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

Buckle up for the true story of the 1997 Loomis Fargo heist. This is Ocean's Eleven goes country, with a crew of small-time crooks, a would-be hitman, and one of the world's worst money launderers.What happened next was a colossal cascade of failure.Podcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠My Book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blood on the Blue Ridge on Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠ (written with Scott Lunsford)

In 1897, a young West Virginia woman named Zona Heaster Shue was found dead. The official cause was "an everlasting faint." Case closed. But then, her mother, Mary Jane Heaster, claimed her daughter's ghost visited her for four consecutive nights with a chilling accusation: Zona had been murdered by her husband, her neck broken. This is the only known case in American history where testimony from a ghost helped convict a murderer. But was it a spectral vision, a mother's desperate dream, or a clever ruse to ensure justice? Join us as we dig into the bizarre and compelling story of the Greenbrier Ghost, where folklore and true crime collide. Topics & Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction: The Chilling Roadside Marker03:05 - A Marriage of Inconvenience: Meet Zona Heaster and the mysterious "Trout" Shue.04:55- The Body of the Crime: The discovery of Zona's body and Trout Shue's suspicious behavior.07:05 - Cause, Mode, and Manner of Death: Mary Heaster's crusade and the shocking results of the autopsy.08:35- Trial and Testimony: The defense's fatal mistake and Mary Heaster's unforgettable day in court.13:15- A Verdict, A Legend, and A Roadside Marker: The jury's swift decision and the mob that arrived too late.15:10 - Recent Developments & The "Fisher's Ghost" Connection: How an Australian ghost story in the local newspaper might have inspired a legend.18:45- Conclusions: Separating history from haunting—what really happened to Zona Heaster Shue?Mentioned in this Episode:The Man Who Wanted Seven Wives by Katie Letcher LyleThe Unquiet Grave by Sharyn McCrumbThe "Fisher's Ghost" legend from AustraliaGreenbrier Independent Article (Click Newspaper Articles PDF)Link to Substack post on "Fisher's Ghost"Podcast Sources⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠My Book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blood on the Blue Ridge on Amazon⁠⁠⁠ (written with Scott Lunsford)

We're heading down a dark trail into one of Appalachia's most enduring mysteries. In May of 1866, Laura Foster rode out on her family's mare and vanished into the North Carolina mountains. Her body was later found in a shallow grave, sparking a manhunt, a sensational trial, and a public hanging that would be immortalized in a folk song known around the world.But what really happened to Laura Foster? Was Confederate veteran and "rock star" fiddle player Tom Dooley truly the killer, or was he protecting a deadly secret? In this episode, host Alfred Dockery is joined by folklorist and musician William Ritter to separate fact from folklore. You can find more of William Ritter's work at https://www.songtoseed.com.Podcast Sources⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠My Book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blood on the Blue Ridge on Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠ (written with Scott Lunsford)

Travel back to September 12, 1952, in the small town of Flatwoods, West Virginia. What began as a flash in the sky witnessed by a group of boys playing football quickly spiraled into one of America's most bizarre and enduring UFO encounters. This is the story of the terrifying, ten-foot-tall Flatwoods Monster—a story of mass hysteria, Cold War anxiety, and the two fascinating paranormal investigators who turned a local legend into a national phenomenon.Visit the Blue Ridge True Crime Substack for articles and updates.Check out the Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel for video versions of episodes.Buy my book, written with my friend Scott Lunsford:Blood on the Blue Ridge

Everyone knows the story of the Salem witch trials. But a century later, accusations of witchcraft arose in the backcountry of South Carolina. This is the chilling, bizarre, and largely forgotten story of the Winnsboro witch trials, where an elderly man and two women were accused of levitating cows and turning people into horses. We’ll examine the primary sources, explore a possible medical explanation, and investigate a second, possibly mythical, witch trial in Chesterfield, SC, in 1813, the strange case of Barbara Powers.Sources⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠My Book⁠⁠⁠⁠Blood on the Blue Ridge on Amazon⁠⁠ (written with Scott Lunsford)

In this episode, we explore the surprisingly dramatic history of the pocket watch. These intricate machines have been silent witnesses to historic moments, from a secret message hidden inside Abraham Lincoln's watch and the sunken submarine that changed naval warfare, to a deadly train wreck that revolutionized timekeeping, and a stolen watch that brought down a terrifying highway killer.Sources⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠My Book⁠⁠⁠⁠Blood on the Blue Ridge on Amazon⁠⁠ (written with Scott Lunsford)

In the summer of 1927, the murder of a 15-year-old mill worker named Gladys Kincaid plunged the town of Morganton, North Carolina, into chaos. It triggered the largest manhunt in Western North Carolina history for a suspect named Broadus Miller. In the conclusion of this two-part story, host Alfred Dockery is joined by historian Dr. Kevin Young, author of The Violent World of Broadus Miller, to discuss the ballads of Gladys Kincaid, as well as the aftermath and legacy of the crime and manhunt.Sources⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠Check out Dr. Young’s book.⁠The Violent World of Broadus Miller on Amazon⁠

In the summer of 1927, the murder of a 15-year-old mill worker named Gladys Kincaid plunged the town of Morganton, North Carolina, into chaos. It triggered the largest manhunt in Western North Carolina history for a suspect named Broadus Miller. In this first of a two-part episode, host Alfred Dockery is joined by historian Dr. Kevin Young, author of The Violent World of Broadus Miller, to unravel the details of the crime and the frantic, 11-day chase through the foothills of Grandfather Mountain. We explore Miller's mysterious past, the racial hysteria of the era, and the shocking, archaic law that deputized an entire state to hunt one man down.In Part 2, we discuss the aftermath of the manhunt and the ballads of Gladys Kincaid. Join us for the conclusion of this violent and tragic story.Sources⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠⁠Explore More Content⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠⁠Check out Dr. Young’s book.⁠The Violent World of Broadus Miller on Amazon⁠

A dead man falls from a clear night sky, landing in a quiet Knoxville neighborhood. He was wearing combat fatigues, Italian loafers, and had a duffel bag of cocaine strapped to his waist. This is the bizarre, true story of Drew Thornton, a former narcotics officer, lawyer, and army paratrooper who became a legendary drug smuggler. In this episode, we unravel the mystery of his final, fatal jump, explore the dark world of ‘The Company,’ and uncover how a single flight led to a multi-state cocaine hunt, an infamous ‘Cocaine Bear,’ and a tale so strange it had to be true.(00:00) - Intro(00:15) - The Body in the Driveway: An 85-year-old man finds a parachutist's corpse in his gravel driveway on a quiet September morning in 1985.(03:00) - A tale of two epigrams: Thornton saw himself as a warrior poet.(06:00) - Bill Leonard, a Lexington, KY, bodybuilder and martial arts instructor, realized he was in over his head when the Cessna touched down in a swamp in Colombia.(09:00) - Thornton graduates from Sewanee Military Academy in Tennessee.(12:00) - An arsenal in a Philadelphia hotel room. Bradley Bryant is arrested when police discover fake IDs, guns, a telephone scrambler, and a radar jamming device.(14:40) - Did Thornton fake a shooting to stay out of jail? (15:20) - Thornton steps over the edge.Sources⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links⁠Explore More Content⁠Blue Ridge True Crime Substack⁠⁠Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel⁠My Book⁠Blood on the Blue Ridge on Amazon⁠ (written with Scott Lunsford)

In this episode, we examine the lives of two legendary North Carolina hermits: David Greer, the Hermit of Bald Mountain, and Robert Harrill, the Fort Fisher Hermit. David Greer became a hermit due to unrequited love and became famous for the murder of Holland Higgins.Robert Harrill left a state mental institution in 1955 and hitchhiked to Fort Fisher, where he lived for 17 years. His mysterious death in 1972 may have been a murder. Some saw him as a modern-day Henry David Thoreau.00:00 Intro01:36 The Murder of Holland Higgins03:50 A Deranged Trial05:48 David Greer Facts and Folklore06:30 The Poll Tax Incident07:18 Greer’s Life on the Mountain09:17 The Death of David Greer11:25 The Fort Fisher Hermit13:53 Surf, Sand, and the Wild Man15:15 Hurricanes 16:16 People Problems17:46 The Hermit Business19:40 The Hermit’s Mysterious Death22:13 Harrill’s Legacy23:16 EpilogueShout out to Listener Cheryl W for suggesting the change in intro music.SourcesBlue Ridge True Crime Sources & LinksFor more info, click the links below:William Holland Higgins Find a Grave MemorialThe Fort Fisher Hermit: Enigmatic Life and Mysterious DeathExplore More ContentBlue Ridge True Crime SubstackBlue Ridge True Crime YouTube ChannelMy Book Blood on the Blue Ridge on Amazon (written with Scott Lunsford)

John “Paul” Scott of Leitchfield, KY, was serving 30 years for bank robbery (really burglary) for attempting to rob the Farmers and Traders Bank in Campton, KY, and for stealing two Thompson submachine guns from a Danville, KY, National Guard Armory, which were used in a shootout with police after a night watchman caught him and his two accomplices in the act. An attempted escape from the Atlanta penitentiary got him a seat on the ferry to the Rock. What happened next made history.SourcesBlue Ridge True Crime Sources & LinksExplore More ContentBlue Ridge True Crime SubstackBlue Ridge True Crime YouTube ChannelMy BookBlood on the Blue Ridge on Amazon (written with Scott Lunsford)

Three stories of moonshiners who would rather shoot it out than surrender, including the legendary Lewis Redmond, Moonshine King of the Carolinas, Garrett Hedden, the meanest moonshiner in Tennessee, and Josiah “Joe Banty” Gregory, a little man with a blazing temper.A live talk from the Pickens County, SC, library.SourcesBlue Ridge True Crime Sources & LinksExplore More ContentBlue Ridge True Crime SubstackBlue Ridge True Crime YouTube ChannelMy BookBlood on the Blue Ridge on Amazon (written with Scott Lunsford)

In this episode of the Blue Ridge True Crime Podcast, host Alfred Dockery explores the tales of two infamous North Carolina moonshiners - the elusive Charles Folias, known as the whiskey caveman, and Huldah Nines, a cunning woman blockade distiller. Delving into stories of underground stills, dangerous encounters, and clever evasions of the law, Alfred seeks to separate fact from fiction. While Folias' account remains shrouded in mystery and possibly myth, Nines' story is authenticated by multiple newspaper reports and her eventual imprisonment. The episode also highlights the significant role wildlife played in these historical narratives and ends with references for further reading and viewing, including links to related videos and historical resources.SourcesBlue Ridge True Crime Sources & LinksMore from Blue Ridge True CrimeVisit our Substack for Articles & UpdatesCheck out our YouTube ChannelAdditional LinksEntertaining Whiskey Caveman VideoThe Whiskey Was Underground - Wake Forest Museum

The Legendary Otto Wood: Ballads and Banditry in AppalachiaIn this episode of the Blue Ridge True Crime Podcast, host Alfred Dockery talks with Trevor McKenzie, the author of 'Otto Wood, the Bandit.' They explore Otto Wood's life, including his numerous prison escapes, his legend in Appalachian ballads, and his notorious exploits across multiple states. Trevor delves into how Otto crafted his own myth, his criminal activities, and his ultimate demise in a dramatic shootout. The episode also touches on the tradition of Appalachian balladry, its historical significance, and its modern transformations.SourcesBlue Ridge True Crime Sources & LinksTrevor McKenzie's BookOtto Wood: The Bandit on AmazonMore from Blue Ridge True CrimeVisit our Substack for Articles & UpdatesCheck out our YouTube Channel