In Tennessee, a man's murder and his wife's death feed into the local legend of a "cursed" mansion

Key Points:

• Mike Harding, a California transplant living on the Kentucky-Tennessee border, was lured to a vacant property in Burkesville, Kentucky, and murdered in September 2022; his body was found with multiple gunshot wounds after being missing for about a week.
• Investigators uncovered that Harding was deceived by texts from a fictitious realtor, leading him to the murder site; the burner phone used for these communications was linked to Thomas O'Donnell, a man with a history of stalking and financial troubles.
• Julie Harding, Mike's wife and a California Highway Patrol captain, had a contentious relationship with Mike involving divorce proceedings and financial disputes, including withdrawing significant funds from their joint accounts; she was suspected of orchestrating the murder through her connection with O'Donnell.
• Thomas O'Donnell was arrested with Mike Harding's stolen gun and matching ammunition, and DNA evidence linked him to the crime scene; he was convicted of murder in 2026 after a trial where the defense argued another unknown individual was the shooter.
• Julie Harding died by suicide shortly after O'Donnell's arrest, leaving behind a note expressing bitterness toward Mike; despite suspicions, there was insufficient evidence to charge her with involvement in the murder.