The Ghosts of Calcasieu Courthouse: Justice, Mystery, and a Spirit That Won’t Rest



In the heart of Lake Charles, Louisiana, the Calcasieu Parish Courthouse stands as a solemn monument to law and order but for locals and paranormal enthusiasts alike, it’s also the epicenter of one of the South’s most enduring ghost stories. Behind its stately columns and stone façade lingers the presence of Toni Jo Henry, a woman whose tragic tale of love, murder, and execution has forever marked the courthouse with an eerie energy.

A Dark Chapter in Louisiana History

Toni Jo Henry, born Annie Beatrice McQuiston, led a life shaped by hardship. A former beauty queen turned brothel worker, she captured the public’s attention in the 1940s when she became the first and only woman in Louisiana to be executed by electric chair.

Her crime? In 1940, Toni Jo and an accomplice carjacked, kidnapped, and murdered a man named Joseph P. Calloway, a good-natured Texan traveling through the state. Her motive was to help her recently imprisoned husband escape from jail.

The crime shocked the region and captivated the media.

Despite multiple trials and legal maneuverings, Toni Jo was found guilty and sentenced to death. On November 28, 1942, she was executed at the Calcasieu Parish Courthouse, in a basement room specially retrofitted with Louisiana’s portable electric chair, nicknamed “Gruesome Gertie.”

The Ghost of Toni Jo Henry

Toni Jo’s spirit, it seems, never left the courthouse. Over the decades, staff and visitors have reported chilling and inexplicable experiences, many tied to her presence.

Phantom Perfume

Employees have reported the strong, sudden scent of rose-scented perfume, believed to be Toni Jo’s favorite, in hallways and empty rooms especially around the basement and old courtroom.

Mysterious Apparitions

Some claim to have seen a shadowy female figure drifting through corridors, often near the old jail cells or courtroom where Toni Jo was tried. She is described as petite, with curled dark hair and a sad, distant look in her eyes.

Cold Spots & Electrical Malfunctions

The courthouse is known for unexplained cold spots, flickering lights, and electronic equipment that malfunctions in specific areas particularly the basement where the execution took place.

Whispers and Laughter

Security guards working late shifts have reported disembodied whispers, crying, and even light, echoing laughter when no one else was around.

A Spirit Searching for Redemption?

Some believe Toni Jo’s ghost lingers out of remorse, confusion, or defiance. Others say her haunting presence is a reflection of the public fascination and sensationalism that surrounded her case. Despite the severity of her crime, many saw her as a tragic figure caught in a desperate love story, shaped by trauma, and used as an example.

Her grave rests in Lake Charles, but her story and perhaps her spirit remains very much alive inside the courthouse.

Want to Visit?

While the courthouse is a working government building and not open for ghost tours, paranormal groups have long shown interest in the location. Even if you're passing by, many say they can feel a shift in energy around the courthouse grounds—especially at night.

The legend of Toni Jo Henry is a haunting reminder that places of justice can also become places of unrest. In Calcasieu Courthouse, the past hasn’t been forgotten and if the stories are to be believed, it’s still echoing through its marble halls.