Mystery on Montford Avenue | Episode 1: Death of Mary Cooper | Southern Mysteries Serial

Southern Mysteries Podcast

Shannon Ballard

True Crime, Society & Culture, History

4.8 • 918 Ratings

🗓️ 12 May 2025

⏱️ 18 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In May 1927, the quiet Asheville, North Carolina neighborhood of Montford was rocked by a shocking discovery. Mary Cooper—a respected widow known for her kindness and community spirit—was found dead in a vacant lot near her home. Investigators made a quick determination, but not everyone agreed with their conclusion. In this first episode of Mystery on Montford Avenue, we explore the life of Mary Cooper, the atmosphere of 1920s Asheville, and the troubling details that began to surface after her death. What really happened on Montford Avenue that spring night? 🎧 All four episodes are now available. You can binge the entire series today. 🔍 Full source list available at southernmysteries.com ◼️ Music: Out of the Mines and Devouring the Whole, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina 💛 Join Southern Mysteries on Patreon for access to Ad-free Episodes, the show archive and bonus content. “Much Obliged" tier members access more including the patron exclusive podcast Audacious: patreon.com/southernmysteries 🕯️ Follow Southern Mysteries Facebook: Southern Mysteries Podcast Instagram: southernmysteries

Transcript

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0:00.0	A quick note before you listen.
0:03.7	This serialized podcast includes references to a theory of death by suicide.
0:09.3	Please listen with care if this topic is sensitive for you.
0:19.4	On a quiet morning in May 1927, a maid walking to work on Montfort Avenue in Asheville, North Carolina,
0:28.8	noticed something strange in a vacant lot.
0:32.0	When she stepped closer, she saw the lifeless body of 61-year-old Mary Cooper.
0:39.1	Mary Cooper had lived on Montfort Avenue for over a decade.
0:43.7	Her neighbors called her the sunshine of Montfort,
0:47.3	a warm, welcoming woman known for her faith, her garden, and her kindness.
0:58.1	And now she was gone. The blood trail that led from her home, down a steep embankment to the vacant lot, raised immediate questions. But within
1:05.6	hours, officials declared they were investigating a death by suicide. That ruling came as a shock to
1:13.8	nearly everyone who knew Mary Cooper. Her neighbors didn't believe it. Her friends did not accept it.
1:22.1	And one man, a local journalist, was determined to prove it wrong.
1:28.6	He helped set in motion one of the most sensational death investigations
1:32.9	Asheville had ever seen.
1:37.3	Welcome to Southern Mysteries, exploring Southern history and true crime.
1:42.7	I'm your host, Shannon Ballard.
1:45.7	This is part one of the Southern Mystery Serial,
1:49.0	Mystery on Montfort Avenue.
1:56.0	Ashville in the 1920s was a city on the move, growing quickly, full of charm and ambition.
2:06.8	But crime rates were climbing. Prohibition, which had been in effect since 1920, fueled an underground
2:14.1	economy of bootlegging and speakeasies. In some areas, especially at night,
	...

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