E471 Crop Top Capes and a Beatles Ghost

Summary

And That's Why We Drink – Episode 471: “Crop Top Capes and a Beatles Ghost” (Feb 22, 2026)

Podcast Hosts: Christine Schiefer and Em Schulz
Main Theme: The strange intersection of murder and the paranormal—this episode journeys through a chilling true haunting story intertwined with family secrets, generational trauma, and classic “hope in a hellscape” humor. Christine delivers the harrowing conclusion of the Tote Family Murders, while Em recounts the compelling Barini Haunting, starring ghost children and a menacing, caped entity.

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OVERVIEW

This episode balances the unsettling with the absurd, beginning with candid reflections on mental health and the relentless weirdness of modern headlines, and then diving into a séance-ready ghost story (the Barini Haunting) and shockingly generational true crime (Tote Family Murders, Part 2). While the episode is threaded with topics like hope, family dysfunction, despair, nostalgia, and the humor it takes to survive—a central motif emerges: “the world’s a scary place and that’s why we drink.”

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KEY TOPICS & DISCUSSION POINTS

1. Grappling With The Chaos of Modern Life (02:11–13:42)

• Tone: Frustrated yet humorous venting about daily doomscrolling, the onslaught of disturbing news, and maintaining hope.
• Example: The hosts discuss a bizarre real news story about Savannah Guthrie’s mother being kidnapped, internet conspiracies, and the sense that “evil is winning.”
• Memorable Quote
  • Christine (12:27): “One of the comments said, ‘Why does it feel like evil is winning?’... Like exterminating cockroaches: it looks worse before it gets better. We’re just finally seeing what’s always been there.”

2. Personal Updates & Levity (03:13–17:10, 63:00–66:34)

• Drink chat: Strawberry lemonades, iced lattes, and supporting mental health with analog hobbies like sticker books.
• Levity: Em’s impulse buy—a bag shaped like a Fruity Pebbles box—serves as a literal and figurative symbol of “finding little joy in a hellscape.”
• Quote
  • Em (16:07): “I don't know, I was having a mental breakdown. I saw it on the street and thought, ‘That looks great! I’ll take it.’”

3. Analog Pleasures: Sticker Books & Creative Coping (19:03–22:44)

• Sticker obsession: Em advocates the therapeutic power of finally organizing years of sticker collecting into a book for “analog joy.”
• **Christine admits coloring with Leona, her child, brought rare and surprising calm—a “nervous system-calming activity.”

4. The Barini Haunting: Ghost Children, Family Secrets, and the Caped Minister (24:58–61:06)

Story Begins — [24:58]

• Setting: New England, late 1970s; Joe and Rose Barini move into Joe’s father’s childhood home.
  • Notable Meta: The names and location have been changed for privacy.
• Immediate Haunting: Rose starts hearing the voice of a little girl named Serena calling “Mama! This is Serena,” (31:51) shortly before a series of family tragedies unfold—tonsil surgery almost kills a child, an elderly grandmother suffers a stroke, and death ensues. Each ghostly visit foreshadows doom.
• Tension on Family Knowledge:
  • Em (28:14): “Joe is just calling around, being like, does anyone know about this random family member? I’ve never heard about them.”
  • Christine (28:46): “And you know what they say next? ‘Well, you never asked.’”
• Discovery: Serena is revealed to have been Joe’s aunt, a five-year-old child who died in the house decades prior—her “Mama” cries perhaps meant for her real mother, now the grandmother.
  • Christine (38:18): “Maybe when she was saying ‘Mama,’ she was trying to talk to her mom who’s still alive.”

The Ghost Boy Appears — [39:35]

• A new spirit: After Serena’s visits stop, Rose sees a translucent boy in white—later identified as Giorgio, another of Joe’s relatives who died at 8 and was buried in his first communion suit.
• Symbolic Search: Giorgio is seen searching the house; pulling up a rug reveals a Virgin Mary medallion he’d been “looking for.”
  • Christine (44:46): "He finds, like, a medallion of the Virgin Mary... Maybe he thought, I need to go.”
• Themes: The children’s ghosts may be lost and looking for closure or passage to the afterlife. The family’s living (and dead) are oddly disconnected. The ghosts' presence seems to reveal or give voice to family secrets never spoken aloud.

Enter the Caped, Hunchbacked Figure — [61:06]

• Violent escalation: After these “resolutions,” a more menacing apparition emerges—a dark, hunchbacked man in a cape with “big feet,” who claims to be a “minister of God” and starts screaming obscenities, moving objects, breaking religious icons, and violently attacking Rose.
• Atmosphere: The haunting becomes violent—phones flying, heavy doors and bookcases relocating themselves, attic stairs slamming so hard the ceiling cracks, levitation, physical assaults, and a kitchen knife driven into the table.
  • Em (69:14): “The stairs would open and slam, so hard that the ceiling cracked.”
• Resolution Attempts: Priests offer only platitudes — “Just ignore it!” They eventually perform a powerful exorcism/cleansing ritual, after which the activity ceases. The American Institute of Parapsychology investigates, but accounts differ on what was found.

Reflection on Everyday Hauntings & Ghost Tech — [55:13]

• Christine and Em discuss how hauntings have evolved—now ghosts might fiddle with captions, send texts, or manipulate WiFi.
  • Christine (55:13): “There are... technological ghosts, like when text messages come through from a deceased person.”

CAPES!

• A running gag and earnest PSA: Em’s love of functional capes (“crop top capes”) for warmth and confidence. Listeners are encouraged to embrace capes as stylish and practical.
  • Em (65:07): “This is a PSA: If you’ve ever thought of buying a cape... I’ve never once regretted it.”

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5. The Tote Family Murders, Part 2: Generational Darkness (88:03–138:38)

Recap & Setup — [88:03]

• Christine recaps Part 1: Anthony “Tony” Tote, therapist husband/father under immense financial, legal, and familial stress, murders his wife Megan, three children, and their dog in Celebration, Florida. He lived with their corpses for weeks, gave a taped confession full of chilling detail, then later recanted and blamed his late wife.
  • The Mundanity of Evil: The peanut M&M’s detail—Tony, after the murders, eats peanut M&M’s and drinks Diet Coke beside the dead—becomes the symbol of “normal behavior” in the face of horrific acts.
    • Christine (94:34): “You just see the receipt... this guy just went to the store and his family’s all dead at home.”

Anthony's Father’s Own Dark History — [98:35]

• Generational trauma: 1980: When Tony was 4, his own father, Bob, hired a hitman (a former student) to kill Tony’s mother, Loretta—the attempt failed, but Loretta was gravely injured.
• Tony’s 27-page jailhouse letter to his estranged father is discussed at length for its narcissism, evasions, and self-pity.
  • Christine (105:44): “He basically wrote a letter to commiserate—about being wrongly accused.”

Trial & Defense Absurdities — [126:25]

• Tony’s preposterous “I didn’t do it” defense: He claims Megan did it all (including making a Benadryl pie), and that he fell asleep in a van, later discovering the murders. He says he “wanted to protect her honor,” arranged the bodies “compassionately,” tried (and failed repeatedly) to kill himself.
• The prosecution’s succinct argument: control, narcissism, and escalating desperation.
  • Christine (124:42): “He told detectives, ‘Parents bring their children into this world, and they get to decide when they leave.’”
• The courtroom drama: Tony takes the stand, spins ever-wilder stories, and is ultimately found guilty on all counts.

Notable Quotes

• Christine (114:03): “How did he find a way to turn his murder into him being a victim? That’s incredible.”
• Em (117:03): “The tunnel vision of trying to desperately make it about him. How do you miss the much bigger plot point here?”

Sentencing — [135:31]

• Judge: “You are a destroyer of worlds. You’ve destroyed not just one world, but four.”
• Tony is sentenced to life. He continues to file ridiculous appeals and lawsuits.

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MEMORABLE MOMENTS & RUNNING BITS

• Analog hobbies as nervous system regulation—“The world is tough, so get you a sticker book.”
• Modern haunting technology: Would ghosts use WiFi? “Hauntings would be so much more boring today—‘That’s just AI.’”
• Capes: Earnest, recurring plug for crop-top capes as comfort, armor, and style. “Where’d you get it?” “Comic Con—intended for cosplay, but practical!”
• Absurdity of family secrets: Generational blindness, gaslighting (“You never asked!”), and finding out about dead relatives through hauntings rather than conversation.

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TIMESTAMPS FOR IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

• [02:11] – Current events spiral, apocalypse vibes, and how to find hope in chaos
• [19:03] – Sticker book therapy and analog activities
• [24:58] – Start of the Barini Haunting (ghost children, family secrets)
• [39:35] – The ghost boy Giorgio appears
• [61:06] – The appearance of the caped, hunchbacked “minister of God”
• [69:14] – Attic stairs slam, haunting escalates violently
• [88:03] – Recap and beginning of Tote Family Murders, Part 2
• [98:35] – Father’s attempt to kill Tony’s mom; generational trauma
• [126:25] – Tony’s trial, wild defense, and prosecution’s closing
• [135:31] – Judge’s poetic sentencing

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STANDOUT QUOTES & HUMOR

• Em (38:18): “Maybe when she was saying ‘Mama,’ she was trying to talk to her mom who’s still alive.”
• Christine (94:52): “Wants a Diet Coke. Yeah. It makes it extra eerie because it’s like, I can relate to a part of you but not be able to get the rest.”
• Em (61:15): “The origin of McDonald’s... It all started with a small Italian pasta family.”
• On capes:
  • Em (65:07): “If you’ve ever thought about buying a cape... never once regretted it. I only get compliments.”

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THEME & TONE

The episode threads heavy true crime with paranormal lore, humorously digresses (often about capes, sticker books, or analog joy), and always circles back to the struggle of surviving—and finding hope or humor—in a world that increasingly feels both haunted and absurd. Whether the topic is family annihilation or levitating beds, Christine and Em provide context, empathy, and sharp observational wit.

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SUMMARY

If you missed this episode:
Expect a striking blend of chilling ancestral hauntings, generational family secrets, and some truly gobsmacking narcissistic villainy in the true crime segment—punctuated with banter, dark humor, and oddly earnest discussions about capes, sticker books, and how to maintain hope. You’ll hear stories that unsettle and make you laugh in equal measure—proof that sometimes all you can do is “channel rage into hope,” maybe eat some peanut M&M’s, and always, always find a little levity (or a new cape) in a haunted world.

Transcript

[A]

So good, so good, so good.

[B]

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[A]

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[B]

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[A]

We heard you. Nine years of bring back the snack

[B]

wrap and you've won.

[A]

But maybe you should have asked for more. Say hello to the hot honey snack wrap.

[B]

Now you've really won.

[A]

Go to McDonald's and get it while you can.

[B]

When I was first diagnosed with ocd, I was like, wait, what? And I was so fortunate that my therapist was a doctor who specialized in ocd. But not all providers know how to treat ocd, and it can be so debilitating, especially if you're not sure what's going on with you. If you feel like any shame about it, which is very normal. That's why we're so proud to. To work with no cd.

[A]

Yeah. Not every therapist understands OCD or is qualified to treat it effectively, which can make it difficult to find the right help. But it doesn't have to be that way. OCD is highly treatable with a specialized type of therapy called erp, or Exposure and Response Prevention. And with no cd, you can do live virtual ERP therapy with licensed therapists who specialize in OCD and nocd. Therapists are highly trained, so they'll really understand OCD and won't judge you no matter what your thoughts are about.

[B]

Plus, no CD therapy is covered by insurance for over 155 million Americans. Even my doctor back then was not covered by insurance. So I really do wish that I had had no CD in my life. But I have since then. It's an awesome app. If you think you or someone you know might be struggling with OCD, please don't wait to get help. Go to nocd.com and book a free call with their team to learn more. That's nocd.com to schedule a free call and learn more. Hello, and welcome to and that's why We Drink a podcast where m's already sipping the tea.

[A]

Oh, beautiful.

[B]

Do we say that anymore? Is that old, old jargon?

[A]

I think it's that stuff that has. Somehow it has. It has. I don't think. I think it's a timeless phrase.

[B]

Now, I think you're right, and I think some like, we're spilling the tea. I think some ancillary phrases like spill the tea might not be as popular now, but I think, like, just saying, oh, what's the tea? Is, like, still pretty okay. Right? Am I. Am I gauging this correctly?

[A]

As someone who's also your age? I think so.

[B]

You are more chronically online than I am, so I usually ask you or my brother and. Or my brother.

[A]

Very sweet. Thank you.

[B]

And you both take that as a compliment, which is kind of wild. But anyway, I'm glad about that. So.

[A]

Nice thing you can say about me. What are you.

[B]

What are you drinking? I'm in the know.

[A]

I'm drinking. Well, I have still the tea, babe. I have my usual tea. My little. My little black tea with. With some lavender in it. But then I also have an extra surprise. I have a real situation on my hands over here.

[B]

Oh, what could that possibly mean?

[A]

At the Shake Shack, I got a real craving lately for their strawberry lemonade. It has been, oh, unmatched over here. I. And Shake Shack is, I think, open till, like, midnight or one the morning here. And so I got this in the middle of the night. I was like, oh, God, what I would give. Oh, my God. I was, like, foaming at the mouth for it. And so I got me to be.

[B]

Whoa. Well, you gotta hit that, like, minimum order threshold.

[A]

Well, yeah, I. I couldn't justify the purchase of just one strawberry lemonade with,

[B]

like, an 18 delivery fee. And it's like, yuck.

[A]

Yeah. But I. One of the reasons I. I got that many, though, is because I was gonna have one that night, and then I knew I was gonna be here. And then I also want one for the dog park. It was. I'm really. I'm having a moment with the straw

[B]

blend, you know, propping yourself up for the next few days, which I kind of love, you know?

[A]

Yeah. Always be prepared. Scott's honor.

[B]

So, yeah, I love that.

[A]

I've got my tea, got my straw blem. I'm very. I'm very happy over here. What are you drinking?

[B]

Got a 90, 99.

[A]

I got 99 problems. And a. And a drink ain't one. I don't know.

[B]

Why do you drink one?

[A]

And what do you drink?

[B]

I. I'm still ashamed of myself for not realizing that Big B coffee is a big B. And today I ordered it, and I felt like it was for my karmic punishment to order it again. I haven't ordered it since. Since we recorded that one episode with. But now today I was like, gotta get Me some. Some sustenance. I got the spotted owl drink. They have about 75 iced lattes on their menu, and they all are, like marshmallow teddy bear clouds and stuff like that. And I gotta say, they're pretty darn good.

[A]

I have been. Is friend flirting a word?

[B]

Where.

[A]

Like, I have been going to a local coffee place that's near my house for a long time now, and ever since then, I've had. I've known all the people's names there because I unfortunately or fortunately irregular. And I have wanted to be friends with this one person for so long.

[B]

Is this someone who works there?

[A]

Someone who works there? Yeah.

[B]

Oh, I love that.

[A]

I just thought they were so cool. They had a cool little vibe. And I was like, oh, my God, I thought, I would love to hang out with you outside of, like, you handing me a drink, you serving me

[B]

in a retail environment.

[A]

The five seconds I get before you're talking to somebody else.

[B]

And don't get me wrong, jealous. Great. It's great. But.

[A]

But so it's finally happening. And so.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

Whoa. We're having a little hangout soon. Very excited.

[B]

How did you ask them to hang out?

[A]

Um, I literally said, do you want to be friends in real life?

[B]

Oh, wow. But enough.

[A]

Enough time had passed that I had a feeling it would be a yes, because o. We see each other quite often, and then every time I come and it's so nice, they go, em, oh, my God, so glad to see you. And I was. Part of me was like, is that a lie? Is that what you say to all your customers?

[B]

I was gonna say you should hide out and see if that's what they say to all their customers, but it sounds like you've already had this intrusive thought, so we've.

[A]

We've also, like, we go to the same pharmacy, so we've bumped into each other there. So, like, it's been very small town, so we've. We've ran to each other a few times accidentally, and now we're gonna run into each other on purpose.

[B]

I'm very fantastic. What are you. What is your date?

[A]

I think it's just gonna be a little dinner. A little dinner moment. But I. Sorry, I feel like I took over your story there by accident about what was my story.

[B]

I don't even think I had a

[A]

story that you went to your place and there was a whole bunch of different tea lattes and that. What happened in my brain when that happened was I remembered my coffee place that has all the tea latte I

[B]

mean, you just grabbed my hand and I went with you. I don't know where I was going. You know, I didn't know where I was going. Anywhere. I said something about honey bear marshmallow clouds and you did. That was where we stopped.

[A]

Usually that's. That would be the thing that propels further conversation.

[B]

A launching pad. Yeah. But like, honestly, they're just delicious. And that's kind of all I've got to add to the conversation, so I'd much rather hear about your adventures in friend dating, I guess.

[A]

Thank you. Thank you. I'm also going to dinner tonight with an Uber driver, so.

[B]

Wow. I've never been to UvaJab. I'm sorry. I was on TikTok this morning, which is like a once a week occurrence and I guess I just got in the loop of like liking the vine compilations and it's just been really. It's been draining my feet. It's been really taking up a lot of my karmic energy.

[A]

You are energy a bit chronically online yourself.

[B]

I have been lately, you know, and it's new for me. It's. It's not new for me, but used to be neopets. Now it's like actually like current events, pop culture. I mean, things are crazy. Right before we recorded, there was like, I was. I was scrolling and there was like a live. There was a press conference. NBC news was streaming a press conference for the. Savannah Guthrie's mom. Like did you see this? She was kidnapped. Savannah Guthrie from the Today show. Her mother, her 84 year old mother was kidnapped from her house.

[A]

Oh my God. No one know this at all.

[B]

It's crazy. I just like learned about it. I think it was only a couple days ago, but they, they had a press conference and I like popped in to see if they had any news and they didn't really say much except that they think she's still out there. There's potential rumor that the brother in law is involved.

[A]

Oh my God.

[B]

There was a guy who was walking out of the house with. And he was wearing a Internet crimes against children like badge or logo and carrying like a case of something out of the house. And so like people are saying whose is that? Like what was on there? Is it a laptop? Um, it's just crazy. And they found blood on the porch and it's hers. They did DNA tests and it's the mom's blood.

[A]

Oh no. Oh my God.

[B]

And apparently she's on a lot of meds and that she doesn't have. It's Just like, really bizarre. Like, the world, like, some. The top comment and one of the posts I saw had, like, 4,000 likes, and it was just like, does anybody else feel like we're just in, like, the craziest simulation? We're just, like, throwing shit at the wall. Like, every time I open my phone, I'm like, oh, good, Trump confused. Greenland and Iceland. I mean, that was weeks ago now. But, like, you know, just every, like, little thing, I'm like, this feels fake. This feels like I'm in a coma. Making up, like, stringing things together that don't make sense. Do you know what I mean?

[A]

Yeah. And I've also. Yeah, I'm just gonna end. Yes. I. It feels like before I spiral. It's been crazy. Although I've been very impressed. Last time I. My. I was on the. I went to the dog park and I was talking to my mom, and she was saying so many correct things. It was shocking. Not. Not that she's constantly saying incorrect things, but. But I didn't know how well read she has recently become. Oh, good. And she was. I was like, yeah, yeah. Who's talking to you? That's not me. What's going on?

[B]

Where'd she. She's like, six, seven.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

What's the tea spill? The tea. Which.

[A]

The. The way that she was in the world of politics, I feel like usually I'm the one trying to kind of hold her hand through it. And she was just saying everything. I was like, you got another kid who's fucking.

[B]

I was gonna say, she's found a

[A]

new m. Did you say this? What is wrong with us?

[B]

The media thought, do you talk to all your customers this way? Like, what we sick? Like, what's going on?

[A]

But I was very proud of her. I was like, oh, I didn't know we had. She's been promoted. I. I guess. Wow.

[B]

She's leveled up.

[A]

I don't know who. What person is behind her algorithm, but keep it going.

[B]

Okay, but does it also even out? Because you did just tell me before we hit record that she learned about the Kardashians.

[A]

I think she just finally went on the Internet. I think that's what's going on here. Okay.

[B]

Is that all it took? And was like, yeah. She's like, hey, Kim Kardashian is kind of cool. And I was like, where have you been?

[A]

She. She. For like, 10 minutes the other day, she was like, this Kim Kardashian.

[B]

Her album must be crazy.

[A]

I think she just. Yeah. Finally logged on. I don't know. Anyway, why do you drink? Do you.

[B]

Because of this. I'm just. Every time I go on the Internet, I'm like, what the is going on? And then they're like, don't worry. The stars, Star Regulus is gonna align with the Sphinx and then we're all gonna see an alien. And it's like on NBC News. And I'm like, why are we reporting this? I mean, listen, I don't not believe it, but also like, everyone's just acting like this is totally normal. Everything's just falling apart. And, you know, I saw something very comforting because I've always felt kind of like a freak because when these really big world events happen, I get almost excited. And it's not like excited like I'm happy obviously, that things, that bad things are happening, but there's just something in the air of like, change, you know? And like, one of the comments I saw that was so evocative and effective in like explaining my thinking was somebody on Reddit said, why does it feel like evil is winning? And you'll, you'll understand this metaphor. M. They. Somebody said, you know when you exterminate cockroaches from your home and you set off the thing and they all come scurrying out and it looks worse than it did, than it was, but it's actually just like, like clearing well, what

[A]

you're finally seeing what it's always been.

[B]

Yeah. You're like smoking out the like, demons. And they're all coming out, they're all on black. It's all of them. It's all of them. It's all the power. All the powerful people. Trash. I mean, they're just going about their day. It's just crazy. So I, I hope that at least like. And then somebody said, oh, sunlight or being like being revealed to like on a mass scale is the most disinfecting thing. Like, putting this out in the open is what's gonna like, finally clear. Cleanse us out. Clear this out. We're all gonna. Hopefully.

[A]

I know these days hope feels like a foreign concept, but.

[B]

No, no, no, that's why you gotta keep the hope. The trolls want you to lose your hope. That's how they're gonna win this. So you gotta just. We got buckle in. We always knew this was happening. We always knew these people were evil. Now it's just on display. Now we just gotta do something about it.

[A]

Yes, I, you're, I'm agreeing with you. I'm just trying to figure out which of the 20 things I would like to say, but I think it's. I mean, I'm not gonna say anything that nobody else isn't feeling at this point. I think you're correct to publicly be trying to encourage hope instead of what I'd be encouraging, which is just one big scream. So.

[B]

No, because that just. That just wallows, you know, and there's place for wallow. But, like, we just gotta use that anger, you know, I have my little print here. Stay open to the wisdom of anger. You know, we're all pissed off. We're over it, right? We're done. These people are pedophiles. Like, how much more do you need to be like, I don't know about this, you know?

[A]

I know, I know.

[B]

Anyway, it's.

[A]

There's. There's. It's just shocking. Every day I wake up and I'm like, oh, I just. How. How. How are we finding ways to turn the narrative or, like. Or not even show that it's crazy that nothing has happened. That's the thing that I'm.

[B]

I mean, the fact that in those comments about no perp walk, like, I

[A]

saw this is the only silliness I can find in here. But someone posted something saying, like, where the fuck is Olivia Benson right now?

[B]

I mean, literally, okay, so then Mariska

[A]

Hargitay has the opportunity to do the funniest thing right now.

[B]

I'm just saying Mariska could really go

[A]

to the White House. Mariska, just bring some handcuffs.

[B]

Show your badge at the front lawn.

[A]

Even if it's just for the press, the photo op. People would go nuts for the photo op.

[B]

NBC is missing the fuck out. Well, they're covering the Today show host mom disappearing. By the way, the fact that the. One of the comments on there was like, I think this is. They're just distracting from, like, the Epstein files. And I'm like, so now they're just, like. People are saying, oh, they're just kidnapping people to, like, just. And I'm like, this is really insane. Like, the world right now feels absolutely diabolically insane. But I will also add that I just saw. Where did it go? They're offering a $50,000 reward now for Savannah Guthrie's mother.

[A]

Oh, my God. I can't imagine being Savannah Guthrie today.

[B]

It's a wild. It's a wild thing. So it's just a weird. It's just weird, you know?

[A]

Yep. I know.

[B]

So, want to talk about ghosts?

[A]

Sure. Yeah. I guess I don't have a reason why I drink either.

[B]

Oh, right. I guess I should ask you To.

[A]

No. I bought a bag that looks like Fruity Pebbles.

[B]

Wait, okay. Like a box of fruit. You gotta explain. The bag looks like a fruity Pebble. A bowl of Fruity Pebbles. A box.

[A]

I see what you're saying. I'm trying to find. Where. Where can I find levity in this hellscape?

[B]

Hang on, I must know.

[A]

It's. It's a. It looks like a box of Fruity Pebbles.

[B]

Oh, wait, I can't see.

[A]

Hang on. Well, I haven't.

[B]

Oh. Oh, sorry. I thought it was because it. Because my window was.

[A]

Let me bestow something upon you. Are you fucking kidding me?

[B]

Okay. Display.

[A]

Okay. Bag.

[B]

Okay, that's cool. I like that.

[A]

And then on the inside, it looks like Fruity Pebbles.

[B]

See, I knew there was something more to this. This is amazing.

[A]

Take a bite. Take a big bite.

[B]

It actually looks.

[A]

Have a little escape.

[B]

So who made that? Did somebody make that?

[A]

No.

[B]

Where did you buy that?

[A]

I. I couldn't tell you a single thing. I bought it on the street, so.

[B]

Whoa, you bought it on the street?

[A]

I don't know. I was having a mental breakdown. I was like, that looks great. I'll take it.

[B]

So that looks great. I'll take it.

[A]

Sometimes you just gotta do a little. A little street shopping, you know?

[B]

You know, and I've always said that, and I've literally.

[A]

I can't even stop saying it. So there you go. I was trying to find sub levity. I hope everyone finds a little. A little joy. I appreciate, Christine, that you are very pro. Hope. And I. I hope to be hopeful, but I am having a bit of a down day just because it's also overwhelming. But maybe tomorrow.

[B]

Don't get me wrong, my nervous system is in complete overloaded despair. But, you know, I'm working on it. We gotta heal ourselves and heal the world.

[A]

Oh, we are the world. We should start singing like everyone did during COVID Oh, my God. Remember?

[B]

It's so cringe.

[A]

All the people and they're just with

[B]

their shitty webcams and it's like, hello, this is so embarrassing. And then. And then it was like a week into Covid, and then like a year later it was like, oh, dear, we didn't know anything.

[A]

I just really need them to come back and sing because maybe this time it'll work. You know, I think they really.

[B]

They were. They shot their shot too soon.

[A]

They were accidentally. You know how they say, like, the. The Hollywood elites have some sort of like, ritual thing? I think they opened a portal with that fudgeing song.

[B]

Oh, fuck.

[A]

They need to close it, come back

[B]

and close the portal. Throw in all the cockroaches, then close the portal.

[A]

All right. Well, as for ghosts, for you, I have, I always say, a short one. I always. I truly. The notes wise, it is incredibly short.

[B]

The more you say that, the more I settle in to be entertained for the rest of the goblin mode.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Oh, I am wearing my grumpy troll shirt.

[A]

I just. Oh, you know, I don't know if I.

[B]

So cozy.

[A]

I did tell you this. I was a while back, I finished my sticker book.

[B]

Oh, yes. And you got your. Yes. You have the sticker from there.

[A]

I have a lot of. Shockingly, a lot of stickers. We did a lot in that one little.

[B]

That town had a lot going on. Where was this?

[A]

We went to that cave. It was in Wisconsin.

[B]

Yeah, the troll capital of the world.

[A]

Remember when you tried to, like, be a homie and, like, let me stop at a cave on the way? And then the cave was closed or something or that we didn't.

[B]

It was like, oh, a two hour. It takes about an hour and nine. 30 minutes to get through from one end to the other. And we were all like. But then we went to the gift

[A]

shop and I bought stickers, and I was like, if anyone asks, that was the best cave of my life.

[B]

I had so much shit in the gift job and that we were like, had not even been in the cave. Yeah, that was one of my favorite things.

[A]

I. Well, I was just looking at my sticker book. Now that I have them all in a spot. I've actually looked at them so much, I think I'm gonna throw up.

[B]

So that's. That's so inspiring because I'm always, like, so overwhelmed by my stickers. And I think if I put them in a book, like, maybe that'll help. But then I wonder, would I even do anything? But I feel like you're right. That would be kind of more an invitation to take a look at them every now and then.

[A]

I will say, also, I think what helps me is the proximity, the fact that I live in this space where, like, I can see the bookshelf at all times, and it's just sitting on my bookshelf. I think if you had your sticker book, like, in a certain room, maybe you wouldn't always look at it.

[B]

But it's.

[A]

I'm literally always at that stupid bookshelf. So every now and then when I'm, like, putzing around, I pull it out

[B]

and I'm like, you can do a little Flip.

[A]

Just a little flip. Like, oh, let's see which one I would get today. But it's weird because I spent years collecting all of these stickers to a point where I didn't even know what stickers I owned.

[B]

I was gonna ask if there are any that you're, like, unsure about where they're from or anything like that, or do you know, not anymore ones that meant that you remembered.

[A]

I think I remembered all of them. I did a pretty good job of, like, all. I have two sticker books. I have one of, like, ones I just collect on my own, and then I have one that was specifically tor.

[B]

Oh, cool. Okay.

[A]

Which for maybe yappy hour, we can go through the tour sticker book or something.

[B]

That's actually a really fun idea because mine are probably scattered throughout the lands.

[A]

I would like to take it as an opportunity to encourage you to do a secret book, because I really. I did not expect to have so much fun doing a cigarette book.

[B]

I mean, it sounds really.

[A]

I'm telling you, your life will be changed. I know it sounds it. I was like, oh, I'll do this for, like, a day. And I ended up becoming a crazy person. And, like, I had just had, like, Mariska playing for, like, eight hours. And I was just, like, finding your

[B]

stickers, and all of a sudden I'm

[A]

like, where those people are? Like, my sticker book's really important to me. And it was so fun to put together.

[B]

Listen, we are all in need of some analog activities. I mean, Mariska aside, of course that's necessary as well, but, like, it's nice to have something to do sometimes with your hands. I was just coloring with a Leona, and I was like, I don't usually do. I don't really like coloring usually, but we just got a pack of crayons, and they were, like, neon, a glow in the dark, which you'd appreciate. And then we'd take them to her room and then, like, do an art show, and they were all glow in the dark. It was fun. But so at first, I was like, I don't feel like coloring. I was so in the zone coloring Peppa Pig that I was like, is this what I'm missing? Like, just more like. We sat there for, like, an hour, and this child does not do silence very well on, you know, sounds like someone else we know. We sat there and just colored for, like, 45 minutes. And I was like, this is crazy. I haven't really had, like, such a. Like, a talk about nervous system, like, calming activity for a Long time locked the in.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So I feel like a sticker book thing is similar where you're just like kind of doing something mechanical and like creative. Yeah, I love that.

[A]

It was also fun because you only have so many pages in the sticker book and you like, you try to like, you have to collage them the right way. Oh.

[B]

And it's so satisfying when they like perfectly like kind of fit.

[A]

Oh, gosh, it was wonderful. I'm, I'm telling you. And I literally, for a bag of stickers, I had for like four years, five years. How long did we tour? Five years?

[B]

Feels like 50, but I don't know,

[A]

it was like, I look at them so much more than I ever looked at that stupid bag of stickers.

[B]

I never read if they're in a bag. Right. You're not going to like just like dump them out.

[A]

Yeah, no, it was a dream. Okay, sorry everybody. Everyone's like, jesus, the ghosts. Okay,

[B]

okay. Now that we're on video, I'm able to finally show off my Neutropol results. Okay. I've had a lot of. I know this is really breaking news. I've had a lot of shedding over the years and a lot of different hormonal issues that have led to hair thinning. And I've been taking neutral for years. I will say I did not wash my hair today or yesterday. So it's not really looking as voluminous as I would have liked to show it off. But you know, if you catch me somewhere and, and take a look at these str. It's all neutral.

[A]

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[B]

It's not a one size fits all approach. Neutrful offers multiple formulas for men and women tailored to different life stages like postpartum menopause lifestyle factors such as a plant based diet. So you get support that's actually right for you. You can order online. Super easy.

[A]

For a limited time, Neutrophil is offering our listeners $10 off your first month subscription and free shipping. When you visit neutrophil.com and enter promo code DRINK.

[B]

That's neutrophil.com spelled n u t r a f o l dot com promo code DRINK. Oh wait, you want to hear something again? I know I do. This every week.

[A]

Oh, it's so much better than when my mom does it.

[B]

Thank God. Because that's like not the highest of bars when you're talking about, you know, enjoying somebody snapping their own underpants. But guess what? Everyone's in the house. They're on my butt. They're extremely stretchy and extremely comfortable.

[A]

Everyone is excited. Christine's excited. My mom's excited. Every. Everyone's wearing skips. I've yet to meet a person who's tried them on and gone. This does not look good.

[B]

Their whole team was kind of like, ooh, eyes emoji. You know, can we get in on that? They're just so comfortable. They're lightweight. They're so easy to pack because they're so. They're just like little really light, stretchy. I have the cotton ruched back hipster that are really cute and the cotton jersey full brief. That's the probably my favorite. It's the most coverage and really cozy. Shop my and Linda's favorite bras and [e-mail] and after you place your order,

[A]

be sure to let them know that we sent you. Select podcast in the survey and be sure to select our show in the drop down menu that follows. This is the Barrini hunting. Nope. Haunting Burrini. Haunting.

[B]

You want to say it again or do you want.

[A]

This is the Barini Haunting.

[B]

Barini. Like a. It sounds like a pasta.

[A]

Yes. There it was a name used to change to protect the privacy of the family. So they went with Barini.

[B]

It's a Barilla family.

[A]

And they also changed the location. So.

[B]

Or what? How do you do that? I could do that. I'm gonna change my name and location. Now I'm gonna tell you the story of my life.

[A]

What I feel like, why am I mad?

[B]

Why am I angry at these people?

[A]

Do you do this with all your locations?

[B]

Have you heard about this guy, Kanye West?

[A]

He's married to Kim Kardashian and he just. He's incredible. Don't look further than. Than after like 2008. Don't look.

[B]

Did you see that he posted in the New York or in the Wall Street Journal? Like a full page ad.

[A]

You know what?

[B]

Sorry for all his anti Semitic behavior. It's like really insane.

[A]

I would like to instead rephrase that too. Can you believe what the Wall Street Journal allowed someone to put in the Wall Street Journal?

[B]

But then I was. My brother was like, if he's releasing an album, I'm. And then it turns out he is releasing an album. So I don't know, it's all just, like. I don't believe that nothing's real anymore. Nothing's real.

[A]

He will never be sorry because I don't think he's aware of what he's sorry of. He just.

[B]

I think things are just out there too far gone.

[A]

Yeah. So basically, the Reese, the Psychical Research foundation, which nowadays is called the American Institute of Parapsychology, they were involved in this case at the very, very, very end. And in their report, change the location and the name just so the family could have some closure and.

[B]

Oh, okay, okay, that's fair enough. Then I see someone else is telling the story.

[A]

So all we know is that it was in New England, so I guess it didn't change the location. They're just being, like, so vague about it. So it's the Barini family in New England. Right. And the main character is Joe and Rose Barini. And then they also had Rose's kids from a previous marriage, John and Daisy, who you do not hear much about, but Joe and rose. So in 1970, 1979, Joe moved the family into his dad's childhood home. And fun fact, many family members had died in this house. Oh, good. I will. I'm gonna start off by saying I would love a whole report on how Joe is connected to his own family because he's moving into his dad's childhood home. The way that all of the sources I looked at seemed to. They made it sound like Joe has, like, never spoken to his father before this and, like, never lived in this house, but now he's moving into his dad's childhood home, and I don't know if there's, like, a. They were estranged, and now he's just inherited this. I don't.

[B]

Because it feels like a movie plot point. Like, oh, I've never been to this haunted Airbnb in the countryside that my great aunt left me. You know?

[A]

Exactly. Yes. Because at first I was like. It also could just be like, Joe's dad is every other dad who just doesn't really stereotypically give you any information about much of his childhood.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

Because I feel like in a lot of the story, Joe is just calling around, being like, does anyone know about this random family member? I've never heard about them.

[B]

Oh, yeah, they died in your house.

[A]

Yeah. And that feels like something I would have with all three of my fathers that I've had. I feel like all of them would vaguely, cryptically be, like, 100%. Oh, yeah. I'm actually a bird in the middle of the night, like, something crazy. They'd say something crazy.

[B]

And also my mother would do the same thing. And then I'd be gaslit into oblivion and be like, oh, I could see. Yeah.

[A]

I could see Tom being like, yeah, I'm one of 25. What? You didn't know that? And I'm like, what do you mean?

[B]

And you know what they say next? Well, you never asked. The kind of dumbass comment is that.

[A]

I found out, by the way.

[B]

We did ask. That's the other thing we always ask.

[A]

I found out yesterday by my. On my own accord, that Tom has step siblings. I didn't know that.

[B]

What? And you didn't know this?

[A]

Never done that.

[B]

What did you. Did you talk to him about it? Was he like, duh?

[A]

I have not spoken to him yet, but now we have a conversation to have.

[B]

Does he know about his step siblings?

[A]

Now, that would be very silly if. But no, he has to know.

[B]

Can you imagine our listeners know before he does?

[A]

He. They do. I know. That'd be crazy. Yeah. Like, they do. They know that. I'm gonna talk to him about it, though. But at least now we've got ourselves a little a topic starter.

[B]

Love that.

[A]

Anyway, so I feel like that's what's going on here. It could range from being everyone's normal dad who just doesn't talk about childhood, or him and his father have never met.

[B]

I don't know. It's just a little bit mysterious.

[A]

Yes. So he moves into this. He moves into this house, and immediately there's spooky stuff going on. And Rose seems to be the person that is getting the most activity in the house so pretty immediately, Rose starts hearing a little girl's voice. Oh, God, yuck. And the very first time that she hears this voice, it says, mama. Mama. And that's not my baby.

[B]

That's not my baby.

[A]

That's not my baby. And you. You hope it's a situation like a. Like a time glitch and that you're actually witnessing your own.

[B]

That's what I tell myself. Remember, I heard that, Daddy, in that middle room. And to this day, I'm like, please be, Leona.

[A]

Have you heard it yet? Because I'm waiting for the day you let us know that no. And you gone full circle that I.

[B]

I am appreciative that you're reminding me of this, because I have been working on that room to turn it into, like, a playroom, kind of extra space, guest room type area, and I feel like once. That's kind of Cleared out. We'll spend more time in there. So I wonder if that'll happen.

[A]

You know what I really hope, really, honestly, truly, is that the day it happens. Because I don't imagine a world where this doesn't happen. Yeah, but you hear the daddy and you. I need you to be standing near.

[B]

Remember exactly where I was sitting.

[A]

I need you to be there. Because I would like it to be a full circle. Now. You see past you experiencing it.

[B]

And then we know. Gia was also next to me. And I feel like I would see a double. He. And I remember him. He. Him hearing it like he heard it in the moment. So we both heard it. So I wonder if he'll be there too. You know, like a little replay.

[A]

Telling you. I really. I. It would really put my mind at ease that glitches in the Matrix do exist. That you're.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because you don't remember seeing yourself in that. So you wouldn't notice you seeing yourself in the future.

[B]

Right. True. Yeah. Whoa.

[A]

Whoa. Okay.

[B]

Whoa. I'd be sitting on my own lap. All of a sudden, you just go, hi.

[A]

This is real.

[B]

Remember this?

[A]

You'll hate it. So. Okay. Says mama. You gotta hope that it's in the future. Unfortunately, the voice keeps saying mama and eventually says, mama, this is Serena.

[B]

Bye. Okay. Bye.

[A]

And nobody knew of Serena. They were like, what bad is that?

[B]

And that's such a specific name. It's not like I'm Sally, you know, like.

[A]

Right.

[B]

For some reason, that creeps me out more because it's such a kind of unique name.

[A]

Yeah. It's not like, oh, my name is Mary.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. So nobody knew a Serena, but they'd soon learn because she kept hearing the voice. And they picked up very quickly that when Serena was around, all of a sudden, eminent doom would follow.

[B]

Eminent doom. Jesus. Okay.

[A]

And we don't know if Serena is warning them or is causing it, but I think the vibe people were experiencing was that she was trying to warn them.

[B]

Oh. It's like mothman.

[A]

Especially by saying, like, mama. And being this little girl. It's almost like she's trying to help you or she wants to.

[B]

She's like, pay attention.

[A]

Pay attention to me. Yeah. The very first time that she heard Serena's voice, that same weekend, one of the kids had to go get their tonsils taken out. And there was complications during the surgery. Oh, no. And the daughter, Rose's daughter, almost died from heart failure.

[B]

Holy. Dude.

[A]

Which, like, you think something is, like, commonplace is getting your tonsils out. It's like, oh, you can't die from that.

[B]

What year was this?

[A]

79.

[B]

I wonder. Also, anesthesia, perhaps? Like a bad reaction.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I mean, I don't know, but. Jesus, that's terrifying.

[A]

Well, the next time Rose heard Serena's voice was months later. And that night, Joe's grandmother had a stroke.

[B]

Oh, dude.

[A]

The time after that, Rose heard Serena's voice and Joe's grandmother, I think the same one that had a stroke then passed away.

[B]

Okay, that's. It's sort of like, thanks for warning me. But it's like, what have you. What am I supposed to do about it?

[A]

Yeah. It's almost like, do I even want you to come? Like, no.

[B]

I'd rather just kind of not have the dread of, like, now I gotta

[A]

cancel playing Die and say goodbye to everybody. I know. I've gotta call everybody.

[B]

I've gotta say sorry for something that I did to everybody in case they die and haunt me.

[A]

Yeah. Every time I hear Serena's voice, I'd go, what do I have to atone for? Really?

[B]

Yeah. What did I do this time?

[A]

So up until that point, only Rose had heard Serena's voice. But the next time Serena came through, it was late at night, and Joe heard Serena's voice, and he had been sleeping, but her voice woke him up in the middle of the night. And he turned over and saw Rose seemingly struggling next to him. Oh, no. Like, she couldn't breathe. No. And so he woke her up really quickly and was like, what's going on? Are you okay? She was having a nightmare about someone trying to strangle her. Okay.

[B]

And now it feels like style.

[A]

Yeah. Either sleep paralysis. I would wonder, like, does this mean that the ghost can also tap into your dreams?

[B]

Because I always think sleep paralysis is on the verge of some sort of, like. I know it's, like, scientifically. What. Proven. Whatever. But I still do think there's an element of, like, something dark can take over or enter your space in that. In that, like, state of hypnagogic state or whatever you call it.

[A]

I love when you say hypnagogic. Let's start there.

[B]

I love when I say it too.

[A]

I also really wish you liked horror movies just to be able to watch Insidious because it's so on the nose of everything.

[B]

I didn't watch it with you. Oh, didn't I? Oh, no. That was sinister.

[A]

You didn't watch that either.

[B]

I watched you watch it.

[A]

Yeah. He watched your eyelids.

[B]

You guys. I took a Clonapin to watch that movie and fell asleep. Oh. And, like, two she took it on purpose.

[A]

She. Yeah. Oh, and two melatonin. Right.

[B]

And then it was like 6:00 clock at night. And you and my brother. My brother's like. You left me alone to watch this movie with M. I fell asleep right between you.

[A]

I really.

[B]

I had a good time. I mean, I'm trying to get more into horror movies. What is the one you said?

[A]

Insidious.

[B]

That feels like it's not for me.

[A]

Does it feel insidious?

[B]

It feels a little more insidious than I'd like to admit. Yeah.

[A]

But the story is wonderful. And I'm not in a. Like. Oh, lovely. It's like. Like it's what we're always talking about.

[B]

Really. Okay.

[A]

It's like a little kid who, like, can't wake up.

[B]

Oh, well, that does sound lovely. Thanks.

[A]

But, like. Because, like, ghosts. Like, he was like. It's like the. Like he left his astral body. He's trying to come back.

[B]

My worst fear ever. Great.

[A]

Anyway, it's a good time and it's part of the whole economy.

[B]

Oh. Because it gets taken over. I remember hearing about this.

[A]

The ccu, The Conjuring Cinematic Universe. Okay. So anyway, she wakes up and I'm. I. I don't know why Serena had to warn Joe to wake her up unless something actually violent was happening in her sleep. Which adds to my theory that something was.

[B]

That it's something more than just sleep paralysis.

[A]

Well, at this point, Joe is like, who the is Serena? I'm over this. So he goes asking around his family, does anyone know Serena? Anyone know Serena? And they went, Serena died in this house when she was five years old. I hope they said it just like that. I hope they went up to Joe and I went, girl, figure it out.

[B]

Come on, spill the tea. I'm spilling the tea right now.

[A]

So Serena was apparently his dad's sister. He didn't know his dad.

[B]

This is what they do, these people. They just don't tell you a damn thing. And then you have to live with the consequences.

[A]

That it feels so much like anything any of my dads would say. Like, oh, yeah, I had a sister. She died at 5.

[B]

Anyway, generational trauma that they just are like. Well, we'll just ignore that, you know?

[A]

So Serena is real. Apparently. God, it does make you wonder why she was calling them mama. But maybe she's also kind of stuck in a blueprint situation. Or maybe she.

[B]

Yeah, and if she's five.

[A]

Or she might not know that she is a ghost and she just saw a grown woman in the house.

[B]

And, I don't know, confused. Yeah. Who knows?

[A]

Maybe Rose looks like. What? Yeah, Joe's grandma used to look like. I don't know. So eventually. And that would make sense, too, why Serena was trying to warn them about, like, Joe's grandmother dying because that was her mom being like, my mom's about to die. Oh. Which in some ways is very precious. That, like, even if you, like, lose a child, they're still with you and, like, trying to warn people.

[B]

It's like, maybe when she's saying mama, she's trying to talk to her mom who's still alive.

[A]

I don't know. Oh, Mama, it's Serena. Oh, she was trying to talk to her.

[B]

That's horrible.

[A]

Wow. It just got really. So much sadder than it was.

[B]

You're welcome.

[A]

Thanks, Christy.

[B]

Wow. Now I feel like.

[A]

So.

[B]

Hey, remember what I said about hope earlier? How did I do that again? Can you remind me?

[A]

No, I was barely holding on as you were back in the day.

[B]

You were like, give it an hour and Christine will be completely turning this around.

[A]

Well, eventually, Serena seems to leave and they don't hear her voice ever again. It's almost like once they discovered who she was, maybe.

[B]

Maybe when her mom passed, maybe she was attached to her mom.

[A]

Oh, yeah. And she was like, I have no reason to be here anymore. God damn it, Christine.

[B]

Listen. I have a 4 year old. I think about dark, sad, intrusive thoughts and try to not let them take over my mind. So, you know, primed for this.

[A]

I have been singing a lot of songs to Hank, and they pretty much all end with, like. And in about a decade, I'll be absolutely devastated. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. How will I cope?

[A]

So eventually, Serena seems to leave. Nobody hears her voice anymore. And the haunting seem over. And for like a year and a half, I don't know, one source said six months. And I was like, that's not the same thing. But no, a lot of time passes, and eventually it's 1981, which is about 18 months later. And after thinking kind of like their creepy days were behind them, one night, Rose sees a little boy.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

She had to be like this again.

[B]

Again.

[A]

He is an all white and straight out of a horror movie. He just walks through the hallway just like you. You don't see him. Then he's walking through the hallway. Then he, like, walks past the door where you can't see him anymore.

[B]

What the fuck?

[A]

Ah. Apparently he was translucent in a way where Rose said he looked like a glass milk bottle.

[B]

Whoa.

[A]

And he just apparently It's. It's worse because not only did he just walk through, and now you're like, where the. What happened? What was that? By the time you process it, it's gone.

[B]

Huh.

[A]

Homeboy was walking through the hall multiple times for two hours.

[B]

What?

[A]

Just like, why? Like, at some point, I'd be like, is that a real kid? Is he lost in my house? Like, I'd be like, what? Who?

[B]

Is this a weird optical illusion or a prank? Like, what's going on?

[A]

And I'd be like, I. I'm seeing this right? At some point, I just get a chair and some popcorn. Be like, what the Is happening here? I'd get a camera. Let's start there.

[B]

Nowadays camera. But I would also wonder, like, foreign. So weird. It's. It's. At some point, what's. Why now? What's happened? I would be scared. I'd be like, who's gonna die this time?

[A]

Like, great point.

[B]

Like, what are you doing here for two hours? Like, and it's your first time here? I don't know. Something feels like it's shifting.

[A]

I. Well, I saw one. One of the articles I read was, like. It was almost like when Serena left, she left an available space for someone they can see. Yeah.

[B]

Insidious.

[A]

And so it's. I just can't imagine. After two hours, I think I'd get kind of bold, and I'd be like, are you bored?

[B]

I was like, me too. I'm glad you said it. I'd be bored too. Okay, never mind. After.

[A]

After enough times, I would be kind of brave enough to go, are you. Are you here? Like, I don't know. I don't know what I would ask. But then I. Then I feel like you would recognize me or,

[B]

you know, see if he,

[A]

like, looks over, like, oh, just like, cough a little too loud.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So anyway, he apparently is just pacing the hallway. He leaves. He walks the hallway. He leaves.

[B]

And weird.

[A]

Somehow Rose is describing this as a peaceful experience. She said that this is fine. She's like, oh, this is actually kind of peaceful.

[B]

It's probably better than getting choked in your sleep. So, sure.

[A]

Although part of me is in, like, is this who was choking me in my sleep?

[B]

Okay, fair point.

[A]

So two weeks later, Rose's heart has told Joe about this, I hope. But Joe then is like, okay, well, hopefully that doesn't happen any anymore. Famous last words. Because then that night.

[B]

Yeah, don't worry. It's all over.

[A]

Joe sees the little boy too. And he sees the little boy literally going from room to room. And in the hallway, stopping to, like, kneel down on the floor as if he's, like, searching for something.

[B]

Oh, oh, oh, oh. Ew.

[A]

His body. I think it would be so weird. Like, it's one thing to see a ghost go into a room already. I'm talking about it for the rest of my life. But to see a ghost go into a room and then come out unsatisfied and go into the next one, I'd be like, whoa, don't come into mind.

[B]

I'd be like, okay, that's actually enough of that, you know? Also, you've done your tricks now. Stop it.

[A]

At some point, does, like. Does that mean I'm watching you from a room that he has yet to get in. Go into. Is he about to be approaching.

[B]

Oh, no.

[A]

And then kneeling down, and he was, like, apparently, like, touching or, like, petting the floor, trying to find something. Rose also saw him again, and this time the boy talked to her. The second time that they ran into each other in the hall. Like, I guess he's like, excuse me.

[B]

Excuse me, sorry. Oh, go to the left.

[A]

Scoot right past you.

[B]

Oh. Oops.

[A]

And the boy goes up to her, by the way, having not said anything yet. First fucking words out of his mouth. Where do all the lonely people go? Where do I belong?

[B]

What? Eleanor Rigby. Is that a lyric from Eleanor Rigby? It literally sounds like it.

[A]

I look at all the lonely people.

[B]

Okay, maybe that. Yeah, maybe that's right. Because I was at first like, wow, that's really strange.

[A]

For a second I went, oh, my God, am I being scammed? Is this just the. Did the Beatles write a ghost story?

[B]

This is just like, some weird pop culture fan fiction about the deals. Wow. But okay, so the Eleanor Rigby of it all aside, that's really fucked up and dark. Okay. A lonely little boy.

[A]

Yeah, and where do I belong? Like, so he's lost. And then part of me is like, why are you looking at the floor for your. For help there. But. And this might be an answer as to what he was doing on the floor. Joe remembered that he was looking around. And now that this boy has shown up multiple times in the house, he's like, oh, what was he looking for? I'm gonna go over to that spot on the floor.

[B]

Correct answer. Correct answer.

[A]

He pulls up the rug, which the little boy couldn't seem. Seemed like he could not do on his own.

[B]

Picture this 80s rug, shag tufted.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Beautiful.

[A]

And he finds, like, a medallion of the Virgin Mary, which makes me think if he was Looking for something religious. And he's like, where do I belong? Maybe he thought, I need to go.

[B]

And he was saying, kneeling. That's what said he was kneeling in the hallway. I'm like. To pray? I mean, I guess not, but, like, it sounds very.

[A]

And he was an all white.

[B]

Yeah, the white thing. Yeah.

[A]

So Joe goes back to the family. I imagine in. In 2026, it would be a group chat, being like, can you guys just give me a rundown of every person that I don't know about yet? Because I'm so tired of this. First it was Serena.

[B]

Can you just do a voice memo so I can just have it all?

[A]

Just send me the ancestry link. You know what I'm saying?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. The link.

[A]

So he asked the family, what about this little boy? Like, who else died here? Finds out. Oh, yeah. You know how your brother or how your dad had a sister named Serena? He also had a brother who also died as a kid.

[B]

And, like, no, I didn't know about any of that. Thanks, though.

[A]

Which is like, I have to hope that him and his father were just, like, estranged, because otherwise, what the fuck did you ever talk about with your dad?

[B]

I mean, as someone who has a dad with siblings that I literally don't know anything about, it's sort of like, I just. See, it never comes up.

[A]

It's. It's shocking.

[B]

Unless you ask. It's weird.

[A]

Yeah. And then he's like, well, you don't ask. And I'm like, I don't even know that I'm supposed to ask. Should I just start from the bottom and say, do you have any dead siblings? Like, what am I supposed to say here?

[B]

I mean, I guess maybe. Maybe that's the key.

[A]

I. And I can't stand that. Well, you didn't ask. It's like, well, I.

[B]

That's infuriating to me. No.

[A]

So Joe finds out that he has an uncle Giorgio. Whoa. Who died in the house at 8 years old, buried in his first communion suit.

[B]

I knew it. I was like, that's a baptismal or first communion. Holy. And then he got that medallion for his first communion, no doubt Holy.

[A]

And of course, I was wondering, where do I belong? And he's like, I. Oh, honey, he's probably trying to get to heaven.

[B]

Oh, boy.

[A]

So anyway, after figuring out who he was, the couple started seeing Giorgio all the time. Like, multiple times a week.

[B]

Oh, dear.

[A]

It was almost like they spoke him into existence officially. Or, like, once.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Once Giorgio knew that they knew who he was, he felt safer to Come around. They apparently would literally talk to him. He would answer random questions for them. He would talk about family members Joe didn't even know or he would talk about events that Joe didn't remember. He would even Georgia, I guess had a, a twin that did survive. And he would talk about his twin, like what his twin was up to.

[B]

Geez, what the.

[A]

And whenever. I will say this is a weird note, but whenever they would see him, it seemed to them that Giorgio always seemed incredibly stressed. By the way, I would too if I was an eight year old who can't get into heaven, you know?

[B]

Yeah, that sounds like one of those weird dreams you have as a kid where you're like stuck or even nowadays like where you're stuck somewhere and you're like I can't, I can't get out like that. It feels like a nightmare replaying over and over. Of course you're stressed.

[A]

I'd be stressed the out. I'd be like, where is everybody? Here's my random 40 year old nephew.

[B]

And I imagine you don't even get to wear your khakis. You have to wear your fucking communion thing.

[A]

I also probably one of the biggest. I'm sure there's a lot of ways that the story so far has proven to like just be like a wives tale and isn't true or something like that. But the most unbelievable part to me is that people who are alive who knew Giorgio aren't immediately running to the door to finally see their like long lost dead relative. Right.

[B]

It makes me wonder if they.

[A]

Yeah, if I knew like if I. If there are family members of mine who have died and if I found out that they have resurrected and are someone I can speak to them again, I would be at the house that day.

[B]

But I'll be honest, I know people who like have. Who. If they, if their dead sibling resurrected at 8 like an 8 year old ghost and they were like living across the country, they would want nothing to do with that.

[A]

That's a good point.

[B]

Like, I know I definitely know people, especially the kind who don't talk about their siblings, who probably would not go see their ghost because they don't even want to think about it.

[A]

Or like, I mean Serena and Giorgio sound like maybe they're not from the country, so maybe it's hard to get here or something. Like maybe it sounds like, like, like sounds like Italian something.

[B]

What's the last name again? Barilla

[A]

is, is a fake name. But it makes sense why they pick an Italian one. If the names are. Yeah, I'M just saying if someone said, yo, even that one cousin that you hate just came back to life, I'd be like, I gotta go see this myself.

[B]

I don't think I could do it. I don't think I could. I don't know. That really freaks me out for some reason. I really go. I think I would be more concerned about the people in the house. I'd be like, are you trying to trap me and like kill me? I don't know. I think I would be like really, really, like hesitant.

[A]

No. I would have to see with my own eyes. I'd be like, this is literally evidence that the afterlife exists. It's crazy.

[B]

It's crazy.

[A]

You wouldn't get right in the comments if you would go, because I mean, this is such a, to me, it's such an obvious absolute. It said absolutely yes. It's an absolutely no to you no.

[B]

It's not an absolute no. I think I would go eventually, but you would have to probably talk me into it because I think I'd be like, I don't know if I trust this brother in law or whoever the hell this guy is to me in this scenario. I don't know, I'd be like a little weirded out. I'd be like, I mean, I'd bring

[A]

a knife, you know, I'd be like,

[B]

okay, he's saying he sees my dead brother. That feels like disrespectful. You'd bring a knife. Okay, well, in that case I feel safe, I guess.

[A]

Yeah, it depends. It depends on how close you are with the people. Like if I found out kind of it. I think if a long lost relative. I see what you're saying. Like if a long lost relative I don't even really have a relationship with said this to me. I'm not like, come over your house brothers here.

[B]

I'd be like, what the.

[A]

Yeah. In that case, I'm not going over to your house to find out that you have like a mental health situation going.

[B]

Right. I don't really want to be part of that.

[A]

But like if my cousins I talk to regularly or yeah, that person's alive,

[B]

I'd be like, if I felt trustworthy, this was a thing. I would absolutely, yes, absolutely.

[A]

Think of the experiments you could do. You could be like, tell them to come over here and like, can they teleport? And like, I mean, I would have, I would have just as many questions

[B]

for them and they'd be like, why are you holding a knife? Can you answer that first? Yeah.

[A]

The eight year Old at knife point

[B]

is really like, no, I'm not gonna go over there, you freak.

[A]

And they have the nerve to go, giorgio always looks a little stressed.

[B]

Yeah, you're just showing up with a knife, doing experiments on him. Like, no wonder.

[A]

Honestly, if I was living at a house with an eight year old ghost and I didn't know he was apparently my uncle, I'd also. I'd have a knife there too.

[B]

I guess. So.

[A]

I guess, like, what. What's that gonna do to a ghost? But. So anyway, Georgia's walking around, they're chatting it up, but he always seems stressed. And one article did say it was like. It was as if he, like, Serena, could sense something dark or was attached to something dark. And even though he was fine and harmless, he knew about something that we couldn't foresee.

[B]

I think that's part of what freaks me out too. Like, not that I wouldn't go see this person, but this ghost, but I like, feel. Feel like there's something sinister beneath it. That's like, why is he stressed? Why is he hanging around? You already had this, Serena, like, sleep paralysis, creepiness. Like, part of me is like, is that really my twin brother or is this like, like a. Something darker? I don't know, it's. It's a. I don't know. I feel like it's unsettling.

[A]

You know what, to go back to our previous conversation, talk about family members, who would want to see this person back to life. His twin who's alive.

[B]

Right, that's what I meant.

[A]

Like, if Carlos.

[B]

That's what I'm saying. Like, if Carlos. I'd be like a little unsettled though, if, like, oh, and we also had all this demonic activity. I'd be like, even if I believe you, I'd be like, I don't know if I want to see my 8 year old brother as like a demonic goat. I don't know.

[A]

Yeah, maybe Carlos, like, sends a picture of him, like, waving. It's like, send, give this to him.

[B]

Let's FaceTime. Yeah, that's about as far as I'll come.

[A]

Well, after two months, Giorgio finally stops appearing. And his final words to them, by the way, was, my oldest brother is the only one that can help me.

[B]

Oh, my God, what is his oldest brother? Do we know, like a priest or something?

[A]

I have no idea. And also, if that was the solution this whole time, why were you ever here to begin with?

[B]

Maybe he didn't know.

[A]

Well, so I think what's happening is. It seems that the kids are Confused about their relationship to these people because, like, how Serena was maybe calling Rose her mom.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Maybe Giorgio thought that Joe was his father and not the father's son or his brother. His brother when it was his uncle.

[B]

Oh.

[A]

So he was saying maybe like, my. My oldest brother is the only one that could help me. Being like, you're my oldest brother. You're the only one that can say, oh. Talking about Joe, I think. I don't know. I have no idea. But it's. It was certainly cryptic and crazy. And after he disappeared and they disappeared, which I feel like we could have said one more sentence before we left and, like, clarified some things.

[B]

Yeah, I just. This guy. This kid.

[A]

What?

[B]

This kid knows how to do a cliffhanger.

[A]

He did. He said, I'll be back for the sequel.

[B]

Or. Or will I?

[A]

Oh. Fade to black. The. The same night Giorgio disappeared for good, his absence seemed to also leave room for a new entity.

[B]

Telling you, I don't know what you fill that with, but you gotta fill that. But put. Put your thumb over the hole.

[A]

I was gonna say just, like, put some, like. Like. Or putty on it. Like. Yeah, putty.

[B]

Yeah, you staple it closed.

[A]

That's what I would do it in.

[B]

Yeah, some caulk.

[A]

Caulk. The same. So he disappeared, and all of a sudden, something else appeared, literally within the same 24 hours. And immediately, they really missed that little boy because Joe and Rose's phone flew off the nightstand on its own multiple times.

[B]

Oh, and this is not a cell phone. This is a landline just to. To remind everyone.

[A]

Like, when it hit the wall, it probably went.

[B]

Oh. And, like. And then you hear. Because it fell off the hook. How creepy is that?

[A]

Horrific.

[B]

So much more cinematic than an iPhone.

[A]

I feel like our hauntings would be so boring today. Like, I know. Boo.

[B]

It's like, that's just AI. Oh, man.

[A]

And also, like, another question for ghosts, because we didn't have the technology we did back in the old day when they seemed to be super duper prevalent. So, like, we wouldn't have known back then what other capabilities they have. They were just working with the stuff going on back then. I wonder if there's new versions of haunting today because there's new technology that we can see them interacting with.

[B]

There are. Because Jim Harrell covers, like, technological go sometimes where they'll, like, come in on a phone call or they'll, like a text. Oh. The creepiest ones are when text messages come through, like, from the deceased person. But it's, like, the numbers, like, just Stuff like that really does happen kind of regularly. Regularly enough to be like, whoa.

[A]

I mean, another example is like your ipod playing random music.

[B]

Ew, that was creepy. First of all, it's an iPad. It wasn't the year 2005. My iPod, the ipod shuffle Cristine Brings on Tour started.

[A]

Or like, I was thinking about that

[B]

yesterday for some reason, that iPad playing, and I was like, I wish I could remember what song that was.

[A]

I'm happy to not know.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Even like wi fi or like streaming services. I'm like, could it do all that?

[B]

Like, I. I do blame tech issues on a ghost a lot. So I feel like we've already kind of committed to that theory.

[A]

I have one friend who closed captioning changed on her TV and like, was able to go back and it played like the normal words, but only one time. It's like, was almost like responding to her, like an ovulus. Isn't that the scariest thing? What the hey.

[B]

I hate that.

[A]

So I guess there are new ways that they can do things that they could always probably do. They just didn't know it themselves because they didn't have the technology yet.

[B]

Maybe they did and they're like, hurry up and invent the cell phone.

[A]

I'm so tired of having to type every letter out. Yeah. Also, how come on my laptop I haven't gotten messages on. Well, people have gotten messages on their, like, like on a blank document.

[B]

It happens.

[A]

So. And remember that one time we wasn't there an episode we recorded where the whole thing got deleted temporarily or something?

[B]

Yeah, there's some weird tech that happens that we used to be like, haha, it's the ghost.

[A]

And it's when we were talking about one of the dolls.

[B]

Oh, 100%. That was PTD, I think.

[A]

And there was, I think there was another episode we recorded where we were also talking about her and like, the things that she's capable of. And our episode was fine, but only like that section was totally, like silenced or something.

[B]

Oh, there was audio. Weird. There was like, there was like static or something happening. I remember people were like, did you do that on purpose? Also, just like, side note, two nights ago. Oh, I have chills now. Like, cold. All of a sudden I heard this shattering sound in the middle of the night. Remember how, like, my bathroom up here was flooding? So the same area I heard this shattering sound. I thought that I saw all three pets and I went, oh, that's okay. Not a good sign. Of course. I go upstairs with my flashlight on and I'm looking, I'm looking. I can't figure it out. The, like, I there. Since, like, the 80s, there's been this, like, mirrored vanity thing, and the top of the mirror just, like, slammed onto the floor and shattered everywhere in the middle of the night.

[A]

What the is going on in that bathroom?

[B]

I don't know, but it just occurred to me it's the same bathroom.

[A]

As someone who's used that bathroom can confirm it is the scariest bathroom.

[B]

It is pretty creepy.

[A]

I would never want to be in that bathroom by myself.

[B]

That's a nice toilet. A nice toilet. Now a new one.

[A]

Maybe it was the toilet all along. Oh, I guess not, since things are happening post new toilet.

[B]

That's right. And I was a little concerned. And then someone said, well, probably the humidity from the bathtub. I'm like, I've not turned that bathtub on in five years.

[A]

It doesn't look plugged in.

[B]

You know, it's sort of like one of those decorative, like, clawed foot things. And I'm like, I don't know, man. And my brother was like, well, you know, the adhesive wore off, and I was like, I've heard it all before. That's fine. It's just weird that it's been 30 years and one night it just shatters while I'm awake in the middle of the night within some hundred percent.

[A]

I don't know, 100%.

[B]

Anyway, so now I'm just. All I'm saying is I'm getting creeped out by the story already because I'm, like, 10ft from that spot, and I feel a little alone.

[A]

I wish it would happen as you're recording so we could all witness something.

[B]

Maybe you can talk about PTD again and she'll make something happen.

[A]

Well, remember that time we held hands and looked PTD in the eye?

[B]

Oh, and she talked to us.

[A]

She said. I don't remember what she said, but we did look her in the eye.

[B]

We were so polite. We were. I was like, hello, you are beautiful.

[A]

Bye. So anyway, Joe puts the phone back on the table. Remember the phone flew off the nightstand.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And he puts it back on the table, flies off again. It flew off the table like, a dozen times. And he called his parents to see if they knew what Giorgio meant by, like, my oldest brother is the only one who can help me. And, like. Because he took it as a sign of, like. That's the last thing I heard from Giorgio. And now the phone is flying off the hook. So, like, use the phone, ask about Giorgio, check in. But similar to our audio. Whenever we talk about dolls, every time Joe would say Giorgio's name, the phone would go dead by itself.

[B]

I. I don't like that every time.

[A]

Or Sorry. Eventually, it wasn't just the phone being thrown around, but the doors started slamming, dishes started breaking, footsteps started being heard only running through the house. And a box of pasta was ripped out of Rose's hand. That's the most insulting to me, but

[B]

yeah, penne, give me the secret recipe. The ghost shouting.

[A]

Or I was like, not this boxed. Swine. What's wrong with you?

[B]

Will throw this in the trash.

[A]

Swill, not swine. What's wrong with you? That's pigs.

[B]

Oh, I didn't even notice.

[A]

The couple went to a priest who told them, of course, say with me. Just ignore it.

[B]

Are you serious?

[A]

Haven't gotten to say this in a long time, but thanks, priests. Aw, miss her. And soon other items started flying around. And they kept ignoring it because the priest told them to. And they're just sitting there, like, hoping and hoping it's gonna stop. Until eventually things only got worse because now this entity shows himself to them. And it is a dark male figure with a black cape, a hunched back, a gruff voice, and very large feet.

[B]

What the.

[A]

They ask who he is.

[B]

Sounds like the Hamburglar.

[A]

Holy shit.

[B]

I think it's a big piece.

[A]

The origin of McDonald's.

[B]

It all started with a small Italian pasta family.

[A]

Quick, someone get married. But she's on the horn. Where were we?

[B]

So sorry. He had big feet. A cape, by the way, not cool.

[A]

Are you kidding? Do you know how many times I've worn my cape this week? I fucking love a cape.

[B]

Okay. I'm saying not cool as a go.

[A]

Like, oh, it's very cool to wear a cape.

[B]

It's also, like, fine to wear. Oh, it's not fine to wear a top hat. Never mind.

[A]

No, especially with a cape. Unless you're getting paid and doing magic.

[B]

Correct. There is really strict rubric.

[A]

If I allow a top hat and they're not either an Abe Lincoln impersonator or a magician. What are you doing?

[B]

Or hat. Or the hat man himself.

[A]

Or the hat man himself. Or, like, I guess if you're really trying to, like, do one over on the opera, like, you're really trying to commit to the theater.

[B]

We'll think about it on that one.

[A]

I'm still uncomfortable about it because, like, people are going to sit behind you in the audience and they're going to hate you.

[B]

Oh, I thought you meant on the stage. I see. You better have some Tact. And take that hat off if you're in the audience, please.

[A]

It's just for the entrance, the grand reveal.

[B]

Exactly. Like, we've already seen you in the lobby and talked about it. Sit down.

[A]

Now, if you saw me in a cape, you would really go feral, because this. This is a delicious cape. I have it right here.

[B]

What? I was like, are you getting it right now? Oh, my God.

[A]

I wear this cape all the time. I wear it.

[B]

Did you wear it. Are you wearing it to your date, your friend? Date?

[A]

No, but I have worn it before with new people just to give them a real taste of who I am.

[B]

Those ones that never called you back?

[A]

Yeah. No, I call this my everyday cape because I actually have, like, four capes, but.

[B]

Yeah, I know.

[A]

So this one is. Have you seen this before? Am I showing you something you've already seen?

[B]

I really don't think I have.

[A]

I've had this cape for years, and I really decided to commit to the bit recently.

[B]

I do feel like you've talked about it quite a lot, and I feel like, in my mind, I know it, but I don't think I've ever seen it. It.

[A]

It's lovely. I wear it to the dog park often and not. And I'm not wearing it. I think. Here's the thing. You have to have the confidence, because I am not wearing it, to be, like, spooky or, like, kitschy or quirky or quirky. Like, I'm wearing it functionally. Like, it just keeps me warm.

[B]

That's the key. If you're wearing it, it's like, oh, that looks comfortable. I'm not gonna be like, why the would you wear that? You know, you have to wear it.

[A]

Like. Like. I mean, it's no different than like, bringing a blanket somewhere in public, which I guess is weird. But people understand the purpose of the blanket, and it's just that.

[B]

And I'm, like, kind of jealous, right? Like, if I see someone with a blanket, I'm like, oh, I should have thought of that.

[A]

Well, it's been, like. There have been nights where, like, the dog park is really cold, and I've seen people bring blankets, and I'm like, that's so smart.

[B]

And I'm, like, really smart.

[A]

And, like, I'd rather have a blanket that just buttons on so I don't have to hold it. So that's what it gave us. I don't know if it's really gonna.

[B]

Oh. Oh, it looks so voluptuous.

[A]

So she's got a little hood moment.

[B]

Satin.

[A]

She buttons up at the neck, so it's. Whoa. Very. And then she's got pockets and she's got sleeves. It's a short. So it's a crop top cape. It's like it ends at. At your back. It's not a long cloak.

[B]

Oh, it's like a poncho, I guess so. That was probably the rudest thing I've ever said to you. I'm sorry. No, it's not like a poncho. Like, it's not like the kind I got at Dillard's in eighth grade.

[A]

No, it ends at the waist.

[B]

Oh, it does.

[A]

It's like a Little Red Riding Hood size.

[B]

Oh, charming. Like a capelet.

[A]

Capelit. And then. But it also has, like, spots where you can put your arms through. So with you move, it moves like wings. You move. It has the finger ring so it stays on your fingers, so it moves with you.

[B]

Oh, my God. So you're basically like conducting an orchestra, looking like Batman.

[A]

It's very comfy and it's thick. It's like. It's like three sweatshirts thick.

[B]

It looks extremely voluptuously cozy.

[A]

And when you close it up, it literally keeps the. The cold out, so. Well, how did we get here?

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

There's. There's a dark.

[B]

She's wearing a cape. And I'm upset about it. And I'm not saying I'm upset about you wearing cape. I'm sorry about the shadowy man in my bedroom wearing a cape. Like, get out of here.

[A]

This is that. And also final sentence, this is a PSA if you've ever thought about buying a cape. I've never once regretted it. And I only get compliments. So everyone leave me alone. Except for all.

[B]

Yeah, you all get a cape.

[A]

Where did you.

[B]

Where did you buy the cape? Because my next question is, I'd love a cape. Where can I get one?

[A]

I'll tell you exactly this one, because I.

[B]

Do you buy this on the street too?

[A]

No, I bought this at actually like a Comic Con. And I guess.

[B]

Oh, that feels right too.

[A]

Which, like, I guess technically it was meant for cosplay, but I never use it for that.

[B]

And I want to give cosplay. If you really try hard enough, you know, that's true.

[A]

To give them a shout out, because I. I want this company to stay in business. So that way I can.

[B]

For your own selfish reasons.

[A]

It's called the original Scare Wear.

[B]

Okay, now. Now we're talking.

[A]

And it's called Creepsville with a K.

[B]

And now I'm trying to Tell us. No, no. There's nothing weird or creepy about this cape. And they're like, no, there is. Oh, wow. I mean, creepsville.

[A]

If you ever want to do an ad with us, I'll take my capes

[B]

as you want converts here.

[A]

Yeah, it's.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

It's a game changer. I've never. And I. I wore to Wicked. Of course, I wear it in Renaissance things. I guess I do cosplay with it.

[B]

See?

[A]

I'm so sorry to everybody who wanted a short story. Let's keep going. I'm trying to clock the in.

[B]

Okay, I'm not sorry, but go on.

[A]

There's a hunchbacked man with a cape, Right. And a gruff voice.

[B]

What could go wrong?

[A]

He's throwing everything around. He is a real nightmare.

[B]

And.

[A]

And they've been told by priests to ignore him. And then eventually he decides to walk up to them and tell them that he is, quote, a minister of God.

[B]

Oh, God, boy. Okay.

[A]

They continued to try and ignore the obviously dark energy, but oftentimes the activity was just too intense to ignore. For example, the. The family would just start hearing a random man scream obscenities. And I feel like a lot of people would go, that's just Grandpa.

[B]

Yeah, he's just under the weather.

[A]

He's just in the other room. That one. I don't mind too much if I heard a random person cussing in the house. It. That's fine.

[B]

Oh, is it? If you heard a random man cussing in your house.

[A]

Compared to every. If, that's the worst. It's just like, oh, there's that guy again. Yeah, fair enough.

[B]

If I knew who it was, I could kind of just like, brush it aside. Yeah.

[A]

Especially when all I know about him is he's a minister to God. I'm like, oh, the minister's mad.

[B]

I'm not the minister again. He loves those swear words.

[A]

Well, apparently it got worse because those items that were flying around, like the phone and everything, was now aiming itself at the couple. Objects were flying into them all the time.

[B]

Oh.

[A]

Religious objects were getting smashed. Yikes. Or they're being ripped off the wall. Yikes. The furniture would end up all over the place, including bookcases and desks that were upstairs. They are now downstairs, or they're being toppled over, or they're being found in different rooms. I can't imagine going home and it's just my bookcase is upside down and upstairs and in a different room and topple them.

[B]

I'd be thrilled. I'd be like, finally, somebody Helped me move the furniture.

[A]

I know. Like, at least use your power for good.

[B]

But I. I would want it to be used in the way that I would really need the bookshelf to be placed in a certain way. So, yeah, it would be annoying.

[A]

The real kick in the crotch would be if you finally moved it yourself and now it's back downstairs.

[B]

Oh, now that's not cool.

[A]

I'd be like you.

[B]

I pull my back out for that, you know? I know. What is that? Is that the phrase threw it out? Threw it out?

[A]

That you sounded like someone who's never thrown your back out.

[B]

If only.

[A]

If only. I can't. Oh, my God. Here's. I think the creepiest one to me is that they had those, like, classic attic stairs where you had to, like, pull them down on a string.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

The stairs to the attic would open themselves, which you might think, like, okay, the latch is loose or whatever, and it just fell by itself. But first of all, think of how loud that is if they were to fly down by themselves.

[B]

Terrifying. Terrifying. And it would.

[A]

And it couldn't just be a loose latch. It was clearly something paranormal because not only would the stairs open themselves, they would shut themselves. So something's pushing it up. And it would open and slam and open and slam. And it was doing it so hard that the ceiling cracked.

[B]

Oh, no.

[A]

Like, that's it for me. Like, cut the camera.

[B]

Bye. I really. I get it. I'm out.

[A]

Rose seemed to get the most violent attention, of course, because lamps are getting thrown at her head. A freezer door, when she was bending down, hit her in the head. When she came back up.

[B]

Holy.

[A]

She would find bruises all over herself. She would get grabbed and scratched by unseen hands. And of course, activity got even worse whenever she would pray. Then things were, like, even more intense. And a few months after dealing with all this torment, Rose is in bed alone one night and starts hearing banging on the walls. And the bed then levitated off the floor, I think, with her in it. And the doors slam themselves shut to imply that she cannot leave the room.

[B]

Jesus. Okay.

[A]

The doors only reopened when the family dog growled protectively.

[B]

Good puppy.

[A]

And when she did get out of the room, she was then grabbed, like out of a horror movie and dragged back into the room. The door slammed shut again. She was getting choked, and she's levitating off the ground by herself and then slammed onto the floor.

[B]

Oh, no.

[A]

Joe finally gets into the room, and he sees her cowering in a corner. And quote, the bed jumping as high as 2ft. Into the air.

[B]

What the is going on?

[A]

Like I miss Serena girl. You know I'm.

[B]

I know. If only that were the cussing man and Serena were back for Ms.

[A]

I'm gonna warn you of an of eminent doom. Like how about where were you? Or was your whole presence that. That you were just from the beginning you. You being here was the warning that

[B]

something moved out and it was not her fault that someone else moved in. Okay, you know what?

[A]

I shouldn't be blaming her. You're right.

[B]

Listen, she tried.

[A]

She tried after this they tried to make living in the house work. But how could you? And they didn't have to try for very long until they gave the up because very soon after this big event where she's getting thrown around the room, the couple walks into the kitchen and sees quote a heavy carving knife stabbed into the kitchen table. Oh no. And it was also just happened to be on one of the kids birthdays. Happy birthday.

[B]

Aside from a horse head in your bed, that's the most threatening like symbolism I can think of.

[A]

It's like it's. I'm sure it's been the COVID of movies, horror movies has to be but like just walk in, it's just stabbed right into the table.

[B]

Oh.

[A]

And then I don't think had butcher block back in the day. As regular as it is today. It was like an expensive table too. Oh. So the couple called the priest again going hey, we listen to you and you. You first of all they moved out. They were like, you can do whatever you want with this house. I'm so over it. I guess priest came in and actually did some sort of pseudo exorcism on the house.

[B]

A blessing, a bless.

[A]

Well no, the first time was a blessing. And then they're like. This time was like something powerful enough that I guess witnesses were there and I guess it was deemed successful because after this there was no more activity. I've. I've. Don't think I've ever covered a story where the priests come in and do one exorcism.

[B]

Maybe it's like a cleansing or something.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. Something intense. I imagine Latin was involved, but I

[B]

don't must have must been.

[A]

I just like when lines involved. I don't feels more serious. I mean I like what it's happening in a room I'm not in, but right from afar.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But the story is juicier later. So after that there was no more activity. It really was like exactly how you would hope priests can be helpful. So I guess this is the first time Ever. Thanks, priests.

[B]

And that's enough credit.

[A]

Yeah, like, thanks. Like, the second time, you know, five claps for you. But after the fact, I think they were still obviously horrified by everything. And that's when Joe called the. What is now American Institute of Parapsychology, and he was like, we had some really crazy things go on here. It's technically over. Maybe you'll find something if you would, like, attempt it. So if you'd like to research a house, you can have this house. I wonder if he also called them in to be like, can you double check that everything's good.

[B]

True point. And make sure it doesn't follow us?

[A]

Yeah, but it's. And every article had completely different findings here on what. What happened when the American Institute of Parapsychology went in there. Some sources said they were haunted like crazy and could corroborate every single thing that the family had seen, which means that the exorcism didn't work. Then there were other sources where it's like, they couldn't find anything. They just had to go off of stories that they heard from the family, which means that the exorcism did work or that it was never haunted. Or there was other sources that said, like, they found some things that they could have deemed haunting.

[B]

But the.

[A]

The most telling information they got was just from, like, friends and family who overheard the stories. So I don't really know what came out of that, but they did look at it. And after they looked at it, they wrote up a report. Could not find the report, but I guess in it is where they named the family the Barrinis. And that's how we get the Barini haunting. So.

[B]

So that is that what the. That one upset me a little bit. Kind of creeped me out, like, beyond normal.

[A]

It feels like. Unless if you're not a believer, I'm about to say something so hysterical to you, but to me, it feels like something that could actually happen.

[B]

That's what I'm saying. Exactly what I was gonna say. Like, an everyday cape. Everyday haunting style.

[A]

I have the cake. Honestly, if I saw a hunchback man in a cape in my house, I'd be like, take my cape off.

[B]

You'd be like, who told you you could wear that?

[A]

Like, you can haunt me, but don't raid my closet.

[B]

You're getting wrinkles in my cape.

[A]

Yuck.

[B]

Yuck. I am, like, really alarmed by that. And I think you're right. I think it's because it feels like something that could just happen to a family and Then

[A]

I think it's. I. I think what's eerie to me is I do not. I'm not opening any portals or anything like that. I, in theory, don't hate the idea of having, like, a little ghost going around, as long as it's just, like, something as simple as what Serena was at first. Just a little voice. Every now and then, you hear a little thing and, like, okay, that's the end of it. But as soon as it escalates to, like, oh, now we're warning you of bad things, and then I leave, and now you can see a different ghost, and he could even talk to you and interact with you, like Casper. And then he's really scared about something you don't know that's coming, and then he leaves the scene. And now it gets worse and worse. And now you're getting knives in your tables. Like, it. It just feels like. It feels personal because the. The unraveling of it. The.

[B]

Yes, yes, yes. And it escalates to a point where you're like, how would you even manage to, like, stop it? You know? It's like the second one leaves, like, another one shows up, and you're like, wait, wait, wait. I didn't even have a chance to call the priest.

[A]

Yeah. I think it's. I think maybe it feels personal because you and I would both be open to how it feels first started.

[B]

Yeah. And that's actually concerning.

[A]

And we could accidentally slip into, like, the worst of the worst.

[B]

As I, like, think about how I have to pee in that bathroom in about 10 seconds.

[A]

You cleaned up the floor a little bit. Okay.

[B]

There's still some mirror around.

[A]

Well, thank you, everybody, for listening. Oh, there she goes.

[B]

Oh, my camera died. Super. Girl.

[A]

Girl. El Gato. What's that, a cat?

[B]

Well, I was charging my vape, and I used the cord for my camera to charge my vape.

[A]

I. That is the least surprising thing I've ever heard you say. Hey, I know we're in the middle of work, but I'm gonna charge my vape with the cable.

[B]

I'm gonna unplug my camera.

[A]

What a mystery this is.

[B]

Oh, you know, you could have used the. I could have used the cord for my. That I plugged my light into, but no, I used the cord that I plugged my camera into.

[A]

Can you imagine if. If Elgato was paying us for the spot right now?

[B]

Now, that would be nice, because they are great.

[A]

Elgato this. You have the opportunity to do the funniest thing in the world right now is just give us some money and we'll keep this screen going and never see Christine again.

[B]

Oh, man, you didn't. You didn't. You didn't bring the money to the table. Elgato. Okay, I think. I think I've gotta do a little refresher or something.

[A]

Okay, well, thank you, everyone, for the story or for listening to my story. And I guess we'll reset, as it were, and you can go pee in your haunted potty and I'll go get my sticker book.

[B]

Yeah, we'll reconvene for yappy hour, which you can listen to on the. Your podcast feed or Patreon. Okay. So you hopefully see me in a moment.

[A]

Okay. You know, as two people who never thought we would ever be hiring, it's crazy that we got to a place where we had to do that and we didn't know where to start. We had no idea. And I remember Christine saying, you know, I heard about this website called ZipRecruiter. Maybe we just try looking for people there. And within 24 hours, we found Eva.

[B]

It was like the two least qualified people to hire somebody. Just like I heard about this tool called ZipRecruiter. And then Eva showed up. Like, it really is the most magical

[A]

to two people bumbling around, and they end up with, like, a dream too. It's crazy. Oh, man.

[B]

It's like, meant to be. Well, when we first found Eva amongst a few, a pool of candidates, we asked some very important questions, like, what kind of job are you looking for? What's your experience? Do you believe in ghosts? What's the weirdest thing that's ever happened to you?

[A]

What's your sign? Yeah, what's your sign?

[B]

Etc. Well, the same goes if you're hiring. You definitely want to address key questions first to see if someone could be right for your role.

[A]

And that's why you need ZipRecruiter. When you post your job, ZipRecruiter suggests screening questions to help you hone in on top candidates faster. And today, you can try it for [e-mail] drinks, drink.

[B]

Ask key questions and hire faster. With ZipRecruiter, four out of five employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day.

[A]

Try it for [e-mail] drink that's ziprecruiter.com drink.

[B]

Meet your match on ZipRecruiter. We're just those kind of people we like to accessorize. I don't know if that's like the Gemini in us or I don't know what it is.

[A]

The novelty.

[B]

We're just big fans of Warby Parker and I was so excited to see them come across my desk today. Yeah.

[A]

As they do. Yeah.

[B]

Buying eyeglasses before Warby Parker was something that I never want to experience again, which was like going into a store with your mom, with your mom beholden to like some crazy price that she then starts arguing with the people about.

[A]

You should try every single one on. She goes, no, not those.

[B]

The one you like. She's like, oh. And you're like, oh, good, good, good, good, good, good. So anyway, that's why we're obsessed with Warby Parker. Nothing comes close on quality, price selection, customer service. I've wary Parker glasses that I have had for probably since the beginning of this podcast that are still like tip

[A]

top shape and their prescription glasses start at 95. So you can actually get quality and stylish frames at an affordable price. You can still be a part of it all. Warby Parker gives you quality and better looking prescription eyewear at a fraction of the going price.

[B]

Our listeners get 15% off plus free shipping when they buy two or more pairs of prescription [e-mail] drink.

[A]

That's 15% off when you buy two pairs of glasses at w a r-byparker.com drink. And after you purchase, they will ask you where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them our show sent you.

[B]

I forgot to also mention that I did make a tik tok when it happened because I heard the crashing sound and went upstairs with the video on because I was like, if I'm about to either run into a serial killer or a demon, I'd at least want to make content out of it. Yeah. So if you want to see what, what I'm talk what it looks like, you can look on my tik tok. But I'll also add that I'm very curious to see if anybody, like, senses anything. You know, like if they see the bathroom. Like, I'm just curious if anybody, like, if they look at it and they're like, ooh, this something similar to our

[A]

conversation about, like, with the new technology, what are ghosts capable of? I wonder with the new technology what psychics are capable of. Because I've always wanted to meet somebody who can like see things on a screen that's like being recorded that like, I obviously can't see anything next to you, but if someone's like, oh, there's someone sitting next to you. I would love to know if someone is capable of that. Or is that too crazy?

[B]

Yeah, that's very calm. No, no, no, I don't think so. I mean, that's how we found out about Harry. Remember that moonlight medium said, someone's walking around behind you? And I was like, right.

[A]

I totally for. Forgot his origin story.

[B]

Yeah, no, it's definitely a thing because, I mean, so many virtual appointments and with psychics and things are virtual now anyway, so I think they kind of have.

[A]

Interesting. Yeah, I always.

[B]

It feels like transcends time and space.

[A]

You know, I feel like I am a believer in a lot of things, but that one is, like, hard for me to wrap my head around that. Like, some, you know, you. I feel like you have to be in the room to sense the energy. But I'm also not a psychic or medium, so I don't know what I'm talking about.

[B]

I mean, you are, but that's besides the point.

[A]

It did get me a opportunity with the LA Ghostbusters out here. Did you. Do you know about them?

[B]

Like, the.

[A]

It's a volunteer group. It's not actual ghost hunting.

[B]

You are bearing the lead on so many things today. You're like, oh, one time, my friend. What was the thing?

[A]

I don't know, but I'm practicing to be a dad who just says, like, nothing.

[B]

Yeah, seriously, like, you said something like a haunted story earlier. You're like, yeah, but this haunting happened to my friend. And I'm like, oh, the close captioning.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yes, that's the thing. Okay, and now what. What are you telling me now? Oh, the ghost. What is the LA Ghost Hunter?

[A]

It's a volunteer group that.

[B]

A vigilante group?

[A]

No, it's like volunteering at hospitals, but they. Oh, they're just a.

[B]

What? What?

[A]

Oh, as the Ghostbusters to, like, go see the kids.

[B]

I thought you meant, like, they literally

[A]

do, like, ghost hunting and hospital.

[B]

That's really disrespectful that they go to a hospital. I thought it meant, like, people die and they go there.

[A]

They're like, don't worry, we'll suck up the ghost before anyone gets out of here.

[B]

Wow, I read that really wrong. Okay, so it's like they're. Oh, it's like it. Wait, so wait, what do you mean? So what happened with them? With you?

[A]

Well, no, because they did the crescent ESP thing on me, and I, like, nailed it.

[B]

Oh, that's who that was.

[A]

Even they. When I. When it was happening, they looked around. They were like, this is Weird. I saw them make eyes with each other.

[B]

It's really weird. It's really weird. M. It's really.

[A]

So I. I got a. An email asking if I. Well, not asking if I wanted to join. I told them I was interested in joining and they sent me an email. And so now I guess I'm. I don't know what the right word is, but it's like. It's not just like a, oh, come and join whenever. It's like a. It takes like six months and a certain amount of, like, hours, and before they even consider me, it's, like, really intense.

[B]

Wait, but.

[A]

Wow. I know, but. So it helps raise money for children's hospital gowns to look like Ghostbusters uniforms. So that way they feel like they're Ghostbusters. And everyone. Everyone gets like a plush ghost, like a little like a stuffed animal in the hospital. And they do a bunch of. They do a bunch of charity work. But the one thing that they were proud to show off was they had one of the. The Ghostbusters looking children's robes. It literally looks like you're a Ghostbuster. It was very cool looking.

[B]

Now that's cool. I mean, that's really cool.

[A]

And then they go in and hang out with kids and, you know, show them all. You have, like, literally to be one of them, you have to have, like the, like, equipment, and then, like, the kids, I guess, get to play with it and stuff. It's just a volunteering thing.

[B]

You have to, like, cosplay. For real?

[A]

Yeah. And they even said, like, you only when you have a uniform and a proton pack and all this stuff, then, like, we'll consider you. And I'm like, what the.

[B]

I'm like, can you imagine when you leave, they're like, turning your proton instead of your badge.

[A]

So they, like, sent like a. Like a. It felt like a Harry Potter list of, like, you have to have all these things on your uniform before you can come to Hogwarts. And it was like, you have to have a case type of knee pad and this type of belts and this type of this. And they're very serious about it. So I don't know.

[B]

You're gonna do it?

[A]

I think so. It sounds fun.

[B]

Sounds cool. Leona came home during the fall at some point, and she's in a new preschool class. And she was like, who you gonna call? And I was like. And I was like, ghostbusters? And she's like, yeah. And I was like, I like how this is a fun turn of it.

[A]

Love that she's giving you a litmus test.

[B]

She did. And she was like, shockingly, my mother passed. Apparently it's like her teacher's favorite movie. So she's singing that all four. All. All fall. I've never seen it.

[A]

Oh, it's very good.

[B]

So I didn't pass that litmus test, but she didn't.

[A]

Let's see if you can watch it together. It's not really scary.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean, she might be scared. She's four.

[B]

I was gonna say she's kind of scared of like.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Peppa Pigs sometimes.

[A]

Okay. Maybe when she's older. But no, I didn't mean to, like,

[B]

she's a lot like me. I don't know if you're catching on to the like whole sinister or insidious. It's certainly not insidious watching vibe.

[A]

It's really not.

[B]

But yeah. Yeah.

[A]

No. So I'm probably gonna. I'm more excited about like they're. They get. What's the right word? Reserved or booked a lot for like Halloween events and all that, so.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Yeah. I don't know. That seems fun.

[B]

So cool. And you pass their psychic test?

[A]

I passed their psychic test. They. And then they gave me a candy eyeball for my third eye.

[B]

Hell yeah. That's kick ass.

[A]

What are you.

[B]

What are you up to these days?

[A]

Are you in any groups or doing any fun things?

[B]

You know, I just was looking into a group that goes around and makes a lot of noise outside of hotels where ICE is staying.

[A]

Really? I haven't heard about any of those. You want to elaborate or.

[B]

That sounds very fun.

[A]

I'm very proud of you.

[B]

Yeah, it's pretty cool. But they're. Yeah, they're trying. They have like an anonymous tip line of like, where. Where ICE is saying. And unfortunately they're coming to a neighborhood in my town very soon and it's becoming a very high stress environment because we have been watching all this, of course, Minneapolis, and there is a detention center near here and stuff. But it's becoming a lot more like close to home in a literal way. So everyone's kind of bracing for that. So I've been looking into that as far as like volunteer stuff and then just like again, like, try to be analog a little bit. Like do more just like creative for. Just to be creative, not like to like. I'm always like, well, what am I going to do with this? Like, I always feel like I need to make something productive out of it. I'm trying to like, just be low key, but it's hard. I'M not very low key about relaxing.

[A]

No. Well, I wish you the best. And again, sticker books are very fun.

[B]

I mean, honestly, I'm looking around, like, making mental notes of the piles, like, where they are, because I'm like, well, I gotta get those ones and those ones.

[A]

I was gonna say think of it this way, if you need to be productive, that, like.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean, you're also cleaning your house.

[B]

Scratches. Both. Itches. Yeah. Organizing to say a gross thing, but, like, it kind of works. Yeah. Okay, so I'm doing part two today of the Tote family murders in Celebration, Florida.

[A]

I'm so excited.

[B]

Oh, my word. It's just such a doozy. I have a little summary for everyone, including myself, just. Just to keep us all in the loop. If you've not heard part one, I would go listen to that because it's just deeply insane and it's pretty relevant to what's going to be discussed today. So here's a summary of part one. We've got Anthony, Tony Tote and his wife Megan. And by the way, Tote, like some people say tot. It's T O D T. Okay. I just say Tote. I feel like that's the more common pronunciation, but not 100 sure on that. His wife, Megan, they were highly regarded physical therapists in Connecticut. They had three children, Alec, Tyler, and Zoe. Eleven, eight and four, I believe, were their ages at this point. They were a normal, quote unquote loving household, seemingly from the outside. But after moving to the Disney design town of celebration, Florida In 2017, the family became increasingly isolated. Megan struggled with Lyme disease, apparently due to a tick bite she got at Disney and depression. Her father. I don't think I mentioned this last week. Maybe I did, but her father had died by suicide like, a decade earlier. And it was something that, like, weighed on her, obviously heavily throughout the years. But then I think Tony. A lot of this is information we got through Tony and, like, take everything he says with, like, a mountain of salt because he's full of okay. But, like, when he says, like, oh, she was so sick and depressed and didn't like this world, I'm like, how much do I believe about what was really going on versus, like, is he exaggerating?

[A]

Well, especially because he was saying, look bad. He was saying, like, oh, their whole doomsday thing that he's. He's claiming that they were both, like, into thinking that, like, December 28th is the end of the world and they had this suicide pact. And I. I call 100, and then

[B]

he goes to jail and calls his sister and goes, oh, I actually wasn't there at all.

[A]

Yeah, you have lost the plot, my friend.

[B]

The credibility. Yeah, like, how am I supposed to believe anything you're saying right now? There's no proof of this, no witnesses. You know, I just don't believe you in general. So I don't know how much of this is true because a lot of it is information from him. But from what we can tell, she was struggling with some health issues. Was that a fruit fly?

[A]

Yeah, sorry.

[B]

Was or is?

[A]

Did he. I can't tell.

[B]

Did he meet his dude?

[A]

He might still be here. Sorry, I didn't mean to take away from your story. I'm sorry.

[B]

No, no, you're fine. Okay. So from what people could tell, though, Tony, at least from the outside, and I guess Megan a little bit too, they were not doing great. She was looking a bit sick. She had lost a lot of weight, and he was actually gaining a lot of weight. And he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. At this point, there were just. They were going through it. But no one except Tony knew how bad things really were. Because behind the scenes, Tony was actually drowning in a financial crisis. And we don't even think Megan knew the half of it. You know, his wife.

[A]

I don't think so.

[B]

I don't think so. He was under federal investigation for $130,000 in Medicaid fraud. At his. At his Connecticut practice, he faced over a hundred thousand dollars in personal debt to like 20 different lenders. Some like, really, you know, sketchy ones that you don't want to be owing money to. By late 2019, his professional license had expired. His business was collapsing. His family was facing eviction from their home in Flor. And this is when the holidays come up. 2019, holiday season, the family kind of appears to go off grid. Tony sends some weird texts to relatives claiming everyone has the flu and they're not coming back to Connecticut like usual for Christmas. Weeks of silence go by. The family orders some wellness checks. Federal agents and local deputies finally enter the home on January 13, 2020. And they discover that Tony has been living with the deceased bodies of his entire family for up to two weeks or so, perhaps longer than that. They find him dazed. He claims to be experiencing a Benadryl overdose he had staged. His family, his victims, wrapped in blankets, holding crucifixes, almost in like a shrine like manner. He initially provided a detailed confession, claiming he and Megan both went into the suicide pact together. To keep the family together in the afterlife. He Outright on recording, boldly admitted to suffocating his four year old daughter. Suffocating and stabbing. Alec and Tyler assisting Megan's suicide by suffocating her after she stabbed herself and then killing the family dog because they wanted to take the dog with them. And then not knowing how to kill himself. And this is. That was his story that he tried so hard and he just couldn't do it. But he could kill his four year old, but.

[A]

Right, right. That was a lot easier.

[B]

Wow. That part wasn't so that one actually, you know.

[A]

And he also survived. And not only that, but then he like ate peanut M M's next to its. Next to the baby's corpse.

[B]

I literally put the. This morning put the peanut. But M M's back in this part two, I was like, it deserves another mention. It's so.

[A]

I really respect that in the last episode you tried to be like, well, I don't want to like give off like. I don't want to get too into the nitty gritty of it. But like now that's what I'm gonna remember him as is like the guy who ate peanut M next to his kid's.

[B]

That's what sticks with me. Because I think, I think it's exactly what you're saying. That it's like so specific that it almost makes it just like more real and like tangible. It feels like you're like, can you imagine somebody doing that? Like, that's so fucked up.

[A]

Bear with me. It feels relatable because like, in a way.

[B]

Yeah. It feels accessible, like to understand from a. Yeah, exactly.

[A]

It feels like. I don't know why, because it actually feels like it's literally the least relatable thing in the entire world. But it's. There's something I can understand eating M&M's and it's like doing something so every day so common. So like it, it.

[B]

And next year. It is. It is. I'm just gonna mention it now because it's just as relevant now, but the peanut M M's, they're actually on a receipt of a pellet gun he bought at a sporting goods store. And he bought like, I. I forget what soda. It's not a doctor, but it was like, like a Diet Coke and a bag of peanut M M's and then a pellet gun and pellet ammunition. And like you just see the receipt and it's just like, like so creepy to see just like a dick sporting goods receipt with like peanut. And you're like, this guy just went

[A]

to the store I think it's because

[B]

his family's all dead at home. I mean, it's just.

[A]

I think it's because he. What he did is so hard to wrap my head around that when you. When you bring it back down to earth with something as simple as, like, oh, he also just, like, goes to Dicks. He also just eats M and M's like us. And it's like.

[B]

Wants a Diet Coke. Yeah.

[A]

It makes it extra eerie because it's like I can somehow relate to a part of you and not be able to get. It's like if you're. If you can be normal, it's like human.

[B]

Oh, I know. I know that guy. You're like, I could know that guy that could be my neighbor. I could know the guy at the Dick's in front of me at the Dick Sporting Goods buying peanut.

[A]

Like, if you said. It's just like you said, like, oh, he killed his family, and then he also ate, like, a big bowl of, like, glitter and scrapple, then I'd be like, that's insane. Like.

[B]

Like.

[A]

And I still can't relate, and it's just as ridiculous as the rest of it. But, like, this is very, like.

[B]

Like, it feels, like, so. Mundane.

[A]

Yeah, that's the word.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Well done. We got there.

[B]

It's my brother's favorite word. He loves when anything is mundane. I don't know why. I guess, like, loves, like, it's very emo, you know, like just a mundane short story about someone living their life, you know? Sorry, Xandy, I love you. But, yeah, it's very mundane. And that makes it, like, so much creepier somehow. Anyway.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Thank you for bringing up the peanut M&M's. It was definitely in my notes, so I'm glad you said it. So he admits to all of this. Okay. And then he gets to jail and he's like, I don't think this is for me. He is on the phone with his sister, who's terrified and confused, and was one of the people she. Her name's Chrissy. She's younger. She's one of the people that have called for wellness checks on the family. Tony changes his story. When he's talking to Chrissy, he starts saying he had no memory of his confession. He says he doesn't remember anything about the month of December. He doesn't remember confessing, which then, like, why do you sudden suddenly seem to have such a vivid memory of the fact that you were not home when your wife Megan murdered your children and you had no idea? This is what he's telling Chrissy now. Oops, I actually wasn't there. I have nothing to do with it.

[A]

Like insane. Like.

[B]

And she's like, you told them you did. And he goes, I don't remember that.

[A]

They literally fucking found you there. What do you.

[B]

Like, it's on camera. Like, what are you talking about?

[A]

Oh, my God. Like, if you weren't there when they died, explain how you were able to walk inside and throw your keys on the table and see the dead corpses and blood everywhere and then just keep it moving. Like, what do you mean?

[B]

And then buy Pina Eminence M's for dinner. Yeah, don't worry, M. I have an entire explanation for all of it from his mouth. And it's very, it's very.

[A]

Let's hear it. I want to go. I'm ready.

[B]

It's absurd, it's absurd, it's absurd, it's. It's absurd. So now he's pleading not guilty. This is the summary of what we covered last week. And what I ended on was that in June 2020, while awaiting trial in the Osceola County Jail, Anthony Tote sent a 27 page handwritten letter to his father, Robert, aka Bob. This was their first significant contact in years, as Anthony had been estranged from Robert following a crime he was convicted of in 1980. The crime that Bob Tote, his dad, was convicted of was the crime of hiring a hitman to take out his own. Forget about the pony's mother.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

This is why this story took me so many freaking weeks to do. Because it's like, it's just so, so many layers.

[A]

So we're saying the this. That he had not been speaking to his father because of this atrocity.

[B]

Correct. And yet estranged. And yet. Here comes the 27 page letter.

[A]

Are you gonna read the whole thing?

[B]

No. Oh my God. Imagine. Actually, One of the YouTubers that I watched do a three part series on this read. Like I think all of it, Most of it, all of it. And it's in his handwriting. So there were words where she's like, I literally don't know what this word says. I have no idea. But it is the ramblings of a madman, a narcissistic dad. Like, it's literally just a rambling of somebody that you'd be like, yep, obviously a total self involved narcissist without empathy. Like, you just read it and you're like, really? That's what you're complaining about in this 27 page letter?

[A]

Wild.

[B]

Your children were murdered and you're like, I've been doing a lot of housework and you know, like, it's just like, what are you doing? He's unwell. Okay. So I'm going to tell you the story though about Bob and Loretta, his mom and dad and what happened to them when he was only four years old. So here's a story. Loretta Tote woke up in the late evening to find a man in her bedroom at her home in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. This is 1980. The intruder subsequently shot Loretta in the face at close range before rifling through doors to stage a burglary. Four year old Anthony walked into the hallway upon hearing this gunshot and reportedly saw a man in the hallway. And some sources report that the man picked four year old Bob up and put him back in his bed.

[A]

Oh.

[B]

Loretta survived miraculously, but the bullet destroyed her left eye and remained permanently lodged in her skull, causing lifelong health struggles. Following the event, her husband Robert Bob claimed a Charles Manson style cult had broken in and smeared blood all over the walls. And wow. Police were not buying it. Okay, no, okay, no. I know. Shocking. They arrested John. The amount of times people probably blamed Charles Manson for shit. And the police were like, we've heard that one before. It's 1980. Come on.

[A]

I mean it, you know. Other people who killed their families though were like, finally, like, now I've got a really good, perfect excuse.

[B]

Yeah, perfect scapegoat.

[A]

Like Charles Manson just really helped everybody kill their family members.

[B]

I guess so. Because he claimed that that is exactly what happened. But police were not buying it. They arrested John Charmanti, an acquaintance that Bob knew through his teaching job as a special education teacher. This was a former student of his brothers, I think, or of his at the school. Charmanti confessed that Robert tot offered him $800 to kill a woman Bob described only as a babysitter. This is his wife, the mother of his children. Bob allegedly provided Cher Monte with a house key, a.32 caliber revolver and bullets to carry out the hit. And in newspaper testimony, summaries, Tremonti also claimed Bob told him to shoot Loretta and said he could stab her too if he wanted, as long as the job got done.

[A]

Ew. I'm like, oh, and if, yeah, up to you. A cat playing with like, like, yeah, like torturing a mouse or something. And it's like, just kill the mouse house. But it's like, oh. And if you want to like yank on its dead body while you're at it, that's what it feels like. It's like, oh, you can. You can play? You have room?

[B]

Yeah, you can. You have room to do what you want. Like, yuck. I mean, it's all Jesus. Investigators quickly discovered Bob was leading a double life, actually a triple life, and was scheduled to marry. Scheduled to marry a nurse named Colleen Feit show just one month later. They already had their wedding date planned and. Oh my God. He decided this would be easier, I guess, than divorcing his wife.

[A]

Imagine being engaged and finding out, huh? Oh, my God.

[B]

And then she had to testify about, like, because he was actually at her house, this Colleen woman. He was at her house as like his alibi when this occurred and she was having to testify what time he left. And I mean, just to get wrapped up in something like this. Also, I said double life. I met triple life. He was also dating. I don't know what the laws were back then. A 17 year old girl as well, so.

[A]

Well, I know what the law was, but I don't know what morality was.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. So I say dating loosely because I, I don't know, like, legality wise, if this is considered consensual, I, I assume maybe at 17, you know, back then, but I don't know. I don't know know either way, it's just, it's so gross. And he has these three people on the hook here. He has two kids at home, and now this four year old literally witnessed his mother getting shot in the face. Okay. And like, remember, you know, decades later, this is the one who literally kills his own wife and kids. So it's, it's just such a weird,

[A]

cyclical, like, I would love to know the why behind like, which we'll never get that answer. But like, was it, was it because you witnessed this, that, that, that changed you? And it always was like now an option for you because you saw that it was an option for somebody else. Or like, or is this something chemically where both of you had this within you?

[B]

Is this genetic, like, lack of empathy or psychopathy or like. Yeah, yeah. Did that, did the event, like, traumatize you to the point that it was. Yeah. In your subconscious? Is it something you've thought about? Like, this is a million questions.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, like, was it normalized because of what happened or. Yeah, it's. I don't know.

[B]

I mean, it's like obviously traumatizing, especially like running into the guy in the hallway and then he picks you up and puts you. I mean, anyway.

[A]

But to also not speak to your father for years because of this tells me that you knew it was wrong. So it is this just a stroke of coincidence that, like, what are the odds? Two generations.

[B]

He's like, that feels crazy to me. Two buddies sitting next to each other, totally innocent.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, I know.

[B]

So Bob's attorney argued that being an adulterer did not make him a murderer. Sure, that's true. They tried to say that this. This chair Monty guy, like, did this all on his own for drug money. Loretta, actually, this is pretty sad too. She testified for the defense and wept on stage and said her own husband would never do this. Even if he was having an affair, he would never try to hurt her. It's like, pretty obvious he did this, but she had known him since she was 14 and like, she just was like, there's no way. Like, how do you even.

[A]

I would be in denial too.

[B]

Exactly. She really just couldn't wrap her head around it. In 1981, the jury convicted Robert of attempted homicide, conspiracy, and solicitation to commit murder. At the sentencing, Bob embraced Loretta and she shouted at the jury that they would have to sleep with this for the rest of their lives. But fortunately, within, I don't know, maybe months, a year, they were divorced. She. She divorced him. And she did have to raise the children alone while struggling with, like, just the physical, the trauma, emotional, psychological. And now she is a single mom of these two kids who were also traumatized. Right. Like, this is just all. It's heavy stuff. So Bob was released on parole in the early 1990s. The family really didn't have much contact with him at that point. After that point. And now we Fast forward to 2020. Okay, so like 30ish years later, the child who witnessed this violence, at only four years old, Tony grew up to be the man who now murdered his own wife and children 40 years later in Celebration, Florida. So Tony writes this letter to his dad. It's 27 pages. I'm not gonna read the whole thing. I kind of want to. Maybe I'll do that on like, just like a bonus bonus.

[A]

Like a weird yappy hour.

[B]

It's like, yeah, right. Just like a sad, horrible story time reading. Yeah, yeah, it's story time. Almost to commiserate, basically, was this letter to. About being wrongly accused. Like, isn't it rough to be in this position? His dad, by the way, was like, you're giving me bad press.

[A]

It's like, oh, right, you did say that last time.

[B]

Yeah. He's like, you're giving me a bad look. And it's like, if you're making me look bad.

[A]

Yeah, if he.

[B]

If your dad who tried to murder your mom says you're giving him bad press, like, it's got to be bad. So Tony implored Bob to trust his account of what really happened. And he even asked his father to keep the contents of the letter private between him and his wife only. Although part of me wonders if he. I mean, he's not an idiot. He knows that mail is monitored in and out. So part of me is like, I think he was trying again to lay groundwork, like, sure, letter, all about how great he is and what he does for his family, blah, blah, blah. So I don't think it was necessary naivete. I think he did this on purpose. It ended up biting him in the ass, thank God, because the letter's insane, but I don't think he knew that. So the narrative Tony crafted in the letter was basically an expanded version of. Of his initial kind of plot twist where he says, Megan did it all, placed all the blame on Megan. He actually wrote, by the way, ironically, in a 27 page letter. He finally got to the murders of his family. And he wrote, long story short. Which I'm like, are you kidding me? That's how you introduce. Now let's talk about the elephant in the room. Long story short. Hello. You've just spent like pages talking about how hard you worked on your home renovation projects, and now you're like, anyway, long story short, don't do that. Don't do that. Long story short, Tony wrote, she gave them The Benadryl Tylenol PM pie, separated them, woke up at 11:30pm stabbed and then suffocated each one. He claimed he wasn't even home when it happened that Megan had asked him to go get Zoe's Mickey Mouse necklace from their nearby condo. And he was so tired that when he. Because he had been a really good dad that day, and he. Right.

[A]

It's a really exhausting job. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. That one day he did something right.

[B]

He did. He played basketball with the kids, even though he didn't really want to. He just loved them so much.

[A]

Honestly, he's so brave.

[B]

He's so brave to be admitting all of this. So he goes on and on about like, how exhausted he was from being a really good dad and husband. And so he says he goes to get this necklace for his daughter that his, his wife said Zoe wanted. But he was so tired from all the things he did with the kids that day that he fell asleep in his van outside the condo, looked for the necklace didn't find it. Also, side note, he told Chrissy this story and she went to the condo and it was exactly in the spot where he said, oh, I looked in the jewelry box in her. In Zoe's room. It wasn't there. And then Chrissy showed up and opened the jewelry box and was like, it's literally right here. So, like, you either didn't look, you're making it up. Like, he's not even making up a good story. But anyway, that's kind of besides the point. But so he says he goes to get this necklace. He falls asleep in the car because he's so tired from being such a good dad. Then he never finds the necklace. He wakes up and realizes he missed his and his wife. Wife's 4:00am Physical therapy appointment because he's been trying to help her heal from all her ailments. And, and he had a bad day yesterday.

[A]

He had to, like, spend time with his kids for five minutes.

[B]

And that was so hard. And so now he has a 4am Physical therapy. And then he even turns this on his wife because he literally said, I knew I was gonna get a scolding from my wife about this. And it's like, you, like, truly, there's no 4am Fizz. Shut up.

[A]

Shut up the.

[B]

Shut the up. So he goes, I'm going back to my house. I know I'm gonna get a scolding worse than usual for falling asleep on her and, like, not going to her physical therapy. Whatever. He rushes back, allegedly, and finds an eerily quiet home with all of his three children dead inside and his wife, of course, looking like a total lunatic, saying like, hi, honey, you know, I killed the children. I mean, it's like, just like, like really. Okay.

[A]

No, guess how much I believe a

[B]

hot 0% hot 0 hot 0 quote. I entered the house to find the melted dessert and remnants on plates on the tape. By the way, he's a terrible writer. And like, the prepositions alone, it's like on, on, on the. It, it's terrible writing.

[A]

Do you think it's, I mean, I, I, I would just argue just because he's a stupid person, but do you think he was nervous and, like, it just became a rambling because he was trying to, like, fill in?

[B]

No, I think he just, like, thinks very highly of himself and he writes in this sort of flowery way, you know, where you, you're like, who are you trying to impress? You fucking the fucking queen?

[A]

Yeah, right.

[B]

Like, shut up. And he's like the, the creator. Oh, God. What is her name? I need to look up her name. So I give her credit, but she was basically saying, like, nobody. Like, he's basically doing this to. He says this phrase all the time. That's like, as I am a dedicated father, comma, or like, as I like. You can just tell he has these stupid, like, writing tendencies that he's trying to sound like a genius, I guess, you know, mentioning he's a doctor, mentioning, like, all these things about himself to his own dad to try and get approval, I guess, from his murderous father. I gotta scroll through all these Angelina Ballerina clips to find the video.

[A]

I'm so sorry, I thought you fucking said Angela Anaconda from fucking Nickelodeon.

[B]

Oh, I don't even know who that is. Is.

[A]

Oh, it's an old Nickelodeon show. But I was like, why are you watching Angela Anaconda?

[B]

I might be now, honestly. Angela Ballerina, Angelina Bell.

[A]

It's like Angelina Bell.

[B]

One season of a show that Leona discovered from, like 2005 with, like, terrible animation. It's like that early, like, creepy. Stop.

[A]

That's Angela Anaconda. That's exactly. No.

[B]

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. It's saying maybe vibe. Maybe they're the same.

[A]

They're the same. You show Leon. You show her that one. She might have a nightmare.

[B]

Most likely. I. I'm gonna have a nightmare.

[A]

You remember, like, all the weird shows, like on Kablam?

[B]

Yeah, it was one of those shows, kind of like a fever dream a little bit.

[A]

Sorry, I didn't. I was like, that's. I've never heard that name in years.

[B]

No, as. And you didn't hear it today either.

[A]

Okay, I heard it in my head.

[B]

Okay. Stephanie Harlow. Sorry, so that. A very well known YouTuber, but she did a three part and she. She's like my kind of gal. She goes into newspapers.com and, like, pulls the, like, articles. And this, like, I found what he was eating, you know, like, like love. She's the one who's like, giving me the inspiration for all these little tidbits, but. So the writing is just annoying is what I'll say. Okay, here is what it says. I entered the house to find the melted dessert and remnants on plates on the table. It was some sort of. Oh, I remember this.

[A]

This chick told you. I'm sorry. I know we're in the middle of a dark thing. I just sent Christine a picture of Angela Anaconda, so I forget later, but it really unlocks.

[B]

I'm so sorry. It just unlocked something. She, like, has a freckly Face. I don't know.

[A]

She's literally black and white, but the rest of her is not.

[B]

Yeah, but. Yeah. Anyway.

[A]

Weird. Okay, sorry. Sorry. Go ahead.

[B]

So on plates on the table, graham cracker crust. Here we go. Oh, it was some sort of fruit pudding pie and a graham crack cracker crust. It looked pretty good, as all of my wife's desserts were, but smelled horrible. Turns out it was a Benadryl pudding pie.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Okay. Megan, he claimed, calmly confessed to him that she had released the children's souls. According to the letter, Tony was so overcome, he ran to the bathroom and vomited. Megan then, in Tony's telling, proceeded to kill herself in front of him. He said she stabbed herself in the abdomen and drank a bottle of Benadryl as he watched, horrified, then asked him to suffocate her.

[A]

Oh, shut up.

[B]

And then it gets so much worse. When he couldn't or wouldn't suffocate her, he claims she told him, I finally found something you suck at.

[A]

Wow. Right? I like I.

[B]

Those nagging wives.

[A]

How did he find a way to turn his murder into him being a victim? That's incredible.

[B]

It's incredible.

[A]

It's murdering somebody as him, the victim.

[B]

It's, like, remarkable that he thinks this is gonna work.

[A]

And then I killed her. And then she was still criticizing me. Or then I tried her.

[B]

Fine.

[A]

I still wasn't even.

[B]

Good last words. Yeah, it's. It's.

[A]

It's.

[B]

It goes on.

[A]

What did he. What did he think? Did he think someone's gonna go, man, that's tough. I can't believe I say that to you.

[B]

100. 100. He wanted his dad to be like, oh, I know how that feels. You know, I wonder if he's just

[A]

taken lines right out of his dad's playbook.

[B]

Could very well be. Could very well be. The letter goes on to describe how Tony, left alone with the bodies of his family, arranged the scene. He admitted that he wanted the children to be comfortable in the afterlife. And so he laid them all side by side in blankets. Kits covered them, and put rosary beads in their hands. He wrote it, like, as if this was, like, a very compassionate thing. I think this is somebody who doesn't really understand.

[A]

You're totally right.

[B]

Compassion is so. He's, like, trying to paint this weird, like, ritual picture to impress people.

[A]

I totally. I have a belief that narcissists think compassion is people sympathizing for them like, that. They think compassion is people having compassion for them, not external compassion.

[B]

And it feels like that's Interesting.

[A]

He feels like he's. It feels like he's writing it in a way where he hopes people have compassion for him, but he would define it as he's being compassionate to another person.

[B]

Interesting. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it totally fits. Because it must be hard to be this guy. His whole family's dead. Isn't that horrible?

[A]

Yeah. He'd be like, what, I'm doing the right things and you should feel bad for me? And it's like, no, that's not how this works.

[B]

I fix the deck by myself shelf a few months ago. What the. Like, he says like that he's like, I did most of the work myself and it was really heavy.

[A]

And it's like, it's just me wild to hear him out loud saying things that he thinks are.

[B]

Are the.

[A]

Like at the end. At the end, what he's hoping for. People pat him on the back. It's like, well, yeah.

[B]

Yes. He wants to look like the victim.

[A]

Gross. You could have been a victim in so many other ways. It didn't involve killing somebody. And then people would have, like, tolerated you, you know?

[B]

Exactly. And it's like, you. You already said you did this. It's not like everybody's like, oh, we think he did. He literally said, oh, yeah, I killed them all. Okay. So now he's saying, no, I didn't kill any of them. I just showed up and they were dead. And then I put them in a lovely position on the floor to make them comfortable. Okay. He added, if I was there that night, this never would have happened. Hence the self blame and self condemnation. He says things like, hence, you know, it's annoying. Hence the self blame and self condemnation, but because I was being so selfish, I have lost everything near and dear to me. And when I leave here in a couple months. Yeah, fat chance. When I leave here in a couple months, I will be leaving homeless and without clothes.

[A]

Okay, I'm fine with that.

[B]

A man whose three children were just murdered in cold blood, allegedly his by wife.

[A]

Like, it feels like people we know in our lives that are narcissists, where

[B]

it's like, you are missing the plot point. Like you're in a totally different book. Yeah.

[A]

It's crazy. The. The tunnel vision of trying to desperately make it about him. They're like, how do you miss the much bigger plot point here?

[B]

Because you're not even, like, able to pull out enough to go, that doesn't look very good. Even if, you know, yeah, you're spiraling. Yeah, he's losing it. So he's just like so sad because I was so selfish. Falling asleep in the car before my wife's 4am physical therapy because I was such a good dad the day before. That's why. Oh my God, it's like pathetic. Above all else, Tony proclaimed to his father, I am not a hundred, not a thousand. I am 10,000% innocent.

[A]

I'm sorry if you're okay, it's. Yeah, okay, sure.

[B]

Deep. Immediately I'm like, oh, so you did it.

[A]

Yeah, right. It's no better than saying you're 100 guilt free. It's correct. It's just now we're just getting elaborate for no reason.

[B]

Thou doth protest too much, my friend. He says, I am 10,000% innocent of all these preposterous charges. Whenever someone says preposterous, I'm like, you're bullshitting me. I know you are.

[A]

I have never heard anybody actually, they're

[B]

like preposterous charges against me. It's preposterous.

[A]

Yeah. If someone said that, I think I. The, the conversation would shift quickly into a different one where I'm going, why the are we talking like that?

[B]

Why are we doing this? What's going on? I'm reading between the lines. What's going on? Yeah. He insisted that the only reason he hadn't gone public with the true story is that his high powered lawyers advised him not to talk. By the way, he had a public defender, which is fine, but don't say you're high powered lawyers. Which he said, by the way, we're the best in the state. Like it's giving like Donald Trump craziness, you know?

[A]

Thousand percent.

[B]

Yeah. These are the best. We have the best public defender that you were assigned. Like, this is not even like someone you picked.

[A]

I will say 10,000%, not. Not guilty. Is that what it is?

[B]

Because innocent.

[A]

It sounds exactly like something someone else would say about some, doesn't it?

[B]

10,000%. And that's mathematically accurate.

[A]

He should say like 58, 000 or

[B]

however 48, 000 more times than Jesus in the Bible. Okay. So anyway, his high powered attorney said, don't tell the real story. Okay. But he added once he was exonerated very soon he planned to sue everyone involved again. This is who a lot of

[A]

the

[B]

letter was all over the place. Of course. He described how much work he'd put in a home renovation project with like. With like, no thanks for. It was the vibe. Like, I did so much for this family in this house. And he described his wife as nagging, as Burdensome. He didn't say those words, but he basically described that she was like always up his ass, like giving him a hard time.

[A]

He said it pretty well. When he was like, she wouldn't. I choked her. I tried to choke her to death and she said that wasn't good enough.

[B]

Exactly, exactly. I mean, that's all you need to know. Know exactly. Oh, it gets worse actually. So hold on. He. He though of course described himself as a devoted husband. He did everything. He always obeyed his wife. And that was kind of his whole thing. He said he obeyed her at every turn, despite the fact that her illness had weakened her to the point that she experienced the loss of all female features. Oh, shut the. Basically was like, she's too, too skinny for me to even have like, want to. So why. But look at me. I'm still giving her physical therapy appointments.

[A]

You also, I love that I. I've never seen a picture of this man. I know enough about him to know that however he looks nothing like how that woman looked. I'll tell you.

[B]

Please, sit the. Look in a mirror. Sit the.

[A]

You never.

[B]

Oh God, I'm so glad you said that because also apparently this is a side note that only Stephanie Harlow talked about. And I was like, holy. Apparently his dad is like this total health nut, right? And so when he's writing to his dad and he had gained like a significant amount of weight, Tony had and was diagnosed with diabetes, he writes in this letter, like, I finally have my six pack back. And it's like, like he's so transparent. You just want daddy to like feel bad for you, you know? And he's like, I'm eating so much protein and I'm doing pull ups and I got my six pack and it's like, like, what are you doing? You're eating P. M's next to your dead family. You like, shut up.

[A]

Yeah. And also all I had to hear was my dad was a health nut. And I'm immediately analyzing like, oh, so you're. First of all didn't have to tell me dad was a little controlling when he has already murdered mom, you know?

[B]

Yeah. Oops. Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

Whoopsies.

[B]

But I guess, I guess that's also another, another hard part of your life. Yeah. So yeah, he goes, oh no, she lost all her female features. Okay. He also claimed he was starting a non profit in honor of his family. Okay. He said he's working on a book. Okay. This is like within. This is like when he's first in prison. This is like years ago. Like, this is not, like, recent. He's already writing a book, like, however many years ago. He has a list of lawsuits for when he gets out of here. Huh? So Bob received his letter and apparently immediately gave it to his attorney and was like, what the. Like, this is my son's letter. At one point, his dad, like I said, even said his son's story was giving him bad press. And then I just wrote, LOL in big letters. By July 2020, within weeks, the Orlando Sentinel had obtained a copy of the entire letter and published a damning article revealing its contents. Became front page news in the true crime world. Headlines blared things like celebration, dad blame slain wife for family's murders in jailhouse. Letter. Just like, very sensational. People magazine, NBC News, they're all picking up on it. Everyone is like, this is insane. Like, does he expect us to believe this? Like, I wonder what he was telling,

[A]

like, his close personal friends that I'm sure he had. Like, what is he. Is he, like, wow, look at me go.

[B]

He. The only person I think he really spoke candidly with was his sister on the phone and then his dad in this letter and on the phone, he definitely painted it as, like. Like, man, I just don't know. I don't remember anything from the month of December, But Megan, you know, she's just so unwell. I just don't even know what's going on. And, like, I don't remember anything except my.

[A]

Except how horrible my wife was and

[B]

how bad that Benadryl pie smelled. Like you.

[A]

Yeah, that's a great point.

[B]

See, you remember that pretty darn well and how much basketball you played with your son.

[A]

Like, yeah, you remember all five minutes

[B]

of that, of how good of a dad you were. Yeah. Yeah. Due to the pandemic, other delays, it was not until more than two years later, in April 2022, that Anthony's trial took place. In the interim, Florida prosecutors decided not to seek the death penalty because it simplified the trial, and if convicted, Tony would receive life in prison automatically. Opening statements began April 11, 2022. In a Kissimmee courtroom, the prosecution presented their theory that Tony to killed his family to maintain control as his own life. Life spiraled out of control. Assistant State Attorney Danielle Pinell painted a picture of a man overwhelmed by debt and disgrace who decided to commit an extended suicide, taking his loved ones with him. The prosecution leaned into Tony's own words from his confession, which was taped and he'd had his rights read to him. It's not like. Like, he knew what was happening Whatever. Okay. In his confession. And they quoted a line that he'd said to detectives that night that parents, quote, bring their children into this world and they get to decide when they leave. He said that.

[A]

Say it again slowly.

[B]

Parents bring their children into this world, and they get to decide when they leave. Okay. They argue that Tony's motive boiled down to control and possibly warped love. Like, maybe he was like, I don't want to punish them, but I think it's more just like a shame spiral and, you know, all sorts of other. Other things. They did acknowledge that his motive wasn't crystal clear, but they said, we don't really actually need to prove the motive. We just need to prove that he did this, and he did. We have a confession. We have physical forensics, we have a letter blaming Megan, which, like, is Clearly a Hail Mary 180 situation. The defense, meanwhile, was very obvious in their cross examinations, basically saying, like, they're there. There's doubt. There's a little doubt. We don't know who made a Benadryl pie. Could have been Megan. You know, like, just a lot of trying to poke holes, because what else are they going to do?

[A]

I guess if their argument is like, well, we're just trying to prove that you could be innocent.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Not that you're not guilty or. Not that you're not guilty or guilty. Just that you could be innocent.

[B]

And he's like, but a 10,000%. Right. 10,000%. Not any less than that.

[A]

Right, right, right, right, right, right.

[B]

Yeah. The. They told the jury there were no eyewitnesses, so there's, like, no way to know who really committed the murders. Yeah, of course. And so they also said, like, oh, this confession was sort of, like, coerced because he fell down the stairs and was on Benadryl and he doesn't even remember it. But they were not really allowed to argue that. They were like, you can't argue that he had, like, mental health stuff. Like, we've already kind of. That's not. It's not allowed in this trial. So instead, they doubled down on the storyline that Megan did, all of it alone as the villain, Evil villain.

[A]

Love that they had options.

[B]

I know. I love that for them.

[A]

That's totally what an innocent person does.

[B]

Choose your own adventure. Several things were not allowed to be addressed during the trial. The prosecution was not allowed to bring up Tony's insurance fraud case, which is fair because it's probably like a separate case happening with the FBI. The prosecution was not allowed to bring up Tony's insurance fraud case. His past mental health issues or the fact, fun fact, that in German the word tote means dead.

[A]

You know what?

[B]

Fun fact for you?

[A]

I love that. Even if we couldn't talk about it then, we talked about it now. You know.

[B]

Precisely. And I want to add, like I looked at, I saw the name tote family murders. And I went, the dead family murders. What kind of wild. And then I found out that his dad, also named Tote, killed, hit, tried, tried to kill his wife. I'm like, what is going on with this family? Taught it means dead. It's like, it's like, what are the odds? It's creepy. So anyway, the prosecution rested its case in three days. They presented crime scene photos, autopsy reports, testimony from a dozen witnesses, including the folks who picked him up at the house to begin with. Then the defense began their side. They called one witness, Tony himself. High risk move. But also he insisted, of course he did, on telling his story on the stand. So they put him on the stand. He wore a suit and glasses. He had lost a lot of weight. He was 46 year old years old now he had a six pack. Just kidding. I don't know that, but I'm sure he'd tell you he did. He spoke directly to the jurors, often through tears. In what appeared to be an emotional plea, he basically rehashed his 27 page letter with more contact, more detail, help us all.

[A]

27 wasn't enough.

[B]

No, no, no, no. Megan was the true villain. Of course. She was also sick and delusional. He described how her lifelong health issues had plunged her into despair and radical beliefs. He testified that she had become grossed in a. Engrossed in a Hinduism based belief system with a focus. I know, yuck. With a focus on reincarnation and shedding bad karma. Like, how ironic. Like, like, okay, you couldn't have picked something other than like Buddhism, the most relaxed, like peaceful religion in the world. Okay.

[A]

It's like God. She just believed in being radically kind.

[B]

And karma. Exactly. You're in that case. She started watching doomsday. This is all according to him, started watching doomsday videos that there was this imminent apocalypse and people are like, oh my God, Covid was coming up. But it's like, yeah, but he's halfway through. He's in 2022, he can make this up and say she knew about an impending.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Nobody's saying that except him. So I don't find that to be like very.

[A]

Certainly not his best lie that I've heard so far. No.

[B]

No. So this is what he Sundays happened between December 14th and 18th. He does not know the exact date. Allegedly he returned home from evening from looking one evening from looking for Zoe's favorite necklace to find Megan eerily calm. She told them he. She had killed their children. He said he threw up. He ran to find his kids. He said, it's the most horrible day of my life. And then he said he returned to the primary bedroom, saw Megan standing by the bed with a knife, and out of a horror movie, she stabbed herself in the stomach and say. And said she wanted to join the kids in death. Okay.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

He said he yelled for help out a window but did not leave the house because.

[A]

But he did go to Dick's.

[B]

Yeah, when they were all dead. He'd started to go to. He went to Starbucks too. This.

[A]

Right. Couldn't. Couldn't ask for help. Then couldn't pick up a phone. Couldn't.

[B]

No. Well, so here's the thing. She had hidden their cell phones is the story. Oh. And he's like, I couldn't call anyone because she hid my cell phone. And he said his best chance was to get her to tell him where the phones were rather than leaving her alone. He said, if I left her, I thought she was going to die. I thought the best chance was for me to tell her what. Where. For her to tell me where the phones were. He said during the last moments of her life, she gave him a dramatic final speech because of course she did.

[A]

Oh. Cuz she has the ability to speak

[B]

currently stabbing herself in the stomach and drinking a bottle of Benadryl. Okay. So she told him she wanted to die to be with the kids, and then expired right in front of him. Okay. And he then tried to explain away the next part, which was living with the bodies for weeks. He said after Megan died, he was essentially paralyzed by grief and trauma. He moved the children. Children's bodies to clean them up. He admitted he tried to kill himself. And here he went into a list of all his failed suicide attempts. He said instead of trying to die out of guilt, he actually was trying to die out of duty to join his family. Okay.

[A]

Oh, his duty. Oh, I remember when he was a good dad. His duty to be a dad for

[B]

five seconds because they played basketball.

[A]

But he could be a good man. And.

[B]

And they love to be martyrs, These guys. They love to be martyrs. It's nothing. He loves Marty Annoying. And he said he deserved to die for not stopping Megan from her atrocious acts. Okay. Tony said he tried to buy a gun but was Told there's a three day waiting period, but I'm like, you had two weeks, but whatever. Okay, so he said there's a waiting period. So instead he tried to overdose on Benadryl a few times. He put zip ties around his neck, allegedly to hang himself from a doorknob. That didn't work. He even recounted buying a pellet gun, which is where I mentioned the receipt with the peanut M M's. He. Of course that didn't work because it isn't necessarily lethal.

[A]

So he bought the pellet gun to harm himself, but also made sure to get a snack before he ever.

[B]

That's exactly it. And then ate the. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah, okay. And. And a caramel macchiato.

[A]

Yeah. He's like, but I'll get to the pellet gun eventually. Yeah, I feel really. I'm. I need to emotionally eat first because I'm hungry. My duty. I feel so bad. I failed on my duty.

[B]

Jesus. Finally, he slashed at himself with a knife. He says, but. But in his words, he chickened out and didn't pierce deeply enough.

[A]

Well, where's the. Where's the cut? I want to see a cut line.

[B]

No clue. No clue. He's clearly trying to garner sympathy, as we've sensed. He had two weeks alone, and he is allegedly saying that they're trying to pin him for something he would never do. He's just a dutiful husband and that's his only sin. Okay? Blah, blah, blah. So crucially, also, he addressed the elephant in the room, which was his. His confession. And he said, oh, I don't remember that at all. Because I had taken Benadryl, I was traumatized, and I fell down the stairs, and I was. Actually, what I was doing is I was covering for my wife because I wanted to take responsibility.

[A]

Okay?

[B]

She. She did this horrible thing. And I, of course, as a patriarch of the family, I wanted to. To defend her, to protect her.

[A]

I. Sometimes I would love if, if anyone knows a judge, can you tell them to write into the comments? Because I'm so curious how they. They have to take a class in law school. How. How to keep a straight face.

[B]

Good point.

[A]

Because if I were this, I would be Judge Judy all over this. I'd be like, girl, like, you cannot think I believe you.

[B]

I'd be like, like every five seconds. Yes.

[A]

I'd be goose honking. I'd be like, you are so stupid. Like, I don't know how you stay.

[B]

How stupid do you think I am?

[A]

Or impartial.

[B]

So the cross examination was very Intense Danielle Pannell. She played segments of Tony's confession tape and said, is this your voice, voice? And he was like yes. And it said I suffocated my four year old daughter. I mean it's like how are you gonna.

[A]

Hello?

[B]

Hello. He plainly describes murdering his kids. Pretty chill. Penell asked him to explain how he could recall like all the details of what happened but not his confession. And he basically said, I was just trying to protect my wife's honor probably, but I don't remember. Unfortunately, there was evidence at the scene that there was a struggle between Tony and Alec, which is really sad because they think he woke up and fought back. There were bruises and scratch marks on him and he was the oldest and he was like the shy one. It just made me really sad. It made me really sad. So April 14, 2022, both sides delivered closing arguments. The jury deliberated several hours and despite some disagreement, they reached a unanimous decision. When they announced it, Tony basically just shook his head and said no. Every time. Guilty of first degree murder and the death of Megan, Alec, Tyler, Zoe and Breezy, the family dog. Tony was just like, no, it didn't do this. Meanwhile, Megan's family wept and, and hugged each other out of relief and sorrow. When given a chance to speak, Tony said, no thanks, just kidding. He said, absolutely. And he got up there to talk and his lawyer had to try and get him to sit down two times because he talked for so long about how he didn't do this.

[A]

I mean he wrote a 27 page letter. He, I can't imagine speaking goes any shorter.

[B]

A podium. Give that man a podium. Yeah, please.

[A]

They were like, we, you. They had to probably hold him down under duress.

[B]

Yeah, this is enough. His lawyer really had to like pull him down. The judge actually, now that you mention it, told Tony, you are a destroyer of worlds. Oh yeah, he's not happy with them. He said he, you've destroyed not just one world, but four. Those of his wife and three kids. And in the process devastated every relative and friend who loved them. He then sentenced him to the four murder counts, life in prison with a without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 365 days in county jail for animal cruelty.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

In the aftermath, he was sent to Florida Department of Corrections. He as of mid-2022, he's incarcerated at the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution of Milton, Florida. They appealed, which is pretty standard in a murder conviction. And yeah, he sued. In 2024 he sued the sheriff's office for releasing his letter. His 27 page letter. But they were like, well, you. It's jail mail. Like, it's monitored. Like, you can't. You can't do that. Okay. They dismissed it in the end. It's just. Just a horrible, horrible story. Megan, 42, loving mother, friend, sister. Alexander, Tote, 13, shy, honor roll student, budding musician who loved history and soccer. Tyler, 11, a family comedian who played folk guitar and was kind to all his neighbors. Zoe, 4 years old, who liked to play princess and dance and had her brothers wrapped around her finger. And, of course, Breezy, the little white dog. It's just. The whole family just, like, extinguished in one night. I mean, it's just unreal. It's unreal. So that's the story of the Tote family murders and who. I got goosebumps.

[A]

I do appreciate when you do the stories where it's just, like, so beyond an absolute narcissist.

[B]

Yeah, there's.

[A]

I don't know why Question. No question. And not that, like, this is at all, like, a laughable topic, but it, like, it brings some sort of levity to it because it's just like, this is so ridiculous. Like, there's absurd.

[B]

It's like you've done something so horrible. You can't pretend. Like, we're. Like, we're not stupid. Like, people are not that stupid. Like, you're a monster.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Talk your way out of this one.

[A]

I like the two parters. Christine, you should keep that going.

[B]

Yeah, that one really kicked my ass that first day when I was like, I can't do this. M. I can't. I can't.

[A]

Maybe. Maybe you shouldn't do them. Never mind.

[B]

No, no, no. It was. It was good. It was, like, really fascinating. And I feel like some of these cases, just, like, you could go down 800,000 rabbit holes and just, like, never come up for air. So, yeah, that was a doozy. But thank you for listening, everyone. It's been a long episode. I apologize. I was doing my interrupt. You know, the ghost even told me to stop interrupting.

[A]

No, I. I really feel like I made this episode about me a few times. I feel like my. The beginning, I talked.

[B]

Oh, well, God forbid we make our episodes about us.

[A]

Well, thank you, everybody. We will see you.

[B]

Sorry. That was an accident. I don't know what I did. I was trying to minimize the full screen, and I think I minimized myself.

[A]

Christina's out of here, so we'll see you next week. And that's why we drink.

[B]

Your next chapter in healthcare starts at Carrington College's School of Nursing in Portland. Join us for our open house on Tuesday, January 13th from 4 to 7pm you'll tour our campus, see live demos, meet instructors and learn about our Associate Degree in Nursing program that prepares you to become a registered nurse. Take the first step toward your nursing career. Save your spot now at Carrington. Edu Events. For information on program outcomes, visit carrington. Edu Sci. Well, the holidays have come and gone once again, but if you've forgotten to get that special someone in your life

[A]

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