If you’re an avid podcast listener, we have a series to add to your queue. We wanted to learn more about about the Upstate’s podcast scene, so we dove head first into listening to Murder, etc. – a series on a 1975 Greenville murder case – and connected with reporter-turned-podcaster, Brad Willis, to learn more about his experience as a producer.
The 1975 Looper murders
On Jan. 31, 1975, Lt. Rufus Frank Looper, who was head of the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office narcotics unit, and his father were shot and killed in their family’s garage. Around noon that day, Looper’s mother saw a man pacing outside the garage, where Looper’s father ran an auto repair shop. Looper went to check on him – his mother heard two gunshots + then saw the man run away.
Charles Wakefield Jr. was arrested + sentenced to death for the murders in what police said was a “robbery gone wrong.” The prosecution’s case relied heavily on two witnesses – one of whom recanted his story in 2004.
Wakefield’s death sentence was thrown out in 1976 following a United States Supreme Court ruling that it was unconstitutional to impose the death penalty for first-degree murder cases and his term was commuted to two consecutive life sentences.
Wakefield was released on parole in 2010 after serving 35 years, and while his conviction stands – there are many people who believe he is innocent, including members of the Looper family. Wakefield himself has maintained his innocence for four decades.
In recent news
If this case sounds familiar, it may be because there have been more recent updates regarding evidence + case files.
In 2018, a letter that could implicate a former Greenville County sheriff was found in a folder in a storage locker at the Law Enforcement Center. The letter is said to have been addressed to late Sheriff Cash Williams from a mistress – and alleged that Williams + some of his team members were involved in the murders and the framing of Wakefield.
Earlier this month, it was announced that the newfound evidence was missing. The Greenville Police Department released a statement on Dec. 5 saying that they have been unable to find the file folder containing the letter. Police Chief Ken Miller has requested another agency to investigate the document’s disappearance.
Murder, etc.
Feeling like this article should have come with a spoiler alert? Don’t worry, there’s a lot more to this story. The week-by-week podcast takes a deep dive into 1970s Upstate S.C. – covering things like the Dixie Mafia, The Dawson Gang, and Greenville’s former place on the list of the Worst Cities in America (a stark comparison to more recent awards and accolades).
Murder, etc. also reexamines the case + encourages listeners to analyze evidence for themselves (going so far as to link to case files on their website for followers to see first hand).
The story itself is intriguing – but before we knew the details of the Looper murder case we were interested in Murder, etc. as a locally produced podcast. We reached out to writer + producer Brad Willis to learn more about his experience creating the popular series.
Q&A with Brad Willis
- How did you first get involved with this story?
“While working as a reporter in 2001, I broke the story of Charles Wakefield, Jr.’s parole. Under deadline at the time, I produced a quick but ultimately impactful story that resulted in public outcry. That response subsequently led to the parole board rescinding Wakefield’s parole. It was only after that decision I learned about all the facts in the case.”
- Is this your first podcast? Why did you decide to use a podcast to tell this story?
“Although I was a voracious podcast consumer, I’d never tried to produce any long documentary-style audio pieces. As a lifelong writer, I began the project with the intention of writing a book about Wakefield, Frank Looper, and the murder investigation. In the last couple of years before I started the podcast, I realized I didn’t have an ending for the book. That was primarily because I needed more sources.
My friends and family correctly convinced me the best way to find those sources was to go public with a podcast and see what happened. And what happened—and is still happening—is shocking in ways I didn’t expect.”
- What are the biggest challenges you’ve encountered covering this story specifically?
“Producing any podcast of this magnitude involves a financial and time commitment that was far beyond what I expected. Beyond that, for this particular story, there is an emotional toll that comes with living and breathing a long list of tragedies for a very long time. That toll is a bit more pronounced because of the early roll I played back in 2001.”
- What do you hope listeners take away from your podcast?
“The easiest way to answer this is this: I want them to know what I know. If everyone knew everything I’d learned over the years about Charles Wakefield, 1970s law enforcement, and the City of Greenville, I think this case and this city would have turned out a lot differently. I’m very hopeful that what I report makes a difference for Greenville and the people who have been affected by the Looper murders.”
- Do you have any words of advice for someone interested in starting a podcast?
“Don’t be afraid of the work. Define success in broad terms and accept true success may be different than you defined it. Make a list of everything you think you will need to do and learn before you start. Realize your list will double in length once you begin. Pick a subject that’s closer to an obsession than a casual interest. You’ll be spending a lot of time alone with the subject, and if you lose interest, every one else will, too.”
- What’s next for you? Do you think you’ll produce another podcast?
“I absolutely love the medium and would love to find a way to keep working with it. After I finish this season, I’m going to take a very long nap. When I wake up, there will be no fewer than ten amazing stories I’ve wanted to tell for a long time, and they’ll be pestering me to tell them. I’ll just have to decide which one is next and if I’ve got the time and money to make it happen.”
Where to listen + how to learn more
Want to know more about Murder, etc. and Brad Willis’ work? You can watch the official trailer for Murder, etc. here and find the full list of streaming options for the podcast here.
If you’re interested in the local podcast scene, you can find more Greenville-based series to listen to here.
