Southern Fried True Crime

In January of 1999, 30 year old Belinda Temple, who was eight months pregnant, was found shot to death in her closet in Katy, Texas. Her husband, David Temple, was tried and convicted twice for the murder of his pregnant wife. But when the jury at his second trial in 2019 became deadlocked in the punishment phase, a mistrial was declared. David appealed, and the long wait for resentencing began. This is an update on Episodes 127 & 128: The Belinda Temple Case.

Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
Researched and written by Gemma Harris
Additional writing by Erica Kelley
Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner
Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio
Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley

When Mike Williams vanishes on a hunting trip, the authorities suspect he was eaten by alligators but the true predators who took Mike may lurk much closer to home. The mystery of Mike’s disappearance might have faded from memory, if it wasn’t for one woman’s tireless crusade. From Wondery, comes a new season of Over My Dead Body; a story about an obsessive love affair, a scandalous secret and a mother’s battle for the truth. Follow Over My Dead Body: Gone Hunting on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can listen early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery Plus in Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app. Listen to Over My Dead Body: Wondery.fm/OMDB4_SFTC

In the spring of 1988, Liz and Charles Sennett were pillars of the Colbert County, Alabama, community. 45-year-old Liz was a mother, grandmother, and homemaker. Charles was a local pastor. They were beloved and respected. On March 18th, Charles discovered Liz's lifeless body in their home. It was a gruesome scene. Liz had been brutally beaten and stabbed to death. Initially, the authorities believed that Liz was the victim of a burglary gone wrong. But, as the officers continued to investigate, they noticed that things weren't adding up.

Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank
Additional Writing by Erica Kelley
Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner
Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio
Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder of Southern Gothic & Erica Kelley

Sources: southernfriedtruecrime.com/liz-sennett

Sponsors for this episode:

• Today’s episode is brought to you from The Vanished. The Vanished covers unsolved missing persons cases that have been overlooked or forgotten by the mainstream media. Listen early and ad-free on Wondery Plus.
• Today’s show is sponsored by Newspapers.com - my biggest resource for the show. Use the code "SOUTHERNFRIED” at checkout to get 20% off a Publisher Extra Subscription!
• Play a murder mystery game for the internet age with Who Killed Mia? Use promo code SFTC for 20% off at Relatable.com/whokilledmia. Citizen detectives, it’s your time to shine!

21-year-old Denise Amber Lee was a happily married stay-at-home mom when her life was abruptly snatched away from her. On January 17, 2008, she was abducted from her home. Her two young sons were left sleeping in a crib together. An hour later, Denise’s husband Nate returned home and immediately reported her missing and then called his father-in-law, who was a local police sergeant. He made sure Denise’s case was a top priority. Over the next seven hours, a massive search ensued. Over 300 police officers, multiple helicopters, several K-9 units, and more would comb North Port, Florida, in search of Denise. Several 911 phone calls were made about Denise’s abduction—including one from Denise herself. But, due to a miscommunication, important information about Denise’s attacker’s location was lost. And a minor bureaucratic mishap might have cost Denise her life.

Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank
Additional Writing by Erica Kelley
Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner
Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio
Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder of Southern Gothic & Erica Kelley
Case recommended by Sandra, April, and others

Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/denise-amber-lee

Sponsors for this episode:

• Go to SimpliSafe.com/southernfried and save 20% on your home security system when you sign up for for a free month of Fast Protect Monitoring. For a limited time only There’s no safe like SimpliSafe.
• Treat yourself to the best shapewear on the market and save 20% Off at honeylove.com/SFTC.
• This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp online therapy. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/southern and get 10% off your first month.
• Take a break and lose yourself solving a mystery set in the roaring 20’s with June’s Journey. Download today on iOS or Android.

Monday, February 4, 1991 started out as a normal day. 40 year old Priscilla Matula was rushing out the door for work. She owned and operated a car dealership with her husband, Nick. It soon became one of those days…where everything seems to go wrong and irritation bubbles to the surface. And making matters worse, by mid-morning, she had not heard from her mother, Margaret Abernathy, which was highly unusual. By noon, Priscilla decided to go check on her mother. What she found brought the whole Abernathy clan to its knees.

Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank
Additional research and writing by Erica Kelley
Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner
Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio
Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder of Southern Gothic & Erica Kelley

Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/margaret-abernathy

This is a short bonus episode for July. It's about the controversial Lindsey Lowe case, so I hope you find it interesting. I had a defense attorney reach out and give me the judge's signed ruling early and also give me some inside baseball about the case. If you want to listen to the original episode first, it's #119.

Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
Researched and written by Gemma Harris
Additional research and writing by Erica Kelley
Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner
Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio
Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder of Southern Gothic & Erica Kelley

In September of 2017, 30-year-old Janae Carroll was preparing to end her longterm relationship with her boyfriend—who was also her abuser. After years of suffering, Janae had gathered the strength and the courage to leave him. But when an argument about the breakup escalated to an all-out fight between Janae and her abuser, she did what she had to, to protect herself and her children. Thus began her sad odyssey through the justice system.

Petition to release Janae: https://www.change.org/p/judge-letitia-h-verdin-reunite-mother-sentenced-to-15-years-in-abuser-s-death-with-her-childrenDOMESTIC VIOLENCE

• US National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: thehotline.org
• Canada: visit this website to find the hotline in your area
• UK Domestic Abuse Hotline: 0808 2000 247
• For resources in other countries, visit this website

Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/tiffany-janae-carroll

Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank
Additional research and writing by Erica Kelley
Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner
Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio
Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder of Southern Gothic & Erica Kelley

Leon Benson spent 24 years in an Indiana state prison for the 1998 murder of a young man named Kasey Schoen. His conviction hinged on the testimony of two eyewitnesses – but what if their memories turned out to be wrong? And what if the people who knew what really happened had never been allowed to speak? Suspect Season 3: Five Shots in the Dark is the story of two victims: one murdered, one sentenced to life. Follow host Matt Shaer and attorney Lara Bazelon as they investigate how the justice system failed both Leon and Kasey, and who the real killer might be. Join this unprecedented look inside the attempt to overturn a wrongful conviction and find out if justice will finally be served. Listen to Suspect wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge Suspect ad-free on Wondery Plus.

Find Wondery Plus in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts: Wondery.fm/SuspectS3_SFTC

When 31-year-old Lindsey Lee didn’t show up for work bright and early one Tuesday morning, her coworkers at the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department were immediately worried. Their fears were confirmed when the deputy who performed a wellness check at Lindsey’s home discovered her body. At first, investigators didn’t have any suspects for Lindsey’s murderer. Everyone liked her. Lindsey was so incredibly kind and friendly that she’d even maintained a good relationship with her soon-to-be ex-husband.

Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank
Additional Writing by Erica Kelley
Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner
Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio
Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder of Southern Gothic & Erica Kelley
Case recommended by Jennefer, an anonymous sender, and others

Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/lindsey-lee

Sponsors for this episode:

• This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp online therapy. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/southern and get on your way to being your best self.
• Treat yourself to the best shapewear on the market and save 20% Off at honeylove.com/SFTC.

In 1971, Sundays in Savannah, Tennessee were for two things: church and family. That was especially true for the Stricklin family. One Sunday, 66-year-old Mollie and her husband, 81-year-old William, invited their son and his wife to their new home for a midday meal. Mollie made the food. Her daughter-in-law served the tea. Afterward, they all went for a nice drive in the city. The get-together seemed fun and innocent—until Mollie and William became terribly ill. Days later, William died. Mollie barely recovered. When evidence revealed that the Savannah couple had been poisoned with arsenic, questions started to arise. Little did they know that William’s death was only the beginning of a case that would change the Stricklin family’s lives forever.

Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank
Additional Writing by Erica Kelley
Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner
Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio
Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder of Southern Gothic & Erica Kelley
Case recommended by Cathy and others

Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/katie-stricklin

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• Cancel your unwanted subscriptions with RocketMoney.com/southernfried
• Take a break and lose yourself solving a mystery set in the roaring 20’s with June’s Journey. Download today on iOS or Android.
• Access some of your hard-earned paycheck early. Download the EarnIn app and type in Southern Fried under podcast.