MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories

Episode: Legends of the Pet Cemetery (Podcast Exclusive Episode)

Date: December 15, 2025
Host: John Allen a.k.a. MrBallen, Ballen Studios

Episode Overview

In this chilling episode, MrBallen explores the haunting true crime mystery at the heart of a small Louisiana town: the murder of Dorothy Thompson, the eccentric owner of St. Bernard’s pet cemetery. Through his signature immersive storytelling, MrBallen unravels decades of community gossip, betrayal, greed, and supernatural rumors surrounding Dorothy’s strange disappearance, the tangled web of suspects, and the path to her killer’s eventual capture over 25 years later.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Scene: Dorothy Thompson & the Haunted Cemetery

• Dorothy’s Background:
  Dorothy, a 60-year-old woman, owned and lived alone on the grounds of a massive pet cemetery in St. Bernard, Louisiana—a place rumored to be haunted. (05:00)

  • The cemetery was her business and life’s work, but her isolation, two deceased husbands (one in self-defense, another by suicide), and the tragedies on her property made her an object of local gossip.
  • “It was the fact that she not only owned this pet cemetery, but she lived on the cemetery by herself.” – MrBallen (05:35)

• Perception in the Town:
  Dorothy was viewed as an odd recluse, a so-called “husband killer,” and a likely source of supernatural disturbance.

  • “Most of those rumors in this town seemed to be about Dorothy.” – MrBallen (05:11)

Dorothy’s Last Day (April 13, 1985)

• Daily Vulnerabilities:

  • Dorothy suffered from poor health, depression, and a reliance on others for chores and errands (notably, handymen with dubious backgrounds). (07:00-09:00)
  • Recent handyman hires had involved criminal activity, attempted cons, and even an exploitative land transaction.

• Key Relationships:

  • Patricia Newman: Half Dorothy’s age, caretaker and confidant (like a surrogate daughter), relied on almost daily for medication and transportation. (10:00)
  • Brandon and Bonnie Nodier: Former handyman and wife, embroiled in a fierce legal dispute with Dorothy over the cemetery property, stemming from a sketchy, low-cost land sale while Dorothy was medicated and vulnerable. (09:40)

• Dorothy’s Movements:

  • That day, Dorothy runs errands, pays her new handyman, Kenny Palmiere, and spends the evening at home unwinding. That night, she gets a call from Patricia, confirming an appointment for the next day.
  • As Dorothy moves to return to bed, she hears a car slowly making its way up her secluded drive. (13:30)

Discovery of Her Disappearance (April 14, 1985)

• Patricia’s Concern & Police Response:
  Patricia arrives the next day, doesn’t get an answer, and after several attempts to contact Dorothy, finally gets police to perform a welfare check. The home is neat, undisturbed, with only a glass of wine left and the TV on—Dorothy is missing, no sign of struggle. (14:30–18:30)
  • “It was just like Dorothy was gone, and that was it.” – MrBallen (16:55)
  • Police’s initial lack of urgency contrasts sharply with Patricia’s conviction that something terrible has happened. (17:45)
  • Days later, Dorothy is officially reported missing.

The Investigation: Suspects & Rumors Swirl

• Detective Valalungo’s Investigation:

  • Points out that everyone in the town holds some animosity toward Dorothy: she’s “crazy,” “killed her husbands,” and “the land is haunted.” (21:00)
  • Interview of the bank, neighbors, Kenny Palmiere, and all close contacts yields little information.

• Contentious Lawsuit:

  • The lawsuit between Dorothy and the Nodiers is considered highly suspicious as motive emerges. (22:30)
  • “The Notiers would clearly benefit from Dorothy’s disappearance” – MrBallen (41:03)

The Body Found & Cause of Death (20 days later)

• Gruesome Discovery:
  Dorothy’s body is found in the Mississippi River, wrapped in heavy chains and a plastic bag over her head—a clear homicide. Identification is possible only by the cross tattoo on her finger. (27:53)
  • “She was found with a plastic bag tied over her head, and she was wrapped in a lot of very heavy chains, probably to weigh her down so her body would not float up and be found.” – MrBallen (28:52)
• No Forensics, No Clear Scene:
  Most evidence is washed away, and nothing at her home points to the killer. Detective Valalungo struggles with an investigation filled with suspects but no evidence. (30:00)

Suspects: Motives and Accusations

• The Main Players:
  • Patricia Newman: Benefits from Dorothy’s will; viewed suspiciously for her early, persistent involvement in the investigation and with access to Dorothy’s property. (32:30)
  • Brandon & Bonnie Nodier: Inherit land if Dorothy dies before the lawsuit resolves—Brandon, hot-tempered, with a criminal record, and Bonnie (who literally moves into Dorothy’s house after her death).
  • Elkin Childress: Former handyman eliminated by alibi, but obsessed with rumored “treasure” buried on the property, as per local lore.
• Everyone Points Fingers:
  Patricia and Brandon accuse each other; motives for financial gain abound.
  • “It was sort of funny in a dark way that just a few days ago, Balalungo couldn't see any reason why anybody would want to kill Dorothy. And now it was like everybody in Dorothy's life…wanted Dorothy's money.” – MrBallen (43:35)

Years Pass: A Cold Case and Haunting Rumors

• Cemetery Vandalism & Community Lore:
  Five months later, nearly all pet cemetery tombstones are smashed in a bizarre act—possibly related to the treasure rumors, speculated as the work of ex-handyman Elkin. (45:12)
• Case Goes Cold:
  Despite exhaustive re-interviews and even consulting a psychic, the case grows cold for nearly 25 years. (47:40)

The Break: Decades Later, Confession Haunted by a Ghost

• 2009: The Haunting Call:
  Decades later, a man calls police, claiming to be haunted by Dorothy’s ghost in chains, urging him to confess what he knows. (49:40)
  • “He told the detectives that he had been seeing Dorothy's ghost, covered in chains and asking him to come forward.” – MrBallen (50:30)
• What Happened to Dorothy (Reconstruction):
  • Sometime after 9pm on April 13, 1985, Dorothy’s killer (Brandon Nodier) drove up, entered via the back door, and strangled her. He then, assisted by former handyman James Tregler, disposed of her body in the river, weighed down to sink. (52:20)
  • “He jumped on top of her. Dorothy tried to scream but the killer immediately wrapped their hands tight around her throat and she went silent.” – MrBallen (52:40)

Justice: Unraveling the Truth Years Later

• The Confession and Aftermath:
  • The anonymous caller, spurred on by visions of Dorothy’s ghost, reveals the truth after three decades.
  • The murder was motivated by greed: Brandon wanted Dorothy dead before she could win back her land in court. (53:00)
• Arrests and Charges:
  • Brandon Nodier: Gets a 10-year sentence after pleading guilty in 2012.
  • James Tregler: Handyman who drove the car gets immunity for testifying and claims he did not know murder would occur.
  • Bonnie Nodier: Cleared of involvement.
• The Cemetery Today:
  Abandoned, overgrown, drawing treasure hunters still hunting for the rumored fortune.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Dorothy’s reputation:
  “People thought she had murdered her husbands and buried their bodies in the pet cemetery. And also her house and her land were haunted.” (21:01)

• On Patricia’s tenacity:
  “She believed the only reason Dorothy would have left her house…was if somebody else had forced her to.” (18:55)

• On case frustration:
  “Now it was like everybody in Dorothy’s life… wanted Dorothy’s money and so really would benefit if she went away.” (43:35)

• The ghostly confession:
  “He told the detectives that he had been seeing Dorothy’s ghost, covered in chains and asking him to come forward.” (50:30)

• On motives and justice:
  “He had not only tricked Dorothy into selling him her land at a very cheap price, but also when she figured out he had basically conned her, she sued him at Patricia's urging. And when that happened, Brandon thought, okay, well, if I just kill Dorothy… the sale goes to me. The property is mine.” (53:30)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Dorothy’s backstory & town rumors: 05:00 – 08:30
• Pet cemetery’s haunted reputation: 07:00 – 10:00
• Legal feud and land con: 09:40 – 11:40
• Dorothy’s disappearance & search: 14:30 – 19:30
• Initial investigation and rumors: 21:00 – 24:00
• Body discovery and forensics: 28:52 – 29:57
• Suspects and accusations: 30:00 – 44:00
• Pet cemetery vandalized: 45:12 – 46:00
• Case goes cold and revisited by detectives: 47:40 – 50:15
• Ghostly tip breaks the case: 49:40 – 52:00
• Investigation reconstruction and confession: 52:00 – 56:30
• Brandon Nodier’s conviction: 57:00 – 58:50

Episode Tone & Style

MrBallen narrates with his signature suspenseful and empathetic storytelling. He brings a dark, atmospheric tone, blending somber detail, dry humor, and a respect for the genuine tragedy behind the sensational rumors.

• “It was sort of funny in a dark way…” (43:35)
• “Based on a decades long investigation and multiple confessions, here is a reconstruction of what police believe happened…” (52:15)

Takeaway

“Legends of the Pet Cemetery” is a true crime tale where gothic Southern folklore, local suspicion, and tragic real-life betrayal all intersect. The episode shows how the truth behind a notorious murder was eventually pried loose—not by clever forensic analysis, but via conscience, collective memory, and the persistence of those haunted by the secrets of the past.