Episode Summary: "The Devil's Diary"

MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories
Release Date: January 12, 2026
Host: John Allen (MrBallen)

Overview

In this gripping episode, MrBallen walks listeners through the nearly 20-year mystery of Susan Woods’ brutal 1987 murder in Stephenville, Texas. The narrative unfolds in classic MrBallen fashion—piecing together friendships, heartbreak, a tight-knit small-town social circle, botched investigations, and ultimately, the chilling revelation of a killer hiding in plain sight. The story is anchored by the eerie discovery of the killer’s own diary—the “devil’s diary”—in which he confesses and blames his monstrous act on outside, possibly supernatural, influences.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Discovery of the Devil’s Diary (00:00)

• The episode is framed by a man in 2009 who, while digging through the belongings in a deceased stranger’s old RV, finds disturbing handwritten diaries. These describe satanic rituals, demons, and ultimately a confession to a heinous crime—the murder of Susan Woods.

2. Background: Susan Woods and the Circle of Friends (02:11 – 10:00)

• July 24, 1987: Susan Woods is convinced by her best friend Cindy Hallmark and Cindy’s boyfriend Roy Hayes to visit a local fair in Hico, Texas, hoping to help her escape a depressing period of her life (02:11).
• Susan’s recent life has been marked by a vicious divorce; her ex, Michael Woods, left her with mean-spirited tape recordings and dozens of cruel hidden notes (05:10).
• She finds solace in a group of friends—the “Roundtable”— hosted by Cindy, which becomes vital to her emotional recovery.
• Memorable, bittersweet night: Susan celebrates with ice cream at Dairy Queen, feeling for the first time that her life might be turning around (08:20).

3. The Weekend of the Murder (10:00 – 15:00)

• Susan spends much of the weekend catching up on chores.
• On Sunday night (July 26, 1987), after a long day, she settles in to watch TV alone—when there’s a knock at the door (15:00).

4. Discovery of Susan’s Body & Initial Investigation (17:00 – 26:10)

• On July 28, Susan’s father Joe finds her body after she hadn’t shown up for work. Enter Sgt. Donnie Hensley, who processes a brutal scene:
  • House is largely tidy but windows are nailed shut from fear of intrusion (21:00).
  • The crime points to someone Susan likely knew: no forced entry, shared snacks and cigarettes (which she didn’t smoke).
  • The murder was particularly violent: signs of sexual assault, strangulation by electrical cord, smothering, and finally drowning in the bathtub (22:40).
  • Crucially, palm prints are found on the rim of the tub—potentially left by the killer (24:30).

5. The Botched Investigation & Frustration (26:30 – 37:51)

• Lt. Ken Maltby quickly takes charge and, claiming a “photographic memory,” keeps almost no notes (26:50).
• Sgt. Hensley is sidelined despite personal ties to the victim’s family. When Maltby is promoted and leaves the case cold, Hensley takes over—but the files are barren of new leads (30:10).
• Hensley interviews key suspects:
  • JC Bauman (Susan’s ex/bartender): Nervous, admits to being with Susan in her bathtub, freely gives fingerprints (27:00).
  • Roy Hayes (Cindy’s boyfriend): Large man, matches a partial description from neighbors, was nailing windows shut. Claims to have played Dungeons & Dragons that night—then considered at the time to be associated with “devil worship” by local media (29:00).
  • Michael Woods: Ex-husband widely suspected by Susan’s friends and family, but his Indianapolis alibi is rock-solid… until it’s revealed no one has actually verified it (35:00).

6. All Suspects Cleared, Case Goes Cold (37:51 – 44:45)

• Hensley personally travels to Indianapolis and orchestrates Michael’s arrest for stolen property, securing prints from all three main suspects (38:00).
• None match the palm prints found on the bathtub rim.
• The case sits unsolved for 19 years as Hensley retires, until 2006 when Lt. Don Miller re-examines it with modern tools (44:30).

7. Break in the Case: Decades-Late Forensic Match (44:45 – 48:45)

• Miller submits the killer’s palm prints into the newly centralized FBI national prints database (45:30).
• A match comes back from Nevada—Scott Hatley, a relatively obscure member of the social “Roundtable,” and Cindy’s younger cousin.
• Reconstruction of events reveals Scott abused his friendship with Susan to gain access, acting out after a small, probably innocent gesture—her smile toward him—one week earlier (46:50).

8. Confession and Aftermath (48:45 – 51:20)

• Scott Hatley is arrested in 2006, takes a plea deal (30 years, released early for good behavior), and dies three years after release.
• In his RV, Hatley’s diary is discovered, filled with disturbing confessions:
  • Mirroring the horror of Susan’s death, he blames “outside forces,” demons, and a satanic pact for his crime (49:20).
  • “Hatley specifically wrote that some kind of outside presence had been responsible for pushing him to ultimately assault and kill Susan.” (49:50)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the terror Susan faced:
  “She had felt afraid in her house, like [her ex-husband] might suddenly come back... she’d had Cindy sleep over to help her feel safe... Roy nailed all her windows shut.” (09:40)
• Crime scene horror:
  “Susan’s body was draped over the side of the tub, her head still in the water... she’d been tied, naked, with obvious signs of sexual assault, strangled, smothered, and drowned.” (22:50)
• The role of amateur Satanic panic:
  “At this time in 1987, there was this huge fear that certain games, books and heavy metal songs were all linked to devil worship... Dungeons and Dragons specifically encouraged players to cast spells and practice witchcraft.” (30:46)
• On forensic breakthroughs:
  “In 2006, the FBI now had a national database... if Susan’s killer had ever been arrested, their fingerprints would likely be in that database.” (44:45)
• The confession's darkness:
  “The pages were also filled with references to Satan and demons, and Hatley specifically wrote that some kind of outside presence had been responsible for pushing him to ultimately assault and kill Susan.” (49:50)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening and discovery of the diary – 00:00
• Susan’s backstory and struggles – 02:11
• Susan’s murder and crime scene details – 17:00 – 26:10
• Initial investigation and community panic – 26:30 – 37:51
• Case goes cold and new forensic efforts – 44:45
• Modern DNA/palm print match and killer’s confession – 48:45
• Eerie final details from the diary – 49:20

Conclusion

MrBallen’s narrative takes listeners deep into the mechanics of a cold case—its heartbreak, community rumors, investigative stumbles, and forensic salvation via technological progress. The most chilling aspects rest not only in Scott Hatley’s violence, but also in his ability to pass as a friend and his ultimate attempt to blame the supernatural—a darkness claimed to possess him—rather than himself. The episode is both a lesson in the dangers of misdirection and a somber celebration of dogged investigative persistence.

Final words from MrBallen:
“A quick note about our stories: they are all based on true events, but we sometimes use pseudonyms to protect the people involved and some details are fictionalized for dramatic purposes.” (51:30)