Arrest in UnitedHealthcare CEO murder. Drama at a Georgia sentencing. And Josh Mankiewicz on "Deadly Mirage."

Summary

**Dateline NBC Podcast Summary

Release Date: December 12, 2024**

---

1. Arrest in UnitedHealthcare CEO Murder

Overview: In a gripping development, Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old from Altoona, Pennsylvania, was arrested five days after the shocking murder of Brian Thompson, the 50-year-old CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Thompson was fatally shot outside a New York City hotel where he was slated to attend an investor conference. The attack was characterized by authorities as premeditated and planned.

Investigation Details: The NYPD launched an extensive manhunt, involving daily press conferences, meticulous review of surveillance footage, and the provision of a reward to solicit tips. Despite intensive efforts, no leads emerged until Mangione was spotted at a McDonald's in Altoona. His apprehension was made possible through a suspicious call received by the police at approximately 9:14 AM, leading to his swift charging.

Notable Quotes:

• Melody Farris, Deputy Chief of Altoona Police Department:
  “[04:16] ‘Yeah, interesting. You know, I got the call and the person on the other end of the phone said, get to Altoona. We immediately hit the road. It was just get in the car.’”

• Josh Mankiewicz:
  “[09:06] ‘Melody's defense attorney dropped 300 pounds of salt in front of the jury box. And it was clearly difficult for him. And he's saying to the jury, now, imagine that little lady. She picked that up.’”

Case Details: Mangione hailed from a privileged background, having graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with degrees in computer science. Reports indicate he suffered from chronic back pain, which impacted his personal relationships. A handwritten manifesto found at his residence criticized the health insurance industry, specifically naming UnitedHealthcare and referring to them as "parasites," suggesting a motive rooted in his grievances against the company.

Legal Proceedings: Currently, Mangione faces multiple charges, including second-degree murder and firearm possession in New York, alongside felony gun possession and obstruction charges in Pennsylvania. His recent decision to contest extradition to New York may delay proceedings, although authorities anticipate his eventual transfer to face murder charges.

---

2. Drama at Georgia Sentencing: Melody Farris Accuses Son

Case Background: Melody Farris was convicted last month of murdering her husband, Gary Farris, whom she killed after 38 years of marriage. The crime involved not only the shooting but also the disposal of Gary's body in a bonfire to conceal the evidence. The prosecution portrayed Melody as an unfaithful wife desperate to escape an unhappy marriage, while the defense highlighted numerous inconsistencies and unanswered questions surrounding the case.

Sentencing Session: At her sentencing, Melody Farris delivered a stunning statement, shifting blame onto her own son, Scott, claiming, “I know Scott killed his father” ([19:15] Josh Mankiewicz). This accusation has left her family in disarray, revealing deep-seated tensions within the household.

Notable Quotes:

• Melody Farris:
  “[12:24] ‘I have waited for years to make this statement to everyone. I want the world to know who did this.’
  “[19:15] ‘I know Scott killed his father.’
  “[19:21] ‘I refuse to cover for you.’”

• Josh Mankiewicz:
  “[19:46] ‘As bad as it sounds, I want... to watch him chained and shackled and brought to justice.’”

Trial Insights: The trial delved into the Farris family's dynamics, highlighting Melody's affairs and potential motives stemming from prolonged marital dissatisfaction. During the trial, three out of four children testified against Melody, while one daughter supported the defense, creating a fractured family narrative. Scott Farris was presented as Melody’s alleged accomplice, though evidence regarding the planning and execution of the crime remains sparse.

Emotional Impact: The courtroom drama was accentuated by Melody's hostile interactions with Scott during the extradition hearing ([08:00] Melody Farris: “I was really agitated. I was yelling out, ‘Louise, out of touch.’”), showcasing the deep emotional scars inflicted by the tragedy.

Family Reconciliation: Despite the turmoil, Melody’s adult children have expressed a desire to reconcile and rebuild familial bonds, seeking healing after the traumatic events ([19:58] Josh Mankiewicz).

---

3. Dateline Roundup

a. Murder of Cash App Co-Founder Bob Lee: The podcast covered the ongoing trial of Nima Momenti, accused of fatally stabbing Bob Lee in 2023. The jury deliberations are extended, with Momenti facing first-degree murder charges. Observers note significant tension and anticipation within the San Francisco courthouse as the jury carefully considers the evidence ([23:02] Celia).

b. Civil Suit Against Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jay-Z: A bombshell civil lawsuit alleges that both Sean Diddy Combs and Jay-Z assaulted a 13-year-old girl at an MTV Video Music Awards after-party in 2000. The plaintiff, identified only as Jane Doe, seeks justice for the alleged assaults. Both Combs and Carter (Jay-Z) have publicly denied the claims, with Carter's legal team demanding the plaintiff reveal her identity or face case dismissal ([24:15] Celia).

c. Lori Valo "Mommy Doomsday" Trials: Lori Valo, infamously known as Mommy Doomsday, faces new allegations after being sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2019 murders of her two children in Idaho. Now, she awaits trials in Arizona on separate charges, including conspiracy to kill her former husband and her niece's ex-husband. Valo has recently been granted the right to represent herself in court, adding another layer of complexity to her legal battles ([25:25] Celia).

---

4. Josh Mankiewicz on "Deadly Mirage"

Podcast Introduction: Josh Mankiewicz introduces his new original podcast series, "Deadly Mirage," which delves into the lives of young couples residing in Silver Lakes, a man-made community in the California desert. The podcast explores themes of love, betrayal, and murder within this isolated enclave.

Story Synopsis: Set in 2014, the narrative follows the residents, referred to as the "wolf pack," who indulge in late-night parties filled with drinking and risky behavior. The tranquility of their desert lives is shattered when a member of the group is murdered, prompting an intricate investigation into the intertwined relationships and hidden secrets of the community.

Notable Quotes:

• Stephanie Gosk:
  “[27:11] ‘This is about some young couples living out in the California desert in 2014... after the kids are in bed, some things happen that don't happen during the day.’”

• Andrea Canning:
  “[28:16] ‘What do I do now?’
  “[30:30] ‘I get out of this interview is gonna make a huge decision on if you ever touch and see your kids again, ever in your entire life.’”

Investigation Highlights: The podcast reveals that internal conflicts and hidden affairs, such as the affair involving Sabrina Lamone, the wife of the murdered man, play a critical role in unraveling the mystery. Wiretaps and police interviews suggest a complex web of deceit, leading investigators through a maze of motives and alibis.

Interactive Elements: Listeners are treated to dramatized police interviews and tense confrontations, providing an immersive experience that heightens the suspense surrounding the unresolved murder ([30:26] Stephanie Gosk).

Availability: "Deadly Mirage" is available to Dateline Premium subscribers free of advertisements, with early access to exclusive content. Non-subscribers can access episodes one through four for free, with episodes five and six slated for release the following week ([30:16] Andrea Canning).

---

Conclusion

This episode of Dateline NBC masterfully intertwines high-stakes true crime stories with in-depth investigative journalism. From the swift arrest in a high-profile CEO murder to the emotionally charged courtroom drama in Georgia, each narrative is presented with clarity and compelling insights. Additionally, the introduction of Josh Mankiewicz’s "Deadly Mirage" podcast offers listeners a fresh perspective on complex criminal investigations. For those seeking detailed and engaging storytelling, this episode delivers an exceptional true crime experience.

---

For more detailed coverage and updates, visit DatelineNBC.com. Subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content.

Transcript

[Commercial Voiceover]

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[Celia]

I'm seeing Celia there.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

She sprung from jury duty. She is.

[Andrea Canning]

You're listening in to Dateline's morning meeting in 30 Rockefeller Center.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

I think we got everybody. We'll go ahead and jump in.

[Andrea Canning]

Our editorial team is catching up on breaking crime news around the country. I can give the police a call and see what evidence they have.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

He didn't think there is yet a.

[Commercial Voiceover]

Connection between the killer and the victim.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

It has a lot of wild tape and I couldn't figure out who did it in the end or what actually happened.

[Andrea Canning]

I'm Andrea Canning. Welcome to DATELINE True Crime Weekly. It's December 12th and here's what's on our docket. Drama in a Georgia courtroom as the woman convicted of shooting her attorney husband and throwing his body on a bonfire read a statement at her sentencing and pointed the finger at her own son. Not only did I not do this, no, you did. I know Scott killed his father in DATELINE Roundup. What will the jury decide in the case of the man accused of stabbing Cash App co founder Bob Lee to death? And more on the bombshell civil suit accusing Sean Diddy Combs and legendary rap mogul Jay Z of raping a teenager. The suit claims the alleged assault happened after the Video Music Awards in 2000. Plus, Josh Mankiewicz tells us what he learned about the young couples at the heart of his new podcast series Deadly Mirage.

[Stephanie Gosk]

After the kids are in bed. Some things happen that don't happen during the day, let's just say.

[Andrea Canning]

But before all that, we turn to a story that started last week in midtown Manhattan, just blocks from our office at 30 Rock, and has gripped the nation ever since. In the early hours of last Wednesday morning, Brian Thompson, the 50 year old CEO of health insurance company UnitedHealthcare was gunned down outside of a New York City hotel where he was scheduled to attend an investor conference. The gunman fled the scene of what police said was a premeditated pre planned attack. A manhunt is underway right now for the gunman who shot and killed the top executive of America's largest private health insurance company. The NYPD began a search for the shooter, holding daily press conferences, reviewing hours of surveillance footage and tips, offering reward money. But five days into the manhunt, there was no sign an arrest was imminent. Until a phone call from a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania changed everything. Here's the deputy chief of the Altoona Police Department at a press conference this morning. At approximately 9:14am Altoona Police officers received a call of a suspicious male at a local restaurant. The man's name was Luigi Mangione. And within hours, the 26 year old was charged with Brian Thompson's murder. NBC News correspondent Stephanie Gosk has been reporting in Manhattan and Altoona on this investigation and she's to tell us what she's learned. And just a note before we start, this is still a developing story and things are changing very quickly. So we should say that we are taping this on Wednesday afternoon. Stephanie, thank you so much for coming on the podcast.

[Melody Farris]

You're welcome. Thanks for having me on, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

All right, so you, just before we started taping, called it a fire hose of information. So there has been so much coming out in this story.

[Melody Farris]

Yeah, interesting. You know, I got the call and the person on the other end of the phone said, get to Al Tuna. We immediately hit, hit the road. It was just get in the car.

[Andrea Canning]

Get in the car.

[Melody Farris]

Basically five hours.

[Andrea Canning]

Oh, wow.

[Melody Farris]

To this town, to this remarkable turning point in this story where Luigi Mangione, whose name we had not heard, who had not been identified up until that point, was seen in a McDonald's.

[Andrea Canning]

What have you learned about who this man is?

[Melody Farris]

Interesting background. He comes from a well to do family in Baltimore. He then went off to the Ivy League, to the University of Pennsylvania where he got a Bachel and a master's in computer science. And then NBC News has reached out to the owner of what's called a co living, I guess you would call it a hotel of sorts or apartment complex, who became friends with him and said that he interestingly had a lot of back trouble, that it was tough for him to maintain a relationship because of the pain he was undergoing. We have also confirmed a Reddit account of his and in some of these Reddit posts he talks A bit about his back pain and surgery. And all of this is a way to get into why he may or may not have issues with the health insurance industry. Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

So there was a so called manifesto. Where was that found and what did he apparently say in this?

[Melody Farris]

Well, according to three senior law enforcement officials, it was about 300 words or so. So it wasn't a ton. It was handwritten. It broadly criticizes the health insurance. Also specifically mentions United Health Care.

[Andrea Canning]

And he said something to the effect of these parasites. Had it coming.

[Melody Farris]

Yeah, strong words. He certainly seems to be alluding to the murder there.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah, seems like it. Were there any other targets?

[Melody Farris]

Nothing specific, but it is certainly a concern within the NYPD of copycats, potentially. There has been this kind of support for what he did and the NYPD against speaking out, saying this guy's not a hero. He murdered somebody, a father of two from Minnesota. You may have anger towards the health insurance industry, a lot of people do, but that does not warrant what he did that day in New York City.

[Andrea Canning]

So there's legal cases going on now in both Pennsylvania and New York. Can you break down the charges for us?

[Melody Farris]

Sure. In Pennsylvania, he was found with a weapon that would was very similar to the one seen in the video of the shooter. So he is facing felony gun possession charges. He's also facing a charge of flying to police about his identity. And then in New York, it's the second degree murder charge as well as a gun possession charge or a few others. He has not entered a plea yet. And you have this extradition process. And you may remember with the Idaho murder story, Andrea, that Brian Kohlberger was also arrested, interestingly, in Pennsylvania and he did not fight extradition and he was turned around and sent to Idaho pretty quickly. And in this case, you've got something of a surprise that his defense attorney, newly acquired, stood up in court yesterday and said that they were going to fight this extradition, which could slow it down for weeks. But law experts say it is something of an inevitability that he's going to end up in New York City.

[Andrea Canning]

So you were at the extradition hearing on Tuesday in Pennsylvania.

[Melody Farris]

It's really because we had been inside the courthouse trying to get a good seat early, and we started getting some messages about how he entered the courthouse. Now he was escorted by armed sheriff's deputies in his orange jumpsuit. Our cameras were there and caught him going in and he was really agitated. He was yelling out, Louise, out of touch.

[Andrea Canning]

The intelligence of the American people should.

[Melody Farris]

He said something about, you know the American people are being insulted. Their intelligence is being insulted. By the time he got into the courtroom when we were sitting there, he was calm, he was relaxed, even smiled a couple of times. There was also really an interesting moment during this hearing which was pretty brief, but at one point he tried to speak. Mangione tried to say something when he was not being addressed by the judge and his defense attorney whipped around and snapped, don't say a word. A little bit of tension between the defense attorney and his client.

[Andrea Canning]

From an investigative standpoint, what happens next?

[Melody Farris]

They're still sorting through hours and hours and hours, hundreds of hours of video. They are going through the forensics. We've just heard confirmation that they retrieved a print, except some prints they say that are the same at the crime scene, that are the same as Luigi Mangione's. You know, there are some outstanding questions that I have and primarily they have to do with the planning of this. Brian Thompson was at a hotel down the street, which is not the hotel where the conference was being held. I'm very curious as to how he might have known that information.

[Andrea Canning]

So chilling when you raise that question. Stephanie, thank you so much for coming on the podcast and breaking it down for us.

[Melody Farris]

Thanks, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

Up next, the latest in a Georgia trial that's been broadcast all over the country. Last month a 64 year old grandmother was convicted of murdering her husband. Then last week she made a statement at her sentencing that left her family reeling.

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[Andrea Canning]

For our next story, we're heading to a Georgia courtroom and a dramatic sentencing.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

I have waited for years to make this statement to everyone. I want the world to know who did this.

[Andrea Canning]

That's Melody Farris, who was convicted last month of murdering her husband of 38 years and burning his body to try to cover up her crime. At her month long trial, the prosecutor painted a picture of an unfaithful wife looking for a way out of an unhappy marriage.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

You're going to hear about the fairs. Unfortunately for this family is they have drama. They are not a person perfect family.

[Andrea Canning]

Melody's defense team argued there are too many unknowns for a guilty verdict.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

We do have a lot of unanswered questions.

[Andrea Canning]

Where was Gary shot?

[Melody Farris]

Where is the gun? No other how did Gary even die?

[Andrea Canning]

But the real drama came at her sentencing last week when Ferris turned on her own son and accused him of being his father's killer. DATELINE producer Carol Gable covered Melody's trial and is here to fill us in. Carol, thanks for coming on the podcast.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Thanks, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

Let's jump back in time a little bit. Who were Melody and Gary Farris?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Well, they were college sweethearts. And while Gary, you know, rose in prominence and became a very respected real estate attorney, Melody stayed home. They quickly started having children and then they were able to buy what you might call a gentleman farm in Alpharetta, Georgia, which is right outside of Atlant. They had a really nice sort of bespoke barn with a very nice apartment. You know, they had from the Outside had a really nice life.

[Andrea Canning]

There was trouble between Melody and Gary. Did people know that?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

The children were very well aware of what was going on, that, you know, Gary was living downstairs in, you know, what would be a very elaborate suite, and Melody was living upstairs. What we learned in the trial is that she had a couple of affairs. There was testimony that perhaps Gary did too, but Gary just didn't want to be divorced.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah, by the time Gary died, all the kids were pretty much out of the house, with the exception of their son living in the apartment, you know, above the barn. The police get involved in July of 2018, and Scott is the one who was living in the apartment above the barn. He's calling the police on Melody. What is going here?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Over 4th of July, Gary goes missing. And Gary apparently loves a big bonfire. And out in the country, it is certainly not unusual for people to have what they call a burn pile. And all the kids are looking for him. Melody is looking for him. And Scott is the one who calls the police because he says, I see a body on this burn pile.

[Andrea Canning]

What are the police find when they come to the farm?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Well, they find Gary Ferris. And upon closer examination by the coroner and the pathologist, we learned that he also suffered gunshot wounds. Then we learned that there were droplets of blood on his level of the house.

[Andrea Canning]

So it's looking like he was shot in the house. When do they start turning their attention to Melody?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

They always look at the spouse, but double in this case, because this is a remote area. So the whole issue of a stranger might have done it, it just seems a lot less likely. I think Melody is a suspect early on, but almost a year before she is finally charged.

[Andrea Canning]

What is the motive exactly? Is it that, you know, the prosecution is saying she was angry at her husband, or was she set to have a big payday from his death, or, you know, all of the above?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

I think it's all of the above. And I think what the whole family dynamic had been for years is just a slow simmer of unhappy.

[Andrea Canning]

The prosecution called to the stand a lot of witnesses. They called three of the four children. How. How are the children handling this in this case?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

It was very sad to watch because you could tell the turmoil they were in. Melody's two sons and one of her daughters testified for the prosecution. Then you had one daughter, the fourth child, and she testified for the defense. Amanda was, I think, one of their most key witnesses.

[Melody Farris]

I was calling out his name, trying to find him. I was getting desperate at this point.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

And I was standing right as the driveway dips.

[Andrea Canning]

And Scott calls me on your phone, on my phone, and he goes, amanda, Daddy's in this burn pile. I've been in Iraq. I know what burned bodies looked like. Amanda kind of points the finger at Scott, her brother.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Well, I think all of the kids could be a little annoyed with sort of all of the attention and the financial support he got from his dad.

[Andrea Canning]

You know, Melody is quite small.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Yes.

[Andrea Canning]

And Gary is large. And if she killed him, you know, there was that idea of, how does she get him to the burn pile, which is quite far away from the house.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Well, it is. So in closing arguments, the defense attorney dropped 300 pounds of salt in front of the jury box. And it was clearly difficult for him. And he's saying to the jury, now, imagine that little lady. She picked that up. I would say it was very visually impactful. Scott, why don't you look at the jury and answer this question? You know, the interesting part is, as the trial went on, Scott took the stand. Did you murder your father?

[Melody Farris]

I absolutely did not murder my father. Without a doubt, I loved him.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Do you have anything to do to help your mother dispose of and burn your father?

[Melody Farris]

Absolutely not.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

He just was not a suspect, as it turned out for police. And we know that Scott and Melody did not have a great relationship. If the dad dies, Melody could cut him off. So there didn't seem to be much of a motive for Scott to kill his dad.

[Andrea Canning]

The jury deliberated for three days and returned guilty on all counts for Melody Walker. She was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole. And she made quite a shocking statement.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Yeah, she blamed Scott.

[Andrea Canning]

Not only did I not do this.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

No, you did.

[Andrea Canning]

I know Scott killed his father.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

That had sort of been her. Her theme, but, you know, she didn't take the stand. And we only heard from her at the sentencing. Scott, I have spent an entire life of loving and protecting you, but this.

[Andrea Canning]

I refuse to cover for you.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

As bad as it sounds, I want.

[Andrea Canning]

To be there to watch him chained.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

And shackled and brought to justice.

[Andrea Canning]

I plead with you. Yeah, this is definitely a case of a family divided for sure.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Exactly. And we talked to all but one of the children during the trial. And one thing that did, as a mom, it made me feel good, is that the adult children have sort of made a pact that they would like to reconcile and to kind of rebuild their family moving forward.

[Andrea Canning]

That is very nice to hear, Carol. Thank you.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

You're welcome.

[Andrea Canning]

Thank you for being here.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Thank you.

[Andrea Canning]

Coming up, it's Dateline Roundup, a new celebrity was named in a bombshell civil suit filed against Shawn D. Combs last week, and updates on the upcoming trial of Lori Valo, AKA Mommy Doomsday. Plus, Josh Mankiewicz will be here to talk about Deadly Mirage, his new podcast about a group of young couples who like to party until one of them was murdered.

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[Andrea Canning]

Welcome back. Joining me for this week's roundup is Dateline producer Michelle Madigan. Hey Michelle.

[Celia]

Hello, Andrew.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, we're going to start today with Verdict Watch in a story we've been covering a lot on the podcast lately, the trial of Nima Momenti, the man accused of fatally stabbing Cash App co founder Bob lee back in 2023. Michelle, you just got back from San Francisco where the jury began deliberations last week and this is not a quick one. It's taking a while.

[Celia]

Yes, days have gone by. The jury is really taking their time and their deliberations. As a reminder, Momenti is charged with first degree murder but the jury could reject that and find him guilty of a lesser charge, like second degree murder or manslaughter, or they could find him not guilty of any charge.

[Andrea Canning]

What has the energy been like at the courthouse during deliberations? Because, you know, it's it gets hard for people. The long the jury is out, there.

[Celia]

Is a lot of tension on the second floor of that courthouse. At the end of the hallway where this trial has been taking place, you have a lot of media just waiting. The jury files in and files out and you're trying to read their expressions. And you really can't tell the defendant's mother was there pacing back and forth. I did hear she brought cake. For the media and people that are waiting, there's just an energy of anticipation.

[Andrea Canning]

Next up, we're off to New York for news in another big case. We've been following the mounting sexual assault allegations against music mogul Sean Diddy Combs. Earlier this week, NBC News's Chloe Melos broke the news that there are now allegations against another star. Tonight, explosive allegations against legendary rapper and mogul Jay Z.

[Celia]

One of the lawsuits involving Sean Combs was refiled on Sunday to include new accusations against one of his former close friends, rapper Jay Z, whose legal name is Sean Carter. The plaintiff here is Anonymous. She's identified only as Jane Doe. In the lawsuit, she accuses Combs and Carter of assaulting her in the year 2000 at an MTV Video Music Awards after party when she was just 13 years old.

[Andrea Canning]

What have we heard from Sean Carter since this accusation has come out? I know he's been somewhat vocal, at least in writing.

[Celia]

Absolutely. Both Combs and Carter have denied these accusations. Carter's lawyer, Alex Spiro, has submitted a court filing asking the judge overseeing the case to require that the plaintiff either reveal her identity or dismiss the charges.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay. We'll be sure to follow up on that story. We are finally headed to Arizona for a news and another case that may be familiar to DATELINE fans. Lori Valo Dabel. She was the subject of a few DATELINE episodes, plus Keith's podcast, Mommy Doomsday. What is going on with that?

[Celia]

So, yes, last year, Day Bell was sentenced to life in prison in Idaho for the 2019 murders of her two children. But she's currently in prison now in Arizona awaiting two separate trials for newer allegations that she allegedly conspired to kill her former husband, Charles Ballo. That's the man she was married to when she met Chad Da Ba. Prosecutors also say she conspired to kill her niece's ex Husband Brandon Boudreau. Last week, she had two big hearings. In the first, a judge said that Lori was competent to go to trial. In the second, a different judge granted her request to represent herself in court.

[Andrea Canning]

The team from East Idaho News was in the courtroom. Let's take a listen. Can you just tell me a little bit why you want to represent yourself? Yes, your honor, for the past five years that I've been incarcerated, I have taken upon myself to study case law.

[Melody Farris]

And criminal rules of procedure in the.

[Andrea Canning]

State of Idaho and Arizona, as well as federally. Lori will first face a jury on the charges relating to Charles Valo's death. Do we know when that trial is happening?

[Celia]

Well, jury selection is scheduled to begin March 31, and then the trial would go into April.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, Michelle Madigan, thank you for bringing us all these updates. We appreciate.

[Celia]

Thank you, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

For our final story this week, we've got a very special guest, Josh Mankiewicz. He's here to tell us about his brand new original podcast series called Deadly Mirage. Hey, Josh.

[Stephanie Gosk]

How you doing, Andrea?

[Andrea Canning]

All right, so this is a story that has it all. Love, intrigue, betrayal. Without giving away too much for our listeners, tell us a little bit about the podcast.

[Stephanie Gosk]

This is about some young couples living out in the California desert in 2014. This is a completely manmade community. This is an area that would not sustain life were it not for the intervention of modern technology and bringing water in from other places. So they live in this lush green place that's known as Silver Lakes, and they are young couples with young kids. And. And after the kids are in bed, some things happen that don't happen during the day. Let's just say they called themselves the wolf pack, maybe because whenever they got.

[Commercial Voiceover]

Together, they howled, they would get drunk.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

They would party, they would take off.

[Andrea Canning]

Their clothes, and then anything goes.

[Stephanie Gosk]

That's Michael Fleeman, a true crime writer.

[Andrea Canning]

It starts as a Playboy Channel fantasy, but this is real life, and there are real complications. And then we learn in the podcast someone in the wolf pack ended up dead.

[Stephanie Gosk]

There was a murder. And the question was how all of that tied in together.

[Andrea Canning]

Was it hard to get these people to open up to you or to do interviews given sort of this maybe the sensitive nature of this group, you.

[Stephanie Gosk]

Would think that it was. And I'm not saying it was easy. It was not. But a couple of members of that group came forward to law enforcement and said, we have suspicions about someone in our group. We know some things, and we think that you ought to know them, too. And they did that completely because they knew the dead man, and they were very interested in figuring out what had happened. And then they also talked with DATELINE.

[Andrea Canning]

About that turning on their own.

[Stephanie Gosk]

Well, I mean, I think what they were finally doing was sort of standing up for what they thought was. Was right.

[Andrea Canning]

So this tip that comes in, Josh, it helps investigators start to narrow in on a suspect.

[Stephanie Gosk]

The tip was that the wife of the murdered man had been having an affair. And, you know, she had told police there were no problems in her marriage. And because of the tip, they knew who the. Who the affair was with. Detectives were able to get a warrant to go up on the phones belonging to the wife and this guy that they had heard she was having an affair with.

[Andrea Canning]

I love you, too.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

I love you, too, John.

[Stephanie Gosk]

Now, the interesting thing about those wiretaps is that they reveal no question there's an affair going on and that it predated the murder. There is no point in which she. Her name's Sabrina, Sabrina Lamone. There's nothing in those wiretaps where she acknowledges knowing about it beforehand, and there's nothing to suggest that she participated in it. And, you know, something that will allow them to make an arrest or prove some sort of conspiracy between the two.

[Andrea Canning]

So this really becomes a game of cat and mouse and a lot of twists and turns in this story.

[Stephanie Gosk]

Absolutely.

[Andrea Canning]

Let's take a listen to Sabrina, the wife, in the police interview room, which is. Which is from an upcoming episode.

[Melody Farris]

What do I do now?

[Stephanie Gosk]

What do you do now?

[Melody Farris]

You tell me everything you know.

[Stephanie Gosk]

Cause I'll be honest with you, what.

[Andrea Canning]

I get out of this interview is gonna make a huge decision on if you ever touch and see your kids again, ever in your entire life. Yeah, no, I feel like I've been just completely, like, out of my mind. Oh, he's playing hardball there.

[Stephanie Gosk]

And how it ends is, to me kind of shocking.

[Andrea Canning]

Well, Josh, a wolf pack, the desert, a murder. A shocking ending can't miss. I am very much looking forward to listening to this podcast. Dateline Premium podcast subscribers can now binge the whole series ad free. Everyone else can listen to episodes one through four now for free, and episodes five and six will be available for free next week. Josh, thank you so much for joining me. This is a good one.

[Stephanie Gosk]

Thanks, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

That's it for this episode of Dateline True Crime Weekly. Next week, NBC's senior consumer investigation investigative correspondent Vicky Wynn will be here with some tips on how to keep your home safe if you go away over the holidays. And if you want to find more about the cases covered on the show, head to our website, dateline truecrimeweekly.com Coming up this Friday on Dateline, he was a fugitive with multiple identities and more than a dozen accusers. Would he finally face justice? Did you sexually assault anyone? Did you defraud anyone? No, no, no and no. He's a danger.

[Michelle Madigan]

He's a menace.

[Andrea Canning]

He thrives on hurting people. Watch my story, the man of Many Faces airing this Friday on NBC at 9, 8 Central. To get ad free listening for all our podcasts, subscribe to DATELINE Premium. Thanks for listening. DATELINE True Crime Weekly is produced by Frannie Kelly and Katie Ferguson. Our associate producers are Carson Cummins and Caroline Casey. Our senior producer is Liz Brown. Coral production and fact checking help by Sara Kadir. Veronica Mazeca is our digital producer. Rick Kwan is our sound designer. Original Music by Jesse McGinty. Bryson Barnes is head of audio production. Paul Ryan is executive producer and Liz Cole is senior executive producer of dateline.

[Michelle Madigan]

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