MovieChat Forums > The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976) Discussion > Terminology of the killer to surviving v...

Terminology of the killer to surviving victim.... I could be wrong

posted 16 years ago by bobsphotography2000
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Supposedly, according to crime library's account, the killer instructed one young victim to hand over his "britches" ..... meaning pants or trousers.

It seems to me that the term "britches" was a term used perhaps in various geographical areas but not all. I doubt it was a term used in the big cities like Los Angeles, New York, or Boston. So, the killer probably was from a rural area and definitely of a certain age bracket because its an old term that I heard uttered by my grandmother who was raised in farming community in Canada.

As to the killers ultimate end, I'd bet he was locked up in prison for some other crime and maybe even died in prison. I know thats what happened to the prime suspect... but he got out. As for the manner in which the murders took place, I'd say it wasn't the prime suspect because serial killers don't revert to normal and it sounded like the car thief guy who was the prime suspect did get out of prison and there were no reports of gunshot murders around his location post prison.

[–] workingwithknives 16 years ago

What's the link to the crime library account of the case this film is based on?

I have a book about a guy who was known around a small town as "Bicycle Pete". Considered a local oddball, he was someone few paid much attention to until he was caught one night jerking off outside the bathroom window of someones wife as she bathed. I believe the womans husband caught him. "Bicycle Pete" shoots the guy in the leg with a shotgun and hightails it the hell outta there.

He wore a hood over his head with slits cut for eye holes and held in place with a length of rope. The guy kidnapped a couple of high school girls and held them captive in a cave up in the mountains. I've always thought this case may have been the inspiration for "The Town That Dreaded Sundown".

[–] bobsphotography2000 16 years ago

Sorry, I don't have the link to crime library for that story. But I visited it recently so I know its there. It was posted on this posting board.

But the inspiration for the story does come directly from the Phantom Killer of Texarcana. The plot of the movie closely parallels the actual events..

Where did you hear of "bicycle pete" ?? What State / Town ? What year?

One thing you mentioned did ring a bell but for another case... I can't think of the name but the serial killer was the same as you described... an oddball.... but nobody feared him. Until they discovered a local man strung upside down in his garage & treated like a deer (if you know what i mean). The public burned his house down after he was jailed.... and rightfully so. The case was part of the inspiration for the movie with a well known actress Jodi Foster playing an FBI agent who investigated ... can't think of movie title.

And if you want to read a more recent book ... try the one about David Carpenter / "Trailside Killer" who murdered people in public park areas during the 1980's after coming out of prison. He currently is the oldest man on California's death row at age 76. The nice thing about California's system is that the punishment of never being executed and having to rot in your cage is actually worse than being "put to sleep." Anyway, that guy was another oddball who people noticed.... but didn't know. He lived in SF at the time of his killings... In the book, his probation officer was tipped by other investigators to chat with him for details.... and during the converstation... the PO realized that Carpenter was indeed the man.. which made the PO's "blood run cold."

[–] workingwithknives 16 years ago

I'm not sure of the title of the book. I have it packed away. I'm thinking the location was Tennessee but I'm not sure. It's been years since I read it.

[–] 16 years ago

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