Seriously Mysterious - Missing Persons, Unsolved Murders & Historical True Crime
Oct 6, 2026 · 21 min · 12 segments
A string of brutal murders leads to a killer, and a prosecution that leaves the jury baffled. Can they stop the monster known as "The Zoo Man," or will Kyle help him go free? Thank you Knoxville…
A hunter passing through the woods near a dead-end road named Cahaba Lane spotted a bright green and yellow mass within the pile of leaves lying some 20 yards from the street.
She had been left face down, clothed, wearing jean shorts, a sweater, and high heels.
Detectives from the Knoxville Police Department and the Knox County Sheriff's Department arrived on the scene and thought that the woman looked familiar.
Anderson had a long arrest record consisting of charges of prostitution as well as possession and selling of controlled substances.
She had been due in court on the 17th of November to face charges of prostitution and driving without a license.
Some sources say that 32-year-old Patty also had a 10-year-old son, a 3-year-old daughter, and had been two months pregnant at the time of her death.
But Patty Rose was just the first in a series of murdered women found on Cahaba Lane, a road that ran parallel with Interstate 40 until it stopped at a dead end.
It was an area known by locals as the place to go for partying in the woods or for teenagers to take their dates.
It was also a secluded area for short-term privacy for johns to take their dates.
She was identified as Patricia Johnson, a 31-year-old prostitute that had only spent five months operating in Knoxville, having relocated from Chattanooga.
She also had a history of prostitution arrests and most recently had been arrested in Knoxville for disorderly conduct.
While police were unable to identify her right away, they did eventually identify her as 23-year-old Darlene Smith.
Her sister, Shirley Smith, insisted that Darlene was not a prostitute, but she liked to dress well and go out to enjoy the nightlife of Knoxville.
Though she had warned her sister to never get into a car driven by a stranger, it appeared that Darlene had done just that, falling into the trap laid by her killer.
A hunter passing through the woods near a dead-end road named Cahaba Lane spotted a bright green and yellow mass within the pile of leaves lying some 20 yards from the street.
She had been left face down, clothed, wearing jean shorts, a sweater, and high heels.
Detectives from the Knoxville Police Department and the Knox County Sheriff's Department arrived on the scene and thought that the woman looked familiar.
Anderson had a long arrest record consisting of charges of prostitution as well as possession and selling of controlled substances.
She had been due in court on the 17th of November to face charges of prostitution and driving without a license.
Some sources say that 32-year-old Patty also had a 10-year-old son, a 3-year-old daughter, and had been two months pregnant at the time of her death.
But Patty Rose was just the first in a series of murdered women found on Cahaba Lane, a road that ran parallel with Interstate 40 until it stopped at a dead end.
It was an area known by locals as the place to go for partying in the woods or for teenagers to take their dates.
It was also a secluded area for short-term privacy for johns to take their dates.
She was identified as Patricia Johnson, a 31-year-old prostitute that had only spent five months operating in Knoxville, having relocated from Chattanooga.
She also had a history of prostitution arrests and most recently had been arrested in Knoxville for disorderly conduct.
While police were unable to identify her right away, they did eventually identify her as 23-year-old Darlene Smith.
Her sister, Shirley Smith, insisted that Darlene was not a prostitute, but she liked to dress well and go out to enjoy the nightlife of Knoxville.
Though she had warned her sister to never get into a car driven by a stranger, it appeared that Darlene had done just that, falling into the trap laid by her killer.
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