New Podcast “Freeway Phantom” to Investigate the 1970s Serial Murders of Six Black girl in Washington, DC

Between 1971 and 1972, six Black girls ages 12 to 18 went missing in the Washington D.C. area: Their names are Carol Spinks; Darlenia Johnson; Brenda Crockett; Nenomoshia Yates; Brenda Woodard; and Diane Williams.

Each girl was found murdered and discarded alongside D.C. highways; local media began to call the killer “The Freeway Phantom.” The “Phantom,” Washington D.C.’s first serial killer, taunted police with a chilling note claiming responsibility, and terrorized victims’ families with calls to their homes. Five decades later, their killer has never been brought to justice. From iHeartPodcasts, Tenderfoot TV, and Black Bar Mitzvah, “Freeway Phantom” will share the stories of the six victims and explore new evidence which could crack these cold cases wide open.

The 10-episode series is hosted by journalist and public radio veteran Celeste Headlee (NPR, PBS, TEDx), who’s spent the past two years sifting through boxes of documents and interviewing investigators and family members who are still haunted by these murders. One of Headlee’s most notable contributors throughout the podcast is retired D.C. police detective Romaine Jenkins, who spent a great deal of her career working on the Freeway Phantom murders. The series also explores racial disparities, how strategies for solving murders have evolved over time, the lack of trust between law enforcement and local communities — a theme that persists today — and the role of community action in bringing forth justice. From the creators of “Atlanta Monster,” “Monster: D.C. Sniper,” and “The MLK Tapes,” “Freeway Phantom” premieres on May 17.

“This is an engrossing story, not only because of how much has changed in the way we track down serial killers, but also what has not changed,” says host Celeste Headlee. “Our effort to protect the public is still hampered by racism, mistrust between communities and authorities, and a lack of cooperation among those whose job is to protect and serve. This series answers so many tough questions and asks just as many.”

“What struck me when I first heard about these cases was both the tragedies that these families have had to endure for so long, and the parallels happening today with other missing Black and Brown girls throughout the country,” says Jay Ellis, President, Black Bar Mitzvah. “That’s what fueled my desire for Black Bar Mitzvah telling this story – to shine a light on the stories of the victims and their families, and the inequities that continue to exist 50 years later.”

“The lack of coverage, then and now, surrounding the murders of these six Black girls is shameful,” says Donald Albright, co-founder and CEO of Tenderfoot TV. “We are grateful to collaborate with iHeartPodcasts and Black Bar Mitzvah to not only tell their stories, but to further investigate these horrific crimes, and address many of the same systemic issues that persist today.”

“Freeway Phantom” is produced by Tenderfoot TV, in partnership with iHeartPodcasts and Black Bar Mitzvah. The series is hosted by internationally recognized, award-winning journalist, bestselling author, radio and podcast host, Celeste Headlee.

In her 20-year career in public radio, Headlee has been the executive producer of “On Second Thought” at Georgia Public Broadcasting and anchored programs including “Tell Me More,” “Talk of the Nation,” “Here and Now,” “All Things Considered,” and “Weekend Edition.” She also served as co-host of the national morning news show, “The Takeaway,” from PRI and WNYC. In 2019 she received the Media Changemaker Award.

Headlee is also a professional speaker and author of the bestselling books, We Need To Talk: How To Have Conversations That Matter, Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving, Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk About Racism – and How to Do It, and You’re Cute When You’re Mad: Simple Steps for Confronting Sexism. Her TEDx Talk, “10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation,” has been viewed over 34 million times. She also serves as president and CEO of Headway DEI, a non-profit that works to bring racial justice and equity to journalism and media through targeted training and interventions, and she is on the board for the National Center for Race Amity.

The first two episodes of “Freeway Phantom” will premiere on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, and will be available on the iHeartRadio app and across all podcast platforms. The following eight episodes will be released weekly on Wednesdays. Ad-free listening and early access will be available on Tenderfoot+.