Town file
Clinton, North Carolina
Clinton, North Carolina (Sampson County, North Carolina) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 204, "What EXACTLY Happened Here?" (31 December 2020). Robert Daniel Arnold Jr., known as Dan, was born in 1951 and became a minister of music.
- Town
- Clinton
- County
- Sampson County
- State
- North Carolina
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 204
- Approximate location
- 35.000, -78.332
Episode 204 / 31 December 2020 / 154 min / full
What EXACTLY Happened Here?
"We're gonna go down to Clinton, North Carolina; this is in Samson County." about 0:05:03
The case: Murder of Robert Daniel 'Dan' Arnold Jr. (July 18, 1984). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2020
- Population
- 8,630
- Median household income
- $29,474
- Median home value
- $121,400
- Two-bedroom rent
- $679 a month
- Cost of living
- 78
- Religious
- 56.7%
- Property crime
- ▲ about one third higher
- Violent crime
- ▲ over double
History, in brief
- The first European settlers in the area arrived around 1740. about 0:06:28
- The town was originally known as Clinton Courthouse. about 0:07:01
- An earlier incorporated town of Clinton, in Matthews County, folded in 1822. about 0:07:08
- The town of Clinton was incorporated in 1822, the same year the old town folded. about 0:07:48
- Clinton fielded a minor league baseball team in the Tobacco State League from 1946 to 1950. about 0:08:12
- Van Lingle Mungo, a five-time All-Star fastball pitcher, finished his career there; he had a 120-115 lifetime record, a 3.47 ERA and 1,242 strikeouts, and led the National League in strikeouts in 1936. about 0:09:55
- Mungo was the most heavily fined player of his era, with over $15,000 in fines. about 0:14:03
The reviews read out
1 star
"No local concerts except a few times each summer with activities in the park, and the community theatre is only local talent."about 0:15:59
2 stars
"The people were friendly, but a smell from the hog farms was almost unbearable and there were not many job opportunities."about 0:16:47
2 stars
"The largest employers are agriculture, the hospital and the school system, with very few upper management positions."about 0:17:06
3 stars
"An all right city, a very small town in a rural area with a small variety of fast food choices, shopping areas and stairs."about 0:17:25
3 stars
"A very nice town to settle down and retire, with friendly, helpful people and a great atmosphere; it just got a GameStop and will soon get a Popeyes."about 0:18:06
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Selma, North Carolina37 miles
- Red Springs, North Carolina50 miles
- Raeford, North Carolina51 miles
- Cary, North Carolina61 miles
- Washington, North Carolina82 miles
- Nixonville, South Carolina87 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.