Canadian True Crime: “Alfred and Rosemary Podgis [1]”
Host: Kristi Lee
Writer/Narrator: Lisa Gabriel
Release Date: February 25, 2025
Episode Overview
This immersive episode of Canadian True Crime launches a two-part investigation into the chilling 1982 double homicide of Alfred and Rosemary Podgis in Loch Arbour, New Jersey, and the subsequent disappearance and apprehension of two 18-year-olds: David Curtis (a guest from Nova Scotia, Canada) and Scott Franz (the Podgis’ son). Using trauma-informed storytelling and meticulous research, the episode explores not just the sequence of events but the tragic dynamics of familial abuse, troubled youth, and cross-border consequences—culminating in a shocking, cross-state manhunt and unanswered questions about motive and truth.
Key Storylines & Discussion Points
1. A Call in the Night: The Curtis Family’s Nightmare Begins (01:25 - 05:19)
- Setting: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. Alice Curtis is awoken at 2:30am by the RCMP seeking information on her son David, who is visiting friends in New Jersey.
- Initial Optimism & Dread: Despite the worrying news that the people David is staying with—Alfred and Rosemary Podgis and their son Scott Franz—are missing, Alice goes back to sleep, convinced it’s a misunderstanding.
- Turning Point: The following day’s call is devastating—Alfred and Rosemary have been found dead in Pennsylvania. David and Scott are missing.
“It’s rarely good news when the police show up on your doorstep in the middle of the night...this became the before and after moment for the Curtis family.”
(Narrator, 03:45)
2. Unravelling the Past: Meet David Curtis & Scott Franz (05:20 - 19:54)
- David Curtis: Sensitive, intellectual, shy, a high-achieving student with dreams of astrophysics. Sent to boarding school by his parents to blossom.
- Scott Franz: Charismatic, troubled, teller of tall tales, with a history of troublesome behavior, family strife, and brushes with petty crime through his half-brothers.
- Backstory: Scott fabricates stories about family wealth and status, masking deep domestic strife; he and David bond over shared interests at King’s Edgehill School in Nova Scotia.
- Changing Friendships: David is described as changing under Scott’s influence—from “shy, introverted nerd to an increasingly arrogant jerk,” echoing teachers and classmates.
“He was the resident J.R.R. Tolkien expert and even made the debate team...this TV appearance gave David some minor celebrity on campus…”
(Narrator, 08:13)
- Red Flags in Behavior: Pranks, substance use, and a mysterious poisoning incident at school reportedly involving both boys, leading to hospitalization of fellow students (no formal charges).
“He called it [chloroform] ‘Franz’s mystical mindfuck’ and let his friends sniff and get high on it...”
(Narrator, 22:03)
3. The New Jersey Visit & Familial Abuse (21:20 - 36:28)
- Arrival: David expects a mansion, finds a shabby, volatile household. He witnesses Scott’s stepfather, Alfred Podgis, in frequent, violent rages.
- Domestic Turmoil: Police had been called to the Podgis home over 140 times for noise and violent disputes, mostly involving Alfred.
- Survival Mode: David and Scott start spending time away from the house, sometimes sleeping in the camper or being locked out by Alfred.
- Escalating Tensions: After a particularly violent altercation, Scott claims to have witnessed Alfred stash rifles in his mail truck and threatens to kill Scott.
“He’d get red-faced and stomp around the house, yelling at whoever got in his way. He was scary and unpredictable.”
(Narrator, 26:44)
“I used to get hit so hard he’d knock me out…he tied me up in a chair and beat me...”
(Mark Franz, describing Alfred, 28:10)
4. The Deadly Fourth of July Weekend (36:29 - 45:31)
-
The “Escape Plan”: After a night of violence, the teens plan to flee to Nova Scotia in the family van, but are delayed.
-
Trigger Event: Early July 5th, Scott claims Alfred fires at him; he and David take rifles for protection.
-
The Killings:
- Scott, armed, confronts Alfred upstairs; Scott claims Alfred fires first, prompting Scott to shoot him with a more powerful rifle.
- David, panicked downstairs, accidentally shoots Rosemary with a rifle as she flees towards him.
- The teens, in shock, clean up, load both bodies into a van, and drive to Pennsylvania, disposing of the remains in a ravine.
"Scott yelled, what happened? David replied, 'I shot your mother. What are we going to do?'"
(Narrator, 39:41)
5. The Flight—And the Law Closes In (45:32 - 52:57)
- Returning to the Scene: The boys return to New Jersey, intending to confess to Scott’s sister, but flee upon seeing police at the house.
- Diary Clues: Police discover David’s diary in the grass, hinting at turmoil (“I have no mouth and I must scream. I really wish I’d been there. I could have saved her. Too late. Everybody got to go. Swirling into madness…”).
- Cross-country Escape: The boys, with the family dog, drive circuitously toward Texas, visiting tourist sites along the way, ultimately using Rosemary’s credit card to check into a hotel near Dallas.
6. Arrest and Aftermath (52:58 - 59:34)
- Arrest: Police are tipped off by credit card use and apprehend the duo without resistance.
- Curtis Family in Agony: In Nova Scotia, David’s parents are bewildered and heartbroken, swept from hope to the reality of their son facing murder charges.
"He reassured his parents that the whole situation was ridiculous, that it would be easily resolved and that they'd be able to bring him home soon."
(Narrator, 55:36)
- Statements to Police: Scott claims sole responsibility for killing Alfred (self-defense), says David accidentally shot Rosemary. Scott admits to loading both rifles and orchestrating the body disposal.
- Skepticism from Investigators: Police question the boys’ story due to evidence like pre-purchased ammunition, staging, and details that clash with self-defense narratives (e.g., bullet trajectory, sequence of events).
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On the family’s fate:
“This became the before and after moment for the Curtis family. There was life before their son went off to New Jersey... and life after...”
(Narrator, 03:45) -
On abuse and violence:
“He used to get mad real quick and real seriously. There’d be more than just yelling. He used to hit me like I was his size... He tied me up in a chair and beat me.”
(Mark Franz, 28:10) -
On the tragic shooting:
“Suddenly his hand tensed on the trigger. The next sound he heard was his gun going off. Rosemary Podgis screamed as her body slumped to the floor.”
(Narrator, 39:25) -
On forensic doubts:
“It was a .30 caliber bullet, and it came from the same rifle that Scott used to kill his stepfather... If this were a movie, it would be a major logistical plot hole.”
(Narrator, 58:25)
Important Timestamps
- 01:25 — Police first inform the Curtises of the disappearance
- 10:45 — Background on Scott Franz’s troubled upbringing
- 19:54 — Start of suspicious incidents at the boarding school
- 26:44 — Description of Alfred's violence
- 36:29 — The Fourth of July "escape plan"
- 39:25-41:30 — The shootings and immediate aftermath
- 45:31 — Discovery of the scene by police and the families’ confusion
- 49:05 — David’s diary found outside the Podgis house
- 52:58 — Arrest of David and Scott in Dallas
- 58:25 — Law enforcement doubts and forensic inconsistencies
Tone & Narrative Style
The narration is empathetic, methodical, and detail-oriented, exploring trauma, family tragedy, and the ambiguity of motive. Lisa Gabriel’s writing and Kristi Lee’s delivery maintain a careful, non-sensational tone, focusing on the people behind the headlines and the psychological impact on the families.
Conclusion
The episode closes on an unsettled scene: two grieving, bewildered families; law enforcement hunting for answers; and a community wondering how such horror arose from two seemingly promising teens. The narrative sets up further revelations for part two, with questions swirling around culpability, intent, and the truth obscured by trauma and unreliable memories.
End of Part One
(Part Two released one week later for standard listeners; immediately for premium subscribers.)