In the spring of 1946, the border town of Texarkana was paralyzed by fear as an unknown attacker began stalking local “lovers’ lanes.” Over ten terrifying weeks, a masked assailant known as the Phantom Killer brutally attacked eight people, killing five of them.

In this episode of Bless This Mess, we break down the four horrific attacks that became known as the Texarkana Moonlight Murders, from the first assaults on back roads to the shocking final home invasion. We discuss how the town responded by arming themselves and shutting down nightlife, the massive multi-agency investigation that followed, and the leading suspect, Youell Swinney, who many believe was the Phantom despite never standing trial for the murders. Finally, we explore how this officially unsolved case became an American legend and inspired the film The Town That Dreaded Sundown.

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Sources for this episode

• Encyclopedia of Arkansas – “Texarkana Moonlight Murders”
• Wikipedia – “Texarkana Moonlight Murders”
• James Presley, The Phantom Killer: Unlocking the Mystery of the Texarkana Serial Murders
• Michael Newton, The Texarkana Moonlight Murders: The Unsolved Case of the 1946 Phantom Killer
• Texas Monthly – feature on the Texarkana murder mystery
• Texarkana Gazette 

In the late 90s and early 2000s, the city of Baton Rouge was paralyzed by fear. The public and the police thought they were hunting one monster, but they were actually dealing with three serial killers operating at the exact same time. While Derrick Todd Lee and Sean Vincent Gillis dominated the national headlines, a third killer slipped completely under the radar.

On today’s Monday minisode of A Little Less Mess, Cara skips the chit-chat and dives straight into the overlooked case of Jeffery Lee Guillory. We discuss his forgotten victims—Florida Edwards, Sylvia Cobb, and Renee Newman—and the massive DNA breakthrough from a routine traffic stop that finally brought his reign of terror to an end.

Listen to more Bless This Mess: Need some porch-side banter to go with your true crime? Join Cara and Stew every Thursday for our full-length main episodes!

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Sources
[1] The serial killer cases that changed Baton Rouge policing ... https://www.wafb.com/2026/07/01/serial-killer-cases-that-changed-baton-rouge-policing-forever/
[2] The serial killer cases that terrified Baton Rouge did more than put ... https://www.facebook.com/WAFB9/videos/the-serial-killer-cases-that-terrified-baton-rouge-did-more-than-put-families-on/3183616872026807/
[3] Suspected serial killer spoke freely BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) https://legalnews.com/detroit/1079269
[4] The serial killer cases that terrified Baton Rouge did more ... https://www.facebook.com/KSLANews12/posts/the-serial-killer-cases-that-terrified-baton-rouge-did-more-than-put-families-on/1498695402298429/
[5] Where Are Baton Rouge Serial Killers Now? https://www.oxygen.com/serial-killer-capital-baton-rouge/crime-news/where-are-baton-rouge-serial-killers-now
[6] TRUE CRIME | The Jeffery Lee Guillory Story | Jessica Anne https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QT2uE-8RzQ
[7] What Did These Three Baton Rouge Murders Have in ... https://www.oxygen.com/serial-killer-capital-baton-rouge/videos/what-did-these-three-baton-rouge-murders-have-in-common [
8] GUILLORY Jeffery Lee | Serial Killer Database Wiki - Fandom https://skdb.fandom.com/wiki/GUILLORY_Jeffery_Lee
[9] Guillory sentenced to 50 years in prison https://www.wafb.com/story/12145893/guillory-sentenced-to-50-years-in-prison/

Our Friday hangout has a new name! Welcome to the very first episode of Sittin’, Sippin’, & Bullshittin’. Cara and Stew are on the porch walking through all the big podcast upgrades: our new weekly schedule, Patreon tiers, Porch Crew mason jars, and a few quick life updates about moving. Then, Cara tells Stew the absolute chaos behind the new Netflix documentary, A Toxic Love Story —a wild true-crime tale of a U.S. Marshal, fake threats, and an insane revenge plot. Grab your Weekly Pour, settle in, and let's get into the mess.

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Music courtesy of Blanche

What happens when multiple serial killers hunt in the same city? This week, we examine the case of Jeffery Lee Guillory, Baton Rouge's third serial killer. We break down the decades-long investigation, the crucial DNA evidence that broke the case wide open, and his final sentencing to life behind bars.

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Welcome to A Little Less Mess, it's our companion episode to our main weekly releases. In ALLM, you will find just the facts, no opinions, no jokes, no banter, but do not fear! If you would like to hear our full thoughts on this case (and inappropriate jokes) check out the weekly regular episodes released on Thursdays (they're the numbered episodes).


From 1992 to 2003, Derrick Todd Lee terrorized the Baton Rouge area, murdering young women and leaving little to no clues behind. It would take a brave survivor and advancements in DNA technology to finally put him behind bars.

Reference: The Making of a Serial Killer - Season 1 Episode 2 (Peacock)

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At the same time that Derrick Todd Lee was committing murders, another serial killer was lurking in the shadows. The fact that there were two active serial killers at the same time caused confusion with the investigations but after Derrick Todd Lee was locked up and the killings continued, they discovered the Second Baton Rouge Serial Killer, Sean Vincent Gillis.

Reference: The Worlds Most Evil Killers - Season 6 Episode 13 (Peacock)

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From 1992 to 2003, Derrick Todd Lee terrorized the Baton Rouge area, murdering young women and leaving little to no clues behind. It would take a brave survivor and advancements in DNA technology to finally put him behind bars.

Reference: The Making of a Serial Killer - Season 1 Episode 2 (Peacock)

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Support us on Patreon - for early access and ad-free, join our Patreon!

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Rate, Review, and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen!

This week we are finishing up our recap of Maternal Instinct on Netflix!

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This week we are discussing the Netflix documentary Maternal Instinct so go watch it if you have not seen it yet! We rambled on so long it is going to have to be a two parter..

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In 2016, Phillip Oakley was married to the love of his life Rhonda. Together they were raising his two children from a previous marriage and on the surface everything looked great. But when Rhonda is found murdered in their basement, a full manhunt is underway to find the killer.

Reference:  See No Evil - Cruel Love

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