The Moonlight Murders, a term dubbed by the news media, refer to the true unsolved violent crimes committed in and around Texarkana in the spring of 1946 by an unidentified serial killer known as the Phantom Killer or Phantom Slayer. The unknown killer is credited with attacking eight people, five of whom were killed within ten weeks, usually three weeks apart. The attacks happened on weekends between February 22, 1946 through May 3, 1946. Contrary to popular belief, the killer did not attack during a full moon but did strike late at night. The murders sent the town into a state of fear throughout the summer. At dusk, the city was locked-down and heavily armed while police patrolled streets and neighborhoods. Although many businesses lost customers at night, stores sold out of guns, ammo, locks, and many other protective devices. Many rumors began to spread, including that the killer was caught or that a third and even fourth double-homicide had been committed. The 1976 film The Town That Dreaded Sundown was released internationally and is loosely based on the events, despite its claim that “only the names have been changed”. Since the movie claimed that the “story you are about to see is true, where it happened and how it happened,” the fabricated parts created much of the myth and lore for several decades. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texarkana_Moonlight_Murders listverse/2013/04/17/10-terrifying-unsolved-serial-murders/
Posted on: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 03:22:05 +0000