Every Town - The Hog Trail Murders & Fort Myers 8: Floridas Darkest Secret

Episode Date: October 25, 2024

A serial killer who would be linked to as many 14 murders and likely more was out here hunting along the west coast of Florida throughout the early and mid 1990’s. This is the case of The Hog Trail Murders, The Fort Myers 8 and the unsuspecting man who committed these insane acts of violence. 👀 Watch This Episode On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/scarymysteries 👁 Our Movie ‘AN ANGRY BOY’ is Available NOW On Demand: ALL Links and more info https://www.anangryboy.com 🎧 Our Other Podcast Scary Mysteries: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZooEZMoZ421WdsOVJhVkT 💀 Exclusive Videos, Podcasts & Perks: https://www.patreon.com/scarymysteries  👁 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrew.fitzg 👁 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewfitzgerald 👁 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scarymysteriesofficial 🗣 Business Inquiries, questions and comments hit us up at [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you love true crime, grab your favorite mug and pour yourself a dose of creepy true crime every single morning with a morning cup of murder. This short daily show is the perfect podcast to incorporate into your morning routine because in less than 15 minutes, you'll hear about a true crime that took place on a day's date in history. Each day's dark history lesson will kickstart your morning with intriguing tales of murder, abduction, serial killers, cults, and everything in between.

With over 20 million downloads, Morning Cup of Murder has something for every true crime lover. One listener describes the show as a small package with a powerful punch of crime. Another writes that the show is an absolute delight in the morning. Support yourself a piping hot cup of murder every single morning with Morning Cup of Murder. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Every town has a dark side. On January 1st of 1996, the Brown family, who were residents of North Port, Florida, had something pretty disturbing show up on their doorstep. In the months leading up to this day, their dog Hollywood kept bringing back some trophies after spending his afternoons out in the woods.

He'd come home with bones, that he'd chew up in the kitchen and on the living room floor. And Susie and Wayne, the dog's owners, never suspected anything unusual or strange about them. I'm sure they were a bit messy at times, but it wasn't a big deal as they would go on to say we thought he was bringing pieces of deer, rabbits, or alligators. However, on that New Year's day, they would find out that these were not pieces of any kind of animal at all when Little Hollywood returned home with a human skull clenched between his jaws. The dog had found a human body out there among the trees, and slowly have been picking at it and bringing it home to show his family.

Hey guys, it's Andrew. Thanks so much for tuning into this week's episode of Everytown. But today we're checking out how that incident set off an insane chain of events, unlike anything you've ever heard of before. Because this was not an isolated incident by any means. A serial killer, who would be linked to as many as 14 murders and likely more, was out here hunting along the west coast of Florida throughout the early and mid-90s. And this is the case of the Hog Trail murders

the Fort Myers-eight, and the unsuspecting man who committed these insane acts of violence. The discovery on January 1st of 1996 was a less than desirable way to start the year for the residents of Plyminton Road, where the Browns lived. The new year is usually a time to begin with the utmost optimism, and not with the news that a neighbor's dog had found a human skull. Authorities descended onto the Brown home, where they picked up all the pieces they could find that Hollywood left, and from there they headed out into the woods to see if they could discover the source. It didn't take long for police to recover bones from the victim's chest and hit, just a half mile from the residence. The investigation continued from there, and soon more of the victims, skeletal remains,

were found in a different area, and they were of the right hand and chest, still partially covered in decomposing flesh. The body was in such an advanced state that, determining the cause of death, death was nearly impossible. However, the forensic examiner who analyzed it gave a terrifying verdict. The body had been severely mutilated, especially around the genitals. Still, though, even today, the Northport skeleton remains unidentified and is known as just the John Doe of Sarasota County. At the time, the residents of Northport had no way of knowing, but this wasn't the first victim. There was a serial killer living nearby who liked to hunt along a 40-mile stretch of the U.S. 41 Highway

that extended to Northport in the North and Fort Myers in the South. Years earlier is where this whole story likely began, though. During the final months of 1991, 27-year-old Gerald Lombard, originally from Lowell, Massachusetts, disappeared from his Florida residence without a trace. Jerry, as he was also known, wasn't necessarily missed after his disappearance. His family referred to him as manipulative and someone who was difficult to deal with. Nevertheless, despite their differences, it's likely that none of the people who knew him would have wished for the horrible fate he suffered.

On February 1st, 1994, hunters discovered a man's body in a wooded area off of 776. He was named John Doe No. 1. Detectives believe this unidentified man's death could be connected to the so-called hog trail killer. The interesting thing, though, is even though Jerry was missing for more than two years, his body had only been out there for approximately one month. His family described him as a bit of a drifter, so it's possible that he spent that time wandering around before he met his fate. But it's also possible that he had been held captive for some time before being dumb.

Jerry's body had numerous rope burns on the skin, especially in the pelvic area, and also his genitals have been completely removed with almost surgical precision. Rope marks were also found on a tree in the area, so it's believed he was tied up there before meeting his end. Investigators took the case very seriously, of course. They grabbed DNA samples, fingerprints, and dental records, but couldn't get conclusive results. As a result, Jerry remained unidentified for a number.

another 20 years. From a statistical perspective, people get murdered and more than half of them never get solved in the U.S. So although this one was deeply disturbing, murder of Jerry Lumbar went more or less unnoticed. And the killer, whoever it was, kept a low profile for almost two years.

That doesn't mean they stopped killing, but their victims weren't being found, which caused almost everyone who remembered Jerry's case to forget it. But it was that January 1st, day in 96, when the Brown's family dog showed up that everyone on the police force was reminded of Jerry's story. On March 7th of 1996, just two months after the Sarasota County John Doe, and more than two years after the still unidentified body of Jerry was discovered, a man, driving along Route 75 in Northport, pulled off to the side of the road to take a pee.

Route 75 runs parallel to US 41, and this man just so happened to choose the same spot that our killer had chosen 10 days prior. And there, down an embankment, he saw a completely nude body of a man lying face up. And like a cross, his arms spread wide open, his legs close together. After receiving the call from the drive of the Northport PD began their investigation. According to the medical examiner, the victim had been killed around 11 or 10 days before he was found. He had four stab wounds across his chest and neck area, and his feet and legs were covered in cuts

and scratches. There were also marks on his torso as well that looked like they came from various trees and plants, suggesting that he likely took off running trying to escape before his attacker caught up with them. The victims had been tied to a tree and tight enough to leave rope marks on the tree. The investigators went back to the area where John Doe No. 1 had been found and checked the trees around the area and discovered rope marks on a tree right near. John Doe number one's body. So three bodies, all with rope burns, at least two of them being tied up to trees nearby,

all mutilated in the pelvic area. This was a problem. However, like many of the others, investigators had no clues or information to help them identify this latest John Doe. A composite sketch was made and the victim was described as a white male between 35 and 45 years old, with reddish-brown hair, poor dental health, muscular build, and muscular build. an average height. However, no further progress was made. It wouldn't be until June 30th of 1999, by the third body was identified as 35-year-old Bill Melarogno. Then, just a month after the discovery

of Bill, two Charlotte County employees working along Highway 41 decided to take a break from the scorching sun and go for a walk in the shade. That's when they came across a suspicious object that, to their horror, turned out to be a human skull. Again, you have to wonder how many victims are actually out there, if people are just stumbling upon them at this rate, walking around and taking peas on the side of the road. If the killer just put in minimal effort to hide them, maybe police wouldn't be building a case so fast.

Soon those woods were swarming with investigators from five homicide agencies. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the state attorney's office, the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Fort Myers Police Department and the Northport Police Department. Investigators called the forest, and they found the rest of this victim who had been dead for at least a few months. However, they also found another body, a fresher one that hadn't been there more than a day. The first victim was eventually identified as 25-year-old Kenny Smith. His sister had seen a faint tattoo that remained on the man's shoulder in a news report and was able to confirm who he was.

The forensic team obtained Kenneth Smith's dental records, and upon comparison, they matched. The second one was much easier to identify. This young man was 21-year-old Richard Montgomery. Forensic analysis confirmed a familiar pattern. A young man had been murdered and mutilated, and there were obvious rope burns on Richard's neck. They had recovered three bodies along the hog trails in the Florida woods, and all the clues pointed to a serial killer who had found. a perfect spot for murderers.

At this point, it was basically absurd to think that there wasn't a serial killer on the loose. They had five bodies, and soon the media ran with it, dubbing these as the Hog Trail Killings, named for the area in which the victims were found. Investigators discovered Richard Montgomery had lived with his mother at Palms and Pines, a mobile home park east of Punta Gorda, and that he had an extensive criminal wrecker with charges ranging from armed robbery and auto theft, disorderly conduct, and parole violations.

They interviewed the victim's friends and family in hopes of gaining any information that could help solve the case, and they learned a lot. Neighbors in the mobile home park described Montgomery as a troubled young man, and some people were afraid of him. He treated his mother badly and wasn't seen regularly during the day. He didn't work, and he spent most of his nights out partying. His mother, when asked who he had been hanging around with, did me. mention a new friend he had, a guy who went by the name Dan Conahan. Regarding Kenny Smith, well, they knew he had recently lived in Charlotte County, but the police had no record of his

address or any other record except criminal charges for misdemeanors such as petty theft, reckless driving, and resisting arrest. He had been arrested a second time in 1992. So this killer was targeting troubled individuals, those in bad situations, but why. The authorities figured that he had been taking advantage of them in some form or another, probably exploiting their desperation to reach his own needs. The investigation

was moving along at its own pace, but as the news spread, that's when a call came in that helped connect all the dots. On May 8th of 1996, 34-year-old inmate of the Glades Correctional Institute, David Peyton, contacted investigators

with an interesting story. And Peyton claimed a know who was committing the murders, and that he himself was almost a victim, and the exact reason why he was in jail at that moment. Detective Brian Kelly, Lieutenant John Brock, went to see him, where he recounted the events leading up to his arrest, and Peyton said that on March 5, 1995, he was on his way home from DJ's bar on Route 41 in Fort Myers. It was a hot day, and Peyton felt a bit dizzy from the alcohol he had been sipping, so he had to do a bus stop to sit down for a bit. And shortly after that, a blue Mercury Capri pulled up. The driver asked if

you wanted to have some beer and smoke a little ganja in the air-conditioned car. And Peyton hopped in, at which point the driver introduced himself as Daniel Conahan, a name that was not unfamiliar to the investigators. In that car, Conahan shared some bruise and a tablet of prescription tranquilizer with his new friend. And everything seemed fairly normal until Conahan then asked Peyton if he would like to pose naked for some photos. Taken aback by the strange proposal, Peyton refused, declining the $100 Conahan offered up as payment. And Peyton stated that Conahan's actions unsettled him,

and he began to feel anxious when they turned onto a secluded dirt road. As they traveled down that desolate stretch, the vehicle slid to the side and got stuck in the mud. And Peyton distrustful and eager to get away, offered to get out and push the vehicle, but Conahan rejected his offer and asked him to stay in the car and drive while he pushed. As soon a truck appeared and offered to help free the car, Peyton was left alone in the driver's seat and while Conahan was talking to the truck driver,

he decided to start the vehicle, speed off and leave Conahan behind. The situation was all too strange. Both the alcohol and whatever Conahan had given him were making him feel some kind of way. After driving for a while, Peyton then lost consciousness, and when he came to, he was in Fort Myers, where he was arrested for car theft. The owner of that car, Daniel Conahan Sr., the father of Daniel, reported him for the theft, which eventually landed him in jail. And task force investigators wanted to believe Peyton's story, so they asked him to take a polygraph test,

and he passed that with flying colors. Shortly thereafter, on June 7th of 1996, investigators received information about a report file with the Fort Myers PD on August 15th of 1994. In it, a 26-year-old man named Stanley Burton stated that a middle-aged white man had attacked and attempted to kill him after taking him to a wooded area near Rockville Road in Fort Myers. The man, whom he identified as Dan, tied him to a tree, sexually assaulted him, and attempted to strangle him after offering him $120 to pose naked for photos in the woods.

Investigators who went to talk with Burton noticed that even two years later, he still had scars on his wrists and neck. After being shown some photos, Burton identified his attacker. Daniel Conahan Jr. Daniel Conahan was found guilty of first-degree murder in the late 90s. He's been connected to more than a dozen similar crimes. And the killer would target young white men. Essentially what he did was ask them to do a nude photo shoot out here in the woods,

but once he got him out here, he would tie them to a tree, he then rape, murder, and mutilate their bodies. The Hague Trail Killer has been linked to more than a dozen murders. Born on May 11, 1954 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Daniel Conahan Jr. was a man who did not fit the mold of society from an early age. He spent his childhood growing up in Punta Gorda, Florida, which just so happens to be located right along U.S. Route 41, smack dab between Fort Myers and Northport.

His family environment became toxic when at the age of 15 his parents discovered that Daniel was gay. As the early 1970s and his folks were never happy with that aspect of him, to the point of taking him to various psychiatrists in an attempt to cure him. Daniel never believed that being gay was a disease,

but his father's reaction left him with a solid layer of bitterness and resentment that would turn him into a monster over the year. years. In 1996, when investigators considered him the prime suspect and analyzed his history, they were shocked. And Conahan was remembered by his high school classmates as a lonely and distant kid who kept to himself, but that was by far the least of the disturbing details of his past. After graduation, Conahan joined the U.S. Navy in 1977. For just a year into his service, he was on the verge of being court-martialed. The reason? Attempted. Attempted.

to lure other Marine officers off base for sexual encounters. Months later, he was dishonorably discharged from the Navy after a fight. The reason for that fight was that the other participant was a man whom Conahan had attempted to perform a lewd act with without his consent. Conahan then spent the next 13 years of his life in Chicago, bouncing from job to job and spending his free time at gay bars. In 1995, two years after returning to Punta Gorda to live in his true. childhood home to care for his parents, he became a nurse, secured a job at Charlotte Regional

Medical Center. It was against this backdrop that the investigation of Daniel Conahan Jr. began. Records of his credit cards and purchase receipts showed that he used his card to buy knives, alcohol, leather gloves, rope, plastic sheeting, and several dozen rolls of Polaroid film. And finally, in July, investigators served a search warrant on his home. where everything considered suspicious was seized. Robe fibers were found that matched those using the attempted strangulation of Stanley Burton, men who survived an attack and helped identify him.

In addition, a paint chip found in the pubic hair of Montgomery, the 21-year-old found in April, matched samples taken from Conahan's father's car. In addition, several fibers found on at least one tree at the crime scenes, matched glove seized from Conahan's property. The evidence was overwhelming. On July 3rd of 1996, Conahan Jr. was arrested and brought in.

And the case against him was postponed several times to the point where it seemed like he might never be tried. Eventually, in the summer of 1999, he pled guilty, received the death penalty for the kidnapping of Stanley Burton and the kidnapping and murder of Richard Montgomery. However, here's the kicker. On March 3rd, 2007, while he was behind bars. A surveyor, out in the woods outside Fort Myers, came across two human skulls.

When police came in to investigate, they uncovered another six bodies, all of which had been dead and tossed there some 10 to 15 years prior. They've since to become known as the Fort Myers-8. Before the victims have never been identified, but the other four have. They were all young men who were considered drifters, and three of them disappeared in 1995. and won in 1996. Stanley Burton, the man who found himself in the car that day with Conahan back in March of 95, was brought to within a mile of this dumping ground by Conahan when he stole that car and sped away for his life. And Conahan has never been tried for these, as he already is facing lethal injection.

While it's never been proven, he committed these crimes, as well believed he did them, considering his hunting ground, his M.O. and the fact that he lived only 30 minutes away. Today, at the age of 70, Daniel awaits his fate. It's not likely that we'll ever know for sure the crimes he actually committed, as he targeted those who lived on the fringes of society, and people who might not have been on the right path, so to speak, but does that make their lives any less important than someone else's?

And chances are more bones will pop up in that area of Florida in the coming years? Will they be tied to the monster that is Conahan? Only time will tell. So that's going to do it for this week's episode of Everytown. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Remember to come back next week for another episode for it's scary, strange, and mysterious stories. Because you never know.

Maybe your town will be next.