The Bathroom Slayings Part Three: Juanita Carroll

The Bathroom Slayings Part Three: Juanita Carroll

Author: TTC Productions August 10, 2026 Duration: 32:34
On April 24, 1977, 59-year-old Juanita Carroll was found dead inside the bathroom of her home on Ballinger Street in Abilene, Texas. Natural gas was flowing from a bathroom heater, and Juanita was seated in a chair, fully clothed, with her legs bound, her hands secured behind her back, and a cloth gag across her mouth.

From the beginning, the scene appeared to investigators to be a homicide. Justice of the Peace Silas Clark described what he saw as resembling an “execution,” while detectives searched Juanita’s home for fingerprints, fibers, hairs, and anything that might identify another person who had been inside. Her purse had been disturbed, an interior door from the garage had been left open, and yet there was no obvious robbery, clear evidence of a struggle, or apparent motive.

But as the autopsy progressed and detectives reconstructed Juanita’s final months, the investigation began moving in an unexpected direction. Medical findings, the unusual bindings, Juanita’s private life, and the absence of evidence clearly showing that another person had overpowered her forced investigators to reconsider what had initially seemed obvious.

Whatever happened inside Juanita’s house carried an unsettling familiarity. Ten years earlier, Sharon Kay Watts had been murdered in the bathroom of her Abilene apartment. In 1973, Geneva Jackson was beaten and left to drown in the bathtub of her home. Now a third woman had been found dead in a bathroom within the same small area of south and southwest Abilene. All three cases involved no signs of forced entry, no obvious robbery, and no clear motive.

What investigators ultimately decided happened to Juanita Carroll would only create more questions about the strange scene, and whether her death truly belonged alongside Abilene’s other unsolved bathroom slayings.

If you have any information about the murder of Juanita Carroll, please contact Abilene Crime Stoppers at (325) 676-8477.

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The stories that haunt a community often linger long after the headlines fade, waiting for someone to listen. Gone Cold-Texas True Crime is a podcast dedicated to those unresolved narratives, focusing specifically on the vast and complex landscape of Texas. Each episode delves into a different mystery, from long-unsolved homicides and disappearances that have left families searching for decades to other enigmatic cases that have stubbornly resisted explanation. The sheer size and diverse history of Texas provide a unique backdrop for these investigations, where details can be as sprawling as the state itself. Produced by TTC Productions, this series approaches each case with a focus on the facts and the human stories at their core, avoiding sensationalism in favor of thoughtful examination. When you listen, you’ll hear a detailed recounting of events, often including what is known about the individuals involved and the investigative paths that were followed, all while considering the questions that remain unanswered. This podcast serves as an audio record for cases that deserve renewed attention, exploring the lingering impact on communities and the hope that new information might still emerge. It’s for those drawn to the intricacies of real-life mysteries and the understanding that some of the most compelling stories are those without an ending.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Gone Cold - Texas True Crime
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