Subsequently, her story changed, and she married Swinney. All were eventually released without charge, the hunt for the Texarkana Phantom was going nowhere fast. This was about a mile and a half from the spot Paul’s body was found. Peggy even confessed that she had been with her husband on at least one occasion, although she took no part in the attacks themselves. There’s nothing in the [killer’s] psychology… that [goes against it being] a teenager.” Swinney’s wife confessed that he was the murderer and later retracted her claims, whereas Doodie confessed in his suicide note. On the evening of May 3, 1946, thirty-six-year-old Virgil Starks sat down in his chair to listen to his favourite show on the radio at 9 pm. U.S. Census, January 1, 1920, State of Arkansas, County of Cleveland, enumeration district 25, p. 2-A, family 27. Like Betty Jo Booker’s rape, the fingerprint and information about bullet casings found at the scene, .32 calibre as found at the Griffin-Moore crime scene, were kept from the press. Youell Swinney. He was linked to the crimes by detailed descriptions of the Booker-Martin murders from his wife and accomplice, Peggy, who refused to testify against him in court. Had they been lured or forced to the location? Subject or subjects may have in their possession or may try to dispose of a gold-plated Bundy E-flat Alto saxophone, serial #52535, which was missing from the car in which the victims were last seen…This saxophone had just been rebuilt, replated and repadded, and was in an almost new black leather case with blue plush lining. The couple offered up their account of events to the police. Locals were also largely unconcerned, of the belief, the attacker was someone passing by as opposed to being one of their own. On June 1, 1948, Virginia Carpenter, 23, was making the trip from her Texarkana home to Texas State College For Women in Denton, Texas. He had been shot four times, once in the neck, once in the shoulder, once in the hand, and a final shot in the face. The second bullet entered through her jaw dislodging several teeth before the bullet lodged itself under her tongue. Lawrence Hogan, 23, and Elaine Eldridge, 24, both died as the result of shots fired from a .32 calibre weapon, the same calibre used in the Martin/Booker and Griffin/Moore murders. Following the confession, however, Peggy made conflicting statements and changed her story. No motive was determined for the killings, no evidence was left behind by the perpetrator. His conviction was overturned nearly thirty years later in 1973 after an appeal. It could also be argued the hysteria and higher level of scrutiny and surveillance in Texarkana made it much harder to strike again. Swinney was a known criminal with a history of counterfeiting and auto-theft. Police linked the two double murders quickly, which was confirmed conclusively when ballistics revealed the casings found at both scenes came from the same gun. They both show that the police at the time believed they had the killer - Youell Swinney and his wife. Amazingly Katy Starks survived the attack after spending several days in a critical condition. Investigators wanted to believe they were being told the truth by Peggy Swinney. Law enforcement just didn’t know. It had been abandoned with the keys still inside at the entrance of Spring Lake Park. Fighting through the exceeding agony of her ordeal Katy crawled towards the door in hope of escaping the same fate as her husband. The question was whether the murder of Virgil Starks and attempted murder of Katy Starks was the work of the Texarkana Phantom or an isolated vicious attack. On April 14, another double murder occurred. Somehow Katy was still alive. The cab driver and Virginia Carpenter’s boyfriend. Instead, she was confronted with the ghastly site of her husband slouched in his chair, both covered in blood. We know that Youell L Swinney had been residing in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas 75229. Another problem came in the form of a letter Peggy Swinney wrote just after her first confession intended for her parents but intercepted by police. Tackett soon found the reason Youell Swinney was in Atlanta, Texas was because he was attempting to sell a stolen car. Youell Lee Swinney (February 9, 1917 – September 15, 1994) was the only major suspect in the Phantom Killer case in Texarkana in 1946, although he was never officially charged with any of the murders. Over a span of ten weeks during 1946, an unidentified serial killer would haunt the twin cities of Texarkana, Texas and Texarkana, Arkansas before seemingly vanishing into thin air. “Why did I take my own life? He realized that before each murder a vehicle had been reported stolen before been found not long after the murders had taken place. A police officer named Max Tackett soon gave the investigation new hope. Youell Lee Swinney (February 9, 1917 – September 15, 1994) was the only major suspect in the Phantom Killer case in Texarkana in 1946, although he was never officially charged with any of the murders. With a white cloth hood covering his face, with rough holes cut out for his eyes and mouth, and a pistol in hand the figure made his first demand: Worried they would be shot dead if they failed to comply Jimmy and Mary did as they were ordered. Katy ran to the phone to immediately ring the police. Upon checking his room police made a surprising discovery, a note in which he claimed he had been responsible for the Texarkana Phantom Moonlight Murders. One bullet ripped through Katy’s right cheek, exiting behind the left ear. Swinney’s wife, Peggy, would subsequently implicate him in the Texarkana Moonlight Murders and described the murder of Betty Jo Booker and Paul Martin in great detail. The victim was soon identified as seventeen-year-old Paul Martin. Paul's body (found at around 6:30 a.m.) wa… Latent prints were retrieved from the scene including one from the steering wheel. At this point, the decision was made to put the highly respected Texas Ranger “Lone Wolf” Manuel Gonzaullas on the case. On paper, some of the details she gave did give her statement more validity. The most damning piece of evidence against Swinney comes in the form of a statement by his wife in which she describes helping Youell murder Betty Joe Booker and Paul Martin. Peggy Swinney informed officers that the car belonged to her husband Youell Swinney but she was driving it as he was in Atlanta, Texas. The case remains unsolved, and physical evidence is virtually nonexistent today. Little did Jimmy Hollis and Mary Jeanne Larey know at the time how lucky they were to escape with their lives that night. At 12 pm, six hours after Paul Martin’s body was found, the worst fears of every one were realised when the body of Betty Jo was also located behind a tree in woods near Fernwood. Tackett along with his partner Tillman Johnson decided to wait and see who came back to the vehicle. A 2014 book, The Phantom Killer: Unlocking the Mystery of the Texarkana Serial Murders by Dr. James Presley claims that Swinney is the culprit of all five Phantom attacks. There was also evidence Betty Jo Booker had been raped. Police caught Youell Lee Swinney about two weeks after they arrested his wife Peggy Stevens Swinney for driving a stolen car on June 28, 1946, according to The New York Daily News. During questioning, Peggy made the shocking confession that her husband was the Texarkana Phantom Killer. Swinney died in a Dallas nursing home in 1994.[5]. We are unaware of information about Youell's family or relationships. Youell Lee Swinney (February 9, 1917 – September 15, 1994) was the only major suspect in the Phantom Killer case in Texarkana in 1946, although he was never officially charged with any of the murders. These tales survive today without any proof to back them up. "Phantom Killer's last alleged victim shot to death 70 years ago today", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Youell_Swinney&oldid=1002373527, Pages using infobox criminal with known for parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 24 January 2021, at 03:17. Others, who believed the man was actually murdered started to ponder whether he was another victim of the Texarkana Phantom. She recanted the claim several times in the weeks following but each time she would then change her mind and once again blame her husband for the Texarkana Moonlight Murders, each time with a slightly different tale to tell. Unsolved Casebook is reader-supported. In total over three hundred possible suspects were questioned, one by one they were let go without charge. criminal named youell swinney his wife even said he did it only to later recant swinney died in 1994 taking whatever secrets he had with him the murder of arlis perry that. Rumours swirled around Texarkana following the horrific acts that the Texas Rangers and other law enforcement officers knew exactly who the Texarkana Phantom was. None were a match for Youell Swinney or the countless others who were tested. The area had suffered torrential rain and so thinking the occupant of the 1941 Oldsmobile may be stuck in the mud and in need of assistance he pulled over to offer his help. Swinney was a known criminal with a history of counterfeiting and auto-theft. The Weaver family quickly alerted authorities of their discovery. Swinney was a known criminal with a history of counterfeiting and auto-theft. Youell Swinney was never charged in relation to any of the murders. Here the case set for three days until eventually it was investigated which led to the police being contacted. Swinney was a known car thief and liar, he had also been arrested for assault at one time. Swinney was never officially charged and died in 1994 without confessing. Found in the closet the pocket had the name STARK stencilled on it. Had the killer himself driven the car to the entrance where it was discovered after the murders? The couple had scarcely had time to begin making out and enjoying a more intimate moment when their night of passion was brought to a shuddering halt. The rumours were helped by the fact Sheriff Jim Anderson openly questioned the coroner’s verdict. Katy came downstairs to investigate the sound of breaking glass she had heard thinking her husband had accidentally smashed something. Swinney had a history of getting in trouble. The only descriptions they had remained those of Mary Jeanne Larey and Jimmy Hollis, who couldn’t agree on the race of the attacker. However, she refused to testify against him, and he was never convicted. Swinney grew up in rural Cleveland County, Arkansas, the son of a Baptist minister. Several suspects were detained on suspicion of the murders of Elaine and Lawrence but all released without charge. Others believed it was foolhardy to dismiss the lastest attacks links to the previous ones. Been from Texarkana wasn’t the sole reason that Virginia is considered by some to be a possible victim of the Texarkana Phantom. Now on the ground, Mary cried in horror as her deplorable attacker sexually assaulted her with the barrel of his gun. Arrested suspect Youell Swinney, third from left, surrounded by Arkansas state troopers Charley Boyd, second from left, and Max Tackett, fourth from left, … Though the crimes do remain unsolved, there are a few suspects and theories. But as they drove him to the station, the young man asked a strange question for someone accused of car theft: "Will they give me the chair?" They quickly discovered he had been in Texarkana at the time of the first two double murders and was investigated as a suspect. A former resident of Fort Wayne, Indiana and longtime resident of the Florida Keys, Brandt committed suicide in September 2004 after he stabbed his wife, Teresa "Teri" Brandt, and decapitated and severely mutilated his niece, Michelle Jones, removing her heart. After departing from the train she then got in a cab to the Brackenridge Hall where she was staying, arriving at around 9 pm. Some believe the change was caused as this attack was unplanned, possibly because McSpadden had information on the murders, however, this has never been backed up with any proof. Youell Lee Swinney (February 9, 1917 – September 15, 1994) was the only major suspect in the Phantom Killer case in Texarkana in 1946, although he was never officially charged with any of the murders. A dark figure peered through the window. The investigation determined that Polly and Richard had started dating six weeks prior to their murders. Thankfully for Mary her ordeal came to an end before an even worse fate became of her when the headlights of a nearby car came into view. Less than a month after the murder of Paul Martin and Betty Jo Booker fear within the area would be intensified. He was linked to the murders by statements from his wife, Peggy, who refused to testify against him in court. [4] Investigation into his involvement in the murders eventually faded. On June 28 Tackett located a vehicle stolen just before the murder of Virgil Starks in a Texarkana parking lot. She had never set eyes on her attacker during that horrendous night so could provide no description. Some locals claim the killer belonged to a rich or influential family and this was why the Texas Rangers never arrested the person they knew was responsible. The Texarkana police's best lead in the case was a car thief named Youell Swinney, whose wife, Peggy, supplied them with details about the murders only the police and the killer would know. The wife of Youell Swinney swore that he had confessed to the attacks to her. Unfortunately, Katy Starks was unable to help once she was available to answer questions. Tamam Shud – The Mystery Of The Somerton Man, Who Killed Elizabeth Short?- Black Dahlia Suspects. “Lone Wolf” Manuel Gonzaullas, who headed the case, continued his hunt for the killer for years after Swinney was incarcerated, perhaps indicating he too was unconvinced Youell Swinney was the culprit. However, a friend of Tennison’s was adamant that he was with him that night and the pair were together up until around midnight, with Tennison never leaving his sight. The young couple had spent the evening at the movies on a double date with Jimmy’s brother but after dropping off their companions it was time to be alone. Despite questioning over fifty individuals in relation to the case they were no closer to finding the couple’s killer. Due to the torrential rain in the area, however, little other clues survived the downpour including fingerprints. In the weeks following the murder of Virgil Starks several suspects were taken in for questioning in relation to the murders. His thirty-five-year-old wife Katy was upstairs in the farmhouse, laid on the bed in her nightgown reading a magazine. The perpetrator struck Mary several times across the face before finally disappearing into the night. Again there is no proof that this was true. The early investigation soon discovered that Paul Martin hadn’t been alone the previous night. [*] Youell Swinney is considered the prime suspect for the moonlight murders. In the letter, she states she lied in accusing Youell Swinney and only did so after repeated questioning. The saxophone was finally discovered in bushes some six months later not far from where Betty Jo Booker’s body was found. The masked attacker shone a torch in the eyes of the young couple and gave his reply: The first request was a bizarre one. On his return to Texarkana, Tackett arrested Youell Swinney after a brief chase at the Arkansas Motor Coach bus station. He ordered Jimmy to remove his trousers. Although never charged with anything in relation to the Texarkana Moonlight Murders Youell Swinney was given a life sentence. His alibi was soon checked and he was eliminated from enquiries. The day before he had arranged to collect fifteen-year-old Betty Jo Booker from a dance where she was playing the saxophone for a local band called the Rhythmaires. The Texas Rangers came in to investigate, including the famous M. T. "Lone Wolf" Gonzaullas. His prints, like hundreds of other possible suspects, were checked against those taken from the Starks crime scene and various latent prints found at Spring Lake Park. The farmhouse the couple called home was located in Miller County, Arkansas in a remote area some twelve miles from Texarkana. Another rumour even persists that the killings stopped as the Phantoms family themselves kept the killer captive after finding out what he had done. Some believe that man was Youell Swinney, but if it was they certainly spent a lot of time and effort following up on other suspects, including eliminating the fingerprints of hundreds of individuals, long after Swinney was safely locked up. On April 14, 1946, which was Palm Sunday that year, G H Weaver and his family were driving along North Park Road when they spotted a man laying on the shoulder of the road. Her endeavour to escape was futile. One of the shots was to the face, the second went through her chest, with some reports saying the bullet hit her heart. You want me for more than stealing a car!”. Again this information was kept from the press. A young couple was killed by an unknown gunman whilst parked in a lovers lane spot near Dania Beach, Florida. After Mary summoned help the young couple was rushed to the hospital. On October 8, 1946, another murder took place which bore an eerie similarity to the Texarkana Moonlight Murders. However, other than a file stating palm prints found couldn’t be compared to fingerprints no mention is made in the FBI files about the results of the fingerprint comparisons. Not only did she come from Texarkana but she personally knew three of the teenage victims. To her horror, her sister wasn’t home but thankfully a nearby neighbour was. A replica of Wayne O'Donnell's car - secondary source Virgil Stark Max Tackett 38 caliber pearl handled Smith and Wesson revolver- secondary source Reports of Evidence stolen cars a shirt from a victim the gun that was used soggy shoes The First Attack Texarkana Questions From — Walloon 02:54, 2 August 2007 (UTC) Swinney's wife's testimony. For the most part, both Jimmy’s and Mary’s stories were the same, however, there was one detail that differed, and an important one in narrowing down the hunt for the attacker. Some officers argued the ammo used in the latest attack was from a .22 semi-automatic shotgun as opposed to the .32 calibre revolver used in the previous Texarkana Phantom Murders. Youell Swinney was born on February 17, 1917 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, USA. Bloodstains and drag marks were located nearby. His chosen method was to poison himself with cyanide of mercury. That led police to suspect that they had ended up arresting the Phantom Killer. She had dined with the couple on March 23 and last saw them when leaving a West Seventh Street cafe at 10 pm that evening. According to all known records available the prints found at the Starks home were not positively matched to those at the Martin-Booker scene. His police record included multiple charges for car theft, burglary, assault and counterfeiting. The Peasenhall Murder – Who Killed Rose Harsent? It was discovered the print didn’t belong to either of the victims or anyone who had been known to have used the vehicle. In terms of possible evidence, this was nothing compared to the bombshell his wife would drop. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. She confessed to the police and was even able to give a description to the police about the crime scene. Still inside its black case, the saxophone failed to lead to any help in identifying her killer. Although not reported by the police at the time, it was later revealed that Polly Ann Moore is also believed to have been raped. With no other witnesses police were at a loss. On arrest Youell Swinney was reported to have said something a little strange: “Hell, I know what you want me for. Max Tackett and Tillman Johnson believed they had caught the killer and by all accounts, they continued with that belief until their deaths. On March 24. HB Tennison’s prints were taken and checked against the latent prints found at the Paul Martin and Betty Jo Booker crime scene. Swinney was a known criminal with a history of counterfeiting and auto-theft. A local crook, Youell Swinney, is said to have confessed the murders to his wife. Authorities tended to believe Jimmy’s description, with some even pondering the idea that Mary may have actually known the true identity of the masked terror, a claim she denied until the day she died. Most of the Texas Rangers working the case and Sherriff Bill Presley were unconvinced. Many claimed the man on the tracks was the Texarkana Phantom himself, he had simply taken his own life, unable to live with what he had done any longer. “It is requested that a check be made of music stores and pawn shops. Bloodhounds were brought in the following morning and picked up the scent of the perpetrator. Katy and Virgil Starks had been unaffected by the horrors and hysteria filling the nearby city with dread, sadly this was about to change in a horrific way. However, they had several problems. Well, when you [have] committed two double murders you would too,” Doodie wrote. Finally, almost exactly three weeks later, Virgil Starks was killed and his wife, Katie, was severely wounded. Swinney was a known criminal with a history of counterfeiting and auto-theft. Circumstantial evidence sent Swinney to prison for car theft. The fact her stories were so inconsistent was the first major stumbling block. Both had been shot with .32 calibre revolver. Because of the unreliability of her testimony and the fact that she could not be forced to appear as a witness against her husband, law enforcement officials declined to prosecute. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed ), memorial page for Youell Lee Swinney (9 Mar 1917–15 Sep 1994), Find a Grave Memorial no. She later recanted this, and Youell never did admit it to anyone else. The young couple had spent the evening at the movies on a double date with Jimmy’s brother but after dropping off their companions it was time to be alone. However, Swinney failed to alter his ways and spent most of his remaining days in and out of jail for theft and counterfeiting before his death in 1994. They could find no reason the teens would have been at Spring Park Lake. The attacks had grown in violence and in their eyes, this attack was the next natural progression. The last person to have seen the pair alive was Richard Griffin’s sister Eleanor. During the reporting on the most recent attack, the murders of Betty Jo Booker and Paul Martin, the killer was labelled as The Phantom by the Texarkana Gazette. On May 7, 1946, just days after the Starks attack a body was found on railroad tracks some sixteen miles outside of Texarkana. He had been dead before a train had cut off his arm and leg due to a deep cut across the forehead. He was linked to the crimes by detailed descriptions of the Booker-Martin murders from his wife and accomplice, Peggy, who refused to testify against him in court. Youell was born on March 9, 1917. Can we find a way to rewrite this from a neutral point of view? After some hesitation, and Mary’s pleas to do as he was asked, Jimmy took off his pants. Youell L. Swinney (March 9, 1917, Arkansas – September 15, 1994, Dallas, Texas) was the only major suspect in the Phantom Killer case in Texarkana, Texas and Texarkana, Arkansas in 1946, although he was never officially charged with any of the murders.. Swinney was a known thief with a history of assault and auto-theft. On February 22, 1946, twenty-four-year-old Jimmy Hollis and his nineteen-year-old girlfriend Mary Jeanne Larey headed up to a secluded spot on Richmond Road at about 11:45 pm. As she did so she suddenly heard the assailant attempting to make his way through the very same door. One reason was Swinney’s wife because she named her husband as the killer. Two shots burst through the window pane shattering the glass and entering the back of Virgil’s head.
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