243. Coffee, Crackers & DNA: The Wichita Falls Serial Killer

Our True Crime Podcast

This is a listener request from Kari Schaan on our FB discussion page. Thank you Kari!
On a cold January night in 1985, just outside Wichita Falls, Texas, a bloodied and naked Toni Jean Gibbs tumbled from an abandoned trolley car where she had just been brutally raped and stabbed. Her attacker, knowing his job was done and that her death was inevitable, had already fled the scene, driving away in Toni’s brand-new Camaro.
Stumbling through the dark across the thick and scratchy grass of a north Texas grazing field, Toni, in a state of shock, ran for help. When she could run no further, she stumbled to the ground and pulled herself along on her belly. But there was nobody around to help. There was nothing around for miles. Maybe Toni just wanted to ensure that her body would be found. She wouldn’t be stuck in that rusty heap of metal, rotting away for years, while her family wondered what had happened to her. Finally, when she could crawl no more, 23-year-old Toni Jean rolled over onto her back, looked up at the endless starry sky twinkling above her, and took her last breath.
It would be almost a month before her remains were found, and the Wichita Falls police would eventually tie the murder of Toni Gibbs to several other murders in the area, and early DNA science would squash any doubt that it was the technology of the future.
Join Cam and Jen as they discuss "Coffee, Crackers & DNA: The Wichita Falls Serial Killer"
Thanks to Factor Meals for sponsoring this episode.
Skip the grocery stores and all the prep work and get chef-crafted, dietitian-approved meals delivered right to your door. Head to FACTORMEALS.com/OTCP50 and use code OTCP50 to get 50% off. We love it and so will you!
Promo from our friend Dawn of https://www.methodandmadnesspodcast.com/
Thank you to our team:
Written and researched by Lauretta Allen
Listener Discretion by Edward October from OctoberpodVHS
Executive Producer Nico Vitesse of https://theinkypawprint.com
Link to shop with Jen's Dateline Sweatshirt- Not sure if they are still carrying it.
WitTeeUS on Etsy
Sources:
Scream at the Sky: Five Texas Murders and One Man’s Crusade for Justice by Carlton Stowers
https://www.amazon.com/Scream-Sky-Murders-Crusade-Justice/dp/0312998198
Wichita Falls Body Snatcher by Jack Smith
https://www.amazon.com/Wichita-Falls-Body-Snatcher-Faryion-ebook/dp/B0BS1MRNFX
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhsmO4_N6R4&ab_channel=FilmRiseTrueCrime
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zcNeuhiRpc&t=1577s&ab_channel=TheNewDetectiveshttps://www.newspapers.com/image/782051204/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (community reaction to Gibbs)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/638985170/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Gibbs found)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/780111197/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (About Gibbs)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/779949485/ (Gibbs found)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/779947478/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Missing Reward for Gibbs)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/781953892/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Autopsy)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/779933023/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Laughlin Murder suspect)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/779949675/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Gibbs investigation)https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53140620/toni-jean-gibbs
https://www.newspapers.com/image/779950544/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (increase security)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/779947298/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs (investigation)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/781966083/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Laughlin)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/781966875/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Laughlin)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/780042251/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Laughlin trial)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhsmO4_N6R4&ab_channel=FilmRiseTrueCrime
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zcNeuhiRpc&t=1577s&ab_channel=TheNewDetectives
https://www.newspapers.com/image/782051204/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (community reaction to Gibbs)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/638985170/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Gibbs found)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/780111197/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (About Gibbs)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/779949485/ (Gibbs found)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/779947478/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Missing Reward for Gibbs)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/781953892/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Autopsy)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/779933023/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Laughlin Murder suspect)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/779949675/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Gibbs investigation)
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53140620/toni-jean-gibbs
https://www.newspapers.com/image/779950544/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (increase security)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/779947298/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs (investigation)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/781966083/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Laughlin)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/781966875/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Laughlin)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/780042251/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Laughlin trial)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/780042562/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Laughlin trial)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/589230733/?terms=Toni%20Jean%20Gibbs&match=1 (Mistrial)
https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/death_row/dr_info/wardripfaryion.htmlhttps://murderpedia.org/male.W/w/wardrip-faryion.htm (the photo gallery is all pretty vicious crime scene photos.)
https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/2021/12/21/wichita-falls-serial-killer-faryion-wardrip-37-years-ago/8969084002/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/781389608/?terms=Tina%20Kimbrew&match=1 (Tina murdered)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/781939572/?terms=Tina%20Kimbrew&match=1 (Tina autopsy)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/782048218/?terms=Tina%20Kimbrew&match=1