Listen Now: Don’t Cross Kat

Summary

Hollywood & Crime: Listen Now – Don’t Cross Kat

Release Date: March 31, 2025
Series: Hollywood & Crime
Host/Producer: Wondery

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Introduction

In the gripping episode titled "Don’t Cross Kat," Wondery's Hollywood & Crime delves into the dark underbelly of social media influence and its deadly consequences. This episode explores the mysterious disappearance of Patty, a young woman whose vanishing act sets off a chain of events revealing manipulation, coercion, and human trafficking orchestrated by a seemingly charismatic influencer, Kat Torres.

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The Disappearance of Patty

The story begins with Patty vanishing without a trace, prompting her best friend to initiate a frantic search. This search leads to Kat Torres, a popular influencer known for her "picture-perfect" life and promises of spiritual awakening to her millions of followers. As investigations unfold, the idyllic facade of Kat's online presence begins to crumble, revealing a sinister reality beneath.

Notable Quote:

Narrator [00:00]: "Don’t Cross Kat is a chilling investigation that asks the question, if an influencer promised you a dream life, what would you sacrifice?"

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Unveiling Kat Torres

Kat Torres, once admired for her inspirational posts and vibrant social media presence, is at the center of a tangled web involving ambition and control. Her allure attracted not only followers but also individuals seeking fame and fortune in Hollywood, much like her obsession with becoming a movie producer. However, the pursuit leads to a nightmare of million-dollar cocaine and cash heists, fueling deep-seated lies and culminating in murder.

Notable Quote:

Narrator [00:00]: "This is the story of a doomed Hollywood partnership, a grisly murder and the search that stretched across the country for a killer – or killers."

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Investigative Journey

The investigation into Patty’s disappearance intensifies as the trail points directly to Hollywood's elite, including former golden boy producer Robert Evans. The case also dredges up Roy Radin's troubled past, adding layers of complexity and intrigue. Despite these leads, the case goes cold, necessitating over five years of relentless pursuit by the L.A. Sheriff’s Department detectives.

Notable Quote:

Narrator [00:00]: "It would take more than five years of dogged pursuit by the L.A. Sheriff’s Department detectives, a secret undercover witness, and another murder almost 3,000 miles from Hollywood – to unlock the truth."

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Behind the Facade: The Leander Connection

An intriguing subplot emerges involving Wayne, a resident of Leander, Texas, who recounts unsettling interactions with his Brazilian neighbors. These neighbors, led by the enigmatic Kat Torres, displayed unusual behavior and maintained a house filled with beautiful Brazilian women, adding to the mystery. When the women abruptly disappeared, leaving behind eerie artifacts like voodoo dolls and packages of ayahuasca (a Brazilian drug), suspicions heighten.

Notable Quotes:

Wayne [02:23]: "Very pretty young woman."

Wayne [03:26]: "They had an altar in their yard, not a Christian altar... Ayahuasca. That's it. That Brazilian drug."

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The Dark Truth Unveiled

As the investigation deepens, it becomes evident that Kat Torres used her influence to manipulate and control those around her. The episode reveals how her quest for a perfect life led to the exploitation and destruction of others' lives. The facade of glamour and spiritual enlightenment masks a network involved in human trafficking and coercive schemes, showcasing the dangerous power of unchecked influence.

Notable Quote:

Narrator [00:00]: "When influence turns into control, how far would you go to get everything you always wanted?"

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Conclusion

"Don’t Cross Kat" serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of idolizing social media influencers without questioning the reality behind their curated images. Through meticulous investigation and compelling storytelling, Hollywood & Crime unravels the complex layers of ambition, deception, and murder, leaving listeners to ponder the true cost of chasing a dream life.

Notable Quote:

Narrator [00:00]: "Don’t Cross Kat is a story of ambition, control, and the lives destroyed by empty promises."

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Key Takeaways

• Ambition and Manipulation: Kat Torres's relentless pursuit of fame leads to the manipulation and control of those around her.
• The Dark Side of Influence: The episode highlights how social media influence can be weaponized, masking sinister activities.
• Relentless Investigation: The case underscores the dedication of law enforcement in uncovering the truth behind complex crimes.
• Cautionary Narrative: Listeners are urged to question the authenticity behind online personas and the potential dangers lurking beneath.

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Further Exploration

For those intrigued by the intricate mix of Hollywood ambition and true crime, "Don’t Cross Kat" offers a riveting narrative that combines the allure of fame with the stark realities of criminal manipulation. Follow the investigation's twists and turns as Hollywood & Crime sheds light on one of the most unsettling cases of modern influencer misconduct.

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Follow "Don’t Cross Kat" on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts to stay updated on this and other compelling true crime stories.

Transcript

[Narrator]

When a young woman named Patty vanishes without a trace, her best friend launches a desperate search. The trail leads to Kat Torres, a charismatic influencer with millions of followers. Her social media presence showcases a picture perfect life, and she promises her followers a spiritual awakening. All they have to do is follow her lead. But behind the glamorous posts and inspirational quotes, a sinister truth unravels. From Wondery. Don't Cross Cat is a chilling investigation that asks the question, if an influencer promised you a dream life, what would you sacrifice? Based on the Brazilian true crime saga that captivated a nation, Don't Cross Cat is a story of ambition, control, and the lives destroyed by empty promises. What starts as an investigation into a missing person's case explodes into a story of manipulation, coercion, and human trafficking, all orchestrated behind a curated social media facade. When influence turns into control, how far would you go to get everything you always wanted? I'm about to play a clip from Don't Cross Cat. Follow Don't Cross Cat on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Chico]

Excuse me. How are you doing?

[Wayne]

Doing well.

[Chico]

We're journalists from Brazil and we're writing a story about your former neighbor.

[Wayne]

The biggest news that's ever hit this neighborhood.

[Chico]

Probably the only one that will. I'm not the first Brazilian to set foot in Leander, Texas, and the Brazilian women who came and lived here before me made quite the impression on their neighbors. Wayne Murray lived across the street from. They said that you might know something, you might have spoken to them. Wayne says that in Leander, people do two things. Wave to each other and then mind their business. At least Wayne did. Then in 2022, that's when these new neighbors moved in right across the street.

[Wayne]

They were not terribly friendly. We had this traffic circle, right? So I'd come in, I'd wave to them. They never waved back.

[Chico]

And there was something else about his new neighbors.

[Wayne]

Very pretty young woman.

[Chico]

They looked like supermodels.

[Wayne]

Very attractive blonde. And a pretty attractive brunette.

[Chico]

Tall, thin, gorgeous. Right out of the latest Victoria's Secret fashion show. I mean, I'm super gay and even I can see it. And it wasn't just having a house full of gorgeous Brazilian women in a nondescript American suburb. That was unusual. One day he just stopped seeing them. The house was empty. The women were gone. Eventually, a rental company came to clear the house. They put out the girl stuff in the front yard for anyone to take, which was interesting.

[Wayne]

We got quite a bit of this stuff. We just took the bags. We looked later I did keep the voodoo dolls.

[Chico]

Voodoo dolls?

[Wayne]

Voodoo dolls. I've got three voodoo dolls.

[Chico]

May I ask to take a look at them, please?

[Wayne]

Sure. Well, come on in.

[Chico]

One of the women was a social media influencer, famous in Brazil with more than a million followers. I was there because, well, I'm kind of an influencer myself, but that was basically an accident. I'm a journalist first and I've made a name for myself investigating stories in Brazil where things aren't quite what they seem. And that's what brought me to Texas, because the woman who lived there, Kat Torres, seemed like she had a picture perfect life online. Thank you, Wayne. I'm Chico, by the way. Francisco Chico. Yeah. Okay.

[Wayne]

Nice to meet you.

[Chico]

Wayne told me the more he looked through the stuff the women left behind, the more questions he had about them.

[Wayne]

They had an altar in their yard, not a Christian altar, because she had. I can never remember the name of the pronounce the name of the drug.

[Chico]

Ayahuasca.

[Wayne]

That's it. That Brazilian drug. They had packages of dried herbs and it has what they're good for. Good for romance, good for this, good for that. Three of them were also good for exorcisms.

[Chico]

And that was an all one thing I found.

[Wayne]

I still have it. It's a leather collar and like a leather plate and these chains and there's a handle on it. When I finally buckled it up, it's for a dog.

[Chico]

That's why I was meant to ask.

[Wayne]

Was it the human harness or the dog harness?

[Chico]

Wayne started to wonder if he had been getting a little carried away. But soon he would see reports of what was really going on in that house. And he would realize that maybe he was right to have been suspicious because there was something troubling going on. Something dark, dangerous even. Leanna, please for it. Hi, I'm calling because I would like to know if you guys did a well, nurse check on the two missing Brazilian girls.

[Wayne]

Is an officer going to go over there and talk to them? Because they really need to.

[Chico]

Could I speak with the person that's.

[Wayne]

In charge of the investigation that's going.

[Chico]

On those three girls that are from Leander. I'm helping a family that has a girl meeting and visiting Texas. It's a little scary, to be honest.

[Narrator]

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