The Felon File

The Buncombe Co. Lynching of 1897 (E-12-9) August 8, 1897, around 11:30, Kittie Henderson waswalking home by herself from church when a man attacked her. Knocking her down, he forced her into the wooded area next to the road.  He threatened and assaulted her. Leaving her to die beside the road. But she did not. What happened next becomes an ugly part of Buncombe History.

Some people are just hard to kill. (12-8) A homeless Irishman from County Donegal who lived in New York City during the 1920s and 1930s. A former firefighter and stationary engineer. He was murdered by a group of five whom he thought were friends. In a fraud scheme, they attempted many times to kill off the man, but he just kept returning.

North Carolina John & Jane Doe Homicides (12-7) In the grim landscape of crime, some cases stand out not for their lurid details but for their profound tragedy: the unsolved homicides of John and Jane Does. These are the victims whose names are unknown, their stories silenced, their identities lost to the mists of time. While headline-grabbing cases often monopolize public attention, we must r...

The story of the Pizza Gate Man.(Episode 12-6) Who was he? What did he do then, before and after the media circus of Pizza Gate?  Hero or Villain? Actor John Goodman may have said it best. “People just do the strangest things when they believe they’re entitled. But they do even stranger things when they just plain believe.” — John Goodman

The Murder of Karen Styles (12-5) Karen Styles was a gifted and kind individual. Graduated High School in 1990. Continuing to college, where she helped create a program for disabled youth & kept 3 jobs while staying on the Dean's List Styles' college years were marked by exceptional commitment and accomplishments. 1994, she received her Bachelor of Science in therapeutic recreation fro...

The Hanging of Dave Mason (Eps. 12-4) Dave Mason, born in 1813, was a farmer from Haywood County, North Carolina. Married to Mary Stephenson in 1835. the couple had four children. In 1850, Mary was discovered murdered in their farm cabin. Did Dave do it? Who watched the final outcome? Listen and learn the facts.

Every story needs a beginning or a starting place. Nellie Ellis Green was born on Halloween day, 31st of October 1905, in York, South Carolina. At 19 Nellie married 23-year-old Alton Reid Freeman on 19 December 1925, in Charlotte, North Carolina, After five months of marriage, Alton was done. He was leaving.  Packing up some of his stuff, He told Nellie he was leaving. Six days before Christmas. T...

Assault by Banjo A 63-year-old man who played in a bluegrass band was charged with murder after beating his wife to death with two banjos. A Hungarian tourist killed an Auckland man by shoving a banjo in his mouth.  In 1880, a Banjo player finds his lady in the company of another man.  A physical altercation ensued between them.  The banjo man tried to leave.  In a fit of rage, she lunged at the m...

The Asheville Monkey (12-1) 106 years ago, on July 16, 1916, a flood changed the City of Asheville's landscape. The rising waters of the Swannanoa and French Broad Rivers went to heights never been recorded. Soon after the flood, a monkey was bequeathed by the late Cornelius Vanderbilt to a friend in Asheville. Many thought this was to establish a zoo for the city. The 1916 City Council of the day...

Fall in the Mountains. Though the views can be riveting, the world still revolves, and the stories of good and evil, right and wrong, continue. The fall of 1963 may be a good example.  "History repeats itself."  This quote is attributed to both Marx and Churchill.  Both are correct to a point.  Marx stated that history repeats itself, first as tragedy, the second time as farce. Church Hi...

 In 1851, a Yancey County Mountain politician and businessman acting as his own attorney used a bullwhip on opposing counsel outside the McDowell County court in Marion. Listen to find out the outcome of the court case.

When the grave is closed and the flowers are placed on it, many think the story is over, though sometimes this is not the case. Here are two stories of two excitations that took place—or did they?

A replay of an episode from season 4-episode #20, Killer Robots, Courthouse Killings, and workplace violence. Originally aired on January 9th. 2021, we are replaying it because of one of the stories in that particular podcast. A story of a shooting in 1994 at the Yancey County Courthouse involving a magistrate and several first responders. One of those individuals involved was Mike Boone. Mike sur...

Bonaparte's Retreat or Groom's Tune? As Henry Grooms played his fiddle, perhaps for the final time, the strains of Bonaparte's Retreat resonated through the trees. One man smiled, another prayed, and a third cursed those who had brought them to this moment. Is it a tale of fiction or a piece of history? Listen and make your judgment. FelonFile.com.

The killing of Sheriff Noland in Haywood County in 1862. A notable event. Historically, county sheriffs had numerous duties and responsibilities. During the Civil War in North Carolina, one such duty was to locate outliers and deserters. It was in the course of such an investigation that Sheriff John Noland tragically lost his life on a mountain pass, an incident involving a hymn and a young woman...

In 1928, a murder shook Madison, NC. A son discovered his father dead in the living room while his grandfather lay unconscious on the path leading from the house. Nearby, a pistol was found. Was it the father who killed his son? John Frisby faced murder charges. Despite three trials in Mountain County involving two different defendants, no one was convicted. The reasons remain unclear. Who was the...

11-1 Rum Runners and the Black Duck The Nobel Experiment or Probation created a new type of criminal. The mountain back roads had the Moon Shiners and Bootleggers. The Coastal Communities had alcohol made legally in another country and smuggled into the states by the run-runners. These are just a few of their stories. https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/felonfile/episodes/6-1-Rum-Runners-and-t...

Looking for Candidates for that "Special" Place in Hell Episode 10-11 "Abusing or taking advantage of children, It said if you do you're going to burn in a very special level of Hell. One reserved for Child Molesters and People who talk at the theater." (modified quote by Shepard D. Book)

1937 The Murder Year in NC? Episode 10-23.

Felon File episode # 10-22 Unfortunate incident or Murder? A Courtroom disturbance leads to several subjects' deaths and many more injuries. Was it murder in the courtroom or something else? On line 4-20-2024 @ 7:00 pm. https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/felonfile/episodes/Unfortunate-incident-or-Murder-e2aob6b

Episode 10-21 - . England's Killers, Fred and Rosemary West Fred West and his future wife, Rose, become two of the most evil serial killers in U.K. History.  Responsible for the dismemberment and murder of women and young girls, including two members of their own family. Evil? Listen and decide for yourself.

The  Murder of Stringbean the Banjo Man Episode 10-20 The Felon File. In 1973, a member of the Grand Ole Opera and his wife were murdered in their rural home and farm. Why was the quiet couple killed? Who were the killers? How did their deaths impact the Country Music World at the time?  On line 3-23-24 @ 7:00 pm on your favorite podcast platform.

Ian Brady & Myra Hindley. The English Moor Murders Episode 10-17 A review of the United Kingdom serial Killers, Ian Brady & Myra Hindley. The 1960s English Moor Murders

1875 Murder of the Farmer's Daughter Episode 10-17 Monroe Co Tenn. 1875. Was it love or murder? 21-year-old Jack Hunt came from a good background. Dad was a prosperous Farmer and businessman in Monroe County. Jack was the youngest of several brothers and sisters. Growing up, he had been allowed to do as he pleased most of his life, leading to becoming wild and reckless.  Having his way most of...

Her headstone reads "MARY MAGDALENE PITTS”, “Cruelly Murdered”. Episode 10-16. Was he the worst dad in history? Listen and decide.