FILE 470 / 24 February 2024 / 70 MIN / express

Friday The 13th

Panhandle, TexasListen

The town

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We are going all the way down to Texas this week, to the town of Panhandle, Texas; unsurprisingly it is in the Texas panhandle, about a half hour or a little more to Amarillo about 0:03:40

History, in brief

Town note

Originally named Carson City; changed to Panhandle City and then Panhandle.

about 0:06:45

1888

The town was laid out in 1888 because the railroad was coming through.

about 0:07:27

Town note

It had a bank, a wagon yard, one store, a newspaper and three saloons.

about 0:07:33
All 7 history facts

Town note

Originally named Carson City; changed to Panhandle City and then Panhandle.

about 0:06:45

1888

The town was laid out in 1888 because the railroad was coming through.

about 0:07:27

Town note

It had a bank, a wagon yard, one store, a newspaper and three saloons.

about 0:07:33

1897

In 1897 the Methodist Episcopal Church preacher George E. Morrison poisoned his wife Minnie with a strychnine-laced apple so he could marry his mistress from Topeka, Kansas.

about 0:07:48

Town note

Morrison was sentenced to die and hanged in Wilbarger County, Texas; his last words were "Jesus, lover of my soul".

about 0:08:27

The figures, as told

Money

Median home value$159,100
Median household income$76,481
All figures and comparisons, as told in 2024

Population

"2,686"

No direction stated.

As told in 2024 about 0:05:50

Median household income

"$76,481"

Comparison: "above the national average". Direction: above.

As told in 2024 about 0:06:01

Median home price

"$159,100"

No direction stated.

As told in 2024 about 0:06:22

The reviews

2.7 / 5 · average of 3

5 stars

“A wonderful country area with a lot of farms; very small so it is easy to find whatever is needed, and a simple, uncomplicated life.”
about 0:08:55

2 stars

“Honestly not for me: the adults say they are equal but judge people behind their backs, and the kids are bullies, druggies or abused; avoid this town.”
about 0:09:29

1 star

“Worst town I have ever lived in; if you have writing or music talent, move on, because the bigots will falsely accuse you of taking pictures of their kids, and the town has gone downhill since Lyle Denny died.”
about 0:10:32

In Texas

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The story

Panhandle, Texas, is a small town in the Texas Panhandle, about half an hour from Amarillo, with a population of 2,686 and an economy built on farming and oil. By the time he was nineteen he was described as a handsome young man who inspired loyalty among his few friends, and he was a boy obsessed with death. He watched horror films, read books about Satan and the Necronomicon, made grotesque masks and a clay corpse to test special effects on, and liked to be called Damien. His heroes were Ted Bundy, Charles Manson and, above all, Jack the Ripper, because Jack the Ripper was never caught. A neighbour said he hated God and would not have him mentioned; his best friend, Craig Shackleford, three years younger, said Glenn was not normal but did not think he was a Satanist. He was well behaved in grade school, but in high school he showed signs of depression, drank more and sometimes cut his arms with a knife when he was angry.

In the spring of 1988, when he was seventeen, he climbed the town water tower, which had Panhandle written on it, and threatened to jump until the police talked him down. A few months later he drove over a cliff at Palo Duro Canyon, was treated for his injuries and was placed in psychiatric care at Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo. On July 12th, 1990, he signed Shackleford's yearbook with a cryptic message about a problem he could not talk about, which he said Shackleford would find out about sooner or later.

Garcia was unsure, telling Shackleford that Glenn did not even like him and probably just wanted to take him out and scare him, but he went. Some later said there was a pentagram drawn on the barn floor; others said there was not. He said afterwards that he had recited an incantation first, that it was a ceremony for a secret religious belief he would not discuss, and that he had needed a virgin. He left Garcia dead in the barn at about ten o'clock and drove away.

About half an hour later Shackleford and another friend, Ron, saw him leaving town; he said he had just got done taking care of some business and had more to take care of. At Lake McClellan, where a large birthday party was under way, he intended to rack up a body count, but he had taken about eight Vivarin on an empty stomach, was jittery and sick, could not catch anyone alone and left after half an hour or forty-five minutes. He then went to Groom to the house of Jimmy Britton, the stepfather of a girl he had gone out with, said a friend had had a wreck and asked to use the phone, then pulled a straight razor and slashed Britton's throat and arms.

Williams needed months in hospital, thirteen surgeries and carried 52 pieces of metal from the door in his body. He then parked at the police station, planning to shoot himself once everyone arrived, but he could not remember the incantation he needed to recite, so he sat there until police came out and invited him in.

On the morning of July 14th, 1995, he gave a 41-page statement to Texas Ranger Jim Mull, saying he had always wanted to kill, that he felt no remorse and that he wanted the death penalty. Friends handed over a hit list of intended victims and a videotape detailing his motives and plans.

The case

Murder of Frankie Garcia

Victims

Frankie Garcia (17). shy, sweet-natured Panhandle High student, voted most friendly in eighth grade
Jimmy Britton. stepfather of ex-girlfriend; slashed with a straight razor and survived, needing over 200 stitches
Ken Williams. Panhandle High principal; shot through his front door and survived after months in hospital and 13 surgeries

Accused and outcomes

As told in the episode, on 24 February 2024.

Accused

Outcome

Other people

Craig Shackleford. best friend, aged 16, who gave a statement to police
Lori McCoy. close friend of Frankie Garcia
Katrina. 18-year-old neighbour who had known for 14 years
Ron. friend of Shackleford who saw leaving town
Jim Mull. Texas Ranger who interviewed

The timeline

  1. April 20th, 1971 is born (Panhandle)about 0:13:04
  2. the spring of 1988 Aged 17, he climbs the town water tower and threatens to jump until police talk him down (Panhandle water tower)about 0:24:57
  3. a few months later, 1988 He drives his car over a cliff at Palo Duro Canyon and is treated for his injuries (Palo Duro Canyon)about 0:25:15
  4. 1988 He is placed in psychiatric care after the crash (Northwest Texas Hospital)about 0:25:24
  5. July 12th, 1990 He writes a cryptic message in Craig Shackleford's school yearbook (Panhandle)about 0:26:21
  6. Friday, July 13th, 1995 invites Frankie Garcia to the barn known as the haunted house (haunted house barn)about 0:28:46
  7. about 10 o'clock, July 13th, 1995 makes Garcia kneel, puts a .223 rifle in his mouth, makes him beg and shoots him dead (haunted house barn)about 0:33:25

Places and phrases

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Places in the story

Public places are marked on the map.

Heard in this episode