Paper Ghosts: The Texas Teen Murders
Episode 7: “Killer Confrontation”
Host: M. William Phelps
Date: April 3, 2024
Episode Overview
In this pivotal episode, investigative journalist M. William Phelps intensifies his pursuit of Jack Linney, a longstanding person of interest in the murders of Texas teenagers Dana Stidham and Shawna Garber. Through a combination of cold calls, interviews, voice lineups, forensic revelations, and a dramatic phone confrontation, Phelps and his collaborators dissect the mounting evidence and eerie behavior surrounding Linney, exploring the psychological complexities of cold case investigations and the enduring pain faced by families of unsolved victims.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Jack Linney: The Elusive Suspect
[02:09-04:55]
- Phelps describes an attempted surprise visit to Jack Linney’s home—unkempt, newspapers covering every window, mail piling up—painting the image of an isolated and perhaps paranoid man.
- Linney’s proximity to both murder scenes over the years is highlighted:
- Lived near where Dana was found in 1989
- Later moved close to where Shawna’s body was discovered.
2. Chilling Phone Calls
[07:18-08:45]
- Shortly after Dana’s disappearance, violent and sexually explicit calls were made to the case’s community tip line.
- The victim of the calls was a family friend, working at a post office next to Dana's workplace, suggesting the caller might have been surveilling her.
Notable Quotes:“You should be. Why is that? How would you like me to cut your tits off?” – Reenactment of caller (07:33)
“Listen, bitch, I’m gonna stick my knife in your... you know where I’m at...” – Caller (08:09)
"I'm gonna you so hard you'll think my is gonna come out your throat..." – Caller escalating threats (08:23)
[10:00-12:52]
- Journalist Brandon Howard analyzes: the escalation and specificity of threats point toward a serious suspect, not a teenage prankster.
- The victim later selected Linney’s voice from a police lineup—his slurred speech being memorable due to brain damage from an accident.
[12:37-13:25]
- Mike McMillan, previously eyed as a suspect, is ruled out as he wasn’t in the state at the time, and practical details around newspaper distribution further distance him from suspicion.
3. The Second Interview and Law Enforcement Focus
[15:01-17:47]
- The 1993 second interview with Linney marks a turning point—spearheaded by then-prosecutor Drew Miller.
- Linney had already been identified early in the investigation as a man seen talking to Dana and was connected via maps found in his car, marked with key locations from Dana’s last day.
Notable Quotes:
“They had found maybe some maps... that had some locations not only where Dana had disappeared, but close proximity where other unsolved murders had appeared. Generally the same type of criteria: female, age 20-35.” – Drew Miller (17:47)
4. Red Flags and Unsettling Statements
[19:15-22:43]
- Linney makes several bizarre and incriminating statements:
- Shows up at women’s workplaces in a ski mask, makes sexual remarks, describes Dana as “really good looking,” and disturbingly comments, “they always kill the good looking ones. They don’t ever kill the old fat ugly hog.”
- His answers are often unbidden and veer off-topic, raising suspicions.
Memorable Moment:
“He says a lot of that stuff and you’re just going, why would he even go there?” – Drew Miller (23:20)
5. Physical Evidence and Forensic Links
[23:31-24:20]
- Linney’s vehicle, a station wagon, matches witness descriptions from the time of Dana’s disappearance. Blood and multiple female hairs are found throughout the car.
6. Law Enforcement Frustrations: Motive, Opportunity, and the Serial Killer Profile
[24:38-26:10]
- Miller emphasizes the difficulty of cold case prosecution in serial killings, where motive is elusive and opportunity grows harder to pin down over years.
- Opportunity: Linney was in the area, with no alibi, and his wife confirmed absences.
Notable Quote:
“With a serial killer you gotta... connect the bodies.... That’s the worst part of it.” – Drew Miller (25:39)
7. Persistent Problems in Cold Cases
[27:20-28:31]
- Cold cases languish as original detectives retire and new priorities take over.
- Victims’ families urged to be tenacious advocates without antagonizing investigators.
8. Behavioral Clues from Linney and Associates
[30:21-31:04]
- Linney’s odd combination of smarminess, cockiness, and survival instinct is discussed.
“Given a nuclear war, he’s one of those guys that are going to survive… that’s smart in and of itself.” – Drew Miller (30:33)
9. Interrogation Breakdown and Disturbing Admissions
[32:55-35:04]
- Investigators go on the attack using the adversarial model: Linney jokes, deflects, admits to picking up women and pulling them over, and, when point-blank asked if he ever thought about killing people, simply answers, “yes.”
10. Search Warrants and New Discoveries
[35:24-36:36]
- Searches reveal rope similar to that used in Shawna’s murder, knives, and potentially a purse matching Dana’s, supporting theories of Linney’s involvement or ritualistic behaviors.
- Linney’s ex-wife describes his collection of purses and other disturbing tendencies.
11. Pattern of Harassment and Fear
[37:21-39:04]
- Multiple women at Phillips grocery store reported being stalked, harassed, and even chased by Linney long after Dana’s murder.
Memorable Explanation:
“She had her air conditioner on, windows up, and stereo on... just flipped him off and sped up, but he stayed right on her bumper...” – Varner via Phelps (38:12)
12. Family Testimonies and Psychological Assessment
[41:04-44:26]
- Linney’s ex-wife details his personality changes after his accident, his violent tendencies if provoked, and a lack of surprise at the suggestion that he could be capable of murder.
- His first wife, reportedly traumatized from their marriage, committed suicide after being interviewed by detectives—a tragic human cost.
13. Forensic Roadblocks and Weak Follow-Up
[47:17-48:52]
- Despite compelling forensic evidence (blood pools, female hairs with similarities to Dana’s), ambiguity about chain of custody and previous vehicle owners muddies the case.
- A possibly incriminating tape containing scenes of rape/bondage, found in Linney’s home, was never fully explored by investigators.
14. Law Enforcement: Are the Cases Connected?
[49:54-51:45]
- Phelps, and later McDonald County detectives and the sheriff, openly debate the possibility of one vs. two killers, with consensus leaning toward keeping an open mind unless hard evidence ties the crimes together.
Notable Quote:“They may be connected, but... they underestimate how many bad guys there are. I say they’re not connected. Show me evidence, I’ll change my mind.” – Detective Lori Howard (50:34)
Climactic Phone Confrontation with Linney
[52:32-54:25]
-
After months of failed attempts, Phelps finally speaks to Linney by phone. Linney is evasive but not surprised by the topic:
“What do you want?” – Linney (52:38)
“I’d like to talk to you about the murder of Dana Stidham.” – Phelps (53:24)
“I don’t know. I have no earthly idea. I thought that was all done.” – Linney (53:33) -
Phelps directly asks, “Did you kill Dana Stidham?”—Linney gives no explicit denial.
Most Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)
-
On the horror of the calls:
“How would you like me to cut your tits off?” – Unknown caller, reenacted (07:33) -
Unnerving suspect behavior:
“They always kill the good looking ones. They don’t ever kill the old fat ugly hog.” – Jack Linney, quoted by Drew Miller (22:43) -
On cold case difficulties:
“With a serial killer you gotta... connect the bodies.... That’s the worst part of it.” – Drew Miller (25:39) -
On Linney’s survival instinct:
“Given a nuclear war, he’s one of those guys that are going to survive… that’s smart in and of itself.” – Drew Miller (30:33) -
When pressed directly:
“Did you kill Dana Stidham?” – M. William Phelps (54:01)
“There's a lot of people, including me, who think you did.” – Phelps (54:07)
[No explicit denial from Linney] -
Character assessment by those who knew Linney:
“He was evil. He was pure evil.” – Unnamed (54:46)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [02:09]: Attempted confrontation with Jack Linney at home
- [07:18-08:45]: Recording and analysis of threatening phone calls
- [12:52]: Victim selects Linney’s voice in a lineup
- [15:01]: Shift from broad suspicion to laser focus on Linney
- [19:15-20:39]: Maps/town locations, Linney’s odd outbursts, red flags
- [22:43]: Incriminating quotes about women
- [24:38-25:39]: Serial killer psychology and motive challenges
- [35:24]: Ropes and knives matching forensic evidence found at Linney's mother’s house
- [37:21]: Pattern of intimidation/harrassment at workplace
- [41:04]: Ex-wife interview, discussing violence and personality changes
- [47:17]: Blood and hair forensic evidence found in Linney’s vehicle
- [52:32]: Linney and Phelps phone call confrontation
Tone and Speaker Style
M. William Phelps anchors the episode with meticulous, sometimes urgent narration, peppered with indignation at investigative lapses. Dialogues with law enforcement and journalist Brandon Howard blend skepticism, procedural insight, and moral gravity. The tone is measured but emotionally invested, especially in conveying the pain of victims’ families and frustration with systemic inertia.
Conclusion
Episode 7, “Killer Confrontation,” exposes both the progress and profound challenges in unraveling the Texas Teen Murders after 30+ years. Thanks to direct confrontations, forensic scrutiny, and persistent investigation, Jack Linney emerges as a disturbingly plausible—but never definitively proven—suspect. The episode closes with a challenge to listeners: even small tips can crack the case, and the search for closure continues, haunted by evil that remains just out of reach.