Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén - Texarkana Moonlight Murders Pt. 2

Episode Date: January 20, 2022

In 1946, the mysterious Phantom Killer who had terrorized the town of Texarkana for months disappeared just as quickly as he'd appeared. With little evidence to go on, the police home in on one suspect. But justice proves to be harder to come by than they'd hoped. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Due to the graphic nature of this killer's crimes, listener discretion is advised. This episode includes discussions of suicide, violence, and murder. We advise extreme caution for children under 13. On July 15, 1946, police officer Max Tackett stepped out of the hot sun and into the Arkansas bus station. His eyes scanned the lobby for his target, an elusive car thief. Little did Max know he was being watched too. As soon as he entered the station, a tall, neatly dressed man locked eyes on the officer. At first, the stranger stood frozen like prey who'd caught the scent of a predator.

Suddenly, the man leapt into action, sprinting deeper into the station. Max noticed and gave chase, sprinting down the corridor and into the stairwell. The officer flew up the stairs, skipping steps until he reached the second floor. Max was used to chasing criminals, but this. This felt different. It was like the man was running for his life. Finally, Max cornered the fugitive on the fire escape. The officer drew his gun.

The man begged him not to shoot. Max rolled his eyes and ordered the criminal to stay still so he could check for weapons. As he patted him down, he told the man that he'd never shoot a man just for stealing cars. But the car thief shook his head. He said, don't play games with me. You want me for more than stealing cars. Every hair on Max's arms stood up. There'd been something off about this guy from the very beginning.

And now Max thought he knew what it was. He didn't dare voice the thoughts racing through his mind, but he felt it in his gut. He'd just arrested the Phantom Killer. Hi, I'm Greg Poulson. This is Serial Killers, a Spotify original from Parkast. Every episode, we dive into the minds and madness of serial killers. Today, we complete our exploration of the Phantom Killer,

the unidentified serial killer responsible for Texarkana's moonlight murders. I'm here with my co-host, Vanessa Richardson. Hi, everyone. You can find episodes of serial killers and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify. Last time, we talked about the Phantom's attacks on couples around Texarkana. The mysterious killer left behind a trail of bodies. but nothing police did brought them closer to finding answers. This time we'll take a closer look into the doomed investigation

and the one suspect widely believed to be the phantom killer. We've got all that and more coming up. Stay with us. This episode is brought to you by ZipRecruiter. Whether you're hiring for a role or searching for a killer, the hunt can be exhausting. When detectives looked and searched to find any kind of evidence to find the person they were looking for, like Jack the Ripper, the Golden State Killer, the Unit Bomber.

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Since time immemorial, religions and philosophies have rationalized, condemned, or condoned the idea of revenge. For some, it's a sin. For others, it's justice. No matter what ancient texts or modern psychologists say about revenge, it is an undeniable quirk of human nature. When we're hurt, the darkest parts of us want to see someone pay. However, it's not always another person that wrongs us. Sometimes it's an unjust system or a tragic circumstance. And when these intangible forces cause so much pain and despair, it's hard to know where to direct our rage. Who do you punish when the whole human human being?

whole world is against you. For some, the answer is simple. Everyone. In 1946, the phantom killer channeled all of his anger into tormenting the citizens of Texarkana. His vicious attacks on local couples left five dead and three others injured in just three months. At first, the Texarkana police didn't connect the attacks, which they believed were born of personal grudges. But the phantom had patterns, and the more bodies he discarded on rural back roads, the more clues he left behind. By June of 1946, authorities realized they were dealing with just one killer.

And because the Phantom had attacked in Texas and Arkansas, both state police departments joined the case along with the FBI. Unfortunately, little evidence survived from the early crime scenes, but there was one glimmer of hope. In his haste to escape the Stark's residence, the Phantom dropped a red flag. This was the first piece of evidence the killer had left behind, the first clue in a baffling case. The police dusted the flashlight for fingerprints, but found nothing.

The phantom had been careful. Still, there was a chance someone in Texarkana knew who the flashlight belonged to. The Texarkana Gazette ran a photo of the evidence on the front page. It was the first spot color photo that a U.S. publication ever ran, a quietly historic moment. But despite all this effort and hope, nobody came forward with information about the flashlight. Investigators had reached another dead end. Not wanting to give up, the Texas Rangers and Texarkana PD looked into over 1,300 people, conducted interviews, and administered lie detector tests.

They were determined not to let the killer slip through their fingers. Cops often worked through the night, then showed up the next day in the same, stale clothes, eyes bleary from lack of sleep. Vanessa is going to take over on the psychology here and throughout the episode. As a note, Vanessa is not a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, but we have done a lot of research for this show. Thanks, Greg. A 1994 study by criminologist James Sewell reported that investigators on homicide cases

face a unique level of stress. Among other reasons, this is partly because the officers spend significant time exposed to violent and destruction. disturbing information. Naturally, they feel intense professional and personal pressure to catch the people perpetuating the violence, which can lead to traumatization and burnout. After a few months of chasing the Phantom, the Texarkana police were feeling the effects of this pressure. With no real leads, they had to start from scratch every day. The officers were spread too thin, and despite their best efforts, they regularly came up empty-handed.

As the search stretched on, one cop decided to get creative. Arkansas State Police Officer Max Tackett spent days going through all arrests and reports on weekends when the Phantom was in town, trying to find a link between petty crime and the attacks. In mid-May, he discovered a pattern while going through stolen car reports. On nights the Phantom attacked in Texarkana, a vehicle that had been reported missing earlier, would reappear somewhere in town. another car would go missing. Even though auto theft was common in Texarkana, Max had a theory that the phantom was behind

these particular incidents. He believed that before the killer struck again, he would steal a new car and then abandon the one he stole after his previous attack. But the correlation was too loose to follow up. Max couldn't prove the person who abandoned the stolen cars also took the new one, nor could he prove that this person was the phantom. Still, the suspicion stuck with him. He couldn't shake the theory, but with no way to prove it, he had to move on and look at other possibilities. The thing was, there was nowhere left to look.

Eventually, the authorities realized that the case wasn't going to go any further without new information. Their best bet was to wait for the Phantom to strike again, and just hope he messed up. Luckily, they had a pretty good idea when that might be. The first attack against Jim and Mary Jean occurred on February 22nd. The Phantom then murdered Richard Griffin and Polly Ann Moore on March 23rd. Then Paul Martin and Betty Joe Booker were killed on April 13th. Finally, the most recent attack against Virgil and Katie Starks happened on May 3rd.

The Phantom struck approximately every three weeks. It was like he was on a schedule. The police expected that the Phantom would attack against in late May, three weeks after the break-in at the Stark's home, and in most cases they'd be correct. A 2021 case study published in Forensic Science International, Mind and Law, defines a cooling-off period as the time between kills. Once a serial killer commits a murder, they feel sated for a while. The cooling-off period ends when the murderer no longer gets gratification from their most recent kill. They need to take another life to feel satisfied.

This cycle looks different for every killer, and can range from a few weeks to multiple years. But it seems that murderers do have some control over the length of each interval. Some killers prolong their fantasies by photographing their victims or taking trophies. This way they can extend their cooling off period by reliving the fantasy long after they take a life. As far as investigators could tell, the phantom never took items from his victims. That might explain why his cooling off period was only a few weeks long. If their guess was correct, late May was exactly when the thrill of killing Virgil Starks would wear off. As the end of the month approach, the authorities increased their patrols.

Even the public seemed to pick up on the phantom's intervals, and the entire town tensed in anticipation. But to everyone's surprise and relief, June arrived without an attack, and then, Weeks went by with no murders. The town breathed a sigh of relief. It felt like the threat to their community was finally over, and for whatever reason, it was. The Phantom never struck the town of Texarkana again. His reign of terror had come to an end.

Still, it would be months before the residents felt truly safe. Nobody could forget the fear that had transformed their community into a ghost town. The killings left a permanent skimps' house. on Texarkana. Whatever the Phantom hoped to achieve with his killing spree, he certainly succeeded in sowing that most hearty of seeds. Fear. Coming up, we explore the most compelling theories for the phantom killer's true identity. The world is full of con men, fantasists, and corrupt authority figures. There are respected spiritual leaders who ask way too much of their followers, global companies with unexpected motives,

and governments that value profit over all else. Luckily for us, the world is also full of people who stand up for what they believe in, even if it turns their lives upside down. I'm Pat Rodriguez, host of whistleblowers, the new podcast series that explores the biggest, most bizarre lies in history, through the eyes of those who risked absolutely everything

to expose them. This season in Whistleblowers, join us as we uncover the story of the women who brought down Hollywood's most controversial yoga guru. The doctors who believe one of the world's top surgeons used humans as as guinea pigs

and the woman who revealed Facebook's darkest secrets. Whistleblowers is a Spotify original from Parcast, airing episodes every Tuesday starting January 18th. Follow and listen to whistleblowers for free on Spotify. Are you looking for support in your weight management journey?

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Taking Zepound with a sulfonel urea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and worsen kidney problems. Talk to your doctor. Call 1-800-545-5979 or visit zepbounds.lily.com. Now back to the story. By June of 1946, it seemed that the Phantom Killer had finally left the town of Texarkana in peace. After a while, people felt safe returning to their normal routines and lives. But the mystery of the killer's identity was still on everyone's mind.

Even half a century later, the people of Texarkana still were. wonder who was responsible for reigning terror on their community. Criminologists, authors, and psychologists have all tried to uncover the murderer's identity, but to no avail. And while there still is no definitive answer, the investigators who chased the phantom for years uncovered some suspects who still face scrutiny today. In one instance, there was even a confession. We'll pick this story up in 1948, two years after the phantom disappeared from Texarkana. That November, an 18-year-old man named Henry Booker Tennyson died by suicide in his University of Arkansas dorm. Henry, better known as H.B., left behind a letter, partly addressed to the

Texarkana police. In his note, H.B. confessed to the murders of Betty Joe Booker and Paul Martin on April 13, 1946, and the attack against Virgil and Katie Starks on May 3rd. The note came as a shock to both the police and the general public. Not only did the confession come out of nowhere, but H.B. was only 16 at the time of the Phantom's killing spree. This might seem like a young age for someone to harbor so much anger and violence, but HB had plenty of that to go around.

H.B. was born in 1930, in or around Texarkana, to a wealthy and well-respected family. But for all they had in money and esteem, they were lacking in love. love and affection. H.B.'s parents, especially his mother, were reportedly physically and emotionally distant. Growing up, he never received hugs, kisses, or assurances of love. This lack of attention planted a seat of anger in H.B. from the very beginning.

In 2010, the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health published a study about what happens when infants and children don't receive affection from their mothers. Later in life, these children are reported to have increased rates of sensitivity, anxiety, and hostility compared to those who received high levels of affection. It's possible that even as a young boy, H.B. couldn't escape these feelings. If H.B. felt angry and hostile as a child, his early teenage years certainly didn't help. He was said to be a shy loner who preferred to spend time alone drawing and reading comic books. This drew the attention of bullies, who teased.

pleased him relentlessly for being weird. His only friend was a boy named James Freeman, who was the total opposite of quiet H.B. He was loud and brash. He allegedly did drugs and talked about women in a hypersexual way. James made most people feel uncomfortable, but H.B. enjoyed the crassness. After years of friendship, he started to pick up on his friends' habits and ideas, including his hypersexualized view of women. In high school, H.B. worked as an usher at Texarkana's movie theater.

Every night, he watched couples and friends enjoying themselves. Seeing his peers laughing together likely sent pangs of loneliness, jealousy, and anger through his entire body. By 1946, it's possible H.B. was ready to crack. Maybe when he saw Jim Hollis and Mary Jean Larry leaving the movies on February 22nd, He decided it was time someone else felt his pain. Though it's certainly a possibility that this very thing happened, it's hard to be certain. The first problem was that there was no physical evidence tying the teen to the murders. Plus, whether he wanted one or not, H.B. had an alibi.

James Freeman claimed that his friend was with him on one of the nights he was supposedly killing his victims. Over the years, some criminology scholars and investigators have wondered if James was simply covering for his friend. In his extensive studies on the phantom killer, Dr. John T. Tennyson speculated that James himself might have even assisted in the murders. But eventually the authorities decided that H.B. wasn't the phantom. They thought it was possible that in his final years, the students penned up rage and loneliness manifested in mental illness that caused him to take credit for the murders. Eventually, they eliminated him as a suspect. By that state, he was a suspect. By that

stage they'd moved on anyway. The Texarkana police were convinced that they already knew who the real Phantom was, that they'd known for some time, and it wasn't HB. In June of 1946, more than a month after the Phantom's final attack, Arkansas State Police Officer Max Tackett received a call from a farmer about a tenant who had fled without paying rent. The farmer explained that his tenant, 29-year-old Yule Sweeney, often disappeared for days of or weeks at a time. Now he'd been gone for three weeks, and he hadn't paid rent. Max took down the license plate numbers for Sweeney's Plymouth Sedan and returned to his office, hoping to find more information about the mysterious man. But Max found more than just parking tickets.

He discovered that the Plymouth had been stolen in Texarkana on March 24, 1946. That was the same week in the Phantom killed Richard Griffin and Pollyann Moore. Careful not to get too ahead. head of himself, he questioned Sweeney's family. Sweeney had a lot of relatives in Texarkana, but they never knew where he went when he disappeared. But one family member remembered a parking lot where Sweeney often left his car, so Max checked it out. Sure enough, the Plymouth sedan was there. Max and the Texarkana police staked out the lot, tirelessly waiting for Sweeney to show his face. They hoped it was only a matter of time before he made an appearance.

On June 28th, the police finally caught a break. Someone approached the car and got in, but it wasn't Sweeney. It was a young woman. Intrigued, a state trooper questioned her. The woman was 21-year-old Peggy Lois Stevens-Tresnick Sweeney, and she had just married Yule earlier that day. Since Peggy had gotten into a stolen car, the police arrested her and threw her in a holding cell in the Miller County Jail.

The police knew that Sweeney would learn of his new wife's arrest quickly and hoped he would show up to defend her or bail her out. But as the days stretched into weeks, Sweeney never came. With no other way of locating him, the cops just had to bide their time until he slipped up. Thankfully, that didn't take too long. On July 15th, Sweeney attempted to sell a stolen car to a dealer just outside of Texarkana.

The suspicious dealer reported the incident to police. noticing that the description of the man matched Sweeney, Max sprang into action. He donned civilian clothes and began a desperate search through the town. A few hours after Sweeney had tried to sell the stolen car, Max spotted him in the Arkansas bus station. The officer chased him down, surprised at how desperate he seemed to escape. Max kept his weapon at the ready. As he chased the guy through the bus station corridors and up a stairwell,

He had a gut feeling that the man was more than just a car thief. Finally, Max cornered Sweeney on the fire escape and arrested him. But that's when Sweeney said something strange. He said he knew that he was wanted for more than just stealing cars. It got stranger. On the way to the station, Sweeney talked incessantly about the electric chair. The penalty for auto theft was only five to ten years, but Sweeney seemed to think he'd be lucky if he got a life sentence.

By the time he reached his jail cell, Sweeney had regained his composure and refused to speak. But the damage was done. Max and the other Texarkana police were already discussing what Sweeney thought they picked him up for. Clearly, it was something much worse than auto theft. Investigators pulled Sweeney's criminal record, which told a long and troubled story. He was born in Arkansas in 1917 and was one of five children. His mother was a housewife and his father was a Baptist minister. Though on the outside, the Sweeney seemed like an idyllic American family,

the reality of life in their home was rather different. His father was an alcoholic who had to be sobered up before his Sunday sermons. His mother, trying to escape her husband's habits, was distant from the entire family. As a result, Sweeney was mostly raised by his older siblings. Just like H.B. Tennyson, this lack of a little. of loving interaction from his parents probably left a negative impact on the young boy. It didn't take long for Sweeney to start misbehaving. When he was around nine years old, he was caught stealing candy. But this was nothing compared to his next scheme. When he was 12,

Ewell made headlines after he convinced a crew of boys to help himself stolen property to a junk shop. When he was caught, the newspapers printed his story, and it's entirely possible Sweeney enjoyed his moment in the limelight. He'd never been given attention at home, but now everyone in town knew his name. It sparked something inside of him, and from that moment on, he was addicted to stealing. But he wasn't the best thief, and he got caught all the time. He spent part of his teenage years in and out of reform schools and penitentiaries. It's likely, based on practices at the time, that Sweeney faced physical punishment in these institutions. As a result, it's not hard to assume that he began feeling like the entire world was against him.

The way Sweeney saw it, he was on his own. Eventually, he decided he didn't want the approval and affection he once craved. What he wanted was to raise hell, and to prove it, he got a tattoo of a hardened skull. Underneath the word revenge was inked out in large, angry letters. In his 20s, Sweeney transitioned from petty theft to more serious felony. In 1941, when he was 24, he was arrested and sentenced to three years in prison for auto theft. He was released early in 1943, likely for good behavior. Even on parole, he wasted no time jumping back into his criminal habits.

In 1944, Sweeney was arrested again for robbery and assault. This time, the sentence was five years. But once more, he was released early for good behavior. He got out of jail in late 1945, just a few months before the Phantom first struck in Texarkana. Just a few weeks after his release, Sweeney found himself back in a jail, but this time he was in the lobby, trying to bail out his then-girlfriend. While waiting, he struck up a conversation with another woman behind bars. It was Peggy Lois Stevens. She was locked up for public intoxication, and the two got to talking and his.

it off immediately, and thus began an intense whirlwind romance. However, their passionate affair was far from healthy. From the start, their relationship was extremely volatile. Sweeney was in complete control, determining where they went, what they did, and when they did it. And anything could set him off. On one occasion, Peggy told Sweeney that a man had tried to sleep with her. Furious, Sweeney kidnapped the man and dragged him into the Oklahoma woods. He forced the man to his knees, then made Peggy whip him with a chain.

Before meeting Sweeney, Peggy's only crime was public intoxication, but he easily pulled her into his world of violence and theft. It's possible she followed him willingly, blinded by love, and the thrill of a Bonnie and Clyde affair. It's also possible, seeing how demanding Sweeney could be, that he forced her into situations she didn't want to be in. It was likely Peggy felt a combination of excitement and fear about her man's criminal habits, and it wasn't long before she decided to solidify their relationship for better or worse.

On June 28, 1946, just a few months after meeting, Peggy and Sweeney got married, and later that day, Peggy was arrested. To the police, it seemed like awfully convenient. timing. In Texas, a person can't be forced to testify against their spouse. They thought that maybe Sweeney married Peggy for this security, then send her to pick up the car just in case the cops were waiting for him. It was a strange dynamic and a strange case, and the more information Texarkana police gathered on Sweeney, the more suspicious they became. He wasn't in his cell for more than a couple of hours before the officers started to whisper amongst themselves. Was it possible this car thief

was connected to the phantom murders. But even as suspicions swirled, only one thing was clear to the Texarkana police. The man who sat in their cell had a much darker story to tell than anyone knew. Coming up, police desperately attempt to put the phantom behind bars.

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soft lightly lined cubs for a natural shape, and no wire comfort that last all day. All over smooth, all-day comfort, vanity fair lingerie. Find yours at Target today. Now back to the story. By July of 1946, 29-year-old Yule Sweeney and his wife Peggy had both been arrested by the Texarkana Sheriff's Office for auto theft. But secretly, the authorities believed that Ewell was the phantom killer. They just needed proof. The police quickly uncovered evidence of two more car thefts.

Plus, they found proof that these cars passed the Texas and Arkansas border. This meant they had the couple behind bars on federal charges. Sweeney confessed to the charges quickly. Perhaps he thought if he was tried and sentenced for these crimes, he could escape the more sinister accusation at hand. Meanwhile, the investigation into Sweeney's participation in the Phantom Attacks wasn't going well. Authorities tried to place him in Texarkana at the time of the Phantom attacks, but this proved difficult. He was quite the vagabond, moving around from city to city at a whim.

It made him impossible to track. Sweeney said he was in St. Louis at the time of the attacks, but it's unclear if the police were able to confirm his story. But one thing was clear. Swimi wasn't going to talk. Peggy, on the other hand, wasn't as tight-lipped. Within days of her husband's incarceration, a lawyer told her he was wanted for murder. Peggy gasped and asked how they found out. Realizing she was the weaker link,

investigators promised her she would get off much easier if she cooperated. It wasn't long before she agreed to give a statement. She told the police about how she'd witnessed Sweeney's voice. violent side before. While the investigators acknowledged her fears, they were concerned that she wasn't being entirely truthful. But Peggy walked them through her and Sweeney's activity on the nights of all the Phantom's attacks. She told them that on February 22nd, when the Phantom beat Jim Hollis and Mary Jean Larry, they had stayed with Sweeney's sister in Texarkana. But at some

point that weekend, Sweeney became upset with Peggy. He didn't stay with her the night of the 22nd. For the next attack against Richard Griffin on March 23rd, Peggy said they were staying with his mother in Texarkana. Though he was home for most of the night, Sweeney had disappeared for a couple of hours. The investigators tried not to show their excitement, but it was another piece that seemed to fit the puzzle. He was looking more and more guilty. For the night of Betty Joe Booker and Paul Martin's murder, Peggy said she was staying with her mom in a town outside of Texarkana, while Sweeney was staying in the city,

but she didn't give any more information about this night, which seemed odd to the investigators. As for the final May 3rd attacks against the Starks, Sweeney had apparently gotten into a heated argument with Peggy's sister about paying rent. He stormed out, claiming he was heading for Texarkana. Knowing the details of this first interview is important because Peggy didn't give Sweeney an alibi for any of the attacks.

She also provided some insight on his side, state of mind for some of them. If Peggy was telling the truth, Sweeney had had some sort of personal conflict just hours before a couple of the attacks. Sweeney already had issues with externalizing his anger, dating back to his petty theft as a child,

so fights with his girlfriend and family might have set him off. Peggy's first interview was huge for the case. But the most damning evidence came the next day on July 24th when she gave another statement. It seemed that the longer Peggy was separated from Sweeney, the more willing she was to talk.

Whether it was the promise of freedom or a guilty conscience, Peggy finally broke down. In her second statement, Peggy suddenly changed her story for the night of April 13th, when Betty Joe and Paul died. At first, she was vague, only saying Sweeney was definitely in Texarkana that night. But finally, she admitted she was with him. Here's what she told them. According to Peggy, the couple were drinking all night before they drove to Spring Lake Park. On the way, they passed by Paul Martin's car, and Sweeney pointed at it saying they were going to rob the couple. Sweeney and Peggy got out of their own vehicle and approached Paul and Betty Joe, armed with a gun.

They forced them out of the car, and Sweeney held them at gunpoint while Peggy searched through their belongings. At first, Peggy didn't feel bad about the robbery, but after seeing how young the couple, couple was she wanted to leave. Sweeney refused. Instead, he pointed the gun at Paul and fired twice, killing him instantly. Peggy and Betty Joe screamed. That's when Sweeney turned the gun on them and ordered them to be quiet. Peggy claimed that Sweeney placed Paul's body in the backseat of their own car and forced Betty Joe into the front seat. He told Peggy to stay with Paul's car, then drove off. A few hours later, Sweeney returned alone.

He told Peggy that he killed Betty Joe after she refused to have sex with him. Then he dumped both of the bodies. The police were shocked. For months, they'd struggled to find a single shred of useful evidence. Now they had an eyewitness to the phantom's crimes. Peggy even told them how Sweeney disposed of the evidence. Of course, the cops couldn't just take Peggy at her word. The story conveniently painted her as a bystander.

an unwilling hostage even. It was possible she had twisted the truth to appear innocent. Investigators had to be sure she wasn't lying to protect her own neck. To confirm her story, police drove Peggy around to the crime scenes in Spring Lake Parks, asking her to point out where each event occurred. Her answers aligned almost perfectly with how police found the crime scene. It seemed like they'd finally nailed the phantom. But there was a catch.

Even with Peggy's help, there was still no hard evidence. All they had was her testimony. And as Sweeney's spouse, she couldn't be forced to testify against Sweeney. She held all the cards, and when the time came, she declared that she wouldn't testify against her husband. After coming so close, police were unable to convict Sweeney for the murders. But it wasn't completely hopeless. Using the habitual criminal act, prosecutors used the auto theft charges and Sweeney's extensive. record to make the case that he was beyond rehabilitation and deserved a life sentence.

With the threat of life in prison hanging over him, Sweeney scrambled to find a defense. Around this time, his father finally took an interest in his son's life, likely worried that Sweeney's life sentence would affect his job as a Baptist minister. He hired lawyers, wrote appeals, and threatened the Texarkana police, but to no avail. In February of 1947, Sweeney arrived in court for his trial. He waived his right to a court-appointed lawyer, choosing to represent himself. He cross-examined the prosecution's witnesses and elected not to take the stand himself. After deliberating for an hour, the jury found 30-year-old Ewell Sweeney guilty.

And a few days later, he was sentenced to life in prison. By this point, it was common knowledge in Texarkana that Ewe, Yule Sweeney was the prime suspect in the Moonlight Murders case. While the community was happy to see him behind bars, it was still frustrating that nobody was ever really brought to justice for the Phantom's vicious attacks. Yule Sweeney stayed in prison for 26 years. For the rest of his life, he denied the accusation that he was the Phantom killer.

In 1973, Yule Sweeney lobbied for release. He argued that he wasn't given all of the information he needed to understand his decision. to waive his right to an attorney. The gambit worked, and he walked. Now 56, Sweeney moved to Marshall, Texas, just 75 miles south of Texarkana. He visited the city often,

and once even walked into the Texarkana Gazette's building and asked the reporters if anyone was interested in writing a book about his wrongful imprisonment. Sweeney wasn't interested in moving on from the phantom accusations. Just like his tattoo promised, Sweeney wanted revenge for the quarter century he spent in prison, time he thought was stolen from him. But his case wasn't very strong. Whatever credibility he did have only diminished when in 1975,

just two years after his release, he was arrested and imprisoned for counterfeiting. Sweeney spent the rest of his life in and out of jail. In the early 90s, he was moved from a federal institution, into a nursing home. In 1994, at 77 years old, Sweeney died from lung cancer. He never admitted to being the phantom killer. To this day, we don't know if Yule Sweeney was telling the truth.

Perhaps he was the man responsible for Texarkana's Moonlight Murders, or maybe H.B. Tennyson really was the infamous killer. Then again, what if it was someone else entirely? Someone who escaped detection and continued. to wreak havoc elsewhere. The people of Texarkana will never know for certain who turned their community inside out for those four months in 1946, and some of the scars left on the town will never fade.

The memory of the Phantom Killer is cemented there, unsolved and unforgotten. Thanks again for tuning into serial killers. We'll be back soon with a new episode. For more information on the Phantom Killer, Amongst the many sources we used, we found The Phantom Killer by James Presley, extremely helpful to our research. You can find more episodes of serial killers and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify. We'll see you next time.

Have a killer week. Serial Killers is a Spotify original from Parcast. Executive producers include Max and Ron Cutler, sound designed by Michael Motion, with production assistance by Ron Shapiro, Trent Williamson, Carly Madden and Joshua Kern. This episode of Serial Killers was written by Kit Fitzgerald with writing assistance by Sarah Hussein

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