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Big changes are brewing, and we’re pouring carefully. We’re launching Sweet Tea After Dark, a companion series built for the stories that land after midnight—paranormal encounters, urban legends, and heavier true accounts that deserve a softer light and a slower pace. To make room, we’re moving to one regular Hold My Sweet Tea episode every Monday, with After Dark arriving every other Thursday. Same hosts, same heart, two different moods.

To set the tone, we head to New Orleans and step into the layered history of Jackson Barracks. Born from the Federal Fortifications Act after the War of 1812, the barracks served as a rally point, a veterans’ hospital, and later a home for the Louisiana National Guard. It touched the legacy of Buffalo Soldiers, passed between state and federal hands, and survived the devastation of Hurricane Katrina only to rise again—brick, wall, and memory restored. Alongside the history comes the hush: reports of nighttime footsteps, slamming doors, faucets running without a source, and apparitions tied to soldiers, veterans, and even Native Americans once held there. We also trace similar accounts from other posts—disconnected phones ringing through the night, heavy corridors that unsettle even the calmest visitor, and photos that reveal what eyes missed.

We’re opening our inbox to your stories—messy, raw, anonymous if you want. Change names, keep the truth. Whether it’s a sleepover dare that went sideways, a sleep paralysis terror that felt too real, an intuition that kept you safe, or a brush with a legend that still follows you, we want to hear it. We’ll share some of our own first, not for shock but to build trust and show the care we bring to every tale.

Subscribe to keep Mondays sweet and let Thursdays get a little shadowed. Send your story to holdmysweetteapodcast@gmail.com or message us on Facebook or Instagram. If this episode sparks something, share it with a friend who loves a good ghost story—or a good gut check—and leave a quick review to help others find our little corner of the night.

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A lonely hearts ad, a quiet farm, and a stack of trunks no one could explain—Belle Gunness turned hope into bait and profit into a habit. We follow her path from Norwegian winters to LaPorte, where insurance money, vanished suitors, and a farmhouse fire fused into one of true crime’s most unsettling legends. The nickname “Lady Bluebeard” wasn’t just headline flair; it captured a methodical pattern of luring men with promises of land and love, then erasing them with chilling efficiency.

We dig into the marriages shadowed by infant deaths and payouts, the mechanics of those newspaper ads, and the neighbors who accepted easy answers while men quietly disappeared. Then comes the inferno of 1908: a headless body, three children, and a set of dentures that may have launched the greatest escape theory of the era. Was that Belle in the ashes, or a decoy sacrificed to clear a path to freedom? Reports placed her in Chicago, Mississippi, even California, turning a closed case into a flickering silhouette that refuses to fade.

Beyond the lurid details lies a tougher conversation about why these stories grip us, and what our fascination costs. We talk psychology and mythmaking, how gender expectations shielded a calculated killer, and how that old lonely hearts ecosystem echoes in today’s romance scams and catfishing schemes. If trust is a currency, Belle showed how easily it can be laundered through grief, charm, and paperwork.

Press play to explore the evidence, the folklore, and the ethics of our curiosity. If this story sticks with you, share it with a friend, leave a review, and tell us your theory: did Belle burn, or did she vanish?

historicmysteries.com/belle-gunness-femme-fatale/

people.com/belle-gunness-lady-bluebeard-indiana-farm-widow-murderer-11827704
legendsofamerica.com/belle-gunness/

blog.newspapers.com/belle-gunness-murders/

flickr.com/photos/shookphotos

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A foggy bridge, a missing suitcase, and a town that points every road toward the water—our trip to Jefferson, Texas dives into the places where history refuses to stay quiet. We start with Jefferson’s unusual street plan and river-first identity, then trace how the rise of the railroads drained a booming port and left behind preserved buildings, empty rooms, and a perfect stage for ghost stories. The Jay Gould “curse” gets a reality check, but the town’s legends gain power from the facts that remain: a population dip, a preserved past, and a culture that remembers.

From there, we step into the lore of Diamond Bessie—born Anne Stone—whose life as a traveling companion turned tragic after a fog-shrouded picnic with Abraham Rothschild. Her death shaped Jefferson’s identity, fueling notorious trials and a century of whispers. We compare the stories that swirl around two iconic stays: the Jefferson Hotel, which leans into its Book of the Dead, YouTube uploads, and tales of the Vanishing Man, mill children, and Judy in Room 19; and the Excelsior, where owners downplay hauntings even as rumors persist about headless figures, a woman in black, and a famous filmmaker who checked out early.

We close at The Grove, a Victorian home where footsteps, door sounds, and a glowing woman suggest that renovations can’t wall off memory. Along the way, we ask what makes a “ghost town” in the modern era: is it decline, or a different kind of life that rises when commerce fades? Whether you’re a skeptic chasing architectural history or a believer following cold spots, Jefferson blends true crime, Southern Gothic atmosphere, and small-town charm into a vivid, late-night walk through time.

If this story pulled you in, tap follow, share it with a friend who loves haunted history, and drop your Jefferson sightings or stay tips in the comments. Your rec might set our next road trip.

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Link of Samuel Littles FBI Confessions:

https://youtu.be/LxDWPik6IZ0?si=C9r6Jo7H6YyrB_vy

A low roll of thunder, a quiet cup of tea, and a chilling truth: the most prolific serial killer recognized by the FBI isn’t a household name. We dig into the life and crimes of Samuel Little, tracing how four decades of disappearances went unconnected while a predator learned to move, adapt, and hide in plain sight. It’s a story about mobility, bias, and the devastating cost of being ignored.

We walk through Little’s unstable early years, the drift from state to state, and a rap sheet packed with violent arrests that somehow never stopped him. Then we follow the break: a 2012 drug arrest in Kentucky that triggered a DNA match to cold cases in Los Angeles, leading to a life sentence and a new phase of investigation. The turning point comes with Texas Ranger James Holland, whose low-pressure conversations unlocked more than 650 hours of confessions. Little described 93 murders across 19 states with granular detail—locations, earrings, hairstyles—and sketched portraits from memory that helped identify Jane Does who had been nameless for decades.

Beyond the facts, we wrestle with the larger question: was Little invisible, or were his victims unseen? We examine how strangulation left few traces, how jurisdictional silos and cultural bias hid patterns, and how modern tools like DNA databases and VICAP coordination can finally align evidence with accountability. You’ll hear about survivors, confirmed cases, and the painstaking work of returning names to the lost, reminding us that justice is also about memory.

If this story challenges how you think about safety, policing, and who gets believed, you’re in the right place. Listen, share with a friend who follows true crime with a critical eye, and tell us what you think. Subscribe for more deep dives, leave a review to help others find the show, and email your thoughts or case suggestions—let’s keep this conversation going.

Sources:

FBI Press Release — “FBI Confirms Samuel Little Is Most Prolific Serial Killer in U.S. History”
• Author: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Critical Incident Response Group
• Date Published: October 6, 2019
🔗 https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-confirms-samuel-little-is-most-prolific-serial-killer-in-us-history

FBI Story/Profile — “Samuel Little: Confessions of a Killer”
• Author: Federal Bureau of Investigation (ViCAP story)
• Date Published: October 6, 2019 (updated story)
🔗 https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/samuel-little-most-prolific-serial-killer-in-us-history-100619

FBI Report (2019) — “Confessions of a Killer” (PDF from DOJ/FBI)
• Author: FBI / U.S. Department of Justice
• Date Updated: 2019 (recently archived or published documents continue referencing it)
• Details: National overview of confirmed vs. unconfirmed confessions, timeline, public call for help identifying victims.
🔗 https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/the-fbi-story-2019-web.pdf/view

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A knock at the door, a name that isn’t yours, and a past that refuses to stay buried. We follow a true-crime story that starts with a packed move in 1983 Louisville and ends—at least for now—with a 2025 tip in Florida, a DNA match, and a father-daughter embrace four decades in the making. Along the way, we sift through flyers and missing-person databases, a dismissed case that wouldn’t stay closed, and the quiet persistence of relatives and detectives who kept asking questions.

We walk through the investigation step by step: how a Crime Stoppers lead pointed to a new identity, why aging-photo comparisons mattered, and how investigators used discarded DNA and a sibling sample to reach a 99.9% match. We also unpack the legal side, from custodial interference to why Kentucky imposes no statute of limitations on felony parental kidnapping. Most of all, we sit with the human stakes. Michelle’s choice to support both parents in court, Joe’s description of the reunion as like seeing his daughter at birth, and the unanswered “why” at the center of the case all frame a story about identity, family, and the long shadow of secrets.

The mystery isn’t just about who and where—it’s about motive. Was it fear, custody, or something darker? We don’t have that answer yet, but we explore the possibilities with care and context, showing how modern tools and community tips can reignite cold cases. If you’re drawn to true crime, missing persons, DNA forensics, and the complexities of family reunions, this one will stay with you. Listen, share your thoughts on what motive makes sense, and help more people find the show by subscribing, rating, and leaving a review.

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A glittering reservoir with 700 miles of shoreline, a summer magnet for millions, and a drowned town beneath the surface—Lake Lanier refuses to be simple. We wade past the “cursed” label to explore the hard truths shaping its reputation: a long record of drownings and collisions, the submerged history of Oscarville, and the way policy choices still echo through today’s recreation culture.

We start with the present, unpacking recent incidents that made headlines and the patterns experts see: unbuckled life jackets, sudden drop-offs, shifting currents, heavy boat traffic, and alcohol turning a quick swim into a rescue that comes too late. From there we follow the shoreline backward, to a thriving Black community shattered by 1912 racial terror and, decades later, by eminent domain for Buford Dam. Homes, churches, roads—and many graves—went under. When drought pulls the lake down, pieces of that story surface, and the folklore writes itself: cold spots on hot nights, the Lady of the Lake, whispers in the coves.

The conversation doesn’t stop at legend. We talk practical safety—how to choose and secure a life jacket, why night boating is riskier than it looks, how wakes and wind trap swimmers near docks, and the difference that sober driving and hazard awareness make on crowded weekends. We also ask what it would mean to care for this place honestly: memorializing Oscarville, improving signage and patrols, and respecting the water with the same energy we bring to play.

If you’ve ever wondered whether Lake Lanier is haunted or simply carrying the weight of history and human error, this deep dive invites you to look closer. Listen, share with a friend who spends summers on the water, and tell us what you believe. If this resonated, follow the show, leave a review, and send us your take—curse or consequence?

https://lakelanier.com/history/

https://time.com/6984594/georgia-death-lake-lanier-haunted/

https://medium.com/theundercurrent/forsyth-1912-the-truth-about-lake-lanier-and-oscarville-6f61ec951e11

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A sunny Gulf Coast day can hide the darkest secrets. We kick off with light banter about warm holidays and beach-town charm, then turn to a haunting case from New Year’s Day, 1985: 23-year-old mother Tonya McKinley leaves a Pensacola bar and is found hours later, assaulted and strangled. Investigators collected semen and blood at the scene, interviewed witnesses, and chased every lead, but the limits of 1980s DNA and disconnected databases let the trail go cold. For decades, Tonya’s family lived with a name-shaped void.

Everything changes when genetic genealogy enters the picture. We unpack how detectives partnered with Parabon NanoLabs to build a family tree from crime scene DNA, narrowed possible relatives, and focused on men who lived nearby in 1985. A discarded cigarette butt from Milton resident Daniel Wells provided the crucial match in 2020, aligning with the original forensic profile and ending 35 years of uncertainty. We explore the steps behind the scenes—surveillance for touch DNA, laboratory confirmation, and the decision to share his profile with other agencies to probe possible links.

Then comes the emotional whiplash. Wells is arrested and reportedly admits involvement, but he dies by suicide in jail before facing trial. We wrestle with the complex feelings that follow: gratitude for the science that named a killer, anger at the loss of courtroom truth, and empathy for a son who grew up without a mother or a full story. Along the way, we tackle the ethics of using consumer DNA databases for law enforcement, balancing privacy with the power to solve cold cases and deliver overdue accountability.

If you care about true crime, forensic science, cold case breakthroughs, and the real families behind headlines, this story will stay with you. Listen, share with a friend who follows DNA sleuthing, and tell us your take on genetic genealogy and justice. Like, rate, and subscribe—your support helps us shine a light on the next case that still needs a name.

Source material:

Carrega, Christina, March 21,2020, DNA from discarded cigarette solves a 1985 cold case murder, https://abcnews.go.com/US/dna-discarded-cigarette-solves-1985-cold-case-murder/story?id=69706091

CBS News, March 20, 2020, Tonya McKinley murder: Man arrested in 1985 killing of mother after DNA found on cigarette, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tonya-mckinley-murder-daniel-wells-arrested-florida-1985-killing-young-mother-dna-found-cigarette/

Li, David K., March 19, 2020, Florida man arrested in 35-year-old cold case murder thanks to DNA on cigarette, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/florida-man-arrested-35-year-old-cold-case-murder-thanks-n1164051

Johnson, Amanda, April 2, 2020, Man accused in 1985 Pensacola cold case murder of Tonya McKinley dies in jail, https://weartv.com/news/local/pensacola-cold-case-suspect-dies-in-jail

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A white pickup sits deep in the Oklahoma woods. Inside: a weak but living dog, IDs and a cell phone, and more than thirty-two thousand dollars in cash no one touched. The Jameson family—Bobby, Sherry Lynn, and their six-year-old daughter Madison—has vanished into the trees, and the scene feels both too obvious and not nearly enough. We follow the trail from that haunting discovery to an even colder truth: years later, only scattered remains and silence.

We talk through the details that won’t resolve into a single theory. Friends described a devout family pulling inward, worried about curses and hauntings, and installing security cameras inside the home. One clip shows the parents standing motionless for long stretches, unsettling in its ambiguity. Then there’s the abandoned truck: no struggle, no footprints, no note, just a starving dog and a pile of cash some say was meant for off-grid land. Search teams and helicopters covered the ridgelines near Red Oak with no luck, until hunters found the family’s bones three miles from the truck four years later. No clear trauma. No murder weapon. No final truth.

We examine the leading possibilities—exposure fueled by shared paranoia, a meeting that turned into murder, or a chain of environmental and psychological stressors that don’t fit cleanly into a crime narrative. Along the way, we center what matters most: Madison’s lost future and the way fear can distort judgment behind closed doors. If you’re drawn to true crime stories where the evidence feels like a riddle, this case will get under your skin and stay there. Listen, weigh the facts with us, and share the theory you find most convincing. If the search for honest answers keeps you coming back, follow the show, leave a review, and tell a friend who loves a mystery with real stakes.