Podcast Summary: Cold Case Files – "Sex, Lies and Murder"

Host: Paula Barros (A&E / PodcastOne)
Release Date: October 14, 2025

Overview

This gripping episode explores the chilling and complex investigation into John Robinson, a manipulative con man who became one of America’s most notorious serial killers. Spanning nearly two decades, the episode details Robinson’s pattern of luring vulnerable women with false promises, their subsequent disappearances, and the painstaking work of investigators who finally brought him to justice. The story weaves through themes of deception, the dangers lurking in alternative sexual subcultures, and the technological and forensic breakthroughs that ultimately resolved a decades-old mystery.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Early Connections and Suspicion (00:32–06:56)

• Initial Disappearances:
  • Paula Godfrey, 19, disappears in 1984 after being offered a job by John Robinson.
  • In 1985, Lisa Stacy and her five-month-old daughter vanish, also after contact with Robinson.
• Robinson’s Outreach:
  • Under the guise of charity, Robinson presents himself as a local philanthropist helping young women.
  • Investigator Steve Hames becomes suspicious due to Robinson's criminal history as a fraudster.
    • "What's his angle here? Who's he trying to con money out of and how's he going to do it?" — Steve Hames (03:29)
• Search for Patterns:
  • Robinson’s contact with missing women is discovered through charity networks.
  • Early leads hinge on suspicions but lack concrete evidence.

2. Escalation and Complications (04:55–08:57)

• Probation Violations:
  • Teresa Williams describes a harrowing assault by Robinson involving a firearm (05:07).
  • Despite evidence enough to revoke probation, Robinson is released after a brief sentence.
• Additional Disappearances:
  • 1987: Katherine Clampett vanishes after accepting a job from Robinson.
  • Investigators observe Robinson’s pattern of using ads to lure women for jobs or new opportunities.

3. Frustration and Surveillance (07:33–13:12)

• Continued Evasion:
  • Investigators struggle for years to directly link Robinson to the disappearances.
  • "He just kept turning up dead ends. It became very frustrating." — Marty Ingraham (06:32)
• 1994–2000: A Deadly Calm:
  • After release, Robinson maintains a low profile, only for women to begin vanishing again by 2000.

4. Suzette Troughton and Renewed Investigation (08:11–14:48)

• Cold Case Resurfaces:
  • In 2000, Suzette Troughton goes missing after moving to Kansas to meet Robinson.
  • Investigators discover electronic correspondence and photo evidence linking her to Robinson.
    • "With the exception of a slightly more receded hairline. I knew without question..." — Marty Ingraham (08:36)
• Task Force Formed:
  • Overland Park and Lenexa police departments combine efforts, surveil Robinson, and attempt to get incriminating statements through phone calls and surveillance.

5. Building the Case and Breakthrough (14:08–22:12)

• Watching and Waiting:
  • Investigators monitor Robinson’s movements and sift through his trash, discovering links to storage lockers.
• Move to Action:
  • Charges related to battery brought by two women from Robinson's BDSM network give police the legal grounds to search his properties.
    • "When those two women came forward and wanted to press charges, that was the linchpin that put the case together." — Det. Mike Lowther (20:35)

6. The Horrific Discoveries (22:27–29:31)

• Bodies Discovered in Barrels:
  • On June 3, 2000, cadaver dogs locate barrels on Robinson’s rural property, each containing decomposed bodies.
    • "Once he popped the seal and lifted that lid, the smell was just... drove him back." — Evidence Technician Harold Hughes (24:13)
  • Additional barrels found in storage lockers reveal more victims, murdered in the same brutal way.
• Identification and Motives:
  • Victims include Suzette Troughton, Isabella Lueca, Sheila and Debbie Faith, and Bev Bonner.
  • Robinson’s murders had a financial angle — he exploited victims for monetary gain.
    • "The Faiths... killed them for their Social Security benefits... Bev Bonner... for alimony money." — Paul Morrison, District Attorney (28:50)

7. The Stolen Child: Unraveling a Family Secret (29:50–32:12)

• Unexpected Discovery:
  • In 2000, Heather Tiffany Robinson learns she is Lisa Stacy’s abducted daughter, sold by John Robinson to his brother after her mother’s murder.
    • "The fact that she'd been missing for 15, 16 years at the time and then resurfaced." — Investigator (30:44)
• Forensic Confirmation:
  • Footprint analysis confirms Heather’s identity (31:13), providing closure on Lisa Stacy’s fate.

8. Trial and Final Justice (34:55–39:24)

• Preparing for Trial:
  • Prosecutors construct a case covering 17 years of Robinson’s criminal and murderous conduct.
• Profile of a Predator:
  • Robinson used Internet BDSM communities to ensnare victims under the pretense of fulfilling master-slave fantasies.
    • "He was holding himself out as this rich sort of philanthropist who was also a slave master." — Paul Morrison (35:27)
    • "The secrecy of it... enables someone like John Robinson to do the things that he did." — Mistress Carol (36:30)
• Conviction and Sentencing:
  • Robinson is convicted on all counts in Kansas and Missouri, including capital murder, and sentenced to death.
    • "We’re successful in convicting him of everything... and decided to recommend the death sentence..." (38:31)
  • He ultimately pleads guilty to several other murders, but never reveals locations of remains for all victims.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Robinson’s duplicity:
  "He was a complete, I guess, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde..." — Capt. Keith O’Neill (17:37)

• On legal strategy:
  "Regardless of what type of crime we can charge this gentleman with, we need to get him... away from the civilian community." — Marty Ingraham (06:56)

• On the challenge of the investigation:
  "How do we put 17 years of criminal conduct... in some sort of understandable format so a jury can understand what all he’s done?" — DA Paul Morrison (34:55)

• On Robinson’s psychological profile:
  "You’ve got that coupled with the fact that in order for him to get off sexually, the threshold for that is going to continue to rise." — Interviewee, criminal psychologist (37:30)

Timeline of Important Segments

| Timestamp (MM:SS) | Content | |-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:32–03:47 | Initial disappearances: Paula Godfrey and Lisa Stacy; suspicions arise about John Robinson | | 03:47–06:56 | Early investigation highlights Robinson's background and connections to missing women | | 08:11–09:48 | Task force assembled after Suzette Troughton’s disappearance | | 12:26–14:48 | Surveillance, trash search, discovery of storage locker clues | | 20:35–21:23 | Battery charges from BDSM partners give police grounds for a search | | 22:27–24:41 | Cadaver dogs discover first barrels and victims | | 27:04–28:32 | More victims found in storage lockers as investigation expands | | 29:50–32:12 | Revelation of Heather Tiffany Robinson’s true identity – closure to Lisa Stacy’s case | | 34:55–36:11 | DA explains difficulty condensing years of evidence for the jury | | 38:31–39:24 | Conviction, sentencing, and final legal outcomes for Robinson |

Conclusion

"Sex, Lies and Murder" masterfully reconstructs one of America’s most disturbing serial killer investigations. The episode stands out for its clear-eyed depiction of the fighters for justice—detectives and prosecutors who, despite years of setbacks, ultimately exposed John Robinson’s horrifying crimes. With expert storytelling and direct quotes from those who brought the case to closure, listeners gain tense, emotionally charged insight into the mind of a sociopathic predator, the failures and triumphs of law enforcement, and the role of chance and forensics in delivering belated justice.