In this gripping true crime episode, we unravel the story of George Kent Wallace, a man infamously known as "The Mad Paddler", whose decades-long trail of violence haunted communities across North Carolina, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
Explore how Wallace, hiding in plain sight and exploiting law enforcement failures, preyed on young victims in a chilling pattern of kidnapping, assault, and murder.
We delve into his troubled upbringing, the red flags ignored, and the loopholes in the justice system that let him evade capture time and again.
Featuring survivor accounts, expert analysis, and a deep dive into court records, this episode provides a sobering look at the enduring impact on victims’ families and the questions that still linger.
If you’re searching for true crime podcasts about serial killers, unsolved mysteries, and the failures that let monsters thrive in the shadows, this episode will keep you listening until the very end.
Sources:
WALLACE v. STATE. 1995 OK CR 19. 893 P.2d 504. Case Number: C-91-309. Decided: 03/27/1995. Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals.
George Kent Wallace, Petitioner-appellant, v. Ron Ward, Warden, Oklahoma State Penitentiary, Respondent-appellee, 191 F.3d 1235 (10th Cir. 1999). September 10, 1999.
George Kent Wallace faces executioner. By Jimmy Tomlin for High Point News Enterprise. May 5, 2016. https://www.swtimes.com/story/news/2016/05/05/george-kent-wallace-faces-executioner/24258309007/.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13768431/george_kent-wallace
KIDNAPPER CONFESSES TO BOYS' SLAYINGS. By Unknown Author for Greensboro.com. January 5, 1991. https://greensboro.com/kidnapper-confesses-to-boys-slayings/article_a3b660ac-95dd-5e70-816e-7f4abf769be2.html.
Killer of two teens set for execution. By Unknown Author for UPI.com. August 10, 2000. https://www.upi.com/Archives/2000/08/10/Killer-of-two-teens-set-for-execution/6696965880000/.
Paddler moves on to murder — and to Fort Smith. By Staff Writer for Fort Smith Times Record. May 4, 2016. https://www.swtimes.com/story/news/2016/05/04/paddler-moves-on-to-murder/26314986007/.
WALLACE v. STATE (1997). Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma. George Kent WALLACE, Petitioner, v. The STATE of Oklahoma, Respondent. No. PC-95-1246. Decided: March 18, 1997.
Man executed in deaths of Arkansas teens. By Unkown Author for NewsOn6.com
https://www.newson6.com/story/5e3684f02f69d76f6209a383/man-executed-in-deaths-of-arkansas-teens
Escaped victim watches killer's execution. By Bobby Ross Jr. for TheOklahoman.com. August 11, 2000.
https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2000/08/11/escaped-victim-watches-killers-execution/62186701007/
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