The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)

1. World War II had ended only eight months earlier.

2. And the town of Texarkana, population 40'000,

3. which straddles the Texas-Arkansas border,

4. was regearing for peace after four years

5. of rationing, war bonds, and shortages.

6. Although a trickle was still arriving,

7. most of the boys were back home and out of uniform.

8. Many were enrolling in college or starting up businesses

9. with the help of the GI Bill of Rights.

10. Some people still had doubts about President Truman

11. and were worried over the growing tension with Russia.

12. The wave of strikes sweeping the country

13. were being felt by many of the Texarkana businesses.

14. But fears that the workforce at the United States Army's

15. Red River Arsenal would be cut to nothing

16. had not materialized.

17. There were long waiting lists of people

18. ready to buy the still scarce new cars,

19. as well as all kinds of household appliances.

20. The building business was booming.

21. And people around Texarkana

22. generally were optimistic about the future.

23. It was Sunday, March 3, 1946,

24. the beginning of a reign of terror for the people of Texarkana

25. and surrounding areas of Arkansas and Texas.

26. A terror so indelibly imprinted that today, thirty years later,

27. people still speak of it fearfully.

28. The incredible story you are about to see is true...

29. where it happened and how it happened.

30. Only the names have been changed.

31. Would you sit up?

32. Well, damn it, Linda Mae, come on.

33. Sammy, move your hand.

34. What'd you do that for?

35. I heard something.

36. By God, Linda Mae, will you please concentrate

37. on what the hell's goin' on.

38. I'm not kiddin'.

39. I heard somethin'.

40. Linda Mae, that is the oldest trick in the book.

41. Have you got the car doors locked?

42. Jesus Christ, why I go out with you I'll never understand.

43. Damn.

44. Hey, mister, you got the wrong car!

45. You're looking for somebody else!

46. Sammy..!

47. Please.

48. Ambulance already en route.

49. It should be in the area at present.

50. About a half a mile up that road, we've got a boy hurt real bad.

51. There's deputies up there already.

52. Go!

53. Unit two, come in.

54. Will unit two come in and give report?

55. Come in, Ramsey!

56. Base, this is unit two.

57. Go ahead, unit two.

58. Well, they're both still alive.

59. Man's name is Samuel P. Fuller.

60. Age 24, his drivers license address is 7-9-0-7 West Pine.

61. Passing motorist that found the girl recognized her.

62. She works over at the plant on the D-line

63. and her name is Linda Mae Jenkins.

64. He said he thought she was about 19 years old.

65. And she lives somewhere off Broad Street.

66. Contact me as soon as you can get hold of Sheriff Barker

67. and ask him to meet me over at the Michael-Meahger Hospital.

68. Miss Jenkins?

69. Miss Jenkins, can you describe him to us?

70. Can you tell us anything about the man who did this to you?

71. Gentlemen, I'm sorry, it's just too soon.

72. She's still heavily sedated.

73. How 'bout the boy, can we talk to him?

74. No, he's in about the same shape.

75. He took several bad blows about the neck and head

76. from what I'd guess to be a heavy blunt instrument.

77. Dr. Abrams, calling Dr. Abrams.

78. Dr. Abrams, you're wanted on the telephone.

79. Did he rape her, Doc?

80. No, there was no evidence of rape.

81. But I can tell you

82. that her back, stomach, and breasts

83. were heavily bitten.

84. - Bitten? - Literally chewed.

85. If I can help you any more, give me a call.

86. Thank you, Doc.

87. Calling Dr. Abrams.

88. Well, gentlemen, what's happened in the lover's lane case?

89. Captain, we ain't got nothin'.

90. No witnesses.

91. Neither the girl nor the boy could give us

92. a decent description of the man.

93. The boy really never saw him.

94. All he's able to tell us,

95. that the man had a white hood over his face

96. and was strong as hell.

97. Fact is, Chief, the only thing we really do know

98. is that we've got a very strange person on our hands.

99. That's the reason we're here.

100. We believe that the high school and college students

101. should be warned against parking on lonely roads.

102. Patrolman Benson speaking.

103. Yes, Mrs. Kiner, this is Sparkplug.

104. What's your problem?

105. You know, I think you're right.

106. We're gonna have to get out to that school and warn those kids

107. about staying out of lover's lanes.

108. You really think he's gonna strike again?

109. I got a strong feeling he will.

110. Mrs. Kiner, you don't have to put up with that crap.

111. We'll get the word out to all the patrol cars

112. that if they see any of the kids on lover's lane,

113. just, you know, run 'em off.

114. Get him on the phone!

115. Is that you, Kiner?

116. What the hell's wrong with you, boy?

117. You try that again and the Supreme Court of the United States

118. ain't gonna be able to save yo' ass.

119. Okay, Mrs. Kiner, now, you just settle down

120. 'cause he promised me.

121. I gotta run.

122. I'll see ya, Chief, Captain.

123. You lock up that mangy dog

124. 'cause if he sicks him on me one more time,

125. I'm gonna blow six holes in him.

126. Benson, how long have you been on the force?

127. Four months, sir.

128. God, it seems like it's been longer than that.

129. No, sir, four months this Tuesday.

130. Well, look, Benson, when a citizen calls in with a complaint,

131. we don't threaten them.

132. But from now on, if you get a phone call from Mrs. Kiner

133. or from anybody in this town, simply quote legal procedure.

134. And furthermore, you will not issue threats of any kind to anybody.

135. Do you hear me?

136. Yes, sir.

137. Police department.

138. Mrs. Kiner...

139. Patrolman Benson.

140. That does it, Mrs. Kiner.

141. You lock up that mangy dog 'cause I'm on my way.

142. This is Howard W. Turner, age 29,

143. former Seabee who returned from overseas a few weeks ago.

144. The young girl is Emma Lou Cook and she is 17.

145. They have been seeing each other for about six weeks.

146. Emma Lou had dropped out of school in order to get a job

147. and help out at home.

148. I'm so tired of it raining.

149. Kind of reminds me of Japan.

150. Damn, it always rained there.

151. I'll bet you miss Japan.

152. Why?

153. All those Japanese girls scrubbin' your back.

154. I must say they do know how to please a man.

155. Well, if you haven't been pleased with me for the past six weeks,

156. you can just take me home.

157. I didn't say you didn't please me.

158. You started it.

159. Well, I'm just on edge.

160. Texarkana had pretty much returned to normal

161. after the excitement of the attack on lover's lane.

162. No clues and no suspects had been found.

163. Samuel P. Fuller and Linda Mae Jenkins

164. have now been dismissed from Michael-Meagher Hospital

165. and are under the care of their family physicians.

166. Now, it is a rainy Saturday night, March 24, 1946,

167. twenty-one days after the attack on lover's lane.

168. Temperatures in the lower 50s.

169. Warmer tomorrow, upper 60s...

170. - Hi, Norm. - Hey, Tom.

171. Now, if you listen real hard, you can hear the...

172. Well, what can we do for the sheriff's department

173. on a rainy Saturday night?

174. How many units you got out?

175. Four.

176. It was three weeks ago tonight

177. that couple was attacked out in the College Hill section, wasn't it?

178. Damned if I know.

179. Last two weeks, this place has been a madhouse.

180. You don't suppose you could get some of your units

181. to check some of those lover's parking hangouts, do you?

182. Gee, I don't know, Norm.

183. We sure ought to get the Captain's okay.

184. Where is Gus?

185. Well, I expect he's home on a night like this.

186. Listen, I've got his home number. Would you like it?

187. I don't... no, no, that's silly.

188. It's just a feeling.

189. I'll see ya later.

190. Baby, you better not go down this road.

191. We might get stuck.

192. It's okay, there's gravel on it.

193. Unit two, what's your location?

194. I'm a mile and a half north of Higgins Store out on Highway 71.

195. I'll be back in, about ten minutes.

196. Roger, unit two.

197. Okay, base, over and out.

198. Base, this is unit two.

199. Go ahead.

200. I'm gonna be off the channel for about 60 seconds.

201. Roger.

202. Base, unit two, just heard some shots down this road somewhere!

203. Get some backup units in here, quick!

204. Roger.

205. This is unit two.

206. Go ahead, unit two.

207. I'm almost at the end of the Thurman Road.

208. There's a parked car here.

209. I can't tell if there's anybody in it.

210. I'm gonna check it out.

211. Now, what about units three or four, is anybody on the way?

212. Unit four, I'm on my way.

213. Approach me with your lights on.

214. Police, get out of the car!

215. You in the car, I said get out!

216. Base, unit two.

217. Base, unit two!

218. Go ahead, unit two.

219. I heard a couple a more shots.

220. They came from about a mile in the woods north of where I'm parked.

221. I think the occupants of this parked vehicle have been abducted.

222. Request a 10-33.

223. Roger, unit two.

224. What's your position, unit four?

225. This is unit four, just passed the Nazarene Church on Highway 71.

226. Be there to help you in a minute.

227. Roger, four.

228. And turn it on, I need you here!

229. My God.

230. Oh, my God.

231. Norman Ramsey was close that night but did not fire,

232. for he knew the phantom was just out of range.

233. Ramsey was carrying a 12 gauge shotgun.

234. The second attack by the killer

235. sent a wave of cold fear sweeping across the city.

236. Within 24 hours after the town got word of the killing

237. every gun store had sold out of weapons.

238. And by Tuesday morning, May 26, locksmiths were flooded

239. for orders for new locks, deadbolts, and safety chains,

240. as the news of the killing attracted nationwide attention.

241. No motive could be found and it seemed

242. that the killer might attack anybody he stumbled across.

243. A universal fear spread among the people in this city

244. and surrounding areas.

245. Perhaps everyone secretly or openly wondered,

246. "Am I or someone close to me his next victim?"

247. Texarkana looked normal during the daylight hours.

248. But everyone dreaded sundown.

249. We haven't been able to come up with a damn thing.

250. And we've got to have some help.

251. I want the best criminal investigator you've got.

252. Okay, when?

253. We'll be there to meet him.

254. Thanks very much.

255. They're really stirred up in Austin.

256. We're getting the most famous criminal investigator

257. in the country assigned to this case.

258. You don't mean that fella they call the Lone Wolf

259. with the Texas Rangers?

260. That's right.

261. The big man himself...

262. Captain J.D. Morales, living legend.

263. The most famous ranger in the history of Texas.

264. - Captain Morales? - Yes, sir.

265. I'm Deputy Norman Ramsey.

266. Glad to know you, sir.

267. - We're glad to see you, sir. - Thank you.

268. Captain Morales.

269. - Nice to meet you. - Thank you.

270. This is Chief Sullivan.

271. Captain, we're certainly glad you're here.

272. Thank you, sir.

273. We have a car waiting, if you're ready.

274. Let's go.

275. Thank God, Captain, you're here.

276. Well, thank you, mam.

277. Excuse me, Captain Morales, welcome to Texarkana.

278. Do you have a plan of investigation as of yet?

279. Yes, sir, I plan on catchin' him.

280. Or killin' him.

281. Excuse me, gentlemen, I want to get a cigar.

282. - Right. - Be right there.

283. Yes, sir, you got any cigars?

284. Yes, sir, right over here, please, sir, just help yourself.

285. Thank you.

286. There you are.

287. All right, thank you, sir, and you come back.

288. Thank you.

289. Thank you, sir, thank you.

290. Where's your office?

291. Right in there.

292. - Captain Morales. - Captain Wells.

293. - Glad to know you, sir. - Same here.

294. Shoo!

295. Since I'm in charge of this investigation,

296. things are gonna have to be handled my way.

297. I'll keep you informed as to what I'm doin', if I have time.

298. And I'll expect your full cooperation.

299. You've got it.

300. Thank you, sir.

301. I don't want any newspaper people

302. or hangers on gettin' in my way.

303. When the people of this community need to know something,

304. I'll inform the press.

305. And I'd appreciate it if nobody but me

306. gave out any information on this case from now on.

307. Rumors can hurt us.

308. We got a cold-blooded killer here...

309. A man who nobody sees.

310. A phantom who, so far, hasn't made any mistakes.

311. I've assigned Captain Wells to work directly with you.

312. I'll give you the best man I've got on my force,

313. Deputy Sheriff Ramsey.

314. Twelve of my men and six patrol cars

315. should arrive here in town late this afternoon.

316. If you could help them get squared away, I'd appreciate it.

317. Sergeant Mai Griffin is in charge.

318. I also have a patrol car and a driver available to you.

319. Good, I'd like to use it right away.

320. I'd also like for Deputy Ramsey to go with me

321. to take a look at the site of the murders.

322. And I want to go over the victims' cars.

323. I'll get you Ramsey right away.

324. Patrolman Benson will be your driver.

325. Thank you, sir.

326. Let's go.

327. - Captain, I'll see you later. - Thank you.

328. Captain, I wonder if you could tell me if you plan to use the same tactics

329. that you used down in Laredo, to catch our killer here.

330. Who is this man?

331. This is Mr. George Hartman.

332. Mr. Hartman's a prominent citizen here in Texarkana.

333. He's, interested in police work.

334. Fine.

335. You tell Mr. Hartman if he's interested in police work

336. he can pick up a copy of the Police Gazette down at the corner.

337. Ready Ramsey?

338. You bet.

339. Where's my driver?

340. I'll get him.

341. - Sparkplug? - Yes, sir.

342. You know the man in the white suit?

343. That's Captain Morales.

344. You'll be his driver.

345. Try not to wreck him.

346. No, sir.

347. Where are the keys? Damn.

348. Excuse me, Captain, them damn keys.

349. I'll be right back.

350. Benson, what the hell is going on?

351. Chief, them damn car keys, I can't find them nowhere.

352. Which car do you plan to use?

353. Unit seven, sir.

354. Well, what in the hell is that right there under number seven?

355. Thanks, Chief, I was gonna check there next.

356. Hold it, boy.

357. Jesus!

358. I meant slow down, not stop.

359. For Chrissakes!

360. You just got two controls on this damn thing,

361. wide open and stop?

362. Well, I figured you was in a hurry, sir.

363. Well, I am in a hurry.

364. What'd you say your name was?

365. Patrolman A.C. Benson.

366. Some folks call me Sparkplug.

367. Well, now, Sparkplug, I'd kinda like to survive this investigation.

368. Unless I tell you it's an emergency,

369. I want you to observe the speed limits and traffic signs.

370. No sirens and no red lights.

371. You understand that?

372. Yes, sir.

373. Yes, sir, Captain.

374. More and more police poured into Texarkana.

375. Texas Rangers, Arkansas State Police, and the FBI are now on the case.

376. Sheriff's departments and city policemen

377. have been loaned from surrounding towns and counties.

378. Captain Morales set up curfews

379. and demanded an exhaustive level of vigilance.

380. And when the sun when down

381. there was an empty, ghostly appearance to this town.

382. The only signs of life

383. were police cars patrolling the streets.

384. The investigative forces worked around the clock.

385. Every lead was run down.

386. Every phone call, every rumor checked out.

387. All the nuts came out of the woodwork.

388. A man arrested in Shreveport confessed to the crimes.

389. Two other criminals, while holding people at gunpoint,

390. bragged they had committed the Texarkana murders.

391. Forty-five.

392. What'd you say your name was?

393. The phantom.

394. Where'd you say you did the shooting?

395. Over... over there in the south side.

396. Have you got the weapon?

397. I throwed it in the river.

398. I could show you where I throwed it, though.

399. Mr. Williams, could I please get an address?

400. Citizens poured into the police station

401. demanding protection, as the fear spread like cancer.

402. I can't hide from nobody.

403. Can't help that, I got something on my mind.

404. Well, let's have it.

405. On March 3, Samuel Fuller and Linda Mae Jenkins

406. were attacked on a lonely road.

407. Now, exactly 21 days later, Emma Lou Cook and Howard Turner

408. were murdered on a lover's lane road.

409. Day after tomorrow is Sunday, that's, uh, April 14.

410. And that, sir, is exactly 21 days since the last...

411. Don't go no further.

412. I got a feeling you're right.

413. - Let's get outta here. - Yes, sir.

414. That's good.

415. - Thank you, sir. - Thank you.

416. Captain Morales decided to set up some decoys

417. in the various lover's lane parking areas,

418. anticipating a 21-day attack.

419. Return to headquarters, unit six.

420. Sparkplug, not realizing the exact nature of the assignment,

421. volunteers to be one of the decoys.

422. Oh, Lord, here comes your date.

423. Hey, Sparkplug, aren't you a little lopsided?

424. Go to hell, Ramsey.

425. They tell me all Sparky had to do to find that outfit

426. was dig in the back of his closet.

427. Look at those legs.

428. Shut up, will you?

429. Just keep it up!

430. You all knock it off.

431. Remember now, keep low in your seats.

432. He may check you out with field glasses before he approaches the car.

433. When you first get into position, check with your rifleman.

434. They'll be in the brush coverin' you.

435. Stay alert.

436. And good luck.

437. Unit Able.

438. Uh, unit Able, hello?

439. Raise your antenna.

440. Unit Able?

441. Unit Able... Roger Sparkplug, I'm set.

442. How about you, Walt, you there?

443. I'm here and looking at you and you look stunning.

444. Up yours, and out.

445. Now, Sparky, now, Sparky.

446. Don't get excited now.

447. What the hell you think you're doing?

448. You heard the captain, we're supposed to make this look good.

449. Now, we're supposed to be lovers.

450. I might get a little huggin' before the night's over.

451. You watch that hand.

452. What the hell's wrong with you?

453. Watch the hand! Gee!

454. What I-... what I can't understand is

455. how come that one's bigger than this one?

456. I'd like to know what difference it makes.

457. You think I'm going to let the son of a bitch

458. come in and fondle them before I blow his head off?

459. I don't guess it makes any difference.

460. It just looked like to me you run out of air on that left one

461. before you got through.

462. Just mind your business and keep a sharp lookout.

463. Lord!

464. Well, it seems quiet.

465. Most of the teenagers still over at that high school dance.

466. What time they get out of that thing?

467. Not 'til probably, uh, 1:30 or so.

468. I want to intensify patrols in the parking area

469. from one o'clock on.

470. Again, let me say it's a pleasure to see all of you out here

471. having such a good time.

472. And I think tonight has been a fitting climax

473. to what has been a great year here at Arkansas High School.

474. To those of you going on to college or out into the work world,

475. we wish you the best.

476. And to you juniors who will be back with us again next year,

477. have a good summer.

478. And now we're going to ask Reverend Harden

479. to lead us in a short prayer.

480. Let us pray.

481. Our Father, we are thankful for this group

482. of fine young men and young women.

483. Bless them throughout the coming year.

484. Our prayer tonight is to guide us safely home.

485. In Christ's name. Amen.

486. Should old acquaintance be forgot

487. And never brought to mind

488. Should old acquaintance be forgot

489. In days of auld lang syne

490. For auld lang syne my dear

491. For auld lang syne

492. We'll drink a cup of kindness yet

493. For auld lang syne.

494. - That was great, Peggy. - Thank you.

495. Listen, put my trombone away and I'll get my purse

496. and we'll get out of here, okay?

497. Great.

498. You don't really have to be home by 2:30, do you?

499. Well, somewhere right in then.

500. Well, how about our favorite spot over in Spring Lake Park?

501. Gee, I don't know, we've had lot's of warnings not to park.

502. You know that phantom killer hasn't been caught yet.

503. Yeah, but that was off the highway.

504. We'll be in the middle of town.

505. No one will bother us there.

506. I don't know.

507. Just for a little while, okay?

508. Okay, just for a little while.

509. Well, it's two o'clock.

510. Maybe my feelin's all wrong.

511. By God, I hope so.

512. You know, the only difference between tonight

513. and three weeks ago and the time before that,

514. is that it was rainin'.

515. You don't suppose the rain has something to do with it?

516. I don't know, triggerin' him.

517. Who knows?

518. Moonlight's so bright tonight, he might not want to try anything.

519. Wait a second, what time is it?

520. - What? - What time is it?

521. I don't know, let me check.

522. - It's twenty to three. - My God, I gotta get home.

523. Five more minutes, Peggy.

524. No, I'm gonna get in big trouble.

525. - Really, we better go. - Come on, Peggy.

526. Now, you don't want me to get into trouble, do you, Roy?

527. No, I guess not.

528. No, don't, please don't!

529. No, no!

530. Help me, oh, no!

531. Please don't hurt me.

532. Oh, please don't... don't hurt me, no.

533. Please don't hurt me.

534. Oh, my God, no!

535. Oh, my God, no, please!

536. Please don't hurt me.

537. Oh, no, please don't hurt me.

538. No, please.

539. No, no, please no.

540. Please no.

541. No, no, no, no.

542. No, no, please don't hurt me.

543. No!

544. No, please, Roy, no.

545. Roy.

546. Roy, no, oh.

547. Run, Roy, run.

548. Oh, God, oh.

549. Oh, God, no.

550. Roy, run, run.

551. Oh, no.

552. Roy?

553. Oh, Roy, oh, Roy.

554. What now.

555. Oh, no, oh, please don't hurt me.

556. What are you doing?

557. No, please don't hurt me. Please.

558. What are you doing to me?

559. No.

560. No.

561. Oh, no, please don't hurt me.

562. Oh, no. Oh, no.

563. Where the hell was everybody?

564. Well, this is one of the spots they were checking.

565. Gus, how often were they checking here?

566. They were making continuous circuits.

567. Each unit was checking about 15 or 20 places.

568. But I don't know how often they were gettin' back here.

569. Well, all I know is it wasn't often enough.

570. Here, right in the middle of the city, right under our noses.

571. Next thing you know, he'll kill somebody in police headquarters.

572. Well, we're doing the best we can possibly do.

573. Well, that's not enough.

574. Look, I want this entire area roped off

575. with a ring of police around it.

576. We're gonna find some evidence

577. if we have to sift every grain of sand in this damn park.

578. I want some evidence, do you understand that?

579. Right.

580. The third on-schedule strike of the phantom killer

581. brought nationally known newspaper, magazine,

582. and radio reporters to Texarkana.

583. Life and Look Magazines sent their photographers and journalists.

584. CBS, NBC, and The Mutual Broadcasting System

585. brought in nationally known commentators

586. to arrange for nationwide broadcasts through the local radio station.

587. A reward fund, which had been started after the first attack,

588. was now up to $8,000 for information leading

589. to the arrest and conviction of the killer.

590. Captain Morales, what do you think about Dr. Kress,

591. the psychiatrist at the prison, has to say about the phantom?

592. I really hadn't thought about it, mam.

593. You know, Captain Morales, I believe Dr. Kress

594. is really going to help us a lot on this case.

595. Yes, sir, I think so.

596. He should be here any time.

597. In fact, there he is now.

598. How are you? Good to see you.

599. Gentlemen, good to see you.

600. I believe you know everyone at the table

601. except maybe, uh, Captain Morales.

602. Captain, nice to meet you, sir.

603. Glad to know you, sir.

604. Listen, I think I'll just...

605. You've already ordered, haven't you?

606. I think I'll just, take a New York cut steak, medium rare.

607. Captain, I've looked forward to meeting you.

608. Quite a number of my patients at the prison,

609. they speak of you quite often.

610. Come to think of it, Doc, I guess I have sent you

611. a few customers over the past several years.

612. Yes.

613. Doctor, we're gonna have to get a better fix on who this killer is...

614. What motivates him.

615. How he thinks.

616. This man is definitely a sadist,

617. motivated by a strong sex drive.

618. I guess you realize, Captain,

619. that the... the odds are against you.

620. Well, what do you mean, Dr. Kress?

621. I'd say this man is between 35 and 40 years old,

622. highly intelligent.

623. The odds are at least two to one that he'll never be caught.

624. Well, I sure as hell don't buy that.

625. Well, I'm just going by the statistical profile

626. he fits within, Captain.

627. This thing has become a game with him, you know.

628. The, the fact that the... this massive manhunt,

629. the largest ever assembled in this area, is after him,

630. well, it's a source of pleasure to him.

631. Makes him feel important.

632. He has all the odds on his side.

633. He know exactly what's going on in the investigation

634. and you know practically nothing about him.

635. Excuse me, Doctor,

636. I wonder if I could ask you some direct questions

637. and get some blunt straight answers.

638. Well, I'll try.

639. He chewed the girl's back, neck, and breasts... why?

640. Sexual satisfaction.

641. He didn't force the girls to have sexual intercourse.

642. That's not what excites him.

643. He's abnormal.

644. Is he insane?

645. Oh, yes.

646. But not in the usual sense.

647. He could be living what appears to be a normal life right here in Texarkana.

648. He could even be one of your more prominent citizens.

649. Well, do you know any reason

650. why he hasn't taken any money off of his victims?

651. That's... that's not his motive.

652. It's like asking why he used a trombone

653. the way he did with the Loomis girl.

654. He has this strange, sadistic imagination.

655. I suppose he does these things because they please him in some way.

656. Do you think he'll attack again on schedule?

657. Not necessarily.

658. I would say, in view of the intensity of the manhunt,

659. he'll probably change his pattern.

660. He may nо back into a normal pattern...

661. Go back into his shell.

662. Not be heard from again for years.

663. That's what makes this case so damn frustrating.

664. This murdering pervert could be passing us on the street ten times a day.

665. I don't know.

666. I ain't never been so scared in my life.

667. Rainbow, you're still scared, ain't you?

668. Yes, sir, yes, I am.

669. - What'd he look like? - I don't know what he looked like.

670. I just saw that big barrel, that's all I saw.

671. I don't know what the man looked like.

672. What else did he say to you?

673. Well, when he told me he was out of gas

674. about two miles down the road,

675. he told me he'd give me a dollar take him down the road.

676. That is, a dollar for gas. That's what I did.

677. He got out of the car,

678. and I'd driven about eight or ten miles,

679. but he told me just two mile down the road.

680. And I was asking him, I said, "Man, how far is your car from here?

681. I done already driven eight or ten miles."

682. So, when I looked around for an answer, I saw that gun.

683. And he told me just keep on drivin' to Lufkin.

684. So, I told him, I said, "I won't have enough gas to get back."

685. He said, "What make him so damn sure that I was gonna get back."

686. He said, "I already killed five people in Texarkana.

687. One more won't make make it him difference."

688. So, I take him on to Lufkin.

689. Well, uh, what did he say to you when you got in to Lufkin?

690. Well, when we got there, he told me to pull over on side the road.

691. There, in Lufkin. That's what I did.

692. And then when he start to get out, he asked me for my billfold.

693. I told him, I said, "Well, there's no money in it."

694. So he said, "Just give me your billfold."

695. So, I hand it to him.

696. He take my drivers license out of it and looked at it.

697. Hand my billfold back to me.

698. He said, "Mr. Johnson."

699. He says, "I know what kind of car you drive

700. and I know where you live at.

701. You tell anybody about this I'm gonna kill ya."

702. So that's when I really got scared.

703. Well, Mr. Johnson, you don't have to worry about that.

704. We're gonna put a police car at your home 24 hours a day.

705. Well, I sure appreciate that.

706. Ramsey, I want to set up a meeting with that girl and boy

707. who were first attacked.

708. It's just possible they may recall something of significance.

709. When do you want to do this, Captain?

710. Commence to cafe on West Seventh Street.

711. Suspect is armed.

712. Units two and three are now proceeding to that location.

713. All other units in the vicinity of West Seventh

714. should proceed with emergency.

715. Would unit five give me his last location once again—

716. That's only two blocks from here.

717. Come in, unit five.

718. Emergency, Sparkplug, go get 'em.

719. That's him in the green car. Straight ahead.

720. Have the suspect's car in view

721. and are in hot pursuit.

722. Stay with him.

723. We ain't gonna make this.

724. Hold on, Captain!

725. Hold it, hold it, whoop, whoop!

726. All right, out of the car!

727. What's wrong?

728. Get out of the car.

729. What's wrong?

730. I hope we catch him soon

731. or we'll all be killed if we don't.

732. Where's the Captain, I thought he was leading this chase.

733. Watch... wa...

734. I'd like to know just why the hell

735. there ain't a sign up there on that road

736. tellin' me that the road ends!

737. Sparkplug!

738. Shut up.

739. Yes, sir.

740. Unit one, return to headquarters and make...

741. You okay, Captain?

742. I'd rather face that damn phantom

743. than ride any further with him.

744. What's your name?

745. Eddie LeDoux.

746. You got my wallet there.

747. You can see what my name is.

748. I don't know what you people are doing.

749. Scared me half to death.

750. That's why I was runnin' from you.

751. All them police cars come roaring down on you.

752. Scare anybody half to death.

753. Where you from, Eddie?

754. New Orleans.

755. Man, I lived in New Orleans all my life.

756. What you doing in Texarkana?

757. Lookin' for work.

758. How long have you, been in Texarkana, Eddie?

759. I just got in today.

760. Look at my car, it's ruined.

761. Your car?

762. Your car is a stolen car, Eddie.

763. It's on the hot sheet, Captain.

764. That's him...

765. Mister, you owe me a dollar for takin' you up the road the other day.

766. And ten dollars for takin' you to Lufkin.

767. And I want my damn money!

768. What's the matter with that darkie?

769. Is he crazy? Get him outta here.

770. That's the trashiest white man I've seen in my life, right there.

771. That's the gun right there. It's the gun he put in my face.

772. Right there, that's it.

773. Do you still deny that you know this man?

774. Yeah, maybe I do.

775. Now, you think about this, LeDoux, before you answer.

776. Did you state to this man that you killed five people in Texarkana?

777. You got me.

778. I'm the phantom.

779. I killed them.

780. Bring on the newspaper reporters and...

781. I'll give you a confession.

782. I want you to send one car on in ahead of us.

783. Make sure the station's cleared of any reporters.

784. Right.

785. He not the one who done it, is he Captain?

786. No way.

787. Probably got a record as long as your arm,

788. but he's not the phantom.

789. But if he keeps his story, he's gonna cause us an awful lot of headaches.

790. Well, Captain, if you got no objections,

791. I'll take the prisoner with me in our car.

792. And I'll ride in the back seat with him all the way to the police station.

793. I think that'd be all right.

794. Did you really want to admit guilt?

795. Man!

796. Oh, no.

797. Wait, just hold... wait!

798. I sure as hell ain't gonna ride no further with him.

799. By the time LeDoux reached headquarters.

800. Sergeant Mai Griffin had convinced him he was not the phantom killer.

801. And summer had come once again to this part of the South.

802. Long, hot days prevailed, as people tried

803. not to think of the madness that loomed around them.

804. It was now May 3, 1946.

805. Floyd?

806. Do you hear somebody walkin' outside?

807. No, I don't hear anything.

808. Floyd?

809. Did you break something?

810. Floyd?

811. Oh, my God.

812. Operator?

813. Operator!

814. This is the operator, what is you number?

815. Hello, go ahead, please. This is your operator.

816. Hey, keep it down!

817. Call the ambulance.

818. Helen Reed did not die.

819. She lingered in critical condition in the hospital for weeks.

820. Then gradually recovered.

821. People were afraid to walk in front of their windows

822. after the sun went down.

823. Newspapers stopped making early morning deliveries.

824. with newspaper boys waiting until daylight to make their rounds.

825. And Western Union stopped making night deliveries.

826. Over 150 police cars now cruised

827. the dark streets, alleys, parks, and parking areas

828. of Texarkana from darkness until dawn,

829. in the most intense manhunt ever mounted in the Southwest.

830. Friday, May 25, Saturday, May 26, and Sunday May 27,

831. the target dates for his regular three week strikes

832. came and passed with nothing happening.

833. The manhunt intensified.

834. Nine different police organizations now had officers

835. in marked and unmarked patrol cars operating in the Texarkana area.

836. Paul, you go with him.

837. It was right in there. It was right in there.

838. Over by the door, I...

839. Move it back now, the Captain's coming through here.

840. Come on, let's move back.

841. How long before you're going to apprehend the killer?

842. Gentlemen, I'm sorry, we don't have anything new to report.

843. We're continuing to work around the clock,

844. checking out every possible lead.

845. Captain, I wonder if you could tell us Mrs. Reed's condition.

846. Mrs. Reed, we are told, is slowly improving.

847. We've had some very brief interviews with her.

848. And in my opinion, nothing she can tell us

849. will positively identify the killer.

850. In fact, she never saw him,

851. except for one brief moment

852. he was behind screen wire some distance from her

853. and wearing a mask.

854. Now, Captain, we have word that a Texarkana doctor

855. has turned in his son as a suspect. Is this true?

856. No, mam.

857. We've checked that out and there's absolutely nothing to it.

858. Thank you very much, Captain.

859. Sir, the ballistics department reports

860. that the bullets removed from Reed's body

861. have similar markings to the bullets removed earlier

862. from the bodies of Roy Allen and Peggy Loomis.

863. Well, that pretty much confirms one thing...

864. that he killed at least three people with the same gun.

865. That's all we've got.

866. What day is this?

867. He's four days behind his schedule, Captain.

868. Maybe this last time he went 20 days

869. instead of exactly three weeks.

870. This next time he might go 19 or 22.

871. Who the hell knows?

872. He's quit, hasn't he, Captain?

873. He's either crawled back into his shell

874. or he's moved on to another town.

875. There's one other possibility.

876. What's that?

877. He could've been arrested for some other crime.

878. You're thinking about that fella in Shreveport.

879. He's a possibility.

880. But he can account for his movements on the last two murders.

881. So, I don't know what to say.

882. He's killed five people and he damn near killed three more

883. and we're no closer to catchin' him than we were four months ago.

884. We ain't never gonna catch him, are we Captain?

885. You want an official or a private reply?

886. Private.

887. If we do catch him, it's gonna be a miracle.

888. Please make log... Stolen car found

889. one and a half miles off Highway 82 on Crank Road.

890. Texas license plate, make... Chevrolet, two-door, black coupe.

891. Base, this is unit two.

892. Would you give me a description on that car again?

893. Yeah, unit two, it's a black two-door coupe,

894. believed to be a 1939 Chevrolet with Texas license.

895. Thank you, base.

896. That's a description of the car I saw

897. the night I found Emma Lou Cook and Howard Turner murdered.

898. You know, this might be our miracle.

899. Let's go get him.

900. Well, that's the same color.

901. And I'm almost positive it's the same model and make.

902. How far is it down through this timber here to the Sulphur River?

903. Oh, about a mile and a half.

904. Any people live down in there?

905. Nope, none that I know of.

906. Nothin' between here and that river except that old sand pit.

907. Any kids ever park up in there?

908. They used to, but I don't think they do anymore.

909. You wait here.

910. Radio Sheriff Barker and tell him to stand by the bloodhounds.

911. Yes, sir.

912. - Sir. - Let's go.

913. That pit can't be no more than a quarter of a mile now.

914. Yeah, let's approach it real careful, though.

915. All right.

916. Come on.

917. Probably got eight or ten minutes ahead of us.

918. Damn!

919. I think he's done it to us again.

920. One thing about it.

921. At least he knows we've been here.

922. Let's get those bloodhounds.

923. The bloodhounds that were brought in

924. quickly lost the scent in this murky bayou

925. in the vast backwater wilderness of southern Arkansas.

926. Some say of these swamps that most men who go in,

927. never come out.

928. But there was little doubt that the phantom killer

929. plunged deep into these swamps that late Fall of 1946.

930. What happened to the phantom killer, no one really knows.

931. Some believe he was convicted of another crime

932. and today he is still serving his term in a Kansas prison.

933. Some believe he died here in these swamps.

934. Texarkana today still looks pretty much the same.

935. And if you should ask people here on the streets

936. what they believed happened to the phantom killer,

937. most would say that he is still living here...

938. and is walking free.

939. Captain J.D. Morales never stopped looking for the phantom killer.

940. He returned to Laredo, Texas in that same year

941. and kept searching and digging for evidence for the next decade

942. in this, one of America's most baffling cases.

943. Today, he's retired from the Texas Rangers

944. and makes his home in Dallas, Texas.

945. Chief Sullivan was reelected for three more terms.

946. Retired and died in 1970.

947. Sheriff Barker also was reelected for several terms

948. and never stopped working on the case until his death in 1966.

949. Mrs. Reed recovered and is living a normal life today

950. in Texarkana, Arkansas.

951. Sammy Fuller and Linda Mae Jenkins moved away from Texarkana.

952. At this time, their whereabouts is not known.

953. Deputy Sheriff Norman Ramsey served all of his adult life

954. as a fine peace officer of Miller County, Arkansas.

955. He died in 1973.