True Crime Garage – Episode 914: Surrounded by Evil /// Part 2

Date: March 18, 2026
Hosts: Nic & The Captain

Episode Overview

In Part 2 of "Surrounded by Evil," Nic and The Captain guide listeners through the chilling unraveling of the Leah Martin murder case in Graham, Texas, revealing how a missing person investigation led to the exposure of a multi-layered web of violence, betrayal, and shocking criminal confessions. The episode also covers the unexpected link between Martin's suspected killers and a cold case triple homicide in Fort Worth. As always, the hosts blend meticulous case analysis with their trademark banter and moments of dark humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Suspects Come into Focus

[03:53–08:28]

• The police focus on Ross Helms, the shop handyman at EC’s Auto Repair, whose SUV resembled the one seen on surveillance around the time Leah Martin disappeared.
  • "He's your fix-it guy...not a mechanic. The shop handyman, his name is Ross Hellums. He drove an SUV that the police describe as not unlike the one captured on surveillance video." – Nic [03:53]
• Ross Helms’ alibi falls apart when his claimed host, Michael Brown, denies seeing him the night Martin disappeared.
  • "I didn't see Ross that night...I was with my wife and my kids, not with Ross Hellums." – Michael Brown via Nick [05:41]
• Helms fails a polygraph, leading police to dig deeper, including phone records showing multiple calls between Helms and coworker Billy Minkley the night of the disappearance.
  • "He fails the polygraph test. Not good." – Captain [06:04]

2. Evidence Mounts & The Body Is Found

[06:37–09:43]

• Armonique Jefferson, a relative of Helms, reveals Helms paid her $20 to make threatening phone calls to Leah Martin, and that she saw both Helms and Billy Minkley together at Helms’ home on the night in question.
• Leah’s aunt, Renee Martin, investigates Ross Helms’ property, noting a “fresh dig” and “the smell of decomposition.”
• Leah Martin’s body is discovered, bound and concealed in a blanket, with a plastic bag over her head and a rock in her mouth — found on Ross Helms’ property.
  • "The rock that was stuck in her mouth was to keep her from biting the plastic... that had been put on her head." – Renee Martin [09:00]

3. Building the Case: Motives, Guns, and Breaking Points

[10:32–16:57]

• With evidence pointing toward homicide, police seek further proof, including autopsy results and more witness testimony.
• A friend of Ross Helms comes forward; Helms tried to dispose of a shotgun after Leah disappeared. This friend persuaded Helms to give him the gun instead.
• Forensic testing connects this shotgun to a 2014 Fort Worth triple homicide.

4. The Triple Homicide Connection

[17:00–23:55]

• In June 2014, three people — Ronnie Jackson, Elizabeth Sessoms, and David Adams — were shot dead in Fort Worth. The weapon? The same shotgun Helms tried to discard.
• Victims are described as struggling with addiction but having kind hearts. Their deaths were initially mysterious but are now suspected to be tied to Billy Minkley.
• "This is one of the saddest things to see...somebody that seems like they have a good life, and then they get sucked in..." – Captain [23:29]

5. The Interrogations and Confessions

[31:49–40:10]

• Billy Minkley is confronted with evidence; during a taped confession, he admits to the triple homicide and implicates himself further in Leah Martin’s murder.
  • "Billy Minkley is yelling and crying and he's confessing to this triple homicide shooting." – Nic [32:03]
  • "The Fort Worth triple homicide made us realize that Billy Minkley is a person that could have no problem killing Leah." – Lt. Smith, quoted by Nic [33:25]
• Minkley agrees to testify on Leah’s murder to avoid the death penalty.

6. The Murder Plot Unfolds: The Role of EC Blair

[37:18–43:55]

• According to Minkley’s confession, EC Blair (Leah’s boss and the shop owner) orchestrated Leah’s murder because of personal grievances and complications with his marriage.
• Blair allegedly lured Leah to the shop. Minkley struck her from behind with a tire iron/crowbar at Blair’s instruction. She was suffocated and then buried by Minkley and Helms, who rented a backhoe for the purpose.
  • "Once she's at the office, according to Billy Minkley, Leah is sitting on a couch... and Billy Minkley comes up from behind her and violently strikes her..." – Nic [38:55]
  • "I went back there and I dug the nicest hole I could." – Billy Minkley, in interrogation video [40:08]

7. Charges, Trials & Verdicts

[40:10–52:02]

• All three men — Billy Minkley Jr., Ross Earl Helms, and EC Blair — are charged with Leah Martin’s murder.
• Minkley pleads guilty to murder (receiving life without parole); Helms pleads to murder and tampering with evidence.
• Blair stands trial as the alleged mastermind, but the prosecution's case falls short; he is acquitted due to reasonable doubt.
  • "He was at the center of this, that he was the mastermind...but when you review the information, he's got evil in his heart...but he don't have no blood on his hands." – Nic [43:55]
• The shop ceases operation after 2015, an echo of the traumatic events.

8. The Aftermath & Reflections

[48:05–52:02]

• The episode closes with reflections on the deeply disturbing nature of evil nestled within small communities.
• Special attention given to the tragedy of Leah’s young daughter, Avery, who — years later — leaves a heartfelt online message for her mother, symbolizing the real human cost of such crimes.
  • "She was a mother to a little girl, Avery, who was only two years old at the time that her mother was so brutally and coldheartedly killed...She has a stepmom, stepbrothers and pets that she loves and had some very nice, thoughtful things to say about her mother that she misses very dear." – Nic [51:44]

Memorable Quotes

• On Evidence and Alibis:
  • "Liar, liar, pants on fire." – Captain [05:41]
  • "He fails the polygraph test. Not good." – Captain [06:04]
• On the Discovery of Leah Martin’s Body:
  • “The rock that was stuck in her mouth was to keep her from biting the plastic... that had been put on her head.” – Renee Martin, via Nic [09:00]
• On the Sudden Case Break:
  • “That gun was the gun that killed those three people.” – Nic [33:02]
• On the Main Suspect’s Character:
  • "The Fort Worth triple homicide made us realize that Billy Minkley is a person that could have no problem killing Leah." – Lt. Smith, quoted by Nic [33:25]
• On the Role of EC Blair:
  • "He's at the center of this, that he was the mastermind...he's got evil in his heart and on his soul, but he don't have no blood on his hands." – Nic [43:55]

Key Timestamps

• 03:53 – Investigation focuses on Ross Helms and inconsistencies in his alibi.
• 06:37 – Phone records & witness (Armonique Jefferson) implicate Helms and Minkley.
• 08:28 – Discovery of Leah Martin’s body.
• 14:20 – The shotgun’s origins reveal its link to a triple homicide.
• 17:00 – Details of the 2014 Fort Worth triple homicide.
• 31:49 – Minkley’s confession.
• 38:55 – Minkley’s detailed description of the murder and disposal of the body.
• 42:04 – Formal charges and arrests.
• 43:55 – EC Blair’s trial and acquittal.
• 51:44 – Discussion of Leah Martin’s family, her daughter Avery.

Episode Tone & Style

The hosts maintain a sharp blend of empathy, dark humor, and no-nonsense storytelling. Nic delivers thorough, research-based narrative while Captain provides emotional commentary, skepticism, and occasional comic relief, all in their signature conversational style.

For Further Exploration

• Related TV feature: Buried in the Backyard, Season 6, Episode 2 (Oxygen Network), documents the Leah Martin case.
• Book Recommendation: Hannibal Lecter: A Life by Brian Rafferty (Recommended by Nic near episode’s end)

Note: This summary focuses on the key investigative revelations, narrative arcs, and emotional touchstones of the episode — ideal for anyone seeking a comprehensive, content-rich overview of this installment of True Crime Garage.