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Track Lone Star crime legends, Austin’s movie scenes, Alamo history, and bizarre frontier tales.
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Open Trip PlannerOn September 15, 1999, Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, was holding a youth prayer and worship gathering when Larry Gene Ashbrook entered the church and opened fire. The event was connected to See You at the Pole, and many of the people there were teenagers. By the end of the attack, seven people…
942 Beachcomber Lane is one of those addresses that carries a weight far beyond the house itself. It was the Yates family home in Houston’s Clear Lake area, and on June 20, 2001, it became the scene of an almost unbearable tragedy when Andrea Yates drowned her five children, Noah, John, Paul, Luke, and Mary,…
On the night of September 23, 1983, five people disappeared from a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Kilgore, Texas. It looked like a robbery at first. But by the next morning, East Texas knew it was something far worse. The victims were Mary Tyler, Opie Ann Hughes, Joey Johnson, David Maxwell, and Monty Landers. They…
The grave of George “Machine Gun” Kelly is quiet, plain, and easy to pass by if you are not looking for it. He is buried in Cottondale Cemetery in Wise County, Texas, far from the noise that once followed his name. Kelly’s real name was George Kelly Barnes. His fame came from the 1933 kidnapping…
ost people remember November 22, 1963, for the tragic assassination of President Kennedy. But that same dark day also marked a historic first when Sarah T. Hughes became the first and only woman to swear in a U.S. President. Aboard Air Force One, this pioneering federal judge administered the Presidential Oath of Office to Lyndon B.…
this is about Jim Leavelle
Jesse Curry’s pivotal role in American history is largely due to his involvement during the JFK assassination on November 22, 1963. As Dallas Police Chief, he was directly involved in the events surrounding President Kennedy’s murder. He also played a key part in the subsequent investigation. Key Moments Lee Harvey Oswald’s Death: Chief Curry was visibly upset when…
On May 11, 1982, a quiet night in Mount Pleasant, Texas, turned into one of the town’s darkest chapters. Inside a Pizza Hut on U.S. Highway 271, three employees never made it home. What happened that night shocked the community and still raises questions today. The Victims The victims were George Landrum, Howard McClaflin, and…
On a normal spring afternoon, students and teachers were about to wrap up their day at the newly built, cash?rich Consolidated School in East Texas. But a leak—literally undetectable odorless natural gas seeping into the basement—turned routine into tragic. At 3:17?pm, when a wood?shop teacher flipped on an electric sander, a spark ignited the gas,…
On August 18, 1996, 86-year-old Mary Moore Searight was brutally attacked inside her home at 711 Pine Bluff Street in Paris, Texas. She had been sexually assaulted, beaten, and strangled. Discovered by her unofficial caretaker, Mary was still alive but gravely injured. She was airlifted to a hospital in Dallas, where she fought for her…
In April 1897, long before the famous Roswell incident, the Dallas Morning News reported a remarkable story by S. E. Haydon about an airship shaped like a cigar that crashed into Judge J. S. Proctor’s windmill in Aurora, Texas. The craft exploded, scattering metal debris and revealing a distorted body, believed to be an alien…
? Victim & Circumstances On a cold October night in 2001, the city of Fort Worth, Texas, witnessed a tragedy that would shock the nation and forever etch the name Gregory Glenn Biggs into the annals of American true crime. This was not a crime of passion or premeditation. It was a crime of indifference—a…
A robbery occurred at a suburban grocery store in Sherman, Texas, on October 11, 1932. The store was located at the intersection of Wells Avenue and Vaden Street. The victim was Howard Hall, a 55-year-old clerk employed at the establishment. According to the newspaper account, Hall and his colleague Homer Glaze were preparing to close…
The Forgotten One Their interest is engendered not only by her connection to a notorious family but also by the broader narrative of lawlessness that characterized the Great Depression era. Moreover, the tragic circumstances that marked her life serve to further intensify the fascination surrounding her story. Many pay their respects and marvel at the…
Charles Courtice Alderton: The Inventor of Dr Pepper Charles Courtice Alderton (1857-1941) was an American pharmacist hailing from Brooklyn, whose inventive spirit and creativity led to the creation of a legendary soft drink known as Dr Pepper. The Birth of a Beverage in Waco, Texas During his time in Waco, Texas, Alderton meticulously experimented with…
Let’s face it – Buddy Holly may have left us way too soon, but his Texas roots still rock! His influence on rock music and culture continues to resonate with fans old and new, showcasing the timeless quality of his work. If you’re passing through the Lone Star State, be sure to visit Buddy Holly’s…
In the quiet suburbs of McKinney, Texas, a grisly crime in 2006 forever altered the perception of safety within the real estate profession. Sarah Walker, a 40-year-old top-selling realtor for D.R. Horton, was found brutally murdered in a model home she was showcasing in the Hemingway at Craig Ranch neighborhood. The Crime On July 8,…
Nestled in the heart of Pampa, Texas, Worley Hospital stands as a testament to the town’s rich history and, for many, its eerie mysteries. Built in 1928 by local philanthropist Phebe Worley after a personal car accident highlighted the need for nearby medical care, the hospital served the community for over four decades before closing…
Abraham Zapruder was a Ukrainian-born American clothing manufacturer living in Dallas, Texas. On November 22, 1963, he brought his Bell & Howell home movie camera to Dealey Plaza to record President John F. Kennedy’s motorcade as it passed near his office. Standing on a concrete pedestal for a better view, Zapruder captured the entire assassination…
James Robert Leavelle (August 23, 1920 – August 29, 2019) was a Dallas Police Department homicide detective best known for being handcuffed to Lee Harvey Oswald when Oswald was shot by Jack Ruby on November 24, 1963. The moment was captured in a famous photograph that became one of the most iconic images of the…
Sarah T. Hughes, a U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas, played a pivotal role in the immediate aftermath of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination on November 22, 1963. At 2:38 p.m. CST, aboard Air Force One at Dallas Love Field, she administered the presidential oath of office to Lyndon B. Johnson, making…
On a chilly December morning in 1927, the small town of Cisco, Texas, became the site of one of the most infamous—and strangely festive—bank robberies in American history. What began as a stunt involving a man in a Santa suit quickly spiraled into a deadly shootout, a massive manhunt, and a tale that still haunts…
A modest gas station once stood at 1221 Singleton Boulevard in West Dallas. It played a small but memorable role in the Bonnie and Clyde story. Known as the Barrow Family Filling Station, it was built in the early 1930s by Clyde Barrow’s father, Henry Barrow. He moved the family’s house to the site. He…
On the night of June 29, 1984, Abdelkrim Belachheb, then 39 years old, had an argument with a woman at Ianni’s Restaurant and Club. After being insulted, he left, retrieved a Smith & Wesson 459 handgun from his car, and returned to the bar. He shot and killed six people, including the woman he had…
Six people were killed and four wounded in July 23rd, 2011 when a man pulled out a gun during his son’s birthday party at a Grand Prairie, TX. skating rink and opened fire on his estranged wife and other family members. The gunman, Tan Do, 35, and his estranged wife Trini Do, 29, had rented…
Between 1984 and 1986, Faryion Wardrip preyed on vulnerable women in Wichita Falls and Fort Worth, Texas, ultimately leading to the murders of five women. He targeted his victims based on their vulnerability and sometimes lured them to secluded areas where he would then kill them. The killings shocked the community and sparked fear among…
The Von Erich family is a wrestling dynasty known for their success and tragedy in the world of professional wrestling. Patriarch Fritz Von Erich (real name: Jack Adkisson) was a wrestler and promoter who founded World Class Championship Wrestling in Texas. He had five sons who followed in his footsteps and became wrestlers: Kevin, David,…
While working at Mi-T-Fine Car Wash in Irving, Robert Harris masturbated in front of a female customer and was fired from the job he had held for about ten months. Four days later, he borrowed a car from a friend, borrowed a handgun from another friend, then drove to the carwash on a Monday morning…
The Osage Indian murders, also known as the Osage Reign of Terror, were a series of brutal killings that targeted members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma during the 1920s. The Osage people had become incredibly wealthy due to the discovery of oil on their land, which led to their being dubbed the “richest people…
The Sam Pritchard family, which consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Pritchard, their daughter and son-in-law, Gladys and Alonzo Cartwright, and their son and daughter-in-law, Jack and Irene Pritchard were sitting on the east porch of their home in 1933 when suddenly a new Ford coupe roared over the hill in front of their house. The…
On February 3, 1959, rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson tragically lost their lives in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. This event, immortalized as “The Day the Music Died” by Don McLean in his song “American Pie,” marked a significant and somber moment in music…
Amber’s case drew widespread media coverage, highlighting the urgent need for better systems and protocols to respond to child abductions. This tragedy served as a catalyst for change, leading to the creation of the AMBER Alert system, named in honor of Amber Hagerman.The AMBER Alert system was established to quickly notify the public about abducted…
On November 22, 1963, shortly after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, Police Officer J.D. Tippit (Pictured Below) was shot and killed in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas. Lee Harvey Oswald was charged with the murder of Officer Tippit, however, Oswald was never able to stand trial for the murder of…
Darlie Routier is a Texas woman. She was convicted in 1997 for the murder of her two young sons, 5-year-old Damon and 6-year-old Devon. The boys were fatally stabbed in their home in Rowlett, Texas in June 1996. During the trial, prosecutors argued that Darlie Routier staged the crime scene. They claimed it was staged…
“Bonnie and Clyde” is a classic American crime film released in 1967. Directed by Arthur Penn, the movie tells the story of the infamous criminal duo Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, who were active during the Great Depression in the United States. The film stars Warren Beatty as Clyde Barrow and Faye Dunaway as Bonnie…
George “Machine Gun” Kelly Barnes (1895-1954) was an American gangster and bank robber during the Prohibition era. He was born on July 18, 1895, in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. Machine Gun Kelly gained notoriety for his involvement in various criminal activities, including bootlegging, kidnapping, and armed robbery. He earned the nickname “Machine Gun” due to…
BackgroundCandy Montgomery and Betty Gore lived next door in Wylie, Texas. Both were married with children. They met through church and neighborhood events. Rumors of an affair between Montgomery and Allan Gore caused tension. The CrimeOn June 13, 1980, Betty Gore was found in her home. She had sustained multiple axe wounds. The force of…
The Waco siege, also known as the Waco standoff, was a highly publicized event that took place in 1993 near Waco, Texas, involving a confrontation between federal law enforcement agencies and the Branch Davidians, a religious sect led by David Koresh. The siege lasted for 51 days, from February 28 to April 19, 1993, and…
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