Episode 537: Ronald Dominique: The Bayou Strangler (Part 1)

In the early morning hours of December 17, 1968, two gunmen burst into the Atlanta motel room of Barbara Jane Mackle and her mother, Jane. After tying up and chloroforming Jane Mackle, the two kidnapped Barbara, forcing her into their car at gunpoint. Later that day, a family friend received a call at the Mackle home in Florida, instructing them to look in the northwest corner of the Mackle’s yard, where they would find a ransom note with details about how to ensure their daughter’s safe return. Once the note was unearthed, the Mackle’s learned their daughter had been placed inside a box and buried in the ground in a remote location. She has enough food, water, and air to survive for a few days, but if the family doesn’t act quickly, there’s a good chance Barbara will die The kidnapping of Barbara Jane Mackle was an elaborately planned, well-executed crime that quickly dominated local and national headlines, which was no small feat in a year of major social upheaval. By the 1960s, kidnapping for ransom was a familiar concept, but to be kidnapped and buried alive was a terrifying thought that shook Americans to their core and left everyone wondering, what kind of person could do such a thing? Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research and writing support! References Associated Press. 1968. "Kidnapped college girl found safe in box underground." Los Angeles Times, December 21: 1. —. 1968. "Mackle kidnapping suspect capturted; $480,000 recovered." Los Angeles Times, December 22: 1. —. 1968. "Kidnapped girl tells of ordeal of 83 hours entombed in box." New York Times, December 29: 44. —. 1968. "Kidnapped girl, buried alive, is freed." New York Times, December 21: 1. Atlanta Constitution. 1968. "80-hour burial ends in rescue." Atlanta Constitution, December 21: 1. —. 1968. "Motel coed kidnapped here spurs nationwide alert for 2." Atlanta Constitution, December 18: 1. Foreman, Laura. 1968. "Campus silent about the girl." Atlanta Constitution, December 18: 1. Gary Steven Krist v. State of Georgia. 1970. 227 Ga. 85 (Ga. 1970) (Supreme Court of Georgia, December 3). Markowitz, Arnold. 1969. "Plea of Innocent entered for Krist." Miami Herald, March 8: 1. Miami Herald. 1969. "Krist collapses; is being force-fed." Miami Herald, April 25: 4. —. 1969. "'Superiority' goes to jail." Miami Herald, May 28: 3. —. 1969. "Who's villain of kidnap case?" Miami Herald, March 9: 19. Miller, Gene. 1969. "Krist gets life in prison avter jury grants mercy." Miami Herald, May 27: 1. —. 1969. "'Life imprisonment worse than death'." Miami Herald, May 27: 16. Miller, Gene, and Barbara Mackle. 1971. Eighty-Three Hours till Dawn. New York, NY: Doubleday. Murray, Frank. 1968. "Researcher and 2 sought in kidnap." Atlanta Constitution, December 20: 1. New York Times. 1968. "Ransom pickup inadvertently foiled by Miami police." New York Times, December 20. Raines, Howell. 1979. "Parole of a kidnapper angers Atlanta." New York Times, May 14: A14. Sosin, Milt. 1969. "FBI hunts Ruth's 'flight pal'." Miami News, March 6: 1. —. 1969. "Ruth: Everyone is against me." Miami News, March 7: 1. United Press International. 1968. "Gunman and 'boy' kidnapp 20-year-old coed, Florida millionaire's daughter." New York Times, December 18: 25. Vissar, Steve. 2006. "The strange odyssey of Gary Krist; From kidnapper to prisoner to doctor to alleged drug smuggler." Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 19. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the early morning hours of December 17, 1968, two gunmen burst into the Atlanta motel room of Barbara Jane Mackle and her mother, Jane. After tying up and chloroforming Jane Mackle, the two kidnapped Barbara, forcing her into their car at gunpoint. Later that day, a family friend received a call at the Mackle home in Florida, instructing them to look in the northwest corner of the Mackle’s yard, where they would find a ransom note with details about how to ensure their daughter’s safe return. Once the note was unearthed, the Mackle’s learned their daughter had been placed inside a box and buried in the ground in a remote location. She has enough food, water, and air to survive for a few days, but if the family doesn’t act quickly, there’s a good chance Barbara will die The kidnapping of Barbara Jane Mackle was an elaborately planned, well-executed crime that quickly dominated local and national headlines, which was no small feat in a year of major social upheaval. By the 1960s, kidnapping for ransom was a familiar concept, but to be kidnapped and buried alive was a terrifying thought that shook Americans to their core and left everyone wondering, what kind of person could do such a thing? Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research and writing support! References Associated Press. 1968. "Kidnapped college girl found safe in box underground." Los Angeles Times, December 21: 1. —. 1968. "Mackle kidnapping suspect capturted; $480,000 recovered." Los Angeles Times, December 22: 1. —. 1968. "Kidnapped girl tells of ordeal of 83 hours entombed in box." New York Times, December 29: 44. —. 1968. "Kidnapped girl, buried alive, is freed." New York Times, December 21: 1. Atlanta Constitution. 1968. "80-hour burial ends in rescue." Atlanta Constitution, December 21: 1. —. 1968. "Motel coed kidnapped here spurs nationwide alert for 2." Atlanta Constitution, December 18: 1. Foreman, Laura. 1968. "Campus silent about the girl." Atlanta Constitution, December 18: 1. Gary Steven Krist v. State of Georgia. 1970. 227 Ga. 85 (Ga. 1970) (Supreme Court of Georgia, December 3). Markowitz, Arnold. 1969. "Plea of Innocent entered for Krist." Miami Herald, March 8: 1. Miami Herald. 1969. "Krist collapses; is being force-fed." Miami Herald, April 25: 4. —. 1969. "'Superiority' goes to jail." Miami Herald, May 28: 3. —. 1969. "Who's villain of kidnap case?" Miami Herald, March 9: 19. Miller, Gene. 1969. "Krist gets life in prison avter jury grants mercy." Miami Herald, May 27: 1. —. 1969. "'Life imprisonment worse than death'." Miami Herald, May 27: 16. Miller, Gene, and Barbara Mackle. 1971. Eighty-Three Hours till Dawn. New York, NY: Doubleday. Murray, Frank. 1968. "Researcher and 2 sought in kidnap." Atlanta Constitution, December 20: 1. New York Times. 1968. "Ransom pickup inadvertently foiled by Miami police." New York Times, December 20. Raines, Howell. 1979. "Parole of a kidnapper angers Atlanta." New York Times, May 14: A14. Sosin, Milt. 1969. "FBI hunts Ruth's 'flight pal'." Miami News, March 6: 1. —. 1969. "Ruth: Everyone is against me." Miami News, March 7: 1. United Press International. 1968. "Gunman and 'boy' kidnapp 20-year-old coed, Florida millionaire's daughter." New York Times, December 18: 25. Vissar, Steve. 2006. "The strange odyssey of Gary Krist; From kidnapper to prisoner to doctor to alleged drug smuggler." Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 19. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Weirdos! Everyone Rejoice!! September is upon us! Let's welcome the 'BER' months with the FOURTH installment of Spooky Lighthouses! Today Alaina & Ash talk about the morbid history of two lighthouses: The Cape Romain Lighthouse in South Carolina & Little Ross Lighthouse in Scotland! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Weirdos!! It’s our second SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE brought to YOU by our friends at Audible! Today we’re joined by one of our besties, Sabrina from 2 Girls 1 Ghost to chat about Grady Hendrix's, “My Best Friends Exorcism”! Join the “Weirdos’ Audiobook Club’ AND the conversation as we talk about our favorite characters, themes, and scenes! Haven’t listened yet? Don’t worry about it, friend! Go to Audible.com/weirdos for YOUR free trial! And don’t forget to click the episode post on Instagram to comment YOUR favorite part of the book, and discuss with other Weirdos who enjoyed the title, as well! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Weirdos! The Time has come for Listener Tales! We have a great batch of stories brought TO you, BY you, For you, FROM you, and ALLLLL about you! On today's episode, we tell tales of babysitting for a murderer, a story from our best friend (we're so sorry we accidentally speak over you in the car!! a story about being a ghost writer for an abusive ex, and a nephew who had tea parties with deceased relatives! If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.