Phantom Killer

The Texarkana Phantom Killer, also known simply as the Phantom Killer or the Phantom Slayer, was a serial killer active in the Texarkana area in 1946. The killer is credited with attacking eight people within ten weeks, five of whom were killed. The attacks happened on weekends between February 22, 1946, and May 3, 1946.

The murders sent the town of Texarkana into a state of panic throughout the summer. At dusk, city inhabitants heavily armed themselves and locked themselves indoors while police patrolled streets and neighborhoods. Although many businesses lost customers at night, stores sold out of guns, ammunition, locks, and many other protective devices. Several rumors began to spread, including that the killer was caught, or that a third and even fourth double-homicide had been committed. Most of the town hid in fear inside their houses or hotels, sometimes even leaving town. Some youths took matters into their own hands by trying to bait the Phantom so they could kill him. After three months of no more Phantom attacks, the Texas Rangers slowly and quietly left town to keep the Phantom from believing he was safe to strike again. The murders were reported nationally and internationally by several publications.

The killer has never been identified, and thus their identity remains a mystery.