Episodios

  • 78: Cleveland Odometer Fraud

    78: Cleveland Odometer Fraud
    Jul 7 2025
    From the 1970s through the 1990s, Cleveland, Tennessee wasn’t just known for church steeples and Southern charm. It was also ground zero for one of the most widespread white-collar crimes in the country: odometer fraud.

    In this episode, we peel back the layers of a shocking automotive scam that involved used car dealers, repair shops, car haulers, and even organized crime networks, all working together to roll back vehicle mileage and deceive unsuspecting buyers. Known in the area as “rollbacks,” these tampered vehicles were passed through auctions and dealerships like clockwork — many flipped and resold before anyone could catch on.

    And yes, the problem was so big it landed on 60 Minutes in 1983.

    Tune in as we expose how Cleveland became a hotbed for auto fraud.
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    8 m
  • 77: The Georgia Guidestones

    77: The Georgia Guidestones
    Jun 23 2025
    Mysterious, massive, and deeply controversial, the Georgia Guidestones stood for over 40 years before being reduced to rubble in a shocking 2022 bombing. Who built them? What did their eerie commandments mean? And why were they so feared?

    In this episode, we dig into the secrets behind the Guidestones, from their cryptic inscriptions and astronomical alignments to the conspiracy theories and mystery surrounding their destruction. Were they a warning for the future… or a blueprint for control?
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    6 m
  • 76: The Santa Claus murders

    76: The Santa Claus murders
    Jun 9 2025
    In December 1997, the quiet town of Santa Claus, Georgia was shaken by a heartbreaking tragedy. 20-year-old Jerry Scott Heidler broke into the Daniels family home, taking the lives of four loved ones and kidnapping three children.⁣
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    This week, we’re sharing the story behind the case known as The Santa Claus Murders—a devastating event that left a lasting impact on the community and sparked a statewide investigation.⁣
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    17 m
  • 75: The Battle of Athens

    75: The Battle of Athens
    May 26 2025
    In the summer of 1946, Athens, Tennessee, became the site of the only successful armed rebellion in America since the Revolutionary War.

    Enter the villain of this story: Paul Cantrell. Backed by Tennessee’s powerful political machine, Cantrell used corruption, voter fraud, and police brutality to maintain control over McMinn County. His regime, continued by his crony Pat Mansfield, was marked by election rigging, unlawful arrests, and extortion.

    But when WWII veterans returned home and saw their community still under Cantrell’s corrupt grip, they refused to accept another stolen election. Banding together as The Fighting Bunch, these veterans took up arms against Cantrell’s men in what became known as The Battle of Athens. After an all-night firefight, explosions, and a dramatic surrender, democracy was restored—proving that when the system fails, the people will rise.

    This isn’t just a wild story—it’s history. Tune in now for the full episode!

    🔗 Listen now on all major podcast platforms.
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    18 m
  • 74: W.A. Guinn

    74: W.A. Guinn
    May 12 2025
    In the Appalachian town once known as McCays—now Copperhill, Tennessee—a powerful lawyer was gunned down in cold blood, setting off a whirlwind of scandal, betrayal, and courtroom drama. Was it a hired hit orchestrated by his wealthy wife, or the act of a desperate miner caught in a deadly conspiracy?

    This week, we unravel the twisted tale of W.A. Guinn’s murder, the trial of James Allen.
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    11 m
  • 73: The Greenbriar Ghost

    73: The Greenbriar Ghost
    Apr 28 2025
    When Elva Zona Heaster Shue was found dead at the bottom of the stairs, her husband Edward “Trout” Shue insisted it was an accident. But Zona’s mother knew better, because Zona’s ghost told her the truth.

    This chilling case is the only known instance where testimony from a ghost helped convict a murderer. From suspicious behavior at the scene to a spectral confession, this story is pure Appalachian folklore meets true crime.

    Tune in now to hear how Zona’s spirit ensured her killer didn’t escape justice!
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    18 m
  • 72: Sheriff Burch Biggs

    72: Sheriff Burch Biggs
    Apr 14 2025
    Burch Biggs was no ordinary sheriff. From moonshine raids as a teen to wielding political power in Polk County, TN, his name became synonymous with corruption, scandal, and backroom deals. He built a legacy through intimidation, rigged elections, and even outright ballot destruction by throwing votes into the river to secure his control.
    Under his watch, violence was common. Names like Garret Hedden, James Spurling, David McFadden, Jack & Maddie Haddock, George Ledford, Emmet Gaddis, and Horace Hughes became casualties of the Biggs Machine.
    The corruption ran deep—illegal foreclosures, using prison labor on his farm, stealing city water, and colluding with banks. But it wasn’t until after WWII, with the rise of the Good Government League (GGL), that the Biggs dynasty finally crumbled.

    Want the full story? Check out The Biggs Machine: Old Time Politics in Polk County, Tennessee a book by local author Tyler Boyd.

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    21 m
  • 71: The Hedden Brothers

    71: The Hedden Brothers
    Mar 31 2025
    We’re heading back to Polk County, Tennessee, where moonshine, murder, and family feuds ran deep. After covering Bill Hedden’s case, we dug deeper and uncovered the wild, violent history of his uncle, Garrett Hedden.
    From shooting his own brother in 1898 to a bloody standoff with revenue agents, Garrett was a true outlaw. But his own family would be his downfall. In 1903, his nephew and moonshining partner Riley Hedden nearly killed him over an old grudge. And in 1908, Sheriff Biggs and his posse finally ended Garrett’s reign with a hail of gunfire.
    But the Hedden saga didn’t stop there—revenge, crime, and tragedy followed this family for decades. Their story is as wild as it gets.
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    18 m