Erica Kelley is a native Tennessean exploring historical and contemporary true crime in the South. Southern charm is attempted but southern sass is bountiful. Join her as she shows you just how southern fried the justice system can be in the Deep South.
The last time anyone saw 49-year-old Emily Anderson was December 29, 2005. As husband, Jerry Anderson was naturally the first suspect. But he seemed to be able to account for his time that day and he passed a polygraph. After an anonymous call, Emily
On September 1, 2016, 52-year-old Rhonda Oakley was due home from a business trip. Only gone one night, she and her husband of less than three years had missed each other. The empty nester and single dad had been inseparable since they met. Rhonda ha
In the dark morning hours of September 11th 1991, in the small town of Jasper Alabama, a couple named Earl and Carrie Lawson were awoken by a fake emergency phone call that lured them out of the house. A masked man was waiting in their carport. Earl
In the wee hours of September 11, 1991, Earl and Carrie Lawson were awoken by an urgent phone call from a woman claiming to be a nurse who said Earl’s father was hospitalized and might not make it through the night. The couple threw on clothes and ru
In May of 1993, 18-year-old student Charlotte Childs was eagerly anticipating her high school graduation in Holly Hill, South Carolina. She was busy attending all sorts of pre-graduation celebrations in the lead-up to the big day, including a get-tog
For nearly a decade, the Wellnitz family murders haunted the small town of Columbia, Kentucky. The tight knit community had no clue why these good people were mercilessly executed in their own home. They were known for their thriving veterinary clini
Parents have to trust caregivers. It’s just a fact of life. Often we feel more comfortable with a family friend than a daycare. That’s what Tiffany and David Shell did for their daughter Annie. They trusted Brandi Giannunzio. She babysat their two yo
After Laura Ackerson lost full custody of her sons, she was heartbroken, but she sprang into action. Within 2 weeks, she got another hearing but she still only got weekends. She had to completely overhaul her life. Within a year, Laura found a great
27-year-old Laura Jean Ackerson had a really tough start in life. The single mother of two worked hard to build her own small support system in Kinston, North Carolina. Her brother and best friend were the only people she really had. After Laura surv
In December of 2003, 23-year-old Bart Whitaker had just finished his finals and was about to graduate from college. That night, he went to dinner to celebrate with his parents, Tricia and Kent, and his younger brother Kevin. As they returned home and
On May 22 1992, Betty Wilson frantically called 911 from her Huntsville, Alabama home. She found her husband, the esteemed Dr. Jack Wilson, in a pool of blood. Someone had bludgeoned and stabbed him to death. Initially, police had no suspects. Until
Late on a Sunday night in September of 2016, Atlanta power couple, Tex and Diane McIver, were driving back into the city and got caught in Atlanta’s notorious traffic. Diane’s best friend was driving as Diane rode in the passenger seat and her husban
Late on a Sunday night in September of 2016, Atlanta power couple, Tex and Diane McIver, were driving back into the city and got caught in Atlanta’s notorious traffic. Diane’s best friend was driving as Diane rode in the passenger seat and her husban
When Officer Keith Turner pulled over a car in Moody, Alabama on June 25, 1998, he thought it was a routine traffic stop. The 29-year-old husband and father had no idea that the men in the car were two escaped convicts, Mario Centobie and Jeremy Gran
In November of 1999, 24-year-old Cherica Adams was eight months pregnant when she and the father of her child, 25-year-old Carolina Panthers wide receiver Rae Carruth, went on a double date. They saw a late-night showing of a serial killer flick at t
25-year-old Shadow McClaine was 39 days from retiring from the US Army. She’d begun her service in 2011 and, now, her contract was up. She was thrilled to go back home, enroll in college, and try her hand at a different career. In 2015, Shadow allege
In July of 1994, 42 year old Dolly Rose Grigsby was reported missing after visiting a shopping mall in Bluefield, West Virginia. Her husband, Dan Grigsby, did everything he could to try to find his missing wife and mother of their two children. The m
In the lead-up to Christmas, 1927, the good citizens of Cisco, Texas, were looking forward to celebrating the holiday with their nearest and dearest. But a group of men who rolled into town on the morning of December 23 from Wichita Falls had differe
20-year-old Barbara Jane Mackle was a Florida heiress whose life took a harrowing turn in December of 1968. She was kidnapped by two strangers who wanted $500,000 in ransom from her mega-rich father, land developer Robert F. Mackle. Until Robert coul
More than 200 babies, known as the “Hicks Babies,” were sold by Dr. Thomas Hicks from the back of the Hicks Community Clinic in McCaysville, Georgia during the 1950s and 1960s. Until his actions came to light, he was a respected and beloved doctor in
In April of 1994, Lee Barnett picked up her 11-month-old daughter, Savanna, from her ex-husband Harris Todd’s house in Charleston, South Carolina. They were supposed to return at around six o’clock that evening. But they never showed up. Over the nex
Everyone who frequented Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria in Knoxville, Tennessee, knew bartender and waitress Carrie Daugherty. She was a friendly 24-year-old woman who had a quick wit and a sweet smile. But, on March 19, 2008, Carrie’s body was discovere
27-year-old Dorothy “Dolly” Hearn and 33-year-old Jennifer Corbin never met—but the two women had a lot in common. Both were intelligent young women in Georgia who had their whole lives ahead of them, and both of them died under mysterious circumstan
One of my most requested cases for Spooky Season: The Legs Murder Scandal
On a rainy and cold January day in 1935, a rabbit hunter came across a sugar sack on a rural road in Laurel, Mississippi. He opened it up and found a pair of legs and part of
On June 12th of 1983, 27-year-old Jerry Lynn Dean and 32-year-old Deborah Ruth Thornton met at a pool party. Right away, their chemistry was apparent—even though their budding relationship was doomed from the start. Jerry had recently separated from
In August and September of 1969, one man killed five people in the span of 29 days in Memphis, Tennessee. These violent crimes shook the city of Memphis to its very core. Lock sales skyrocketed. Families adopted large dogs. People refused to leave th
From August 13th to September 11th of 1969, five innocent people died at the hands of a serial killer in Memphis, Tennessee. 58-year-old Roy Dumas and his wife, 47-year-old Bernalyn Dumas; 82-year-old Leila Jackson; 21-year-old Glenda Sue Harden; and
Here’s a preview of a new podcast I think you’ll enjoy. Amid the nuclear threat of the Cold War, America's prized secrets were falling into the hands of its sworn enemy, the Kremlin. The FBI's hunt for the leak led to an astonishing discovery—the mol
When 54-year-old Judi Beunoano was executed by the State of Florida on March 30th of 1998, she was widely known as Florida’s Black Widow. And that’s because, over the course of 12 years, Judi had made attempts on the lives of these four innocent men:
By the 1960s, organized crime gangs were well and truly already becoming a presence across the north of the United States, as underworld figures fought for sole control over highly lucrative gambling, illegal alcohol, and prostitution rings. Down sou
In 1987, a circuit court judge and his wife, a former city council woman, who wanted to be mayor, were murdered in their home in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was obviously a professional hit. Vincent Sherry was a former criminal defense attorney who had d
Thursday, October 13th of 1994 was a big day for New Orleans. On one side of town, their new police superintendent, Richard Pennington, was being sworn into office. On the other side of town, a beloved mother of three was being murdered. This mother
In 1927, a young woman met a violent end in a Chattanooga hotel. Reports on how she came to her death are mixed, but the legend of her gruesome story persists almost 100 years later, and for good reason. The tragic young woman’s spirit is said, along
After the brutal murder of Belinda Temple, an 8 month pregnant school teacher in 1999, the Harris County DA’s office took five years to finally charge her husband, David, with murder. They had an ace in the hole. They had star prosecutor Kelley Siegl
In January of 1999, 30 year old Belinda Temple, who was eight months pregnant, was found shot to death in her closet in Katy, Texas. Her husband, David Temple, was the obvious first suspect. But there wasn’t much evidence to connect him to the murder
In January of 1999, 30 year old Belinda Temple, who was eight months pregnant, was found shot to death in her closet in Katy, Texas. Her husband, David Temple, was tried and convicted twice for the murder of his pregnant wife. But when the jury at hi
In the spring of 1988, Liz and Charles Sennett were pillars of the Colbert County, Alabama, community. 45-year-old Liz was a mother, grandmother, and homemaker. Charles was a local pastor. They were beloved and respected. On March 18th, Charles disco
21-year-old Denise Amber Lee was a happily married stay-at-home mom when her life was abruptly snatched away from her. On January 17, 2008, she was abducted from her home. Her two young sons were left sleeping in a crib together. An hour later, Denis
Monday, February 4, 1991 started out as a normal day. 40 year old Priscilla Matula was rushing out the door for work. She owned and operated a car dealership with her husband, Nick. It soon became one of those days…where everything seems to go wrong
This is a short bonus episode for July. It's about the controversial Lindsey Lowe case, so I hope you find it interesting. I had a defense attorney reach out and give me the judge's signed ruling early and also give me some inside baseball about the
In September of 2017, 30-year-old Janae Carroll was preparing to end her longterm relationship with her boyfriend—who was also her abuser. After years of suffering, Janae had gathered the strength and the courage to leave him. But when an argument ab
When 31-year-old Lindsey Lee didn’t show up for work bright and early one Tuesday morning, her coworkers at the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department were immediately worried. Their fears were confirmed when the deputy who performed a wellness check
In 1971, Sundays in Savannah, Tennessee were for two things: church and family. That was especially true for the Stricklin family. One Sunday, 66-year-old Mollie and her husband, 81-year-old William, invited their son and his wife to their new home f
This week, we’re sharing an episode of Alphabet Boys. Alphabet Boys takes you inside secret investigations that the FBI, DEA, CIA, and other alphabet agencies never wanted the public to know about. These cases are both dangerous and absurd … and they
28-year-old Avis Banks was five months pregnant and exhausted. On the evening of Wednesday, November 29th of 2006, Avis was driving home after a long day at work. All she wanted to do was go home, kick off her shoes, and relax. But Avis would never s
Bonnie and Lieth Von Stein went to bed on a Sunday night in July 1988 content and looking forward to a new future. Hours later, Bonnie would wake to the sound of her husband’s screams and an intruder standing at the foot of her bed. She barely surviv
On a hot Friday the 13th in June of 1980, Allan Gore was worried. He couldn't get a hold of his wife, Betty. For hours, he'd called her over and over. No answer. Betty always answered. She didn’t get out by herself, especially not with their two smal
For the Alday family, May 14th of 1973 started like any other day. The Alday men woke up before sunrise to tend to their family farm, and the Alday women began working on their chores. They plowed the field, planted corn, and ate lunch. Little did th
In August of 1952, 43-year-old Ruby McCollum, a black woman, was two months pregnant. The father was a 48-year-old white politician named Dr. Clifford Leroy Adams, Jr. For seven years, Dr. Adams had manipulated, bullied, and raped Ruby. He forced her
On a Friday afternoon, Dr. Rick Lohstroh parked in his ex-wife Deborah Geisler’s driveway waiting to pick up his two sons. It had been a nasty custody battle and their ten year old son, Aaron, had turned completely against his father. Every pickup da
In March 2007, 41-year-old Theresa spent the day moving boxes from her old house to her new apartment. The LaFayette, Georgia 911 dispatcher was leaving her husband. That evening, after seeing her sister, Theresa disappeared without a trace. And loca
The pop culture of the Michael Peterson case is fascinating. There are many infamous true crime cases that create their own universe. The Peterson case was always going to be famous. But when Netflix bought the rights to Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s doc
For over two decades, Kathleen Peterson’s mysterious death has captivated America. After the most complex court proceeding in Durham, North Carolina’s history, Michael was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of parole.
In December of 2001, the seemingly accidental death of 48-year-old Kathleen Peterson made headlines in Durham, North Carolina. A beloved community figure, enjoying a night of celebration with some champagne, had lost her balance and tragically fallen
December 9th, 2001 was an unseasonably warm night in Durham, North Carolina. At 2:40 a.m., a novelist named Michael Peterson called 911. He was frantic. He said his wife Kathleen had an accident. She had fallen down some stairs. Within 10 minutes, pa
On Friday, October 12th, 2012, Shayna Hubers called 911. She explained to the emergency operator that she killed her boyfriend, Ryan Poston, in self-defense. When the police investigated the crime scene, they quickly realized that Shayna’s version of
On a cool March evening of 2008, motorists on Highway 147 in Auburn, Alabama were startled to see a young girl in the road. She was naked, crying, covered in road rash and waving her arms desperately for help. Despite everyone’s best efforts, 18 year
In January 2003, police arrived at an unassuming house in Northwest Houston, Texas after receiving a vague message from a local lawyer about a potential crime scene. In the backyard, they discovered the mutilated body of Jeff Wright. The master bedro
Zebb Quinn was only 18 years old when he went missing on January 2, 2000. Authorities had their suspicions that foul play was involved, but it would take 15 years and two other disappearances for anyone to find out what happened to Zebb.
In April 1951, a young black woman was closing up a roadhouse tavern and getting ready to sleep there for the night. Hattie Lee Barnes worked as a maid at Lee’s Place and in recent weeks had started sleeping there as caretaker, to watch over the bar
Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
Researched by Haley Gray
Written by Erica Kelley
Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner
Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio
Edited & Mixed by Erica Kelley
Dr. Fred Jablin, a highly regarded professor of co
From 1992-1994, a serial killer stalked young black women in Charlotte, North Carolina. Police came under fire from families and the media once the killer was unmasked. They blamed being understaffed during a crack epidemic, insisting that most of th
In the spring of 1994, the southern and eastern seaboard states were terrorized by a serial killer using the I-95 corridor to travel between states and victims. Six gay men were targeted by a drifter, working as a hustler, who would stay in their hom
On the afternoon of August 19th, 2020, 24-year-old Sydney Sutherland went missing while on her regular run in rural Jackson County, Arkansas. Within 2 hours, Sydney’s family realized she was in danger, contacted the police, and organized a search for
In the spring of 1987, 20 year old Corinna Mullen moved to Central City, Kentucky in hopes of providing a better life for her two year old daughter. But within six months of her move, Corinna was found brutally murdered. Who would want to kill the yo
For the past 16 years, Susan Loper had flourished as a fitness instructor at the local country club. She was beloved by her clients and had decided to open her own pilates studio. On her final day of work at the country club, Susan went missing and w
Everyone who knew Brad Smithwick knew that he loved his two children more than anything in the world. That’s why he fought tooth and nail to gain full custody of them. Finally, on October 3, 2007, Brad got what he was working so hard for: full custod
Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
Written by Erica Kelley
Researched by Haley Gray and Erica Kelley
Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner
Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio
Edited & Mixed by Erica Kelley
On June 18, 1995, Jennifer Evans, a 21 year old pre-med student, went to a Virginia Beach nightclub with her two friends. While there, she met a young Navy SEAL recruit. They hit it off and she wanted to stay when her friends were ready to leave. So
Yana Huss was a kind and gentle person, and a loving mother to her two young children. Tragically, she was also the victim of domestic violence at the hands of her abusive husband. Like many victims, Yana tried to escape numerous times, with little h
On October 26, 2014, three members of the well-known and well-liked Champion family were found brutally murdered in their Cadiz, Kentucky farmhouse. The murders came as a shock to the small town’s residents. But nothing would come as more of a shock
In 1996, there were 11,039 victims of hate crimes in the United States. One of them was Fred Mangione, an extremely gregarious man who treated everyone like his best friend.
Fred was more than just a statistic - he was a human being. And he was kille
Outlaw couples, especially those that pull off prison breaks, live in our pop culture imagination. We romanticize them as we obsess over them in the press and on social media. But the reality is rarely actually romantic. And as with the case of Jenni
At 6:11am, on November 9, 2005, Darlene Gentry called 911 to report her husband had been shot. Within seven minutes of their arrival at the Gentry house, officers were convinced Darlene’s story didn’t add up. Less than two years later, Darlene was co
Growing up just outside of Atlanta, Georgia, Holly Harvey never had any rules or discipline - she was allowed to do what she wanted, when she wanted. That all came to an end in the spring of 2004 when Holly’s mother went to prison. Holly was forced t
In 1962, Willie Maxwell became an ordained minister. Because of his charm and knowledge of the Bible, Reverend Maxwell quickly became a well-known and respected figure of Baptist revivals across the state of Alabama. But in Coosa County, where Maxwel
In the early morning hours of December 16, 2000, 31 year old Mike Williams disappeared while duck hunting on Lake Seminole. Initially, authorities theorized he hit a stump, fell overboard, and drowned. Authorities searched for Mike, and over the cour
Pat Taylor Allanson wanted nothing more than to be Scarlett O’Hara - to live in Tara with her own Rhett Butler. She spent her whole life trying to convince everyone she was a perfect southern belle. But the truth is Pat was far from a fragile, well-m
On July 22, 2010, NBA star Lorenzen Wright was reported missing by his mother - he hadn’t been heard from since July 18. Days after the missing persons report was filed, a 911 dispatcher told their supervisor about a call they’d received just after m
Lance Herndon was a millionaire. He was also a successful black man in Atlanta in the 1990’s, a golden era for the black elite in what has long been hailed as the American black mecca and the city too busy to hate. Dubbed “the black Jay Gatsby” by on
On June 19, 1982, wealthy Houston, Texas couple James and Virginia Campbell were sound asleep when a gunman entered their bedroom and turned on a light. Authorities arrived on scene, and determined that whoever killed Virginia and James definitely he
On September 30, 1999, a seemingly petty crime spree would turn into the deadliest massacre in the history of western North Carolina. Three generations of lives snuffed out in a matter of minutes.
Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
Researched Haley
Nellie Jackson opened her business in 1930, the start of the Great Depression. She ran her bordello openly for the next 60 years, through wars and social strife. She was a beloved matron of Natchez, Mississippi despite her profession because she was
Sheila Blackthorne Bellush endured ten years of her life with a very sadistic man. She actually divorced him four years into their marriage, but he kept terrorizing her for years. When she finally escaped him and moved out of state with her new husba
On August 11, 2009, 38 year old Kristi Cornwell was talking to her boyfriend Doug on the phone while taking an evening walk. Out of nowhere, Doug heard Kristi say a car had stopped behind her. Then there was a scuffle, and Kristi yelled, “Don’t take
Lester and Janie Ballard had doted on their only daughter, Leslie Jane. As well-to-do business owners in Little Rock, Arkansas, they were able to give their daughter a pampered, if sheltered, upbringing. Leslie went to private school and then got her
This is the end of the Darlie Routier case. I’m taking you through the evidence, trial, pro-innocence sources and of course, my own theory of the crime.
Written, hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
Researched by Haley Gray
Written by Erica Kelley
Or
After her sons were brutally murdered, Darlie Routier was brought to the hospital with what looked like a very serious slash to her throat and was taken immediately into surgery. But her wounds were superficial. She was in the hospital less than 2 da
In the early morning hours of June 6th, 1996, a woman named Darlie Routier called 911, screaming that she and her sons had been stabbed. When police and paramedics arrived on the scene, 6 year old Devon Routier, who would have been 7 in a week, was a
On July 8, 1997, a young sailor returned home after a week at sea, and found his wife dead in their bedroom. Michelle Moore-Bosco had been raped and murdered. Police quickly zeroed in on a neighbor who insisted he was innocent. But after 10 hours of
On March 26,1994, 19 year old Shannon Melendi went on her lunch break - she had been working as the scorekeeper at the Softball Country Club of Atlanta. But Shannon never returned from break, and she was never seen again. Law enforcement treated her
After Steve Beard was shot in the gut with a 20 gauge shotgun, it was a miracle that he initially survived. He suffered for almost 4 months before succumbing to his horrific wounds. And it would take two years to prove that his wife, Celeste Beard, d
At 3am on October 2, 1999, 74 year old Texas millionaire, Steven Beard called 911. Panicked and bewildered, he said “My guts blew out of my stomach!” He didn’t know what happened, just that he was literally holding his intestines with his hands. Para
Private First Class Kelli Bordeaux disappeared on the night of April 13th, 2012 in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The petite, blonde, former cheerleader, didn't look like your typical soldier. Kelli was as tenacious as she was beautiful, and she dream
In the summer of 1990, just days before classes were to begin at the University of Florida in Gainesville, a monster crept through the night and viciously murdered five college students. He was finally caught and the weeks of terror ended. He was dub
On a rainy night in June, 2010, a 911 call would set off one of the biggest murder scandals to shock Louisville, Kentucky. Two men, living in a crumbling Victorian mansion in Old Louisville, both accused each other of killing a man they had buried in
In June of 1959, the torsos of two men were found in a rural part of northeast Alabama. The gruesome discoveries sparked a media firestorm as locals feared they had a mad man stalking their homes. These kind of gruesome murders just didn’t happen in
In 1984, the small town of Clinton, North Carolina, was shocked by the brutal murder of a local minister. At first, there seemed to be no motive. But as detective’s dug into Dan Arnold’s life, they uncovered a secret life that no one in the church or
In 1995, a Memphis socialite was brutally murdered in her own home. Emily Fisher was a paragon of not only Memphis society and arts, but she was also heavily involved in charities for underprivileged youth. Ironically, her son Adrian, struggled socia
After the brutal murder of Belinda Temple, an 8 month pregnant school teacher in 1999, the Harris County DA’s office took five years to finally charge her husband, David, with murder. They had an ace in the hole. They had star prosecutor Kelley Siegl
In January of 1999, 30 year old Belinda Temple, who was eight months pregnant, was found shot to death in her closet in Katy, Texas. Her husband, David Temple, was the obvious first suspect. But there wasn’t much evidence to connect him to the murder
A prominent southern family made their mark in Memphis, Tennessee and the tiny town of Horseshoe Lake, Arkansas with descendents dating back to the Civil War. Known for their philanthropy as much as their prosperity, the Snowden family were pillars o
In 1960, 25 year old Irene Garza was raped and murdered in McAllen, Texas. The Mexican-American former beauty queen, was a devout catholic and a pillar of her community. She was last seen going to confession on Holy Saturday before Easter. The McAlle
**This episode contains explicit language. It is marked explicit in all podcast platforms. Please, if cursing offends you, do not listen to this and then complain about the language.**
*We have a frank discussion about rape culture, including the Co
1994, a 15 year old boy did the unthinkable. He ambushed his mother and younger sister and shot them to death. All because he was angry over being grounded. He planned their murders, and 3 more family members for weeks before the ambush. And most of
In 2009, on the 4th of July, the body of football legend Steve McNair was found in a condo in Nashville, Tennessee. The married family man was killed by his girlfriend, in an apparent murder/suicide that shocked Nashville and the nation. But for year
In June of 1994, a car was found in a ditch on a deserted stretch of Little Mountain Road in Newberry, South Carolina. A woman was found slumped over the steering wheel. Though the road was in a rural area thick with woods and steep ravines, where ac
In 1981, a young woman in the tiny town of Grundy, Virginia, was brutally raped and murdered. Her assailant was quickly identified and convicted. But in his fight against the justice system and manipulation by the media, his victim, 19 year old Wanda
In the summer of 1991, the small town of Cherryville, North Carolina, was horrified by two double murders. A local was quickly targeted by police, a man related to one of the families. And it destroyed his life. Another accidental death was tied to t
In September of 2011, a 25 year old woman from Hendersonville, TN, traveled to a wedding near her alma mater, Western Kentucky University. While at the wedding, she changed in front of the entire wedding party. And then posed for photos in a bridesma
In late November of 1989, the burning body of a 33 year old woman was found in a wooded area in the Mississippi Delta. Olivia Browning was the ex-wife of a prominent planter’s son named Ralph Hand III. Local gossips said that though Ralph and Olivia
In January of 2005, a family of seven moved to the small city of Nacogdoches, Texas. They seemed happy and were very involved with their church and the community. But that happiness masked a darkness. Shortly before Christmas in 2006, Tim Eubanks sud
For seven days after the New Year, in 2006, Richmond, Virginia was terrorized by spree killers. Two whole families were killed with no apparent motive other than robbery. But the gruesome murders didn’t seem to match that motive. Who would murder lit
In April of 2005, a “desperate housewife” banged on her neighbor’s door and said her husband had been murdered. She claimed the man who killed him was still in the house. It didn’t take investigators long to figure out that the wife, Martha Freeman,
In 1997, the small city of Pelham, Alabama was shocked by the brutal quadruple murder of a family. The victims, Randy Duke and Dedra Hunt were engaged to be married, and Dedra’s six year old daughter, Chelisa, and seven year daughter, Chelsea spent t
On New Year’s Day in 2008, a young woman named Meredith Emerson, went missing after she went for a hike with her dog. Searchers and law enforcement began a race against time to find her as tips rolled in. But she had met with a man who was later dubb
On August 1, 2000, the body of a young black woman was found behind a middle school in Mayfield, Kentucky. The new mother, 18 year old Jessica Currin, was found partially clothed, badly burned and already decomposing. The incompetence of local police
In 1994, a New York writer released a very southern gothic, non-fiction, crime novel. “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” became a national sensation. John Berendt’s seductive prose and his cast of eccentric characters drew readers into the lus
The Death of Andrew Lewis -- a beloved musician is shot. His ex-girlfriend was a witness. The shooter, Eli Miller, was her date and he had been trying to assault Andrew all evening. Miller would claim it was self-defense. But how is shooting someone
In 1986, a young mother was brutally murdered in her Austin, Texas home, early in the morning, while still sleeping in her bed. Her husband had left for work at 5:30am. Her three year old son was left alone in the house. Unfortunately, the night befo
RIn the late 80’s and early 90’s, one family of brothers terrorized the Benton County area of northwest Tennessee. The Bruce brothers had rap sheets but the local sheriff could rarely make charges stick because the family intimidated anyone in the co
In 2002, evil came to the small town of Warsaw, Kentucky. A woman and her children were brutally attacked. The monster who brutalized Carolyn Marksberry and her children was quickly apprehended. And showed remorse. Marc Chapman had a death wish.
In late 2018, a privileged 29 year old man from Chuluota, Florida became obsessed with a Bulgarian webcam model. Grant Amato still lived at home with his parents and older brother, Cody. The brothers were born less than two years apart and had always
A new pastor came to Sellerstown, North Carolina in 1969 with his wife to lead a small congregation and lay down roots for his family. From 1972 to 1976, the pastor, his wife and their two small children were terrorized with bombings and shootings. A
In one month in 2008, five patients died at a dialysis clinic in Lufkin, Texas. Many others fell mysteriously ill. All of them had contact with one woman. A licensed vocational nurse named Kim Saenz.
In 2012, in Lafayette, Louisiana, a beautiful girl named Mickey Shunick vanished while riding her bicycle home from a friend’s house. The search for her, led by her fierce sister Charlie, was incredible. And the investigation would reveal just how fi
In February of 2010, a woman named Sheila Trott in Indialantic, Florida claimed she had a dream. Or maybe it was a vision. She saw her friend Kelly dead. She saw her at a beach. She said she thought she hurt Kelly. Kelly happened to be dating her est
In 1967, The Sinclair family in Auburn, Alabama had been stalked for over a year. A college kid named Edward Seibold had briefly dated the oldest daughter, Cathey. When she rejected him, he became fixated on her widowed mother, 44 year old Juanita. H
In 1990, a 57 year old preacher’s wife and grandmother named Blanche Taylor Moore, went on trial for murdering her first husband. She was caught while trying to poison her current husband. An investigation into deaths in Blanche’s life would reveal a
In 1999, a gay man named Billy Jack Gaither was brutally murdered in the small town of Sylacauga, Alabama. He wasn’t completely closeted, his siblings and friends knew, but his deeply religious parents did not. He was a friendly man who often gave ri
In 1994, North Carolina detectives began investigating a former police officer named L.C. Underwood. He was connected to two murders, that at first, didn’t seem to have any connection. The investigative team, led by Detective Sergeant Paula May, woul
In 1994, North Carolina detectives began investigating a former police officer named L.C. Underwood. He was connected to two murders, that at first, didn’t seem to have any connection. The investigative team, led by Detective Sergeant Paula May, woul
In this first episode, we tell the story of Margaret Sweeney, the first case of fetal abduction on record. We also discuss statistics and other information about fetal abductions as an introduction to this series. Subscribe to Fetal Abduction whereve
In 2006, a man named Abraham Shakespeare won Florida’s $31 Million Dollar Lottery. Poor and illiterate, Abraham took the lump sum pay out without any financial advisors helping him. First he took care of his family and friends. Then he started helpin
In 2008, a wealthy Nashville housewife and mother was spiraling with addiction. An injury had gotten her hooked on pain pills, and she was drinking too much. Her marriage was failing. She was spinning out of control and was arrested a few times for u
In 1926, a woman named Georgia Tann began running the Memphis branch of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society. Soon, Georgia began selling babies and children on the black market, often out of state. And as demand for children grew, she began kidnapp
In 1988, 41 year old mother, Peggy Carr, suddenly became very ill with mysterious symptoms. After she was hospitalized, doctors could not determine what was causing her so much pain and paralyzing the formerly healthy woman. They suspected poison and
In 1991, a high school senior named Crystal Faye Todd didn’t make it home for curfew. Her mother was frantic by 3:30am, calling 911. They told her not to worry, Crystal would turn up. By 8:00am, she called back and this time an officer came out filed
In Clear Lake, Texas, in the fall of 2002, two beautiful girls decided to befriend an outcast. Christine Paolilla suffered from Alopecia, a condition where most, if not all our hair falls out. She was lonely, and often wore garish makeup and Hallowee
In 1987, a circuit court judge and his wife, a former city council woman, who wanted to be mayor, were murdered in their home in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was obviously a professional hit. Vincent Sherry was a former criminal defense attorney who had d
The town of Skidmore, Missouri is famous for the life and death of the town bully, Ken Rex McElroy. The tiny town of 500 people, grew even smaller as years passed. And locals began to think there was a curse because of the vigilante justice they had
In 1998, a beloved educator and wife of the interim mayor of Lanett, Alabama, was found brutally murdered in her home. Charlotte and Barry Waites were pillars of their community. Her murder shook the small town for years. It took eight years, and a d
In 2010, an elite student and gifted athlete at the University of Virginia became the face of domestic abuse on college campuses. Yeardley Love played lacrosse, and so did her boyfriend, George Huguely V. The culture of lacrosse, with exceptionally c
In the summer of 1969, 12 year old Tina Andrews slipped out of the house to go meet up with some friends. As they walked home, they were offered a ride by two men. The other two girls made it home that night, but Tina did not. There were two trials i
In 1985, another narcissistic family annihilator struck in Columbus, Georgia. Ann Johnson Curry was over eight months pregnant when she and her two children were brutally murdered. It would take almost 25 years to bring the monster who killed them to
In honor of Black History Month, I wanted to tell another story of a wrongful conviction. But this one is even worse. It’s not a mis-identification, it is the straight up racist framing of an innocent man. And because Monroe County, Alabama officials
To start off Black History Month, I wanted to highlight an extremely moving and important case of the wrongful conviction of a black man. The rape of Jennifer Thompson was horrific. But police procedures at the time, in 1984, caused her to accuse the
In 2002, a teen aged married couple, Adam and Samantha Chrismer, 17 and 16 years old, were brutally murdered in Johnson City, Tennessee. The man convicted of their murders, Howard Hawk Willis, has been called a serial killer. I agree. His first wife,
In Part 2 of The Cullen and Priscilla Davis Saga, We dive into the FOUR trials Cullen faced. Not just for the mansion murders, but later, murder for hire. They say money can’t buy you everything. But in Cullen’s case, it damn sure can buy you freedom
In 1976, a “mysterious man in black” would break into the home of Priscilla Davis. A huge mansion, ostentatious by all standards and still owned by her estranged oil tycoon husband, Cullen Davis. What happened that night, would be the talk of Forth W
In the summer of 1975, a scandalous romance between a 37 year old woman and 20 year old college student would not only shock the town of Jackson, Mississippi. But it would ruin so many lives when the jilted young man could not handle her rejection.
On Thanksgiving night of 2017, a youth minister in Chester, Virginia did the unthinkable. After heavy drinking and arguments, he shot his family to death. Friends, family and the entire community were shocked. They seemed so happy. Every Facebook pos
In the summer of 1980, an eighteen year old college freshman went out for a night of dancing but never made it home. Gina Renee Hall was a beloved daughter and sister and member of a small town community that has never stopped grieving for her and lo
In November of 2016, a 16 year old girl from Knoxville, Tennessee was murdered by her ex-boyfriend. Emma Jane Walker had been a victim of coercive control for two years before he killed her. Emma’s parents saw the signs and did everything right. The
In 1985, a nineteen year old girl was picked up on a deserted road, handcuffed, shackled and ghostly pale. The story she told her rescuer and law enforcement was unbelievable. She had been held captive and repeatedly raped by a sexual sadist. But he
One of Charleston’s most enduring legends and ghost stories is that of Lavinia Fisher. Her ghost is said to haunt the grounds of the Old City Jail, where she was imprisoned for a year, before being hanged with her husband from the gallows, for highwa
In 2004, a man named John Paul Chapman was arrested for the brutal rape and murder of Lisa Marie Nichols, in Mobile, Alabama. Authorities soon realized that the man they had in custody was not the real John Chapman, who was incarcerated in Missouri.
In 1984, a vicious sexual sadist was terrorizing the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. He preyed on sex workers, and other vulnerable women, murdering at least ten young women before he was caught. He oddly let one girl go in November and she would be the b
The public is fascinated by love triangles. Add in betrayal and murder and you’ve got the plot to a novel, a movie or a soap opera. People cannot get enough of the romantic notion of a beautiful woman, torn between her love of two men. In 1999, Dr. M
In 2010, a Georgia Glynn County police officer, Lieutenant Cory Sasser, was involved in the shooting of an unarmed woman. Though he was cleared of wrong doing by a grand jury, the decision was controversial and the bad press followed him for years. I
In 1969, the mysterious death of a beautiful Houston socialite would captivate Texas. Soon it would become a national scandal. Joan Robinson Hill’s father, a rich and powerful oilman, would set set in motion a chain of events so incredible, it seems
In May of 2010, the mistress of an Alabama County Commissioner was found shot to death in her driveway. It looked like suicide and Angel Downs did have a prior suicide attempt. But her boyfriend, Commissioner Stephen Nodine, was seen driving away fro
In 1987, an ambitious rookie FBI agent came to Pikeville, Kentucky for his first posting out of the academy. He soon met a girl from the nearby holler who worked as an informant. Susan Daniels Smith lived a life of poverty, violence and misery. And t
Late on a Sunday night in September of 2016, Atlanta power couple, Tex and Diane McIver, were driving back into the city and got caught in Atlanta’s notorious traffic. Diane’s best friend was driving as Diane rode in the passenger seat and her husban
In the early morning hours after the 4th of July in 2004, A young couple was brutally stabbed to death on Robins Air Force Base in Georgia. There was another friend in the house who was also stabbed but escaped and miraculously survived. This vicious
In 1980, a sixteen year old white girl named Cheryl Dee Fergeson was raped and murdered in a high school auditorium in Conroe, Texas. Suspicion immediately fell on the only black janitor, though three other white janitors were present. A Texas Ranger
In 2003, eighteen year old freshman, Katie Autry, was raped, beaten and set on fire in her dorm room at Western Kentucky University. Two suspects would soon emerge. One white, from a wealthy family. The other mixed race, from a poor family. The case
In July of 1999, a day trader named Mark Barton went on a killing spree in Atlanta’s financial district. He murdered 9 people that day, wounding 13 more. Two days before this massacre, he murdered his second wife and two children. But he was also sus
In 1982, America got their own Ken and Barbie killers a decade before the Canadian couple, Paul Bernardo and Karla Holmolka horrified the world with their depraved crimes - kidnapping, torturing and murdering young girls. Americans Alvin and Judith N
Today is a very special cross over episode with my friends from Trashy Divorces. We are discussing the murders of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman, as well as OJ Simpson’s two trashy divorces. This is not my usual format and there is indeed the explicit
This is the conclusion to Miami Beach Royalty: The Novack Murders. Within three months of each other, Bernice and Ben Novack Jr were brutally murdered. These were gruesome, vicious attacks and they were meticulously planned and executed. But the cons
The history of the infamous Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach is fascinating. Mobsters, movie stars and and scandal helped the brilliant and ruthless hotelier Ben Novack Sr. propel his hotel onto the world stage, where it remains today. But the brut
In October of 1987, a beautiful Texas socialite and businesswoman was poisoned with strychnine. It was in the bottle of NyQuil she often used to help her go to sleep. Patsy Bolton Wright was a share holder in the Southwest Historical Wax Museum in Gr
In 1973, a horrific fire killed 32 people in the gay bar, the Upstairs Lounge in New Orleans. When city and state officials and the churches turned their backs on the victims and survivors of the tragedy, the gay community rallied together. Today it
Barbara Ford Stager is known as the Black Widow of North Carolina. She shot two husbands, ten years apart, as they lay sleeping in their marital beds. Her trial was an international sensation, with the media capitalizing on her femme fatale, man eati
In 1999, a seventeen year old girl named Jessica Dishon was abducted out of her driveway in Shepherdsville, Kentucky as she was leaving for school. Though a rookie sheriff’s deputy tried to sound the alarm, a senior detective refused to come to the s
In 1948, a Delta Mississippi socialite named Ruth Thompson Dickins, hacked her mother to death with gardening shears. She blamed the murder on a “negro” man she claimed attacked her as well. But a jury of 12 white men didn’t believe her, in Mississip
In August of 2008, the small town of Springfield, Georgia was shaken by a double murder in one of the town’s most prominent families. Soon, the full story would come out. That one brother was sleeping with another brother’s wife, causing a family tra
In June of 2013, a 21 year old Vanderbilt student was gang raped in a dorm room by four football players. She was an unofficial hostess, one of the pretty girls coaches use to “assist” in player recruiting. She had no memory of the event, but her att
In June of 1985, residents of the Midland area of South Carolina were frozen in fear. Two girls were kidnapped and murdered and the sadistic man responsible relished in making phone calls to one of the families. This is part two of the case of serial
In June of 1985, residents of the Midland area of South Carolina were frozen in fear. Two girls were kidnapped and murdered and the sadistic man responsible relished in making phone calls to one of the families. This is part one of two episodes on th
In December of 2004, a beautiful young graduate student was brutally stabbed in her apartment. Her roommate was also attacked. He ran to a convenience store and called 911. Johnia Berry crawled, bleeding from her own apartment, and knocked on the fiv
My fault is past. But, O, what form of prayer
Can serve my turn? Forgive me my foul murder?
These words, from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, spurred a confession from a teenage murderess. Sixteen year old Marie Robards, of Fort Worth Texas, poisoned her own
On New Year’s day of 2012, 38 year old Shelby Wilkie went missing. She left behind her three month old daughter. Shelby had been planning to leave her abusive husband. Michael Wilkie eventually admitted to burning Shelby’s body, though he insisted he
From 1994 to 2008, a serial predator terrorized the Greater Nashville area. The Wooded Rapist moved like a ghost, through rainy nights, under the cover of trees, assaulting at least fourteen women before he was finally brought to justice.
In 2003, a domestic violence case ended in a hostage stand-off at a Bi-Lo grocery store in Greenville, South Carolina. A young mother lost her life and a cognitively impaired young man was sentenced to death.
In the year 2000, Tracy Fortson was the first female deputy at the Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Department in Georgia. She filed a sexual harassment claim against the department and then her boyfriend went missing. His body was found, Tracy was charge
Just before Christmas of 1985, a Corpus Christi couple was brutally slain with a hatchet and knife as they slept in their home. A local policeman was charged with the murders. The DA dropped the charges almost two years later due to lack of evidence,
Known as the “Bitter Blood Murders,” in 1985, first cousins and lovers, Susie Newsom Lynch and Fritz Klenner led police and SBI on a chase that ended in an explosion that killed them and Susie’s two young sons. It was the culmination of a bloody feud
In a tiny town in Tennessee, a young couple are brutally shot, execution style in their home. Their infant son was still cradled in his dead mother’s arms. Initially police were baffled by the crime, until they uncovered a web of lies and manipulatio
In 1999, a dedicated rookie police officer on the luxury island of Bald Head, North Carolina, is shot in the back of the head while on duty. Emergency officials destroyed the crime scene and all evidence and the DA quickly closed the case, ruling it
In 1997, in the tiny town of Santa Claus, Georgia, a former foster child returned to the loving family who had taken him in. Jerry Scott Heidler destroyed their family and almost destroyed the “town who loves children.”
In 1992, A young mother in Atlanta was in a loveless marriage. Her husband was a criminal. She wanted to leave, but he had too many legal connections and kept complete control of their money. When she decided to prove what he was, he had her shot to
In 1974, a feisty, outspoken woman in St. Augustine, FL became embroiled in a ridiculous feud with her neighbors, one that went public and turned most of the old city against her. Then she was brutally murdered with a machete on her own front porch,
Corpsewood Manor in Northern Georgia is an infamous haunted tourist attraction. And many believe it is cursed. Either by the ghosts of the men murdered there, or by a more mysterious and evil entity.
Double jeopardy protects our citizens from malicious prosecution. But every now and then, the good guys lose. And the bad guy benefits from this protection we all enjoy. The Brenda Schaefer case is an extreme example of dedicated police work and earn
In August of 2017, Hurricane Harvey was bearing down on the gulf coast and a beautiful mother of two vanishes. In the days that followed, Baytown, Texas had to contend with historic rainfall and flooding while searching for Crystal McDowell. But if i
The conclusion to the Narcissistic Family Annihilator, Jeffrey MacDonald. MacDonald is a brutal and cold murderer that destroyed his family to save himself and in doing so, brought family annihilators into the public consciousness.
There are some murders that are so intrinsically shocking that we all become obsessed. Known as the family annihilator, these horrific cases dominate our news and social media. This is the historic case of one of the most infamous monsters who destro
The 1980’s were the beginning of a sea change in politics and drug culture in the United States. Listen to this tale of how a cocaine, corruption, a double murder, and a dead patsy trumped justice in one Ozark town.
Bonus Episode-- an interview with acclaimed thriller novelist, Laura Lippman. Her modern noir novel, Sunburn, comes out in paperback today!
http://www.lauralippman.net
https://www.facebook.com/lauralippman
Twitter: @LauraMLippman
Lauren Agee went to Center Hill Lake in Smithville, Tennessee with some "friends" to attend the annual wake-boarding tournament known as WakeFest. They were camping on a steep cliff, 90 feet above the water. She supposedly went to bed Saturday night,
I had a wonderful chat with Dr. Peter Vronsky, author, historian and serial killer expert. He came on the show to discuss his new book, Sons of Cain: A History of Serial Killers from the Stone Age to the Present. We covered everything, from the histo
I had a lovely chat with author and historian, Patrick Bowmaster, about his ebook "What the Little Dog Witnessed." He was kind enough to talk to me about his research as well as how he went about getting it published.
The Reckoning: The Trials of Perry March is the conclusion to the Janet Levine March series. It took ten years to get Perry March to justice, and he didn’t go down alone.
The investigation into the disappearance of Janet Levine March was going cold, but the war between Perry March and the Levines was about to explode. Part 2 of 3.
We're shaking things up this week on Southern Fried! Join me as I chat with international best-selling author, Karin Slaughter. She is a critically acclaimed and much beloved crime writer known for her gripping page turners. And she's a sassy, southe
The story of Shelly Michael, former cheerleader, wife, mother, stepmother, nurse practitioner and murderer could not be contained in one episode. I hope you enjoy the conclusion of this West Virginian saga.
The story of Shelly Michael, wife, mother, stepmother, nurse practitioner and murderer could not be contained in one episode. I hope you enjoy part one of this West Virginian saga about a former Mountaineer cheerleader turned murderess.
In 1987, Willie Grimes is accused of the rape of an elderly white woman. He has an alibi and there is no physical evidence. And yet he is still taken to trial and convicted. It would take 24 years to prove his innocence.
For five months, beginning in November of 2012, a pair of arsonists would terrorize Accomack County, Virginia, setting more than 80 fires. This is a love story. Happy Valentine’s Day.
In 1999, PFC Barry Winchell was beaten to death in his bed in the barracks of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He had been harassed and abused for months over his relationship with a transgender show girl named Calpernia Addams. His murder and the subsequent
In 1999, Karen Tipton was murdered in the small town of Decatur, Alabama. A biased judge, ruthless defense attorneys and unethical media coverage would turn her killer's murder trial(s) into a three ring circus. And her husband and daughters are the
In 1991, a young mother is murdered. Small town cops have their suspect almost immediately. But they do not arrest. Years pass, and Kathy Page's father started a billboard campaign calling out her ex-husband as the suspect and the police as corrupt.
Cyntoia Brown was 16 years old when she committed murder. But it isn’t as simple as that. She was also a rape victim, pimped out and had been abandoned as a child. Did the system fail her?
A young mother and her two daughters are brutally murdered. A man is accused. It takes 20 years and three trials. Was justice finally served? Legal scholars still argue to this day....
A hurricane, a troubled young veteran and a volatile but mesmerizing poet...set for a collision course that would shake the unshakable city of New Orleans to its core.
Voice Actors: Brandon Hawkins as Zack Bowen & Jamie Stevens as Lana Supack