How Police Failed to Solve The Phantom Killer Murders
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 6. 01. 2022
- One man spent decades rotting in prison, while police received dozens of anonymous letters saying they got the wrong guy. What really happened to "The Phantom Killer" and his brutal murder spree back in 1946? Find out in today's dark new video that explores the possibility that the cops got the wrong man.
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Born and raised from Texarkana. Related to the Starks victims mentioned.. Been a fan of the show for a long time now and always thought it would be really cool to see you do a story about our Phantom Killer. Well done Infographics!
You ever go to the location where Katie and Virgil Starks house once lied and what does it look like today I look on maps and am very curious to know?
@@dend6064 the original house is no longer there or I totally would! Just a mobile home and little bit of land is all. Spring Lake park would be the ideal place to go and hang out. Even though nothing stands out or no memorials, itâs a cool place to sit and let your mind wonder.
Same! Hearing how my grandparents couldn't leave at a certain time unless with a family member with a gun was crazy. To this day some people still just don't want to talk about it or is the reason when night falls during that time of year they make sure they're in the house secured. To think even to this day with the technology, there's just no real way to figure out who it is.
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Iâm from Redwater Tx just about 6 miles from Texarkana and Iâve heard about it forever but havenât really looked into it.
I think the biggest crime here is the 29 year old dating a 17 year old đđ
THANK YOU FOR BEING THE ONE TO SAY THIS! I've seen a few videos on this and whenever I look at the comments no one seems to be concerned with that. đ©
Hahahaha I needed to hear that 3 times to believe he really said itđ
I told myself he didnât actually say 29 đ
I guess that was probably normal back in the Day
Was going to say the same thing. The sad part is that the age of consent in Texas is still 17. Seems highly problematic. đ€Šââïž
Killer was probably law enforcement or affiliated. That's how he knew not to strike when the police were on stake outs.
That's what I've been saying for years
I think police used 32 revolvers as well back then
He wore military boots which makes people believe he was Ex-military
@@Samuel-Chronos-Mear i think this was the zodiac killer
@@GtaPlayer-eo6tm timelines don't make sense, zodiac was 1968-1969, Phantom was 1946
Why do we keep giving serial killers cool names!? Like Jack the Ripper, and the Zodiac Killer. Those are cool! Why not give them names like Jimmy the Poophead, or Mary Shitleg.
đ€Łđ€Łđ€Ł mary shitleg, im fukn dead! đđđ but yes, i 100% agree.
Or call them all "John Doe" or "John Smith"
Psychology.
money, scary name sells more newspapers
One killer was called Jack The Stripper
Aw yes the Phantom Killer the case made famous by The Town That Dreaded Sundown a classic horror movie
Seriously, that movie almost got me as bad as the OG Night of the Living Dead. Definitely in my top 3 scary movies ever. Hard to top as a true crime film.
@@xerothedarkstar it is a very atmospheric film especially when you live or lived around Texarkana like I did
Is that what that movie is about?
@@vic5015 yup
I think what made that movie so scary is..well for me I compare it to killers like jack the ripper and the zodiac. The most brutal killers in history whom have never been caught. But this one was way different. This killer disappeared for years then came back to just disappear forever. And honestly his weapon of choice was an old nagant revolver which would've been very common for RUSSIANS or anyone who fought in the European theater during WW2 alongside Russian troops. I think if they knew exactly what kind of gun it was they'd have found out who he was by now. I mean based off of description alone it should've been easy.
Texarkana native here; and the most popular theory is that the killer was from a well respected family and to hide the shame of their son being a murderer they shipped him off to Korea and rumor is his name is etched into the korean war memorial Texarkana has.
Do you know what that name is?
To see other Texarkana citizens here. I like that lol
@@spiritmatter1553 its been awhile since my grandad talked about it but i think it involved the district judge asssigned to texarkanaâs family at the time.
Better than my theory of it being a cop
From what I understand from the redwater area? But who knows?
Scary to think people like the Phantom Killer may still be out there..
@@Mercenary-1914 you're not so bright.... he was saying that there's people LIKE the phantom killer, probably a younger person, not born even near the same time.
If he was out there he would legit be like 80
@@mlqsk7102 he's basically saying it's scary how there's other murderers out there, not specifically this murderer.
He's probably very old rn or đ
There are people like the phantom killer out there. Samuel little was the latest to be caught. I think fbi has said there are currently 70 serial killers in america
29 yr old man and 17 yr old girl.... the 40's were a crazy time
You think people donât do that any more? Thatâs cute. đ€Ł
Exactly I thought I was the only one to catch that like wtf
And he looks so young!!!?
@@Gothicba3 bc back then cigarettes were healthy đ€Ł
@@spiritmatter1553 I was obviously joking ya genius.
*Fun fact:* the Phantom Killer served as an inspiration for Jason Vorhees' first outfit in Friday the 13th part 2
Really?
@@johncaze757 itâs argued back and forth, but yeah. The producers of FT13th were accused of ripping off or stealing the idea of the costume from the killer of The Town that Dreaded Sundown 1976, but they denied it and said they got inspiration from the real killer⊠which is what TTTDSD is about⊠so yes but no. Itâs dumb, but basically yeah thatâs where the costume idea came from
@@johncaze757 yes he wore a sack on his head before he dawned the Hockey mask
i think the elephant man also had a hand in inspiring Jason's Friday the 13th part 2 look
The Phantom Killer inspired the Zodiac Killer.
I believe calling serial Killers by Fanciful names or later their real names encourage serial killers and wannabes We should have a press policy of keeping them anonymous, when we refer to them.
To be honest that would be smart but even if press referred to them anonymously, the public would dub them and give them fanciful names, especially since social media allows the spread of info without media involvement
@@nerdz1120 possibly
Once it gets out in the papers and media reporters, etc dub them some catchy name unfortunately
It can be done, in my country there is no fanciful nicknames for the killers and their real names are only used sometimes.
Regardless of what you think, one way or another people ascribe nick names to both famous and infamous people.
Love infographics show and Iâve heard of this case it is pretty cool
I can't tell if that was a cold case pun or not.
i freaking love this channel regardless if some times they miss a few facts or donât put enough info in there ⊠99% of videos are spot ojb
I am curious was it common back then for men in their late 20âs to date 17 year olds? I was a little shocked by the age range of one of the couples?
same i had to rewind to make sure i heard that right.
It's common to this day, not only 27-28 year olds, but people in their 20s in general. A lot of the seniors at my highschool back then was attracted, and got with college boys (mostly through frat parties). Doesn't really last though.
Conway Twitty had a popular song called âDonât Cry Joniâ that gives the ages of a 15 year old girl and 22 year old man in love. So I guess it was more socially acceptable.
It was in the 40s, everything was accepted
Finally, a video about the phantom that covers the whole incident and clear about what happened.
To me the Phantom killer was someone who lived in Texarkana on the Texas side of the Border and was left handed due to polistic analysis and had a low-paying job it was most likely in a relationship that turned sour explains his rage towards women especially in the attacks after the murders he continued to live in Texarkana till the end of his days most likely seen his own movie The Town that dreaded sundown
Yet its mostly the men who died. I think your theory is flawed
He was far more violent to the men. I donât think he hated women but couples.
@@ManoloRibera070 not necessarily
Fun fact: Their is a horror movie based on this, call: "the town that dreaded sundown".
That movie had so much potential. Could have been far greater than the first halloween if it wasn't for the awkward comedic relief scenes involving the director.
It was on this morning. It was made by the same director who made The Legend of Boggy Creek.
@@schizoidboy Just Googled it and watched the trailer. The monster looks like the gorilla from SpongeBob! lol
@@lokodout7514 For the most part the monster is obscured, and for good reason. Towards the end it might as well be that gorilla from Sponge Bob. What does work, however, is most of the time you don't get a good look at the monster, and the atmosphere and the mood and the creepy narration that has a homespun take on it like a guy telling a campfire story. If you can get past the monster is cheesy (it works better if you're a kid scared of guys in gorilla suits) it a rather good film.
@@lokodout7514 No, it was just too ahead of its time with the comedic relief. Horror movies do it now and people love them. Not many know of the classic film.
The killer's appearance inspired 'hooded' Jason Vorhees in "Friday the 13th Part 2".
When I heard the name, Phantom Killer, I thought he was the Zodiac Killerâs cousin, so something like that
That's actually a theory that the phantom killer and the zodiac are the same person.
@@kaisermarxistdixie6842 Theres alot of interesting information about that theory out there.
@@kaisermarxistdixie6842 Impossible the Zodiac killer would have been a prepubescent child during that time.
@@Komodokhan148 I know it's just a theory about the phantom killer, fun fact the film based on the moonlight murders " the town that dreaded sundown" was directed by Charles Pierce.
The killer was smart, he dropped off the face of the earth as soon as media coverage picked up and investigations intensified.
He stopped because he was arrested. It was Youell Swinney. They just couldn't make his wife testify against him by law so as a last ditch effort to get him off the streets they hit him with the books on the smaller crime that they could prove he committed. After he was incarcerated, the killings ended.
â@@themanwithnoname2857
any proofs ?
I love how this guy also narrates the Taco Bell training videos. đ
fr?
@@6sseht absolutely when I went through computer training it was him , I even looked into it to make sure. It was the only ones I could stay awake to
Why is there a suppressor on that revolver? Just... why?
Yeah IK, it's driving me crazy đ€Ș
What do you mean why? The killer did use a suppressed revolver.
He shot a guy without his wife hearing the gunshot downstairs. The only thing she heard, was the glass breaking when the bullets passed through.
It isn't exactly difficult to suppress a revolver, especially if you're alleged to be an expert with weapons.
@@_DMNO_ it actually is difficult, you would either need to buy one specific revolver or design and build your own revolver
@@dsauce1257 or you can make your own silencer
@@chrisclifford7080 doesn't work like that with a revolver. The gas and noise comes out around the front of the cylinder if you just put a suppressor on yhe end of the barrel
List of Phantom Killer Victims :
Jimmy Hollis
Mary Jeanne Larey
Richard Griffin
Polly Ann Moore
Jimmy Martin
Betty Jo Booker
Virgil Starks
Katie Starks
I live in Texarkana and this story is everywhere especially if you go downtown
I think it was a ww2 veteran. Ptsd wasn't really understood back then.
Very possible, great point.
It wouldn't be the first time. Howard Unruh, who murdered 13 people and wounded three others in his Camden, New Jersey neighborhood in 1949, was a World War Two veteran.
ptsd doesn't explain anything, hoss.
A person of interest was named years ago but he was already deceased.
These videos are awesome keep up the good work
Always liked reading about this case, like something straight out of a horror movie and all the more frightening for being unsolved, wish it had been given the proper movie treatment like the film Zodiac
The Town that Dreaded Sundown is a classic though.
you should read the book, "The Phantom killer." It's much more detailed than this video and leaves no doubt that it was in fact Youell Swinney
Ya they have the movie the town that dreaded sundown but zodiac and the phantom killer remjnd me of each other
â@@conspiracygenius954I believe they are the same people, there's some clues to back this up
I like how the animation is a revolver with a silencer lol
I was looking for this comment the moment I saw the thumbnail.
The fact he was never caught actually scares me.
The best serial killers never are caught. There are more serial killers out there who's names we don't know compared to caught serial killers
â@@drpepper2519The Zodiac, Jack The Ripper, And Obviously The Phantom Are The Only Famous One's
@@Samuel-Chronos-Mear Yeah, there is also the American Ripper, Bible John and the Stoneman.
@@user-bk9fk2tq2z I was meaning the notable names that people all know, but yeah, I guess they are quite recognisable aswell
it was Swinney, after his wife recanted her testimony the police couldn't force her to testify against her husband by law. The entire time he was locked away the killings stopped forever afterwards. I read the book, "The Phantom killer" after watching the movie, "The town that dreaded sundown." When they arrested him initially, they found a pillow case an rope in the trunk of his car.
I think it was him too.
Great video
Little did Mary Jeanne realize that moving to Oklahoma from Texas would be FAR more traumatic than the couple could ever endure. *Cue ominous music*
How do you figure that?
What about an episode on the most common/uncommon phobias?
Perfect show
Thank you.
Incase you didnât know. A revolver with a suppressor doesnât work. They arenât a fully sealed barrel. It would still be very very loud
Came here looking for someone else that noticed. All the libs that watch this channel were too dumb to notice.
most of the time. there are exceptions.
What an amazing name for that town
So that's why it's called Texarkana. Interesting.
Beacuse its the texas and Arkansas border its a Texarkana Texas then Texarkana then Texarkana Arkansas
Do one on Robert Hansen , aka the butcher baker.
As an life long Alaskan Iâd love to see that on this channel.
Hollywood should make a film about the Phantom Killer murders.
They did, its called the town the dreaded sundown
I always say every thing has a story, if you know how to read it.
Dude's targetting couples. So it could imply a few things, like maybe he has a few flopped marriages or kids taken in divorce.
Or it could be a prob child or lost one of his parents in a divorce.
People who do wrong are generally a product of their environment right. This could help narrow down that 1k+ list of suspects.
And if he is evading you then it means he's either got a very high IQ or is in a (work) field which allows him to know the system.
Plot twist it was the deadbolt salesman
Super more likely but annoyingly scary theory people will be super divided on it was just a rogue cop who turned killer
A common theme Iâm seeing is to avoid lovers lanes
Very coincidental that 20 mins ago I was looking at these murders on the internet because I saw a movie description. Which had said it was based on the texarkana murders.
29 year old Richard Griffin
17 year old Polly
I know it was different times but what could a almost 30 year old have in common with a 17 year old
I was thinking the SAME thing!!!
It was a time where both women and men were considered mature at a much younger age than today. It was basically like a 50 year old dating with a 30 year old
depends on the people, maybe? assuming it's about having something in common.
Not to often you see a silencer on a revolver! đłđđ
Uncle tried it once, looked like it would work, but my ears said otherwise.
The name "Phantom Killer" always reminds me of Kurapika đ
WHO??? đČđ€
@@michaelpalmieri7335 itâs a character in an anime called hunterxhunter. He went after a group called the phantom troupe.
I watched the whole video⊠the only thing I got was the presenter saidâ the wrong man was fingeredâ haha
He Looks Like He's From The Movie "The Strangers!"
Can I just say the age gaps of the couples are kinda creepy
They are very sus
people who get creeped out by age differences are creepy.
The sound effects are hilarious.â€
I love you videos
I'm from Texarkana. Weird to see this channel cover my very small but annual news breaking city lol
The town that dreaded sundown is a movie about this killer and itâs really disturbing but the sequel is a meta sequel which got inspiration from scream
That town really did dread sundown
Really Cool Thumbnail I must sayđđđđđ
Texarkana includes Louisiana too
Very interesting
Lived in Texarkana my whole life and have always been interested in the Phantom killer. My mom used to take me to the same park that some of the murders were committed (not that I knew that at the time).
Google this killer and look at the pictures. To me I was so freaked out by the pictures, even if they're just some random model for the newspapers to print. I can't imagine how freaky it would have been to see this guy standing outside your car
The uh photos are from the movie "The Town That Dreaded Sundown"
First ladyâs description âLight skinnedâ đ€Łđ€Ł mannnnnn
Did they ever took Peggy's fingerprints..? Never assume a gender of a killer.. Phantom stopped after Peggy was questioned..
It is 100% confirmed the Phantom was a man, thanks to the testimony of the first two victims
Itâs crazy to see shi bout my city online frđ my great grandma played an extra in one of thr scenes, it was cool to see her that young and in a movie.
Greetings from Texarkana, Texas
Ahh yes. The suppressed revolver. Perfectly sealed cylinder gap from escaping gasses and whisper quiet.
The comic book figures in this make it all that better.
I'm glad to see another video like this, frankly most recent infographics vids have just been dumb clickbait
I bet it was Peggy Swinney. They didn't fingerprint her, she knew some of the details (maybe hiding the rest) and could have been the one to pen the letters that You'll was the wrong guy.
Plus the killer wore a bag on his head and was heavyset, maybe it was her and she did it dressed as a guy and tried to frame her husband?
I don't think so the witnesses who saw the killer described him as male and statistically speaking female serial killers are insanely rare and even when they are out there normally they don't get this violent
The ones that survived said it was a man. She may have worked with him.
no ..surviving victims said the killer was too strong..
Such a rare case you dont really hear about it often đ€
Please do long island serial killer next!!!
Born and raised in TK I always heard this story
Richard was 29. His girlfriend was 17. Just me?? Okay.
Well, you have to keep in mind the fact that it happened many decades ago, at a time when both women and men were considered mature at a much younger age than today.
Very similar to The Zodiac case. Wonder if anyone ever tried to connect the two cases. Zodiac started in the late 60s and this guy in the mid 40s. 20ish years apart with very similar MOs.
Guess you could also say he was a ... Phantom Menace
I hope that comment gets 1k đđŒ by January 8, 2022.
I see a few other TK natives have dropped by. Itâs weird hearing Richmond road being described as âremoteâ. I guess parts of it still are but itâs for all intents and purposes the center of the city nowadays.
what kinda parents let that girl out till atleast 2:30am in the 40s at 15yrs old that just donât sound like that time period
Never sneaked out of the house as a teen before?
Itâs about time the phantom made it on here
Gotta love the silencer on the revolver.
Wow.....
He's lucky that texas ranger wasn't carrying a big iron
Dawn Wells (Mary Anne) from Gilligans island played the band girl who was stabbed with a knife tied to a trombone
I'm waiting for more mysterious serial killer showsđđđđ
3:39 He was 29 and she was 17 TF
The Town That Dreaded Sundown
It is awesome to watch infographics show on youtube I like what would happen if you didn't brush you're teeth for 1 week
3:49 is that heavy in the backround?
It was Youell Swinney and he basically self-confessed after being arrested outside Atlanta, TX for stealing a vehicle. He thought he was being arrested for the murders. This is public knowledge and the case has been closed for a while now đ”âđ«
Not enough evidence to pin it to him definitively?
@@Swnsasy well, yeah, that's why they never nailed him for it. i don't know if it was swinney, but the idea here is the idea is the gap between what you know and what you can prove.
It is a closed case in the FBI records with him listed as the killer. Itâs over. A select amount of people knew it for years, it wasnât publicly disclosed because lynchings were still common at the time. He was sentenced to life for the 3 strike rule (3 felonies, youâre out) that was common then.
You should make a video on Daniel Rolling, the Gainesville Ripper, who allegedly inspired the movie Scream.
Iâm familiar with Rolling but do not see how he could have been the motivation behind the movie Scream
@@billsimms2511 I said ALLEGEDLY.
This has been be Covered by so many crime shows
Texarkana is also Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana
Closed captions please
Crazy how that man got away with that for so long.
Itâs crazy that I used to live in Texarkana and have never heard of this until now.
Another native.
The town that dressed sundown so good
Why are these videos only in my recommended at 1 am?
Y do i feel it was an ex military
the thumbnail looks like a Minecraft villager
Both my parents have Been to this town I've never left Mississippi but the fact my parents have been there gives me a weird sense of connection and that this is REAL there's also been alot of similar stuff that had hsppend where I live (in tate county) it's prime territory of what's left of the Dixie mafia and state line mob
I live in Texarkana, it's a very historic town
You didnât mention the last state in TexArkAla đ€
TexArkAna Texas Arkansas Louisiana