In 1946, something, or someone, started hunting couples in the quiet towns surrounding Texarkana. A masked stranger appeared from the darkness, attacked without warning, and vanished before anyone could get a good look at him. Before long, the Texarkana area was gripped by fear, and an unknown predator became known as the Phantom.

The attacks were brutal. The clues were frustratingly few. And despite an enormous investigation, the identity of the man behind the mask has remained one of those deliciously infuriating mysteries that refuses to stay buried.

This week on Champagne and Murder, Please., we’re heading back to 1940s Texarkana to talk about the Phantom, the attacks that terrified an entire community, the suspects who ended up in the crosshairs, and the investigation that followed. And because apparently one mysterious masked killer wasn't enough for the true-crime rabbit hole, there are theories that the Phantom may have had a connection to another infamous unsolved mystery decades later.

So pour yourself something cold, lock the doors, and maybe don't go wandering around outside after dark. We're going to Texarkana.

Trigger warning: This episode discusses murder, sexual assault, violence, and attacks on victims.

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