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Moonlight Murders

Moonlight Murders

By: Joe
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 The Moonlight Murders: Texarkana's Phantom Killer

In the spring of 1946, a masked killer terrorized the twin cities of Texarkana, attacking young couples in lover's lanes under the cover of darkness. Five brutal assaults. Three dead. Two survivors who would never be the same. And a community gripped by fear so intense that hardware stores sold out of locks and guns.

This is the story of the Phantom Killer, one of America's most infamous unsolved cases. Across seven episodes, we'll walk through each attack in chilling detail, follow the desperate investigation that spanned multiple jurisdictions, examine the suspects who could never quite be ruled in or out, and explore how these murders shaped Texarkana forever.

From the first attack on Jimmy Hollis and Mary Jeanne Larey to the murders of Virgil and Katie Starks, from the questionable confession of Youell Swinney to the theories that still swirl today, we're diving deep into a case that inspired The Town That Dreaded Sundown and continues to haunt true crime enthusiasts decades later. The Phantom was never caught.

The case was never solved. But the story deserves to be told.Copyright Joe
Episodes
  • Episode 2: Double Murder on Spring Lake Road

    Episode 2: Double Murder on Spring Lake Road
    Jan 12 2026
    Episode 2: Double Murder on Spring Lake Road

    March 24, 1946. A motorist discovers Richard Griffin and Polly Ann Moore shot execution-style in Griffin's Oldsmobile on South Robison Road near Spring Lake Park. Both victims have been shot in the back of the head with a .32 caliber pistol. A pool of dried blood twenty feet from the car reveals the killer moved the bodies after shooting them. The crime scene is compromised by rain and poor security. Texarkana realizes the February attack wasn't isolated. A serial killer is hunting lovers' lanes.

    This episode chronicles the double homicide that transformed a local crime story into national news and unleashed mass panic across Texarkana. Discover how jurisdictional chaos between Texas and Arkansas law enforcement agencies hampered the investigation from the start. Learn about the arrival of legendary Texas Ranger Manuel "Lone Wolf" Gonzaullas, whose media-savvy approach prioritized headlines over forensic protocol. Witness the birth of the killer's infamous nickname and the gun-buying frenzy that followed.

    Featuring detailed crime scene analysis, the questionable tactics that contaminated evidence, and the escalating pattern that predicted another attack in three weeks. The Phantom was just getting started.
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    21 mins
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