Southern Fried True Crime

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 more time passed, it appeared what happened to Dolly would remain a mystery forever. But a shocking development three months later blew the case wide open. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Gemma HarrisOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/dolly-rose-grigsbyThis episode is brought to you by: Go to SimpliSafe.com/southernfried and for a limited time, save 20% on your home security system when you sign up for Fast Protect Monitoring. There’s no safe like SimpliSafe.Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with @lumedeodorant and get $5 off off your Starter Pack (that’s over 40% off) with promo code SFTC a

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 different ideas. Led by an ex-con in a Santa Suit, their actions at the town’s First National Bank went on to spurn one of the state’s biggest manhunts, ultimately leaving six men dead and numerous others wounded. What unfolded not just over the following week but the next couple of years afterward was equal parts a comedy of errors, a gripping tale of Wild West justice, and a tragedy for those who stepped up to protect and serve during one of the most audacious heists in Southern history. This is the story of the Santa Claus Bank Robbery. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Gemma HarrisOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Sources: https://

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 could meet Barbara’s abductors’ demands, his only daughter was buried alive underground in a ventilated box. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Andrea MarshbankOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/barbara-mackleThis episode is brought to you by: Go to SimpliSafe.com/southernfried and for a limited time, save 50% on your home security system when you sign up for Fast Protect Monitoring. There’s no safe like SimpliSafe.Treat yourself to the best shapewear on the market and save 20% Off at honeylove.com/SFTC.

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 McCaysville, known for helping everyone…often taking things like a sack of potatoes in return for payment. Some town residents defend his actions to this day, but the “Hicks Babies,” as they became known, are still struggling to find their birth mothers and come to terms with their origins and the damage Hicks did by keeping his practice shrouded in mystery. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Gemma HarrisOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Sources:southernfriedtruecrime.com/thomas-hicks This episode is brought to you by: Take a break and lose yourself solving a mystery set in the roaring 20’s with June’s Journey. Download today o

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 next 20 years, they’d travel the world together, as Lee fled from her child’s father, the FBI, and numerous international agencies. She claimed she was saving her daughter from an abusive father. But Harris claimed that Lee was the actual abuser. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Erica Kelley and Andrea MarshbankOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Recommended by Nate and othersThis episode is brought to you by: Give your loved ones the precious gift of memories, bound in a beautiful keepsake book. Go to StoryWorth.com/southernfried to save $10 on your purchase.This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try a

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 discovered on her own front lawn. She’d been brutally murdered. Those who knew Carrie were shocked. This was a woman with no enemies. When the murderer was apprehended, that sentiment was verified—Carrie had no enemies. Because the man who killed her claimed that he’d made a mistake during a bout of insanity.Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Erica Kelley and Andrea MarshbankOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Recommended by Sarah, Lauren, and others.Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/carrie-daughertyThis episode is brought to you by: Go to SimpliSafe.com/southernfried and for a limited time save 50% on your home security

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 circumstances that were shockingly similar. When an unexpected phone call revealed that both women had been romantically involved with the same man, a Georgia dentist named Dr. Barton Corbin, everyone had more questions than answers. The ensuing investigation and court proceedings would bring forward decades of secrets.Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Andrea MarshbankAdditional writing by Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Recommended by Susanna, Maria, and othersSponsors for this episode:This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try and get a break from your thoughts at BetterHelp.com/SOUTHERNGo to S

One of my most requested cases for Spooky Season: The Legs Murder ScandalOn 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 a lower torso of a white female. On that same day, 57-year-old Daisy Keeton went missing. She was something of a small town celebrity with her and her large family continuously making the gossip pages in the small town of Laurel. Her daughter, 36-year-old Ouida Mae, was telling everyone that her mama was out of town. But the town wasn’t buying it. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Andrea MarshbankAdditional writing by Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Recommended by Kristy, Andrea, and many, many othersSources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/daisy-keetonSponsor: Wondery’s ‘I HEAR FEAR’--prepare to be taken on a jou

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 his wife, and Deborah was still married. Regardless, Jerry and Deborah decided to have a harmless one-night stand. But that night would turn out to be anything but harmless. By morning, both Jerry and Deborah were brutally killed. The murder weapon? A pickaxe and a hammer. And the murderers? Jerry’s estranged wife’s friends: 23-year-old Karla Faye Tucker and 37-year-old Danny Ryan Garrett. Sixteen years later, in 1998, Karla Faye Tucker would be the first woman executed in Texas in 135 years.Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Andrea MarshbankAdditional writing by Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Recommended by Eileen

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 their house after sunset. It felt like no one was safe. The police searched day and night for this elusive serial killer. They doubled—then tripled—their staff, canceled all vacation time, and poured over $100,000 into paid overtime. But were it not for the brave actions of the killer’s final victim, Mary Christine Pickens, the perpetrator might have walked free for far, far longer. This is part two of a two-part series.Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Andrea MarshbankAdditional writing by Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Recommended by Kelly and others. Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/george-howard-p

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 59-year-old Mary Christine Pickens. For 29 days, the Memphis police diligently searched for the cold-blooded killer responsible for these horrific murders. They exhausted every avenue—interviewing over 2,000 people, contacting experts across state lines, and enlisting new homicide detectives in droves. But no matter how many resources law enforcement used, they seemed no closer to catching what the media dubbed “a cunning sex killer.” Until, one day, the citizens of Memphis just so happened to solve the case for the authorities. This is part one of a two-part series.Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Andrea MarshbankEdited by Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixe

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 mole was one of its own, special agent Robert Hanssen. For two decades, Hanssen masqueraded as a devoted patriot while ruthlessly selling out his country, trading classified intelligence to the Soviet Union and later Russia, in exchange for cash and diamonds. He was a whirlwind of contradictions—a self-proclaimed patriot and a traitor; a family man who sexually betrayed his wife; an ardent man of God and a sinner. In this CBS News limited series, CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Major Garrett delves into the shocking contradictions and life of Robert Hanssen, whose impact shaped U.S intelligence history. Listen to Agent of Betrayal: The Double Life of Robert Hanssen wherever you get your podcasts.

One of television's most popular true-crime series is now adapted for your ears with the “48 Hours” podcast. Every week, award-winning CBS News correspondents investigate the most intriguing crime and justice cases. Here’s a preview of a new “48 Hours” episode, “The Night ofthe Idaho Student Murders”. "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant sits down with family members of Kaylee Goncalves and Xana Kernodle, two of the four University of Idaho students shockingly murdered the night of November 13, 2022. You can hear the rest of this episode on the “48 Hours” podcast from CBS News. For even more “48 Hours”, listen to the new “Post Mortem” series every Tuesday, where the correspondents and producers share their first hand experiences reporting on the compelling cases they cover.Listen to 48 Hours ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts: Wondery.fm/48_SFTC

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: James Edgar Goodyear, Bobby Joe Morris, Michael Arthur Goodyear, and John Wesley Gentry II. Two husbands, one fiancé, and one son. No one was safe from Judi. For all of Judi’s victims, she collected - or would have collected - huge amounts of money as the beneficiary of multiple life insurance policies. Judi needed a way to pay for her lavish lifestyle. Eventually, Judi would pay the ultimate price.Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Andrea MarshbankAdditional writing by Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Sources:Sponsors for this episode:Today’s show is sponsored by Newspapers.com - my biggest resource for the show. U

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 defended members of the Dixie Mafia. Now, he was putting criminals away. Margaret Sherry was a fiery republican in a public slap fight with the current democratic mayor. She wanted to clean up the Biloxi strip of seedy night clubs and gambling, which of course, the Dixie Mafia ran. And she wanted to expose corruption in city hall. Who was the real target? It was a conspiracy that would take four years and the determination of their oldest daughter to unravel. Written, hosted and produced by Erica KelleyResearched by Haley Gray & Erica KelleyEdited by Chaes GrayCase Suggestion by listeners: Casey Porter, Eileen Mace & Drew StuartSuggested Reading: Mississippi Mud: Southern Justice & The Dixie Mafia by Edward

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 south, things were done a slightly different way. But even though one criminal network in particular didn’t have a strict code, this didn’t make them any less dangerous. Based out of Biloxi, MS, they soon monopolized the control of many illicit activities across numerous states where big profits could be made, but only by those willing to be uncompromisingly ruthless. This is the history of the Dixie Mafia. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Gemma HarrisOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/the-dixie-mafiaSuggested reading: ‘Wicked Phenix City’ by Faith Serafin, ‘Last Gangster in Austin’ b

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 was 32-year-old Kim Marie Groves. As a result of Kim’s unfortunate death at the hands of dirty police officers, the New Orleans Police Department’s rampant corruption would be exposed, and Superintendent Pennington’s reign as the head of the NOPD would be forever changed.Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyResearched and written by Andrea Marshbank Additional Writing by Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder of Southern Gothic & Erica KelleySources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/kim-grovesSponsors for this episode:This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp online therapy. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/southern and get on your way to being yo

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 with the ghosts of many others, some from the Civil War era, to haunt not only the room where she died but the entire establishment where she spent her final days. Fire, flood, a near-duel, and an infamous mobster are all part of the colorful, yet macabre and paranormal legend of the south’s longest continuously running - though still magnificent - hotel. This is the history of Annalisa Netherly and the Read House in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Gemma HarrisOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica KelleySources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/annalisa-netherlyTo enter the lottery for a night in room 311:

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 his second trial in 2019 became deadlocked in the punishment phase, a mistrial was declared. David appealed, and the long wait for resentencing began. This is an update on Episodes 127 & 128: The Belinda Temple Case. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Gemma Harris Additional writing by Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley

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 and he was seen on store cameras during the suspected time of the murder. But he had the oldest motive in the world. And Harris County DA’s Office would take almost five years to finally bring charges against him. The complicated legal wranglings and clash of two courtroom titans made this case a national sensation. And sometimes the very real woman, Belinda Temple, and her unborn daughter, Erin, are forgotten in the sensationalism. This is part 1 of 2 episodes. Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyResearched by Haley Gray & Erica KelleyWritten by Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioSuggested by: Amy Brooks, Landry Moore & Michelle Kimmey