Warning! This Podcast mentions triggering topics of sexual assault and murder. Please use caution when listening to this audio.

Have you heard of the Redhead Murderers? How about the Bible Belt Strangler?

It’s a series of presumed homicides via strangling that were the talk of the town around the southern states of Kentucky and Tennessee in the 1980’s. Women with red hair would be found dead on the sides of major highways. Around this time in Elk Valley Tennessee, 32 bones were found belonging to a female child Jane Doe that investigators called ‘Baby Girl’.

As of August 2022, ‘Baby Girl’ has been identified as Tracy Sue Walker. Her case is still cold after 42 years, but explored in the podcast is the possibility of the culprit being the now-deceased Jerry Johns, who was involved in at least one redhead murder and an attempt at another. There are no other leads or suspects that have been speculated publicly regarding Tracy Walker’s death.

Listen in here: https://daviesf.podbean.com/e/baby-girl-and-the-redhead-murders

Clay reconstruction of Tracy Sue Walker based off skull made by Joanna J. Hughes.
Clay reconstruction of Tracy Sue Walker based off skull made by Joanna J. Hughes.

 

Partial coversheet of 'Baby Girl's autopsy report made by Dr. Bill Bass back in 1985. I struggled to find the full report online probably since there has been no trial (the death is still forensically relevant) and it was made entirely on typewriter.
Partial coversheet of ‘Baby Girl’s autopsy report made by Dr. Bill Bass back in 1985. I struggled to find the full report online probably since there has been no trial (the death is still forensically relevant) and it was made entirely on typewriter.

 

Edit 4/23/2023 to audio: Desoto county victim had a distinguishable face when discovered in a fridge on the side of the highway, Epsy Black-Pilgrim did not when she was also discovered on the side of a highway and I mixed up the two cases which both involved the victims being hidden inside a fridge. Desoto is located on the border of MS and TN. Desoto victim is still unidentified to this day.

Media Description: Photo of Tracy Sue Walker from TBI

Instructor: Krishnakali Majumdar

Item Credit: Dez Davies