Crime House Daily: First Watch
Episode Date: November 26, 2025
Host: Katie Ring
Theme: Breaking Developments in High-Profile True Crime Cases

Episode Overview

This First Watch episode features deep dives into two major ongoing cases:

1. The latest twist in the high-profile assault case of Gisèle Pelicot, who became a symbol of resilience and legal reform after opening her trial and standing up to decades of abuse by her husband and dozens of men.
2. The investigation into the San Antonio triple homicide of Matthew Guerra, Savannah Soto, and their unborn son Fabian, focusing on how police cracked the case and the family’s involvement in the cover-up.

The episode emphasizes survivor courage, gaps and progress in sexual assault laws, and the shocking realities beneath seemingly ordinary communities.

Case #1: Gisèle Pelicot & the French Rape Ring

Background & Survivor's Story

• [03:42] Katie Ring recounts the staggering details of Gisèle Pelicot’s abuse in France, where her husband Dominique drugged and assaulted her, then recruited dozens of men (51 ultimately convicted), filming and distributing the acts over nearly a decade.
• Notable Quote (Gisèle Pelicot):
  "Shame must change sides." — [04:37]
  Her decision to go public broke French legal tradition, igniting nationwide debate about sexual assault culture, chemical submission, and victim treatment.
• Gisèle’s Early Life & Marriage:
  • Born in 1952, suffered early family losses, learned to suppress emotion.
  • Married Dominique Pelicot in 1973; appeared to be a loving couple with three children.
  • Dominique’s dark past: childhood abuse and formation of violent fantasies ([08:17]).
  • Early warning sign: 1999 attack on a real estate agent, failed police intervention ([13:10]).
  • The critical warning: Gisèle suspected being drugged, but Dominique's manipulations silenced her doubt ([21:50]).

The Unfolding of the Crime

• [15:22] Dominique grows bolder, using prescription medications to keep Gisèle unconscious, documenting and sharing the assaults online.
• [18:44] Dominique connects with others on a “without her knowledge” forum, is encouraged to drug Gisèle further.
• Abuse Escalates:
  • By 2011, Dominique invites men (eventually 72, ages 25–72, “Mr. Everybody” due to their ordinariness) to join.
  • Over two years, abuse becomes systematic: three times a week ([19:03]).

Discovery & Investigation

• [23:40] Dominique is arrested for upskirting in 2020. Tech searches uncover a horrifying cache:
  • 20,000 images and videos, each logged by date and participant.
  • Victims include his daughters-in-law and possibly his own daughter ([24:34]).
• Police Outreach:
  • Police notify Gisèle, who enters shock upon learning the truth ([26:40]).
  • Widely credited to a vigilant security guard’s intervention—
    "When men ask what they can do to help protect women, it's this: call other men out on their bad behavior." — Katie Ring [24:09]
• Trial & Societal Impact:
  • 54 of 75 men identified and prosecuted; 51 convictions for aggravated rape.
  • All but one, Housamettin Doan, dropped appeals.
  • Public ethos:
    "There are predators walking amongst us that you would never suspect...this was the prime example." — Katie Ring [29:08]

The Housamettin Doan Appeal

• [37:32] Doan, a 44-year-old father, argued he was also a victim and claimed he had been told the acts were consensual.
  • Gisèle responded: "I am the only victim."
  • Prosecutor: "Doan's refusal to take responsibility [is] an example of how SA culture is still widespread in society as part of archaic forms of male domination...now we must change SA culture to a culture of consent."
• [38:55] Doan resentenced to 10 years (one year added for appealing).
• [39:22] Broader Impact:
  • French Senate passes bill for clear, affirmative consent ([40:20]).

Aftermath & Legacy

• [41:48] Gisèle is writing a memoir, A Hymn to Life, due January 2026. She has dropped her husband’s name and found strength in advocacy:
  • "It's not bravery, but will and determination to change society." — Gisèle Pelicot [41:55]
• [42:22] Katie closes:
  "I feel this is a pain and betrayal you can never simply move on from. But I hope Gisèle, her children and her grandchildren will be able to heal and find some peace."

Case #2: San Antonio Triple Homicide – Matthew Guerra, Savannah Soto, and Fabian

The Disappearance

• [43:30] 22-year-old Matthew Guerra and 18-year-old Savannah Soto, pregnant with a boy (Fabian), vanish before Savannah’s scheduled induction.
• Families sense immediate danger due to missed appointments and radio silence ([44:50]).
• [45:10] Missing person reports filed; four days later, their bodies are discovered inside Matthew’s car—both shot dead.

The Investigation & Breakthrough

• [47:02] Surveillance footage reveals a black pickup truck and a coordinated effort to move and stage the bodies; suspects wipe prints and drive off.
• With little initial progress, detectives scan digital evidence—Savannah’s phone and Google location history point to "Charlie Chan Drive" ([48:21]).
• Key Moment:
  • Google Maps images show the same truck parked at a nearby house ([48:54]).
  • Police confront the homeowner, Ramon Preciado, age 53, who instantly confesses involvement.

The Preciado Family Cover-Up

• [49:10] Ramon implicates his 19-year-old son, Christopher Preciado, in the killings; both father and son are arrested by January 2024.
• Christopher’s Story:
  • Claims an attempted drug deal gone wrong led to a gun struggle, accidentally shooting Savannah, then killing Matthew in another scuffle ([51:05]).
  • Forensic analysis counters the self-defense narrative: different death locations, defenseless kills.
    • Motive speculated to be robbery, with Savannah executed as witness.

Further Arrests & Legal Developments

• [53:24] Security footage from the Preciado home shows Christopher’s stepmother, Mirta Ramones, involved in disposal; the gun is traced to her.
• [54:04]
  • Mirta charged with abuse of corpse, concealment, tampering; Ramon and Christopher face capital counts.
• [55:02]
  • Parents’ bail later reduced; Mirta released after charges dropped in November 2025.
  • DA withdraws death penalty as a sentencing option for Christopher.

Ongoing Impact

• [56:31] Victims’ families file $1 million wrongful death suit.
• Christopher’s trial expected in 2026; he faces life without parole if convicted.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "The shame isn't ours to feel, it's theirs." — Gisèle Pelicot [00:19]
• "Her courage sparked national debate in France about SA culture, the role of pornography, chemical submission, which is drug facilitated sexual assault and how victims are treated." — Katie Ring [05:22]
• "There are predators walking amongst us that you would never suspect." — Katie Ring [29:08]
• "Now we must change SA culture to a culture of consent." — Lead Prosecutor Dominique C [38:04]
• "Shout out to the security guard...because if he did not step up, Gisele would have never known what was happening to her." — Katie Ring [24:09]
• "This was the prime example...of everyday men with everyday jobs and everyday lives." — Katie Ring [29:40]

Key Timestamps

• [03:42] – Gisèle Pelicot case background
• [15:22] – Onset and escalation of Dominique’s crimes
• [23:40] – Arrest and computer evidence discovery
• [29:08] – Prosecution and societal reflections
• [37:32] – Housamettin Doan’s appeal and outcome
• [41:48] – Gisèle’s memoir and ongoing advocacy
• [43:30] – San Antonio triple murder: disappearance and discovery
• [47:02] – Surveillance video and clues
• [48:54] – Google Maps breakthrough
• [53:24] – Stepmother’s involvement revealed
• [56:31] – Lawsuit and pending trial

Tone & Style

Katie maintains a direct, compassionate, fact-driven but empathetic narrative, never sensationalizing but always centering survivors and systemic failures—"The shame isn't ours to feel, it's theirs." She balances legal details with human impact, highlighting survivor voices and needed change, while posing the tough questions about justice and prevention.

Summary

This episode delivers in-depth reporting on two headline-grabbing cases—unveiling hidden abuse, family betrayals, and the societal structures that both fail and empower victims. It blends gripping storytelling with systemic analysis, survivor perspective, and legislative progress, encouraging listeners to reflect on justice and the unending pursuit of truth.