Southern Fried True Crime

The last time anyone saw 49-year-old Emily Anderson was December 29, 2005. As husband, Jerry Anderson was naturally the first suspect. But he seemed to be able to account for his time that day and he passed a polygraph. After an anonymous call, Emily’s body was discovered on January 7, 2006. As the investigation ramped up, police found that the Andersons’ marriage was on the rocks and Jerry had recently taken out more life insurance on his wife. Part 1 of 2. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Erica Kelley & Andrea Marshbank Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Suggested by Susan and Christen Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/emily-anderson This episode is brought to you by:

Texas is known for being tough on crime and those who commit it. Or at least the ones who get caught. There are tens of thousands of unsolved homicides in Texas and nearly as many open missing persons cases. Every week, Gone Cold Podcast—Texas true crime—presents in-depth accounts of unsolved murders and missing persons cases throughout the lone star state, concentrating on lesser-known cases that the media has long left behind. Cases like the recently solved 1974 abduction and murder of Fort Worth High School student Carla Walker, the brazen 2019 murder of Liz Barraza, and the mysterious 1989 disappearance of 13-year-old Elisa Roberson, who seemingly vanished into thin air while she was walking a few blocks from home to meet a friend. On Gone Cold, you’ll also occasionally hear high-profile cases, such as an 8-episode series on the 1996 abduction and murder of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, the little girl behind the Amber Alert. This is a preview of Gone Cold’s coverage of the 2007 case of 19-year-old Brittany Danielle McGlone, who was viciously attacked and savagely slain in her boyfriend’s bed while the rest of the home’s inhabitants were away. As you’re listening, join Gone Cold’s mission to bring these forgotten cases back into the public’s awareness by subscribing to Gone Cold Podcast—Texas true crime wherever you listen to podcasts. https://www.GoneCold.com

On September 1, 2016, 52-year-old Rhonda Oakley was due home from a business trip. Only gone one night, she and her husband of less than three years had missed each other. The empty nester and single dad had been inseparable since they met. Rhonda had recently become a full time stepmom to Phillip’s teenaged kids, who had moved from Indiana to the Oakley’s home on the outskirts of Danville, Kentucky. That afternoon, her stepson came home and found Rhonda in a pool of blood, viciously murdered. His father was devastated and his sister was missing. A national manhunt ensued as investigators realized tried to unravel what happened in this peaceful little town where folks had always felt safe. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Erica Kelley & Gemma Harris Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/rhonda-oakley This episode is brought to you by:

In the dark morning hours of September 11th 1991, in the small town of Jasper Alabama, a couple named Earl and Carrie Lawson were awoken by a fake emergency phone call that lured them out of the house. A masked man was waiting in their carport. Earl was bound with duct tape and the assailant forced Carrie their SUV and sped off into the darkness. Carrie had been kidnapped for ransom. It seemed like something you only saw in movies. In the last episode, I told you all about the parade of mistakes the FBI made in this case. Now we’re getting into the repercussions of those mistakes, and even more bad decisions…as Carrie Lawson’s life hung in the balance. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Erica Kelley & Andrea Marshbank Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Suggested by: Nocturnal Druid, Reagan Williams and Amanda Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/carrie-lawson-2 This episode is brought to you by: #honeylovepod

In the wee hours of September 11, 1991, Earl and Carrie Lawson were awoken by an urgent phone call from a woman claiming to be a nurse who said Earl’s father was hospitalized and might not make it through the night. The couple threw on clothes and rushed out the door, only to be stopped by a masked man as they were getting in their Ford Explorer. He bound Earl with duct tape, then forced 25 year-old Carrie into the Explorer and raced off into the darkness. Their families were shocked to discover this was a kidnapping for ransom. It seemed like something you only saw in movies…but it was very real and they were terrified for Carrie. **Part 1 of 2. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Erica Kelley & Andrea Marshbank Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Suggested by: Nocturnal Druid, Reagan Williams and Amanda Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/carrie-lawson This episode is brought to you by:

In May of 1993, 18-year-old student Charlotte Childs was eagerly anticipating her high school graduation in Holly Hill, South Carolina. She was busy attending all sorts of pre-graduation celebrations in the lead-up to the big day, including a get-together for her fellow high school seniors the evening before. But after dropping her best friend home in the early hours of graduation day, Charlotte never made it home. Instead, her parents were woken by a call in the dark early hours that their daughter was in the hospital, fighting for her life. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCES: US National Domestic Violence Hotline thehotline.org websiteUK Domestic Abuse Hotline websiteHosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Gemma Harris Additional writing by Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/charlotte-childs This episode is brought to you by:

For nearly a decade, the Wellnitz family murders haunted the small town of Columbia, Kentucky. The tight knit community had no clue why these good people were mercilessly executed in their own home. They were known for their thriving veterinary clinic and their kind hearts. But someone had been viciously murdered the family and even though investigators were pretty sure they knew who did it, the case went cold. It took ten years and heroic undercover work to get justice for the Wellnitz family. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank Additional writing by Erica Kelley Edited and Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Suggested by Dana Schmidt Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/wellnitz-family This episode is brought to you by:

Parents have to trust caregivers. It’s just a fact of life. Often we feel more comfortable with a family friend than a daycare. That’s what Tiffany and David Shell did for their daughter Annie. They trusted Brandi Giannunzio. She babysat their two youngest daughters. She was good with their girls. They had no reason to believe Brandi would leave their girls with her boyfriend. They had never met Benjamin Brown. But on August 9, 2018, he was left alone with their daughters. And then they had to face the unthinkable. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Erica Kelley & Gemma Harris Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder and Erica Kelley RESOURCES FOR CHILD ABUSE Visit this website for preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome US National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-422-4453 For resources specific to each state, visit this website Canada: visit this website to find the hotline in your area UK Child Abuse Hotline: 0808 800 5000 Visit this website for help recognizing child abuse Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/annie-burkett-shell This episode is brought to you by:

Nancy Brophy fills her novels with romantic betrayals and murder. It’s a far cry from her quiet life in the suburbs, where she and her chef husband, Dan, are living out their golden years. But when Dan is shot dead, Nancy finds herself at the center of a murder case that could be ripped from the pages of her novels. From Wondery, this is a story about what happens when the line blurs between fiction and reality. Listen to Happily Never After: Dan & Nancy early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. https://wondery.app.link/HNADN_SFTC

After Laura Ackerson lost full custody of her sons, she was heartbroken, but she sprang into action. Within 2 weeks, she got another hearing but she still only got weekends. She had to completely overhaul her life. Within a year, Laura found a great apartment and opened her own ad agency—not just a stable job, but a career she was proud of. Meanwhile, Grant Hayes had blown through most of his new wife’s money. His life was swirling down the drain. And with the court ordered pysch evaluation, he knew he was about to lose custody of his kids. Laura had won. He couldn’t let that happen. So when she went missing a month before their next custody hearing, her friends immediately feared the worst. But I’m not sure in their worst nightmares, they could have been prepared to what happened to Laura Ackerson. RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE US National Domestic Violence Hotline thehotline.org websiteUK Domestic Abuse Hotline website Hosted, produced and written by Erica Kelley Researched by Erica and Andrea Marshbank Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Case suggested by Marcia Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/laura-ackerson-part-2 This episode is brought to you by: #lumepodhttps://tryfum.com/sftc

27-year-old Laura Jean Ackerson had a really tough start in life. The single mother of two worked hard to build her own small support system in Kinston, North Carolina. Her brother and best friend were the only people she really had. After Laura survived a whirlwind relationship with a charismatic but narcissistic musician, she faced a vicious custody battle with him. Grant Hayes was a glorified bar star and lazy husband and father. But by July 2011, Laura was finally slipping out of his controlling and abusive grasp. She was winning. Her abuser had lost control. The most dangerous time for a woman. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Erica Kelley Andrea Marshbank Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Case suggested by Marcia Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/laura-ackerson RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCEUS National Domestic Violence Hotline thehotline.org websiteUK Domestic Abuse Hotline website This episode is brought to you by:

In December of 2003, 23-year-old Bart Whitaker had just finished his finals and was about to graduate from college. That night, he went to dinner to celebrate with his parents, Tricia and Kent, and his younger brother Kevin. As they returned home and walked through their door, they were ambushed by a masked gunman. Initially, authorities suspected that this was a burglary gone wrong. But before the funerals had even taken place, detectives discovered that Bart had lied about graduating. And that was just the beginning. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank and Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder and Erica Kelley Suggested by Jessica, Donna, Michelle, and Kyle Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/whitaker-family-massacre This episode is brought to you by:

On May 22 1992, Betty Wilson frantically called 911 from her Huntsville, Alabama home. She found her husband, the esteemed Dr. Jack Wilson, in a pool of blood. Someone had bludgeoned and stabbed him to death. Initially, police had no suspects. Until an anonymous tip led them to a man named James White. James confessed to killing Dr. Wilson to prove his love for Betty’s twin sister, Peggy. According to James, Peggy had insisted that he murder her sister’s husband. But, according to Peggy and Betty, James was nothing but a deranged liar. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank and Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/jack-wilson This episode is brought to you by:

Late on a Sunday night in September of 2016, Atlanta power couple, Tex and Diane McIver, were driving back into the city and got caught in Atlanta’s notorious traffic. Diane’s best friend was driving as Diane rode in the passenger seat and her husband, Tex, sat directly behind her. When they were stopped in what they considered a dangerous part of town, Tex asked for his gun, and then fell asleep. What happened next would cause one of the most hotly debated criminal cases in recent Atlanta history. I covered this case in August 2019. But In June 2022, the Georgia Supreme Court unanimously reversed Tex’s convictions. This episode is a refresher on the original episode and an analysis on the new developments in the case. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Gemma Harris and Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/tex-mciver-update This episode is brought to you by:

Late on a Sunday night in September of 2016, Atlanta power couple, Tex and Diane McIver, were driving back into the city and got caught in Atlanta’s notorious traffic. Diane’s best friend was driving as Diane rode in the passenger seat and her husband, Tex, sat directly behind her. When they were stopped in what they considered a dangerous part of town, Tex asked for his gun, and then fell asleep. What happened next would cause one of the most hotly debated criminal cases in recent Atlanta history. Written, hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Edited and mixed by Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio **Remastered version Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/66-tex-diane-mciver-accident-or-murder

When Officer Keith Turner pulled over a car in Moody, Alabama on June 25, 1998, he thought it was a routine traffic stop. The 29-year-old husband and father had no idea that the men in the car were two escaped convicts, Mario Centobie and Jeremy Granberry. In the span of two days, the armed and dangerous fugitives had already attacked one officer and nearly killed another. As Officer Turner walked toward them, Mario stepped out of the vehicle. He reached through the window as if to retrieve his license, but instead he pulled out a gun and fired three times. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank Additional writing by Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/keith-turner This episode is brought to you by:

In November of 1999, 24-year-old Cherica Adams was eight months pregnant when she and the father of her child, 25-year-old Carolina Panthers wide receiver Rae Carruth, went on a double date. They saw a late-night showing of a serial killer flick at the theater. As Rae led Cherica back home to her apartment in his white Ford Expedition, with Cherica following behind in her black BMW, he unexpectedly slowed to a near stop. Confused, Cherica slowed down too. Then, an unknown car pulled up beside her and gunfire rang out. Before the smoke had cleared, Rae was gone—and Cherica had been shot multiple times. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank and Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Suggested by: Greg Husketh, Patee, Hannah, and Terina Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/cherica-adams This episode is brought to you by:

When a charismatic young doctor announces revolutionary treatments for cancer and HIV, patients from around the world turn to him for their last chance. As medical experts praise Serhat Gumrukcu’s genius, the company he co-founded rockets in value to over half a billion dollars. But when a team of researchers makes a startling discovery, they begin to suspect the brilliant doctor is hiding a secret. From Wondery, the new season of Dr. Death: Bad Magic is a story of miraculous cures, magic and murder. Hosted by Laura Beil. Listen to Dr. Death - Bad Magic: http://wondery.fm/MAGIC_SFTC

25-year-old Shadow McClaine was 39 days from retiring from the US Army. She’d begun her service in 2011 and, now, her contract was up. She was thrilled to go back home, enroll in college, and try her hand at a different career. In 2015, Shadow alleged that her ex-husband, an Army sergeant, had sexually assaulted her. After that, Shadow’s experience in the military rapidly deteriorated. As a result, she was eager to start this new path, but she would never get the chance. On the evening of September 2nd of 2016, Shadow sent her mother one final text at 7:07 p.m. She was never seen alive again. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank and Erica Kelley Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/shadow-mcclaine This episode is brought to you by:

In July of 1994, 42 year old Dolly Rose Grigsby was reported missing after visiting a shopping mall in Bluefield, West Virginia. Her husband, Dan Grigsby, did everything he could to try to find his missing wife and mother of their two children. The more time passed, it appeared what happened to Dolly would remain a mystery forever. But a shocking development three months later blew the case wide open. Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley Researched and written by Gemma Harris Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/dolly-rose-grigsby This episode is brought to you by: LumeDeodorant.com