Summary — 501: Live at Bass Concert Hall (Austin Night 1)

Host: Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark
Podcast: My Favorite Murder (Exactly Right & iHeartPodcasts)

Overview

This is a live episode recorded in Austin. After brief audience banter, local food talk and stage antics, the hosts present a long-form true-crime story: the 1961 “Kiss and Kill” murder of 17‑year‑old Betty Williams in Odessa, Texas. The episode mixes historical context, victim background, case details, trial outcome, and reflections about mental health and community attitudes of the time.

Key points & main takeaways

• Betty Williams: 17-year-old Odessa High senior, rebellious and artistic, raised in a religious and financially strained household. She expressed suicidal ideation repeatedly to classmates before her death.
• Cultural context: Odessa (oil boom town) in the 1960s had strong conservative, football‑centric culture. Popular girls were the “cashmere girls.” Mental‑health resources were virtually non‑existent and cries for help were often dismissed.
• The event:
  • Late March 1961: Betty told classmates she wanted to die and predicted Mac Herring would kill her.
  • She left rehearsal, met classmates, and left with Mac. Two days later Mac led police to a pond, retrieved Betty’s body, and admitted he had shot her with a 12‑gauge shotgun after she kissed him and asked him to do it.
• Legal outcome: Mac Herring was charged, tried in a highly publicized trial (dubbed the “Kiss and Kill Murder”), mounted an insanity/temporary insanity defense, was ultimately acquitted after 11 hours of jury deliberation. He returned to normal life in Odessa and died in 2019.
• Community reaction and victim‑blaming: Many in Odessa believed Betty had tricked Mac into killing her and sympathized with Mac; Betty’s close friends strongly disagreed. The case highlights how social attitudes and gendered expectations influenced community and legal responses.
• Sources cited: Primary reporting by Pamela Colloff in Texas Monthly (“A Kiss Before Dying”) and a memoir by Betty’s cousin, Shelton Williams (“Washed in the Blood”).

Notable quotes & insights

• “We don't think murder is funny. We just think we're funny.” — hosts framing their tone (true crime + comedy).
• Odessa motto (as quoted): “Midland is where you raise your kids. Odessa is where you raise hell.”
• From witness account: Betty, as she left, “I've got to call his bluff, even if he kills me.” — a chilling, pivotal line illustrating the tragic mix of teen bravado and genuine despair.
• Case nickname: “Kiss and Kill Murder” — reflects press sensationalism and framing of the event.

Topics discussed

• The Betty Williams murder and investigation
• Teen mental health and suicide warnings (how they were ignored)
• 1960s small‑town social dynamics, gender roles, and victim‑blaming
• Courtroom dynamics and the use/effect of an insanity defense
• Live show banter: Austin food recommendations (queso, fajitas), a raccoon sighting, hosts’ wardrobe and stage mishaps, audience interaction
• Sources and journalistic revival of an old case (impact of investigative reporting)

Action items & recommendations (implied and explicit)

• Take expressions of suicidal ideation seriously — if someone says they want to die, seek help (contact mental health professionals, crisis lines, or emergency services).
• If interested in the full case, read Pamela Colloff’s Texas Monthly piece (“A Kiss Before Dying”) and Shelton Williams’ memoir (“Washed in the Blood”) for deeper reporting and family perspective.
• Reflect on how community attitudes and victim‑blaming can change case outcomes; advocate for better mental‑health support in schools and communities.
• For listeners attending live shows: expect candid banter and off‑script moments — the episode includes material that would have been edited for the podcast release.

Where to learn more

• Texas Monthly article by Pamela Colloff (primary journalism referenced)
• Shelton Williams — memoir about the cousin (family perspective)
• Episode show notes (podcast) for full list of sources and references

This live episode pairs human, often humorous host banter with a sober retelling of a disturbing, historically significant case—emphasizing the consequences of ignored mental‑health warnings, cultural bias, and how publicity shaped (and sensationalized) the narrative.