Bless This Mess: A Southern True Crime Podcast

In 2009, Chiquita Tate had it all working as a defense attorney in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  But one night in February, she was brutally murdered.  Police work through the people in her life wondering if it could be a client of hers.  She had everything going for her, who would want to hurt Chiquita?  Join us while we discuss the tragic case of Chiquita and how a promising life was cut short. Sourc...

In 1994, Hope Hall was busy making her dreams come true.  Through hard work and focus, she landed a job as a Production Assistant at the local Richmond, Virginia TV station.  Soon, though, Hope would not be the one producing the news, she would be the news.  After being brutally murdered in her apartment, the case goes cold.  It would take developing a DNA database to finally catch the killer. Sou...

In 2001, Diane Holik was living a great life in Austin, Texas.  She had a great career, beautiful home, and tons of friends that loved her.  The only thing Diane felt she was missing was a partner to spend her life with so when she meets a successful business man from Houston online, she thinks she has found the one.  They quickly become engaged and she makes plans to sell her home in Austin and m...

In May of 1996, Eddie and Elise Makdessi were enjoying a nice night out in Virginia Beach, Virginia.  The evening would quickly turn into a nightmare when they entered their apartment and were attacked.  The night would end with only Eddie surviving, Elise and their attacker both dead.  As police investigate the murder, they soon realize all is not as it seems with Eddie and Elise.  Join us while...

In 1986, in Edmond, Oklahoma, Gary Larson is in bed with his girlfriend.  They hear a noise so he gets up to check it out.  He is confronted by a man wearing nothing but underwear and gloves.  By the end of the night, Gary will be dead and his girlfriend will have endured hours of torture.  It will take 18 years but police finally track down this peeping-tom turned murderer.   Sources: The Daily O...

In 1992, 64 year old Martha "Doe" Roberts was at home having breakfast with her husband of 44 years before he headed off to work.  It was a typical day for the couple, but later that today, her husband would come home to find Doe missing.  Soon after, ransom phone calls began coming in but the kidnapper never followed through with the plans.  Follow us while we discuss the strange case of Doe Robe...

In June of 2011, Lauren Giddings was ready to start the rest of her life.  She had just finished law school and was set to move in with her longterm boyfriend, David, in Atlanta.  But when Lauren had not been heard from in days, her friends and family begin to worry.  A gruesome discovery in a trashcan will lead police on a search for Lauren's killer and his twisted obsession. Sources:  Dateline,...

In May of 2004, South Carolina nursing student Tamika Huston went missing.  The first few days her family just thought that she had gone on one of her spontaneous trips but after not hearing from her in almost two weeks, they called the police.  With an ex-boyfriend with a past and a new secret love interest, the police had suspects but no real evidence.  Join us while we discuss the disappearance...

In May of 1984, Karen Gregory was excited to move in with the love of her life, her boyfriend David Mackey.  But while David was out of town, the unthinkable would happen to Karen in a small beach town in Florida.  Join us while we discuss the murder of Karen Gregory and how a small town detective would have to look within his friend circle to find the real murderer.  Music courtesy of Blanche, fi...

In the town on Madisonville, Kentucky, known as the “Best Town On Earth” (they have a song, it’s official), the unthinkable has happened.  Anna Mae Branson, a well-known business woman around town was found murdered in her home.  Suspects were few and far between as Anna Mae was so beloved, no one could imagine anyone wanting to hurt her.  But when the police finally zero in on their guy, he is no...

In August 2008, police discovered Phillip and Carey Heidt murdered in their home.  Linda Heidt was left for dead.  Police initially had no suspects but when they discovered an affair within the family, the murders became much more scandalous.  Join us while we discuss the Heidt family murders and how brotherly betrayal can lead Music courtesy of Blanche, find their music on iTunes! Contact us at b...

September of 2005 in Lubbock, Texas, a landfill worker finds a suitcase that looks suspicious.  Opening it up, he discovers a young woman's body, he immediately contacts police.  After identifying the body, police discover a potential serial killer operating in Lubbock, Texas.  Join us while we discuss the Texas Suitcase Killer and how a computer trail helped police stop a budding serial killer in...

Annie and Jessica Andrews are two young girls trying to recover from the loss of their mother.  When they do a seance to make contact with her spirit they aren’t expecting much.  But soon they would start hearing knocking on their walls and pipes rattling in their basement.  All of these things only occur while their dad is not home, could they have awakened a malevolent spirit or is something eve...

Memorial Day Weekend 1992, Betty Wilson walked into her 3-story home in an upscale part of Huntsville, Alabama to find her husband lying on the floor in a pool of blood.  Dr. Jack Wilson was a successful optometrist, well liked, and generous to the community and no one could figure out who would want him dead. What was initially thought to be a burglary gone horribly wrong would soon turn into one...

On April 18, 1996, Shannon Sanderson left her three children with their grandparents in Memphis, Tennessee and headed off to a casino in Tunica, Mississippi. Cameras caught Shannon playing blackjack and winning it big but this would be the last time Shannon was seen alive. With an ex-husband, a rocky marriage, and an angry ex-boyfriend, the police have plenty of suspects. Join us while we discuss...

In December of 1999, Laci Dawn Hill was preparing to spend Christmas with family and friends in Bixby, Oklahoma.  A chance encounter would put Laci in the crosshairs of Steven Ray Thacker who would embark on a 10 day killing spree across three states after abducting Laci. Music courtesy of Blanche, find their music on iTunes! Contact us at blessthismesspodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter here....

In July of 1995, Dana Satterfield is a beautiful, ambitious, young mother of two running her own hair and tanning salon in Roebuck, South Carolina.  When Dana is found brutally murdered in the salon the whole town is shocked and cannot imagine who could have done this.  Dana and her husband were having problems, could he have done this? Or was it one of the many men in town who had made unwanted a...

In September 2005, Taylor Behl had just spent Labor Day weekend at home with her Mom and Dad in Vienna, Virginia.  She was excited to get back to her college campus, she had great friends, loved her classes, and her new roommate.  But the night Taylor returned to her dorm, she disappeared after telling her roommate she would be back in a couple hours.  Following a trail of photos, detectives found...

In March of 1997, Kim Medlin had a lot going for her.  She was happily married and working on building her dream life with her husband.  They had moved to Monroe, North Carolina to buy some land, start a horse farm, and fix up the home they bought for when they would eventually start a family.  But something happened to Kim in the early morning hours of March 29, her car was left on the side of th...

In August of 1990, Jennifer Schuett is an 8 year old girl getting ready to start third grade in Dickinson, Texas.  Jennifer had always been afraid of the dark and since she could remember, she always slept in bed with her mom at night since it was just the two of them.  Well one night, Jennifer was restless and her mom asked if she could, just for this night, go sleep in her room.  That evening, a...

May 1981, Ruie Ann Park is a prominent member of society but not necessarily the most liked in the small town of Van Buren, Arkansas When she ends up dead in her home, bludgeoned to death, the town quickly suspects her alcoholic son and the people he has in his life.  With not enough evidence to get a conviction, the case would go unsolved until a taped confession emerges revealing the true murder...

November 2006, Avis Banks and her fiancé Keyon Pittman are expecting their first child in just a few months.  They spent the holidays with family and everything seemed wonderful.  But just six days after Thanksgiving, Keyon comes home to find Avis brutally murdered in their garage.  At first police, suspect Keyon but once they find out the double life he was leading a new suspect emerges and it wi...

In Bullitt County, Kentucky 17 year old Jessica Dishon goes missing leaving a few belongings behind including a cellphone with the numbers “9-1” dialed on the screen. It would take 17 days to find her body and the scene was horrific, she had been brutally murdered. With a bungled police investigation, this case went cold making the family suffer for years and wondering “Who killed Jessica?”. Music...

In 2001, Dr. Robert Schwartz is a world renowned scientist working with DNA sequencing.  He is still recovering from the death of his wife Joan and living alone in his home in Mount Gilead, Virginia. One December evening, a man comes to his secluded home and stabs him over 40 times with a 27 inch sword and leaves an 'X' carved into the back of his neck. Police begin to wonder, is this is an occult...

From 1977 to 1978, a murderer was loose in Columbus, Georgia nicknamed the Stocking Strangler.  After six years of no leads, they finally nab their guy and he is convicted and sentenced to death.  But 30 years later, new DNA evidence is processed, some pointing to is guilt and some pointing to his innocence, we discuss the findings and the ever complicated case of Carlton Gary.  Sources:  Whoever...