311. Pope's Cafeteria Massacre

Our True Crime Podcast

Flanderson Media, LLC

True Crime, Society & Culture, Personal Journals

4.7 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 28 May 2025

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

If you listen to the podcast, you know a thing or two about crime. You may like the following questions: Why did they do it? How did they do it? Why this victim and not someone else? No matter why you listen, I bet you can remember a case from childhood that left a mark, changed how you looked at humanity, or made you lose your innocence. For me, this is that story. I had just turned 11 years old and I still remember the look of shock on my mother’s face when she was talking about this.

The call came through just before dawn on Thursday, October 23, 1980. A dispatcher’s voice crackled over the radio, summoning officers and an ambulance to Pope’s Cafeteria at 12450 Manchester Road, inside West County Center in Des Peres, Missouri. If you are local, you may call it the White Dove, at least we did growing up. When officers arrived, they were met with a small crowd of employees, still in their uniforms, visibly shaken. Some clung to each other for support, their faces pale with shock as they pointed officers toward the inside of the restaurant. Whatever had happened, it was bad.

Join Jen and Cam of Our True Crime Podcast on this episode, “Pope's Cafeteria Massacre.”

Listener discretion by @octoberpodVHS

Music by @theinkypawprint

Sources:
Murder At Pope's Cafeteria by Ronald Martin.

https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-thomas-selvey-an/21186652/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-byrd-guilty-of-f/16608221/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/springfield-leader-and-press-byrd/80560580/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-byrd-1/80560921/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-dairy-queen-murd/17396419/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch/48854693/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-springfield-news-leader-maurice-osca/16349748/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-oscelious-green/20674092/

"Byrd". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 23, 1991 – via newspapers.com.

"Verdict". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 15, 1982 – via newspapers.com.

https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-shootings-recall/19116456/

"Suspect's wife tells of money at murder trial". The Springfield News-Leader. August 12, 1982 – via newspapers.com.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/missouri-1

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/12/08/Convicted-murderer-Maurice-Oscar-Byrd-has-been-sentenced-to/2762408171600/

"Defendant Said To Boast Of Killings". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 12, 1982 – via newspapers.com.

https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-shootings-recall/19116456/

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, I'm Edward October. Over the years, I've narrated more ghost stories, horror shows,
0:05.9	and creepypastas than I can count. And yet, the crimes discussed on our true crime podcast
0:12.0	managed to scare the shit out of me. This program is not suitable for children or the faint of heart.
0:18.2	If you are such a person, go ahead and switch off this podcast.
0:21.7	Listen to something else.
0:24.5	Are you still with us?
0:26.7	Well, we've warned you. Hey, Jen.
0:47.6	Hey, Cam, how are you?
0:49.3	I'm pretty okay.
0:50.8	I countdowns on.
0:51.7	I got five days of school left.
0:53.5	I know. I know. Ours is already out. I knowdowns on. I got five days of school left. Yay. I know. I know. Ours is already out.
0:56.9	I know. Could not come at a better time. Let me tell you. Everybody's restless. It's time to go.
1:01.9	Oh yeah. Speaking of time to go. Yep. Let's get to it. I got one for you. It's a local one. You ready? Yep. Here we go.
1:28.1	So if you listen to the podcast, which obviously you do, because here you are, you know a thing or two about crime. You are very familiar with the questions.
1:29.3	Why did they do it?
1:30.5	How did they do it?
1:32.5	Why this victim and not someone else?
1:34.8	No matter why you listen to true crime,
1:38.6	I bet you can remember a case from your childhood that left a mark.
1:43.2	Changed how you looked at humanity really made you lose your innocence.
1:45.7	For me, this is that story.
	...

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