A Killing in Abilene

Originally Aired: February 3, 1955 Suspense #583, "A Killing in Abilene," starring Parley Baer, tells the gripping story of Jeff Mander, a man who has spent two years tracking down Lee Burridge, the killer of his brother Seth. When Jeff arrives in the desolate mountain town of Pleasant Valley, he finds the residents gathered around a freshly dug grave, where they've just uncovered the body of Fred Coston, beaten to death in the same brutal manner as Jeff's brother. The townspeople, led by the vengeful Ben Chaffee, are convinced Burridge is guilty and are determined to take justice into their own hands through a lynching. Jeff faces mounting hostility from the angry mob, who see him as an interfering stranger. Despite his hatred for Burridge, Jeff insists on taking him back to Abilene for a proper trial, honoring the promise he made to his brother's widow. When Jeff confronts Burridge at his isolated hut, the encounter turns violent. As Sheriff Jake Garvey struggles to maintain order and the townspeople prepare to hunt Burridge down at nightfall, Jeff finds himself caught between his quest for lawful justice and a town hell-bent on frontier vengeance.