Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: Demonic Discovery: Witness Sees Rug Wrapped Corpse after Brutal Son-on-Father Slaughter | Crime Alert 6AM 01.01.2026
Date: January 1, 2026
Host: Nancy Grace with reporting from Jennifer Gould
Podcast: Crime Stories with Nancy Grace (iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline)

Overview

In this episode, Nancy Grace delivers shocking updates on three headline-making crime stories. The episode’s main focus is the grisly murder of John Lloyd Padigo by his own son, Brian Padigo, described as a crime of "pure depravity," followed by updates on a mother’s apocalyptic kidnapping of her children, and a bizarre, naked armed robbery in Florida. The show is characterized by Nancy Grace’s urgent, piercing delivery and her commitment to uncovering disturbing truths in the search for justice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Indiana Patricide: The Padigo Family Tragedy

(Main Story: 00:02 - 03:39)

• Summary of Events:

  • Brian Padigo, 54, is arrested after allegedly murdering his 81-year-old father, John Lloyd Padigo, brutally assaulting his mother, and stealing his father’s truck.
  • Crime discovered through a chilling 911 call and later, a neighbor’s observation: the sight of a body wrapped in a living room rug.
  • Details of the crime scene reveal extreme violence, ritualistic elements (pouring candle wax on the victim's face), and evidence of a chaotic struggle.
  • Brian, fresh out of jail, has a history of mental health crises and restraining orders from his own parents.
  • He reportedly confessed the killing to a friend with disturbingly cold detail.

• Key Investigation Details:

  • Victim was strangled and beaten, with wax poured over his face.
  • Second rug contained bloody clothing and an artificial tree.
  • 79-year-old wife, Olana Padigo, survived but sustained severe head trauma.
  • Brian tried, unsuccessfully, to dispose of the body in the fireplace ("he wouldn't fit").
  • Police apprehended Brian after a 90-mile pursuit in the stolen truck.

• Legal & Psychological Insights:

  • No clear motive given except Brian’s chilling statement: “something demonic was present in the house.”
  • Charges: murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery, auto theft.
  • Community and family warned for years of his instability.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “A human body rolled tightly inside a white gray patterned rug like a piece of garbage. Behind those locked doors, authorities say Brian Padigo, 54, had unleashed a, quote, demonic assault on his elderly parents.”
  — Jennifer Gould (00:37)

• “He tried to stuff his father’s body into the fireplace, but, quote, he wouldn’t fit, end quote.”
  — Jennifer Gould describing Brian’s phone confession (02:33)

• “When questioned, Padigo offered no motive other than a chilling claim that, quote, something demonic was present in the house, end quote.”
  — Jennifer Gould (03:22)

• “There have been warning signs knowing that this was likely hood of happening. To see these fears become reality is just unfathomable.”
  — Shelly Gendling, niece of the victim, to NBC News (01:53)

2. Utah ‘Apocalypse Mom’ Abduction

(Headline Update: 04:03 - 07:32)

• Summary of Events:

  • Alicia Seymour, 35, allegedly kidnapped her four children and disappeared on a one-way flight to Europe, driven by the belief that the world is ending.
  • Surveillance shows her with the children at Salt Lake City airport, boarding a flight to Amsterdam, final destination Croatia.
  • Seymour left behind a detailed notebook outlining how to evade authorities: destroy paperwork, photos, switch to untraceable phones.
  • Left a voicemail from France claiming to seek a permanent hideout for the “End Times.”
  • Forged documents suspected for international travel; now subject to FBI and Interpol manhunt.

• Insights from Family:

  • Ex-husband, Kendall Seymour, strives to recover the kids, raising funds privately.
  • Concerns highlighted over Alicia’s unstable mental history.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “She thinks Salt Lake is going to be destroyed and she is trying to get the kids to safety. My only hope is that she is motivated to protect them is concerning that she’s not in the right mind.”
  — Kendall Seymour, father, to KSL TV News (04:58)

• “Alicia left a haunting voicemail claiming she was in France hunting for a permanent residence to shield the kids from, quote, the End Times, end quote.”
  — Jennifer Gould (05:08)

3. Florida: Naked Meat Market Robbery

(Headline Update: 07:32 - 07:37)

• Summary of Events:

  • Kobe Watkins, 24, enters BJ’s Meat Market in Lake City, FL, naked except for a face mask and weapon, and robs over $1,000.
  • Dubbed the “Birthday Suit Bandit."
  • Quickly apprehended after discarding clothes nearby.
  • Facing charges of armed robbery and public exposure.

• Nancy Grace’s Signature Closing Quip:

  • “It’s a medium well mess that proves you should never bring your buns to a gunfight.” (07:23)

Timestamps & Key Segments

• 00:02 – 03:39 | Indiana Patricide: Padigo Rug Murder Case
• 03:39 – 03:46 | Brief transition, no content
• 04:03 – 07:32 | Utah ‘Apocalypse Mom’ Child Abduction
• 07:32 – 07:37 | Florida: Naked Robbery at Meat Market
• 07:37 – End | Show close & reminders for further resources (not covered—non-content)

Memorable Quotes (with Attribution)

• Jennifer Gould (00:37):
  "A human body rolled tightly inside a white gray patterned rug like a piece of garbage. Behind those locked doors, authorities say Brian Padigo, 54, had unleashed a, quote, demonic assault on his elderly parents."

• Shelly Gendling, niece of victim (01:53):
  "There have been warning signs knowing that this was likely hood of happening. To see these fears become reality is just unfathomable."

• Jennifer Gould relaying suspect’s confession (02:33):
  "He tried to stuff his father's body into the fireplace, but, quote, he wouldn't fit, end quote."

• Brian Padigo’s explanation (03:22):
  "Something demonic was present in the house."

• Kendall Seymour, father (04:58):
  "She thinks Salt Lake is going to be destroyed and she is trying to get the kids to safety. My only hope is that she is motivated to protect them is concerning that she's not in the right mind."

• Nancy Grace (07:23):
  "It’s a medium well mess that proves you should never bring your buns to a gunfight."

Tone & Style

Nancy Grace’s trademark directness and urgency pervade the episode, with reporter Jennifer Gould providing vivid, chilling narrative detail. The stories are covered with a focus on the brutality, emotional impact, and the larger systemic issues (mental health, family warning signs, and law enforcement response), all with a clear call for vigilance and justice.

Summary Takeaways

• The episode paints a harrowing portrait of familial violence, mental illness, and bizarre criminal acts.
• Victims’ voices, family struggles, and the investigators’ perspectives are all foregrounded.
• Listeners come away with a sense of outrage, urgency, and empathy for those affected—hallmark qualities of Nancy Grace’s crime journalism.