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This bizarre and macabre piece of American history stands alone—Mississippi was the only state ever to employ a portable electric chair.

We dive deep into the disturbing story of "Old Sparky" and its first operator, Jimmy Thompson, a former carnival hypnotist and ex-convict who approached his grim task with the showmanship of PT Barnum. Paid $100 per execution, Thompson turned these somber events into public spectacles, complete with newspaper photographers, crowds of onlookers, and even non-lethal demonstrations for the curious. His callous comments about giving condemned prisoners "a good clean burning" reveal the disturbing lack of solemnity surrounding these state-sanctioned killings.

The chair itself had a troubled history, with malfunctioning generators sometimes causing prolonged, agonizing deaths as inmates remained partially electrocuted between jolts of electricity. We explore how Mississippi's execution methods evolved from hanging to the electric chair following public outcry over a botched execution, and how the chair's technical failures eventually led to its replacement by the gas chamber. We also share the chilling reports that Elijah Parker, executed in the Hinds County Courthouse in 1944, still haunts the building's basement where he met his fate.

This episode connects personally to us as we once created a haunted house featuring a replica electric chair based on this dark chapter of Mississippi history. Join us for this fascinating exploration of justice, spectacle, and how the methods we choose to punish reflect the values of our society. Subscribe to Hold My Sweet Tea for more hidden stories from Southern history that challenge, surprise, and sometimes disturb.

Source Material:

L Powell IV, July 23,2021, Death on Wheels-Jackson, MS, https://www.southernspiritguide.org/death-on-wheels-jackson-mississippi/

Cabana, Donald A., October 2004, The history of Capital punishment in Mississippi: An Overview, https://www.mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov/issue/history-of-capital-punishment-in-mississippi-an-overview

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The story of Donald "Pee Wee" Gaskins unfolds like a horrifying fairy tale – a broken little boy from South Carolina who grew up to become "the meanest man in America." Standing at just 5'4", this diminutive figure carved a path of destruction that few serial killers have matched, claiming over 100 victims during his reign of terror.

Born in 1933 to a mother who drifted between abusive men, young Donald experienced unimaginable trauma that shaped his twisted worldview. By age 11, he had abandoned school, already harboring deep hatred toward women. His journey through reform school, where he was viciously victimized, only hardened his violent tendencies. The podcast traces his evolution from troubled teen to calculating killer with chilling precision.

What makes Gaskins particularly fascinating is his methodical approach to murder. He categorized his killings as either "recreational" (random victims he tortured for pleasure) or "serious" (targeted murders of acquaintances and family members). His sadism knew no bounds – forcing victims to consume parts of their own bodies, occasional cannibalism, and even purchasing a hearse to transport corpses while joking openly about his intentions. The hosts explore the disturbing psychology behind these behaviors while examining the nature versus nurture debate that inevitably surfaces in cases like this.

The episode reaches its climax with Gaskins' final act of violence – constructing a bomb inside a radio to kill a fellow inmate while serving a life sentence. Despite his desperate last-minute attempt to avoid execution by slashing his wrists, Pee Wee Gaskins met his end in the electric chair on September 6, 1991. Through thoughtful discussion of childhood trauma and its consequences, the hosts pose difficult questions about what creates a monster and whether some people are simply born with darkness inside them.

Follow us on social media or email us at [email protected] to share your thoughts on this chilling case. And remember – just because someone is small in stature doesn't mean they can't be incredibly dangerous.

Sources:

https://web.archive.org/web/20121224205708/http://maamodt.asp.radford.edu/Psyc%20405/serial%20killers/Gaskin%2C%20Pee%20Wee.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20081007141112/http://www.altlaw.org/v1/cases/535927

https://web.archive.org/web/20201111164611/https://www.thoughtco.com/donald-pee-wee-gaskins-973165

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When police discovered a body wrapped in a tarp along Highway 51 in Louisiana, they never expected it would lead to a shocking connection between a beloved therapist and a TikTok star with millions of followers.

Dr. William Nicholas "Dr. Nick" Abraham had dedicated his life to helping others. With a PhD in counseling and over 30 years of experience treating substance abuse, depression, and anxiety, he was a familiar face in Baton Rouge, appearing on local TV and working compassionately with the LGBTQ+ community. His former attorney described him as having "such a servant's heart" – making the brutal nature of his murder all the more devastating.

The investigation took a surprising turn when evidence pointed to 20-year-old Terryon Ishmael Thomas – better known online as "Mr.Prada," a TikTok personality with an astonishing 8.2 million followers across his accounts. When authorities searched Thomas's apartment, they discovered weapons and large amounts of Dr. Nick's blood. The doctor had last been seen alive outside Thomas's apartment complex before his body was found dumped on the roadside, having suffered fatal blunt force trauma to his head, neck, and shoulders.

What remains mysterious is the connection between these two vastly different individuals – a respected 69-year-old therapist and a young social media influencer. Was Dr. Nick counseling Thomas? Was there another relationship between them? As Thomas faces first-degree murder charges and a possible death penalty, the case continues to unfold with the next court date approaching. Join us as we examine this tragic crime that left a community mourning a man who had spent his life helping others, only to meet a violent end that shocked everyone who knew him.

Like, share, and follow Hold My Sweet Tea wherever you get your podcasts to stay updated on this case and other fascinating true crime stories from the South.

Source Material:

Obituary, Oct 2, 2024, https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/theadvocate/name/dr-william-abraham-obituary?id=56440552

Maiden, Lauren, September 29, 2024, TPSO: Body of man wrapped in tarp found in Tangipahoa Parish, https://www.wdsu.com/article/tpso-body-of-man-wrapped-in-tarp-found-in-tangipahoa-parish/62433101

Miller, Mason, September 30, 2024, Man’s body found wrapped in tarp identified as Baton Rouge therapist \ Person of interest wanted, https://unfilteredwithkiran.com/mans-body-found-wrapped-in-tarp-on-side-of-highway/

Welty, Chris and Van de Riet, Emily, October 2, 2024, TikTok star ‘Mr.Prada’ arrested in connection to death of therapist found wrapped in tarp, officials say, https://www.wymt.com/2024/10/02/tiktok-star-mrprada-arrested-connection-death-therapist-found-wrapped-tarp-officials-say/

Marigny, Alexis, January 15, 2025, ‘Mr.Prada’ appears in court for bond hearing; murder suspect going before grand jury, mr-prada-appears-in-court-for-bond-hearing-murder-suspect-going-before-grand-jury

Tuttle, Ethan, January 28, 2025, TikTok star “Mr.Prada” pleads not-guilty in arraignment hearing, https://www.wafb.co

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The boundary between imagination and the supernatural blurs in the extraordinary case of the Wyrick family, whose quiet life in rural Georgia became a waking nightmare. When three-year-old Heidi began conversing with her "imaginary friends," her parents initially thought nothing of it—until they discovered these invisible companions were the spirits of people who had actually lived and died on their property years before.

Little Heidi's main spectral playmates were "Mr. Gordy" , a kindly gentleman in a suit and top hat who would push her on the swings, and a man she called "Con"  who appeared with bloodied clothes and a bandaged hand. The family's blood ran cold when they learned the previous homeowner who died in 1974 was named James S. Gordy, and a former resident on the property named Lon Bachelor had lost his hand in a cotton gin accident decades earlier. How could a toddler possibly know these details without supernatural intervention?

The situation escalated dramatically when Lisa Wyrick became pregnant with their second child. Suddenly, malevolent presences invaded their home, leaving unexplained scratches on Heidi and her father Andy. The terror peaked when Heidi was found levitating upside down by her ankles, screaming for help. Throughout these terrifying events, the benevolent spirits of Mr. Gordy and Con seemingly tried to protect the child from darker forces. The family eventually fled their haunted home, but according to Heidi, at least one malevolent entity followed her, suggesting some supernatural attachments can't be severed by simply changing location. This case has inspired numerous adaptations, including "The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia," though many fictional elements were added to the family's already chilling true story. Share your own paranormal experiences with us—we might feature them in a future episode!

Sources:

Published: Feb. 19, 2008 at 4:09 AM EST|Updated: Apr. 17, 2009 at 10:23 PM EDT

https://www.wtvm.com/story/7890511/haunting-in-harris-county-the-heidi-wyrick-story/

https://atlantaghosts.com/i-see-dead-people-the-heidi-wyrick-story/

https://youtu.be/Ho8JnWuVdiU?si=_kOjcWQS3Hj_csVF

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We explore the fascinating story of Mary Oneida Toups, the Witch Queen of New Orleans who successfully established witchcraft as a state-recognized religion in 1970s Louisiana.

• Mary moved to New Orleans from Meridian during the hippie era at age 39
• She formed a power couple with Albert "Boots" Toups, a Freemason who practiced Santeria
• Opened the Witch's Workshop in 1971 selling candles, oils, and ritual items like bat hearts
• Successfully petitioned Louisiana to charter the Religious Order of Witchcraft in 1972
• Published influential book "Magic High and Low" in 1975 for witchcraft practitioners
• Gained respect from diverse groups including petroleum engineers and occultists
• Allegedly conducted a seance at the Lalaurie Mansion contacting Madame Delphine
• Died mysteriously in 1981 at age 53 with no known grave location
• Despite her significance, rarely mentioned on New Orleans ghost tours today

Share our podcast with friends and help us get the word out about these fascinating stories from New Orleans history!

Source Material:

https://www.latter-blum.com/p/521-St-Philip-Street-New-Orleans-LA-70116/dmgid_172753566

Ghost City Tours, 2012-2025, Witchcraft in New Orleans, Is there any truth to witches being in New Orleans, https://ghostcitytours.com/new-orleans/ghost-stories/witchcraft-new-orleans/

Yarborough, Zoe, October 30,2024, 8 Famous Witches from Southern Folklore, https://styleblueprint.com/everyday/famous-witches-in-the-south/

Lady Stacy, Author page, https://www.librarything.com/author/toupsmaryoneida

Stuerman, Madison, 2025, Haunted Cities: Women of New Orleans, https://travelnitch.org/haunted-new-orleans/

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We explore the fascinating story of Josie Arlington, the infamous madam of New Orleans' Storyville district and her legendary flaming tomb that continues to captivate visitors to this day.

• Josie Arlington was orphaned at age four and later became the most successful madam in New Orleans
• Storyville, created in 1897, became New Orleans' designated red-light district where Josie's high-class brothel thrived
• Despite her wealth and connections to powerful men, Josie remained socially ostracized by "respectable" society
• As her final act of defiance, Josie purchased an elaborate red granite tomb in the elite Metairie Cemetery
• After her death, witnesses reported seeing her tomb burst into flames at night, earning it the nickname "The Flaming Tomb"
• The supernatural phenomena supposedly stopped when her family moved her remains after squandering her fortune
• Metairie Cemetery at 5100 Pontchartrain Boulevard is worth visiting, along with Sacred Grinds coffee shop nearby

If you enjoyed this episode, please share our podcast with friends and family. You can also support us by buying us a coffee at our "Buy Me a Coffee" page or checking out our merch at Printify.
Sources:

Long, Alecia P. “Josie Arlington.” 64 Parishes, updated May 13, 2019.   https://64parishes.org/entry/josie-arlington. 

https://www.royaltoursneworleans.com/josie-arlington-storyvilles-most-infamous-madam


Michael DeMocker | October 8, 2019
https://www.verylocal.com/haunted-nola-the-wandering-statue-of-storyville-madam-josie-arlingtons-metairie-cemetery-tomb/13329/

Kane, Harnett T. Queen New Orleans: City by the River. New York: William Morrow & Company, 1949.

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A sunny family hike transforms into an unimaginable nightmare when Andrew McGann, a teacher with a troubling past, randomly attacks Clinton and Cristen Brink at Devil's Den State Park in Arkansas. As we peel back the layers of this shocking July 2024 crime, we uncover the heroic final acts of a mother who saved her daughters before returning to help her husband—a decision that tragically cost her life.

What drives someone to murder complete strangers? We trace McGann's suspicious pattern of short teaching stints across multiple states, allegations of inappropriate behavior toward female students, and the red flags that somehow didn't prevent him from continuing to work with children. Former students and parents reveal disturbing details, including McGann allegedly telling a young girl that "if she were older, he would marry her."

The Brinks had only recently moved to Arkansas from South Dakota, their water connected just two weeks before the murders. Their daughters, ages 7 and 9, now face life without parents because of a seemingly random encounter on a hiking trail. We explore how McGann's attempt to evade capture—including taping over his license plate—ultimately failed when he was arrested mid-haircut at a local salon.

This case raises profound questions about violence in public spaces, inadequate systems for tracking concerning behavior among educators, and whether this represents McGann's first violent crime or simply the first time he was caught. As prosecutors seek the death penalty, we wonder what other secrets might emerge from his past.

Share this episode with true crime enthusiasts who appreciate thoughtful analysis of current cases, and email us at [email protected] with your thoughts and case suggestions. We're already planning special Halloween content and would love your input on what spooky stories to cover next!

Source Material:

DeMillo, Andrew and the Assciated Press, July 30, 2025, Arkansas teacher charged with killing couple who were hiking in Devil's Den, https://www.wlbt.com/2025/07/31/police-arrest-man-killings-married-couple-hiking-state-park/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR6i6DN65E4LJg4w5aaZ2aGqOdbE9X7Fmv8ux_VXX2LwlgnQMyHVIy3NqPDHiw_aem_cSPkOCsbP-aBqz_VmZ14Gw#knx5w0ypahdx1l2al7cv68a054fx5bp5

Myers, Doug, August 3, 2025, Teacher accused in Arkansas double homicide resigned fro Plano ISD after only 4 days in 2024, officials say, https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/texas/news/teacher-accused-arkansas-double-homicide-plano-isd-resignation-2024/

Longmire, Becca, July 31, 2025, Man charged over murders of husband and wife while hiking with their daughters in Arkansas, https://people.com/man-charged-murder-husband-wife-cristen-clinton-brink-killed-hiking-daughters-arkansas-11782373

Boss, Sayan, august 2, 2025, Twisted killer Devil's Den 'killer' Andrew James McGann would 'tickle pupils' and even told girl 'I wish you could be my girlfriend;https://www.the-sun.com/news/14896393/andrew-james-mcgann-tickle-pupils/

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We will be back with FRESH content Aug. 7th!  Thank you for your continued support and understanding!

Join us as we uncover the dark history of New Orleans' first vice district, Gallatin Street, a dangerous and lawless area that predated the more well-known Storyville red-light district. Listen as we explore the deplorable living conditions, corruption, and violent crime that defined this notorious street during the 19th century.

• Location of present-day French Market was once the most dangerous area in New Orleans
• Residents lived in squalid conditions, often sharing rooms with livestock and rotting produce
• Corrupt and understaffed police force allowed criminals to operate with impunity
• Prostitution was New Orleans' second most profitable industry with most sex workers dying within four years
• Nearly half a million immigrants entered through the Port of New Orleans between 1841-1860
• Teenage criminals Mary Jane "Bricktop" Jackson and Delia Swift (Bridget Fury) formed America's first all-female street gang
• The Live Oak Gang earned their name from the oak clubs they carried and their meeting place
• By late 1890s, the city established Storyville to contain and regulate prostitution
• Gallatin Street was officially renamed French Marketplace in 1935
• The expansion of the French Market in 1926 erased all physical traces of Gallatin Street's dark past

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and all interwebs. If you have a case you'd like to hear, or a ghost story or piece of southern folklore, please email us at [email protected].

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We will be back with FRESH content Aug. 7th!  Thank you for your continued support and understanding!

A raging fire through the city swept. The witch's promise was surely kept.

The legend of the Yazoo Witch stands as one of Mississippi's most spine-tingling tales, woven into the fabric of local folklore for generations. When a mysterious, reclusive woman living near the Yazoo River was accused of luring and poisoning fishermen, the town's hatred for her grew to mythic proportions. After being discovered by a young boy named Joe Bob performing dark rituals over dead bodies, she fled only to become trapped in quicksand.

With her final breaths, she unleashed a chilling curse: "I shall return. Everyone has always hated me. I will break out of my grave and burn down the whole town. It will be on the morning of May 25th, 1904." Though the townsfolk buried her with thirty links of heavy chain wrapped around her grave, they would soon discover the futility of their precautions.

Twenty years later, to the exact day of her prophecy, a mysterious fire erupted in Yazoo City. Fed by unusual, powerful winds, the flames devoured nearly every business and countless homes. When the smoke cleared and residents examined the witch's grave, they discovered her chains broken – her supernatural promise fulfilled.

Celebrated Mississippi author Willie Morris immortalized this haunting tale in his book "Good Old Boy: A Delta Boyhood," and now lies buried just fifty feet from the witch's grave in Glenwood Cemetery. The broken chains remain unrepaired, a silent testament to powers beyond understanding and a warning to those who would dismiss local legends too quickly.

Visit our website at holdmysweetea.com to see photos of the infamous grave and explore more of the South's most captivating stories. While you're there, check out our new merch line with Hold My Sweet Tea coffee mugs, stickers, and t-shirts!

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Nestled in the woods of Aiken County, South Carolina, Shaw Creek holds dark secrets beneath its serene surface. Between 1987 and 1993, the remains of four Black women were discovered along these waterways, their bodies stripped of clothing, possessions, and ultimately, their identities. This is the haunting story of a forgotten serial killer who has never faced justice.

The pattern began when hunters stumbled upon skeletal remains in November 1987. The woman had been deliberately positioned—face down, arms outstretched, legs crossed. She stood tall at 5'8" to 5'10" and had distinctive facial features indicating possible Caribbean heritage. Her hair tested positive for cocaine, but decades later, she remains known only as the "1987 Aiken Jane Doe."

As more bodies emerged from the wilderness—Jacqueline "Jackie" Council, a mother of four; an unidentified woman whose remains were burned to destroy evidence; and Ristine Durden, found 15 miles from the others but under strikingly similar circumstances—a chilling pattern emerged. The killer targeted Black women in their mid-20s to early 30s, methodically removing anything that could identify them before leaving them in isolated areas along Shaw Creek.

We examine multiple suspects, including Joseph Patrick Washington, who terrorized similar victims in nearby Augusta before dying in prison in 1999; John Wayne Boyer, the "Long Haul Trucker Killer"; and several other violent offenders with ties to the area. Yet the case remains frustratingly unsolved, the killer potentially still walking free.

The Shaw Creek murders raise disturbing questions about how certain victims—particularly women of color with possible connections to drugs or sex work—become forgotten in our criminal justice system. Two women still have no names, their humanity erased first by their killer and then by time. Join us as we give voice to these women and the relentless search for a predator who believed he could strip his victims of their identities forever.

Have information about these cases? Contact the Aiken County Sheriff's Office. Share this episode and help us ensure these women are not forgotten.