Southern Mysteries Podcast

Episode 163 Toni Jo Henry Louisiana's Femme Fatale


Listen Later

In 1942, the state of Louisiana executed a woman in the electric chair for the first and only time in its history. She was young, beautiful, and utterly devoted to the man she loved, a Texas outlaw. Toni Jo Henry was willing to do anything to free him from prison which led her down a dark path…the cold-blooded killing of an innocent man. Toni Jo claimed her accomplice pulled the trigger. He said she did. Was Toni Jo Henry a ruthless killer, or a woman trapped by her tragic past and her devotion to the wrong man? 

Want more Southern Mysteries? 

Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries

Connect

Website: southernmysteries.com

Facebook: Southern Mysteries Podcast
Instagram: @southernmysteries

Episode Sources

  • The Times: Former Shreveport Girl to Face jury for Lake Charles Slaying, March 24, 1940
  • The News Star: Toni Jo Henry is denied new trial, May 25, 1942
  • The Atlanta Journal: Woman Slayer, Awaiting death in chair, wisecracks over fate, August 4, 1942
  • The Town Talk: High Court denies stay of execution for Toni Jo Henry, November 4, 1942
  • Shreveport Journal: Toni Jo Henry Executed, November 28, 1942
  • Del Rio News Herald: Kin of Toni Jo Henry Claim body for burial, November 30, 1942
  • The DeQuincy News: Burks to follow Toni Jo to chair, High Court rules, December 4, 1942
  • Greenville News: Trip of Death Ends as Burks electrocuted, March 24, 1943
  • State v. Henry, 196 La. 217, 198 So. 910 (La. 1940)
  • M. Watt Espy Papers: Documentation for the execution of Harold Burks, Toni Henry, 1943-03-23
  • Harold Burks executed on 1943-03-23 in Louisiana (LA); Toni Henry executed on 1942-11-28 in Louisiana (LA)
  • Find A Grave: Joseph Prince “Joe” Calloway
  • Find A Grave: Claude David “Cowboy” Henry
  • Find A Grave: Toni Jo Henry/Annie Beatrice McQuiston
  • Nola Mae Ross: Crimes of the Past in South Louisiana, 2004
  • Episode Music

    Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    Southern Mysteries PodcastBy Shannon Ballard

    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8

    4.8

    972 ratings


    More shows like Southern Mysteries Podcast

    View all
    Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast by Blue Ewe Media

    Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast

    2,793 Listeners

    Gone Cold - Texas True Crime by TTC Productions

    Gone Cold - Texas True Crime

    1,917 Listeners

    Appalachian Mysteria by Kromatic Media

    Appalachian Mysteria

    2,654 Listeners

    Southern Fried True Crime by Erica Kelley

    Southern Fried True Crime

    10,564 Listeners

    American Hauntings Podcast by Cody Beck and Troy Taylor

    American Hauntings Podcast

    1,582 Listeners

    Dark Histories by Ben Cutmore

    Dark Histories

    1,851 Listeners

    Southern Gothic by Southern Gothic Media

    Southern Gothic

    971 Listeners

    So Supernatural by Audiochuck | Crime House

    So Supernatural

    22,965 Listeners

    Park Predators by Audiochuck

    Park Predators

    17,733 Listeners

    Haunted American History by Bloody FM

    Haunted American History

    430 Listeners

    One Strange Thing: Paranormal & True-Weird Mysteries by Laurah Norton

    One Strange Thing: Paranormal & True-Weird Mysteries

    748 Listeners

    Mysteries and Histories by Georgia Marie

    Mysteries and Histories

    155 Listeners

    Haunted Road by iHeartPodcasts and Grim & Mild

    Haunted Road

    3,162 Listeners

    Hometown Ghost Stories by Bloody FM

    Hometown Ghost Stories

    653 Listeners

    Heart Starts Pounding: Horrors, Hauntings and Mysteries by Heart Starts Pounding

    Heart Starts Pounding: Horrors, Hauntings and Mysteries

    4,433 Listeners