On February 22,1946 two lovers crept onto Richmond Road, also known as lovers lane, to talk and cuddle. The time was 11:45 and Jimmy Hollis,24, remembered that he was supposed to have the Plymouth car home a little after midnight. He soon forgot about that. As they were talking, a shadow blocked out the moon. Jimmy looked up thinking he would see a police officer, but what he saw was not a police officer. He was startled when he saw a thing with what looked like a canvas bag over his head. The thing motioned for them to get out of the car and as Jimmy's eyes got accustomed to the dark, he noticed he had a revolver pressed against the glass pane. Jimmy immediately jumped into the back of the car, but the thing ordered them out of the car. Mary,19, and Jimmy obeyed him. Mary told him he could have there money. The thing told them if they did what he said, he would not kill them. Jimmy asked what he wanted. The thing told Jimmy to remove his trousers, but he would not. His girlfriend pleaded for him to do it and when Jimmy saw the revolver pressed against his abdomen. He obeyed and immediately after he did so the thing belted him on the head knocking him out. The thing went on to assault and rape Mary on the side of the road. When a car pulled up, the mysterious assaulter disappeared into the night without a trace.
Three weeks later, the date was March 24,1946, the thing struck again. Well Richard and Polly were in there car, the thing showed up again. The thing got them out of there car and he promptly shot them both in the head. He then went to put Richard back in the driver's seat and then he put Polly in the back seat of the car. There were blood marks on the ground next to the car. The thing got away again.
April 18,1946 the phantom, as he became to be known, struck again this time killing Paul Martin and Betty Jo Booker. They were killed pretty far from the car. They tried to escape and the phantom shot Martin multiple times 1 1/2 a mile from the car. Betty was also bullet-ridden, but she was farther away. She was found about two miles from the car.
But then on May 3, 1946, the night of the final murder, the phantom changed his tactics. In a small farmhouse on the outskirts of Texarkana lived Katy Starks and her husband Virgil Starks. As they were just settling down for the night, Virgil listening to the radio and Katy washing the dishes, they did not notice the approaching figure in the window. Then Katy heard heard 2 loud bangs and saw her husband fall forward in the chair. Her first thought was
of the Phantom. As she ran toward the phone she felt a searing pain the back of her head and she collapsed. As the Phantom fell back to his getaway vehicle Katy got back up and ran to a neighbors house and was immediately taken to the hospital and treated for 2 .22 caliber bullet wounds. One bullet
had entered her right cheek and left her right ear and the second bullet was lodged underneath her tongue.
Three weeks later, the date was March 24,1946, the thing struck again. Well Richard and Polly were in there car, the thing showed up again. The thing got them out of there car and he promptly shot them both in the head. He then went to put Richard back in the driver's seat and then he put Polly in the back seat of the car. There were blood marks on the ground next to the car. The thing got away again.
April 18,1946 the phantom, as he became to be known, struck again this time killing Paul Martin and Betty Jo Booker. They were killed pretty far from the car. They tried to escape and the phantom shot Martin multiple times 1 1/2 a mile from the car. Betty was also bullet-ridden, but she was farther away. She was found about two miles from the car.
But then on May 3, 1946, the night of the final murder, the phantom changed his tactics. In a small farmhouse on the outskirts of Texarkana lived Katy Starks and her husband Virgil Starks. As they were just settling down for the night, Virgil listening to the radio and Katy washing the dishes, they did not notice the approaching figure in the window. Then Katy heard heard 2 loud bangs and saw her husband fall forward in the chair. Her first thought was
of the Phantom. As she ran toward the phone she felt a searing pain the back of her head and she collapsed. As the Phantom fell back to his getaway vehicle Katy got back up and ran to a neighbors house and was immediately taken to the hospital and treated for 2 .22 caliber bullet wounds. One bullet
had entered her right cheek and left her right ear and the second bullet was lodged underneath her tongue.