Walter Virgil Starks, a 37-year-old Caucasian male from Texarkana, Texas, met a tragic end on the night of May 3, 1946. He and his wife, Katherine Ila Strickland Starks, were attacked by an unknown assailant known as the "Phantom Killer" at their home. The attacker shot Virgil twice through the front window, killing him instantly. Katherine, who was also shot twice, managed to escape and seek help.
The Texarkana Moonlight Murders, as they came to be known, were a series of unsolved
violent crimes committed in early 1946. The Phantom Killer targeted couples in isolated locations, resulting in the deaths of five people and injuries to three others over a ten-week period. The attacks began on February 22, 1946, and ended with the murder of Walter Virgil Starks on May 3, 1946.
Despite extensive investigations by city, county, state, and federal authorities, the identity of the Phantom Killer remains unknown. The prime suspect in the case was Youell Swinney, a career criminal linked to the murders primarily through statements from his wife and circumstantial evidence. However, Swinney was never charged with the murders, as his wife refused to testify against him. He was convicted on other charges and sentenced to a long prison term.
The case of the Texarkana Moonlight Murders has since become part of local folklore and inspired various works, including the 1976 film "The Town That Dreaded Sundown". The mystery surrounding the murders continues to intrigue and haunt the residents of Texarkana to this day.
