By Daniella DiRienzo|Updated on April 26, 2021(Originally published April 21, 2021)
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Daniella DiRienzo
Author
Though Daniella was born in New York and has lived in a couple of other states, Mississippi has been her home for the past 25 years. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships, working for The Royal Obsession and Anatomie clothing. In the years since, she’s had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as Parents & Kids Magazine and Girl Meets Strong. She’s also had the honor of interviewing actress Sela Ward for The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience.
It’s been said that truth is stranger than fiction. If you didn’t believe that before, you will after reading about these eight unsolved mysteries in Mississippi, which have taken place throughout the years.
The year was 1989, and high school student Norman Ladner decided to do some hunting on family-owned land near the small town of Picayune. Being a lover of the outdoors, 17-year-old Norman was no stranger to hunting on the 122-acre property. At 7 p.m., when the young boy still hadn’t returned home, his father began to worry. After searching the property, Norman Sr. found his son face down on the ground with a single gunshot wound to the head. Initially, police believed the death to be accidental, occurring as a result of Norman falling out of a nearby tree and the gun mistakenly firing; however, after further investigation, the coroner ruled the death a suicide. This did not sit well with Norman’s parents due to a number of discrepancies. The young boy had a fresh cut on his head that couldn’t be accounted for, his wallet, which contained about $140 was missing, and no bullet was found by investigators nor was Norman’s gun fingerprinted. These discrepancies combined with the fact that Norman’s parents did not believe their son would take his own life, led to the Ladners doing a little investigating of their own - which raised a number of questions. Norman Sr. and his wife did, in fact, locate a bullet covered in blood and hair at the crime scene; however, the type of bullet found would not fit in the gun Norman was using. Additionally, a radio-like device was found at the crime scene. After speaking to a neighbor that had worked as a DEA agent, it was concluded that this type of device was often used by drug dealers to signal aircraft for drop-offs. Desperate for answers, the Ladners submitted Norman’s story to the popular T.V. show Unsolved Mysteries. To this day, it remains one of the most baffling unsolved mysteries in Mississippi.
While a phantom barber may seem like a silly concept, it was actually very frightening for the residents of Pascagoula. It all began in 1942, when the population of Pascagoula had greatly increased due to warships being manufactured in the area. Nicknamed the Phantom Barber by local newspapers, the culprit would strike on Monday or Friday evenings. He would sneak into homes through windows, find his sleeping victims, which were normally young, blonde girls, and cut off their hair. Aside from the victim’s hair, the Phantom Barber would take nothing else from the home. At one point, the culprit did leave a clue – a single footprint. The community was extremely frightened. Women refused to go out at night, pistol permits were being applied for in record numbers, and a reward was offered. Eventually, the Phantom Barber changed his pattern. He broke into the home of the Heidelburgs, an elderly couple, and rather than cut their hair, he brutally assaulted them. William A. Dolan was charged with the attack on the Heidelburgs; however, he vehemently denied that he was the Phantom Barber and wasn’t charged with any other attacks.
Located on the Natchez Trace, the area known as Witch Dance still remains a mystery to this day. It is believed that witches once gathered in this area to perform nighttime ceremonies, which included dancing. Legend has it that wherever the witches’ feet touched the ground, the grass would wither and die, never to grow again. Believed to be a bad sign, these barren spots of ground were avoided by both the Chickasaw and Choctaw Indians. The War of 1812 brought Andrew Jackson to the area, and while there is no record of Jackson avoiding the barren spots, he did find them noteworthy, as he recorded them in his journal. Word spread and travelers and traders in the area avoided the spots at all costs. Local criminals, the Harpe Brothers, were familiar with this local legend; however, chose to ignore the warnings. One of the brothers, known as Big Harpe, danced along these barren spots and even called to the witches, challenging them to show themselves. Not long after, Big Harpe was murdered and his head was nailed to a tree. It is believed that the witches came and took his head, ground it up, and made a potion with it. Additionally, it was reported by many in the area that cackling and laughter could be heard coming from the surrounding woods. These barren spots can still be seen and, to this day, nothing grows in their place.
No list of unsolved mysteries in Mississippi would be complete without a mention of Big Foot. Spanning from the 1950s to as recently as the 2000s, this well-known creature has reportedly been spotted dozens of times in the state, with a majority of sightings in Bolivar County. During the 1950s, a farming family from the area reportedly had several run-ins with the creature, which would often occur while working in their cotton field. In 1987, a witness claimed to have seen a hairy creature, standing at about 8 feet tall, walking in the area. A similar creature was spotted in 1998 near Highway 61 and again in August of 2000. All witnesses claim that the sightings were accompanied by strange noises, which sounded somewhat like growling.
Coined "The Ghosts of Mississippi" by local media outlets, the unsolved murders of five elderly people shocked local residents. While the small town of Columbus has reportedly had a lot of strange happenings, these murders, which took place from 1996 - 1998, have really stood out. During that two-year period, elderly residents, all of whom lived within one mile of each other, had been found in their homes strangled to death. Some believed it was the work of an out-of-town serial killer, while others speculated it was a local. Even after investigating hundreds of leads, enlisting the help of a serial killer specialist, and featuring the story on Investigation Discovery, the police were never able to solve the murders.
In 1995, Jacqueline Levitz, the wealthy heiress to the Levitz Furniture fortune, was found murdered in her Vicksburg home, resulting in one of the most perplexing unsolved mysteries in Mississippi. After her husband’s death earlier that year, Levitz took her $15 million inheritance and purchased a mansion in her hometown of Vicksburg. The socialite bought the home with the intention of renovating it. On November 18, 1995, Levitz was seen at a local hardware store looking at wallpaper samples – this was the last time she was seen alive. No sign of Levitz was found in the home, but there were signs that a crime had taken place, which included a blood-soaked mattress and artificial fingernails scattered about. Initially, investigators had suspected kidnapping, but this theory was quickly put to rest since the family never received any requests for ransom. Robbery was ruled out since nothing of value was taken from the home. Perhaps the most puzzling part of this crime is the fact that the heiress’ body was taken from the scene.
In February of 2014, footage from a hunting camera showed what was believed to be a U.F.O of some type. The incident occurred around 7:20 p.m. near Cumbest Bluff, which is in Jackson County. The automated trail camera caught what first appeared as a dim light. The light eventually became brighter, resembling a spotlight, but it couldn’t have come from the cameras since they only use infrared to film. The light on the video then turned in to two lights and was described as "two headlights floating in the sky." Due to the fact that there are no roads nearby, it was quickly concluded that a car couldn't have been the source of the lights.
Responsible for robberies from Texas to Florida, James Copeland and his gang made quite the name for themselves. Supposedly, while in route to Alabama, the gang stopped in New Orleans and picked up three whiskey barrels, which they later filled with gold coins. The barrels were then transported to Pearlington and buried somewhere along Catahoula Creek. One of the gang members, Gale H. Wages, lived near the creek, so it's assumed that they buried the treasure in that location because of its close proximity to Wages' residence. Over the years, stories about the gang have continued. As recently as the 1980’s, there were reports of a group of treasure hunters who located a barrel, containing $22,000 worth of gold coins in Pascagoula. While Pearlington and Pascagoula are quite a distance from one another, it is possible that the gold did belong to James Copeland and his crew, as the gang supposedly buried several containers of gold all over the state.
These unsolved mysteries in Mississippi are definitely fascinating, to say the least. Know of any other unsolved mysteries in Mississippi? Or were you exceptionally intrigued by one of these? Be sure to share your thoughts/comments.
Creepy stories from Mississippi are just as plentiful as unsolved mysteries in Mississippi. Click here for a route that leads to some of the state’s creepiest spots.
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Unsolved Mysteries In Mississippi
Daniella DiRienzo|April 26, 2021
What are some other creepy stories from Mississippi?
The Magnolia State is shrouded in legend and lore, so there are plenty of creepy stories from Mississippi. One such story involves McRaven in Vicksburg. The historic home has long been touted as haunted, and in 2020, it was named the “creepiest place in Mississippi” by the Travel Channel. But this isn’t the first time the historic home has been in the spotlight. In the past, it’s been highlighted by National Geographic, 48 Hours, a couple of documentaries, several podcasts, and more. Additionally, it’s been dubbed the “third most haunted house in America.”
Does the history of Mississippi include any other baffling tales?
To this day, the Lady in Red remains one of the state’s most interesting – and baffling – tales. It all began in 1969, when a coffin was discovered on the Egypt Plantation in Cruger, MS. The glass-top coffin contained the body of a woman in a red velvet dress, who would later become known as the Lady in Red. Since the grave was unmarked, the identity of the Lady in Red is a mystery. Her date of birth is also unknown; however, based on her clothing and the type of coffin, it’s estimated that she was born around 1835.
Who’s a notorious criminal from Mississippi’s past?
Some would say Stuckey is one of the most notorious characters from Mississippi’s past. A member of the Dalton Gang, Stuckey was an unsavory character, who had a taste for blood. As the story goes, Stuckey opened an inn near the Chunky River. The location was specifically selected, as Stuckey believed it would appeal to those traveling the river. Once his guests turned in for the night, the sinister innkeeper would rob and murder his guests. Stuckey would then toss his victims’ bodies into the river. Eventually, Stuckey was found out and hung from a bridge that spans the Chunky River. According to legend, Stuckey’s ghost haunts the bridge to this day.
