Crook County – Episode: "Do Not Turn On the Lights"

Podcast by Tenderfoot TV and iHeartPodcasts
Host: Kyle Tekiela
Release Date: September 4, 2025

Brief Overview

This episode of Crook County is presented by host Kyle Tekiela, who introduces listeners to the shocking double life of his father, Ken Tekiela: a devoted Chicago firefighter and family man, who for decades led a secret existence as a mafia hitman for the Chicago Outfit. The series explores the complexity, deception, and impact of Ken’s criminal life on his unsuspecting family. However, this particular episode is largely devoted to plugging a new podcast, "Wisecrack," so the content is more promotional than story-driven.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Podcast Cross-Promotion: Wisecrack (00:02–04:12)

• Kyle introduces "Wisecrack" – a unique mashup of true crime and stand-up comedy, hosted by comedian Ed Hedges.
• Premise of Wisecrack:
  • Comedian Ed Hedges returns to his rural hometown for a performance.
  • After his show, two people are brutally murdered, and the killer appears at Ed's house.
  • Ed deals with the trauma through comedy, incorporating the harrowing events into his act.
  • A TV crime producer sees Ed's performance and launches a years-long investigation into the tragedy.

2. Stand-Up and True Crime Intertwine

• Trailer includes stand-up snippets that blend dark comedy with the harrowing subject matter:
  • "My dad is a farmer and my mum is a cousin. So like it's not like not loads going on.”
    — Ed Hedges, Stand-Up Set (00:42)
• The audience, initially engrossed by humor, is quickly thrown into a tense, chilling narrative when Ed recounts terrifying events from July 22, 2015.

3. The Central Incident (01:23–03:00)

• Night of July 22, 2015:
  • Ed describes being woken by a loud noise at his door and seeing someone outside his window.
  • “She is terrified and she says, 'whatever you do, do not turn on the lights.'"
    — Ed Hedges, Recounting the Scene (01:47)
  • The murder of a woman and a man—details are graphic and unsettling:
    • "Found the lifeless body slumped on the sofa and covered in her own congealed body. Also repeatedly stabbed and caused a fatal head injury. 41 stab wounds..."
      — News/Voiceover (02:04)
  • The killer, a 23-year-old man, murders his own family and then seeks out Ed.

4. The Lasting Impact and Ongoing Mystery (03:00–03:37)

• The event sparks intense shock and disbelief, expressed both by Ed and his audience:
  • “I was shocked and so was the audience. This can't be true. But I had to find out.”
    — Ed Hedges (03:18)
• The investigation continues, leading Ed (and the podcast) through rural England as the story deepens—indicating more murders and unresolved mysteries.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Kyle Tekiela's introduction to Wisecrack:
  "If you like true crime or comedy podcasts, then I have a show for you. It's called Wisecrack and it's a first of its kind series that blends stand up comedy with investigative true crime. Pretty cool.”
  — Kyle Tekiela (00:09)

• Ed Hedges, on family and rural life:
  "My dad is a farmer and my mum is a cousin. So like it's not like not loads going on.”
  — Ed Hedges (00:42)

• The core chilling warning:
  "Whatever you do, do not turn on the lights."
  — Unknown woman, as recounted by Ed (01:47)

• Ed’s reaction:
  “I was shocked and so was the audience. This can't be true. But I had to find out.”
  — Ed Hedges (03:18)

Important Timestamps

• 00:02 — Kyle’s intro and explanation of Wisecrack
• 00:42 — Stand-up set excerpt from Ed Hedges
• 01:23 — July 22, 2015, Ed recounts the night of the incident
• 01:47 — The warning: “do not turn on the lights”
• 02:04–02:29 — Graphic details of the double murder
• 03:18 — Ed reflects on the audience’s shared shock
• 03:37–04:12 — Close of the Wisecrack trailer and reminder to listen

Overall Flow & Tone

The episode is more of a cross-promo for another show than a new installment in the ongoing saga of Ken Tekiela’s secret criminal life. Kyle’s tone is conversational and inviting, mixing a sense of excitement for innovative true crime storytelling with an acknowledgment of the disturbing real-life events being discussed. The trailer for Wisecrack uses dark, self-effacing humor to ease listeners into a truly harrowing real crime story, providing jarring contrast and increasing its emotional impact.

Episode Takeaway

While Crook County is a podcast about hidden secrets and family legacies within the Chicago Outfit, this episode pivots to recommend Wisecrack, a podcast that uniquely examines the intersection of comedy and horror through the lived experience of comedian Ed Hedges—and leaves listeners with the chilling command: “Do not turn on the lights.”

Listeners looking for the story of Ken Tekiela’s life will need to wait until future Crook County episodes resume the family’s true crime tale.