Night Stalker: Inside the Manhunt That Ended a Nightmare (Part Three)

Summary

Crime House 24/7 – Night Stalker: Inside the Manhunt That Ended a Nightmare (Part Three) Original Air Date: February 26, 2026 Host: Katie Ring

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Episode Overview

This gripping conclusion to the three-part series examines the dramatic capture and eventual conviction of Richard Ramirez, known as the Night Stalker. Katie Ring, host of Night Watch, methodically recounts the frenzied manhunt, the pivotal role of the community and dedicated detectives, and the lasting impact of Ramirez’s reign of terror. The episode thoughtfully explores not just the crimes, but the failures and evolution in police investigation, the enduring trauma of survivors, and the real legacy left by his victims.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Takedown: How Ramirez Was Caught

• Fingerprint Breakthrough ([03:51])
  • Police matched a fingerprint from an orange Toyota used by the Night Stalker to Richard Ramirez, following a car theft arrest in December 1984.
  • His mugshot was quickly released to the public to solicit tips.
  • Ramirez, unaware he was wanted, returned from a trip to Tucson, AZ. On arriving in LA, he saw his face on newspapers at a liquor store. An elderly woman recognized him and shouted, “El Matador,” his Spanish nickname.
  • A spontaneous citizen manhunt ensued as Ramirez tried to carjack several people in Boyle Heights. Locals fought back heroically, ultimately apprehending and restraining him until police arrived ([03:51–07:38]).
  • Quote: “He now had a face, and the people of Boyle Heights weren’t about to let him get away.” – Katie Ring ([05:51])

Arrest, Interrogation, and Charges

• Capture and Initial Police Response ([09:05])
  • Deputy Andres Ramirez, a local, recognized Richard instantly: “They finally caught the Night Stalker.” – Katie Ring
  • Ramirez sat calm, humming “Night Prowler” by AC/DC in the back of the squad car.
• In Interrogation ([09:05])
  • Richard pointed officers to his gun at the Greyhound station, and reportedly asked for the electric chair.
  • Detectives Frank Salerno and Gil Carillo, key figures in the investigation, attempted to interview Ramirez. He avoided confession, but opened up about his abusive upbringing and attraction to Satanism—though never fully admitted to the crimes.
  • Ramirez scratched a pentagram into the table and later drew one on his hand in court, yelling, “Hail, Satan!” at his arraignment ([10:17]).

The Trial and Public Fear

• Legal Proceedings ([10:17])
  • Ramirez was ultimately charged with 14 murders and 31 felonies (burglary, sexual assault, robbery).
  • The trial began in 1989, four years after his arrest—delayed due to logistical issues and the complexity of the case.
  • Over 400 pieces of evidence presented, including prints, pawned jewelry, and witness accounts.
  • Ramirez appeared increasingly despondent, hiding behind sunglasses during proceedings.
  • Deliberations were dramatically interrupted when a juror was murdered; it was quickly determined this was unrelated to the case ([12:44]).
  • Conviction and Sentencing ([13:16])
    • Ramirez was convicted of 13 murders, five attempted murders, 11 sexual assaults, and 14 burglaries, and sentenced to death.
    • Quote: “‘Death doesn’t scare me. I’ll be in hell with Satan.’” – Richard Ramirez, after sentencing ([13:45])
    • He was sent to San Quentin’s death row, married a woman named Doreen Leoy while incarcerated, and died in 2013 from medical issues.

The Detective Work: Carillo and Salerno’s Relentless Pursuit

• Detective Gil Carillo’s Deduction ([17:31])
  • Saw a connection between seemingly unrelated crimes—different ages, races, sexes, and MOs.
  • Shoe prints tied together the disparate cases.
  • Faced skepticism until Frank Salerno joined the case. A critical shoe print at a new crime scene unified their theory.
• Challenges of Interagency Cooperation
  • Jurisdictional conflicts hampered the case:
    • LAPD failing to process Ramirez’s impounded car correctly led to lost forensic evidence.
    • A dentist visit and police alarm misstep allowed Ramirez to slip away—twice ([20:28]).
  • San Francisco Police’s cooperation proved vital. An SFPD informant identified Richard Ramirez, enabling the fingerprint match and eventual arrest.

Societal Impact and Victim Remembrance

• Enduring Community Trauma ([23:50])
  • Residents of Los Angeles lived in fear, uncertain each night if they would be safe.
  • Quote: “The most important names are the people he took. The victims who died were mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives. People who were taken from their families far too soon.” – Katie Ring ([25:11])
• Reflection on Randomness and Evil
  • Ramirez selected victims by opportunity—a cracked window, an unlocked door—making his terror campaign exceptionally unpredictable.
  • Katie Ring powerfully emphasizes the humanity of the victims and the resilience of survivors and families.
  • Quote: “We’re fascinated by the Night Stalker because he represents a kind of chaos that people fear most... The idea that violence can be random, that a stranger can enter your life and destroy it without warning.” ([25:50])
  • The episode finishes with a call to focus on victims and the importance of community and collaboration in bringing justice.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• The Hunt Ends:
  “He now had a face, and the people of Boyle Heights weren’t about to let him get away.” – Katie Ring ([05:51])
• Ramirez’s Chilling Calm:
  “He just sat in the backseat humming the song ‘Night Prowler’ by AC/DC.” – Katie Ring ([09:15])
• Courtroom Defiance:
  “Richard showed the court and the cameras a pentagram he drew on his hand and yelled, ‘Hail, Satan!’” – Katie Ring ([10:17])
• Victims Center Stage:
  “The most important names are the people he took... mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives.” – Katie Ring ([25:11])
• Reflection on Randomness:
  “There was no single type of victim, no predictable pattern, no neighborhood that could say, ‘we’re safe.’” – Katie Ring ([25:35])
• On the True Legacy:
  “The real story belongs to the victims... to the survivors who had to rebuild their lives with trauma stitched into their memories. And to the communities who refuse to let fear win.” – Katie Ring ([26:00])

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Important Timestamps

• 03:51 – Police identify Ramirez by fingerprint and publicize his mugshot; citizen chase and capture
• 09:05 – Ramirez arrested, interrogation details, charges filed
• 10:17 – Ramirez’s courtroom antics and invocation of Satan; delays before trial
• 13:16 – Conviction, sentencing, and Ramirez’s statement about death and hell
• 17:31 – Focus on Detectives Carillo and Salerno’s investigative journey
• 20:28 – Police failures, gaps in coordination, and the dentist sting complications
• 23:50 – Long-term community impact, victim remembrance, the randomness of fear

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Episode Tone and Language

Katie Ring narrates with a balance of factual detail and empathy, highlighting both the investigative hurdles and the devastating impact on the community and victims. Her commentary avoids sensationalism—maintaining respect for those affected while clearly expressing frustration with systemic failures and the chilling randomness of Ramirez’s crimes.

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Final Reflection

Katie concludes by urging listeners to remember the victims over the myth of the killer. The episode stands as a cautionary tale about the necessity of police collaboration, the unpredictable nature of fear, and the resilience of communities in the face of atrocity.

“Anyway, what did you think of tonight’s case? Drop your thoughts and theories in the comments. See you next time.” – Katie Ring ([26:15])

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For more in-depth coverage and a focus on the facts, follow Crime House 24/7 and Night Watch wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcript

[Vanessa]

Hi, it's Vanessa. If you're drawn to true crime stories about disappearances, there's a new Crime House original you should check out. It's called the Final Hours, hosted by Sarah Turney and Courtney Nicole. Sarah's an advocate for missing and murdered victims whose own sister disappeared in 2001. And Courtney is a true crime storyteller who's seen firsthand how crime can change a family forever. Together, they bring lived experience to every case, examining the moments just before a person disappears. The routines, the timelines, the small details that often get overlooked because every disappearance has a moment where everything still feels normal. Until it doesn't. Listen to and follow the final hours on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop every Monday.

[Crime House Announcer]

This is Crime House.

[Katie Ring]

Richard Ramirez thought the city would never see his face. But In August of 1985, that illusion shattered. Tonight, the Night Stalker's secrecy collapses and the line between hunter and hunted begins to blur.

[Crime House Announcer]

Richard Ramirez was captured today. Police say he is the Walk In Killer. Ramirez was arrested in East Los Angeles this morning. As you can see in these exclusive pictures, this is the man police say is responsible for 16 murders, 34 other assaults, rapes and kidnappings during the past seven months.

[Boyle Heights Resident]

The man believed to be the Walk In Killer was caught through the efforts of some very alert and very involved citizens. The residents of Boyle Heights are very proud of their heroic efforts. And now Hubbard street is filled with excitement. The residents here share the feel feelings of so many others. They say they can walk the streets again. They can sleep safely in their homes at night. And that is welcome news.

[Katie Ring]

Welcome to Night Watch on crime house 24 7. I'm your host, Katie Ring, and together we'll be following the cases making headlines now where justice is still unfolding. Follow us wherever you are listening and if you want ad free episodes, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts plus subscribe to our YouTube channel Nitewatchpod. This episode discusses an active criminal case. The information we share is based on what's publicly available at the time of recording and may change as new evidence comes to light. We aim to inform, not to decide guilt or innocence. So everyone mentioned is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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[Katie Ring]

In August of 1985, police were able to match a fingerprint from an orange Toyota used by the Night Stalker to print from an incident in December of 1984 when a man was arrested for driving around Los Angeles in a stolen vehicle. That man's name was Richard Ramirez. Investigators finally had the identity of the attacker, who had killed 13 people and assaulted at least 11 others. The police immediately put the word out and released the mugshot of Richard's 1984 arrest to the public. As the authorities waited for any tips to come in, they scoured every inch of LA and even posted officers in the cities where his family members lived. But Richard had skipped town not because he knew the police were onto him, but because he decided to take a trip to Tucson, Arizona with his older brother. He had no idea that while he was on vacation, the rest of the country was looking for him, but he caught on pretty fast once he got back into town. Richard took a bus back to Los Angeles on August 31, and when he got there, he saw that the station was swarming with officers. However, despite the massive police presence, he somehow managed to avoid the authorities and disappear into the crowd. After navigating the crowd unnoticed, Richard went into a liquor store in downtown LA to buy a coffee and saw his face on the front of the newspaper. Before he could even decide what to do, an elderly shopper looked up and immediately recognized him. She shouted out, el Matador. The Night Stalker's Spanish nickname. The Killer. Tonight we're concluding our three part deep dive on Richard Ramirez, the serial killer, also known as the Night Stalker. By the late summer of 1985, Richard Ramirez was no longer a faceless serial killer who was terrorizing the community and attacking citizens at random. His face was plastered on the front of newspapers. After avoiding Police at the bus station. Richard headed to a downtown liquor store and was immediately recognized by an elderly woman. She shouted his Spanish moniker, el Matador, and Richard froze as everyone in the shop turned towards him. The shop owner quickly grabbed the phone to call 911 and Richard bolted. He fled on foot to Boyle Heights, a predominantly Mexican American neighborhood in east la. As he ran, all Richard could think about was stealing a car and heading to Mexico. That's when he spotted a woman, Manuela Villanueva, sitting in a running vehicle. He charged over to her and tried to pull her out, shouting in Spanish and English. Manuela fought with Richard and called for help until her boyfriend ran out of a nearby bakery. The two men started brawling and a local barber came out to see what the noise was, and he recognized Richard immediately and joined the fight. Somehow, Richard managed to pull away from the men and take off, but there was no running now. He now had a face, and the people of Boyle Heights weren't about to let him get away. With a crowd of people hot on his heels, Richard tried to hijack another vehicle owned by a man named Faustino Pinon. Faustino fought back as well, so Richard ran to a nearby driveway where a woman named Angela De La Torre was getting into her car. She recognized Richard immediately and screamed El Matador. As he grabbed the keys out of her hand. Before he could get away, Angela's husband rushed out of their house and started beating him with a metal bar. Richard managed to crawl away and struggle to his feet, but there was nowhere left to run. By this time, a few angry residents had banded together, caught up to Richard, gathered around him, and pummeled him until he was bleeding and too injured to move. And just like that, the Night Stalker's reign of terror had finally come to an end.

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[Katie Ring]

to run from police on August 31, 1985, Richard Ramirez was finally caught by a group of citizens in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of East Los Angeles. Soon, sirens filled the air as police cruisers got to the scene. Sheriff's Deputy Andres Ramirez, who had been raised a few blocks away, was first to arrive. He knelt down by Richard, who was still surrounded by the locals that had captured him, and looked at his face. Once he saw it, he immediately knew it was him. They finally caught the Night Stalker. Richard was arrested and thrown into the back of a squad car. Once he was in custody, he didn't bother trying to argue or deny what he'd done. He just sat in the backseat humming the song Night Prowler by acdc. I think highway to Hell probably would have been more fitting in this situation, though. Once they got back to the station, investigators took him into the interrogation room. Richard told them his gun was in a locker at the Greyhound station, and then he asked for the electric chair. While officers went to the bus depot to collect the gun, Detective Frank Salerno and his partner Gil Carillo came down to the station to question Richard. When they entered the interrogation room, he was sitting at the table, scratching something into the surface. To Frank's surprise, Richard recognized him from an article he'd read in the paper. Frank tried to use that familiarity to engage Richard in conversation, but all of a sudden Richard wasn't interested in talking. He just asked for a lawyer and continued to scratch the table. However, when Gil spoke to Richard in Spanish, he opened up a little. Richard told Gil about his abusive father, his cousin Miguel, who taught him to burglarize and kill, and how he came to love Satan. But he stopped just short of a full confession. When the detectives got up to leave, they saw what Richard had been scratching into the table while they spoke. It was a pentagram. But satan wasn't coming to save him. Richard was fingerprinted, Booked, and charged with 14 counts of murder and 31 other felonies, including burglary, Essay, and robbery. Officers returned from the bus depot, Searched richard's locker, and also found his gun. But it wouldn't be the last weapon they found. Police also followed up on a lead from jesse perez, who'd bought a gun from richard, Then given it to a friend in mexico. In early september, authorities located that gun in tijuana and eventually connected it to at least one of Richard's victims. On September 9, officers questioned Richard's family In el paso, texas. The night stalker was national news by this point, and the ramirezes were shocked to learn this terrifying killer was their son. They could only hope that this was all some kind of mistake and that the police had just got the wrong guy. But any hope of this being an unfortunate mistake Was dispelled at Richard's arraignment on October 24, 1985. During the proceedings, Richard showed the court and the cameras a pentagram. He drew on his hand and yelled, hail, satan. Despite his behavior, Richard still wasn't fully owning up to his crimes. And due to a slew of logistical hurdles, he wouldn't go on trial for another four years. During that period, the legend of the night stalker Only continued to grow. While richard was committing his crimes, the united states was in the midst of what would later be called the satanic panic. It was a time when there was a lot of fear around satanic cults and the devil, Making Richard's crimes even more fearsome. So when his televised trial finally began on January 30, 1989, the whole country was watching. Over the next three months, prosecutors made their case and presented over 400 pieces of evidence. They included stolen pieces of jewelry that richard had taken from his victims and sold or pawned. The fingerprint found on the toyota, as well as other prints Found at multiple murder scenes and multiple witness testimonies. Richard initially went into the legal process With a lot of confidence, but four years later, he slowly lost it. He appeared gloomy and despondent and kept a pair of dark sunglasses over his eyes at all times. The trial went on for about six months, until the end of July 1989. The jury was sent away with over 8,000 pages of transcripts and 655 exhibits to consider While deciding his fate. But before they could come to a decision, One of the jurors was shot. Dead inside of her home. The other jurors were terrified it was one of Richard's so called satanic admirers and worried that they would be next. However, the killer turned out to be a jealous boyfriend and after a two month hiatus, deliberations resumed. On September 20, 1989, Richard Ramirez was convicted of 13 counts of murder, five attempted murders, 11 counts of sexual assault and 14 burglaries and was sentenced to death. After he was sentenced, Richard had this to death doesn't scare me. I'll be in hell with Satan. After his sentencing, Richard was taken to San Quentin prison and joined the 262 other inmates on death row. Despite his horrific crimes, Richard still had a few groupies and ended up marrying one after an 11 year courtship. Even after studying this phenomenon, I will never understand it. It makes me sick to my stomach. Richard's wife Doreen Leoy told magazines that quote, this is a feeling that began for me as long ago as that. Friday, August 30, 1985, the night before he was arrested and police broke into the television show. I was watching to broadcast his picture. Looking back, I see it was a turning point for me. They showed his mugshot in the middle of Dallas and I saw something in his eyes, Something that captivated me. It wasn't as if I knew him, but there was something in his eyes. Maybe the vulnerability. I don't really know. On Thursday, October 3, 1996, Doreen and Richard got married. During the time after their marriage, Richard developed a series of serious medical conditions and passed away in 2013 at the age of 53.

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[Katie Ring]

Although in the end it was citizens who caught the Night Stalker. There were two men whose relentless pursuit led to the capture of Richard Ramirez. Four years before Richard Ramirez's reign of terror in la, a detective named Gil Carillo was transferred to the Homicide Bureau in la. This was a high level team that was even given the nickname the Bulldogs by the press because they wouldn't let go of cases until they solved them. Gil was the youngest agent on the team when he was called out to the crime scene of one of Richard Ramirez first attacks in la, the murder of Dale Okazaki and attempted murder of Maria Hernandez. After a string of seemingly unrelated crimes around la, Gill thought that one man may be responsible for all of these crimes, but when he presented his theory to other departments, they laughed at him. There was no connection between the victims. They were all different ages, races and sexes. Some were murdered, some were SA'd and some were kidnapped. Serial killers typically have an MO so if all these crimes were committed by the same person, it would be something no one had ever seen before. But Carillo did not let that discourage him and he pursued his theory anyways. One thing that stood out to him was that almost all of these crime scenes had the same shoe print. But people were still skeptical about his theory until a detective named Frank Salerno joined forces with Gil. Salerno was nicknamed the Italian Stallion and was one of the most well known detectives in LA after solving the Hillside Strangler case. After Gil and Frank showed up to a new crime scene, a woman from the forensics team brought something out of the house and said, I think you'll want to see this. It was a bloody shoe print that was left on the victim's comforter. The same shoe print they had found at all the other crime scenes. After seeing this, Frank was sold on Gill's theory. With Frank's buy in, a task force was created, and it was all hands on deck in the Netflix documentary on the Night Stalker. One thing that frustrated me so much was seeing how jurisdictional pissing matches and egos can allow killers to slip through the cracks. In one instance, Richard was pulled over in a traffic violation. He didn't have a driver's license, so the officer pulled him out of his car, searched him for weapons, and then told him to stay put while he went back to his motorcycle. But as the officer was walking back to his motorcycle, Richard heard a BOLO be on the lookout for the car he was driving on the radio. So he drew a pentagram on the car, made a run for it, and ended up getting away. Gil and Frank asked if they could inspect the car, but since it was LAPD's jurisdiction, they said that they would do it. But they never did. Once Gil and Frank found that out, they went to the impound lot and saw that the car had been stored in the sun. Which meant any chance of finding fingerprints was gone. But inside, they did find a business card for a dentist. They followed up with a dentist who confirmed that Richard had been there the day prior. Since he had an impacted tooth, they thought that he would return due to the pain. So they stationed two officers. Nothing came up. So they polled the officers, and LAPD set up an alarm system so the dentist could notify them if he came in the next day. He came in and the dentist pressed the alarm. But apparently the LAPD hadn't set it up correctly. So Richard slipped through the cracks once again. What makes me even more frustrated is how powerful collaboration, or lack thereof, can be in solving a case. After a string of attacks in San Francisco that Gill and Frank believed were connected to the Night Stalker, they flew up to San Francisco. Although the politicians in San Francisco almost blew the case by announcing they were looking for the brand of shoe and gun, SFPD shared all of the information from their investigation. With this, they were able to tie all of the cases together. It was also with the help of a San Francisco Police Department homicide inspector named Frank Falzone, who secured the full name of Richard Ramirez from one of his informants performance. From this information, Gil and Frank were able to pull the name Richard Ramirez in their files and Found a fingerprint on file that matched the fingerprint from the crime scenes perfectly. The profile also had a photo, A photo released to the public that was ultimately the demise of the night stalker. One of the reasons Ramirez was able to continue for so long was because his attacks were spread across counties and cities, creating gaps that allowed him to slip through. And it forced investigators to think differently about coordination, Evidence sharing, and the importance of linking patterns. Before the body count climbs higher. I hope the night soccer case was a lesson to law enforcement of the importance of collaboration. Richard Ramirez's reign of fear, Deemed by some as Satan's summer in the city of angels, has gone down as one of the most horrifying crime sprees in history. The residents of Los Angeles spent the summer of 1985 in near total lockdown. When they went to sleep at night, no one was sure if they'd be woken up in the dark to the stench of rotten breath and the face of a killer looming over them. Thankfully, that nightmare eventually came to an end, Though not before over a dozen innocent people lost their lives. By the time Richard Ramirez was finally caught, the damage had already been done in a way that can never be reversed. When we talk about the night stalker, the conversation often centers on the man himself, his obsession with Satan, the randomness of his attacks, the brutality, the fear. But the truth is, Richard Ramirez should never be the most memorable part of this story. The most important names are the people he took. The victims who died were mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives. People who were taken from their families far too soon. For survivors of Ramirez's attacks, there was no clean ending, no moment where life simply returned to normal. Because they had to wake up every day knowing that they had looked directly into the face of a predator and lived to tell the story. And while that survival is extraordinary, it is also something that reshapes a person permanently. And then there were the families. The loved ones who got the phone calls in the middle of the night. The ones who rushed to the hospitals and crime scenes. The ones who walked into bedrooms and living rooms and saw what no one should ever see. The ones who had to bury parents, siblings, children, and spouses and then return home and figure out how to keep living in a world where something so horrific had happened for no reason at all. Because that's one of the most disturbing parts of the night stalker case. The randomness. There was no single type of victim, no predictable pattern, no neighborhood that could say, we're safe. The victims were chosen not because of who they were. But because of circumstance. A window left cracked, a door that wasn't locked, a light that was off, a street that was quiet. A moment where Ramirez decided he wanted to hurt someone and saw an opportunity. The Night Stalker didn't just murder people. And it's tempting to treat killers like Ramirez as monsters because the word monster creates distance. It makes us feel safer. It lets us believe this kind of evil is rare, supernatural, something separate from humanity. But Richard Ramirez wasn't supernatural. He was human. We're fascinated by the Night Stalker because he represents a kind of chaos that people fear most. The idea that violence can be random, that a stranger can enter your life and destroy it without warning, and that the safety we rely on is sometimes an illusion. But if there is anything to learn from these crimes, it isn't the details of what Ramirez did, and it isn't the mythology he tried to build around himself. It is the reminder that the real story belongs to the victims. It belongs to the people who were taken, to the families who were left behind, to the survivors who had to rebuild their lives with trauma stitched into their memories. And it belongs to the communities who refuse to let fear win. Because in the end, Richard Ramirez didn't get the ending he wanted. He wanted to be remembered as something powerful, something untouchable, something chosen. But what history remembers the most isn't his obsession with Satan. It's the lives he destroyed and the people who endured. Anyway, What did you think of tonight's case? Drop your thoughts and theories in the comments. See you next time. If you haven't already, make sure to follow us wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe to our YouTube channelightwatchpod. Your support means everything.

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[Vanessa]

hi, it's Vanessa. If you're drawn to true crime stories about disappearances, check out the new Crime House original the Final Hours, hosted by Sarah Turney and Courtney Nicole. Listen to and follow the Final hours on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop every Monday.