Blue Ridge True Crime

In May 1974, 17-year-old Margaret Harritt set out on the Appalachian Trail with a friend, hoping for an adventure. Days later, she found herself tied to a tree, watching a stranger named Ralph decide her fate. This episode traces the harrowing story of a hike that turned into a nightmare, and the investigation that finally brought a killer to justice.Podcast Sources"The Stranger in the Shelter" by Earl Swift, Outside Magazine, November 5, 2018⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠

When the body of a young girl is discovered in an abandoned Kentucky mineshaft, the small town of Harlan believes they have finally found missing 14-year-old Mary Vickery. A local taxi driver quickly becomes the prime suspect, and a star witness comes forward with damning testimony. The case seems open and shut. But sometimes, justice takes an unexpected turn, and the truth can be stranger than fiction.Podcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠

We're heading to Point Pleasant, West Virginia, to uncover the true story of the Mothman. From four teenagers fleeing a winged creature at 100 mph to the bizarre phenomena that followed, including flying saucers and a telepathic alien named Indrid Cold. We explore whether there was a link between the Mothman and the Silver Bridge disaster that killed 46 people. Plus, we dissect John Keel's chaotic book: The Mothman Prophecies, work to separate fact from folklore, and trace how a local monster became a global icon.Indrid Cold: The Woodrow Derenberger Interview on YouTubePodcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠

In February 1968, the small town of Gaffney, South Carolina, was plunged into darkness. Over eight terrifying days, a serial killer known as the Gaffney Strangler claimed the lives of three women, taunted the local newspaper, and left a community barricaded in their homes.This is the story of how a cryptic phone call to a newspaper editor led police to two bodies, exposed a wrongful conviction, and sparked one of the largest manhunts in the county’s history. Join us as we explore the forensic limitations of 1968, the hunt for a predator, and the shocking end to the Gaffney Strangler’s reign.Podcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠

We’re switching things up! This isn’t our typical true crime story. Join me for a front-row review and insider breakdown of the live event Serial Killers with Dr. Scott Bonn, which I caught in Spartanburg. Plus, I’m featuring exclusive audio clips from the event's Q&A session, courtesy of Dr. Bonn himself.Content Advisory: This episode is marked EXPLICIT due to mature subject matter and occasional strong language related to the topic.Dr. Scott Bonn's website with tour datesDr. Bonn's Booki: Why We Love Serial KillersPodcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠

For over 200 years, the tale of the Bell Witch has haunted the American South. From 1817 to 1821, a frontier family in Tennessee was tormented by an invisible entity that pinched, spoke, prophesied, and maybe even murdered. We delve into the legend of the witch that battled Andrew Jackson, poisoned a patriarch, and left a mystery that blurs the line between fact and folklore. Podcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠

For Kentucky, it was the crime of the 19th century. On December 23rd, 1881, just before Christmas, a home in Ashland, Kentucky, became the scene of a premeditated and brutal act of staggering evil. Three teenagers were murdered. What followed was a storm of missteps, red herrings, mob violence, political maneuvering, and a governor’s defiant stand that would turn the case into a national spectacle.In this episode, Alfred Dockery is joined by Professor Kevin McQueen, author of "Murder in Old Kentucky: True Crime Stories from the Bluegrass," to unravel the dark and complex tale of the Ashland Tragedy. We explore the botched initial suspect, the shocking confession, a dramatic riverboat chase on the Ohio, a deadly militia shooting, and the legacy of a case that remains one of Kentucky’s most infamous crimes.Companion SubStack post with maps, images, and sourcesPodcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠Murder in Old Kentucky (Amazon)

Two young Tennessee criminals hoped to carve their own Depression-era outlaw legend. Clarence "Pee-Jem" Bunch and Gus McCoig began their path with a jailbreak from Newport in May 1934, unleashing a summer-long spree of robberies and shootouts across East Tennessee.Their run was as short as it was violent. Bunch was shot by police and died at age 23. McCoig escaped prison to rob again, but was later captured and executed in the electric chair for the shooting death of a sheriff, closing a brief, brutal chapter in East Tennessee crime annals.Companion SubStack post with maps, images, and sourcesPodcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠

He was a beloved legend on the Appalachian Trail, a generous, devout hiker known for his kindness and Jerry Garcia beard. To his fellow thru-hikers, he was "Bismarck." But to the FBI, he was James Hammes, a fugitive accountant who had vanished after allegedly embezzling $8.7 million from his employer. For years, he lived a double life, hiking thousands of miles while hiding in plain sight. In this episode, we unravel how a massive white-collar crime led to an unexpected arrest on the A.T., explore the dark secrets of his past, and uncover how his hunger for the spotlight and a TV rerun finally brought his run to an end.Noteworthy sources for this episode"A Long Walk's End" by William Browning (SB Nation Longform): A deep dive into Hammes' life on the trail."American Greed: The Fugitives" (Season 1, Episode 4): The TV episode that led to his capture.Podcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠

Join us for a special recap episode as we raise a glass to our unforgettable debut year! We're revisiting the chilling cases and incredible guests that made Season 1 a hit, breaking down your fan-favorite "ballad" episodes, and sharing behind-the-scenes secrets from the podcast's production.Featuring clips from each of our five cornerstone ballad episodes:Appalachian Ballads: Otto Wood with author Trevor McKenzie.The Murder of Gladys Kincaid with historian Dr. Kevin Young.Tom Dooley: Murder, Mystery, and a Mountain Ballad with folklorist William Ritter.The Hillsville Courthouse Shooting with Dr. Travis Roundtree.Frankie Silver: Unraveling the Ghost in the Ballad with bestselling author Sharyn McCrumb.Season 2 kicks off Monday, 1/5/26, with "The Fugitive Thru-Hiker," our first tale from the Appalachian Trail. Get ready for new trails, new tales, notorious outlaws, and legendary lawmen.Podcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠

In 1927, as Charles Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic and "talkies" revolutionized film, a brutal bandit named Paul Jaworski and his Flathead Gang used buried dynamite to launch a Brinks armored car into the air in America's first armored car robbery. This is the story of a criminal with a death wish, a failed getaway, a daring jailbreak, and a three-state crime spree that ended in Pennsylvania’s electric chair.Podcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠

In the winter of 1831, in the remote mountains of North Carolina, a young woman named Frankie Silver was accused of the brutal ax murder of her husband, Charlie. Her conviction, execution, and the gruesome dismemberment of the body made her the first woman hanged by the state of North Carolina. But her story didn’t end at the gallows—it became a legend, a haunting ballad, and a centuries-old question about justice, class, and culture in early America.In this compelling episode, host Alfred Dockery is joined by New York Times bestselling author Sharyn McCrumb to discuss her acclaimed novel, The Ballad of Frankie Silver. McCrumb, a celebrated Appalachian writer, delves into her years of meticulous research, separating folklore from fact and reconstructing a tragic tale that still resonates today.Timestamps(00:00) Podcast Introduction(00:18) The Case of Frankie Silver(00:52) Sharyn McCrumb: I write the stories that won’t go away(03:15) The Haunting Story of Charlie Silver's Graves(09:41) Unraveling the Trial of Frankie Silver(17:28) Burgess Gaither: The Perfect Witness(26:56) Writing The Ballad Series (No Candy Bars)(31:00) The Two Souths and Historical Research(35:21) Debunking the Hollywood Hangings(36:37) 19th Century Southern Hangings: Carts and Trapdoors(43:26) This Dreadful, Dark and Dismal Song(52:04) Swain: The Weasel Governor(57:57) How Did Charlie Silver Die? A Theory(1:08:48) The Rich Never Hang(1:10:46) See You on the BackroadsSharyn McCrumb's WebsitePodcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel

In the turbulent summer of 1917, as America grappled with war and social upheaval, the small city of Salisbury, North Carolina, was rocked by a brutal crime. The night watchman at the local streetcar barn was found savagely beaten and stabbed, and the payroll safe was broken open. What began as a senseless murder and robbery would unravel into a chilling tale of greed, a wooden leg, and a killer whose story would haunt the state's newspapers for half a century. This is the story of a cold-blooded killer, Baxter Cain, and an unfortunate victim, Abel Harris.A true crime story about a wooden leg, a torn dollar bill, and a date on the calendar, all entwined to create a grim legacy that outlived the men involved.Podcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In the sleepy mountain town of Clayton, Georgia, a botched bank robbery in 1934 sets off a wild chase across three states. The bandits have a unique weapon: a half-gallon bucket of roofing tacks. Sheriff Luther Rickman gives pursuit in a "little old Ford," dodging nails and driving on the wrong side of the road. The trail leads to a stolen Packard, a bloody car crash, and a connection to one of North Carolina's most notorious bootlegging ex-officials. This is the twisted, true story of the Clayton Bank Heist, a tale of financial ruin, moonshine, and a trail of clues that leads to only one man.Podcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Before Bonnie and Clyde captured the nation's attention, another couple was blazing a trail of crime across America: Irene Schroeder and Walter “Glenn” Dague. She was a young mother, the press dubbed "Iron Irene." He was a seemingly respectable car salesman. Their story begins with a deadly roadside shootout that left a Pennsylvania State Trooper dead. What followed was a desperate, multi-state crime spree involving kidnappings, daring escapes, and a final, fiery gunfight in the Arizona desert.This is the unforgettable true story of Irene Schroeder and Glenn Dague: a tale of violence, swift justice, and a legacy of redemption that reached all the way to the moon.Podcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

March 14, 1912. The Carroll County Courthouse in Hillsville, Virginia, was a scene of tobacco smoke and small-town gossip—until it became a killing ground. When Floyd Allen stood after being convicted and declared, “Gentlemen, I ain’t a-going,” more than 50 shots rang out. In the chaos, the judge, sheriff, and prosecutor were killed, and the powerful Allen family fled, triggering a massive manhunt that captivated the nation.In this episode, we speak with Dr. Travis Roundtree, author of Hillsville Remembered, to unravel the complex history of Appalachia's most notorious shootout.Hillsville Remembered: Public Memory, Historical Silence, and Appalachia's Most Notorious Shoot-Out by Dr. Travis A. RountreeThe Carroll County Courthouse Tragedy by R.W. "Ron" Hall is available from The Carroll County Historical Society and Museum.Feud: Hatfields, McCoys, and Social Change in Appalachia, 1860-1900 by Altina L. WallerBalladsBallad of Claude Allen (YouTube)Ballad of Sidna Allen (YouTube)Podcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠