The Pet Cemetery Murders: Dorothy Thompson’s Ghost Story

In 1985, Dorothy Lou Thompson vanished from her home at a Louisiana pet cemetery. Nearly three weeks later, her body surfaced in the Mississippi River, wrapped in chains. Decades later, witnesses came forward with information about her death and a disturbing explanation for finally talking: they said Dorothy’s ghost wouldn’t leave them alone. This week on Loreplay, Dayna Pereira explores the true crime case featured in HBO’s The Pet Cemetery Murders: A Ghost Story. From her mother Grace’s murder trial to Dorothy’s troubled marriages, a bitter property dispute, and rumored buried treasure, this story had enough secrets to fill the cemetery. Apparently, someone forgot to tell Dorothy that dead women were supposed to stay quiet. We also discuss the 1868 St. Bernard Parish Massacre and why its victims deserve to be remembered beyond the region’s ghost stories, with a full episode to follow. A Louisiana cold case, a haunted pet cemetery, and a woman with unfinished business.  • HBO. The Pet Cemetery Murders: A Ghost Story. Documentary directed by Philip Cairney. • St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office. Guilty plea, investigation details, and sentencing in Dorothy Thompson’s case. July 11, 2014. • Reuters, Jonathan Kaminsky. “Louisiana man pleads guilty in 1985 pet cemetery slaying.” July 17, 2014. • Gone South. “The Pet Cemetery Murders, Part 1” transcript and “The Pet Cemetery Murders, Part 2.” • Supreme Court of Missouri. State v. Wynne (1944). Court opinion concerning Grace Wynne’s murder conviction and its reversal. • Chris Dier. “A Forgotten Massacre in Southeast Louisiana.” January 12, 2014. • Vanity Fair, Savannah Walsh. Interview with documentary director Philip Cairney about Dorothy Thompson and The Pet Cemetery Murders. • Autopsy of Architecture, David Bulit. “Azalea Original Pet Cemetery.” June 12, 2020. • U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana. James Tregler arrest announcement. November 9, 2011. • WDSU. Coverage of the 2012 arrest and original investigation. • WDSU. Coverage of Nodier’s 2014 plea and sentence. From Lizzie Borden to Elizabeth Báthory, the infamous Blood Countess, Loreplay explores true crime, haunted history, paranormal mysteries, and the people behind the legends. Join host Dayna Pereira for ghost stories, witch trials, urban legends, cryptids, and dark history told with researched storytelling, sharp sarcasm, and absolutely no patience for historical bullshit. Follow Loreplay wherever you listen to podcasts and find us on Instagram at @loreplaypod. Come play. 📲 Come hang out with me outside the void: Instagram and TikTok: @loreplaypod Website: https://loreplaypod.com Prefer to Watch 👀 Find us on YouTube here:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP49XVyr_raHi3VVxXr91_w 👀 GOT A STORY? (I know you do…) If you’ve experienced something weird, spooky, glitchy, or straight-up unexplainable.. send it in. Your story might be featured in a future episode. 📩 Submit here: [email protected] ⚠️ Listener Discretion: We talk about dark stuff here.. death, violence, and the occasional deeply cursed human behavior. If that’s not your vibe, totally fair… but if it is? Welcome home. 🖤 💀 If you liked this episode: Follow, rate, review, share it with a friend who also loves questionable life choices and spooky stories. It helps the show grow, and keeps me emotionally stable (barely).