A mother and three daughters vanish from their Tennessee home. What initially appears to be a missing persons case quickly evolves into a multi-state homicide investigation and one of the most intense manhunts in recent memory.

In this episode of Chasing Evil, host Christopher Godsick sits down with the law enforcement officers who helped bring the Adam Mayes case to its dramatic conclusion, including members of the U.S. Marshals Service, Union County Sheriff's Office, and Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

As investigators uncover evidence of a disturbing obsession, discover the bodies of Jo Ann Bain and her daughter, and race against time to locate two missing girls, a massive search effort unfolds across Tennessee and Mississippi. Hear firsthand how investigators pieced together the clues, navigated interagency challenges, and ultimately located Adam Mayes and the surviving children deep in the Mississippi woods.

Show Notes

Episode Summary

In April 2012, Jo Ann Bain and her three daughters disappeared from their home in Hardeman County, Tennessee. Suspicion quickly focused on family acquaintance Adam Mayes, but investigators initially lacked enough evidence to charge him with the abduction. As the investigation intensified, law enforcement uncovered evidence of a carefully planned kidnapping, disturbing allegations involving the children, and ultimately a murder scene that transformed the case into a nationwide manhunt.

This episode features firsthand accounts from the officers who worked the case, including retired U.S. Marshals, Union County investigators, and members of Mississippi's Special Response Team. They describe the search for Mayes, the discovery of the victims, the interagency effort to find the two surviving girls, and the final confrontation that brought the case to an end.

Featured Guests

Jimmy Edwards – Sheriff, Union County, Mississippi
Gail Manning – Retired Senior Inspector, U.S. Marshals Service
Baron Baker – Chief Deputy, Union County Sheriff's Office
Lt. Mike Vowell – Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Special Response Team
Shane Brown – Retired Team Leader, U.S. Marshals Service

In This Episode

The disappearance of Jo Ann Bain and her daughters
Adam Mayes becomes the primary suspect
Evidence of long-term planning and deception
Discovery of homicide victims in Mississippi
The launch of a multi-agency fugitive manhunt
The role of the U.S. Marshals Service
Search operations in the Mississippi wilderness
The rescue of two surviving children
The emotional impact on investigators and the community
Reflections from the officers who brought the case to a close

Key Agencies Involved

U.S. Marshals Service
Union County Sheriff's Office
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
Mississippi Highway Patrol

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Chasing Evil is produced with the cooperation of the U.S. Marshals Service. Opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Marshals Service.