Crime House Daily: First Watch

Episode: Shocking Baby Trafficking Case & Hollywood Couple Slain
Host: Katie Ring
Date: September 22, 2025

Episode Overview

In this First Watch episode, host Katie Ring covers two harrowing, headline-making criminal cases:

1. The attempted sex trafficking of infants in Indiana by their own mother — an unimaginable betrayal that has shocked the local community and raised difficult questions about trust and desperation.
2. The double homicide of beloved Hollywood couple Robin Kay and Thomas DeLuca in Encino, CA — a case marked by chilling oversight, an audacious break-in, and a suspect hiding in plain sight.

Throughout the episode, Katie brings her signature blend of empathy, straightforward reporting, and curiosity, providing both updates and context on these still-active cases.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Chilling Netflix Documentary Shoutout

• Brief mention: Katie discusses the documentary Unknown Number: The High School Catfish detailing how Kendra Leri used anonymous texts to stalk and cyberbully her own daughter for two years.
  • "Kendra told her daughter Lauren terrible things like saying she was anorexic and that she needed to kill herself." (03:31)
• Takeaway: Katie flags the emotional toll and disturbing reality of parental betrayal in digital spaces—potentially foreshadowing today's primary case.

2. Indiana Baby Trafficking Case (Morgan D. Stapp)

Background

• Suspect: Morgan D. Stapp, age 32, mother of seven.
• Incident Start: November 1, 2024 – Police get a tip from Snapchat about an account soliciting sexual images of children.

Timeline & Evidence

• Initial discovery: Snapchat flags Morgan's account after messages emerge offering lewd photos of her daughters (ages 2 years & 7 months).
• Specifics: On Nov 1, 2024, Morgan allegedly sends a man three photos of her 7-month-old, offering him to molest her for $400.
  • Katie, emotionally stunned:
    "A seven month old child who can't even hold her own head up, who can't defend herself, an innocent baby." (05:31)
• Investigation: Morgan claims her account was hacked, but digital forensics confirm only her phone accessed the account.
  • Her story falls apart further when posts and messages continue from her account after she claimed to be locked out.
• Scope of Crime:
  • Investigators uncovered 7,000 incriminating messages within a 3-day span;
  • 81 attempts to exchange nudes for money, allegedly for basic needs like diapers.

Arrest & Legal Status

• Arrest: July 8, 2025; Morgan is charged with attempting to commit child sex trafficking (a Level 2 felony, 10-30 years if convicted).
• Bond status: Released after posting $100k bond; no contact order with her two youngest daughters.
• Unanswered Questions: The identity and potential culpability of the man who received messages remains unclear.
• Notable Response:
  • "For the life of me, I cannot wrap my head around why a mother would ever do something so unimaginable. Was it all about money? A sense of desperation? We're just left with so many questions." (10:49)
• Insight: Katie emphasizes that child sex trafficking is often committed by family or caregivers (40-50% of cases), not strangers.

3. The Encino Hollywood Double Homicide

Victims & Backdrop

• Victims: Robin Kay (music supervisor, American Idol), Thomas DeLuca (rock musician).
• Setting: Their Encino, CA mansion, lauded for security and peace.

Crime Unfolds

• Timeline:

  • July 10, 2025: Neighbor sees someone hopping the fence – calls 911.
  • Police response: House not entered due to high walls; only a helicopter flyover. No threat observed, police leave.
  • Robin and Thomas return home minutes later, unaware the perpetrator is inside.

• Murders: Believed to have occurred on July 10 after the couple’s return from the store.

• Bodies Discovered: July 14, after family grew concerned.

Shocking Twist

• Second 911 Call:
  • "Investigators have shared that a second phone call actually took place on July 10..." (16:39)
  • The killer himself, Raymond Budarian, called police from inside the home pretending to be the homeowner, using his own name.
  • He then told dispatch he no longer needed help and hung up. LAPD didn’t follow up further until days later.

Arrest & Background of Suspect

• Suspect: Raymond Budarian, age 22.
  • Prior arrests for attacks and domestic violence, all dismissed (mental health).
  • Troubling behavior: Waving knives, threatening neighbors, previous break-in attempts in the neighborhood, possibly at the victims’ home.
• Investigation: On July 15, police arrest Raymond at a house nearby and recover the couple's own gun—used as the murder weapon.
• Charges: Two counts first-degree murder, one count residential burglary with a person present. Raymond is held without bail.
• Mental Health Crisis: At his scheduled arraignment, Raymond appears in a "suicide gown" and is unresponsive. Hearing is postponed for a mental health evaluation.

Community and Police Oversight

• Ongoing Questions:

  • Why was police presence insufficient after the initial break-in report?
  • Why did the killer call 911 himself and then back out?
  • Was the earlier May break-in at the same house linked to Raymond?

• Notable Quote:

  • "There's still so much to learn in this case and hopefully as things progress, more information will come out." (16:38)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Indiana case:

  • "A betrayal of trust that's so profound it's almost impossible to comprehend..." (04:25)
  • "81 of those messages were attempts to exchange nudes for money so Morgan could buy baby diapers. Which makes it clear she was very desperate." (08:38)

• On the Encino double homicide:

  • "A 22 year old is now charged with murder and the weapon, the couple's own gun." (00:26)
  • "The big question is why would a criminal call the police to report his own crime?" (16:42)

Important Timestamps

• [03:27] – Netflix documentary shoutout (Unknown Number: The High School Catfish)
• [04:17] – [11:21] – The Indiana baby trafficking case: Investigation, evidence, arrest, and legal overview
• [12:20] – [16:38] – Hollywood couple double homicide: Crime discovery, investigation developments, suspect revelation and background, community implications

Tone & Style

Katie Ring’s approach is equal parts measured, empathetic, and firmly rooted in facts. She doesn’t sensationalize, yet voices genuine horror and disbelief at both cases’ betrayals of safety and trust—whether by a mother or a community.

Closing

Katie wraps up by acknowledging the complex, still-developing nature of both cases and promises continued, in-depth coverage. She calls on listeners to share their thoughts and theories, emphasizing the importance of community vigilance and dialogue.

Next episode tease: An in-depth look at a teen in Georgia accused of murdering her parents, and the clues that might be hidden in her TikTok videos.

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