Small Town Murder: "The Chopped Swamp Murders – Ville Platte, Louisiana"

Podcast: Small Town Murder
Hosts: James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman
Episode: The Chopped Swamp Murders – Ville Platte, Louisiana
Date: November 8, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode tackles a gruesome double murder discovered in rural Louisiana, with all the color and chaos of the small-town bayou and outlaw biker culture. Hosts James and Jimmie recount the discovery of two mutilated bodies in plastic storage containers dumped in a murky swamp, followed by a winding investigation full of dead ends, territorial squabbles between local sheriffs, and suspects who might not be the brightest criminals you’ll ever meet.

The episode balances detailed, dark true-crime storytelling with irreverent observations about bikers named “Larry Larry,” local customs (like painting everything black for no discernible reason), and some sharp barbs at the small-town justice system.

Main Topics & Key Discussion Points

1. Setting the Scene: Ville Platte, Louisiana (04:04–13:09)

• Ville Platte: The “heart” of Cajun country, French for “flat town,” described as “swamp down there, French for sea level, beneath sea level, French for hope the levees hold.”
• Town Stats: Small population (~6,488), very low median income ($21,818), high property and violent crime rates (10:14–10:42)
• Local Culture:
  • Louisiana Cotton Festival: Where a queen (age 17–22, must remain single) and King or Colonel Cotton (older men, no restrictions) are chosen (10:42–12:15)
  • Smoked Meats Festival and medieval-style jousting tournaments with rings ("Le Tournai Tournament") (12:15–13:09)

Notable Quote:

"This shit’s amphibious." — Jimmie, on Ville Platte's swampy landscape (06:12)

2. Discovery of the Murder (13:10–27:01)

• January 2003: A plastic storage box, taped and spray-painted black, is found floating in Bayou Cocodrie, sparking a turf war between two parish sheriff's offices over jurisdiction.
  (13:43–16:41)
• Inside the Box: Law enforcement finds a mutilated man—no legs, just a Catfish Festival t-shirt. No legs are recovered.
  (17:20–19:08)

Quote - On Jurisdiction:

"It’s literally The Wire, where they’re like, ‘No, those bodies are on the county side!’" — James (14:14)

• The Victim: Identified as Lawrence William Cook ("Larry Larry"), a notorious Texas biker with at least 18 arrests and a penchant for meth cooking and stealing police motorcycles (19:52–23:39)

  • Larry Larry’s Record:
    • Crimes include weapons, drugs, theft, and stealing a sheriff’s motorcycle.
    • Known for always being on the run: "The law was always after Cook… Always after Larry Larry." (23:04)

• A Second Box: About a week later, another black box is found with the mutilated body of Larry Larry’s girlfriend, Sheila Kirby—same mutilation, but legs included in her box (26:07)

3. The Investigation & Suspects (27:01–46:05)

• Initial Suspects:

  • The bodies were connected to a local biker crowd (the “Banshees”), particularly Lost Larry (Larry Surratt) and his wife Cynthia (“Lost Bitch”).
  • Fingerprints and paint were key evidence. Several latent prints, some preserved perfectly between layers of duct tape, were found on the boxes. (33:32–34:49)

• Alibis & Contradictions:

  • Lost Larry’s arm injury aligns with possible usage of a chainsaw to dismember (chainsaw with human remains? “I fell off the roof onto the chainsaw.”)
    • Medical records support some injury, but timelines keep shifting.
    • "Lost Bitch and Lost Larry have different timelines of that, too." (43:08)
  • Their stories about last seeing the victims changed repeatedly under pressure, ranging from Thanksgiving to early December (50:00s)
  • Evidence found: Paint matching the boxes in Lost Larry’s truck bed, painted boards, and storage containers.

• Lost Larry’s Attitude:

  • Admits to shooting several dogs near his home (48:48–48:57), and is generally unfazed when arrested.

Notable Quote:

"Have you ever shot a dog near your home?"
— "Shot several dogs near my home." — Lost Larry’s response (48:48–48:57)

4. Murder Theory & Defense (64:18–74:16)

• Prosecution:
  • Argue that Lost Larry and Lost Bitch killed the couple, mutilated them, and disposed of the bodies with duct-taped, spray-painted boxes. Motive remains unclear, but evidence is circumstantial and forensic.
• Defense:
  • Frames the duo as scapegoats, pointing the finger at rival outlaw biker gang “The Bandidos,” arguing the murders were a cartel-like hit for snitching (though DEA testifies that Larry Larry and Sheila weren’t informants).
  • Defense tries to plant doubt by challenging timelines and pointing out the absence of any direct murder weapon or murder scene evidence.
    • "Larry Larry and Sheila were rats. They were informers for the DEA. And it's actually... it's the Bandidos who killed him." (64:56)
  • "You can’t prove when or where they were even killed." — Defense closing (78:02)

5. Trial, Verdict, and Appeals (78:34–81:14)

• Trial:
  • Both are tried for two counts of second-degree murder.
  • Key evidence: Fingerprints on boxes and tape, paint droppings in the truck, ballistics linking Lost Larry to the murder of the victims’ dog.
  • Jury finds both “Losts” guilty after three hours’ deliberation. Sentenced to life in prison without parole (78:34–78:47)

Notable Quote:

"You, sir, and ma’am may fuck off—two terms each of life in prison without parole." — James, on the sentencing (78:47)

• Appeals:
  • Lost on grounds of insufficient evidence and a “circus” environment at trial; convictions are affirmed (79:28–81:00)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Lost Larry’s Defense on Painting:
  “Man, you must have wanted to kill him, huh?”
  “No, no. Just saying he liked to paint shit.” (75:01–75:07)
• On the Tragic Couple’s Reputation:
  “He’d give you the shirt off his back. It’d be filthy and smell like meth smoke, but still…” (73:22)
• Summary of Forensics:
  “Minus those fingerprints, they don’t get caught. They have nothing.” (81:00–81:03)
• On Small-Town Life:
  “You name a kid Larry, you really gotta watch out. If he starts saying, ‘No, call me Larry,’ you gotta go, ‘Oh, shit.’” (24:03–24:13)

Timeline & Key Timestamps

• 04:04–13:09: Overview and quirky history of Ville Platte, Louisiana; local festivals.
• 13:10–27:01: Discovery of the mutilated bodies and introduction of victims.
• 33:31–34:49: Forensics—latent fingerprints in the spray paint and tape.
• 46:05–55:05: Investigation tightens around Lost Larry & Lost Bitch, medical records, fingerprint and paint evidence.
• 64:18–74:16: Trial; defense and prosecution strategies.
• 78:34–81:14: Verdict, sentencing, and failed appeals.
• 81:28: Hosts wrap up the tale—no legs ever found.

Tone & Style

The episode mixes thorough crime narrative and deep research with the hosts’ signature sardonic, conversational style:

• Tone: Dark humor and rural absurdity.
• Running Gags: Biker names (Larry Larry & Lost Larry), painting things black, amateur criminals.
• Language: Candid and irreverent, with several off-the-cuff jokes about drugs, dumb criminals, and small-town logic.

Conclusion

Pietragallo and Whisman’s comedic banter makes the heinous crime somehow palatable—while still respecting the victims and the seriousness of the case. If you like true crime with a rowdy, unfiltered twist, this episode is a wild ride through swampy Louisiana’s underbelly, full of mystery, small-town politics, and the world’s least careful murderers.

Key Takeaway:
While much of this double murder remains shrouded in confusion over alibis, timing, and motive, the evidence that ultimately brought down Lost Larry and Lost Bitch was as mundane as it was damning: fingerprints in wet spray paint and a penchant for painting everything in sight.

Find more at: shutupandgivememurder.com