Burned Alive with His Dog: The 9-Year Hunt for Eric Cates' Brutal Killers in Alabama's Backwoods

from Hidden Threads: Real Private Investigators. Real Cases. Real Stories. · host Macky Outlaw

Send us Fan MailIn this heart-pounding episode of Hidden Threads: True Crime’s Untold Stories, hosts [Your Name] and Jus pull back the curtain on one of Alabama's most haunting cold cases—the savage 2015 murder of 32-year-old Eric Cates and his loyal bulldog mix, Gypsy. Discovered by hunters in a torched 1994 Chevy S-10 pickup behind the abandoned Empire School in remote Walker County, Eric's charred body revealed a nightmare: soot-filled lungs proving he was alive and screaming as flames consumed him, beaten with a blunt object in a vicious attack that screamed setup by people he knew.For nine agonizing years, Eric's fierce mom Tobbie Stover battled botched local investigations, a $25,000 family reward, and whispers of a cover-up—until the Alabama AG's cold case unit cracked it wide open. Now, with indictments against Joshua Franklin Hill (35), Cyrena Cheyenne Styles (28), and Luke Williams Jr. (34) for capital murder and kidnapping, we dive into the explosive timeline: a late-night lure gone deadly, accelerant-fueled arson, and the shocking ties that turned "friends" into monsters. Was it a drug deal gone wrong, a grudge-fueled ambush, or something even darker in the shadows of small-town secrets?Packed with exclusive court filings, Stover's raw firsthand account, and the breakthrough tips that finally brought justice—plus a chilling look at why Gypsy's necropsy was lost to the fire—this episode exposes the hidden threads of betrayal that kept a family in hell. If you love cases like Making a Murderer meets rural horror, hit play now. Justice delayed... but not denied.Stream it today—before the next twist buries the truth forever. Spotify • Apple Podcasts • YouTube • Amazon Music#TrueCrime #EricCates #WalkerCountyMurder #ColdCaseCracked #HiddenThreadsSupport the show866.910.7499 [email protected]

What this episode covers

NOW PLAYING

0:00 14:46

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Beating loneliness by bridging the generation gap

Apr 21, 2026 ·13m

Robotics and the Future of Aged Care

Apr 19, 2026 ·16m

The Purpose Paradox: Why Baby Boomers Delay Retirement

Apr 17, 2026 ·13m

A Growing Movement Aims to Prepare All Physicians to Care for Older Adults

Apr 15, 2026 ·12m

Defeating Recurring Charges on Cancelled Credit Cards

Apr 13, 2026 ·11m

If Your Dad Has These 11 Odd Habits, He's More Lonely Than He Admits

Apr 11, 2026 ·16m

Similar Podcasts

MG Show MG Show The MG Show, hosted by Jeffrey Pedersen and Shannon Townsend, is a leading alternative media platform dedicated to uncovering the truth behind today’s most pressing political issues. Launched in 2019, the show has grown exponentially, offering unfiltered insights, comprehensive research, and real-time analysis. With a commitment to independent journalism and factual integrity, the MG Show empowers its audience with knowledge and encourages active participation in the political discourse. French Your Way Jessica: Native French teacher founder of French Your Way Boost your French listening skills and test your comprehension with this one of a kind series of podcasts. Get the chance to listen to a real conversation between native speakers talking at normal speed AND customise your learning experience through carefully designed sets of questions (2 levels of difficulty) available for download at www.frenchvoicespodcast.com. All interviews also come with the transcript. French teacher Jessica interviews native speakers of French from around the world who share a bit of their life and passion. Where else would you meet in one same place a French yoga teacher based in Melbourne, a soap manufacturer from Provence, or a couple cycling around the world? Chewing the Fat with WorkForge WorkForge Bite-Sized Conversations for Building a Stronger Workforce Welcome to Chewing the Fat, a podcast delving deep into the world of food manufacturing. Dive into real conversations around critical topics like staffing, retention, onboarding, and career development in this essential industry. Subscribe now to gain insights from your peers, subject matter experts and more on the biggest issues facing food manufacturers today: -Hiring and retaining employees -Addressing the challenges of the Silver Tsunami -Improving time to productivity of new employees -Engaging employees from hire to retire And more... Tune in to Chewing the Fat, a WorkForge podcast, and join the conversation on how to build and sustain a resilient, high-performing workforce in food manufacturing. Solving for Change MOBIA Technology Innovations Solving for Change welcomes business and technology leaders to share stories of bold business transformation within complex organizations. In an era when technology and markets are changing around businesses, the key to staying competitive is to evolve in response to those changes. MOBIA’s Mike Reeves and Marc LeBlanc investigate business transformation, deconstructing the challenges, ambitions, and market disruptions that drive companies to embark on transformation journeys, and exploring their unique approaches to achieving meaningful outcomes. What sparks leaders to pursue business transformation? How do they overcome the challenges along the way? What are the keys to creating enduring change? Through in-depth conversations with business and technology leaders, Mike and Marc answer these questions and explore how businesses evolve by pulling four key transformation levers: people, process, technology, and culture.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Hidden Threads: Real Private Investigators. Real Cases. Real Stories.?

This episode is 14 minutes long.

When was this Hidden Threads: Real Private Investigators. Real Cases. Real Stories. episode published?

This episode was published on November 3, 2025.

What is this episode about?

Can I download this Hidden Threads: Real Private Investigators. Real Cases. Real Stories. episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.

URL copied to clipboard!