
Updated as of 2/3/2024 at 3 p.m. ET
Some of the most cruel, nerve-wracking horror stories we all know about happened in small neighborhoods. These crimes are so heinous you’d think they’d happen in a large city, but they tend to occur in the shadows, away from big lights.
Now, some of these areas aren’t necessarily “small,” but their communities are tight-knit and often left traumatized by the severity of the case. Take for example, the block on the southside of the Bronx where Tanya Byrd’s remains were found after her son decapitated her and posted images of it online. I’d never walk my dog around there again.
The Root has been keeping an eye on these stories from the very first news break all the way to its national debut. Check out this list of 26 small town horrors that started out on a low-profile but swiftly made national noise.