Late Nights with Nexpo: Episode Summary – "The Woman on the Tracks"

Published on May 14, 2025

Introduction

Late Nights with Nexpo, hosted by Ballen Studios, delves deep into the most bizarre and chilling true stories and mysteries. In the episode titled "The Woman on the Tracks," Nexpo explores the perplexing case of Mary Grimes Wallace—a story filled with unanswered questions, conflicting evidence, and lingering mysteries that have haunted the small town of Xenia, Ohio, for decades.

Discovery of Mary Grimes Wallace’s Body

The episode opens with a vivid recounting of January 10, 1954, in the rural outskirts of Xenia, Ohio. The serene pre-dawn silence is abruptly shattered by an approaching train. The locomotive engineer, familiar with the route, notices something unusual: a flash of fabric near the tracks.

“With all your strength, you jam the long steel rod straight downward, deep into the grassy soil... This could definitely be the one. It's the exact style of coffin she was buried in. But then again, it's the style a lot of people around here get buried in.” ([00:13])

As the train draws nearer, the engineer spots the decapitated body of a black woman lying across the tracks. The horrifying discovery is promptly reported to Ollie Grimes, Mary’s father, who is devastated upon identifying the body as his daughter, Mary Grimes Wallace.

The Investigation: Initial Leads

Ollie Grimes, a 60-year-old resident struggling with his daughter's troubled life, receives a distressing phone call from the Greene County Sheriff's Office informing him of Mary’s death. Mary’s tumultuous personal life—marked by her husband's abandonment, the loss of her children to foster care, and her troubled relationship with her boyfriend, William Byrd—raises immediate suspicions.

“...they believe Mary was the one found earlier that morning on the train tracks.” ([05:45])

Ollie expresses his conviction that William Byrd, Mary's volatile boyfriend, is responsible for her death. Sheriff Clarence Stewart acts on this lead, arresting Byrd. However, lacking concrete evidence, Byrd is released after a month, leaving the investigation at a standstill.

Sheriff Stewart’s Efforts and The Quarry Dive

Frustrated and desperate to solve the case, Sheriff Stewart receives an anonymous tip suggesting that a submerged car in a nearby quarry might hold crucial evidence. Despite high hopes, the diver retrieves nothing, further complicating the mystery.

“...it looks like the mystery of Mary Grimes just might never be put to rest.” ([28:50])

This unsuccessful dive exacerbates the sheriff’s frustration, casting doubts on the validity of the tip and his own investigative methods.

Five Years Later: William Byrd and Renewed Rumors

Fast forward to 1959, five years after Mary’s death. William Byrd sits alone at the Lone Pine Tavern, enduring the town’s relentless judgment. A chance encounter reignites a shocking rumor: Mary was seen alive in Cincinnati, suggesting she may have faked her death.

“People are saying that Mary Grimes might not be dead after all.” ([22:15])

Seizing this opportunity to clear his tarnished name, Byrd contacts the newly appointed Sheriff Russell Bradley, who reopens the investigation based on this tantalizing lead.

Sheriff Bradley’s Investigation and Reopening the Case

Sheriff Bradley pursues the Cincinnati lead, meeting with Mary’s family and revisiting old evidence. Despite initial dead ends—such as the bartender denying Mary’s presence at the bar and the friend unable to provide contact information—Bradley remains determined. He exhumates Mary’s grave to compare fingerprints with FBI records, only to discover that the coffins contain no trace of Mary.

“It's as though the harder he tries to find answers, the further from the truth he gets.” ([30:10])

This revelation muddles the case further, raising more questions about Mary’s true fate.

Inconsistencies and Unanswered Questions

The episode meticulously outlines the conflicting evidence:

• Assassination vs. Suicide: Mary’s troubled personal life suggests suicide, yet the decapitated body and absence of a note hint at foul play.

• Historical Connections: The proximity of Mary’s workplace to the Lone Pine Tavern, a site of previous murders, suggests a possible connection to past crimes against African Americans.

• Disappearances and Alibis: If Mary fled to Cincinnati, coinciding events such as another woman’s death and flawed burial records would have had to align perfectly—a seemingly improbable scenario.

Notable unanswered questions include:

• The Eyewitness: Who was the mysterious man seen walking away from the tracks alongside Mary’s body?

• Sheriff Stewart’s Theory: Why was Stewart so certain about the submerged Plymouth sedan, and what was his source?

• Mary’s Whereabouts: If Mary was indeed spotted alive, why did no substantial evidence or sightings follow?

Conclusion: The Unsolved Mystery

"The Woman on the Tracks" concludes by emphasizing the enduring enigma surrounding Mary Grimes Wallace's death. Despite rigorous investigations and numerous theories, the case remains unsolved, leaving the community with lingering doubts and unanswered questions.

“The mystery of Mary Grimes is one of the deepest rabbit holes that I have ever been down. It's so haunting, so baffling, that people still talk about it to this day.” ([31:10])

Nexpo underscores the intricate web of fact and fiction that makes this case particularly baffling, suggesting that the truth remains buried alongside the unresolved mysteries of Xenia, Ohio.

Closing Thoughts

This episode of Late Nights with Nexpo masterfully navigates the complexities of a cold case, highlighting how conflicting evidence and unresolved leads can perpetuate a mystery for generations. "The Woman on the Tracks" serves as a compelling exploration of human psychology, investigative challenges, and the elusive nature of truth in the face of persistent doubt.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• [00:13]: “This could definitely be the one. It's the exact style of coffin she was buried in.” – Narration setting the discovery scene.

• [05:45]: “...they believe Mary was the one found earlier that morning on the train tracks.” – Narration on the initial police report.

• [22:15]: “People are saying that Mary Grimes might not be dead after all.” – Interaction at the Lone Pine Tavern.

• [28:50]: “...it looks like the mystery of Mary Grimes just might never be put to rest.” – Narration on Sheriff Stewart’s despair.

• [30:10]: “It's as though the harder he tries to find answers, the further from the truth he gets.” – Narration on Sheriff Stewart’s frustration.

• [31:10]: “The mystery of Mary Grimes is one of the deepest rabbit holes that I have ever been down.” – Nexpo reflecting on the case’s complexity.

Production Credits

Late Nights with Nexpo is created and hosted by Nexpo, with executive production by Ballin, Nick Witters, and Zack Levitt. The episode was written by Zeth Lundy, featuring sound design by Alistair Sherman and research by Abigail Shumway, among others. Special thanks to all contributors for bringing this haunting story to life.

Listen and Engage

For those intrigued by the unresolved and the eerie, "The Woman on the Tracks" is a testament to how some mysteries remain unsolved, continuing to captivate and haunt long after the events have passed. Tune in to Late Nights with Nexpo every Wednesday for more chilling tales and unexplained phenomena.