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- [00:01]
Vanessa Richardson
Hi there, it's Vanessa Richardson. Crime House is your go to destination for the most gripping true crime shows. On my show, Killer Minds. Join me and forensic psychologist Dr. Tristan Engels for two new episodes as we dive into the twisted story of the doctor Death serial killer Michael Swango. Craving more deep dives into the minds of the world's most dangerous killers. Follow Killer Minds on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen. This is Crime House. During the week of July 14, 1966, Richard Speck forced his way into a dormitory full of close knit nursing students to commit one of the most infamous acts of mass murder in U.S. history. 33 years later, on July 14, 1993, Florida bodybuilder Bobby Kent was lured to a secluded construction site and brutally murdered by seven people, including the person he thought was his best friend. Making this week's theme Friendship and Murder. Welcome to Crime House the Show. I'm Vanessa Richardson. Every Monday we'll be revisiting notorious crimes from this week in history. From serial killers to mysterious disappearances or murders. Every episode will explore stories that share a common theme. Each week we'll cover two stories, one further in the past and one more rooted in the present here at Crime House. We know none of this would be possible without you, our community. Please support us by rating, reviewing and following Crime the Show wherever you get your podcasts and for ad free and early access to Crime House the Show. Plus exciting bonus content. Subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. Before we get into the story, you should know it contains descriptions of graphic violence and sexual abuse. Listener discretion is advised. This week's theme is friendship and Murder. First, we'll start on the night of July 13, 1966, when a violent killer named Richard Spring Beck burst into a Chicago townhouse shared by several nursing students, killing them in cold blood. Then we'll jump forward to 1993 to Florida, when an ordinary night out with friends turned deadly for 20 year old Bobby Kent. Both of today's cases feature victims who had no idea they were in danger until it was too late. And although their circumstances were extremely different, both stories prove that sometimes there isn't safety in numbers. All that and more coming up. Just wrapped another chilling case or unsolved mystery. Give your brain a break and keep the thrill going with Chumba Casino, your online social casino where funds just a click away play slots, blackjack and live casino games, all without downloads or pressure. Sign up to click claim your free welcome bonus plus daily login rewards to keep the excitement rolling. Chumba Casino. When the case is closed, the real fun begins. No purchase necessary. BGW Group void we're prohibited by law 21 TNCs apply.
- [03:53]
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- [04:28]
Vanessa Richardson
On the night of July 13, 1966, 23 year old corazone Almiro wrapped up her shift at South Chicago Community Hospital. Originally from the Philippines, she'd come to the United States to study nursing, and after clocking out at the hospital that evening, Corazon headed back to the dormitory where she lived at 2319 East 100th Street. There she made dinner with two of her roommates who were also Filipino exchange nurses. After finishing her meal, Corazon sat down to write a letter to her family. Around 11pm Corazon was in her bedroom when she heard a knock on her door. When she opened it, she was shocked to see a very tall blonde man dressed in black. He was clutching a small pistol and it was pointed straight at her. She didn't know it yet, but the man's name was Richard Speck. He had a tattoo on his forearm that read Born to Raise Hell. And looking back on his life, it seems like that was all too true. Richard Speck was born in the town of Kirkwood, Illinois on December 6, 1941. He was the seventh of eight children and Richard's dad died when he was six. He wouldn't have another father figure until a few years later when his mother moved the family to Dallas and married a traveling salesman named Carl Lindbergh. But Richard would have been better off without him. To call Lindbergh a bad influence would be an understatement. He was a raging drunk who took his anger out on his side stepchildren, especially Richard, who was his least favorite of the bunch. But as much as Richard hated his stepfather, it wasn't long until he followed in Lindbergh's footsteps. At the age of 13, Richard had his first drink of whiskey. It was the beginning of a lifelong pattern of alcohol abuse Richard had never been a great student, but once he started drinking every day, he became became even more ambivalent about school. It wasn't long until he dropped out entirely. That Same year, in 1954, Richard was arrested for setting fire to some oily rags in a vacant lot. It was his first brush with the law, but it certainly wouldn't be his last. By his early 20s, Richard had been arrested 41 times. His crimes ranged from assault to petty theft to aggravated robbery. And yet, in the midst of all this, Richard somehow found time to become a father. In 1961, when he was 19, he met 15 year old Shirley Malone at the Texas State Fair and got her pregnant. Not long after, when Richard's mother found out, she forced him to marry Shirley. She didn't want them to have a baby out of wedlock. As for Richard, he spent much of his new wife's pregnancy drunk in jail or cheating on Shirley. Sometimes he'd drive back to his mom's house where he and Shirley were living with random women he'd met at the bars. He'd park out on the street and make out with them while Shirley was sitting on the porch. All Shirley could do was watch, completely helpless. But even that was better than having to actually spend time with Richard. On the rare occasions of he was home, Richard was physically abusive to both his wife and their young daughter. After five years of this, 21 year old, Shirley hit her breaking point. In January 1966, she filed for divorce. 24 year old Richard left Dallas shortly after the divorce was finalized. He was ready to start over in a new city. Plus, he'd stolen 70 cartons of cigarettes from a grocery store and the police were looking for him. So Richard got on a bus to his home state of Illinois and spent the next few weeks staying at a cheap motel in the small town of Monmouth. He did a little work for a local carpenter and charmed the locals with his thick Texan accent. But mostly he spent his days in bars. Before long though, he was back to his favorite pastime, violent crime. On April 2, 1966, after less than a month in Monmouth, Richard broke into the home of a 65 year old year old woman, tied her up and sexually assaulted her. Then he stole all the money from her purse, $2.50 and fled the scene. A week later, Mary Pierce, a bartender at a popular local tavern, was found beaten to death. Mary's friends told police that Richard Speck, one of her regular customers, had been stalking her recently. Police police questioned Richard about the murder, but the interview was Cut short, Richard claimed he was feeling sick and assured them he'd come back. Instead, he immediately fled to Chicago. When police searched his motel room a few days later, they found it was full of stolen goods from burglaries all over town. On April 19, 24 year old Richard Speck arrived in Chicago where he stayed with his sister and her husband. He was. He told them he'd left Monmouth in a hurry because a crime syndicate was pressuring him to sell drugs. Whether or not they believed Richard, they were eager to help him find work. The sooner he could afford his own place, the sooner they'd be free of him. Richard's brother in law got him a job working on a cargo freighter on Lake Michigan. But Richard's first trip was cut short when he got appendicitis. The second didn't last much longer. After two weeks, Richard was fired for starting a fight. Even then, Richard, Richard's brother in law, wasn't ready to give up on him. At the end of June, he took Richard to the National Maritime Union hall to try and get him a union card that would make it easier for Richard to get another job on a boat. The union hall was just one block away from a dormitory full of nursing students from South Chicago Community Hospital. On the morning of July 13, 19, 1966, 24 year old Richard showed up at the union hall and learned that he'd been passed over for a job on a merchant ship. Upset at the missed opportunity, Richard spent the rest of the day going from bar to bar in the neighborhood, getting drunker and angrier. Once the sun had set, Richard followed a woman out of a bar. At knifepoint, he forced her to come back to his room at the Shipyard Inn where he'd been staying after moving out of his sister's place. Once they were inside, Richard sexually assaulted the woman. Eventually, he let her go, but not before stealing a small.22 caliber pistol out of her purse. Richard spent the next few hours drinking in the bar of the Shipyard Inn where he showed off his newly acquired gun to everybody he met. He left the bar at around 10.30pm and started walking in the direction of the nurses dormitory. It's not clear why Richard targeted the dorm, but like so many others in the neighborhood, Richard had probably seen the students coming and going in between their shifts at the hospital. He walked fast. It took Richard about half an hour to reach the dorm which was located in a townhouse. He entered the alley behind the building and used his knife to pry open one of the back windows. Then he reached through and Unlocked the back door. He was ready to unleash his rage on everyone inside.
- [12:27]
Carvana
Thanks for selling your car to Carvana. Here's your check.
- [12:29]
Ryan Reynolds
Whoa. When did I get here?
- [12:31]
Carvana
What do you mean?
- [12:32]
Ryan Reynolds
I swear it was just moments ago that I accepted a great offer from Carvana online. I must have time traveled to the future.
- [12:37]
Carvana
It was just moments ago. We do same day pickup. Here's your check for that great offer.
- [12:42]
Ryan Reynolds
It is the future.
- [12:44]
Carvana
It's. It's the present. And just the convenience of Carvana. Sorry to blow your mind.
- [12:48]
Vanessa Richardson
It's all good.
- [12:49]
Ryan Reynolds
Happens all the time.
- [12:51]
Vanessa Richardson
Sell your car the convenient way to Carvana.
- [12:55]
Carvana
Pick up.
- [12:55]
Vanessa Richardson
Times may vary and fees may apply.
- [12:57]
BNC Bank
She's made up her mind to live pretty smart Learn to budget responsibly right from the start she spends a little less and puts more into savings Keeps the blood pressure low and credit score raises she's gotten debt right out of her life she tracks her cash flow on her spreadsheet at night.
- [13:20]
Ryan Reynolds
Boring money moves make kind of lame songs but they sound pretty sweet to your wallet. BNC bank brilliantly boring since 1865.
- [13:30]
Vanessa Richardson
On the night of July 13, 1966, 24 year old Richard Speck broke into a nurse's dormitory in Chicago, Illinois. It's not clear why he did it, but he was looking for someone to hurt. Three of the dorm's residents were from the Philippines, studying nursing in the US as part of an exchange program. One of them was 23 year old Corazon Amoro, who shared a room with another Filipino nurse, Merlita Gargulo, also 23. A little after 11pm, Corazon heard a knock on her bedroom door. When she opened it, she found Richard Speck towering over her holding a pistol. Before they could scream, Richard barged inside and grabbed Corazon and Merlita by the arms. He pushed them out into the hallway and led them up to the second floor to a large room filled with multiple bunk beds. Richard turned on the lights, waking up three other student nurses sleeping inside. One of them, 24 year old Valentina Pasion, was the third Filipino nurse in the house. While Richard threatened her bunkmates with his gun, Valentina, Merlita and Corazon used the momentary distraction to rush into a nearby walk in closet and hold the door shut. Although Valentina, Merlita and Corazon all came from different parts of the Philippines, the three had grown close while studying so far away from home. But after a few minutes of hiding, one of the American nurses knocked on the door and encouraged the three women to come out. They emerged to find Richard standing With Pamela Wilkening and Patricia Matusik, both 20 as well as 23 year old Nina Schmail. Richard had said he didn't want to hurt them, he just needed some money to get to New Orleans. And it seems like they believed him. The American nurses had all taken psychology classes and were treating Richard the same way they would treat an unruly patient in the emergency room. Placating him in the hopes of de escalating the situation and getting him to leave. Valentina, Merlita and Corazon had no choice but to follow their lead. With all of the nurses in his sight, Richard led them from room to room to collect their purses and their wallets. Then he herded them back into the large bedroom. He was interrupted when another nurse, 22 year old Gloria Davey, came inside. She'd been on a date with her fiance who just dropped her off. Richard heard her come in and surprised Gloria in the dark hallway. Then he pushed her into the room with the others. Richard now had seven hostages to keep track of. He drew his three inch switchblade and cut some bedsheets into long strips which he used to tie up their hands and ankles. As he did, he kept telling them, don't be afraid, I'm not going to kill you. He was lying. Once the nurses were tied up and lying on the beds, Richard untied Pamela Wilkening and led her out of the room to a separate bedroom down the hall. There he began to sexually assault her. But his attack was interrupted when two more nurses, Suzanne Ferris and Marianne Jordan, both 21, came up the stairs and caught him in the act. Suzanne and Marianne tried to rescue their friend, but Richard was bigger than them and he had a knife. Moments later, Richard stabbed Suzanne, Marianne and Pamela to death. Over the next three hours, Richard repeatedly returned to the big bedroom where all the other nurses were tied up. Each time he picked a nurse and led her into a different room of the house to kill her. Then he would come back to the big bedroom to select another victim. The captive nurses could only wait and pray they weren't next. They didn't know for sure that Richard was killing their friends in the next room and they didn't want to anger him by screaming. At some point, Corazon managed to roll herself off the bed and scoot across the floor. She hid under a bed at the back of the room. By 3:30am Richard had killed the other six nurses and the bedroom. At that point, he seemed to have forgotten about Corazon. While she lay under the bed holding her breath, Richard turned on the lights and wandered around, emptying out the girl's purses for loose change. Then he walked out of the room, down the stairs, and into the night, leaving the front door hanging open in the summer breeze. Corazon lay under the bed for another two hours, terrified that Richard might come back. Finally, as dawn broke, she managed to free her hands, open a window, and scream out into the street, oh, my God, they are all dead. Hearing her cries, neighbors ran over and discovered the horrific scene. Eight dead women strewn across multiple blood spattered rooms. When the police arrived minutes later, even experienced homicide detectives were shocked by the carnage inside the house. Corazon Amoro, the only survivor, was understandably traumatized. Even so, she was able to give police a detailed description of the man who'd attacked her and her friends. Tall blonde with a soft southern drawl. Right away, officers spread out into the surrounding neighborhood, searching for anybody matching that description. It didn't take long for them to get some leads. Patrons in cheap bars and motels all over the south side remembered the tall, blonde Texan who'd been hanging around all month, telling stories about working on a cargo ship on Lake Michigan. Hearing that their suspect was a sailor, detectives headed to the National Maritime Union hall with the killer's description. Union clerks went through their records and eventually found Richard Speck's name on a piece of discarded paperwork. The form included the phone number and address of Richard's brother in law who'd helped him get the job. Now police had Richard's name and a way to contact him. Working with union officials, they hatched a plan to lure him into a trap. The day after Richard murdered eight innocent young women, he spent the morning drinking in several nearby bars. He watched coverage of the brutal slayings on TV with other day drinkers. By the early afternoon, he was at the Shipyard Inn when a call came in for him. It was his brother in law. He told Richard that the union hall had just called about a job on a cargo ship called the Sinclair Great Lakes and told him to get down there immediately to ask about the position. But Richard knew the Sinclair Great Lakes had already shipped out a few days earlier. Sensing that the police were onto him, he went upstairs, packed his bags, and had the bartender call him a cab. While he waited for his taxi, Richard played pool by himself. He was still at the pool table when three plainclothes Chicago police officers came in looking for him. Due to a miscommunication, the cops didn't have Richard's name, just his description. They went up to the bartender and asked if he'd seen any tall, blonde Southern men recently. For whatever reason, the bartender said no. Meanwhile, the officers didn't notice that Richard was at the point pool table just a few feet away. Minutes later, his cab arrived, and he slipped out the back door. That afternoon, Richard traveled from the south side of Chicago to the north side. He seemed to think this would be enough to throw the police off his trail. He spent the rest of the day drinking at seedy bars in the area. Come evening, he hired a sex worker and took her to his room at a cheap motel in the neighborhood. But at one point, the woman realized Richard had a gun. She rushed downstairs and told the desk clerk. The clerk called the police, and two officers went up to Richard's room, where they found him passed out drunk. The cops confiscated his weapon, woke Richard up, and chatted with him for 15 minutes. He told them that his name was Richard Speck. But detectives on the south side hadn't shared his name with the entire police department yet. Which meant the officers in Richard's room had no idea he was a mass murderer. And so they left the motel, telling the front desk clerk that Richard was harmless. Of course, that wasn't the case. And although Richard had evaded justice again, the search for him was still on. By the following day, July 15, a sketch artist had produced a drawing of Richard Speck based on Corazon Amouraux's description. Before long, it was on the front page of every Chicago paper. As the investigation intensified, Richard changed locations, checking into an even cheaper and seedier hotel on Chicago's Skid Row under a fake name. For the next few days, he drank cheap wine at the hotel bar. From time to time, he tried to convince his fellow drinkers to hop a freight train out of town with him. But nobody wanted to. They all found Richard creepy and off putting. And eventually, they all found excuses to quit hanging out with him. Perhaps realizing that there was no escaping, Richard attempted to die by suicide on July 17, three days after the killings. But he decided not to go through with it. He called out for help, and someone summoned an ambulance for him. As Richard was stabilized at Cook County Hospital, one of the doctors on duty recognized the patient's face from the police sketch in the newspapers, as well as his tattoo that read Born to Raise Hell. The doctor rushed to notify police that America's most notorious mass murderer was living laid up in one of their hospital beds. Within minutes, Chicago police and the FBI converged on the hospital and shackled a semiconscious Richard Speck to his bed. His hell Raising days were over. 25 year old Richard Speck went on trial about a year later. In April of 1967. Corazon Amoro testified as a witness after hearing her harrowing story. It took the jury just 49 minutes to find Richard guilty. He was sentenced to 1200 years in prison, eight consecutive sentences of 150 years each. He served 24 years of it before dying of a heart attack in 1991, just shy of his 50th birthday. Richard Speck's senseless and brutal murders shocked the country. But one of the most surprising things about him was how ordinary he was. Richard wasn't a criminal mastermind or a lifelong killer. He was just an aimless alcoholic who seemingly committed an act of mass murder out of boredom. And because of that, eight innocent people lost their lives. Coming up, we have another tragic story involving friendship and murder.
- [25:43]
Ryan Reynolds
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- [26:05]
Vanessa Richardson
Of $45 for three month plan equivalent to 15 per month required. New customer offer for first three months only. Speed slow after 35 gigabytes of networks busy. Taxes and fees extra.
- [26:12]
Amazon
See mintmobile.com Mom, dad, you should shop Amazon for back to school and save some money. See, I'm currently obsessed with superheroes and need all the superheroes. Superhero lunchbox, superhero backpack. But next year it'll be something else. Maybe dinosaurs. I don't know. I'm not a fortune teller, but I can tell you not to spend a fortune and shop. Low prices for school on Amazon. Kay, good chat Amazon. Spend less, smile more.
- [26:43]
Karina Beemersderfer
Hi, I'm Karina Beemersderfer, host of Morning cup of Murder, your daily true crime podcast. Yes, you heard me right. Daily true crime. Every day, Morning cup of Murder tells you a straightforward short form story about murder, true crime, cold cases, disappearances, serial killers, cults and more. And I do that all in under 15 minutes. With over three years of stories and over 20 million downloads, the Morning cup of Murder podcast has become a staple of sports. So many people's daily routines. So why not add it to yours? Stream Morning cup of Murder everywhere you listen to podcasts. And remember, stay safe.
- [27:30]
Vanessa Richardson
33 years after Richard Speck broke into a dormitory in Chicago, another gathering of Friends ended in murder. But in this case it wasn't one killer taking on multiple victims. It was seven co conspirators in suburban Florida working together to murder one young man who also happened to be one of their closest friends. On the night of July 14, 1993, 20 year old Bobby Kent and seven of his friends drove out to a construction site on the outskirts of Fort Lauderdale at the the edge of the Florida Everglades. As far as Bobby knew, they were going to spend the evening doing drugs and drag racing their sports cars. But when they arrived, Bobby realized he might even get lucky. One of the girls, 17 year old Allie Willis, suggested that they sneak away to have sex. Bobby happily agreed. He followed Allie down a weedy embankment to the edge of a Trek trash filled canal. Back on the road, their six other friends began retrieving weapons. A baseball bat, two knives, a lead pipe. Once they were armed, another girl, 18 year old Heather Swallers, went down the embankment and spied Bobby and Allie sitting side by side looking at the canal. Are there any alligators in there? She called out to them. Bobby started to turn around and respond. He had no idea her question was actually a signal. Once he was looking up at the rest of the group, Bobby saw two boys rushing out of the darkness towards him, their knives drawn. One of them, 17 year old Donnie Semenak, he'd only met a couple of days before. The other 20 year old, Marty Puccio, had been Bobby's picture, his best friend since they were in the third grade. When Marty plunged his knife into his best friend's stomach, Bobby Kent screamed Marty, I'm sorry. He was trying to apologize for years of physical and emotional abuse he'd inflicted on Marty. But by then it was too late to make amends. Marty Puccio's parents had moved to Hollywood, Florida in the mid-1970s. His dad, Martin Senior worked in sales for a successful film production company in Miami and made good money enough to buy a nice house in an exclusive South Florida community called Hollywood Hills. In the early 1980s, Fred and Farrah Kent moved in down the street. The Kents were immigrants from Iran and they were eager to assimilate into their new home. Fred, a stockbroker, headed, even changed his last name from Kayam to Kent. And he and Farah taught their children, Bobby and Leila, about the importance of working hard to achieve the American dream. Marty and Bobby were both in third grade and the two boys became fast friends. Bobby was outgoing and popular and Marty was always his enthusiastic sidekick. Other parents in the Neighborhood called them the Siamese Twins. It was clear to everyone in the community that the boys were inseparable. But as they got older, puberty took the two friends in different directions. Bobby became bulkier and more muscular, while Marty stayed lean and thin. Bobby's personality also became more aggressive and overbearing, especially when it came to Marty. He called Marty queer for dressing up in a superhero cape and later physically attacked him when he saw Marty wearing a cape. Again, men. When Marty got into surfing and started to hang out with other people, Bobby went out of his way to humiliate him in front of his new friends. On one occasion, Bobby even punched Marty in the face in front of some surfers. When they tried to intervene, Marty just waved them off. He was used to this by now, as usual. Bobby later said he was sorry and was extra nice to Marty until something else rubbed him the wrong way and the cycle began all over. And it didn't get any better as they got older. By the time they were in high school in the late 1980s, Bobby was an avid weightlifter, sometimes spending two hours a day at the gym. He was handsome, muscular and popular with girls. Meanwhile, Marty was more of a loner who liked to surf and smoke weed. But he and Bobby still were close, even though the things they did together had changed a lot since childhood. Now Bobby would make Marty watch porn with him, some of it extremely violent and degrading. In return, Marty got Bobby into marijuana and the two would often get stoned before school in the morning. Eventually, Bobby convinced Marty to start lifting weights with him. Marty was reluctant at first, but soon he was spending two hours a day at the YMCA with Bobby. As a result, he didn't have much time left for surfing and gradually drifted away from that group of friends. Bobby also convinced Marty to start taking steroids with him to help them bulk up. The drugs made both boys more aggressive, and they took out their destructive energy on developmentally disabled students at school, pelting them with footballs and berating them until they cried. This behavior repeatedly got the boys into trouble at school. Their parents didn't know what to do. They had no idea about the steroids or Bobby's pattern of abuse. Marty's parents enrolled him in counseling, but it didn't do much to help. By the time he was in 11th grade in 1990, 17 year old Marty dropped out of school entirely. Meanwhile, Bobby's father threatened to move their family out of their neighborhood. He thought Marty was a bad influence, but Bobby turned on the charm, begging his father not to take him away from his best friend. Bobby promised that if they stayed, he would get his act together. Eventually, Bobby's father relented. He had no idea that his son was the one calling the shots. And he had no plans of getting on the straight and narrow. Later that year. In 1990, Bobby convinced Marty to help him make a porn movie. Bobby thought he and Marty could earn a lot of money by producing a gay porn film. So even though Bobby was very homophobic, he and Marty would go to gay clubs posing as a couple to try and recruit the men to act in the movie for them. Anytime Bobby started to suspect that Marty was enjoying himself at the clubs, he would fly into a violent rage. He became increasingly paranoid that his best friend might actually be gay. And eventually he decided that they both needed to get girlfriends. In late 1992, when Bobby and Marty were both both 19, they met 17 year old Allie Willis and her best friend, 18 year old Lisa Connelly. They flirted with the girls when they came into the supermarket where Bobby and Marty worked. And later that day the four of them met up at the beach. That night they all had sex in Bobby's Camaro. Bobby with Allie and Lisa with Marty. For Bobby and Ally, it was just a one night stand. But by the end of the night, Marty was Lisa's boyfriend. Lisa had always felt overshadowed by her more conventionally attractive friend Allie. Marty was the boy of her dreams and his attention made her feel special in a way that nobody else did. Almost immediately, she became completely devoted to him. Over the next few months, they spent every moment together. But it wasn't all good, good times. On several occasions, Marty hit Lisa or mocked her weight in front of his friends. But Lisa noticed that Marty was only like this when Bobby was around. And she'd seen Bobby be abusive to Marty too. One time, Bobby beat him for 30 minutes because Marty had left a loaf of bread unwrapped on the kitchen counter. Lisa figured that if she could get Bobby out of the picture, it would solve all of her and Marty's problems. A few Months later, in June 1993, Lisa tried to set Bobby back up with her friend Ali Willis. She hoped that Bobby would leave Marty alone if he had a steady girlfriend to keep him busy. But Ali broke up with Bobby after just a few weeks. She told Lisa horror stories about him. Bobby was violent, he insisted on watching gay porn while they had sex and he sexually assaulted her when she tried to turn down his advances. Lisa was devastated that her plan didn't work as long as Bobby was in Their life, her relationship with Marty would be in jeopardy. And now the stakes were even higher because Lisa learned she was pregnant with Marty's baby. She didn't want her child to anywhere near Bobby, but she knew he would never simply walk away from his friendship with Marty. That's when Lisa decided there was only one way to get rid of him for good. Bobby Kent had to die.
- [37:18]
WhatsApp
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- [37:50]
Vanessa Richardson
Bobby Kent and Marty Puccio had been best friends since the third grade. But as they grew into teenagers, their relationships relationship changed. After Bobby got into weightlifting and steroids, he became possessive, demanding and physically abusive towards Marty. Then in late 1992, when they were both 19, Marty began dating 18 year old Lisa Connelly. Lisa was madly in love with Marty, but she hated his best friend. She'd witnessed Bobby's abuse firsthand and she couldn't stand the way he treated Marty. When Lisa got pregnant in the summer of 1993, she decided the only way to protect herself, Marty and their baby from Bobby was to get rid of him. Marty was the first person Lisa spoke to about her plan. In a private moment on the beach, she asked him why he put up with Bobby's constant abuse. As at first Marty was hesitant to talk, but eventually he opened up. Marty didn't deny that Bobby's behavior was unacceptable, but he explained how charming and courteous Bobby was around adults. Marty was sure that if he tried to tell the truth about who Bobby really was, no one would believe him. Especially because Marty saw himself as a high school dropout with no career prospects. So despite his own feelings, Marty felt like he had no choice but to be Bobby's punching bag forever. In response, Lisa asked Marty, what if we killed him? Initially, Marty thought the idea was crazy. But the more he considered it, the less extreme it seemed. As he and Lisa walked down the beach, Marty ranted about all the horrible things both Bobby had done to him over the years. By the end of their walk, Marty was on board. Now they just had to figure out how to make it happen. Over the next few days, Marty and Lisa reached out to their friends, many of whom Bobby had either offended or abused. One of Those friends was 18 year old Allie Willis, who Bobby had sexually assaulted while they dated. Ali didn't take much convincing and soon she got her new boyfriend, 17 year old Donnie Semenak, to join another girl. 17 year old Heather Swallers also agreed. On the afternoon of July 13, 1993, the teens gathered at a local Pizza Hut and came up with a plan. They decided that night they'd invite Bobby out to a dessert deserted construction site at the edge of town to drag race their cars. Then when he least expected it, they'd shoot him with a 25 caliber pistol that Lisa had stolen from her mother. Afterwards, they'd leave his body in the Everglades where they figured it would be eaten by alligators. Marty called Bobby from the Pizza Hut and invited him to go out racing. Bobby loved the idea. But when the group arrived at Bobby's house to pick him up, Marty suddenly lost his nerve. To the rest of the group's surprise, he said he was tired and going home. Donnie and Heather followed his lead. The teenagers realized that if this plan was going to work, they needed help from a professional. The next day, Lisa spoke to a friend of a friend named Derek Kaufman. He claimed to be a gang member and hitman with ties to the mafia. In reality, Derek was an unemployed 20 year old high school dropout who lived with his parents. The closest thing he had to a gang was a group of 14 year old boys who sometimes helped him burglarize cars and houses. But when Lisa and Marty met Derek at his parents driveway on the morning of July 14, 1993, he seemed like a cold blooded assassin. After Lisa and Marty explained what they wanted to do, Derek agreed to come along and help, but only as an advisor. He told them that since Bobby was their friend, they'd have to deal the killing blow. He also said that since this wasn't a Mafia sanctioned hit, he wouldn't be able to provide them with a gun. Which meant they'd have to bring their their own weapons. Even though Derek wasn't bringing much to the table, Lisa agreed to his demands. She thought they needed all the help they could get. That evening, Marty, Lisa, Allie, Heather, Donnie and Derek piled into two cars. They also had a new accomplice with them. Lisa's 19 year old cousin, Derek Durko. Before long, they arrived at Bobby's house. They told him they were going out for another night of drag racing at the deserted construction site. Bobby was thrilled to come along. When he saw his friends were outside waiting for him. He said goodbye to his parents and walked out the front door for the last time. On the way to the construction site, Bobby rode in one car with Alex, Allie, Heather and Donnie, while Derek, Kaufman, Lisa, Marty and Derek Durko were in the other. As they drove, Kaufman coached Lisa and Marty on how to carry out the murder. Allie would lure Bobby away to have sex. Then Heather would follow them. Once she was certain that Bobby was distracted, she would loudly ask if there were any alligators in the canal. That would be the signal. Signal for everybody else to attack. They arrived at the site close to midnight, just like they'd planned. Allie led Bobby down the embankment to sit by the canal. Heather snuck after them while the rest of the group stood anxiously by the cars, readying their weapons. Then they heard Heather say, are there any alligators in there? For a moment, the teens just stood there, waiting for someone else to make the first move. Heather raised her voice and asked the question again. Finally, Donnie Semanak took off running down the embankment, lifted his knife and plunged it into Bobby's neck. The blade only went about an inch deep before Bobby screamed and stumbled away. Clasping a hand to his bleeding wound, Bobby called out for Marty to come and help him. He had no idea his friend was in on it. When Bobby turned around, he saw Marty charging towards him, also holding a knife. A moment later, Marty plunged the weapon into Bobby's stomach. Bobby cried out, marty, I'm sorry. Whatever it is, I'm sorry, Marty, I'm sorry. Marty didn't respond. Instead, he and Donnie continued to attack Bobby. Eventually, Bobby managed to shrug them off and stagger back up the road. He collapsed next to the cars, but Marty wasn't done with him just yet. He pounced on Bobby and stabbed him several more times until finally Derek Kaufman pushed Marty aside and swung his baseball bat down on Bobby's head. Assuming that Bobby was dead, Kaufman ordered Derek Durko to help him dispose of the body. As the two young men hoisted Bobby up to throw him into the canal, they were shocked to hear him moaning. Somehow, Bobby was still alive. So they shoved Bobby halfway into the canal, face down, and left him him to drown. Marty, Lisa and the others had done a bad job planning and carrying out the murder of Bobby Kent. They did an even worse job of covering it up. The next day, July 15, Bobby's dad Fred, went by Marty's house. He wanted to know if he'd seen Bobby. Marty told a convoluted story about Bobby getting mixed up with a gang member's girlfriend. Fred wasn't convinced and immediately went to the police. And Marty wasn't the only one who was struggling to keep his cool. Two days after the killing, Lisa's cousin Derek Durko went to a local arcade and told one of his friends all about what they'd done to Bobby. That same evening, Ali, Donnie and Heather told Ali's mother that they'd been involved in a murder. The following day, Lisa met up with one of her friends and told her the entire story. The local police were already investigating Bobby's disappearance, and it didn't take long for them to learn that several of Bobby's friends were claiming to have killed him. Soon, the entire group was rounded up and taken in for questioning. They all fell apart and confessed. On Sunday, July 18, Derek Durko led detectives to Bobby Kent's decomposing body, still half submerged in the canal. Less than a week after taking Bobby's life, all of his killers were under arrest. Bobby Kent was an abusive bully who inflicted pain and suffering on the people around him for years. But a lifetime of abuse didn't mean he deserved to die, and the courts agreed. All seven people who took part in Bobby's murder were found guilty in separate trials in 1994. Marty was sentenced to death for his role in the killing, but that was later reduced to life in prison. Donnie Semenek and Derek Kaufman were also given life sentences. Allie, Derek, Durko and Heather all served less than 10 years. Meanwhile, Lisa Connelly cut a deal with prosecutors to testify against her co conspirators. She was sentenced to 22 years in prison, but was released after serving only nine. As of 2013, she was working as an optician in Pennsylvania. She gave birth to her and Marty's baby while in pre trial custody today. The child is in their early 30s. Looking back on this week in crime history, we can see that no matter how safe we might feel, some situations are out of our control. There's no way to predict that a madman like Richard Speck is hiding around the corner. But like in the case of Bobby Kent, sometimes it's our own friends we should be wary of. Because the grim reality is our safety is never a guarantee. Thanks so much much for listening. I'm Vanessa Richardson and this is Crime House the Show. Crime House the show is a Crime House original. Powered by Pave Studios At Crime House, we want to express our gratitude to you, our community, for making this possible. Please support us by rating, reviewing and following Crime House the Show. Wherever you get your podcasts, your feedback truly matters. And for ad free and and early access to Crime House the Show plus exciting bonus content subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. We'll be back next Monday. Crime House the Show is hosted by me, Vanessa Richardson and is a Crime House original. Powered by Pave Studios, this episode was brought to life by the Crime House the Show team. Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Natalie Pertzovsky, Lori Marinelli, Sarah Camp, Truman Capps, Hania Saeed and Michael Langsner. Thank you for listening. Hi there, it's Vanessa Richardson. Crime House is your go to destination for the most gripping true crime shows on my show, Killer Minds. Join me and forensic psychologist Dr. Tristan Engels for two new episodes as we dive into the twisted story of the doctor Death serial killer Michael Swango. Craving more deep dives into the minds of the world's most dangerous killers? Follow Killer Minds on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen.