As the sun sets and a March thunderstorm rolls over the Dallas skyline, a group of true crime enthusiasts brave the weather to gather at Henry’s Majestic. They are taking advantage of an opportunity to witness what they normally only hear through speakers and headphones - a live show of the podcast Texas Wine and True Crime.
Hosted by Farmers Branch residents Brandy and Chris Diamond, the podcast merges the intrigue of true crime with a bottle of Texas-sourced wine and a delectable meal to create a winning recipe. Chris, who grew up in Farmers Branch, cooks meals to pair with the wines they share on each show. Photos, and sometimes videos, of his meals are posted on the show’s Instagram page.
“The kitchen is not the place for me,” Brandy laughs. “(Chris) has always liked to cook. For the show he has had to become really creative (with meals).”
For Brandy, it’s the stories, wine and food that meld together to make the show something truly special.
“We don’t just tell true crime stories,” she said. “All three encompass how our show is lined out.”
A brainchild of Brandy, the podcast started as a project during Covid. After the company she was working for closed during the pandemic and she was busy helping her children learn from home, Brandy decided she needed something more while social distancing.
“I wanted a hobby I could do while I was at home,” she said.
After reflecting on unexplored paths, like her desire to intern at a radio station, and nostalgic memories of sitting through trials at the Dallas County Courthouse during her time as a student at R.L. Turner High School, the answer was clear.
“I decided that true crime was what I needed to be talking about,” Brandy said. “The wine (portion) came in because I wanted the show to be about two people talking while enjoying dinner and (the listeners) feeling like they were there with us.”
Ultimately, the couple decided to focus solely on Texas wines and started making connections with wineries across the state - a venture that proved fruitful.
“About five months in, I was asked by Salado Winery to come out and emcee an entire weekend wine event and (present) true crime cases throughout the day,” she said.
Live opportunities kept coming for the couple and to date, they have done more than 15 live shows at wineries from Abilene to Lubbock to Freona.
It’s not just wineries that are eager to have the podcast record or host a live show.
“We record live from the Dallas Public Library each year on a true crime weekend,” Brandy said.
They also presented the Darlie Routier case at the Georgetown Library and have recently started hosting a monthly live show at Henry’s Majestic in Dallas.
While the couple has traveled the Lone Star State to share true crime stories, it’s the unsolved mystery in their own community that sticks with Brandy the most - the disappearances of Susan Smalley and Stacie Madison.
Seniors at Newman Smith High School, the two girls disappeared in the early hours of March 20, 1988. Several days later, Stacie’s car was found in a shopping center in North Dallas off of Forest Lane.
“Stacie’s yellow mustang is found locked, (the girls’) jackets are found on top of the boombox (in the backseat), but the girls have never been found,” Brandy said. “People want to see this case solved.”
Advocating for victims and gaining traction for unsolved cases is just one of the positive outcomes the true crime community has seen since the launch of Texas Wine and True Crime. The podcast also highlights organizations each week focused on doing good in the world. As Brandy says, the topics they discuss are dark and this practice is a great way to put a little light out there.
Texas Wine and True Crime can be found on all podcast applications or their website at www.texaswineandtruecrime.com. New episodes are posted Tuesdays and live shows at Henry’s Majestic are held on the first Thursday of every month from 7 - 9 p.m.