the town that dreaded sundown real story

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She was fully clothed, her coat buttoned, and her body resting on her back with her right hand tucked inside her pocket. The man happened to glance at his barn, where he saw several flashes, and after calling the police and arming himself with a shotgun, he alongside law enforcement were about to lit up the barn with gunfire. Syl is a professional criminologist who shamelessly spends her time listening to true crime podcasts, watching horror films, and bringing real life horror to her written pieces. They preserved the crime scene on the inside, but not the outside which was trampled, making any chance at tracking the killer impossible.  He probably would have killed Larey, but luckily, some headlights appeared in the distance, which scared him off. While The Town That Dreaded Sundown may have played with the facts of the actual case, it did keep the memory of the tragic events alive for decades. While searching his clothes, Swinney’s sister found a shirt, obviously too large for Swinney with the laundry mark STARK on the inside of the collar. In this article, you will find The Town That Dreaded Sundown Review, Rating, and Synopsis. They titled their article “Texarkana Terror, Southern City is panicked by the killer who shoots according to schedule” a fact that was only true in one instance, but mostly the article covered the reaction of the citizens in the wake of the murders. While most of the details had been shared with residents, local and federal law enforcement made the decision to keep a key detail out of the news. Although the murders occurred over 70 years ago, these books were published within the last several years. Unlike popular crime films such as Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers (1994), which was loosely inspired by a variety of events, and David Fincher’s Zodiac, which focused on one man’s obsession with a real serial killer, Sundown carried the weight of crimes that affected real people. Meanwhile, when Betty finds herself at the center of a deepening mystery, her decision to keep some parts of it from Jughead causes further friction between the two. It was at this point that Sheriff Presley decided to call on the help of the Texas Rangers in order to identify the type of gun used in the murder from the casings that were left at the scene. In 1946, the town of Texarkana, Arkansas is plagued by assaults and slayings committed by "the Phantom Killer".Investigating deputy Norman Ramsey (Andrew Prine) is baffled by the first attack on a couple, and when the assailant kills his next two victims, Texas Ranger J.D. The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976) Welcome to HouseOfHorrors.com, the most extensive Horror Movie Collection on earth and the favorite destination for millions of our horror genre fans for more than 20 years. In her second statement to police, Peggy stated that her husband told her that he had stolen a saxophone from the car after the Booker-Martin murders. Later examination suggested that the murderer had faced her when he shot her at point blank range. had changed from attacking couples on Lover’s Lane to brazenly attacking people in their own home. However, around the same area by the vehicle Sheriff Presley then found a small black date book that he would later discover belonged to Paul Martin. Clark humored his worrying wife and called Janann Gleason, the friend that Betty Jo was supposed to be staying with that night. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN (VHS, 1976) Based on true story at the best online prices at eBay! The bodies were identified as young couple Richard Griffin and Polly Ann Moore after law enforcement officers found the female’s class ring that had both the high school name and her initials on it. By Bradley Harding Jun 06, 2020 The Town That Dreaded Sundown was a 1976 docudrama that was based on actual crimes committed in Texarkana in 1946. In fact, on February 26, 1946, Peggy revealed to police that, after a spat with her husband, she went back to her mother’s home, which was situated on Richmond Road, not too far from where the February 22 assaults occurred. The shirt was almost identified by Virgil Starks’ wife, however, she could not be sure. The sheriff believed that the attack on Larey and Hollis was just a part of the normal criminal activity in Texarkana, or even an isolated event, so the police department did not believe that an active, involved search of the suspect was necessary. Pierce's. As both Martin and Booker’s families buried their children, six more Texas Rangers arrived on the scene to help catch the elusive murderer who was newly named by the Texarkana Gazette. After her husband, and Booker’s stepfather, Clark Brown, dismissed Bessie’s anxiety as over-exaggeration, Bessie insisted that Clark start making phone calls in order to find her daughter. POV Horror Has The Best Found-Footage Horror! The featured picture described the trap of Mrs. Rochelle: A blanket was nailed over a glass door next to a table that was teetered on an ashtray which would fall over if the door was opened. The killing spree in the Summer of 1946 came to be known as “The Texarkana Moonlight Murders,” and the perpetrator was dubbed “The Phantom Killer” by the press. His grandchildren called him Mr. Swinney, not Grandpa or Grandfather. Advertise With Wicked Horror. While Griffin and Moore’s deaths caused Texarkana to shake its head in disbelief and grieve, Martin and Booker’s murders sent the town into a spiral of panic. The go-to source for comic book and superhero movie fans. The sheriff’s initial reaction was that this attack was conducted by Larey’s estranged husband, but the ex-lover was able to provide an alibi that placed him nowhere near the crime scene. Sparkplug, primarily for comic relief. Charles B. The film follows the exploits of Deputy Norman Ramsay as he attempts to track down the man responsible for attacking eight people in the Spring of 1946. It was directed by Charles B. Thirty years after the attacks of the Texarkana Phantom, a horror movie entitled The Town That Dreaded Sundown was released in theatres, on December 24, 1976.  According to the film, it portrayed a true story depicting accurate events with only the names changed. The music store and the suspect were in Corpus Christi, 450 miles away from Texarkana, but the sales clerk was familiar with the public notice and was suspicious of the suspect’s odd behavior. March 24, 1946 another couple was confronted in a different area also known as a “lover’s lane.” This time, both victims were not so lucky. Less than a month later on April 13 the killer took the lives of Paul Martin (17) and his friend Betty Jo Booker (15) – both shot with the same gun used as the previous double-murder, a .32 automatic Colt pistol. Virgil had been shot twice in the back of the head and once in the lower back, which short-circuited the heading pad he was using. The sheriff did not want to strain the already fragile town and create further racial tension based on Larey’s seemingly unfounded claims that the attacker was an African American man. Katie was shot twice in the face while attempting to call the police. However, while law enforcement did attribute this attack to the Phantom, there were doubts if this was really the work of the elusive serial killer. After catching a film at a popular movie theater, they parked on a secluded road known locally as Lover’s Lane. Richard L. Griffin (29) and his girlfriend Polly Ann More (17) were found dead in his car from gunshot wounds to the head. Soon, Sheriff Presley and the rest of law enforcement were made aware that Paul Martin was the last person seen with Betty Jo Booker, who was reported missing. They did both agree that the suspect had a mask over his face that resembled a pillow case with holes cut out for his eyes and mouth, but one thing was for sure, they had no idea who their attacker was. The late Charles B. Pierce’s The Town That Dreaded Sundown was a low budget account of the Texarkana Moonlight Murders that occurred in 1946. The Phantom Killer never struck again, and though there was a robust manhunt and investigation no one was ever convicted of the crimes. Also, one of the spectators of the crime scene that lingered dangerously close to the parked car found the keys about 100 yards away and picked them up with his bare hands to turn them into the police. The panic occurring throughout Texarkana inspired reporters to flock to the small country town, attempting to get the latest scoop on what was causing it to turn itself inside out. The Phanto… A one-stop shop for all things video games. One day in late June, the stolen Plymouth was noticed and confirmed as the same vehicle for which the police were looking. After Hollis awoke from a 15-day coma it turned out that the some of their testimony proved to be unhelpful since they provided conflicting descriptions of the suspect. Convinced that Virgil had dropped something and broken it, Katie left the bedroom to attend to her husband, but found that Virgil was slumped dead in his armchair, blood seeping down his neck. After securing the scene with techniques taught to them by the Texas Rangers and the FBI agent, Sheriff Presley recruited Texarkana residents to search for Betty Jo Booker. Upon arriving in Texarkana, Carter, along with Hibbett Lee, who could identify the vehicle, learned that it was, in fact, stolen. However, The Town That Dreaded Sundown did upset many of the residents and even resulted in an (unsuccessful) lawsuit from one a brother of one of the victims. Simply put, it is a must-see. She stated that she was not sure where her new husband was located at that particular time. Also, although Larey was not properly examined for rape at the hospital, there were reported signs of vaginal bruising. Sometime during the evening, the couple was blinded by a stranger’s flashlight. Love Real Life Ghost Hunting Shows? Yet another photograph illustrated a family relaxing in their front room, with the windows and doors sealed tight and their rifle just within arm’s reach. The public announcement included important details such as where the bodies were found and the fact that Booker’s saxophone, whose absence had ignited Bessie Brown’s suspicion, was missing. There have been numerous unique cases throughout history, some of which remain unsolved to this day, such as the Jack the Ripper killings, the Zodiac murders, and the Black Dahlia slaying. I don’t know what I was expecting, but from what I knew it didn’t seem to fit the mould of something from ‘the creators of Insidious and Paranormal Activity‘. The Texarkana Phantom’s attacks (which later inspired the classic horror movie The Town That Dreaded Sundown) took place between February 1946 and July 1946. While the Phantom was busy terrorizing Texarkana, a string of auto thefts and subsequent abandonment of the stolen vehicles was simultaneously taking place. The story is a sharp clean police thriller that sucks you in and keeps you until the final nail biting (doubly so because real stuntman real train danger). Appearing before the Court without an attorney, the defendant advised the judge that he wanted to represent himself. Larey promised the attacker that Hollis did not have any cash on him and even opened his wallet for proof, but the suspect kept on telling her that she was lying. Despite this, little was done, in the days following the attack, to find the suspect. Please enter your username or email address. His suspicions were confirmed when a complaint was called in from a Murfreesboro, Arkansas farmer Jim Mays, who was also a landlord. World War II also contributed heavily to the sudden skyrocketing population of Texarkana. The film purported to be a true depiction of the crimes, with only the names of the victims changed. While there were some similarities that can be tied to the events of Texarkana, there are several inconsistencies between real-life events and the film. However, their work had been overridden by the numerous other officers that arrived a short time later. At the scene of the third Phantom attack, Sheriff Presley identified the body as Paul Martin from the ID in his wallet. With that, many different ethnic groups in a smaller southern town caused an inevitable increase in crime, as a result of different cultures clashing. Thank you so much for joining us on this journey of our cold case analysis. Married couple Virgil and Katie Starks, both in their 30s, were shot in their home located on a 500 acre farm 10 miles northeast of Texarkana. The potential seller replied that he did not have the title at that time but he could get it. and Texarkana, Tx. When the Lone Wolf emerged, along with a female reporter, he claimed that he was helping her to report, but many shook their heads at the instance, which further increased the tension between residents and law enforcement in the town. It is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime. The final attack by the hooded killer took place on the night of April 13. Presley, a 50 year old widower, had known tragedy personally himself, as ten years before this case, both his wife and oldest daughter had died in a car accident. Exclusive Interview: Bryan Woods and Scott Beck on Nightlight, Advance Review Slasher – Episodes One and Two, Cry Little Sister: A Defense of Dawn Summers. Join in as they discuss the real-life horrors that inspired some of the best true-crime cinema ever produced! After Youell was moved from his father’s to his mother’s repeatedly his older brother Cleo and his wife finally took Youell in, to offer stability to the troubled young man. Peggy later stated that, when Youell returned to the hotel, he was covered in blood, which she wiped away with a towel that was later found by investigators under the mattress, exactly where she said she had left it. News of the bizarre and horrific killings transfixed an entire nation on the small town of Texarkana, Texas in early 1946, and the case remains one of the most notorious unsolved crimes in U.S. history. Elsewhere, Veronicagrows concerned for Archie when she realizes the lengths he would go to seek revenge against the person terrorizing Rive…  This indicated the entry of the FBI into the Texarkana murders case, another large law enforcement agency to aid the small town. In the two months that followed, 1,300 suspects were dragged to the police station and interviewed before being released. Simultaneously, local law enforcement as well as their FBI and Ranger cohorts had a revolving door of suspects who were constantly in and out of the station. His wife Katie was a stunning brunette woman who was devoted to her husband (Assassin’s Bullets Kill Virgil Stark, 1946). Mr. Partain advised the seller that he should return once he had the title in his possession, and that they might then reach an agreement. Hollis claimed that he was a young Caucasian, but Larey was certain that the suspect was African American. This also meant that bloodhounds, who were brought in to track the attacker’s path, were unable to follow a single distinct scent. Reach 250,000+ A Month on Display, Mobile, OTT VOD Apps and Video, Worst to First: Ranking the Fright Night Franchise, Zoo is a Compelling and Dark Love Story [Review]. This proved that she knew details that could only be recalled by someone who was present during the murders. The True Story Behind The Town that Dreaded Sundown, Belzebuth is Not for the Faint of Heart [Review], Seven of the Most Blatantly Obvious Halloween Rip-Offs. Carter reported to Max Tackett at the Miller County Sheriff’s Office, who had a hunch that this suspect was the same man who had just married Peggy Stevens less than a month earlier. Further to this, she had not been heard from all night. The couple was told to get out the car and they followed the stranger’s instructions, believing that if they did, they would not be killed. Although he had been caught early into this decision, the start of WWII got him released from jail until he violated parole months later. Martin and Booker were both laid to rest on April 16th, 1946 and although their funerals were supposed to be private affairs, many showed up for the young couple. The Town That Dreaded Sundown was a 1976 docudrama based on actual crimes committed in Texarkana in 1946. However, these efforts would be for nothing, since the Phantom would soon strike again. A cold case is an unsolved criminal investigation that remains open indefinitely pending the discovery of new evidence. In this article, we will be taking a look at the true stories that inspired some So begins The Town That Dreaded Sundown, Charles B. Upon arrest of Swinney, the murders abruptly stopped. See related Ridley Scott interview: The Martian, Prometheus sequels Ridley Scott interview: Blade Runner 2049, Alien and more 2.4 The Town That Dreaded Sundown At the end of tonight's exhilarating episode, Jughead grimly states that "Riverdale would no longer be the town with pep, from now on it would be the town that dreaded sundown." The killer was at a distance of about 18-22 inches from the window where he could have clearly seen the back of Virgil’s head. Leads on the location of the stolen automobile were followed to no avail. Although the population doubled and the economy was thriving, crime was also on the rise. Once she got some distance from him, he caught up and asked her why she ran. It was at this time that Peggy’s friend called to inform her that her husband was in town looking for her, armed with a .32 caliber pistol. A minor relative of Swinney recalled his habits, which included leaving the car parked in a certain Texarkana lot. Pierce. However, when Lone Wolf Gonzaullas sent a Ranger to Corpus Christi, the man was cleared from the suspicion of the murders. Even today the film is shown once a year around Halloween in an outdoor theater in Texarkana. This anxiety was in full swing coming into June 1946, when Life magazine featured a massive spread about the ensuing panic. Texarkana was actually very diverse, with a massive wave of immigrants during the 1920s leading to a mixture of Irish, Italian, German, Jewish, Greek, French, and a sizeable African American population. On May 3rd 1946, Virgil Starks, a 37-year-old farmer, and his wife of fourteen years, Kate (36), were settling down for the night after a long day. Upon finding the car, Boyd decided to begin a stakeout on the parking lot. Future analysis by the FBI and the Rangers suggested that Moore could have possibly been raped that night, but there were conflicting reports and this information was never released to the public. I went to see The Town That Dreaded Sundown with no further information than it being a remake of some horror film from the seventies that I haven’t seen. Film Review: ‘The Town That Dreaded Sundown’ The 'American Horror Story' team remakes the cult 1976 slasher with gimmicky, mostly unscary results. In her first statement to police, Mrs. Swinney was unable to account for her husband’s whereabouts during the times the crimes were being committed (on February 22, March 23, April 13, and May 3, 1946). Soon, no one was venturing out after dark, as many residents were terrified and shut themselves into their houses at night. Even though Youell was the youngest, his low birth order garnered no sympathy from his parents and he was often forgotten and set aside in favor of his siblings. She was later released from the Miller County Jail on December 19, 1946. Screenwriter Early E. Smith follows the basic outline of the crimes, but adds exploitative elements to the narrative which undercut the film’s credibility. One of the rounds ripped through the skin beside her nose and exited by her ear while the other entered her lower jaw. They combed through the area surrounding the road, finding nothing except for an abandoned pair of pants which later turned out to belong to Hollis. Local and federal law enforcement seemed to be kicking everything into high gear, but nothing was reassuring the people of Texarkana. The Town that Dreaded Sundown (1974) claims that “the incredible story you are about to see is true, where it happened and how it happened; only the names have been changed.” That’s a pretty serious claim, setting this film apart from the usual “based on a true story” horror movies. He seemed nervous and skittish to her, so she reported the man. Katie was in the other room, in bed, waiting for her husband when a clatter arose her suspicions. Special thanks to C. Harden, D. Cathey, and A. On October 31, 2013, in the small town of Texarkana, the local drive-in theater is hosting the Halloween annual showing of the 1976 film The Town That Dreaded Sundown, based on the true story of the Phantom Killer who murdered several people in Texarkana in 1946. DREAD THE UNSOLVED Case File #4 Investigates the Gruesome True Story Behind THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN. This crime came after just 21 days after the murder of Griffin and Moore, so Presley quickly realized he needed more help. When first responders arrived to process the scene, the ambulance and law enforcement vehicles attracted a lot of attention from nearby citizens. Then, a peculiar yet promising clue emerged. The Town That Dreaded Sundown is a 1976 horror film by producer/director Charles B. Filming locations include Texarkana, Ar. The Starks lived on a 500 acre farm that housed Virgil’s welding shop, which had a reputation for helping his neighbors repair broken farming equipment when needed. The Town That Dreaded Sundown is not only among the best slasher movies ever made, but is also one of the very best true crime films. The original The Town That Dreaded Sundown was filmed on site in Texarkana and it’s since become what the town is now known for. Trails of blood crossing the street indicated that after Martin had been shot he had crawled across the unpaved road before finally succumbing to his injuries. Although the Rangers did not have specific educational requirements, they were trained in the latest techniques of navigating a crime scene, which included analyzing ballistics and fingerprints, communicating, and record keeping. Some were grieving Texarkana residents, but many others were out of towners who retained morbid curiosity about the double homicide. TERROR IN RIVERDALE – When Archie’s attempt to take matters into his own hands spirals out of control, Mayor McCoy calls an emergency town hall meeting to deal with the growing chaos in Riverdale. On Monday, July 15, a man drove a brand new car onto Ed Hammock’s lot. On May 3, 1946, Peggy’s sister and Youell Swinney had an argument over money that the couple owed to her. The new version of The Town That Dreaded Sundown comes from the team of producer Ryan Murphy, director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and screenwriter Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, whose shared TV credits include Glee and American Horror Storyand they apply a similar visual style to The Town That Dreaded Sundown. Soon after, police appeared and a relatively large crowd subsequently formed to see what had happened. Sheriff Presley sent them to Texarkana Hospital while he and the other officers investigated the scene. Texarkana residents also turned on the Texas Rangers and the FBI, claiming that they were ten thousand dollars worth of cowboy boots and big, white hats and fifteen cents worth of brains.. It also has the unfortunate distinction of being the real “Town That Dreaded Sundown,” although the town displays no outward signs of it, other than showing the film each October. Unfortunately, since Sheriff Presley and the Texarkana police department were not properly trained in collecting evidence, the crime scene was not adequately preserved and what evidence could have been collected was destroyed due to mishandling. The officers then took statements from the victims about the bizarre event, not realizing the journey that they, Texarkana, and the nation were about to embark upon. The Town That Dreaded Sundown tells the story of a masked murderer who terrorized Texarkana in 1946 – and it was so captivating that a sequel was made just a few years ago. His wife immediately ran to the telephone, but before she could use it the assailant fired two more shots, both entering her face. The real killer was never found. The newspapers called him The Phantom Killer, and referred to his crimes as The Texarkana Moonlight Murders. Morales is called in to assist Texarkana Deputy Norman Ramsey in one of Andrew Prine's finest performances ever. While Hollis was rushed into emergency surgery for a severe injury to his skull, Larey spoke to the officers despite being shaken up. Upon inspection, she remembered repairing a button on the shirt that she was able to point out and there were metal fragments found on it that were similar to fragments also found in the Starks’ workshop. When the table teetered it would also spill loose nails onto tin trays and pots would smash against vases on the floor, which would wake up Mr. and Mrs. Rochelle, who kept a rifle next to their bed.” (Life, 1946). Low-Budget, Homemade Trashy Horror Cinema. The officers tried to interview the victims who were identified as Jimmy Hollis and Mary Jeanne Larey at the scene, but Hollis was so badly injured he could barely retain consciousness. You Know You Want It! What do you think? The majority of the information contained in this piece comes from the books: The Phantom Killer: Unlocking the Mystery of the Texarkana Serial Murders: The Story of a Town in Terror by James Presley (the nephew of Bill Presley, the local Sheriff presiding over the case) and The Texarkana Moonlight Murders: The Unsolved Case of the 1946 Phantom Killer by Michael Newton. Moore was found face down in the backseat, her purse opened as if the perpetrator sifted through it for cash and valuables. He was 77 years old. Residents also began to blame the Phantom for such instances as their telephone service being shut down and a .22 caliber bullet that smashed through the window of a home near a local high school. Also, the police did not believe the victims at first and thought they were hiding the identity of the gunman, but pieces of evidence corroborated their story. On the date in question, Virgil was sat in the front room of their house, the curtains still wide open, reading with a heating pad resting on his lower back. You want me for more than stealing cars! A slender man dressed in a white shirt spotted Lee and abruptly fled the scene. It is narrated by Vern Stierman, who had narrated Pierce's 1972 film The Legend of Boggy Creek. Texarkana, the border town straddling Texas and Arkansas, was having a typically quiet night for law enforcement, so Sheriff Presley and three patrolmen went out to investigate the site of the alleged attack. The real killer was never found. Texarkana, a town located in both Texas and Arkansas, is known largely for its unusual tourist attraction: The only post office and courthouse located in two states. Peggy was arrested and taken to Miller County Jail to await the arrival of her husband, the apparent non-paying tenant, car thief, and quite possibly the prime suspect for the Texarkana murders. Although the tragic events of the Phantom Killer are still in the minds of many in the town, the film The Town that Dreaded Sundown has been able to serve as a festive event. A hooded killer terrorized citizens in rural areas surrounding the border between Texas and Kansas. Also, the Starks did not exactly fit into the Phantom’s usual victims; they were married, older, and well established in the community. That same morning, fellow residents of Texarkana and their young son found the crumpled body of a young man on the side of North Park Road at 6 a.m. Mortified, the family did not leave their car, but instead drove to the closest home to the crime scene, where the residents called the authorities. Then, for unknown reasons, after Hollis collapsed from his injuries, the stranger told Larey to run. Do you think that the murders were committed by Youell Swinney? CLICK HERE FOR MORE! They left five dead, three injured, and an entire town traumatized. 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