https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/moonlight-murders--6837019
In the spring of 1946, a masked killer terrorized the twin cities of Texarkana, attacking young couples in lover's lanes under the cover of darkness. Five brutal assaults. Three dead. Two survivors who would never be the same. And a community gripped by fear so intense that hardware stores sold out of locks and guns.

This is the story of the Phantom Killer, one of America's most infamous unsolved cases. Across seven episodes, we'll walk through each attack in chilling detail, follow the desperate investigation that spanned multiple jurisdictions, examine the suspects who could never quite be ruled in or out, and explore how these murders shaped Texarkana forever.

From the first attack on Jimmy Hollis and Mary Jeanne Larey to the murders of Virgil and Katie Starks, from the questionable confession of Youell Swinney to the theories that still swirl today, we're diving deep into a case that inspired The Town That Dreaded Sundown and continues to haunt true crime enthusiasts decades later. The Phantom was never caught.

The case was never solved. But the story deserves to be told.]]>enTrue CrimeCopyright Joehttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/24be0ce76a4e718842f221a6e8f77626.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/moonlight-murders--6837019Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:00:59 +0000JoeJoejoe@10minutemurder.comThe Moonlight Murders: Texarkana's Phantom Killer In the spring of 1946, a masked killer terrorized the twin cities of Texarkana, attacking young couples in lover's lanes under the cover of darkness. Five brutal assaults. Three dead. Two survivors...
In the spring of 1946, a masked killer terrorized the twin cities of Texarkana, attacking young couples in lover's lanes under the cover of darkness. Five brutal assaults. Three dead. Two survivors who would never be the same. And a community gripped by fear so intense that hardware stores sold out of locks and guns.

This is the story of the Phantom Killer, one of America's most infamous unsolved cases. Across seven episodes, we'll walk through each attack in chilling detail, follow the desperate investigation that spanned multiple jurisdictions, examine the suspects who could never quite be ruled in or out, and explore how these murders shaped Texarkana forever.

From the first attack on Jimmy Hollis and Mary Jeanne Larey to the murders of Virgil and Katie Starks, from the questionable confession of Youell Swinney to the theories that still swirl today, we're diving deep into a case that inspired The Town That Dreaded Sundown and continues to haunt true crime enthusiasts decades later. The Phantom was never caught.

The case was never solved. But the story deserves to be told.]]>falseepisodichttp://10minutemurder.com
#TexarkanaPhantom #UnsolvedMysteries #TrueCrimeHistory #PhantomKiller

If you're hooked on the Texarkana Phantom case and want more deep dives into fascinating true crime stories, check out my other podcast, 10 Minute Murder. Every episode delivers a complete true crime story in just ten minutes. Perfect for your commute, lunch break, or whenever you need a quick fix of compelling storytelling about history's most intriguing cases. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69585739Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:00:10 +0000JoeYouell Swinney was sentenced to life in prison in 1947 for being a habitual car thief. For twenty-six years, he insisted he was innocent of murder. Then in 1973, his conviction was overturned on constitutional grounds. The man everyone believed was...
#TexarkanaPhantom #UnsolvedMysteries #TrueCrimeHistory #PhantomKiller

If you're hooked on the Texarkana Phantom case and want more deep dives into fascinating true crime stories, check out my other podcast, 10 Minute Murder. Every episode delivers a complete true crime story in just ten minutes. Perfect for your commute, lunch break, or whenever you need a quick fix of compelling storytelling about history's most intriguing cases. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.]]>9431946murders,coldcase,henrytennison,phantomkiller,serialkiller,texarkanahistory,texarkanamurders,texarkanaphantom,thetownthatdreadedsundown,truecrimecold,truecrimepodcast,truecrimestory,unsolved,unsolvedmurders,youellswinneyfalsefullhttp://10minutemurder.com
#TexarkanaPhantom #YouellSwinney #TrueCrimeJustice #HabitudinalOffender

If you're hooked on the Texarkana Phantom case and want more deep dives into fascinating true crime stories, check out my other podcast, 10 Minute Murder. Every episode delivers a complete true crime story in just ten minutes. Perfect for your commute, lunch break, or whenever you need a quick fix of compelling storytelling about history's most intriguing cases. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69585662Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:00:11 +0000JoeBy late 1946, prosecutors faced an impossible choice. They believed Youell Swinney was the Phantom Killer. The stolen car pattern was too perfect. Peggy's knowledge of Paul Martin's secret datebook was damning. That question about the electric chair...
#TexarkanaPhantom #YouellSwinney #TrueCrimeJustice #HabitudinalOffender

If you're hooked on the Texarkana Phantom case and want more deep dives into fascinating true crime stories, check out my other podcast, 10 Minute Murder. Every episode delivers a complete true crime story in just ten minutes. Perfect for your commute, lunch break, or whenever you need a quick fix of compelling storytelling about history's most intriguing cases. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.]]>7141940scrime,arkansascrime,coldcase,courtcases,criminaljustice,habitudinaloffender,phantomkiller,serialkiller,texarkanamurders,texarkanaphantom,texascrime,truecrimejustice,truecrimepodcast,unsolvedmurders,youellswinneyfalsefullhttp://10minutemurder.com
#TexarkanaPhantom #YouellSwinney #TrueCrimeInvestigation #UnsolvedCases

If you're hooked on the Texarkana Phantom case and want more deep dives into fascinating true crime stories, check out my other podcast, 10 Minute Murder. Every episode delivers a complete true crime story in just ten minutes. Perfect for your commute, lunch break, or whenever you need a quick fix of compelling storytelling about history's most intriguing cases. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69585622Mon, 26 Jan 2026 07:00:08 +0000JoeArkansas State Trooper Max Tackett saw what everyone else had missed. Before each murder, a car was stolen. After each attack, that car was abandoned. The Phantom wasn't using his own vehicle. He was stealing them. If Tackett was right, the key to...
#TexarkanaPhantom #YouellSwinney #TrueCrimeInvestigation #UnsolvedCases

If you're hooked on the Texarkana Phantom case and want more deep dives into fascinating true crime stories, check out my other podcast, 10 Minute Murder. Every episode delivers a complete true crime story in just ten minutes. Perfect for your commute, lunch break, or whenever you need a quick fix of compelling storytelling about history's most intriguing cases. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.]]>10451940scrime,arkansascrime,circumstantialevidence,coldcaseinvestigation,criminaljustice,peggyswinney,phantomkiller,serialkillerinvestigation,texarkanamurders,texarkanaphantom,truecrimeinvestigation,truecrimepodcast,truecrimestory,unsolvedmurders,youellswinneyfalsefullhttp://10minutemurder.com
#TexarkanaPhantom #TrueCrimeHistory #UnsolvedMurders #1940sCrime

If you're hooked on the Texarkana Phantom case and want more deep dives into fascinating true crime stories, check out my other podcast, 10 Minute Murder. Every episode delivers a complete true crime story in just ten minutes. Perfect for your commute, lunch break, or whenever you need a quick fix of compelling storytelling about history's most intriguing cases. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69585509Mon, 26 Jan 2026 06:00:13 +0000JoeThe Phantom had a pattern. Every three weeks, a young couple on a lovers' lane. Police saturated those roads, waiting for him to strike again. But on May 3rd, 1946, everything changed. Virgil and Katie Starks were a farming couple in their late...
#TexarkanaPhantom #TrueCrimeHistory #UnsolvedMurders #1940sCrime

If you're hooked on the Texarkana Phantom case and want more deep dives into fascinating true crime stories, check out my other podcast, 10 Minute Murder. Every episode delivers a complete true crime story in just ten minutes. Perfect for your commute, lunch break, or whenever you need a quick fix of compelling storytelling about history's most intriguing cases. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.]]>13011940struecrime,arkansascrime,coldcase,katiestarks,phantomkiller,serialkiller,serialkillerhistory,texarkanamurders,texarkanaphantom,texascrime,truecrimepodcast,truecrimestory,unsolvedmurders,virgilstarks,youellswinneyfalsefullhttp://10minutemurder.com
Betty Jo's death sent shockwaves through the community. She had run two miles through the woods before the Phantom caught her. The discovery of her missing saxophone six months later only deepened the mystery. Why would a killer take a musical instrument? What did it mean?

This episode explores the murders that pushed Texarkana into mass hysteria. Families abandoned their bedrooms, sleeping together on floors with loaded shotguns. Schools released students early. Downtown emptied at dusk. The city transformed into a ghost town after dark, everyone counting down to the three-week mark when the killer would strike again.

Four people dead. A pattern emerging. And law enforcement no closer to identifying the monster hunting their streets.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69500182Mon, 19 Jan 2026 06:00:10 +0000JoeEaster weekend 1946 brought Texarkana's worst nightmare to life. Fifteen-year-old Betty Jo Booker was a talented saxophonist with the Rhythmaires, playing gigs around town and building a promising future. After finishing a late-night performance at...
Betty Jo's death sent shockwaves through the community. She had run two miles through the woods before the Phantom caught her. The discovery of her missing saxophone six months later only deepened the mystery. Why would a killer take a musical instrument? What did it mean?

This episode explores the murders that pushed Texarkana into mass hysteria. Families abandoned their bedrooms, sleeping together on floors with loaded shotguns. Schools released students early. Downtown emptied at dusk. The city transformed into a ghost town after dark, everyone counting down to the three-week mark when the killer would strike again.

Four people dead. A pattern emerging. And law enforcement no closer to identifying the monster hunting their streets.]]>11021940scrime,1946murders,americancrime,bettyjobooker,coldcase,criminalpodcast,historicalcrime,loverslanemurders,moonlightmurders,murdermystery,paulmartin,serialkiller,texarkanaphantom,texascrimehistory,truecirc,truecrimepodcast,truecrimestory,unsolved,unsolvedmysteries,violentcrimesfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-2-double-murder-on-spring-lake-road--69252620Episode 2: Double Murder on Spring Lake Road

March 24, 1946. A motorist discovers Richard Griffin and Polly Ann Moore shot execution-style in Griffin's Oldsmobile on South Robison Road near Spring Lake Park. Both victims have been shot in the back of the head with a .32 caliber pistol. A pool of dried blood twenty feet from the car reveals the killer moved the bodies after shooting them. The crime scene is compromised by rain and poor security. Texarkana realizes the February attack wasn't isolated. A serial killer is hunting lovers' lanes.

This episode chronicles the double homicide that transformed a local crime story into national news and unleashed mass panic across Texarkana. Discover how jurisdictional chaos between Texas and Arkansas law enforcement agencies hampered the investigation from the start. Learn about the arrival of legendary Texas Ranger Manuel "Lone Wolf" Gonzaullas, whose media-savvy approach prioritized headlines over forensic protocol. Witness the birth of the killer's infamous nickname and the gun-buying frenzy that followed.

Featuring detailed crime scene analysis, the questionable tactics that contaminated evidence, and the escalating pattern that predicted another attack in three weeks. The Phantom was just getting started.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69252620Mon, 12 Jan 2026 06:00:10 +0000JoeEpisode 2: Double Murder on Spring Lake Road March 24, 1946. A motorist discovers Richard Griffin and Polly Ann Moore shot execution-style in Griffin's Oldsmobile on South Robison Road near Spring Lake Park. Both victims have been shot in the back of...Episode 2: Double Murder on Spring Lake Road

March 24, 1946. A motorist discovers Richard Griffin and Polly Ann Moore shot execution-style in Griffin's Oldsmobile on South Robison Road near Spring Lake Park. Both victims have been shot in the back of the head with a .32 caliber pistol. A pool of dried blood twenty feet from the car reveals the killer moved the bodies after shooting them. The crime scene is compromised by rain and poor security. Texarkana realizes the February attack wasn't isolated. A serial killer is hunting lovers' lanes.

This episode chronicles the double homicide that transformed a local crime story into national news and unleashed mass panic across Texarkana. Discover how jurisdictional chaos between Texas and Arkansas law enforcement agencies hampered the investigation from the start. Learn about the arrival of legendary Texas Ranger Manuel "Lone Wolf" Gonzaullas, whose media-savvy approach prioritized headlines over forensic protocol. Witness the birth of the killer's infamous nickname and the gun-buying frenzy that followed.

Featuring detailed crime scene analysis, the questionable tactics that contaminated evidence, and the escalating pattern that predicted another attack in three weeks. The Phantom was just getting started.]]>12491946,americancrime,arkansashistory,coldcase,crimehistory,crimeinvestigation,historicalcrime,loverslane,maskedkiller,murderpodcast,phantomkiller,postwaramerica,serialkiller,texarkanamurders,texashistory,truecrime,truecrimepodcast,unsolvedcrime,unsolvedmystery,vintagecrimefalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-1-the-town-between-two-states--69252619Episode 1: The Town Between Two States

February 22, 1946. A masked attacker with a white hood and pistol terrorizes a young couple on a secluded Texas lovers' lane. Jimmy Hollis suffers multiple skull fractures. Mary Jeanne Larey is sexually assaulted and flees half a mile for help. The brutal attack on the outskirts of Texarkana goes largely unreported by local newspapers. Police dismiss it as an isolated incident. No warnings are issued to the public. Three weeks later, the killer strikes again.

This episode introduces the Texarkana Moonlight Murders, one of America's most infamous unsolved serial killer cases. Discover how this unique border city spanning Texas and Arkansas became the hunting ground for a predator known as the Phantom Killer. Learn about the lovers' lane culture of 1940s America, the post-war boom that transformed Texarkana, and the first violent attack that law enforcement fatally underestimated. The victims' conflicting descriptions of their attacker would complicate the investigation for decades.

Featuring detailed accounts of the February 22nd assault, the geographical complexities that hindered the investigation, and Jimmy Hollis's chilling warning: "If you don't find him, he's going to kill someone."]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69252619Sat, 03 Jan 2026 17:06:47 +0000JoeEpisode 1: The Town Between Two States February 22, 1946. A masked attacker with a white hood and pistol terrorizes a young couple on a secluded Texas lovers' lane. Jimmy Hollis suffers multiple skull fractures. Mary Jeanne Larey is sexually...Episode 1: The Town Between Two States

February 22, 1946. A masked attacker with a white hood and pistol terrorizes a young couple on a secluded Texas lovers' lane. Jimmy Hollis suffers multiple skull fractures. Mary Jeanne Larey is sexually assaulted and flees half a mile for help. The brutal attack on the outskirts of Texarkana goes largely unreported by local newspapers. Police dismiss it as an isolated incident. No warnings are issued to the public. Three weeks later, the killer strikes again.

This episode introduces the Texarkana Moonlight Murders, one of America's most infamous unsolved serial killer cases. Discover how this unique border city spanning Texas and Arkansas became the hunting ground for a predator known as the Phantom Killer. Learn about the lovers' lane culture of 1940s America, the post-war boom that transformed Texarkana, and the first violent attack that law enforcement fatally underestimated. The victims' conflicting descriptions of their attacker would complicate the investigation for decades.

Featuring detailed accounts of the February 22nd assault, the geographical complexities that hindered the investigation, and Jimmy Hollis's chilling warning: "If you don't find him, he's going to kill someone."]]>11641946,americancrime,arkansashistory,coldcase,crimehistory,crimeinvestigation,historicalcrime,loverslane,maskedkiller,murderpodcast,phantomkiller,postwaramerica,serialkiller,texarkanamurders,texashistory,truecrime,truecrimepodcast,unsolvedcrime,unsolvedmystery,vintagecrimefalsefull