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True Crimecast

Dark Bloody Ground - Patreon Exclusive Episode

True Crimecast

Stove Leg Media

True Crime, Personal Journals, Society & Culture, Documentary

4.71.4K Ratings

🗓️ 1 May 2026

⏱️ 8 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This episode is only available on Patreon.com In the summer of 1985, the mountains of Eastern Kentucky lived up to their ancient name: the "dark and bloody ground." In less than sixty days, a ruthless crew led by Benny Lee Hodge and Roger Dale Epperson turned quiet communities into crime scenes. They didn't just rob; they executed. From the betrayal of a family friend in Gray Hawk to the heartbreaking murder of 23-year-old Tammy Dee Acker in Fleming-Neon, this crew left a trail of violence fueled by a safe containing nearly $2 million in cash.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Stoveleg Media, igniting conversation.

0:27.2

Welcome to True Crimecast Patreon edition.

0:28.9

I am John here with Jamie.

0:34.6

And I have in front of me a script that says a dark and bloody ground.

0:36.6

And I'm really excited to talk about it.

0:55.4

I mean, it's pretty legit. We're going to southeastern Kentucky. I tried really hard because I don't know. I've, we have conversations with people and we're like, we try to cover things other people don't cover. I had never heard of this. We usually put that stuff out on the main show. So I wanted, uh, I wanted to bring a deep cut to our Patreon audience.

1:00.6

This is, I mean, I guess I'm a little partial because it's, you know, our podcast, but you did the research on this one. It is crazy. Really, really good case. And it's from like the best

1:07.4

decade ever, the 1980s. Yeah, it is from the 80s. Great time to kill. I was a year old.

1:15.3

Yeah. And when this story takes place, 1985. I always hate it when that comes up and I realize that

1:22.8

I'm really that much older than you. I mean, like two years. You were born in 83. 82. 82. Yeah. You little whippersnapper. I was in, so in 1990, I was finishing up kindergarten. You were a fifth grader. No, in Harlan? No. I was also in kindergarten. We didn't have math in Tennessee. No, I don't i don't even know but yes definitely older than

1:45.7

you don't love it but that's kind of where we're at you know i feel like the way i live though

1:50.7

i'm older than you you know yeah i don't think i call it this is a legit story i should

1:57.2

save this for bless their hearts but i got a call from my life insurance company.

2:01.8

Okay.

2:02.3

And I've done, I did like a term life plan.

2:05.1

And they were like, hey, just, the rates have never been lower.

2:08.8

If you'd like to consider extending that, getting a new policy, we can probably get you

2:13.3

cheaper than what you're currently in.

2:16.0

And I was like, in my mind, I'm thinking, no, there's no way.

2:19.3

You've not seen the medical records.

2:20.9

Just for reference, I won't tell you the amount of policy I have, but I'm paying $30 a month.

2:27.0

The same policy extended for 20 years, 150.

...

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