The ‘Gone South’ Podcast is an award-winning, historic True Crime podcast that exudes entertainment value, despite being a journalistic offering about an actual crime. Reporting combined with storytelling, ‘Gone South’ takes you across the South in pursuit of the Dixie Mafia and other likely suspects involved in the Margaret Coon murder, over 34 years ago.

Net Influencer brings you everything you need to know about this highly-rated podcast. From the creator/host to the impact and reach of ‘Gone South’, we have it covered.

‘Gone South’ is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning documentary and a C123Originals and Cadence13 studio production. The podcast is about the murder of Margaret Coon, a former Louisiana sex crimes prosecutor. “Gone South’ shares evidence and details of Coon’s murder, allowing listeners to make deductions about who, from the list of known suspects, might be the killer. However, the Dixie Mafia’s alleged involvement gives the show a historic edge.

‘Gone South’ discloses details of violent acts that may be triggering. Listeners are cautioned at the beginning of each episode and asked to reserve their judgment till the end of the series. The murder of Margaret Coon remains unsolved over 34 years later. A request for any information about the murder, is made by the creators of this podcast.

The Host of ‘Gone South”

Jed Lipinski

Credited as a journalist and investigative reporter, Jed Lipinski has evolved since the beginning of his career by exploring his passion for conveying true story journalism. He is an accomplished documentary film producer, podcaster, and an Emmy and Peabody award-nominated writer and producer. He is responsible for Hulu’s Fyre Fraud and Netflix’s The Pharmacist amongst other works. Jed is also the creator, writer, and host of ‘Gone South’.

Jed’s other notable achievements include receiving first-place awards from the Press Club of New Orleans for his investigative reporting, the Society for Features Journalism, the Associated Press, and the Edward R. Murrow Foundation.

Themes and Topics Covered

Season 1 of the Podcast, ‘Who Killed Margaret Coon?’ Aired in the Fall of 2021 and Season 2, “The Dixie Mafia’, followed in the fall of 2022. Both seasons involve the investigation, speculations, and reason for Margaret Coon’s murder.

The podcast covers Coon’s illustrious professional background as a trial lawyer and her joining the 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. It also explains her role as a persecutor of sex crimes and crimes against children. One of the central themes of the podcast is the possibility that her profession could have provided the basis for the greatest motive for her murder. However, authorities have not established a motive.

The series also retraces old leads, former suspects, and alternate motives and revisits and revives the investigation that has lain dormant for over 30 years.

Season 1 Synopsis

This season is set in a lawless riddled parish outside New Orleans, where Margaret Coon, a sex crimes prosecutor, is murdered one evening while jogging with her dog. Described as an affluent and sophisticated woman, Margaret Coon was also divorced. With no witnesses to the murder, Coon was stabbed in the back and left on the street on February 19, 1987.

She was discovered the next morning in one of the most wealthy and safest suburbs in Louisiana with all valuable belongings on her person – which included $100,000 worth of jewelry. Based on the autopsy findings, there were no signs of struggle or sexual assault. The real motive for the murder is not known. This season explores the conspiracies relating to the tragic, unsolved, and baffling murder of Coon, in detail.

Season 2 Synopsis

This season looks at Margaret Coon’s murder from a different angle and introduces the Dixie Mafia. While ‘Gone South’s’ host, Jed Lipinski, was investigating Coon’s murder, he stumbled upon the Dixie Mafia (more than once). In the 1960s, the traveling criminals wreaked havoc and mayhem with their lawless enterprising, hitting every state from Georgia to Oklahoma. Consisting of hundreds of members, this loose-knit syndicate specialized in heists, scams, and murder.

The charismatic leader was the skilled outlaw, Kirksey Nix. Nix was also the estranged son of a well-known Oklahoma politician. When Nix was sentenced to life in prison for a murder he committed in New Orleans, everyone believed this marked the end of the Dixie Mafia. Until Margaret Coon was murdered, and the Dixie Mafia was loosely linked.

‘Gone South’ episode reviews:

Introducing: Gone South, Season One: Who Killed Margaret Coon?

This episode provides an overview of the Margaret Coon murder, in February of 1987. It covers highlights surrounding the murder and the investigative leads they provide, introducing some of the major conspiracies and theories explored throughout the podcast.

S1|E8: Waning Night

In this 42-minute episode, some meaningful developments occur. Two women with in-depth information about the leading suspect come forward. Jed Lipinski also discovers new intel about the night Margaret Coon was murdered.

S2|E4: Wide Open and Wicked 

The podcast investigation unfolds as FBI agent Keith Bell ties a Biloxi strip club owner to the murder of Margaret Coon. However, details of a strange prison scam by Kirksey Nix, leader of the Dixie Mafia, may have a greater impact on this investigation. This is detailed and unpacked in the 48-minute episode.

The reach of ‘Gone South

The ‘Gone South’ Podcast does not seem to have a direct social media presence. However, it’s production studio Cadence13, a c13Originals, has a YouTube channel with a ‘Gone South’ playlist. Each episode of the podcast garnered between 350 and 1.2 k views on YouTube, 946 followers on Instagram, 704 followers on Twitter, and there is no Tik Tok account.

As of January 2023, ‘Gone South’ was ranked #129 on Apple Music, with a 4.7-star rating.

Based on this analysis we estimated that the ‘Gone South’ receives 1k to 2k listens each time an episode goes out across Apple, Google, YouTube, and Spotify podcast networks.

Format of ‘Gone South’

The 18 episodes of Gone South, over the 2 seasons, average approximately 45 minutes per episode. Jed Lipinski takes listeners through the featured exclusives and fascinating interviews. He executes a journalistic, investigative approach fused with story-telling. The Interviews include high-ranking politicians, DEA agents, people close to Margaret Coon, private investigators, victims of violent crimes in St. Tammany, detectives who investigated the case, and the man behind 1980’s icon McGruff the Crime Dog.  

Reception and Impact

Since its launch on November 3, 2021, ‘Gone South’ has gone forth to win the Edward R Murray award in 2022 for recognition of outstanding achievements in journalism. This documentary podcast evokes much interest and a push for justice in this case. True crime and mystery podcasts generally perform well, but this cold case is a historic southern tale that involves the notorious Dixie Mafia. This has boosted the interest and curiosity of listeners.

With an Apple Podcast 4.7-star rating, it is a high-performing, high-rating podcast. Although still unsolved, the murder of Margaret Coon attracts mystery enthusiasts and true crime followers across the board.

Conclusion

‘Gone South’s’ creators have propelled the murder case of Margaret Coon and the involvement of the Dixie Mafia, into the spotlight once again. They provide evidence from over 30 years of investigation and unveil some of the lesser-known facts that give credence to this cold case that was almost forgotten.

You can listen to ‘Gone South’ on any of your favorite podcast platforms. We have listed some of the popular ones for your ease of connection: Spotify, Apple, Stitcher, YouTube, and Audacy.