17. Rest in Peace, Larry

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Unforgotten – Episode 17: Rest in Peace, Larry

Date: July 7, 2025
Hosts: Carol Dawson & Wes Ferguson

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Overview

This special episode is a heartfelt tribute to Larry Warrick, the chief investigator in the murder case of Shelly Watkins, which was covered extensively in Season 1 of The Unforgotten. With Larry's passing on June 26, 2025, the hosts reflect on his remarkable character, his pivotal role in the case, and his lasting impact not only on the investigation but also on those who worked alongside him. The episode also honors Christy, Larry’s wife and a central figure in the case, and touches upon the enduring connections between the investigative team and the people involved.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Remembering Larry Warrick: Heroic Investigator & Compassionate Human

• Introduction to Larry:

  • Carol and Wes recall their first meeting with Larry, which occurred when they arrived unannounced at his home ([00:57]–[02:02]).
  • Despite his battle with dementia, Larry recalled all the essential facts of Shelly's case and “never let this go… even though he sat by Shelly’s grave” ([03:06]–[03:26]).

• Larry’s Dedication:

  • Larry’s deep commitment to his work is noted, with Carol stating, “I got the impression that he poured his heart and soul into every case” ([03:42]).
  • Only two cases “haunted him to this degree” – one involving a baby, and the other, Shelly Watkins ([03:58]).

• Human Side of Law Enforcement:

  • The hosts stress Larry’s “open,” “affable” nature, rare for someone in law enforcement:

    “I cannot imagine meeting a more open person, especially somebody in law enforcement… just a good, good guy.” – Carol ([11:18]–[12:13])

2. Larry & Christy: A Partnership Forged in the Pursuit of Justice

• The First Meeting:

  • Upon their arrival, Larry greeted them enthusiastically:

    “Y’all come on in. What can I do for y’all? I would love to help you. That’s—I know who did it.” – Larry ([02:45]–[03:06])

  • He introduced the hosts to his dog and immediately offered his assistance.

• Their Relationship:

  • Carol and Wes recount the warmth between Larry and Christy, highlighted by moments such as Larry’s affectionate call to Christy:

    “Hey Siri, call Christy. Calling Christy, my one true love.” ([04:46]–[04:58])

  • Their shared experience through the investigation led to their eventual marriage a year later ([06:35]–[06:53]).

• Christy’s Role:

  • Christy was the 911 operator who took Sheldon’s emergency call—her detailed recollections contributed significantly to the case’s progression ([06:11]).
  • She juggled a demanding job and cared for Larry daily, showcased as an example of steadfast dedication ([09:28]–[09:56]).

3. The Human Cost & Connections of the Shelly Watkins Case

• Emotional Toll:

  • Larry’s habit of visiting Shelly’s grave, expressing sorrow for not resolving her case, illustrates the immense personal toll his work took ([03:26]–[03:42]).

• Law Enforcement’s True Faces:

  • The episode acknowledges criticisms of law enforcement while highlighting that Larry and Christy embody “dedicated public servants” who genuinely sought justice ([10:10]–[10:52]).

• Professional Legacy:

  • Larry’s impact extended beyond Henderson County; he eventually retired as Assistant Police Chief at Gun Barrel City, having “left a trail of good wherever he went” ([12:13]–[13:00]).

4. Insights on Other Key Figures

• Christy’s Childhood Memories of E. Ray Andrews:

  • Christy’s early encounters with the infamous lawyer E. Ray Andrews (who later went to prison for unrelated crimes) provided the team with a unique perspective on his character ([07:03]–[08:28]).
  • Her recollections added context to how Andrews’ “habits…doomed the initial case against Shelly’s husband, Jerry Mack Watkins” ([08:28]–[08:44]).

• Teamwork in the Pursuit of Justice:

  • Christy’s collaboration with the hosts spanned providing information, background, and connections, always demonstrating her continued investment in Shelly’s case ([10:52]–[11:18]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Larry’s Welcome:

  “Y’all come on in, and just set us down and just told us everything he could remember.”
  – Wes ([02:02])

• Larry’s Immediate Offer:

  “What can I do for y’all? I would love to help you. That’s—I know who did it. Y’all come on in.”
  – Larry ([02:45]–[03:06])

• On the Impact of the Case:

  “There were only two that haunted him to this degree, and one was a baby’s, and the other was Shelly.”
  – Carol ([03:42]–[03:58])

• On Larry’s Relationship with Christy:

  “Hey, Siri, call Christy. Calling Christy, my one true love.”
  – Larry ([04:46]–[04:58])

• On the Value of Public Service:

  “Their dedication and their honest devotion to what they do and their intention to truly serve the public, just very impressive.”
  – Carol ([10:10]–[10:52])

• Professional Praise:

  “He just left a trail of good wherever he went.”
  – Wes ([12:13]–[12:41])

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Important Timestamps

• 00:57–02:02: First encounter with Larry Warrick and his immediate warmth
• 02:45–03:06: Larry’s first words to the hosts; willingness to help
• 03:26–03:58: Larry’s emotional tie to Shelly’s case and visits to her grave
• 04:46–04:58: Touching moment between Larry and Christy
• 06:11: Christy’s vital role as 911 operator
• 06:53: Larry and Christy’s eventual marriage
• 07:03–08:28: Christy’s memories of E. Ray Andrews
• 10:10–10:52: The value of genuine public servants
• 12:13–12:41: Larry’s career accomplishments and lasting influence

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Conclusion

This episode is a moving remembrance of Larry Warrick—an emblem of integrity, dedication, and empathy in law enforcement. Alongside Christy, his partner in life and in the pursuit of justice, Larry’s tireless commitment to the memory of Shelly Watkins stands as his enduring legacy, both for those who knew him personally and for the listeners of The Unforgotten. The hosts offer their deepest condolences to Christy, celebrating both her and Larry as “heroes” who devoted themselves to seeking the truth, no matter the cost.

Transcript

[A]

Hi, I'm Carol Dawson.

[B]

And I'm Wes Ferguson.

[A]

And we're here because today we want to talk about somebody who, in my opinion, has been a hero in Shelly Watkins murder case, and that is Larry Warrick, the chief investigator of homicide for the Henderson County Sheriff's Office at the time that Shelly Watkins body was found. He has just passed away this past Thursday on June 26, and we are deeply moved to learn that he's gone because he was such a remarkable person and it was such a special occasion when we first met and got to talk with him. So let's talk about him.

[B]

I think a lot of listeners really responded to Larry's, you know, warmth. He just really stood out as one of the, like, main people that you connect with in season one. You know, it's funny, he was one of the first people that we talked to in person, and we had not met him before, but we figured out his address and we just showed up. And I remember, you know, walking up his front steps, getting ready to knock on his door, say, come in. Did you hear someone say, come in?

[A]

I heard somebody make a sound, but not come in.

[B]

Oh, and that's always pretty nerve wracking. It's something I've done a lot, but it doesn't. It never gets really easy. And I remember, I think you also were feeling some trepidation about that.

[A]

You know, I was brought up to be a very polite Southern girl.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, and you just don't drop in on, you know, cold. Like a cold call on somebody like that. It was a little bit nerve wracking. Yeah, yeah.

[B]

You just, you know, knock on the door, hi, we're two strangers. Let's talk about murder. You know, and the instant that Larry opened his door, I mean, he was just so welcoming. And it said, you know, y' all come on in, and just set us down and just told us everything he could remember. And unfortunately, he was already experiencing dementia at that point. And so he had lost a lot of the finer details, but all the essential facts he could recall. I think that's how you phrased it or something along those lines in the podcast. And we left our conversation with him convinced that he knew what he was talking about. You know, he remembered the most salient details from Shelly's case because it's one that he had never been able to let go of.

[A]

And I was very impressed. But, you know, the very first thing he said to us, Wes, other than to introduce us to his dog, was, what can I do for y'? All?

[D]

I Would love to help you. That's. I know who did it. Y' all come on in.

[A]

Thank you, Larry. And it's like, oh, my gosh. You have already done so much, Larry. You know, from the get go, he has been heroic because he was. He never let this go, you know, even though he sat by Shelly's grave.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

God, it was so. Just so heartbreaking the way he and Christy, you know, recounted him just sitting out by her grave and just saying he was sorry. And, I mean, you could tell he just poured his heart and soul into this case.

[A]

Oh, he did. I think I got the impression that he poured his heart and soul into every case. And he told us that there were only two that haunted him to this degree, and one was a babies, and the other was Shelly.

[C]

Oh, my God.

[A]

And I've just been rereading his words this morning as I wrote our tribute to him, because I just found him such an outstanding human being to talk with. It was so clear that he was dedicated and really conscientious and. And cared so much about all his cases and that these two were the ones that had never left him. So he really impressed me a lot, and so did Christy.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Oh, Christy was really cool.

[A]

Yeah, she's amazing. And I loved it. I loved it so much when he phoned her while we were sitting there and he said, she's a peach.

[B]

Oh, she's a peach.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Well, even when, you know, he said, hey, Siri, call Christy. And it said, calling Christy, my one true love. And you and I both were just like, oh.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

It was really touching to talk with him and also to learn, you know, this is a guy who has handled a lot of cases, and he has obviously addressed himself very closely to each one. But it just touched me so much to learn how much Shelley's case had affected him.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

That he had just never gotten over it, really. So. Oh, gosh. I just. You know, Wes, I really do feel so honored that we got to meet and talk with him. I feel that way about a number of people we've talked with. My kid, Great example. Assistant DA for Henderson county during the time of Shelly's investigation. He's just been terrific to talk with. He's so measured and intelligent and careful about. About what he remembers and what he commits to. And I. You get the sense of, you know, real conscientiousness behind everything he says. And it was that way with Larry and Christie also.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, and with Larry having dementia but still remembering so much about the case. And then Christy Especially, you know, she was the 911 operator who took that call. And for her to just recount in, in detail this, you know, the steps that she went through, the calls that she made, I mean, you could tell that this case also is one that has just stuck with her all this time, too.

[A]

Oh, it was remarkable. Remarkable to talk with both of them and also life changing for them because it wasn't long after that that they wound up really getting together and then getting married. It was a year after that that they actually got married.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, they were truly aligned and allied on this case and through this case, as well as in other respects in their lives.

[E]

And, you know, Wes, Christy was familiar with E. Ray Andrews from the time she was a child. She had shared with us some really interesting and kind of disturbing reminiscences about E. Ray, because she used to go to the bar with her father, who, as he would drink, would get very, very generous, and E. Ray would borrow money from her father, and she would be the person who had to then go around and collect all the monies that her father had loaned different people in the bar. And that would include having to go to E. Ray. And I mean, she was a kid, and she would have to go to eray and say, can you please repay that $20 that you borrowed from my dad? I mean, it's just.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

To be a little girl and having to collect on this, you know, member of the bar, this adult lawyer in your hometown, it's a story that was just hard to wrap my mind around.

[E]

Yeah, it was intense. And so Christy was familiar with E. Ray and his habits long before the scandals that broke E. Ray and sent him to prison. So it's just really ironic that she saw that side of Ire from the time she was a kid.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And it helped us to just understand Irey's personality, his background, what led him to make the terrible choices that ended up dooming the initial case against Shelly's husband, Jerry Mack Watkins.

[E]

Yes. I've always found it such an irony that in the end, it was E. Ray who went to prison and not Jerry. And I find that an irony doubly so, because I suspect that the whole bribery setup prompted the folks who set up the bribery to gloat a bit, that that was the outcome. But that's speculation on my part. It's just, you know, it's what I imagine.

[B]

Yeah, well, it's easy to imagine, but.

[E]

I just really appreciate Christy sharing those memories with us and the kind of insight that it Gave us about a guy who basically maintained the same habits all his life.

[B]

Apparently Larry and his now wife, Christy were both directly involved in Shelly's case and were two of the heroes in that case to get it moving forward. And they did all they could. And then when we met them, Christie, like, she. She is a superwoman. You know, she's working a full time job and she was taking care of Larry every day and just such a. Just a really wonderful person.

[A]

Yeah. Boy, you're not kidding. She was just amazing. I mean, it truly has been such an honor to get to have spoken with both of them and, you know, just to have them in our lives.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And to know that there are such dedicated public servants out there. You know, a lot of people throw sand at law enforcement and police officers and the people who work for them and give them a hard time. And perhaps it's well deserved and we cannot deny that. And you meet somebody like Larry and someone like Christy and you go, thank you so much for your service. Because their dedication and their honest devotion to what they do and intentions to truly serve the public, just very impressive.

[B]

And for them, it was obviously a lifelong calling. We turned to Christy many times when we were reporting the first season and say, you know, what do you know about this person? What do you know about that person? And she hooked us up with background information, phone numbers, whatever she could do to help, because she was just as committed as we are to pushing for justice in this case.

[A]

And she has always acknowledged how committed Larry was. So, yeah, I mean, it's. Boy, yeah. And I just, I hope that Larry is truly resting in peace and, you know, all of this stuff is finally resolved in his heart and his soul. One of the things that impressed me about Larry when we first met him was just how easy he was. He was so easy and affable. And that was not a product of dementia. That was just a product of his personality. I cannot imagine meeting a more open person, especially somebody in law enforcement, just, you know, truly open and as factual as he could manage while sharing also the amount of emotional involvement he had with the case. Just a good, good guy.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And, you know, lifelong public servant and peace officer. And you could tell that he was also very well respected and loved by his fellow officers in law enforcement. He worked not just at the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, he was also a police officer at Gun Barrel City, that small town that's in Henderson County. And I know he worked at a few other places. Just left a trail of good. Wherever he went. I think?

[A]

Well, he was assistant police chief at Gun Barrel City, and that is where he finally retired. Worked for them for 14 years. And that was after he had left Henderson County. I mean, this was a guy who chose his profession and really lived up to it.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Our sincerest condolences to Kristi and all of Larry's loved ones during this sad time.

[A]

And thank you, Christy, for the privilege of talking with us, the privilege for us of talking with us, and also the privilege for us of getting to see what a wonderful relationship you and Larry had together.

[F]

The Unforgotten is a Free Range production.

[B]

Season one, the Labor Day Ghost was.

[F]

Created, written and hosted by Carol Dawson and me, Wes Ferguson.

[B]

I'm the executive producer at Free Range. This episode was edited by Aislin Gaddis.

[F]

Our theme song, ghost, was written and recorded by Will Mechatron Jones.

[B]

Thank you for listening.