On a quiet mountain in eastern Tennessee three men ride off on all-terrain vehicles for an evening of exploring, fishing, and swimming but never return. When foul-play is revealed, what seemed like a straightforward murder mystery turns into a bizarre puzzle that local law enforcement spend nearly a decade trying to untether. This is the story of the July 1988 Signal Mountain murders.
Kenneth Griffith (Photo Source) The Tennessean
Richard Mason (Photo Source)The Tennessean
Earl Smock (Photo Source)The Tennessean
Signal Mountain Welcome Sign (Photo Source) Delia D’Ambra
Signal Mountain Welcome Sign (Photo Source) Delia D’Ambra
Suck Creek Road and Signal Mountain Road Signs (Photo Source) Delia D’Ambra
Crime Scene Map (Source) Unsolved Mysteries January 1990
Frank Casteel Arrest 1997 (Photo Source)
Frank Casteel in 2017 while incarcerated (Photo Source)
Hamilton County Courthouse in Tennessee (Photo Source) Delia D’Ambra
Signal Mountain Tennessee Image (Source) Chattanooga Times Free Press
Signal Mountain Tennessee Map (Source) Google Maps
Episode Source Material
- Statement of Facts: State vs. Casteel. By Franklin Casteel.
- Unsolved Mysteries: Season 2. Episode 13 via Youtube.
- Bloodlands: Signal Mountain Murders. Season 1. Episode 3 via discoveryplus.com.
- A&E: City Confidential, Season 3, Ep. 10, Chattanooga: Dangerous Trespassing via Amazon.com.
- The Daily News-Journal: Officials seek 3 missing men, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- Kingsport Times-News: Search intensifies for 3 missing men, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- The Jackson Sun: Police: Missing men may have been shot, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- Kingsport Times-News: Authorities have little hope of finding missing men alive, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- The Leaf-Chronicle: Three Bodies Found, Examined By Officials, by Associated press via Newspapers.com.
- Kingsport Times-News: Bodies found probably those of 3 missing men, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- Kingsport Times-News: Authorities say arrests may be near in slayings, by Dan George via Newspapers.com.
- The Tennessean: Woods look dark after 3 slayings, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- The Tennessean: Murder probe yields clues to 2nd mystery, by Mike Moser via Newspapers.com.
- The Jackson Sun: McWherter authorizes reward in three-wheeler murders, by, Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- The Tennessean: Crime Stoppers offers up to $1,000 for information in killing of 3 men, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- Kingsport Times- News: TV’s ‘Unsolved Mysteries’ to probe mountain deaths, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- WDEF News 12: Signal Mountain Murders, by WDEF News 12 via Youtube.com.
- Johnson City Press: TV program fetches tips on slayings, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- Kingsport Times-News: Investigator to probe Signal Mountain Slayings, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- The Tennessean: DNA Technology, FBI help solve Signal Mountain slayings, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- The Tennessean: Man won’t face death penalty in killing of 3 on three-wheelers via Newspapers.com.
- Johnson City Press: Witnesses place suspect at scene, prosecutors say, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- The Jackson Sun: Trial date set for triple murder suspect, by wire reports via Newspapers.com.
- The Jackson Sun: Alleged killer’s trial may get a change of venue, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- The Leaf-Chronicle: Signal Mountain ATV murder suspect seeks change of venue via Newspapers.com.
- The Jackson Sun: Slaying suspect’s jury from elsewhere, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- The Daily News-Journal: Signal Mountain man on trial in triple killing, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- Johnson City Press: Trial under way in decade-old killings on Signal Mountain, by Rachel Zoll via Newspapers.com.
- The Jackson sun: Ex-mistress testifies in murder trial, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- Johnson City Press: Ex-mistress says she cooperated to learn truth about murders, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- Rome News-Tribune: Casteel claims persecution by police in murder case, by Associated Press via News.google.com.
- The Jackson Sun: Suspect convicted in triple murder, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- Johnson City Press: Guilty verdict brings no end to pain of loss, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- State vs. Frankie E. Casteel, E1999-00076-CCA-R3-CD, Filed December 15, 1999. Decision April 5, 2001 via tncourts.gov.
- Johnson City Press: Court overturns Signal Mountain decision, by Jason Strait via Newspapers.com.
- The Tennessean: New trial order spurs appeal by gunman’s attorneys, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- The Tennessean: Retrial date set for man accused of triple slaying, by Bill Poovey.
- The Jackson Sun: Defendant seeks new judge in triple murder, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- The Jackson Sun: Judge recuses self in triple murder retrial, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- The Daily News-Journal: Retrial set for Signal Mountain ATV murders, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- Johnson City Press: Retrial jury to come from Knoxville, compiled from wire reports via Newspapers.com.
- Johnson City Press: Retrial in 14-year-old killings to start, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- Johnson City Press: Jury hears evidence in trial of man accused of killing ATV riders in 1988, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- The Chattanoogan: Casteel Wife Says He Did Not Commit Murders, by Rob York.
- Johnson City Press: Witness surprises prosecutors at trial, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- Johnson City Press: Man convicted second time in murders, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- STATE OF TENNESSEE v. FRANKIE E. CASTEEL. No. E2003-01563-CCA-R3-CD- Filed September 24, 2004 via Tncourts.gov.
- The Jackson Sun: Hearing in motion for third murder trial, by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- FRANKIE E. CASTEEL v. STATE OF TENNESSEE. No. E2008-01526-CCA-R3-PC – Filed March 15, 2010 via Tncourts.gov.
- The Chattanoogan: 30th Anniversary Of Signal Mountain Murders, by William Watts.
- News Channel 9: “It is finally over”: Frank Casteel, convicted of 1988 ATV murders, dies in prison, by WTVC.
- The Chattanoogan: Son of Frank Casteel Writes Book About Signal Mountain Murders.
- Find A Grave: Earl E. Smock
- Find A Grave: Kenneth Darrell Griffith
- Find A Grave: Richard Doyle Mason
- Tennessee Department of Correction: Frankie Casteel Inmate Profile