# O'Donnell Heights Phantom: 1979 nightmare

> A Baltimore woman recalls the caped figure who haunted her childhood neighborhood in 1979.
- Title: O'Donnell Heights Phantom: 1979 nightmare · The Banner
- Summary: A Baltimore woman recalls the caped figure who haunted her childhood neighborhood in 1979. Sharon Lowe, 61, remembers a 1979 phantom sighting in O'Donnell…
- Keywords: sharon lowe, o'donnell heights, seattle, baltimore, phantom, cemetery, 1979, nightmare, neighborhood, caped figure, top hat, black cape
- Source: The Banner — https://thebanner.com/community/local-news/phantom-odonnell-heights-nightmares-spooky-VJPVMISU4ZE4HBRZELZ7CIENSE
- Author: Kaitlin Newman
- Published: 2026-10-19T13:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: sharon lowe, o'donnell heights, seattle, baltimore, phantom, cemetery, 1979, nightmare, neighborhood, caped figure, top hat, black cape
## Sharon Lowe's childhood
Sharon Lowe was 14 in 1979 when she saw a caped figure near St. Stanislaus Cemetery.

> Why is he wearing a top hat and a cape?
## The phantom's appearance
The figure wore a white shirt, black cape lined in red, and a top hat with hidden eyes.

> He has a horrible face and is dressed in black.
## Phantom sightings
Residents described the phantom as tall, thin, and long-legged with the speed of a horse.

> He has a horrible face and is dressed in black.
## 1951 neighborhood defense
In 1951, residents armed with shotguns and butcher knives prepared to defend against phantom sightings.

> He has a horrible face and is dressed in black.
## Silent neighborhood
The phantom was never caught, and no one was ever found after decades of sightings.

> He has a horrible face and is dressed in black.
## Lowe's childhood fear
Lowe's father sealed and painted over her house's skylight to prevent phantom sightings.

> Because my dad didn’t want anyone looking in
## 1979 cemetery sighting
Lowe saw the phantom smile with visible teeth at St. Stanislaus Cemetery in 1979.

> It was full teeth. A smirky kind of look, like, 'I’m coming'
## Phantom's last sighting
The phantom was last seen heading toward Highlandtown in 1979.

> He has a horrible face and is dressed in black.
## Modern-day nightmare
Lowe still has nightmares about the phantom 47 years after the sighting.

> It was full teeth. A smirky kind of look, like, 'I’m coming'
## Key takeaway

Sharon Lowe, 61, remembers a 1979 phantom sighting in O'Donnell Heights that has haunted her nightmares for decades.