DeepSummary
In the small town of Woodward, Oklahoma, a terrible murder took place in September 1974 where the Thrasher family - husband Mervyn, wife Sandra, 5-year-old daughter Penelope, and 18-month-old son Robert - were brutally killed. The suspect was 19-year-old Bobby Wayne Collins, a gas station worker, who claimed a hitchhiker named Jerry Prowess forced him to participate in the crimes.
Despite Collins' claims about Jerry Prowess, the investigation revealed inconsistencies in his stories and evidence tying him to the murders, such as the murder weapon being the Thrashers' stolen rifle and his new sneakers matching prints at the crime scene. Collins was found guilty and initially sentenced to death, later reduced to life in prison.
Over the years, Collins maintained his innocence and blamed the fictional Jerry Prowess. His parole requests were repeatedly denied as the community and prosecutors felt the crimes were amongst the worst in the county's history. As of the latest information provided, Collins remained in prison for the quadruple murder.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The brutal 1974 quadruple murder of the Thrasher family in Woodward, Oklahoma was a shocking and heinous crime.
- 19-year-old Bobby Wayne Collins was convicted of the murders, claiming an imaginary hitchhiker named Jerry Prowess forced him to participate, but evidence pointed to Collins acting alone.
- Collins received the death penalty which was later reduced to life in prison, and he maintained his innocence over the decades while being repeatedly denied parole.
- The community viewed the murders as among the worst crimes in the county's history and strongly opposed Collins' release.
- The case highlights issues around the death penalty, reasonable doubt based on circumstantial evidence, and the impact of motiveless crimes on a small town.
- Collins' shifting stories, violent history, and eventual admission to seeing the children before their murders made his claims of innocence implausible.
- The bizarre case captured national attention due to Collins' unbelievable scapegoating of a made-up hitchhiker accomplice in the face of overwhelming evidence.
- Despite some efforts to portray Collins as rehabilitated, the senseless killings of two young children made his continued incarceration justifiable to authorities.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “He'll kill me if I tell. Jerry will kill me.“ by Bobby Wayne Collins
- “I don't think he should ever be paroled.“ by Jack Barton
- “Bobby Collins should have been executed. He never gave a reason for committing the crimes.“ by Jack Barton
- “The reason the caseworker is recommending him for parole is because he's maintained good behavior and turned in a machine gun left behind by the National Guard after exercises at the prison.“ by N/A
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Episode Information
Small Town Murder
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman
4/12/24
This week, in Woodward, Oklahoma, a terrible slaughter takes place, in a nice, quiet neighborhood, sending the area into panic. They think they have their culprit, with a 24 hour gas station worker, but he tells them they have it all wrong. He blames it on a mysterious hitchhiker, that he picked up, and that forced him to participate in awful, bloody things. Will detectives be able to track this hitchhiker down, or was he a figment of imagination??
Along the way, we find out that "sand plum" is a bad name, for a tasty fruit, that nothing is safe, or sacred, and that if you're going to blame someone for murder, make sure they exist!!
Hosted by James Pietragallo and Jimmie Whisman
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