Send us Fan Mail

Parole denied! Oklahoma governor declines parole for the remaining member of three spree killers that shocked OKC in 1978.

In 1978, something horrific happened inside an Oklahoma City Sirloin Stockade.

Six employees went to work that night. They never came home.

For those of us who grew up in Oklahoma in the late '70s and '80s, the story became part of our collective childhood memory. We knew the name Roger Dale Stafford. We knew what had happened at Sirloin Stockade. We saw the news footage.

And we remember that giant steer out front.

48 years later, the story is back in the news. Verna Stafford, who was convicted for her role in the crimes, appeared before the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board this week. The board voted 3-2 to recommend parole on one of her two life sentences.

But this isn't a true-crime episode.

Scott and Jason talk about the Stafford murders, the victims, the restaurant, and the terrible story that became part of growing up in Oklahoma. More importantly, they talk about how Gen X learned about horrible things before the internet, social media, smartphones and the modern true-crime machine.

We heard about bad things.

We processed them the best way kids knew how.

And then we went outside.

Oh, and there's a 15 foot steer involved. 🐄

Show Sponsor

Don't Just Let Memories Live On FNAW
Digitize them with The Digitize Center

Angry that you don't have the latest Free Nights and Weekends Podcast gear? Fix that here!

Support the show

Free Nights and Weekends on Facebook

Our Website

Original music provided by a few of the gentlemen of Supernal Endgame