If you want to get away with murder go to [your town]

Now, there are variations of the "saying" that include "If you want to get away with murder, do it in .." and "If you want to get by with murder, go to ..." and "If you want to get away with murder, move to .." and "If you want to commit murder and get away with it, move to .."

I make sure to include all phrases, that way Google will tag them upon search.

***UPDATE: 6/22/16*** See the bottom of the page for more "I heard it with my own two ears" and "I saw it with my own two eyes"..actual pictures from Facebook of various people. ALSO: See the bottom for an exclusive first hand look at Big Spring, TX!

 
Today, we are going to explore the urban legend of Paul Harvey, Johnny Carson, and in some cases, Jay Leno. This urban legend is one that many towns across America say as a fantasy of the corruption within their own town, as if they were special. 

Yes, you heard right, "an urban legend." Because if you have come to this page, it is because you have "Googled" the terms "If you want to get away with murder go to." For what reason? Well it is possible that you did it in order to "prove" or "disprove" the claim that either three individuals mentioned above made the statement (or that you're a complete psycho looking for actual ways of getting away with murder). Sorry to burst your bubble, but it wasn't ever said.

I'll get hundreds of people who "heard it with their own two ears" about their specific town. Sadly, they are incorrect.

I've debated people throughout many towns, and everywhere "they heard it" about where they live. Remarkable, isn't it? What a coincidence that they "heard it" about their own town, but not of others, as if they were the special ones.

In some cases, there are instances where people attempt to boost their argument by adding several unsolved murders to their city at the time "they heard it." This is very comical, as if people are ignorant.

One specific case, in Crossville, TN, an individual explains that Paul Harvey said those famous words in 1985, while there were 17 unsolved murders. Not only are these numbers "a little" incorrect, they are completely falsified. So, why is it that someone has falsified the number, because after all, they heard it with their own two ears, correct?

We'll get back to determining these numbers in a bit. Sit tight.

In another instance, an individual tried to explain that Paul Harvey wasn't talking about murder rates. Really? Do you understand how asinine that is, considering the fact that we are talking about "if you want to get away with murder, do it here?"

If homicide rates are low, and the rate of solving homicides it high, why would such a statement be made by Paul Harvey, Johnny Carson, or Jay Leno? (Well also get to more actual facts in just a minute.) After all, if you wanted to "get away with murder" in a specific location, wouldn't that mean an above average number of murders and/or a high rate of unsolved murders? "Well it could be because the wrong person was convicted." Really? I'll let you use your critical thinking skills on this one.

Despite knowing the aforementioned, people are still determined to explain that they "heard it." Also despite knowing it has been said about an undermined amount of towns across the United States. We'll list these towns in a minute.

Now, it is also important to realize that all of these transcripts from Paul Harvey, Johnny Carson, and Jay Leno have been saved. Every one of them.

Despite this, and all these other towns "who heard it about where they live" cannot seem to locate such transcript. You know why? It is because it hasn't ever been said. We won't even mention the fact that there are three people who have "said it." Seriously folks, you didn't hear it.

For starters, we'll take a look at Paul Harvey archives:

http://www.paulharveyarchives.com/

Now, for you Johnny Carson fans who "seen it," feel free to go here.

http://www.johnnycarson.com/

Now, yes, you will have to buy the entire archive, as I did. I did and watched all of them to find any assertion of "getting away with murder." None. Zero. Zilch. Don't believe me? Feel free to prove me wrong. Well, thousands wrong for that matter. There is one particular part where an FBI agent discusses crime rates, but no go for the saying. Sorry.

How about we explore where we get the crime stats from, shall we? Just updated a new tool: Murder clearance rates. This goes back to 1965, thus can prove these claims.

http://www.ucrdatatool.gov/
Murder Clearance Rates 



Now let us take a look at all the towns where Paul Harvey, Johnny Carson, and/or Jay Leno said it about their town, shall we?

Paul Harvey said it:

http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=54356
http://www.psychicsuniteforum.com/help-please-jason-williams-from-texas-t295-10.html
http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.comment/id/579116/COLD-CASES.html?nav=5019
http://www.gcdailyworld.com/story/1252433.html
http://mockforums.net/thread-5034.html
http://www.vice.com/read/the-vice-v13n1
http://killacab.blogspot.com/
http://www.city-data.com/forum/cookeville/19919-cookeville-tn-2.html
http://www.readthehook.com/83009/cover-getting-away-murder-former-cop-has-serious-questions-about-why-stauntons-most-infamous-k
http://www.seaofshoes.com/sea_of_shoes/2013/03/night-at-a-haunted-hotel.html
http://www.mostwanted.com/article.php?story=20091213152949338
http://greenbay.scenenewspaper.com/news-views/19-news-views/815-a-take-on-titletown-finding-common-ground-in-green-bays-most-notorious-murder-case.html
http://roberthuckinsvictim.blogspot.com/2010/06/paul-harvey-once-reported-if-you-want.html

I could go on with links from many different towns, but I think it is safe to say, you get the point. I hope.

Update (11/18/15): Some links are out of date; I have updated some. You get the point. It's said everywhere.

Johnny Carson said it:

http://www.roaneviews.com/node/4628
http://monsoncase.com/getting-away-with-murder/
http://www.thezephyr.com/archives/rawley.htm
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/18/jury-awards-5-million-to-mother-of-man-slain-in/

Let us look at Topix towns...

Harriman, TN Topix
New Castle, IN Topix
Madisonville, KY Topix
Jackson, OH Topix
Oak Hill, OH Topix
New Castle, IN Topix
Another Madisonville, KY Topix
Oneida, TN Topix
Columbus Topix
Crossville, TN Topix
Jamestown, TN Topix
Kenton, OH Topix
Hershey, PA Topix
Mount Vernon, KY Topix
Central City, KY Topix
Santa Fe, NM Topix
Another Crossville, TN Topix
Wartburg, TN Topix
Carlsbad, NM Topix
Washita, OK Topix
Clarksburg, WV Topix
Elk City, OK Topix
Gainesboro, TN Topix
Indianola, NE Topix
Bellefontaine, OH Topix

I mean, come on folks, seriously? And you still believe it was said, and about YOUR town? How convenient.

Now despite knowing all of these towns, you will have people arguing till they're blue in the face about how it is their town in which it was said.

Ironically, out of ALL of these debates, not one single person acknowledges these other towns of where it was said. Regardless of how many times it is shown of the different towns. These people skip around it still claiming they heard it about their own little town, as if it was something special.

Folks, you're naive and gullible. There are many more towns out there, but quite frankly, if you still refuse to believe the truth, you will never believe it. It's called ignorance.

Somewhere, somehow, you have come here to most likely prove that it was said. By now you are starting to realize just how wrong you are. But go ahead, do like others, comment down below telling us how you personally heard it. Go ahead; we'll believe you. *wink*

I go back to my original premise, if it was in fact said, how is it out of all these towns, no one has been able to show the transcripts or proof? This has been here for 3 years. So, you expect me to believe that "it was said about your town" over all these other towns? Even knowing that these other towns have people "who heard it with their own two ears" also? Interesting.

Or how about the people who create "false facts?" Now that is extremely funny.

P.S. I've decided to open up comments on this blog, even for anonymous posters, so we can see how many will still post claiming they heard it.

****EDIT as of 05/25/2014*******

In the two years this has been posted, I have had approximately 16,000 people view this page. Some through Topix, most through Google searches, while others from various sites.

Anyways, I have had the comments open for a very long time; out of all the people who have view this site, not one has still yet to give me information to prove me wrong other than "I said so." 

Some obviously have decided to "chime in" and tell us "they heard it with their own two ears." Shocking, huh? Perhaps if you've made it this far, and "heard it," then you need to go back and read what all I've wrote. I did say that people would say they heard it themselves and try to convince the readership, but will fail to provide proof of other than "I said so," did I not? *grin*

Are you folks dreaming this and thinking it's real? I don't understand. There are THOUSANDS of people claiming they hear it about THEIR town...HUNDREDS of towns, yet you still can't provide proof, even though all transcripts of those days were saved. Interesting.

So now that I'm here updating, I'm going to add another location that it was heard about their town....

http://www.meridianstar.com/local/x2056606065/Citizens-want-answers-about-police-chief

http://z13.invisionfree.com/Mississippi_Talk/ar/t686.htm

Meridian, MS .. You've been added to the list. Congrats!

I hope you guys realize people are laughing at you, not with you.

****EDIT as of 05/26/2014******

 Breckenridge, TX
"Like Paul Harvey has said (Twice)...If you want to get away with murder, go to Breckenridge, TX!"

 Quincy, ILL

Steuben County / Fremont, Indiana
"There was a statement on Paul Harvey about 10 years ago, that if you wanted to get away with murder you needed to move to Steuben county Indiana. (or maybe it was Fremont) "

Foss, OK
Henry, KY

Congrats and thanks to Breckenridge, Quincy, Steuben, Foss, and Henry residents for the additions!

****EDIT as of 11/18/2015******

11/18/15: Wow. I have had this posted for over 3 years now. It is amazing at the amount of traffic that comes to this page. To date, the only thing that has been offered is "I said so" regarding proof of whether or not this myth was actually said. I have even left the comment section open where anyone can post anonymously to provide proof. 3 years and no one can seem to do it. I am updating links as time permits. 

 ****EDIT as of 03/13/2016******

This page is getting increasingly longer as I come across more information. So, what I've decided to do it add actual pictures/screenshots of people making the claims about their own towns. Although some of the posts are older, there are still some newer ones. I still cannot believe this is still being circulated and people believing it. To the folks who "heard it" or "saw it" please explain why [everyone] else says the same about their town. Please. The comment section is open. No proof. No transcript, despite all of these being archived, nothing. Nada. Zilch. 


Link to picture 1
Link to picture 2
Link to picture 3
Link to picture 4 

All the above pictures are direct links to screenshots of additional people claiming they heard it/saw it about their own town.

 ****EDIT as of 06/22/2016******

Time to shift focus on one particular town, Big Spring Texas! Some of the PUBLIC commentary is in the links above, but some new information has surfaced so we can all laugh at this group. After taking the comments, then using research data, it is perfectly clear that NO ONE would have said it about Big Spring; however, this is only one town, many towns across the US that say it about their location is the same way. This example shows how the urban legend (Paul Harvey) continues. Also note the inconsistencies ...

Now, those are in no particular order, but they are all from a PUBLIC comment section of Big Spring, TX! If you look, you can see that none can even agree on the date (which the argument stands between decades a part). Now, if he (Paul Harvey) had indeed said this, could we at least get the dates the same, or at least close?

A Clearance, in this terminology, is the amount of cases solved.

Clearance Rate of 91.01%?!?!? But wait!! I thought if you wanted to get away with murder, go to Big Spring???? LOL

 ****EDIT as of 04/09/2017******

I'm still here waiting for disproving information. I started this in 2012. Here we are, 5 years later, and still no credible information. The thing about it is, I am on the top of the Google page when you search the criteria, and I can see the page visits through analytics. At this point, I see about 80,000 people have came by, through Facebook, Topix, random Google searches, etc.

****EDIT as of 08/22/2019******

 Greetings everyone! 7 years and still nothing. Unfortunately Topix has now since died so those links aren't valid any more. You can use the WayBackMachine to pull archives though if you wish to read it. I may get around to updating it because apparently there has been an enormous uptick in the past few days of page views for some reason.