Town file
Talladega, Alabama
Talladega, Alabama (Talladega County, Alabama) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 627, "The Art Of Murder" (4 September 2025).
- Town
- Talladega
- County
- Talladega County
- State
- Alabama
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 627
- Approximate location
- 33.432, -86.099
Episode 627 / 4 September 2025 / 180 min / full
The Art Of Murder
"We're going to Talladega, Alabama ... Talladega County this is in" about 0:05:07
The case: Murder of Linda Fay Odam (February 1986); Murders of Sherry Weathers, Chad Weathers and Joey Weathers (February 1986); Murder of Linda Jarman (February 1986); Murder of Sheryl Evans (February 1986); Murder of Beatrice McDougle (March 1986); 1979 Las Vegas manslaughter of partner (January 1979); December 1985 Los Angeles murders (December 1985). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2025
- Population
- 15,782
- Median age
- 39 and a half
- Median household income
- $31,795 a year
- Median home value
- $134,600
- Cost of living
- 76
- Religious
- 53.4%
- Property crime
- ▲ twice the national average
- Violent crime
- ▲ almost double the national average
History, in brief
- Talladega is about an hour from Birmingham, two hours from Atlanta and an hour and ten minutes from Clanton. about 0:04:48
- The town's motto is city of speed. about 0:05:07
- Talladega Speedway opened in 1969. about 0:05:35
- The Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind was established in 1858 and is one of the most famous schools for the deaf in the country. about 0:06:08
- Legend says the speedway was built on former Creek Nation territory and a sacred burial ground, and that a Creek chief cursed it after being forced out to build the track; the Talladega Jinks is blamed for strange events there. about 0:06:31
- In 1973 NASCAR driver Bobby Isaac pulled off the track mid-race and quit, saying he heard a voice telling him to leave, and never returned that day. about 0:06:47
- The Kaymulga grist mill and covered bridge dates back to 1864, survived the Civil War undamaged, changed hands four times before being acquired by the Chitlesburg heritage committee, and still uses its original millstones to grind corn meal, now powered by electricity. about 0:16:44
The reviews read out
5 stars
"Lived here almost my whole life and went to school here from birth to present."about 0:07:11
"A good place; race weekend is awful for residents with everyone from the track coming through to buy beer, and there is not much for kids and teens, but it is slowly getting better."about 0:07:23
3 stars
"Pretty little place with nothing to do; always hearing about crimes, but there are good people working to improve things."about 0:07:48
1 star
"Enjoyed school and the after-school places for children, but fewer children graduate and the social buildings were torn down; the crime rate is terrible, every newsletter is another murder tragedy, and the schools need better funding."about 0:08:04
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Anniston, Alabama24 miles
- Jacksonville, Alabama33 miles
- Gadsden, Alabama40 miles
- Calera, Alabama43 miles
- Morris, Alabama46 miles
- Clanton, Alabama50 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.