The Town That Dreaded Sundown

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In the spring of 1946,

in the small town of Texarkana,

on the Texas-Arkansas border,

a series of horrific murders

were committed

by a masked assailant known

only as "The Phantom Killer."

For three harrowing months, the Phantom

stalked the back roads of Texarkana,

following young couples

looking for privacy to isolated areas,

where their screams for help

would go unanswered.

Though several arrests were made

in connection with the brutal slayings,

which ended as suddenly as they began,

the killer's identity

was never confirmed.

Indeed, many people who lived

through that nightmare time

believed the Phantom

spent the rest of his days free,

walking the streets of Texarkana

quietly, anonymously,

until his assumed death.

In 1976, a film inspired by the infamous

Moonlight Murders was released.

Every year, on Halloween,

The Town That Dreaded Sundown

is screened somewhere in Texarkana,

in tribute to the Phantom's legacy

of death and blood.

Today, Texarkana

is a place haunted by its past,

defined by a mystery

that was never solved,

and a tragedy

that could never be forgotten.

The following happened

in Texarkana last year.

Sammy! Sammy!

You're not enjoying this, are you?

Oh, I just don't like

these kinds of films so much.

Why didn't you say so?

We can go.

Really? Do you mean it?

Stop it!

I mean, man, the last time I saw

this movie was when I was, like, 12.

God bless you and the Texarkana

Fellowship Church invites you

to stop the Devil with gospel.

Hello, sister.

You take a look at this now.

This is a godless film

that you're watching here.

And I want you to listen

to my broadcast on Friday

and come to church on Sunday.

I'll tell you all about it.

Welcome back.

This is KYGL, Oldies on the Border.

It's Halloween night,

so if you're sitting at home,

waiting for the trick-or-treaters to come by,

we'll keep you company with our usual...

Real people died, you know, young man.

Real people died.

That's right. That's right.

It's a godless film and I want to see you

on Sunday. We welcome you.

That's good. You leave.

This is a godless film.

It's good that you're leavin'.

What?

I'm just having a good time

with you, Jami.

The only reason I play football

is to get a scholarship and go to SMU.

Yeah?

And how about you? Where'd you apply?

You did apply, right?

You're, like, super smart.

Yeah. Yeah, I did.

I applied to UT Austin,

NYU, and Cal State.

Wow. That's impressive.

Oh, I probably won't get in,

but, you know, aim high.

You should.

My dad used to write

for the Gazette, actually.

My grandma says it's in my blood, so...

Even though no one reads it,

I like writing for the paper.

I could do that from here

and stay close to my grandma.

- If I don't get in.

- Right.

Well, I'm glad you finally said yes.

Me, too.

- Wait.

- What?

Did I... did I do something wrong?

No.

What the hell is he doing?

He's just a Peeping Tom.

He's not gonna do anything.

Corey, we don't know that.

But look.

See?

He just wanted a show.

He's just some a**hole

from the drive-in.

Let's just go, though. Is that okay?

Yeah.

- Get out of the car.

- Don't, Jami. Stay in the car.

Get out of the f***ing car

or I'll shoot her in the face.

Do your momma and daddy know

where you were tonight, boy?

The movie. Yes.

Well, what about yours?

They're dead.

Take your pants off.

- What?

- Take off your f***ing pants.

Corey, just do it.

Okay, all right.

- Come on, man.

- Get down on the f***in' ground.

- Corey.

- Okay. All right, I am.

I'm not gonna run anywhere.

Now... Now, please, can...

can you just let her go?

No.

Please don't kill him.

You.

Turn around. Do not look back.

All right, if you want money,

I can get you money.

- I don't want money.

- What do you want?

I said don't look back.

What are you doing?

What are... What are you...

- Shut the f*** up!

- What are you doin'?

- Shut the f*** up. Shut the f*** up!

- What are you doing?

- What the f*** are you doin'...

- Corey!

- Please, no! No, please!

- No!

Please.

No.

You looked.

This is for Mary.

Make them remember.

What are you doing?

No, please, don't hurt me.

- Who is that?

- What?

Oh, no. Please don't hurt me.

This is Texarkana 911.

What is your emergency?

We're at the Twin Star Drive-In.

We need an ambulance and the police.

Is someone injured?

Yes. A girl and maybe her boyfriend,

I don't know. She is hysterical.

All right. All right.

He was on top of me.

He could have killed me, but he didn't.

You say the Phantom told you something?

I don't know why, but he said

he was doin' it for someone named Mary.

- Were you drinkin'? Doin' any drugs?

- No.

Did the doctors find any drugs in her?

Well, as a precaution, we're gonna

have someone in front of your house.

I... I can do that.

- Thank you.

- Until we get some more information,

Jami, we'd like to ask you not to discuss

any of this with the press.

They've been all over this story,

as you can imagine.

Once again, for those just joining us,

24 hours after the shocking

Phantom-inspired murder

of a 17-year-old high school student,

no arrests have been made.

It is unreasonable to try and find meaning

in this grotesque and godless crime,

but that is exactly

what we must do as a community.

Like a lost reel

from The Town That Dreaded Sundown,

the attack on Halloween night took place

in a secluded, wooded cul-de-sac,

just off Highway 6, an area

that used to be called Lovers' Lane.

Grandma, do you remember

anything about the murders?

Oh, dear girl, barely.

Just what I heard later.

You know, your... great-grandpa

and your great-grandma

lived in this house when it happened.

I remember my momma once said

that it was like the town was being tested

and nobody knew why.

Even the grown-ups were scared.

He was the bogeyman, they said.

Can't catch the bogeyman.

Can't kill the bogeyman.

His father is the devil

and his mother is a whore.

You know, before that summer,

everybody would leave

their doors unlocked.

And after the summer,

you saw a stranger,

you wouldn't wave hello.

You'd just cross the street.

And what about when they made the movie?

- What about it?

- Were people still afraid?

The Phantom? No, that faded.

Nobody knew exactly

who he was or what he did,

just that... he'd lived in this town

and attacked some teenagers

on Lovers' Lane.

And then the movie brought it all back.

This is for Mary.

Humility, devotion, sacrifice.

Mr. Holland...

I just wanted you to know

that he was so brave.

You left my baby boy!

- Margaret.

- You slut!

- Margaret.

- You slut! You left him!

It won't bring him back.

- You left my baby boy!

- It won't...

I want my baby!

Given what you've been through,

I'd like to prescribe a mild

anti-anxiety medication to help you...

No, ma'am. No, thank you.

I've spent the last seven years

on all different kinds of medication

after my parents passed away.

I'm not interested in anything like that.

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