Southern Fried True Crime

From Campside Media and Sony Music Entertainment, the new season of Witnessed: Mystic Mother is out now and sure to be your next podcast obsession!The story follows the rise and fall of the Phoenix Goddess Temple, which for years claimed to offer “seekers” healing through sensual touch... But when an outsider exposes what’s happening behind closed doors… the temple unknowingly welcomes in a new kind of seeker—undercover detectives.What some saw as a spiritual home, the state saw as a brothel operating under the guise of religious freedom… So what happens when your religious beliefs might be against the law?Witnessed: Mystic Mother is available now! Subscribe on Apple podcasts to binge all episodes or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts.

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 while law enforcement searched for her, the blood found in the studio and outside in the parking lotleft little hope that Susan would be found alive. Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyResearched by Haley GrayWritten by Andrea Marshbank and Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed by Erica Kelley SOURCES: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/the-stalking-and-murder-of-susan-loperDOMESTIC VIOLENCE- US National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233- National Domestic Violence Hotline: thehotline.org- Canada: visit this website to find the hotline in your area- UK Domestic Abuse Hotline: 0808 2000 247- For resources in other countries, visit this website

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 custody. He was set to fill out the paperwork in two days. But he would never get the chance to sign his name on the dotted line.This episode was suggested by Albert “Bubba” Summerlin, a retired Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Agent Summerlin assisted with the investigation I’m discussing in today’s case. He was gracious enough to not only recommend the topic, but speak with us on multiple occasions to make sure we got the details right. So, thank you to Agent Summerlin! Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyResearched and Written by Haley GrayAdditional writing by Erica KelleySpecial thanks to Albert “Bubba” Summerlin, retired Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.Orig

Simply Vanished is a new investigative podcast about unsolved missing person cases. It is hosted by Josh Newville, a civil rights lawyer who is dedicated to finding answers. Note: Josh is a huge fan of Southern Fried True Crime!Josh alternates between full investigative seasons (where he dives deep into one specific case), and periods of episodic coverage (where he tells us about unsolved missing person cases and solicits tips to help the official investigation). Simply Vanished is currently on Season 1, finding explosive new leads in a 20-year-old cold case of a missing college student. Newville founded Trembling Leaf Media and launched Simply Vanished in 2022. It is currently featured in the New & Noteworthy section of Apple Podcasts’ Darkside Collection. Simply Vanished episodes are available at simplyvanished.com and everywhere you get podcasts.

Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyWritten by Erica Kelley Researched by Haley Gray and Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed by Erica KelleySources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/coweta-county-justiceSponsors: SimpliSafe.com/southernfriedBetterHelp.com/southern In the 1940s, John Wallace was a wealthy and powerful moonshiner who ruled Meriwether County, Georgia with an iron fist. Having the county sheriff in his pocket meant Wallace was allowed to do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. Even commit murder. On April 20, 1948, Wallace’s reign would come to an end. That day, he murdered a man, something he’d done many times before. However, this time, Wallace made a grave mistake: he committed the murder just over the Coweta County line. Wallace did not have the Coweta County Sheriff in his pocket, and he was about to find out what it was like to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

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 the friends said they would be back to pick her up at closing time. But when they came back, Jennifer was nowhere to be seen. Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyWritten by Erica Kelley and Haley GrayResearched by Haley Gray Original Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed by Erica KelleySources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/the-murder-of-jennifer-evansSponsors: Friends without the “R” - Best FiendsBetterHelp.com/southern

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 help from authorities, only to be reeled back in by unkept promises and threats. After four years of restraining orders and criminal charges, authorities finally started to take Yana’s allegations seriously. But it was too late. Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyWritten by Erica KelleyResearched by Haley Gray Original Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed by Erica KelleyDOMESTIC VIOLENCE- US National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233- Canada: visit this website to find the hotline in your area- UK Domestic Abuse Hotline: 0808 2000 247- For resources in other countries, visit this websiteSources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/murder-in-slow-motion-the-death-of-yana-hussThe main sources for today’s

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 than the truth of who was responsible for killing Lindsey, Joy, and Emily Champion.Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyWritten by Erica KelleyResearched by Haley Gray Original Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed by Erica KelleyCase suggested by an anonymous person from Trigg CountySources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/the-champion-family-murdersSponsors: SimpliSafe.com/southernfriedBetterHelp.com/southern

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 killed simply because he was gay. Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyWritten by Erica KelleyResearched by Haley Gray and Anna LuriaOriginal Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed by Erica KelleySources:Sponsors: Friends without the “R” - Best FiendsBetterHelp.com/southern

On May 4, 2001, Bonny Lee Bakley was found fatally shot in a car on a dark North Hollywood street. The prime suspect was her husband, famed actor Robert Blake. But Bonny, a longtime con artist, had plenty of enemies. She left behind a trail of men she’d scammed, and she had a volatile relationship with Christian Brando, the troubled son of movie star Marlon Brando. Not since the O.J. Simpson case had the eyes of the nation been so fixated on a homicide. The search for Bonny’s killer took detectives on an eleven-month odyssey across the country and through Hollywood's underbelly of hustlers, drug addicts, and would-be hitmen. It would be the most expensive murder investigation in LAPD history to date. This is the story of Robert and Bonny’s toxic relationship, her shocking murder, and his chaotic trial. Did actor Robert Blake kill his wife? Or was the murder someone else's vendetta?From Wondery, and the team behind the hit series Hollywood & Crime (The Dating Game Killer, The Wonderland Murders, Death of S

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 Jennifer and George Hyatte, an innocent man lost his life for their selfish, forbidden romance. Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyWritten by Erica KelleyResearched by Haley Gray Original Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed by Erica KelleySuggested by CherylSources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/prison-break-the-story-of-jennifer-and-george-hyatteSponsors: ProvenSkincare.com use code “sftc”

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 convicted of her husband’s murder. The murder of Keith Gentry may seem like a shut and close case - a wife kills her husband for the insurance money. That is until you find out that Darlene did not receive a fair trial. The details will leave you asking, “Did Darlene Gentry kill her husband, or is his killer still roaming free?” Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyWritten by Haley Gray and Erica KelleyResearched by Haley Gray Original Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed by Next Day Podcast & Erica KelleyEpisode suggested by Gabby McCray, and MeganSources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/the-murder-of-keith-gentry Sponsors: SimpliSafe.com/southernfried BetterHelp.com/s

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 to move in with her conservative Baptist grandparents, Carl and Sarah Collier, who immediately put rules in place. By the summer of 2004, Holly was feeling like a caged animal. How far would she go to break free of her cage?Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyWritten by Haley Gray and Erica KelleyResearched by Haley Gray Original Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed by Erica KelleySources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/holly-harvey-and-sandy-ketchumSponsors: SplendidSpoon.com/SFTCFriends without the “R” Best Fiends!BetterHelp.com/southern

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 Maxwell resided, locals lived in constant fear of The Reverend because they knew the truth - he was a serial killer who couldn’t be stopped.Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyWritten by Erica KelleyResearched by Haley Gray and Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed by Erica KelleyEpisode Suggested by Colleen Wade & several other faithful listenersSources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/reverend-willie-maxwellSponsors: SimpliSafe.com/southernfriedLittleSpoon.com promo code: southern friedEvite.com/SFTC BetterHelp.com/southern

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 course of 56 days, found his boat, jacket, and waders. But there was no sign of Mike anywhere, so authorities added to their theory: after drowning, Mike was eaten by alligators. Mike was officially declared dead, and his missing persons case was closed. But Mike’s mother Cheryl refused to believe the theory, and set out on a long journey for justice. 17 years later, authorities would find out Cheryl was right - Mike hadn’t been eaten by an alligator. He’d been murdered.Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyWritten by Erica KelleyResearched by Haley GrayOriginal Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed by Erica KelleySources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/mike-williamsSponsors: SplendidSpoon.com/SFTC BetterHelp.c

Our family members are not always who we think. When Eleonore Richland exposed her father’s dark legacy, she vowed to clean up the family business – and hired her half-brother, Santino Reyes, to help her do it. But old habits die hard. In the shocking new third season, Eleonore reckons with what her father always taught her growing up: medicine is a bloody business. From Wondery, the makers of “The Shrink Next Door” and “Dr. Death,” Blood Ties stars Gillian Jacobs (Community, Love), Christian Navarro (13 Reasons Why), and Peter Stormare. Listen to all six episodes ad free on Wondery+ on May 9. Listen to Blood Ties - Strange Days: https://wondery.app.link/wplus/sftc_bts3

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-mannered lady. She was a serial killer who enjoyed torturing her victims, killing them slowly and painfully, manipulating them at every step along the way. This is the story of Pat Taylor Allanson, a woman who would stop at nothing to fulfill her lifelong dream.Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyWritten by Erica KelleyResearched by Haley Gray & Anna LuriaOriginal Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed by Erica KelleySources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/pat-taylor-allansonSponsors: SimpliSafe.com/southernfriedBest Fiends, that’s friends without the “R”BetterHelp.com/southern

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 midnight on July 19 - all they could hear was a man say “goddamn”, then eleven gunshots. After tracing the location of the 911 call, authorities found Lorenzen’s body, heavily decomposed. His cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds from at least two guns. Who wanted the beloved Memphis hero dead and why? That’s a question detectives wouldn’t be able to answer for several years. Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyResearched Haley GrayAdditional Writing by Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed by Erica KelleySources and photos: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/lorenzen-wrightSponsors: StoryWorth.com/southernfriedGrove.com/southernfriedFunctionOfBeauty.com/SFTCThriveCausemetics.com/sout

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 one author, Herndon rubbed shoulders with politicians and celebrities. And he used his money and power for philanthropy and gave back so much to his community. His brutal murder in the summer of 1996 was shocking and the investigation revealed a messy private life, unfairly staining the reputation of a hardworking, generous and self made man. Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyResearched and written by Haley GrayAdditional Writing by Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed by Erica KelleySources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/lance-herndonSponsors: SplendidSpoon.com/SFTCBetterHelp.com/southern

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 held a grudge against them. But who hated the couple enough to execute them? That’s a question that would take nearly three years and a talented young private investigator to answer. Hosted and produced by Erica KelleyWritten by Erica KelleyResearched by Haley GrayResearch assistance by Anna Luria Original Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma RadioEdited & Mixed Erica KelleySources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/james-and-virginia-campbell-1Sponsors: Best Fiends, Friends without the “R”BetterHelp.com/southernSimpliSafe.com/southernfriedThriveCausemetics.com/southernfried