Unearthing the forgotten, the mysterious, and the legendary—one Southern story at a time. Hosted by Shannon Ballard, Southern Mysteries explores the rich and often untold history of the American South through a captivating mix of folklore, legends, unexplained mysteries, and true crime. Each episode uncovers a compelling tale from a Southern state, blending history with intrigue to reveal the fascinating stories that time left behind. While some episodes delve into chilling crimes, others spotlight legendary figures, ghostly lore, or baffling events.Sometimes the mystery is: why haven’t you heard the story?
Episodes
Monday May 11, 2026
Monday May 11, 2026
In 1912, 18-year-old Ella Barham left her family’s farm near Pleasant Ridge, Arkansas, on an ordinary errand and never came home. Her brutal murder shocked Boone County and led authorities to a neighbor accused of killing her after years of rejected romantic interest. More than a century later, Ella Barham’s murder remains one of Arkansas’ darkest and most troubling true crime stories.
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Episode Sources
- Gould, Nita. Remembering Ella: A 1912 Murder and Mystery in the Arkansas Ozarks. Butler Center Books / University of Arkansas Press, 2018. (rememberingella.com)
- Barham, Ella (Murder of) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas
- Gould, Nita, ed. The 1913 Trial of Odus Davidson: The Official Witness Testimony. Companion volume to Remembering Ella.
- Encyclopedia of Arkansas — 'Barham, Ella (Murder of)' (encyclopediaofarkansas.net)
- Encyclopedia of Arkansas — 'Davidson, Odus' (encyclopediaofarkansas.net)
- Find a Grave — Ella Lillian Ethel Barham (memorial #40832262)
- Find a Grave — Odus Davidson (memorial #31134642)
- Arkansas Democrat-Gazette — 'The verdict: Guilty of murder' (review of Remembering Ella by Tom Dillard, December 9, 2018)
- AY Magazine — 'Murder Mystery: In Memoriam: Ella Barham' (aymag.com)
- Case file: State v. Davidson, No. 183 (Ark. Cir. Ct. 1913). Boone County Circuit Clerk's Office, Boone County Courthouse, Harrison, Arkansas.
- Case file: Davidson v. State, 108 Ark. 158, S.W. 1103 (1913). University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law / Pulaski County Law Library, Little Rock, Arkansas.
- Boone County Court Record Book L, County Clerk's Office, Boone County Courthouse, Harrison, Arkansas.
- Lead Hill, Arkansas newspaper, November 22, 1912 — first published account of the murder (via Chronicling America, Library of Congress, loc.gov)
- Batesville Daily Guard — editorial on circumstantial evidence and the Davidson verdict
- Shiloh Museum of Ozark History — 'Scenes of Boone County' (shilohmuseum.org)
Episode Music
Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.
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