Gone South – Details, episodes & analysis

In February of 1987, a former prosecutor named Margaret Coon went for a jog in one of the safest and wealthiest neighborhoods in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. The next morning, she was found dead on the side of the road. St. Tammany advertises itself as a safe haven from the crime and corruption of New Orleans, attracting thousands of residents over the last several decades. But there is a darker side to the parish, and that darkness ultimately consumed Margaret Coon. Over the course of this documentary podcast series, journalist Jed Lipinski investigates Margaret Coon’s unsolved murder, shedding new light on a bewildering crime that has haunted the region for over 30 years.

Gone South is an Audacy Original produced in association with Jed and Tom Lipinski.

It's a regular day in Beau Chene, an exclusive gated community 35 miles north of New Orleans, Louisiana. At dusk, a prominent ex-prosecutor takes her Afghan hound for a jog on the busiest street in the neighborhood. The next morning, a neighbor discovers her lying in a pool of blood, launching a murder investigation in which everyone is a suspect. If you have tips or information that you’d like to share related to the unsolved murder of Margaret Coon or other relevant topics, you can call us at (650) 746-GONE or email us at GoneSouthPodcast@gmail.com.

While investigating the death of Margaret Coon for Season One, Jed learns about a notorious gang of criminals that terrorized the South in the 1960s and 70s. 

Kirksey Nix, the supposed leader of the Dixie Mafia, has been described as a psychopathic killer. Jed connects with Kirksey in prison in an effort to set the record straight. 

While many believe Margaret Sherry was targeted for political reasons, Biloxi police suspect the killer was one of Vince’s disgruntled clients. But as missteps in the investigation pile up, the Sherry family wonders: Were the cops somehow involved?

FBI agent Keith Bell discovers a link between the murders and a Biloxi strip club owner. But a bizarre prison scam conducted by Kirksey Nix may have even bigger implications.

After trying to solve the case herself, the Sherry's oldest daughter hires a notorious Mississippi private eye named Rex Armistead. His connection to an Angola inmate and Dixie Mafia killer soon breaks the case wide open.

In the wake of inmate Bobby Joe Fabian’s stunning allegations, Pete Halat and Kirksey Nix strongly deny their involvement in the murders. But a new sheriff’s investigator suspects they know more than they’re letting on.

To build a case against a Kirksey Nix and his collaborators, Agent Keith Bell and Captain Randy Cook descend into the criminal underworld. A trial results in convictions, but the Sherry murders have yet to be solved.

After years of denial, Biloxi strip club owner Mike Gillich agrees to help the government solve the Sherry murders. His cooperation reveals the true trigger man and the people responsible for the killings, including former Biloxi Mayor, Pete Halat. But as a new trial unfolds, Pete maintains his complete innocence. 

A Special Thanks to Celia Tisdale and the Mississippi Department of Archives & History