244 episodes

Erica Kelley is a native Tennessean exploring historical and contemporary true crime in the South. Southern charm is attempted but southern sass is bountiful. Join her as she shows you just how southern fried the justice system can be in the Deep South.

Southern Fried True Crime Erica Kelley

    • True Crime
    • 4.6 • 10K Ratings

Erica Kelley is a native Tennessean exploring historical and contemporary true crime in the South. Southern charm is attempted but southern sass is bountiful. Join her as she shows you just how southern fried the justice system can be in the Deep South.

    212: The Whitaker Family Slayings

    212: The Whitaker Family Slayings

    In December of 2003, 23-year-old Bart Whitaker had just finished his finals and was about to graduate from college. That night, he went to dinner to celebrate with his parents, Tricia and Kent, and his younger brother Kevin. As they returned home and walked through their door, they were ambushed by a masked gunman. Initially, authorities suspected that this was a burglary gone wrong. But before the funerals had even taken place, detectives discovered that Bart had lied about graduating. And that was just the beginning. 

    Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley 
    Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank and Erica Kelley
    Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner 
    Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio
    Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder and Erica Kelley 
    Suggested by Jessica, Donna, Michelle, and Kyle

    Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/whitaker-family-massacre

    This episode is brought to you by:  
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    • 1 hr 2 min
    211: Evil or Innocent Twins: Betty, Peggy & The Murder of Dr Jack Wilson

    211: Evil or Innocent Twins: Betty, Peggy & The Murder of Dr Jack Wilson

    On May 22 1992, Betty Wilson frantically called 911 from her Huntsville, Alabama home. She found her husband, the esteemed Dr. Jack Wilson, in a pool of blood. Someone had bludgeoned and stabbed him to death. Initially, police had no suspects. Until an anonymous tip led them to a man named James White. James confessed to killing Dr. Wilson to prove his love for Betty’s twin sister, Peggy. According to James, Peggy had insisted that he murder her sister’s husband. But, according to Peggy and Betty, James was nothing but a deranged liar.

    Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley 
    Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank and Erica Kelley
    Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner 
    Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio 
    Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley 

    Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/jack-wilson

    This episode is brought to you by:  
    This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/SOUTHERN and get on your way to being your best self.Treat yourself to the best bras and shapewear on the market and save 20% Off at honeylove.com/SFTC.Get a special 20% off any new SimpliSafe system when you sign up for Fast Protect Monitoring at SimpliSafe.com/southernfried - “There’s no safe like SimpliSafe”True Crime Podcast Training: Go to TrueCrimePodcastTraining.com today and enter code SFTC to get $150 off ANY course. 

    • 1 hr 25 min
    210: Update on the Tex McIver Case

    210: Update on the Tex McIver Case

    Late on a Sunday night in September of 2016, Atlanta power couple, Tex and Diane McIver, were driving back into the city and got caught in Atlanta’s notorious traffic. Diane’s best friend was driving as Diane rode in the passenger seat and her husband, Tex, sat directly behind her. When they were stopped in what they considered a dangerous part of town, Tex asked for his gun, and then fell asleep. What happened next would cause one of the most hotly debated criminal cases in recent Atlanta history.

    I covered this case in August 2019. But In June 2022, the Georgia Supreme Court unanimously reversed Tex’s convictions. This episode is a refresher on the original episode and an analysis on the new developments in the case.

    Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
    Researched and written by Gemma Harris and Erica Kelley
    Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner
    Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio
    Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley

    Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/tex-mciver-update

    This episode is brought to you by:
    Indulge in affordable luxury! Go to Quince.com and use promo code SFTC for free shipping.Try the ultimate brain & body boosting products. Text SOUTHERNFRIED to 64000 to get 20% off your IQ Bar Ultimate Sampler Pack. (EatIQBar.com)

    • 43 min
    REMASTERED Ep66: Tex & Diane McIver: Accident or Murder?

    REMASTERED Ep66: Tex & Diane McIver: Accident or Murder?

    Late on a Sunday night in September of 2016, Atlanta power couple, Tex and Diane McIver, were driving back into the city and got caught in Atlanta’s notorious traffic. Diane’s best friend was driving as Diane rode in the passenger seat and her husband, Tex, sat directly behind her. When they were stopped in what they considered a dangerous part of town, Tex asked for his gun, and then fell asleep. What happened next would cause one of the most hotly debated criminal cases in recent Atlanta history.

    Written, hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
    Edited and mixed by Erica Kelley
    Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner
    Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio
    **Remastered version

    Sources: https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/66-tex-diane-mciver-accident-or-murder

    • 48 min
    209: The Disgraced Hero & Fugitive: Mario Centobie

    209: The Disgraced Hero & Fugitive: Mario Centobie

    When Officer Keith Turner pulled over a car in Moody, Alabama on June 25, 1998, he thought it was a routine traffic stop. The 29-year-old husband and father had no idea that the men in the car were two escaped convicts, Mario Centobie and Jeremy Granberry. In the span of two days, the armed and dangerous fugitives had already attacked one officer and nearly killed another. As Officer Turner walked toward them, Mario stepped out of the vehicle. He reached through the window as if to retrieve his license, but instead he pulled out a gun and fired three times.

    Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
    Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank
    Additional writing by Erica Kelley
    Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner
    Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio
    Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley

    Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/keith-turner

    This episode is brought to you by:
    Get your year started off right with healthy new vitamins. For 50% off your first month, go to TakeCareOf.com and enter code SFTC50Try the revolutionary whole body deodorant Lume. Go to Lume.com and enter code SFTC for $5 offPower up your life with superior brain and body nutrition products from IQBAR! Text SOUTHERNFRIED TO 64000 for 20% off your first order

    • 1 hr 5 min
    208: The Murder of Cherica Adams

    208: The Murder of Cherica Adams

    In November of 1999, 24-year-old Cherica Adams was eight months pregnant when she and the father of her child, 25-year-old Carolina Panthers wide receiver Rae Carruth, went on a double date. They saw a late-night showing of a serial killer flick at the theater. As Rae led Cherica back home to her apartment in his white Ford Expedition, with Cherica following behind in her black BMW, he unexpectedly slowed to a near stop. Confused, Cherica slowed down too. Then, an unknown car pulled up beside her and gunfire rang out. Before the smoke had cleared, Rae was gone—and Cherica had been shot multiple times.

    Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
    Researched and written by Andrea Marshbank and Erica Kelley
    Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner
    Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio
    Edited & Mixed by Brandon Schexnayder & Erica Kelley
    Suggested by: Greg Husketh, Patee, Hannah, and Terina

    Sources: https://southernfriedtruecrime.com/cherica-adams

    This episode is brought to you by:
    This episode is to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/SOUTHERN and get on your way to being your best self.Visit SimpliSafe.com/southernfried to get 20% off any new system with Fast Protect Monitoring. There’s no safe like SimpliSafe.Financial anxiety anyone? Worrying about it doesn’t help. EarnIn does. Download the EarnIn app today in Google Play or Apple App Store.Treat yourself to the best bras and shapewear on the market and save 20% Off at honeylove.com/SFTC.

    • 1 hr 8 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
10K Ratings

10K Ratings

Babybluestx ,

My favorite southern belle

I still love this podcast so much that I don’t mind skipping the ads that come up after every 3-5 spoken words.

Stupidbaboon1245 ,

Emotionless robotic

The stories are good. And the narrator’s voice is pleasant but she reads the script with little emotion. Like a robot. She shows more emotion reading the credits.

whyyshanhskd ,

The best!

I am from Arkansas and it’s not often that I hear a podcast covering a case from my state. I love the south and I am familiar with the unique crimes prevalent here. I love Southern Fried True Crime. Erica’s accent paired with her first hand knowledge of the south is the cherry on top of her excellent story telling.

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