State of Texas v. Hartsfield and Pinkerton - The KFC Murders

Based in Fact

In Episode 5, Lisa is joined by guest co-host Kyle to talk about the 1983 KFC Murders. September 23, 1983 was a typical night in Kilgore, Texas, with families attending football games and ordering take-out for dinner. At the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, something went horribly wrong at or near closing time. On Saturday, September 24th, the bodies of KFC employees Mary Tyler, Opie Hughes and Joey Johnson, along with friends David Maxwell and Monty Landers were found off an oil lease road in Rusk County, about 14 miles from the restaurant. All five had been shot to death, with at least 2 different guns. Initially, the only leads came from rumors and town gossip. The case went cold until DNA testing identified blood found on evidence inside the restaurant belonging to Tyler, Texas cousins Darnell Hartsfield and Romeo Pinkerton. We’ll talk about the lengthy and fruitless investigation hampered by technology that was primitive by today’s standards and the lack of solid leads or links to suspects. Finally, we’ll talk about the ultimate convictions of Pinkerton, who pled guilty during his capital murder trial and Hartsfield, who was convicted by a jury at trial.