Bones of Contention

Summary

Fear Thy Neighbor: Episode Summary – "Bones of Contention"

Introduction

In the gripping episode titled "Bones of Contention" from the podcast Fear Thy Neighbor, host ID delves into a harrowing true story of neighborly discord that escalates into tragedy. Set in the tranquil suburb of Deltona, Florida, the episode explores how seemingly minor disagreements can spiral into life-threatening conflicts, unraveling the lives of those involved and impacting the entire community.

Setting the Scene

Deltona, Florida, described by former police detective Joseph Riley at [03:58], is portrayed as a "family-friendly suburb nestled in the peaceful Florida scrub." It serves as the backdrop for the unfolding drama between two contrasting neighbors: Angela Stolt and James Schaefer.

Meet the Neighbors

Angela Stolt ([04:11] – [05:00]) is a young mother who has finally found stability in Deltona after years of instability. She resides with her husband, Steven, and their two teenage children. Brent Curtis, a journalist covering the story, describes Angela as having endured "rocky relationships" before finding contentment in her current marriage ([05:00] – [05:19]).

Across the street moves James Schaefer and his family from Fayetteville, North Carolina. Unlike Angela, James is characterized as outgoing and confident. His teenage son, Tyler Schaefer, vividly describes his father at [06:18]:

"He was more of like wild, crazy, outgoing, loudest guy in the room, party animal, like type guy, bro."

Building the Friendship

Despite their differences, Angela and James bond over their nocturnal habits. Angela, an introvert, finds companionship in James, whose job as a nighttime limousine driver ([08:18]) aligns with her late-night lifestyle. Their friendship, captured through shared drinks and conversations ([10:52] – [11:19]), initially appears mutually beneficial:

"James has found a way to relax after work and Angela has a new friend to confide in." – Brent Curtis ([11:41])

The Descent into Conflict

James's financial struggles exacerbate the situation. His inability to manage money leads to mounting debts and tensions at home ([12:02] – [14:13]). Desperate for help, James repeatedly turns to Angela for assistance with co-signing his Social Security account. Despite initial reluctance, Angela agrees out of her own financial desperation:

"Seeing no other option, Angela takes her neighbor up on his offer." – Narrator ([21:25])

However, James's poor financial management results in repeated overdrafts on Angela's account, straining her credit and leading to fierce confrontations ([22:07] – [22:57]). The cycle of dependency and betrayal tightens as James continuously exploits Angela's generosity, further destabilizing her mental health and household ([24:38] – [28:47]).

Turning Point: The Murder

The tension reaches a breaking point when James, facing eviction and desperate once more, seeks another favor from Angela. During their final encounter ([30:03] – [35:55]), Angela lures James under the guise of securing a loan but instead subjects him to a violent attack. Utilizing an ice pick and rope, Angela assaults James, leading to his gruesome death ([35:27] – [43:40]).

Aftermath and Investigation

Following the murder, James disappears, prompting a missing persons report from Candy Medina, James's partner ([37:17] – [40:05]). Investigators soon turn their attention to Angela, especially after her confession during a nervous breakdown and subsequent institutionalization ([40:38] – [44:35]). Brent Curtis highlights Angela's detailed confession, revealing the horrifying extent of her actions:

"She would slowly kind of give piece by piece of how she killed James." – Joseph Riley ([41:00])

During the trial, Angela's defense claims the act was a misguided prank fueled by self-defense, but evidence and testimonies, including those from Angela's sister, overwhelmingly support the prosecution's case:

"We strongly believe that Angela gave him this drink to lower his defenses so she could attack him." – John Brady ([45:49])

Conclusion

On December 5, 2014, Angela Stolt is convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment ([46:02]). The episode concludes by reflecting on the profound loss experienced by James's family and the devastating impact of Angela's actions:

"He was a wonderful person. He loved his baseball when he was young. He used to love his sports." – Candy Medina ([46:56])

Takeaways

"Bones of Contention" serves as a stark reminder of how unresolved conflicts and personal struggles can transform ordinary lives into nightmares. The episode underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing signs of distress and manipulation within communities to prevent such tragic outcomes.

Notable Quotes

• Brent Curtis ([05:00] – [05:19]):

  "She had found a place where she could exist without anxiety and fear. Angela's marriage to Steve was actually a happy one."

• Tyler Schaefer ([06:18]):

  "He was more of like wild, crazy, outgoing, loudest guy in the room, party animal, like type guy, bro."

• Brent Curtis ([17:01]):

  "Her concerns were not unmerited. As a co-signer, she takes on risk with no reward."

• Tyler Schaefer ([42:01]):

  "I was so fed up with his lies and his bullshit."

Reflection

This episode poignantly illustrates the fragility of trust and the devastating consequences that can arise when personal vices and financial desperation go unchecked. "Bones of Contention" not only tells a compelling true crime story but also invites listeners to ponder the deeper societal and psychological factors that contribute to such tragic events.

---

Support and Further Listening

For those intrigued by "Bones of Contention," Fear Thy Neighbor offers a plethora of similar true crime stories that explore the dark undercurrents of seemingly peaceful communities. Additionally, listeners are encouraged to explore past episodes of Deadliest Decade, which delves into notorious murders from the 1980s and 1990s.

---

Note: This summary excludes advertisement segments and non-content related sections to focus solely on the narrative and key elements of the episode.

Transcript

[Narrator]

Got a new puppy or kitten? Congrats. But also yikes. Between crates, beds, toys, treats and those first few vet visits, you've probably already dropped a small fortune. Which is where Lemonade Pet Insurance comes in. It helps you cover vet costs so that you can focus on what's best for you and your new pet. The coverage is customizable, sign up is quick and easy, and your claims are handled in as little as three seconds. Lemonade offers a package specifically for puppies and kittens. Get a'llemonade.com pet your future self will thank you. Your pet won't. They don't know what insurance is Support for this podcast and the following message is brought to you by E Trade from Morgan Stanley. With E Trade, you can dive into the market with easy to use tools, $0 commissions and a wide range of investments. And now there's even more to love. Get access to industry leading research and insights from Morgan Stanley to help guide your decisions. Open an account and get up to $1,000 or more with a qualifying deposit. Get started [e-mail] terms and other fees apply. Investing involves risks. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Member SIPIC etrade is a business of Morgan Stanley work management platforms.

Ugh. Endless onboarding IT bottlenecks admin requests but what if things were different? Monday.com is different. No lengthy onboarding, beautiful reports in minutes, custom workflows you can build on your own. Easy to use prompt free A huh? Turns out you can love a work management platform. Monday.com, the first work platform you'll love to use.

Most violent crimes that capture the public's imagination are about serial killers, mass shooters, crimes of passion, or clashes among underworld figures. Yet some of the most shocking and deadly conflicts we encounter are between everyday neighbors in ordinary neighborhoods. These stories about people like you and me who just happen to move in beside each other and fall out over often minor and likely resolvable issues are stranger than fiction. Their seemingly minor quibbles escalate until violence erupts and it impacts an entire community. What makes a good neighbor go bad? We may never truly know, but heed this warning about the terrible things that can happen when even the pettiest disagreements pass the point of no return and good neighbors become worst enemies. Because how can you sleep at night when the person you fear or hate the most lives right next door? We're in the Sun Belt with a young mother who's had a tough go of things for much of her life. Recently, she finally seems to have found contentment with her Latest husband in a nice community. When a new neighbor and his family move in across the street, she bonds with him over the discovery that they're both devoted nighthawks. She out of habit and he because of his nocturnal job. But when he starts having money troubles and leans on her for help, things first turn bad to ugly before culminating in horrific events that almost defy description. I should warn you now, this case is disturbing. Listener discretion is advised. This is fear thy neighbor. Bones of contention. Far from busy Orlando, the sunny town of Deltona is a family friendly suburb nestled in the peaceful Florida scrub. Joseph Riley is a former police detective from the region.

[Joseph Riley]

Deltona, Florida is a relatively large community built back in the 70s and 80s mainly as a bedroom type of community for the growing Orlando area.

[Narrator]

It is here that Angela Stolt and her two teenage children settled in fairly recently after many years of instability. In fact, this is one of the first places she's managed to put roots down in for any extended period. Investigator John Brady explains.

[John Brady]

Angela, she was a military brat and she did. She grew up different military bases throughout the world.

[Narrator]

Life has never been easy for Angela. But the good news is she's finally found love with her new husband, Steven. He supports her and her teenage kids with his job in the city, allowing her to be a stay at home mom and even help out her elderly father who resides nearby. I'm off to work, babe. Mom, mom, can we stay to friends tonight?

Oh, sure. You know I can't use the fray.

[Tyler Schaefer]

Thank you.

[Brent Curtis]

She was in some very rocky relationships before she ended up in Florida. When she arrived in Florida, I think she was happy, Angela. She had found a place where she could exist without anxiety and fear. Angela's marriage to Steve was actually a happy one.

[Narrator]

That's the voice of Brent Curtis, a journalist who covered this unbelievably shocking story, which begins when Angela notices new renters move into the house directly across the street. Angela is an introvert by nature, preferring her own company whenever possible. But for some reason, she feels compelled to introduce herself to the man who will soon become a close friend, James Schaefer.

[Brent Curtis]

Angela met James Schaefer as him and his family were unpacking their belongings.

[Narrator]

Well, hi, I'm Angela. Oh, James. Great to meet you. James and his family have just arrived in Deltona from Fayetteville, North Carolina. It's instantly apparent that he and Angela have vastly contrasting personalities.

[Brent Curtis]

James is the opposite of Angela. Outgoing, extrovert, confident.

[Narrator]

James, teenage son Tyler agrees wholeheartedly with that assessment.

[Tyler Schaefer]

He was more of like wild Crazy outgoing, loudest guy in the room, Party animal, like type guy, bro. My dad, he was just a good guy, man. Yeah. A lot of friends.

[Narrator]

Wow.

Well, welcome to the neighborhood. Love it. You should meet the rest of the family. Candy, Tyler, come on over. James, common law partner of several years, Candy Medina, joins Tyler in greeting their new neighbor. Candy recalls her first impression of Angela and her new home of Deltona.

[Candy Medina]

We've all talked, like, very briefly outside.

[Narrator]

What brings you to Deltona? Well, I can only listen to so much gunfire before I get tired of it. What Candy means is we just needed.

[Candy Medina]

Something new, you know, I lived in Fayetteville for 10 years. It's pretty much a military town. But I was definitely ready for a change. You know, we just wanted to be somewhere else. And Florida was definitely that. The brightness and everything just cheered us all up, you know what I mean? It was something new and fresh, and we loved it.

[Narrator]

According to those closest to him, James Schaefer has always worked diligently to be a good provider for his family.

[Candy Medina]

He always made sure our rent's paid and we had food all the time.

[Narrator]

But it's never exactly been easy. On the contrary, it turns out James has acquired a rather colorful record over the years, making it difficult to secure employment.

[Tyler Schaefer]

He couldn't get a regular full time job, so he just did what he could do on the side to get that money without being on the books.

[Narrator]

But luckily for Tyler and Candy, James has secured a new job, one that has great perks.

[Tyler Schaefer]

This man delivering pizzas and convinced these people to hire him under the table, and that was it. He was straight from there. So, yeah, he used to bring home pizzas.

[Narrator]

As John Brady tells us, life gets even better in the Shafer home when James scores another job, this time as a nighttime limousine driver.

[John Brady]

And that was a pretty steady job that he had. That was his primary source of income.

[Tyler Schaefer]

He liked doing the limos. It was cool.

[Candy Medina]

He was just like a people person. That's where he. I felt like he shined the best.

[Narrator]

James new occupation means a steady paycheck for his dependents. But it comes with a catch, a big one. James has long struggled with addiction issues, and ferrying customers around to bars and clubs proves a perfect temptation for James to indulge in his vices.

[Tyler Schaefer]

When he was the limo driver, that's when he did his party.

[John Brady]

He had very unusual hours catering to his customers. A lot of times we get back real late at night or in the early morning hours.

[Candy Medina]

He was very much in the Orlando nightlife scene. VIPs. People who are willing to, you know, party and have a good time.

[Narrator]

Needless to say, his nocturnal activities clash with his home life where no excesses will be tolerated.

[Candy Medina]

That was where his lifestyle was really at work. Because when he was at home, I suppose I'm going to be a father.

[Brent Curtis]

A husband, there was definitely extra stress put upon James. His wife was a stay at home mom.

[Narrator]

James often finds himself arriving home in the early morning hours, wide awake, terribly restless and trying hard to stay on his best behavior. His night shift is beginning to take a toll not just on James, but also on his family.

[Brent Curtis]

It was go to sleep, wake up and go to work. You're at odds with everybody else in your life.

[Narrator]

The exhausted husband and father needs an outlet. And almost miraculously, he finds one. Looking across the street in the middle of the night, he sees the living room light on at Angela's house. When he looks in, he can see her sitting on the couch, wide awake as the rest of the street sleeps.

[Brent Curtis]

There aren't a lot of people awake at 3 in the morning. So when James got home one night, he decided to wander next door and spend time with his neighbor.

[Tyler Schaefer]

Hey. Hi.

[Narrator]

Sorry to bother you. I was just wondering if you wanted to hang. Come on in. Are you normally up this late? As it happens, she is almost every night.

[Brent Curtis]

Angela is a night owl. She sleeps all day and she's up all night.

[Narrator]

As long as the TV's low, the.

Kids and hubby, they sleep right through it.

You must drink a lot of coffee. Do you want some coffee?

I'm sorry, I don't make anything stronger.

That's James. Cue to pull a small bottle from his jacket pocket and offer to share it with his neighbor. The pair toast and drink and talk until the sun comes up. It's a pleasant experience for both of them. Some company during the solitude of night. According to former detective Joseph Riley, the neighbors late night shots quickly become a regular occurrence.

[Joseph Riley]

Angela and James having a drink at her house was not something out of the ordinary. Angela had somebody in James that she was comfortable talking with and interacting with.

[Narrator]

And the new arrangement seems to be a win win. James has found a way to relax after work and Angela has a new friend to confide in.

[Brent Curtis]

Companionship was something that was lacking in Angela's life. Her being reclusive, she had withdrawn from everybody except for her family.

[Tyler Schaefer]

She just seen a friend in him.

[Narrator]

While the relationship is strictly platonic, James insists on keeping his visits to her home a secret from his family. Reporter Brent Curtis speculates it's Hard to.

[Brent Curtis]

Say why James withheld from his family his interactions with Angela. It could have been that he was drinking significant amounts of alcohol.

[Candy Medina]

Maybe he felt ashamed of it.

[Narrator]

You know, whatever benefits James friendship with Angela may bring, it doesn't stop trouble from heading his way. Between the late nights and partying on the job, the house of cards James has built is starting to shake. And soon his nocturnal adventures leave him facing a formidable credit card bill.

[Candy Medina]

Sometimes being in the nightlife maybe got the better of him. He spent more money than he should have. You know, $200 on liquor?

[Narrator]

Are you kidding me? Come on, it's not that bad.

I mean, we still even have money for groceries.

James. What about the rent? The financial woes only compound James already tumultuous home life.

[Candy Medina]

We had several arguments because of finances.

[Narrator]

What about water, Gas? My disability checks won't cover everything, Jim.

[Candy Medina]

I received SSI because I have several sicknesses. He was more of the provider. Yeah.

[Narrator]

It's up to James to dig himself out of the financial hole he's put his family in. And almost succeeds when he successfully applies for monthly Social Security payments. But before he can seal the deal, years of reckless spending catch up with him and he's undone by his poor credit history.

[Brent Curtis]

His credit was bad enough that he couldn't open the type of bank account that he needed to have those funds deposited in.

[Narrator]

For James to get an account up and running, someone needs to co sign as a guarantor. Unfortunately, his partner Candy's health issues leave her unavailable as an option.

[Candy Medina]

They wouldn't allow somebody who is on disability to be someone else's payee.

[Narrator]

The debt wall is closing in on James Schaefer as investigator John Brady and James family note. It's a situation he's found himself in all too often.

[John Brady]

He was not very responsible with finances.

[Tyler Schaefer]

He was really just bad with money. Man, I really just think like, I just don't think he had a good budget.

[Candy Medina]

Food costs a lot of money, you know what I mean? Raising kids costs a lot of money.

[Narrator]

With nowhere else to turn and in serious need of help, James makes a desperate move and turns to his recent late night companion and confidant, Angela Stolt.

Instacart is on a mission to have you not leave the couch this basketball season. Because between the pre game rituals and the post game interviews, it can be difficult to find time for everything else. So let Instacart take care of your game day snacks or weekly restocks and get delivery in as fast as 30 minutes. Because we hear it's bad luck. To be hungry on game day. So download the Instacart app today and enjoy. $0 delivery fees on your first 3 orders. Service fees apply for 3 orders in 14 days.

Excludes restaurants Work Management platforms Ugh. Endless onboarding. It bottlenecks admin requests but what if things were different?

We found love in an open space.

Monday.com is different. No lengthy onboarding, beautiful reports in minutes, custom workflows you can build on your own, easy to use prompt, free AI. Huh. Turns out you can love a work management platform. Monday.com the first work platform you'll love to use.

[Morgan Stanley Representative]

Support for this podcast and the following message is brought to you by E Trade from Morgan Stanley With E Trade you can dive into the market with easy to use tools, $0 commissions and and a wide range of investments. And now there's even more to love. Get access to industry leading research and insights from Morgan Stanley to help guide your decisions. Open an account and get up to $1,000 or more with a qualifying deposit. Get started [e-mail] terms and other fees apply. Investing involves risks. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Member SIPIC E Trade is a business of Morgan.

[Narrator]

Stanley if you're an experienced pet owner, you already know that having a pet is 25% belly rubs, 25% yelling drop it. And 50% groaning at the bill from every vet visit. Which is why Lemonade Pet insurance is tailor made for your pet and can save you up to 90% on vet bills. It can help cover checkups, emergencies, diagnostics, basically all the stuff that makes your bank account nervous. Claims are filed super easily through the Lemonade app and half get settled instantly. Get a'@lemonade.com pet and they'll help cover the vet bill for whatever your pet swallowed after you yelled drop it.

James implores Angela to co sign his Social Security account as a guarantor so that he can receive his badly needed checks.

[John Brady]

That was just his personality that if he saw that he could gain advantage that he would do so.

[Narrator]

Angela's reaction is exactly what you'd expect. She's shocked at James Gall to propose such a risky arrangement.

[Brent Curtis]

Her concerns were not unmerited. As a co signer, she takes on risk with no reward. Any overdraft on that account would be a penalty on her credit and financial burden.

[Narrator]

Angela is furious that James would try to take advantage of her in this way, especially after they'd grown so close. The whole proposition sours Angela on what she previously valued as a nice, neighborly friendship. She responds as anyone who's just been taken advantage of would she slams the door in his face and tells him in no uncertain terms their friendship is over.

[Tyler Schaefer]

Get out.

[Narrator]

If only she could have left it at that, the unimaginable horrors to come might have been avoided. James Schaefer may be down again, but the charming hustler is never out. And it doesn't take long for him to woo Angela back into his corner. And the first step is an apology. I went too far. I'm sorry.

[Candy Medina]

He was smooth. You know what I mean? He definitely had the gift of gab.

[Narrator]

I know what I did was wrong, but if you give me another chance, it will never happen again. Okay, we're cool. Yet no sooner have the neighbors mended their feud when tragedy strikes. Angela's husband. Here's journalist Brent Curtis.

[Brent Curtis]

Steve had a medical incident. He had a stroke.

[Narrator]

Thankfully, Steve recovers, but lasting damage has been done.

[Brent Curtis]

He was not the same person anymore. He would lash out at her for a wide variety of things.

[Narrator]

And then one day, the man she thought was her true love simply vanishes as if into thin air.

[Brent Curtis]

Angela woke up and Steve was gone. He moved out and was never heard from again.

[Narrator]

It's a devastating turn of events. Angela has long struggled with PTSD as a result of the suffering she endured in her previous bad relationships. Now the sudden end of her latest marriage and the complete disappearance of her husband sends her into her darkest spiral yet.

[Brent Curtis]

Angela had a number of psychological problems before Steve left. His departure exacerbated those tenfold.

[Candy Medina]

She was just very to herself and weird and everything.

[Brent Curtis]

She fell apart.

[Narrator]

A single mother once again, Angela finds herself barely able to function. Worse, she relied on Steve, not only emotionally, but monetarily. With him out of the picture, she's now practically destitute.

[Brent Curtis]

She became inert, unable to perform the self care that was needed to keep her home clean, to keep herself clean, to keep her kids fed and in order.

[Joseph Riley]

Angela was struggling financially at that time.

[Narrator]

And it's not just Angela that's paying the price. Her children are suffering too, as she struggles to provide necessities like food. Food on the table.

[Tyler Schaefer]

They were eating boiled potatoes in the can, like just that. That's it for dinner. You know what I mean?

[Narrator]

Painfully aware of his neighbor's dire circumstances and still in serious trouble himself, James approaches Angela with a revised opportunity. One that could help both of them keep their heads above water. Well, if you need help. I still need help with my bank account. How do you mean? James once again asks Angela to co sign a bank account for him so he can collect Social Security. Only this time with an added benefit. I cut you a payment every time.

[Brent Curtis]

In exchange for being a guarantor on his account, he would give her $100 out of every month's Social Security deposit, which doesn't seem like significant money to most of us, but for Angela, that was a big deal. Angela is a stay at home mom. Her PTSD makes it impossible for her to work. She needed the money. She was in dire straits of her own.

[Narrator]

Seeing no other option, Angela takes her neighbor up on his offer. James has every intention of honoring his financial obligation to her. But his history with managing money remains problematic, to say the least. With his account finally open for business, he starts spending and spending.

[Tyler Schaefer]

When he got money, he took us into the mall, got us all a pair of Georgians. We was enjoying ourselves and he was providing for it, you know.

[Narrator]

At first, James partner Candy and his son Tyler are thrilled with the newfound riches. All the while they are completely unaware that James can only keep the good times rolling by accepting, exploiting his arrangement with Angela.

[Brent Curtis]

It outraged Angela. She is on the hook for any overdrafts on the account. There's late fees.

[John Brady]

It was Angela's bank account. You know, the bank wasn't looking to, you know, put extra charges on anybody else. There were a number of stressors in her life and I think this was probably close to the top.

[Narrator]

The ink is hardly dry on her cosign before the overdraft calls start coming in from the bank. Angela sees red as she confronts her neighbor, accusing him of driving her to ruin. And in fact, he is. The overdraft fees continue to roll in as Angela's credit score plummets.

[Candy Medina]

It was pretty bad. I don't know what in the world she was thinking, but clearly she must have been upset.

[John Brady]

That was just his personality, that he just manages money poorly.

[Narrator]

James readily owns up to his mistakes and promises to pay Angela back every century, including interest, within a few days. Without any resources of her own, the single mother is forced to take her neighbor at his word.

[Candy Medina]

Angela didn't have a lot of money. It seemed like they didn't celebrate any holidays or birthdays or anything.

[Narrator]

James keeps his promise. He pays Angela back quickly and her faith in him is restored. But trouble has a way of finding James and soon he hits his latest snag as he heads out to go to work one night, finds his truck, won't start leaving him without transport to his limo driving job. So once again, he turns to his late night companion.

[Brent Curtis]

He was willing to do whatever it took to get what he needed for his family. And if that meant putting Angela at a disadvantage, so be it.

[Narrator]

Angela dutifully comes to James rescue yet again as a one favor. Yet after his truck is repaired, James decides it's better to leave it for his family to drive. And facilitating this means keeping Angela on the hook as his personal chauffeur to and from work.

[Joseph Riley]

Every day, James would get dropped off and picked up there at the house, and the family would use his truck.

[Narrator]

It's typical, James contends just about everyone who knows him.

[John Brady]

I think James was the type of person that would take advantage or kind of glom onto somebody if they showed, you know, some kind of kindness to him.

[Narrator]

Through it all, money woes continue to dog James relentlessly, Most of them of his own making.

[Brent Curtis]

James was definitely taking advantage of Evangela's kindness. She had a hard time saying no. For Angela, it was like having a job herself.

[Tyler Schaefer]

I think that he maybe just seen her as somebody who was dumb enough that he could manipulate.

[Narrator]

Among his debtors are loan sharks, the kind you don't want to default on. James, I want my freaking money.

[Tyler Schaefer]

He was always borrowing money from somebody. Sometimes you get a loan, and then you go down that wormhole to where you got to keep getting loans.

[Narrator]

James has robbed Peter to pay Paul for some so long now that seemingly every loan shark in the greater Deltona area has started making house calls. James open up.

[Tyler Schaefer]

He just kept getting them loans, and then he just, like, got buried in it.

[Narrator]

Up against it yet again, and more desperate than ever, James wriggles out of trouble by playing the only card he has. Angela's bank account. But soon, a bill is coming that will be paid in blood and unthinkable horror. When Angela co signed as a guarantor so her neighbor James could receive his paychecks, she thought she was doing the nice, neighborly thing. But this is far riskier than lending a cup of sugar. And when Angela finally checks her account, she's horrified to see the balance. James, what's the meaning of this? Okay, okay, relax.

Are you kidding?

You withdrew thousands of dollars. Okay, I paid you back before, and I'll do it again. End of story. The relationship between neighbors has become a vicious and seemingly endless cycle. James can barely pay his debts off before the account he signed in Angela's name is drained again. All the while, Angela is entirely powerless to do anything except wait for James to make good on his debts to.

[Brent Curtis]

The one certainty he had was that Angela would bail him out. She'd get upset, and then she'd relent. It became a pattern and she fell into it.

[Narrator]

Angela is hopelessly ensnared in her neighbor's reckless ways. There appears no way out of the exploitative arrangement she foolishly agreed to. And it gets worse. One day, Angela comes home to find James has broken in and is rifling through her purse.

[Brent Curtis]

He is taking excessive liberties.

[Narrator]

At this point, the endless drama and betrayal batters Angela's already delicate mental health.

[Brent Curtis]

How could the overdrafts not add to her mental problems? All of us feel the stress of finances.

[Narrator]

The mental load of the situation takes a devastating toll on Angela. Her house is transformed into a disheveled, disgusting mess, verging on being unfit for human habitation.

[John Brady]

Disarray. Everywhere you looked, it literally looked like dishes hadn't been done in years.

[Candy Medina]

I do not know what possessed her to think that it's okay to live like that.

[Narrator]

If that isn't concerning enough, she seems to be falling apart on even the most basic level.

[Tyler Schaefer]

I've met people that, you know, be in depression and they don't care for their hygiene. She looked like a witch or some. A dust bunny from under your couch or something, like just some horrid creature. I remember she was writing devil's symbols on their windows and stuff. You know, pentagrams on their window and stuff like that. I don't know.

[John Brady]

Satanic markings on the. Both on the walls and whatever she had covering the windows.

[Narrator]

Through it all, Angela's children suffer horribly.

[Tyler Schaefer]

Their kids were getting bullied hardcore. Man, kids ain't nice down here. Her son called him Stinky in school. It was bad for him. I even stuck up for her some when he was getting bullied and stuff.

[Narrator]

To cope with her fledgling finances, shattered trust, and battered mental health, Angela turns to drugs to treat her worsening depression. But only whatever prescriptions she can pilfer from her ailing father's home.

[Brent Curtis]

At some point after the troubles with James began, she began taking some of her father's medication, specifically Flexural, which is a muscle relaxer. She spiraled very quickly to a point where she became unraveled.

[Narrator]

Things aren't going much better for James and his family. He keeps falling further down a financial hole until he's finally threatened with eviction from his home. For his partner, Candy, the situation is almost unbearable. How can they just kick us out? Maybe we missed a few rent payments.

[Candy Medina]

Man, I was just stressed, stressed, stressed out. It was just very, very, very hard.

[Narrator]

Trying to stay strong with James, inability to get his finances under control, destroying everyone's lives. He Arrives at Angela's door begging for one more favor. Investigator John Brady sets the scene.

[John Brady]

James had gone to Angela and asked for the loan from her father. Apparently, her father had some money. This loan would help keep him afloat for a little while longer.

[Narrator]

Initially, James gets the reception he must have known was coming.

I have nothing to say to you.

Please, I'm desperate. First you ruined my credit, now you want four grand?

What the hell?

Then to James's shock, surprise, and immense gratitude, she seems to suddenly soften. His Hail Mary appears to work as Angela miraculously agrees to secure the loan.

Fine.

We'll swing by my dad's after I.

Pick you up from work.

Oh, and you're peach. Thank you. The next day, April 3, 2013, business seems to be as usual. As she always does, Angela drives James to his limo driving job, and as usual, she picks him up when his shift ends. He's eager to swing by Angela's father's house and get the loan in his hands. But as Brent Curtis notes, Angela tells him they have to wait a while.

[Brent Curtis]

James wanted to go right away to get the money, but her father was asleep. They would go to her house first and then travel later.

[Narrator]

Once the pair arrive at Angela's, she offers him alcohol. While it's rare, she's the one to supply it. James is just glad to be earning her trust back and doesn't ask questions.

[John Brady]

I think Angela knew that James liked to drink. So if he was offered a free drink, he would never turn it down.

[Narrator]

What James doesn't know is that the loan he's receiving from Angela's father isn't monetary. She's spiked James booze with a strong dose of her father's prescribed Flexor.

[Brent Curtis]

All a muscle relaxer will make you drowsy, less coordinated. When you mix it with alcohol, it enhances the effect.

[Narrator]

Before long, James is dizzy and disoriented. And that's when Angela hustles him into her car. Time to go for a drive.

[Brent Curtis]

Angela drives him where he thinks they're going, to her father's house. But she ends up taking him to a remote cemetery.

[Narrator]

James is still mostly out of it, but not so much that he can't comprehend something is very wrong. This doesn't look like your dad's place. Because it's not. I'm gonna give you a taste of your own medicine.

[Brent Curtis]

She concocted this idea that she would tell him that her father was going to give him the loan, only to tell him at the last minute. No.

[Narrator]

If you're an experienced pet owner, you already know that having a pet is 25% belly rubs, 25% yelling drop it. And 50% groaning at the bill from every vet visit. Which is why Lemonade Pet Insurance is tailor made for your pet and can save you up to 90% on vet bills. It can help cover checkups, emergencies, diagnostics, basically all the stuff that makes your bank account nervous. Claims are filed super easily through the Lemonade app and half get settled instantly. Get a'@lemonade.com pet and they'll help cover the vet bill for whatever your pet swallowed after you yelled drop it.

Work Management Platforms ugh. Endless onboarding IT bottlenecks, admin requests but what if things were different? Monday.com is different. No lengthy onboarding, beautiful reports in minutes, custom workflows you can build on your own easy to use prompt free AI huh? Turns out you can love a work management platform. Monday.com the first work platform you'll love to use.

[Morgan Stanley Representative]

Support for this podcast and the following message is brought to you by E Trade from Morgan Stanley. With E Trade you can dive into the market with easy to use tools, $0 commissions and a wide range of investments. And now there's even more to love. Get access to industry leading research and insights from Morgan Stanley to help guide your decisions. Open an account and get up to $1,000 or more with a qualifying deposit. Get started [e-mail] terms and other fees apply. Investing involves risks. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Member SIPIC E Trade is a business of Morgan Stanley.

[Narrator]

This podcast is brought to you by Aura. By the time you hear about a data breach, your information has already been exposed for months. On average, companies take 277 days to report a breach. That's nine months where hackers have access to your personal data. That's why we're thrilled to partner with Aura. Aura is an all in one digital safety solution that monitors the dark web for your phone number, email and Social Security number, sending real time alerts if your info is found. It also includes a vpn, password manager and data broker removal. To help keep you safe for a limited time. Aura is offering a 14 day free trial plus a dark web scan to check if your personal information has been leaked. All for [e-mail] safety. That's Aura.com safety to sign up and protect your loved ones. That's a u r a.com safety terms apply. Check the site for details.

[John Brady]

She was just fed up with him. She was. She was angry with all of his lies. She was just sick of Jimmy's lies And that this was it.

[Narrator]

Angela thinks she's had the last laugh. But her neighbor is enraged and not nearly as incapacitated as she assumed he was.

[Brent Curtis]

She said that he swore at her, threatened to kill her, attacked her, said that he was going to kill her family as well. She claimed that James was choking her. She flailed about, seeking some way to defend herself.

[Narrator]

In a last ditch attempt to protect herself, Angela remembers something she stashed away in her car a few weeks ago. With the arrival of spring, she reached.

[Brent Curtis]

Into the backseat and grabbed an ice pick.

[John Brady]

And she raised that ice pick and struck him in the right eye.

[Narrator]

The violence doesn't stop there.

[Brent Curtis]

She managed to get her hands on a rope and wrapped it around James neck.

[John Brady]

As James was struggling with his ice pick in his eye, Angela was somehow able to choke him.

[Brent Curtis]

She choked him and came out on top.

[Narrator]

The vicious struggle has come to an end. But Angela isn't certain her neighbor is truly gone.

[Brent Curtis]

After choking James with the rope, Angela said that she wasn't sure if he was dead. So she took the ice pick out of his right eye and jabbed it into his left.

[John Brady]

When he did move that, she knew that he was dead.

[Narrator]

And it doesn't end there. If you're imagining the remainder of this story as a straight line from a victim found at the scene to the perpetrator being apprehended, sadly, you're mistaken.

[Joseph Riley]

This was a case for the ages.

[Narrator]

The stranger than fiction last chapter begins as dawn breaks and Candy Medina becomes aware that something is wrong.

[Candy Medina]

When I woke up early that morning, I'm like, he's not here. He was supposed to be here last night.

[Narrator]

Whatever else James may be, he's a man who always makes it home to his own bed. His absence now puts Candy on the phone to the police.

[Candy Medina]

I went to go report him missing.

[Narrator]

Law enforcement responds and canvasses the area. Investigators John Brady, Joseph Riley, and others eventually arrive on Angela Stolt's doorstep. But they find the victim's neighbor to be rather tight lipped throughout their questioning.

[John Brady]

And when we pressed her a little bit harder for answers, she just, she didn't want to talk to us anymore.

[Narrator]

Angela draws immediate suspicion as her close connection to her neighbor is quickly unearthed. And police soon suspect that Angela may have been the last person to see him alive.

[John Brady]

Cell phone records had somehow tied them together. We recognized that Angela was the last person to see James alive.

[Narrator]

Detectives returned to her house and questioned her again.

[John Brady]

And then we said, angela, can you please just let us look through your house? So she granted us consent I can tell you that's the worst house I've ever been in. A literal house of horrors. It just smelled like animal waste and garbage.

[Joseph Riley]

The windows were covered. Lights didn't work.

[John Brady]

Her house was almost like a hoarder house. Filthy. There was fast food wrappers strewn about. It was just a mess, a complete mess.

[Narrator]

The stench inside is almost overwhelming. But to investigators, it seems par for the course considering the deplorable state of the residence. The investigators try hard to look for clues, but struggle to find anything. With all the mountains of the of filth and garbage.

[John Brady]

If it was a pristine house, we might have seen something. This house was the farthest from pristine that I've ever seen. But we didn't find Jimmy. We didn't find anything that led us to believe that any significant crime had occurred in that house. We believe it was in large part due to the fact that the house was in complete disarray.

[Narrator]

With no body and no concrete evidence presenting itself, the case against Angela goes close, cold and to further muddle the investigation. After James has been missing for some time, his son Tyler starts receiving texts from his phone.

[Brent Curtis]

Tyler had received multiple messages from his father claiming that he was hiding from creditors who were threatening him.

[Candy Medina]

I really effed up this time. Won't be coming home, you know, need to go on a run. Please don't call cops.

[Narrator]

Candy doesn't buy it. She's seen her partner through the worst of his debt, and he's never missed a night in their shared bed. She knows the person texting Tyler can't possibly be James. But sadly, she has more immediate concerns. She and Tyler are getting evicted for non payment of rent in a matter of days. It's insult to injury.

[Candy Medina]

I felt like I was losing everything. I'm freaking out because I don't know where he's at. I'm freaking out because I have to put a roof over my kids heads.

[Narrator]

All appears lost and hopeless until 16 days after James was declared missing, Angela Stoltz suffers a nervous breakdown and is institutionalized under the Baker Act.

[John Brady]

In the state of Florida, a Baker act is a involuntary commitment for mental health issues.

[Narrator]

And while incarcerated, Angela tells one hell of a story.

[Brent Curtis]

After she was committed, she confessed to killing James.

[Narrator]

The confession comes in part after a tip off from Angela's sister.

[John Brady]

Angela had disclosed to her sister that she had killed James and that she wanted to kill herself.

[Joseph Riley]

I think what she did was finally weighing on her and I think she needed to get it out.

[Tyler Schaefer]

At first they didn't want to tell me what happened. So it was hard, man.

[Narrator]

Angela is charged with second degree murder. She recounts for police the events that saw James die by her hands in her car.

[Joseph Riley]

You know, she would slowly kind of give piece by piece of how she killed James.

[Narrator]

As it happens, she's just getting started. In recorded interviews with detectives, some clips of which we have, Angela spells out in gory detail what she did with her neighbor after the killing. A warning here. The audio quality is poor. Yet hearing the perpetrator in her own words gives insight into her state of mind.

[Tyler Schaefer]

I was so fed up with his.

[Narrator]

Lies and his bullshit. As Angela tells it, after James dies in the passenger seat, she drives home and unloads his body into her garage. Close to garage is tell the kids to stay the hell out of the garage. Next, she lays his corpse beside a kiddie pool and sets about getting rid of the evidence.

[Brent Curtis]

With a hacksaw, she began to dismember James Schaefer's body.

[John Brady]

She knew that she needed to, in her words, make James smaller.

[Tyler Schaefer]

What did you do with the hacksaw?

[Narrator]

I turned up.

[Tyler Schaefer]

What did you do with the body parts? I put him in the other pool.

[Joseph Riley]

Angela put him in the kiddie pool. Obviously, to contain any evidence from the dismemberment. Into a single place, she poured some.

[John Brady]

Kind of salt in an effort to make his body smaller.

[Narrator]

It gets even more gruesome from here. In a further desperate attempt to erase all traces of her victim, Angela cooks the his head and his limbs.

[Brent Curtis]

Angela decided to try to reduce the remains for Tyler.

[Narrator]

It's still incredibly hard to hear about the horrific and barbaric treatment his father's body endured.

[Tyler Schaefer]

That's the hardest part to think about. The way she tried to dispose of the body. I mean, it's just like sick, man. What did you do with the head? Did you try to boil it down? Did you try to.

[Narrator]

Yes, sir.

[Brent Curtis]

She put his head into a pot on her stove and his arms and legs into the oven.

[Narrator]

In a shocking twist, Angela admits that James was simmering in her kitchen when the police first came to her door.

[Joseph Riley]

Unbeknownst to us, you know, there's body parts of James Schaefer in the oven.

[Narrator]

The killer then scatters the remaining pieces of James all over Deltona.

[John Brady]

She also thought that if she. She bagged up these body parts, they would only discover part of a body here, part of a body here, and not be able to put two and two together.

[Narrator]

Finally, Angela reveals that she sent texts to James family from his phone in an effort to throw investigators off the.

[Joseph Riley]

Trail Angela took James phone and at times would go to where she hid the phone. This is still a missing persons case and if we can get some sort of confirmation that James is alive. You know, maybe we backed down a little bit in our, in our searches, but obviously that was not the case.

[Narrator]

At trial, Angela contends she only meant to drug and trick her neighbor as a prank. As she tells it, she only grabbed the ice pick out of self defense.

[John Brady]

One of Angela's kind of rationalizations or justifications was that this was just in April, first fool's day gone bad.

[Narrator]

But the prosecution tells a different story. They argue that Angela planned to murder James and keep his Social Security payment, the ones that were going straight into her account, all for herself. What's more, her purchase history reveals that in the days leading up to the slaying, she made a series of suspect purchases, including the ice pick she stuck in both James's eyes that she claims just happened to be in the car that night.

[John Brady]

In my opinion, I believe that Angela Stolt planned and carried out the murder of James Schaefer 100%.

[Narrator]

The final nail in the coffin comes when Angela's sister, whom she originally spilled her story to, takes the stand and corroborates the DA's arguments. She confirms that her sister had spiked James drink with Flexoril that night explicitly to make him easier to overpower.

[John Brady]

We strongly believe that Angela gave him this drink to lower his defenses so she could attack him.

[Narrator]

On December 5, 2014, Angela Stolt is found guilty of first degree murder and sent away for life.

[Joseph Riley]

This has by far been the most gruesome case that I've been a part of.

[Brent Curtis]

The impact for James family to so unexpectedly lose a, a husband and a father must have been devastating.

[Tyler Schaefer]

It's the worst possible way you could lose somebody. It's like, it's just terrible. She cooked his head on the fucking, the damn motherfucking stove, bro. It was like she, she chopped him up. She did that shit.

[Candy Medina]

I mean, I'm glad that she's in jail. I'm glad that you know, it's for life and no possibility of parole because that's what she deserves. Because clearly she planned it.

[Tyler Schaefer]

She took him from us, hid her hope. She stays in jail forever at least, man.

[Narrator]

To this day, Candy and Tyler endeavor to keep James memory alive while grappling with the fact that he was taken from them far too soon.

[Candy Medina]

He was a wonderful person. He loved his baseball when he was young. He used to love his sports.

[Tyler Schaefer]

He was a great guy. He tried to do everything for his family and now he can never do nothing again.

[Narrator]

Fear Thy Neighbor is produced by Cream Productions in association with Fremantle Media for id. Subscribe and take a moment to leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts and watch Fear Thy Neighbor on ID and Max.

[Candy Medina]

Foreign.

[Narrator]

Support for this podcast and the following message is brought to you by E Trade for Morgan Stanley. With E Trade you can dive into the market with easy to use tools, $0 commissions and a wide range of investments. And now there's even more to love. Get access to industry leading research and insights from Morgan Stanley to help guide your decisions. Open an account and get up to $1,000 or more with a qualifying deposit. Get started [e-mail] terms and other fees apply. Investing involves risks. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Member SIPIC E Trade is a business of Morgan Stanley. This podcast is brought to you by Aura. By the time you hear about a data breach, your information has already been exposed for months. On average, companies take 277 days to report a breach. That's nine months where hackers have access to your personal data. That's why we're thrilled to partner with Aura. Aura is an all in one digital safety solution that monitors the dark web for your phone number, email and Social Security number, sending real time alerts if your info is found. It also includes a vpn, password manager and data broker removal to help keep you safe for a limited time. Aura is offering a 14 day free trial plus a dark web scan to check if your personal information has been leaked. All for [e-mail] safety. That's Aura.com safety to sign up and protect your loved ones. That's a u r a.com safety terms apply. Check the site for details.

Acast powers the world's best podcasts.

[Tyler Schaefer]

Here's a show that we recommend.

[Morgan Stanley Representative]

Hey folks, it's Marc Maron from WTF. It's been more than 15 years now.

[Narrator]

And I'm still talking to all kinds.

[John Brady]

Of people in my garage every week.

[Morgan Stanley Representative]

Sometimes it's Bill Burr, sometimes it's Ariana Grande.

[Narrator]

She just looks at me because she's always going like dad, it's not that big a deal.

[Brent Curtis]

Yeah.

[John Brady]

I go, sorry, I lost my temper. I go, I still love you.

[Narrator]

You know, Daddy has issues.

Are you afraid of it?

Of death? Well, I don't.

[Brent Curtis]

I think about it all the time.

[Narrator]

How are we here already?

[Morgan Stanley Representative]

Listen to WTF with Marc Maron twice a week on your favorite podcast app. Or get more WTF with a WTF plus subscription.

[Narrator]

Just go to wtfpod.com and click on.

[Brent Curtis]

WTF Plus Acast helps creators launch, grow, and monetize their podcasts everywhere.

[John Brady]

Acast.com.

[Narrator]

Listen to this Acast show ad.

[Morgan Stanley Representative]

Free on Amazon Music with your prime membership, or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.