Southern Fried True Crime

Double jeopardy protects our citizens from malicious prosecution. But every now and then, the good guys lose. And the bad guy benefits from this protection we all enjoy. The Brenda Schaefer case is an extreme example of dedicated police work and earnest prosecution still losing to abject evil. Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/31-justice-denied Special thank you to author Bob Hill. H...

In August of 2017, Hurricane Harvey was bearing down on the gulf coast and a beautiful mother of two vanishes. In the days that followed, Baytown, Texas had to contend with historic rainfall and flooding while searching for Crystal McDowell. But if it wasn't for the storm, her murderer would probably have gotten away with it. Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/30-the-disappearance-of-...

The conclusion to the Narcissistic Family Annihilator, Jeffrey MacDonald. MacDonald is a brutal and cold murderer that destroyed his family to save himself and in doing so, brought family annihilators into the public consciousness. Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/28-29-jeffrey-macdonald Key: A – Colette MacDonald B – Jeffrey MacDonald AB – Kimberley MacDonald O – Kristen MacDonald...

There are some murders that are so intrinsically shocking that we all become obsessed. Known as the family annihilator, these horrific cases dominate our news and social media. This is the historic case of one of the most infamous monsters who destroy their families: Jeffrey MacDonald. Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/28-29-jeffrey-macdonald Written, hosted, produced by Erica Kelley...

The 1980’s were the beginning of a sea change in politics and drug culture in the United States. Listen to this tale of how a cocaine, corruption, a double murder, and a dead patsy trumped justice in one Ozark town. Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/27-murder-in-the-ozarks Written, hosted, produced by Erica Kelley Researched by Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Origin...

Bonus Episode-- an interview with acclaimed thriller novelist, Laura Lippman. Her modern noir novel, Sunburn, comes out in paperback today! http://www.lauralippman.net https://www.facebook.com/lauralippman Twitter: @LauraMLippman Written, hosted, produced by Erica Kelley Researched by Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison-Gamma Radio Merch | Donate | In t...

Lauren Agee went to Center Hill Lake in Smithville, Tennessee with some "friends" to attend the annual wake-boarding tournament known as WakeFest. They were camping on a steep cliff, 90 feet above the water. She supposedly went to bed Saturday night, and was missing the next morning. She was found hours later by two fishermen, floating dead, face down in a cove. Her death was barely investigated a...

I had a wonderful chat with Dr. Peter Vronsky, author, historian and serial killer expert. He came on the show to discuss his new book, Sons of Cain: A History of Serial Killers from the Stone Age to the Present. We covered everything, from the historical witch hunts, which Peter considers the state sanctioned serial murder of women, to Jack the Ripper and the Golden Age of serial killers, beginni...

I had a lovely chat with author and historian, Patrick Bowmaster, about his ebook "What the Little Dog Witnessed." He was kind enough to talk to me about his research as well as how he went about getting it published. Special shout out to Richard from the podcast True Crime Historian! For more information, please visit Patrick's blog: https://patrickbowmaster.wordpress.com/ Written, hosted, produc...

The Reckoning: The Trials of Perry March is the conclusion to the Janet Levine March series. It took ten years to get Perry March to justice, and he didn’t go down alone. Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/20-21-22-janet-levine-march Written, hosted, produced by Erica Kelley Researched by Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison-Gamma Radio Merc...

The investigation into the disappearance of Janet Levine March was going cold, but the war between Perry March and the Levines was about to explode. Part 2 of 3.  Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/20-21-22-janet-levine-march Written, hosted, produced by Erica Kelley Researched by Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison-Gamma Radio Merch | Dona...

A beautiful young artist, mother and wealthy native of Nashville goes missing. (Part 1 of 3) Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/20-21-22-janet-levine-march Written, hosted, produced by Erica Kelley Researched by Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison-Gamma Radio Merch | Donate | In the Media: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com @southfriedtruth...

We're shaking things up this week on Southern Fried! Join me as I chat with international best-selling author, Karin Slaughter. She is a critically acclaimed and much beloved crime writer known for her gripping page turners. And she's a sassy, southern woman who is a lot of fun to interview. I think you're gonna love her.  We talk about crime, her writing process, getting to know female cops, the...

The story of Shelly Michael, former cheerleader, wife, mother, stepmother, nurse practitioner and murderer could not be contained in one episode. I hope you enjoy the conclusion of this West Virginian saga. Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/17-18-shelly-michael If you’re interested in learning more about this case, check out my best source. Author John Glatt wrote the definitive work...

The story of Shelly Michael, wife, mother, stepmother, nurse practitioner and murderer could not be contained in one episode. I hope you enjoy part one of this West Virginian saga about a former Mountaineer cheerleader turned murderess.  Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/17-18-shelly-michael If you’re interested in learning more about this case, check out my best source. Author John...

An 18 year old girl tortures and kills another teenager and is sentenced to death. Does she belong on Death Row? You decide.  Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/16-christa-pike Written, hosted, produced by Erica Kelley Researched by Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison-Gamma Radio Merch | Donate | In the Media: https://southernfriedtruecrime...

In 1987, Willie Grimes is accused of the rape of an elderly white woman. He has an alibi and there is no physical evidence. And yet he is still taken to trial and convicted. It would take 24 years to prove his innocence. Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/15-willie-grimes Written, hosted, produced by Erica Kelley Researched by Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original...

The murder of an 18 year old girl, the mayor, a cover up and the 20 year investigation that blew the lid off. Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/14-the-babysitter-murder Special thanks to author Michael Bishop for graciously talking with me about his investigation.  https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Music-City-Corruption-Innocent/dp/1633883450 Written, hosted, produced by Erica Kelley Res...

For five months, beginning in November of 2012, a pair of arsonists would terrorize Accomack County, Virginia, setting more than 80 fires. This is a love story. Happy Valentine’s Day. Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/13-burning-love Special thanks to author Monica Hesse. Her book, American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land, was an invaluable resource for this episode....

In 1999, PFC Barry Winchell was beaten to death in his bed in the barracks of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He had been harassed and abused for months over his relationship with a transgender show girl named Calpernia Addams. His murder and the subsequent publicity and activism by his family and girlfriend helped to finally end the Don't Ask, Don't Tell era of the US Military. Sources: https://www.sout...

In 1999, Karen Tipton was murdered in the small town of Decatur, Alabama. A biased judge, ruthless defense attorneys and unethical media coverage would turn her killer's murder trial(s) into a three ring circus. And her husband and daughters are the ones who ultimately paid the price. Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/11-decatur-justice Written, hosted, produced by Erica Kelley Resea...

In 1991, a young mother is murdered. Small town cops have their suspect almost immediately. But they do not arrest. Years pass, and Kathy Page's father started a billboard campaign calling out her ex-husband as the suspect and the police as corrupt. Her unresolved murder and the famous billboards that have stood for over 27 years inspired the award winning movie, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, M...

Cyntoia Brown was 16 years old when she committed murder. But it isn’t as simple as that. She was also a rape victim, pimped out and had been abandoned as a child. Did the system fail her? Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/9-free-cyntoia-brown Written, hosted, produced by Erica Kelley Researched by Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison-Gamma...

A scandalous double murder in a small Kentucky town notorious for police corruption. Will there be justice? Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/the-kentucky-bordello-murders Written, hosted, produced by Erica Kelley Researched by Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison-Gamma Radio Merch | Donate | In the Media: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com...

A scandalous double murder in a small military town with a long history of corruption plays out like a hillbilly soap opera in the national spotlight. Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/the-kentucky-bordello-murders Written, hosted, produced by Erica Kelley Researched by Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison-Gamma Radio Merch | Donate | In th...