Town file
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau, Missouri (Cape Girardeau County, Missouri) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 713, "Homicidal Bloodthirsty Energizer Bunny" (2 July 2026). Stephanie Lynn Pruitt was born on June 29th, 1974.
- Town
- Cape Girardeau
- County
- Cape Girardeau County
- State
- Missouri
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 713
- Approximate location
- 37.309, -89.558
Episode 713 / 2 July 2026 / 184 min / full
Homicidal Bloodthirsty Energizer Bunny
"We're going to Cape Girardeau; it's in southeastern Missouri, way down there, in Cape Girardeau County, also in Scott County as well." about 0:06:03
The case: Murder of Michael Sanders (March 21st, 1996); Murder of Stephanie Ray (June 8th, 2009). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2026
- Population
- 39,415
- Median age
- 33.9
- Median household income
- $48,055
- Median home value
- $180,400
- Two-bedroom rent
- $880 a month
- Cost of living
- 84
- Religious
- 78.3%
- Property crime
- ▲ almost double
- Violent crime
- ▲ only slightly above average
History, in brief
- The city is named after Jean Baptiste de Girardot, spelled completely differently, who established a temporary trading post around 1733. about 0:06:58
- Girardot was a French soldier stationed at Kaskaskia between 1704 and 1720 in the Louisiana colony. about 0:07:16
- The cape in the name refers to a rock promontory overlooking the Mississippi River, later destroyed by railroad construction. about 0:07:28
- On May 21st, 1949, a large tornado ripped through the city, killing 22 people, hospitalising 72 and injuring hundreds. about 0:07:52
- It became known as the City of Roses because a nine-mile stretch of highway was once lined with dozens of rosebushes. about 0:08:04
- There used to be many prominent rose gardens around the community, but hardly any exist any more. about 0:08:30
The reviews read out
5 stars
"Likes the all-around atmosphere, grew up here and likes the people and restaurants."about 0:09:26
3 stars
"The town has good and bad parts depending on the area; areas around Legends bring crime and trouble, the bars are not exciting and there is only one club."about 0:09:45
1 star
"Don't come here; it is not like it was; narcissists, druggies, drug dealers, killers and thieves, and you will not be able to leave."about 0:11:00
1 star
"Not as good as it once was: crime, drugs, killings, shootings, harassment, fighting and no good jobs; the city will not fund enough law enforcement."about 0:12:00
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Paducah, Kentucky53 miles
- Tallapoosa, Missouri57 miles
- Bonne Terre, Missouri68 miles
- Eldorado, Illinois70 miles
- Tiline, Kentucky73 miles
- Benton, Kentucky73 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.