Criminology: The Texarkana Moonlight Murders
A report from the chief of police in Atlanta, Texas, eventually led the investigation to a motor coach station, where they arrested a fleeing Swinney. The flashlight would be sent to Washington for examination by the FBI, but nothing useful would be found. Three attacks made a pattern, and law enforcement responded by swarming to Texarkana. The Texas Rangers commandeered a spot at the Hotel Grim downtown, a fortress-like building whose profile lived up to its name. The local police grinded away, doing much of the grunt work, and coordinated with the federals and the Rangers, who played the public face of the investigation. More than 75 years after the fact, the details are solid enough.
Out of the darkness, a man wearing a white cloth mask – presumably a pillowcase with eye holes – appeared at the car window and shone a flashlight into their eyes. Swinney’s wife was seen driving a stolen car, and the husband and wife were arrested. Swinney’s wife confessed that her husband was the killer, but her story was inconsistent, changing details each time she was subject to questioning. Katie Starks survived her injuries and fully recovered.
Lauderdale had started following someone he suspected to be the killer, and in turn, someone had started following him. On the night of May 10, just after the Starks shootings, C.J. Lauderdale saw a suspicious man getting onto a city bus, and thought he looked suspicious enough to follow. The bus pulled away from the stop, lurching into the road. The 36-year-old farmer lived in a small house on 500 acres of land, ten miles to the northeast of Texarkana.
I found the connections of these two unsolved crimes nothing short of astounding w/the age factor of the UNSUB a little on the high end to be Zodiac although still within the realm of possibility. Was a well-known flashy businessman who liked to flaunt his wealthy and high stakes lifestyle. True crime stories It would soon all unravel when he was linked to one of the largest insurance scams in Texas history. He then chased her down and sexually assaulted her before letting her run away again. Young couples parked at the end of a lonely country road, salvaged after the sun went down.
On Saturday, May 11, a teletype machine arrived from Austin, Texas in the afternoon and was installed in the Bowie County Sheriff's office. Gonzaullas explained that the machine would aid in the investigation by allowing them to be connected with other law enforcement offices in Texas. Sheriff Presley and Sheriff Davis suggested raising a reward fund of $2,500 for information that would help them catch the killer of Virgil Starks. They mentioned that if the slayer of Mr. Starks was the same killer responsible for the other murders, then the Starks reward would be combined with the other rewards making it a sum of $10,000.
Sunday, both Sheriff Davis and Sheriff Bill Presley of Bowie county said the prints were sent to Austin, Texas, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation laboratory in Washington. Betty Jo who would have been 18 years old now, attended Texarkana, Ark., and Texarkana, Texas, high schools, and played in the Arkansas high band a part of the time the Tennison boy did, her father said. Mrs. Daniel said her brother visited her home frequently before he finished high school, and often stayed with her children while she and her husband went to the movies. S body was scheduled to arrive here from Fayetteville at 3 p. m. Craig brought Mrs. Tennison to Texarkana from Fayetteville and she is now at the family home. We are x x x of the opinion that the statements left by him were made at a time when the boy was in an ill and despondent condition.
B. Tennison was at his home here the night of May 3, 1946, when one of the "Phantom" killings occurred. Women were afraid to stay at home at night, and many went to hotels. This second murder case aroused statewide indignation. And Texarkana became alarmed and frightened, as well as angry. The case was turned over to the famous "Lone Wolf" of Texas crime detection -- Capt. M. T. Gonzaullas of the Texas Rangers.
His family told police they did not possess the weapons used to kill the five victims and that none of Tennyson’s fingerprints matched those found at the crime scenes. Dr. said that the killer will continue to attack randomly. Dr. said that there is a connection between the four crimes. Lapalla thinks, he undoubtedly believed, that the murder of Virgil Starks and the shooting of Katie Starks could be connected to the other three crimes. Dr. Lapalla described the killer as intelligent, clever and cunning, while he described the Phantom as between 30 and 50, who may have lived an ordinary life and appeared to be a good citizen in his personal life.
The police also had a number of false confessions to contend with. Youell Swinney and “Doodie” Tennison were some of the more closely investigated. A man selling a saxophone, a taxi driver and a hitchhiker were all suspects at one time. Some believe that even that man found dead on the train tracks, may have been the killer taking his own life.
Then, early on the morning of March 24, a motorist found a car parked at the end of Rich Road, a secluded lover’s lane. Inside, he saw the bodies of 29-year-old Richard Griffin, a veteran who made his living in carpentry and painting, and his 17-year-old girlfriend, Polly Ann Moore, who was living in a nearby boardinghouse with her cousin. The couple, who had only been dating six weeks, and had dinner with Griffin's sister and her boyfriend earlier in the night. Mary, thinking this was a robbery, tried to show the man Hollis’ wallet, to show him they had no money.
It would be good to see a movie or a documentary that actually follows the case exclusively. Since it is not solved, I put it up there with the Zodiac. I think that a very good documentary on it or a movie based on the facts would interest quite a few people, including me. To date, the identity of the Phantom Killer remains unknown.
There is great debate as to whether or not the Phantom Killer is still at large today. Many believe that the killer has already been caught and apprehended on other charges. Regardless, his story lives on as they made a movie about the killing spree, the 1976 horror movie, The Town That Dreaded Sundown. The culprit of this mysterious influx – the ‘Phantom’ – has inspired movies and TV shows over the years. Many believe that the urban legend of the Hook Man, who preys on teenagers, originated in Texakiana in the 1940s. The Phantom is also believed to be one of America’s earliest examples of a serial killer, and the term was not recorded until the case went cold.
Katie made the call which rang twice before she was shot twice in the face making her fall to the ground. However, she managed to get up and rushed to the neighbor’s home where she was rushed to hospital. The Phantom Killer managed to escape after this attack. Credit producer-director Pierce with making shrewd use of a small budget. The Arkansas locations add both color and authenticity, along with the unforced drawls of southern born leads Johnson and Prine. The movie also does a good job of recreating a '40's milieu, even down to the girls' bobby-sox that brings back fond memories.
FWIW, I agree with the merge suggestion that the article on the unknown killer should be part of the article on the killings. The Trail Went Cold is a weekly true crime podcast which explores baffling unsolved mysteries and cold cases. On each episode, host Robin Warder examines a new murder or missing persons case, tackling a wide variety of mysteries from different countries and time periods. Each week Mike Ferguson and Mike Gibson guide you through the most interesting unsolved true crime stories. This is a true crime podcast that spares none of the details.