Satanic cults, rumors, and rituals? ‘Devil Town’ investigates Kelly Wilson’s 1992 disappearance
In 1992, 17-year-old Kelly Wilson had just finished her shift at a video shop in Gilmer, Texas. Kelly and the store’s manager, Joe Henry, locked up for the night, and Kelly went to make a deposit at the local bank. Joe was the last person to see her alive before she vanished, leading investigators down a winding path. What really happened to Kelly that night?
Before she disappeared, Kelly told friends she was heading to a party after work. Video footage from the bank showed Kelly’s car in the parking lot, but the quality was so poor that police were unable to learn any additional information. Her abandoned vehicle was found parked outside the video store, and the tires were slashed. No keys were found, her purse was left inside, and law enforcement said it looked like foul play.
After interviews and a polygraph test, Joe was cleared from the suspect list. Kelly’s boyfriend, Chris Denton, was identified as a suspect, though he was not charged and passed away in 2004 from cancer.
30 years after Kelly’s disappearance, journalist Wes Ferguson is still wondering what happened and went back to his hometown to unearth the truth. In this 10-episode podcast, Wes combs through evidence and explores this unusual case. All episodes run less than an hour, and new releases will be posted on Mondays over the next few weeks.
In years following the case, Kelly’s classmate, Michael Biby, was charged with a misdemeanor for slashing her car’s tires. Zero evidence connected him to Kelly’s disappearance, and he maintained his innocence. Two years later, Gilmer Police Sergeant James Brown and several people were charged with abusing, kidnapping, and murdering Kelly as rumors emerged regarding various rituals and a satanic cult. The case ran cold, and Kelly has not been found.
“Devil Town” speaks with those who knew Kelly, shares new information, identifies rumors, finds answers, and follows leads. We recommend this series for fans of “Up and Vanished” and “To Live and Die in LA.” This podcast is brought to you by Imperative Entertainment.