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Larry Hall. The True Story of Black Bird. Part 1




Larry Hall: A Tale of Twisted Minds and Tragic Ends

Larry Hall was, by all outward appearances, an average man. Born in Wabash, Indiana, in 1962, Hall lived a quiet life, working as a janitor and groundskeeper. But beneath this mundane existence lurked a deeply disturbed individual with a penchant for death. Hall's twin brother, Gary, was often seen as the more dominant sibling, while Larry was shy and introverted, traits that some believe may have contributed to his later violent behavior. • Larry had an intense fascination with the Civil War and often participated in historical reenactments. This passion for the past might have been harmless on its own, but for Hall, it became a backdrop for his sinister urges. He began to blur the lines between reality and fantasy, using his reenactments as a cover for stalking and abducting young women.


A Trail of Tragedy

Larry Hall's crimes are as mysterious as they are horrifying. He has been linked to numerous disappearances and murders across the Midwest, but the full extent of his atrocities remains unknown. What makes Hall's case particularly eerie is his ability to evade capture for so long. His method was simple yet effective: Hall would travel from town to town, often coinciding with his reenactment events, and target young women who fit his twisted ideal. •

The case that ultimately led to Hall's downfall was the disappearance of 15-year-old Jessica Roach in 1993. Roach was last seen riding her bicycle in Georgetown, Illinois, before vanishing without a trace. Her body was later discovered in a cornfield, showing signs of strangulation. Hall became a suspect after authorities noticed his presence in the area during the time of Roach's disappearance. However, it was Hall's brother, Gary, who provided crucial information that led to Larry's arrest. Gary reported Larry's bizarre behavior and his confessions to multiple murders, which he initially dismissed as mere fantasies.


The Confessions and Convictions

Under intense questioning, Larry Hall eventually confessed to Jessica Roach's murder and several others. However, his confessions were inconsistent, leading some to believe that he may have been exaggerating his crimes to gain notoriety. Despite this, Hall was convicted of Roach's murder and is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. •

But the mystery doesn't end there. Larry Hall's case is riddled with unanswered questions. How many victims were there, really? Was Hall truly the mastermind behind all the crimes he confessed to, or were some of his confessions false? The uncertainty surrounding Hall's case continues to haunt the families of the missing, who may never know the whole truth.


Join us next week for Part 2 of The True Story of Black Bird, and each week on for new true crime on Hitched 2 Homicide.


Sources and photos used for this podcast:

1. All That's Interesting. (n.d.). 'I cannot remember all of them': Inside the brutal crimes of suspected serial killer Larry Hall. Retrieved from https://allthatsinteresting.com/larry-hall

2. Collider. (n.d.). The unsettling true story behind 'Black Bird's serial killer. Retrieved from https://collider.com/black-bird-true-story-larry-hall-explained/

3. Maamodt, J. A. (n.d.). Larry DeWayne Hall. Radford University. Retrieved from https://maamodt.asp.radford.edu/Psyc%20405/serial%20killers/Hall,%20Larry%20DeWayne.pdf

4. History vs. Hollywood. (n.d.). Black Bird. Retrieved from https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/black-bird/

5. All That's Interesting. (n.d.). The true story behind 'Black Bird'. Retrieved from https://allthatsinteresting.com/black-bird-true-story

6. Digital Spy. (2022, July 14). Black Bird killer Larry Hall's true story explained. Retrieved from https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a40678987/black-bird-killer-larry-hall-true-story/

8. The Midwest Crime Files. (n.d.). The wooden falcons: The victims of Larry Hall. Retrieved from https://www.themidwestcrimefiles.com/post/the-wooden-falcons-the-victims-of-larry-hall

Digital Spy. (2022, July 8). Black Bird's Jimmy Keene true story explained. https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a40555941/black-bird-jimmy-keene-true-story/

Websleuths. (n.d.). IN WI Larry DeWayne Hall 1980s-90s. https://www.websleuths.com/forums/threads/in-wi-larry-dewayne-hall-1980s-90s.247928/

The Midwest Crime Files. (n.d.). The wooden falcons: The victims of Larry Hall. https://www.themidwestcrimefiles.com/post/the-wooden-falcons-the-victims-of-larry-hall

Grey, R. (n.d.). The disturbing story of Larry Hall. Medium. https://rusty-grey.medium.com/the-disturbing-story-of-larry-hall-9f9b0ddbca68

All That's Interesting. (n.d.). Jimmy Keene: The drug dealer who helped catch a serial killer. https://allthatsinteresting.com/jimmy-keene

History vs. Hollywood. (n.d.). Black Bird. https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/black-bird/

WTHR. (2020, July 9). 'He may just be completely lying' | Recanted confessions of Larry Hall cast shadow over multiple unsolved Indiana cases. https://www.wthr.com/article/news/crime/recanted-confessions-of-larry-hall-cast-shadow-over-unsolved-indiana-cases-pflum-jennifer-lee-schmidt-felton/531-0950f9a7-2587-4343-baba-efce6cd06220

MyWabashValley.com. (2021, February 25). Vigo Co. Cold Case: Who killed Marcie Fuller-Swinford? https://www.mywabashvalley.com/news/local-news/vigo-co-cold-case-who-killed-marcie-fuller-swinford/

NBC News. (2020, July 9). Man charged with manslaughter in death of Denise Pflum, 34 years after she vanished. https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/man-charged-manslaughter-death-denise-pflum-34-years-after-she-n1233380

Columbia Daily Tribune. (2008, February 6). Authorities ID woman killed in 1985. https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/2008/02/06/authorities-id-woman-killed-in/21506076007/

Belleville News-Democrat. (2016, July 15). Unsolved: Who killed Karla Smith? https://www.bnd.com/news/local/article88646092.html

WSBT. (2021, February 25). Cold Case Files: The kidnapping and murder of 10-year-old Linda Weldy. https://wsbt.com/news/local/cold-case-files-the-kidnapping-and-murder-of-10-year-old-linda-weldy

The Charley Project. (n.d.). Diana Jane Braungardt. https://charleyproject.org/case/diana-jane-braungardt

WISH-TV. (2021, April 15). Grant County officials ask for help solving 37-year-old cold case. https://www.wishtv.com/news/crime-watch-8/grant-county-officials-ask-for-help-solving-37-year-old-cold-case/

The Charley Project. (n.d.). Penny Dawn Lease. https://charleyproject.org/case/penny-dawn-lease

All That's Interesting. (n.d.). 'I cannot remember all of them': Inside the brutal crimes of suspected serial killer Larry Hall. https://allthatsinteresting.com/larry-hall

 

Citations:

 

The Simpsons | S 13 E 19 | The Sweetest Apu | FOX

Sponge Bob Square Pants | 1999 | S 1 E 13 | Was a Teenage Gary | Nickelodeon

Mank | 2020 | Netflix

Spirited | 2022 | Apple TV+

Silence of the Lambs | 1991 | Orion Pictures

Blackbird |2022 | Apple TV+


❤️ Bless Your Heart Sources






DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

All information contained in this video presentation is provided for entertainment purposes only. The authors leave any and all conclusions to individual members of the audience. The author offers no statements of fact beyond those available through diligent private research or through information freely available in the public record. To the extent that pending or settled criminal matters or crime or possible crimes, are discussed in this video presentation. All parties or defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. To the extent that any pending or settle civil matters are discussed in this video presentation, all parties or defendants are presumed not liable unless proven liable in a court of law. Copyright for material incorporated and presented under Fair Use is retained by the original author or copyright holder where applicable. Our cases are researched using open source and archive materials, and the subjects are real crimes and people. We strive to produce each episode with respect to the victims, their families and loved ones. At Hitched 2 Homicide we are committed to always discussing how victims lived, and not just how they died. All podcast information is gleaned from sources given. All opinions in the podcast are solely of Hitched 2 Homicide.


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