Southern Fried True Crom covers cases that may not be suitable for young listeners, and

there may also be some explicit language used.

Listener discretion is advised.

Today, April 22, 2018 marks the 54th anniversary of one of the most infamous murders in the

history of Nashville.

Paula Herring's murder became a legend, known as the Baby Sitter Murder.

Every year, people warned youngsters to lock the doors or you'll end up like Paula Herring.

If it happened today, her case would still probably be headline news, as we always tend to

sensationalize the murders of pretty blonde girls.

But Paula's story also made a big splash at the time because Nashville's Metro government

was only a year old.

There was intense pressure to solve this one fast, and solve it fast they did, and a five

day trial about six months later.

The Paula Herring was relegated to urban legend, a pretty face that pops up if you Google

famous Nashville murders.

Then in 1997, a man named Michael Bishop volunteered to help a friend catalog major crimes

of Nashville over the past hundred years.

He came across Paula Herring's files.

They were graphic black and white photos, letters, and telegrams to the chief of police.

One letter was from Nashville's first Metro mayor, Beverly Briley, tucked in among

the evidence, seemingly giving his whereabouts for the night of Paula's murder.

This letter, along with a telegram from none other than Jay Edgar Hoover, sent Mr. Bishop

...