Nancy Locklin

Psychology Experts Face Off

This post was written by Autumn Carroll (MC ’22) and edited by N. Locklin. By now, we have seen that the grounds on which Ada Wells made her identification were a bit shaky. She was unable to make an immediate identification of Will Sheffey as the attacker, only being able to following a hallucination thatContinue reading “Psychology Experts Face Off”

The State of TN vs. William D. Sheffey, opening day

As the August 1925, session of the Circuit Court in Blount County, TN, approached, the town was abuzz. The earliest reports were that the Sheffey defense team was hard put to get the state to reveal their evidence prior to its presentation at trial. There was no preliminary hearing. By August 11, it had beenContinue reading “The State of TN vs. William D. Sheffey, opening day”

Pre-trial Debates

In the weeks leading up to Sheffey’s trial, factions developed in the community. Newspapers presented wildly different characterizations of the suspect, depending on who their sources and audience were. The Maryville papers tried to maintain a neutral stance because the community was so divided. Out-of-town papers seemed to run with whatever headline would be mostContinue reading “Pre-trial Debates”

A Community in Chaos

The level of fear generated by the Night Marauder attacks cannot be underestimated. One example of just how rattled people were is the case against Mrs. Odie Leadford. (Sometimes Otis or Ollie, sometimes Ledford) She had two people boarding in the home she shared with her husband Maurice: Amos Dockery and his seven-year-old daughter. TheContinue reading “A Community in Chaos”

The Investigator

Victor Jonas Hultquist is known to some as “the father of Alcoa.” The mayor of Maryville, Sam Everett, had welcomed the Aluminum Company of America to build a new site in what was then called North Maryville in 1914. Just a year after that, Hultquist was transferred from the company’s New Kensington site to overseeContinue reading “The Investigator”

Private eyes

This post was written by Channing Bragg (MC ’21) and Cole Cleek (MC ’23) and was edited by N. Locklin. The first thing that people tend to think of when tragedy strikes is to seek out the police, but what do you do when the police cannot help you? There is only one place toContinue reading “Private eyes”

The Poes

Warning: this post includes details of a sexual assault. Clyde Poe was just 21 in December, 1924, and he and his wife Lora had been married a little over a year. He was listed as a laborer, a “hard working farmer,” in Alcoa. Clyde and Lora lived with their four month old baby boy nearContinue reading “The Poes”

A Trap is Set

This post is based on a chapter written by N. Locklin and was edited by Trey Hampton (MC ’24) In the months after he had received the anonymous letter, Sheriff John C. McCampbell did not stop looking for the Night Marauder. Two people who had seen the letter—the Sheriff’s sister-in-law and old Dr. Cusick fromContinue reading “A Trap is Set”

Luther and Ada Wells

This post is based on a piece written by N. Locklin, edited by Andy Kelly (MC ’23) and Sydnee Hansraj (MC ’23). At eighteen years old, the young couple had only been married eight months when the terrifying Night Marauder landed on their doorstep and changed their lives forever. On the night of December 10,Continue reading “Luther and Ada Wells”

Corrupt Coroners

This post was written by Danielle Abell (MC ’23) and edited by N. Locklin. In being tasked with defining what evidence constitutes an investigation, which specifics define murder in an investigation, and how to defend those who have been victims of a crime, forensic pathologists and coroners are flush with power in the criminal justiceContinue reading “Corrupt Coroners”