Transcript

Podcast Host (0:00)

This show is sponsored by Deadly Nightmares, a podcast from id. Picture yourself alone in the middle of nowhere and somebody's following you. On Deadly Nightmares, a podcast from id, you can hear real stories from ordinary people who were stalked by predators. On each episode, survivors describe the moment they sense something was wrong and how they managed to escape. Then investigators and family members speak to the details of each case, sharing exactly what happened then. These terrifying stories are the stuff of nightmares, and they're all completely real. Listen to Deadly Nightmares wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the 2020 True Crime Vault.

Narrator / Lead Investigator (0:49)

You can still feel the murder in the house.

Detective Rick Malvin (0:55)

We had a 74 year old woman killed. A 35 year old woman killed. Somebody needed to tell

Interviewer / Police Officer (1:05)

the blood, a

Officer John Schraft (1:06)

lot of blood all over the mother and the daughter.

Family Member (possibly Angel's sibling) (1:10)

Angel and mom were definitely a package deal. Why would you murder two innocent people? Two innocent women?

Narrator / Lead Investigator (1:15)

We have an extremely psychotic taunting killer who's taking pleasure in the homicide, who is taunting the police and writing this letter. About 12:30 or so I got my knife and did the dirty deed. What a rush. Don't bother checking for prints or DNA. I'm wearing a bodysuit and gloves.

Detective Rick Malvin (1:36)

And then a second letter came in.

Narrator / Case Reporter (1:39)

I write to you again. I must confess. I have done it for a second time.

Narrator / Lead Investigator (1:45)

And we had a killer apparently who was traveling the country.

Narrator / Case Reporter (1:49)

The two letters sent by the killer made it pretty clear he's not only one step ahead of the cops. But the murder spree isn't over.

Interviewer / Police Officer (2:14)

911, what is the address of emergency? I need an ambulance. I'm dying.

Narrator / Case Reporter (2:23)

It starts on Friday night, the 4th of July weekend in Norfolk, Virginia. John Schraft is a rookie officer working weekend shift.

Summary

20/20 True Crime Vault: House of Cards

Date: April 21, 2026
Podcast: 20/20 (ABC News)
Episode Theme:
A chilling exploration of the double homicide of Vonda and Angelique “Angel” Goyena in Norfolk, Virginia. Investigators and family members recount the investigation’s twists and turns, emotional reverberations, misdirection by a taunting killer, and the shocking truth behind the murders. The episode dives deep into psychological manipulation, failed relationships, circumstantial detective work, and the devastating impact upon the victims’ loved ones.

Main Theme Overview

“House of Cards” presents the harrowing true crime story of a mother and daughter brutally murdered in their home. The case, marked by bold taunting letters from the perpetrator, a lack of forensic evidence, and a web of misinformation, ultimately reveals the tragic truth hiding in plain sight: the monster was someone the victims—and listeners—least expected.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Discovery of the Crime

The Crime Scene:
- Officer John Schraft responds to a frantic 911 call: “I need an ambulance. I'm dying.” [02:14]
- The house is entered, revealing Vonda (74) stabbed and bleeding but momentarily alive. Her daughter Angelique (35) is found naked, face-down, and already deceased. [03:43 - 05:09]
- Detective Walter Whiteside: "That room literally just looked like something out of the movies. It didn't even look real… She had more stab wounds than you could possibly count—over 37, 38.” [05:51]
- Notable Quote:
  - Detective Rick Malvin: “We had a 74 year old woman kill[ed], a 35 year old woman killed. Somebody needs to tell their story.” [39:39, 41:35]
Dying Declaration:
- Legal Expert Phil Evans explains the rare and powerful legal tool of a dying declaration: “With their last breath, it’s presumed to be the truth.” [07:07]
- Vonda, dying, names "Walter Lucas" as the attacker—quickly disproven as a suspect. [08:11, 17:22]

2. Early Investigation and Dead Ends

No Signs of Forced Entry: No murder weapon is found; only immediate family and the two victims have keys. [08:27, 08:39]
Family Member: “Why would you murder two innocent people? Two innocent women?” [01:10, 08:58]
Walter Lucas’s alibi and DNA confirm his innocence, despite Vonda naming him, attributable to her dementia. [17:22 - 17:57]
The fiancé, David Hoshaw, and others are seemingly eliminated. [18:13 - 18:23]

3. Angelique’s Life and Character

Family Insights:
- Angel loved poetry, fantasy, and Renaissance fairs; she cared for her mother (who had dementia), and was "the baby of the family.” [10:07 - 12:28]
- Angel was “very trusting,” loving, and imaginative—a "package deal" with her mom. [10:52, 11:38]
Interests and Relationships:
- Angel and Vonda were fascinated by Wicca, tarot cards, and nature. [12:28 - 13:26]
Desires:
- She longed for romantic love, marriage, and motherhood. [13:36 - 14:17]
Notable Quote (Angel, via diary):
- “A heart is judged by the love it gives, its thoughts, deeds, and actions. First you must open your heart and take a chance.” [11:20]

4. A New Suspect Emerges: The Fiancé

David Hoshaw:
- David is introduced as an ideal partner—Boy Scout master, “Prince Charming,” integrated into the family. [15:11 - 16:03]
- Wedding plans progress, but two months before the planned wedding, Angel is murdered. [16:03 - 16:58]
Alibi Under Suspicion:
- David appears to have been at a Boy Scout camp hours from the crime scene. “[He] could get to the house without being noticed.” [32:03, 18:23 - 18:49]
David's Odd Behavior:
- He does not attend Angel’s funeral, moves away soon after, and takes up with another woman. [53:51 - 54:41]
Red Flags:
- Secretive with money, pressuring Angel to institutionalize her mother, emotionally cold, and possibly cheating. [51:06 - 52:09]
Quote (Angel’s diary):
- "David said in a condescending tone of voice, don't question me where I am." [52:09, 74:18]

5. The Taunting Letters

Arrival of Letters:
- Shockingly, two letters arrive, both postmarked out-of-state, in which the killer brags:
  - “About 12:30 or so, I got my knife and did the dirty deed. What a rush. Don't bother checking for prints or DNA. I'm wearing a bodysuit and gloves.” [01:15 - 01:39, 20:57]
  - Second letter: “I have done it for a second time. Fried and street was just the beginning for me.” [01:39, 22:43]
Letter Analysis:
- Slang and racialized spelling seem designed to deflect suspicion. [21:56]
- Details match Angel’s own diary, suggesting the writer was intimately familiar with her life. [21:06, 20:57]
Investigation:
- No DNA or fingerprints on letters; forensics will not solve it. [23:55, 26:07]

6. False Leads and Unusual Suspects

Occult Angle:
- Police pursue a lead involving Angel’s Wiccan interests, including a tip from a self-described vampire who claims to know something, but is quickly eliminated. [29:23 - 31:28]
Notable Moment:
- A man hands in a ceremonial knife, says he's a vampire: “He also disturbingly implied to the detectives that he may know something about Angel's murder.” [30:30-31:08]

7. “Peeling the Onion”—Digging into David Hoshaw’s Past

Pattern of Violence:
- Investigators uncover disturbing behaviors, including abuse and manipulation of women across multiple relationships. [43:48 - 49:22]
- First wife Naomi: “He came down the hall and grabbed my throat and started strangling me. My oldest son was just screaming and screaming and screaming…” [44:02, 44:31]
- He was discharged from the Air Force after pleading guilty to indecent acts and assault on a 12-year-old family friend. [46:12]
- Third wife Allison: “I just felt something just smack across the back of my head, and I just blacked out.” [40:09, 47:52]
Chilling Reflection:
- Family Member: “He preys on those that are insecure and maybe people he perceives as being weak.” [73:04]

8. How the Killer Was Caught—Building a Circumstantial Case

Cracking the Alibi:
- Investigators reconstruct David’s travel using cell phone towers and credit card use, placing him near both letter postmarks in Chicago and Gaylord, Michigan, at the relevant times. [57:17-59:08]
- Crucial Evidence:
  - “There was a cell call that bounced off a tower within a few miles of where this letter would have had to have been mailed.” – Narrator / Lead Investigator [58:10]
Amanda’s Role:
- Amanda, David’s new partner, unknowingly becomes integral by confirming timelines and participating in a critical conversation with David during his interrogation. [61:06, 65:51-66:46]

9. The Arrest and Interrogation

Arrest:
- David is arrested in 2009, as Amanda (pregnant with his second child) watches. He confesses only partially, but is caught on tape discussing the letters with Amanda, admitting:
  - “I was trying to get him off my back.” [68:51]
  - “He eventually told her he mailed a letter to get us off the tail. So at that point, I knew I had the right person.” – Detective Rick Malvin [68:57]
No Full Confession:
- David invokes his right to an attorney rather than fully confessing to the police. [65:30]

10. Trial and Aftermath

The Evidence:
- Largely circumstantial: letters, travel records matching postmark dates, Angel’s troubled diary entries, and behavioral red flags.
- The defense tries to exclude the diary and interrogation; judge lets them in. [74:03]
The Plea:
- Facing overwhelming circumstantial evidence and possible death penalty, David Hoshaw pleads guilty and is sentenced to two life terms without parole. [76:05 - 78:10]
- Bizarre courtroom statement:
  - “Shame on you, Detective Mulbin… The Lord God Almighty does not like people to be full of pride…” [77:14]
- Amanda: “He deserved to go to trial. He deserved to have the whole laundry, all the truth out to set her family free, to give that family the truth about everything.” [76:30]
Victims’ Family & Community Impact:
- The family remains haunted by the ‘why’; grief and ripples of trauma endure. [78:23 - 81:22]
- Family member: “Would you forgive somebody that killed your mom and sister? I won’t.” [78:10, 78:23]

11. David’s Prison Interview

Motivation Revealed:
- David claims he went to break up with Angel at 1 am, but things “just escalated” to violence. [79:20 - 80:17]
- “Her emotions got my emotions going. And of course, her hurtfulness turned to anger. Just escalated. Yeah, it was like an impulse. And when I started, it just kept going. I just couldn't stop.” – David Hoshaw [79:55]

Notable Quotes & Moments (w/Timestamps)

Detective Rick Malvin:
- “Nobody is perfect when they commit a murder… There is no such thing as the perfect murder.” [28:01]
Amanda (David's girlfriend), after learning the truth:
- “All I could think of is why I wanted to get up and slap him… But I didn't. Because it wasn't worth it.” [70:38]
Legal Expert Phil Evans:
- “He preys on those that are insecure and maybe people he perceives as being weak.” [73:04]
Angel’s Diary (recording):
- “I have dreamed of a knight in shining armor. Don’t laugh but I’ve kept a medallion of gold and silver of a knight upon a steed for the day I meet him.” [45:45, 81:57]
- In the end, Angel dies wearing that medallion.

Timestamps for Key Segments

[02:14] – 911 call & discovery by Officer Schraft
[03:43-05:21] – Entry into the home; finding both victims
[07:07-08:00] – Explanation and attempt at a dying declaration
[20:01-22:43] – Arrival and content of killer’s taunting letters
[29:23-31:28] – Occult leads and the “vampire” tip
[32:03-39:57] – David Hoshaw’s alibi under new scrutiny; behavioral revelations
[43:48-49:22] – Abuse in David’s prior marriages revealed
[57:17-59:08] – Cell tower and credit card evidence breaking the case
[65:03-69:06] – David’s partial admission during interrogation with Amanda
[76:05-78:10] – Guilty plea and sentencing
[79:20-80:21] – David’s rationale for the crime, as given in a prison interview

Family Reflections & Lasting Grief

Family Member: "After all these years, I still think about her... I have a tattoo of two butterflies. It's just a reminder..." [79:47]
Angel’s Poem:
- “The night with its endless realm of possibilities. What could last forever? Stars… the stars watch us.” [83:22]

Closing Remarks

"House of Cards" is a haunting meditation on how evil can wear an ordinary face, and how justice sometimes must be painstakingly constructed from the fragments of a shattered case. The episode details the exhausting work of investigators, the enduring pain of a family, and the harrowing consequences of trust misplaced.

For Listeners

The episode is a compelling, deeply emotional, and psychologically rich profile of a crime that shocked and devastated a family—and demonstrates how tireless investigative work can produce justice despite the absence of a smoking gun.