative-driven stories—and conversations with journalists, historians, musicians, and people who’ve lived these stories firsthand—we’re digging into the myths, scandals, and power structures that still shape the South… and, in many ways, the country itself.
From re-examining the cultural meaning of the Alamo to tracing the family history of Alex Murda
A unaccredited private school in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana became a national sensation when its students began landing acceptances at Harvard, Stanford, and other Ivy League universities. The viral videos were inspiring. The story seemed almost too go
Patterson Hood grew up in Florence, Alabama — a deeply conservative, Bible Belt town where his father was quietly making history. David Hood was a session bassist for the Muscle Shoals rhythm section, recording with Aretha Franklin, the Rolling Stone
Before the Civil Rights Movement's major victories of the 1960s, a pro wrestler named Sputnik Monroe was already integrating Memphis, Tennessee one arena at a time. Born Roscoe Brumbaugh in Dodge City, Kansas, Monroe became one of the most beloved fi
After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was a city of wreckage, rumors, and strange things washing up where they didn’t belong. When transplant Skip Henderson buys a battered table lamp at a post-storm rummage sale, along with a set of drums and an Alle
New Orleans is no stranger to political scandal, but the federal case against Mayor LaToya Cantrell isn’t a classic bribes-and-kickbacks story. It’s a story about a relationship, power, and the alleged misuse of public resources.
Murder at the U follows the murder of Bryan Pata, senior defensive tackle for the University of Miami. More than a decade later, with Bryan’s family desperately searching for answers, the case found its way to a team of ESPN reporters. Now, a suspect
In 2012, historian Karen Cox is digging through the Mississippi State Archives when an archivist tells her, “If you want to know about Natchez, you need to look at Goat Castle.” Cox expects a ghost story. What she finds is stranger and darker: a 1932
At a 2024 House Judiciary oversight hearing, an exchange about racially motivated violence goes viral after FBI chief Kash Patel appears to stumble over a question about the 2015 Charleston church massacre. The moment sparks a grim question: how does
On September 9, 2023, a road-rage encounter in South Carolina turns into a nine-mile chase and ends with 33-year-old Scott Spivey dead on a rural back road. Police quickly call it self-defense under Stand Your Ground.
Wall Street Journal reporter Valerie Bauerlein, who covered the Alex Murdaugh murder trial gavel to gavel, explains why the most revealing part of the Murdaugh saga isn’t Alex at all. It’s the 100-year legal dynasty that made him possible.
Nearly six decades after Pauline Pusser’s murder, Tennessee investigators finally reveal what really happened. The TBI’s new findings suggest Walking Tall sheriff Buford Pusser staged the ambush that made him famous — and may have killed his wife. Ho
In 1967, Sheriff Buford Pusser said gunmen ambushed his car, killing his wife Pauline and inspiring the Walking Tall legend. Nearly six decades later, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation exhumed Pauline’s body after learning no autopsy was ever don
After a federal witness is gunned down on his mother‘s doorstep, investigators began unraveling a murder conspiracy at the heart of operation sideswipe. In this episode, Reporter Mike Perlstein walks us through a dramatic bond hearing and the shockin
Dozens of fake car crashes. Millions in bogus injury claims. And a murder that stunned federal investigators. This episode tells the story of ‘Operation Sideswipe’, the federal probe that uncovered a widespread fraud ring operating on Louisiana highw
In Part 2, Greg Leon faces trial for the Valentine’s Day shooting. As new attorneys take over, and witness tampering allegations surface, a once-sympathetic defendant watches his case - and his fate - slip out of his hands.
Greg Leon, a prominent Mexican restaurant owner in South Carolina, became a federal informant in a local corruption probe. This episode traces his rise, his ties to law enforcement, and the events that unfolded after he discovered his wife with anoth
10 inmates escape from Orleans Parish Prison, located in the heart New Orleans. At the time this episode was released, two are still at large, and one has taken to social media to plead his innocence.
Dick Harpootlian has defended and prosecuted some of South Carolina’s most high-profile cases. But none left a deeper mark than the murder trial of serial killer PeeWee Gaskins. From prison phone taps to a homemade bomb, Harpootlian recounts the case
When corrupt New Orleans cop Len Davis tried to reject a presidential commutation, his longtime attorney Pat Fanning wasn’t surprised. In this episode, Fanning recalls their unlikely relationship, how he came to defend a man already on Death Row, and
When valuable sculptures begin disappearing from iconic New Orleans cemeteries, a rookie detective is put on the case. His investigation would uncover a bizarre underworld of heroin addicts and antique dealers.
After acquiring secretly recorded audio of Felix Vail, Jerry Mitchell approaches a Louisiana prosecutor named Hugo Holland who takes on the case. Hugo makes additional breakthroughs in the investigation, and nearly 51 years after his first wife's dea
After discovering a shocking audio interview with Felix Vail's son, reporter Jerry Mitchell publishes his story detailing mutliple alleged murders. The case stalls -- until a reader in Texas contacts Jerry Mitchell with a plan to approach Felix in pe
When Annette Craver Vail vanished on a cross country trip with her much older husband Felix, her mother feared the worst. But what began as a desperate search for her daughter slowly uncovered a troubling pattern - two other women close to the same m
In Part 2, Dickie Lynn and Ricou DeShaw’s smuggling operation grows more ambitious and more dangerous. As one partner walks away, the other goes all in, leading to prison time, an escape, and a years-long fight for freedom.
Dickie Lynne and Ricou DeShaw are best friends, spending their youth navigating the labyrinthine creeks and waterways of the Florida Keys. But as both men struggle to find their way in life, the opportunity to smuggle drugs becomes irresistible.
In the third and final part of “Finding Angie,” the person who may hold the key to the case is suddenly free. Will he finally talk - or will the truth about Angie’s disappearance remain buried forever?
With the search for Angie at a standstill, the arrival of paralegal Mary Jane Marcantel injects a much-needed boost. As she digs into Joey Smith’s past, she uncovers fraud, fear, and a disturbing pattern of violence, leading to a break the family nev
A man is caught sneaking into Nashville’s new $200 million jail and stealing keys. But when investigators search the facility, they uncover something far more disturbing - hidden weapons, secret caches, and a plan no one saw coming. What was really g
A new, state of the art prison is nearing completion in downtown Nashville. But just as the prison is about to open, a set of keys goes missing. And they were taken for a reason.
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The investigation of Scott Rogers comes to a shocking conclusion, leading to a reckoning in the Baton Rouge community, and closure for Rogers's victims.
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Rannah and Mary Jane take their case to a federal prosecutor, enlisting a low-profile investigator and survivors to expose Scott Rogers’s past. As they gather evidence, a shocking discovery raises the stakes.
In Part 1 of this three-part story, Baton Rouge PR consultant Rannah Grey receives an anonymous email with shocking details about a local celebrity. Nervous about tipping off the suspect, she teams up with an unconventional investigator and begins bu
Dean Ripa painted with Salvador Dali, sung with Tommy Dorsey's Orchestra, and bonded with William Burroughs. But his true passion was collecting, handling, and studying the world's most venemous snakes. Ripa's Seprentarium in Wilmington, North Caroli
After dismantling a major drug operation in New Orleans, DEA Agent Skip Sewell turns his attention to an elusive cartel boss whose unconventional background defies expectations.
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Mobile, Alabama’s biggest cold case reopens when Jim Barber, a police officer and adjunct professor, re-examines the 1980 murder of college freshman Katherine Foster.
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A promising you tech entrepreneur arrives in Opelika, Alabama, promising to make it, "The Silicon Valley of The South." And that was a hard promise to keep.
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As a Louisiana defense attorney, Pat Fanning thought he'd seen it all. That was until Harold "H" Landry, who shot the husband of a woman he'd been sleeping with, walked into his office claiming he'd done absolutely nothing wrong. H's trial came to a
A recent New Orleans resident becomes immersed in the city's LBGTQ history. But his commitment rises to a whole new level when he makes inroads on an obscure cold case known as "The Hammer Murders.”
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New evidence emerges that casts doubt on the legend of Buford Pusser. The story behind the ambush that killed his wife, Pauline, may not be what it seems. As buried secrets surface, Mike Elam's discoveries may finally force the truth out of the shado
Buford Pusser is an iconic American law enforcement figure. The film series "Walking Tall," most recently starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, is based on Pusser's life as a cop. But recent revelations are turning Pusser's legacy on its head.
A promising math and science student at the University of Georgia has an interesting side gig. He runs a hedge fund for his fraternity brothers which rakes in massive returns. But with the reward comes a massive risk.
As Reconstruciton-era politics in New Orleans empowers blacks and angers ex-confederates, an Afro-Creole Detective named Jean-Baptiste Jourdain sets out to solve the kidnapping of a white baby.
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True-crime author Diane Fanning stumbles upon the case of Julie Rea, convicted of murdering her son. As she uncovers flaws in the prosecution’s argument, Fanning interviews a serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells. With new evidence in hand, she wonders if h
The point of view switches from Batman to Darryl Smith. Darryl gives us his side of the story and explains how one goes from being a promising young med student to a prolific meth manufacturer.
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DEA Agent Steve Peterson, nickname "Batman," hunts down a prolific meth manufacturer in Atlanta. But as he closes in on his prey, Steve is stunned by the meth maker's identity. This is the real life "Breaking Bad."
When Jimmy Cox arrived at the Lousiana State Penetentiary (AKA "Angola") to serve two life sentences, he had one goal in mind: escape. And that's exactly what he did. But while escaping Angola was impressive, escaping his own past would prove a great
Many who knew Ortiz were shocked to hear about his crimes. Had this seemingly kind family man always had a dark side, or did something turn him into a killer? As those involved in the case would discover, the answer isn’t so simple.
As disconcerting details about Ortiz’s life stack up in the interrogation room, the investigators know they have the right guy. But after he confesses, they quickly learn just how much they didn’t know.
After escaping a man named David, Erika Peña leads the cops to the man’s house where they find a troubling scene. Troopers attempt to arrest David on the other side of town, but he bolts and a frantic foot chase ensues.
The investigation takes to the streets of Laredo, where peers of the victim suggest possible suspects and motives.
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After discovering a woman’s body on a desolate road on the outskirts of Laredo, the police come to a chilling revelation: the killer they’re looking for may be one of the people working on the case.
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After years of denial, Biloxi strip club owner Mike Gillich agrees to help the government solve the Sherry murders. His cooperation reveals the true trigger man and the people responsible for the killings, including former Biloxi Mayor, Pete Halat. B
To build a case against a Kirksey Nix and his collaborators, Agent Keith Bell and Captain Randy Cook descend into the criminal underworld. A trial results in convictions, but the Sherry murders have yet to be solved.
In the wake of inmate Bobby Joe Fabian’s stunning allegations, Pete Halat and Kirksey Nix strongly deny their involvement in the murders. But a new sheriff’s investigator suspects they know more than they’re letting on.
After trying to solve the case herself, the Sherry's oldest daughter hires a notorious Mississippi private eye named Rex Armistead. His connection to an Angola inmate and Dixie Mafia killer soon breaks the case wide open.
FBI agent Keith Bell discovers a link between the murders and a Biloxi strip club owner. But a bizarre prison scam conducted by Kirksey Nix may have even bigger implications.
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While many believe Margaret Sherry was targeted for political reasons, Biloxi police suspect the killer was one of Vince’s disgruntled clients. But as missteps in the investigation pile up, the Sherry family wonders: Were the cops somehow involved?
Kirksey Nix, the supposed leader of the Dixie Mafia, has been described as a psychopathic killer. Jed connects with Kirksey in prison in an effort to set the record straight.
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While investigating the death of Margaret Coon for Season One, Jed learns about a notorious gang of criminals that terrorized the South in the 1960s and 70s.
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As investigators dig up information on a new suspect, they uncover a baffling series of events that occurred in a condo across the street from where Margaret’s body was found.
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Margaret's homicide case lands in the lap of a decorated ex-DEA agent, leading him down the same path as previous investigators. But a bizarre incident involving an infamous Beau Chene resident exposes an overlooked suspect.
Nearly a decade after Margaret's murder, the investigation has gone ice cold. But there was a secret side to Margaret’s life that may hold the key to finding her killer.
If you have tips or information that you’d like to share related to the unsolved
With the sheriff’s investigation at a standstill, Margaret’s father and a rogue private detective take center stage. As a new profile of the killer emerges, they close in on a compelling suspect. If you have tips or information that you’d like to sha
The murder of Margaret Coon conjures memories of St. Tammany's checkered past. As pressure mounts to solve the crime, authorities turn their attention to a disgraced cop and an enigmatic drifter. If you have tips or information that you’d like to sha
Detectives examine the victim's complicated love life and look deeper into her professional history. Margaret defies expectations, becoming a Louisiana trial lawyer in the 1970s. When she’s hired by the DA’s office in St. Tammany, she specializes in
It's a regular day in Beau Chene, an exclusive gated community 35 miles north of New Orleans, Louisiana. At dusk, a prominent ex-prosecutor takes her Afghan hound for a jog on the busiest street in the neighborhood. The next morning, a neighbor disco