Murder, Mystery & Justice in Old Pensacola
A Sweet Tea Murders Walking Tour
Tuesday, August 18, 2026 • 5:00 PM
Meet at Bodacious Restaurant, 407 S. Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola
The peaceful square surrounding Plaza Ferdinand has witnessed celebrations, political speeches, military ceremonies, and more than a few dark chapters in Pensacola’s history.
On Tuesday evening, August 18, join former homicide detective, police historian, and true-crime author **Michael Earl Simmons** for an hour-long journey into the crimes, mysteries, and remarkable characters once found around one of Pensacola’s most historic landmarks. The entire tour covers only a one-block square, but within that small corner of downtown lie five intriguing stories drawn from Pensacola’s past. You will hear accounts of old crimes committed between 1833 and 1940, when the streets surrounding the plaza were traveled by soldiers, sailors, gamblers, businessmen, lawmen, and people whose names eventually found their way into police reports and newspaper headlines. Some stories involve calculated violence. Others began with an argument, a secret, or a terrible decision made in the heat of the moment. Each unfolded within sight of the plaza, yet much of what happened has been forgotten.
Until now.
This is not a ghost tour or a collection of legends. These are true stories, carefully researched and brought to life through the perspective of a former homicide investigator who understands both the evidence left behind and the people caught within it.
The walk begins at 5:00 PM at Bodacious Restaurant and lasts approximately one hour. The route is short, easy to follow, and confined to the streets immediately surrounding Plaza Ferdinand. Get your tickets here: https://sweetteamurders.com/events/
Come walk through old Pensacola, stand near the places where history turned deadly, and discover how much darkness can be hidden within a single city block. Five crimes. One historic plaza. Nearly a century of secrets. Welcome to Sweet Tea Murders: Murder, Mystery and Justice in Old Pensacola.
