Timesuck with Dan Cummins 488 - The Phantom Killer and the Texarkana Moonlight Murders
Jan 5, 2026
In 1946, Texarkana was terrorized by a masked serial killer known as the Phantom Killer. The podcast explores the brutal murders that struck the town, focusing on chilling details like the Lover's Lane attacks and the flawed investigation that followed. Dan discusses the panic that seized the community, the involvement of Texas Ranger 'Lone Wolf' Gonzalez, and the various suspects, especially UL Swinney, whose life after conviction raises more questions than answers. The legacy of fear and intrigue lingers in Texarkana's history.
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Small-Town Normality Intensified Terror
- Texarkana's postwar normalcy made the Phantom Killer's attacks feel like a rupture in everyday life.
- That contrast amplified fear and community paranoia beyond the crimes' immediate violence.
First Brutal Lovers' Lane Attack
- Jimmy Hollis and Mary Jean Larry were ambushed while parked on a lovers' lane on February 22, 1946.
- The attacker wore a crude mask, pistol-whipped Jimmy, and brutally assaulted Mary Jean before fleeing.
Evidence And Secrecy Complicated The Case
- The Griffin–Moore double homicide linked to the Hollis attack by ballistics and modus operandi.
- Conflicting reports and withheld sexual-assault details hampered transparent investigation.