| Address |
| Texarkana, Texas, United States |
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| Information |
The Second Murders
On April 14, 1946 at this location 400 yards north of the main entrance of Spring Lake Park, a car belonging to Texarkana resident Paul Martin was discovered. Martin was last seen at a nearby club where a local band named The Rhythmaires were performing. On alto saxophone was Betty Jo Booker. After the concert was over, Booker told her friends that she was getting a ride with Martin, who was going to take her to a nearby slumber party. They never arrived. Martin's body would be found a mile and a half up the road from his car on the side of what is today Cork Lane. Booker's body would be farther north on what is known today as Fernwood Drive. Both bodies had been shot multiple times and there was evidence that Booker had been sexually abused.
The Moonlight Murders
The bullets had come from a .32 caliber handgun and ballistic tests proved that they had come from the same gun that had killed Richard Griffin and Polly Ann Moore three weeks earlier. The attacks on Jimmy Hollis and Mary Jeanne Larey were now considered to also be from the same assailant. The police knew they had a serial killer on their hands and the Texarkana Gazette quickly dubbed him "The Phantom." The Texas Rangers came in to investigate and the city of Texarkana began to panic. Again, police had little to go on and made public pleas for anyone with information. The Rhythmaires, the band that Booker played for on her last night of life called it quits and would never perform again.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown
The events of February through May of 1946 would later be the basis for a 1976 film, The Town That Dreaded Sundown by local resident, Charles B. Pierce. A few years before then, Pierce would make a name for himself with the successful independent film The Legend of Boggy Creek based on the Fouke Monster in nearby Fouke, Arkansas.
Lennon Piano Peace Tour
This location was included on the Lennon Piano Peace Tour, which stopped here on May 25, 2007. The tour is the product of pop artist George Michael and artistic partner Kenny Goss. Michael bought the piano in 2000 and it is valued between $8 to $12 million dollars. It is the same piano that John Lennon used to compose and record one of his most famous tracks, Imagine. It is the message of Imagine that sparked the idea to take the piano to the scenes of violent crimes to spread the word of peace. Texarkana resident and artist Josh Lawrence was chosen to play the song at this particular location. |
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| Related Sites |
Crime Library: The Phantom Killer
Crime Library's entry about the Texarkana, Texas serial killer, The Phantom Killer. His crimes would be the basis for the horror film, The Town That Dreaded Sundown. |
The Events of The ArkLaTex: The Phantom Killer
An article that appeared in the Texarkana Gazette about the local 1940's serial killer, The Phantom Killer. His crimes would later be turned into the horror film, The Town That Dreaded Sundown. |
Wikipedia: The Phantom Killer
Wikipedia's entry about Texarkana, Texas serial killer, The Phantom Killer. His crimes would be the basis for the horror film, The Town That Dreaded Sundown. |
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| Similar Destinations |
| The Phantom Killer: Last Victim |
| The Phantom Killer: First Victims |
| The Phantom Killer: First Assault |
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| See Also on TheCabinet.com |
| Blog: The Town that Dreaded Sundown (05/03/09) |
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| Available from Amazon.com |
Town That Dreaded Sundown |
Weird Texas (Weird) |
Corroborating Evidence II |
Lone Star Lawmen: The Second Century of the Texas Rangers |
The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers |
Lone Wolf Gonzaullas: Texas Ranger |
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