In 1897, a young West Virginia woman named Zona Heaster Shue was found dead. The official cause was "an everlasting faint." Case closed. But then, her mother, Mary Jane Heaster, claimed her daughter's ghost visited her for four consecutive nights with a chilling accusation: Zona had been murdered by her husband, her neck broken.
This is the only known case in American history where testimony from a ghost helped convict a murderer. But was it a spectral vision, a mother's desperate dream, or a clever ruse to ensure justice? Join us as we dig into the bizarre and compelling story of the Greenbrier Ghost, where folklore and true crime collide.
Topics & Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction: The Chilling Roadside Marker
03:05 - A Marriage of Inconvenience: Meet Zona Heaster and the mysterious "Trout" Shue.
04:55- The Body of the Crime: The discovery of Zona's body and Trout Shue's suspicious behavior.
07:05 - Cause, Mode, and Manner of Death: Mary Heaster's crusade and the shocking results of the autopsy.
08:35- Trial and Testimony: The defense's fatal mistake and Mary Heaster's unforgettable day in court.
13:15- A Verdict, A Legend, and A Roadside Marker: The jury's swift decision and the mob that arrived too late.
15:10 - Recent Developments & The "Fisher's Ghost" Connection: How an Australian ghost story in the local newspaper might have inspired a legend.
18:45- Conclusions: Separating history from haunting—what really happened to Zona Heaster Shue?
Mentioned in this Episode:
The Man Who Wanted Seven Wives by Katie Letcher Lyle
The Unquiet Grave by Sharyn McCrumb
The "Fisher's Ghost" legend from Australia
Greenbrier Independent Article (Click Newspaper Articles PDF)
Podcast Sources
Blue Ridge True Crime Sources & Links
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Blue Ridge True Crime Substack
Blue Ridge True Crime YouTube Channel
My Book
Blood on the Blue Ridge on Amazon (written with Scott Lunsford)
