The Doctor | 4

Summary

Kill List: The Doctor (Episode 4) – A Detailed Summary

Released on October 15, 2024, "The Doctor" delves deep into the harrowing case of Jennifer, an innocent woman targeted by a sophisticated psychological torture plot orchestrated through the dark net’s murder-for-hire underworld. Hosted by Carl Miller, a dedicated tech journalist from Wondery | Novel, this episode unpacks the intricate layers of obsession, control, and the perilous intersection of technology and human malice.

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1. Unveiling Scar215: A New Dimension of Kill Orders

The episode opens with Carl Miller introducing a particularly alarming order labeled scar215. Unlike previous entries on the kill list, scar215 doesn't merely demand a murder but outlines a complex scheme of psychological manipulation aimed at coercing Jennifer into reuniting with her estranged husband.

Notable Quote:

Carl Miller [01:02]: "It's kind of a psychological torture contract to bend her will in such a way that she will go home back to her husband."

The order specifies that Jennifer, a beauty spa worker from Spokane, Washington, should be kidnapped for seven days, subjected to heroin injections twice daily, with threats extending to her family and pet. The total payment for this operation amounts to $55,000, marking it as the highest to date.

2. Jennifer’s Journey: From Love to Terror

Jennifer becomes the central figure as Carl Miller establishes her background and relationship with Dr. Ronald Ilg, her estranged husband. Their story begins in 2011 when Jennifer, navigating a separation from her first husband, meets Ron through a dating app. Despite initial reservations about his age and demeanor, Jennifer is drawn to Ron’s charm and intelligence.

Notable Quote:

Jennifer [07:37]: "He thinks he's invincible."

Their relationship escalates quickly, culminating in a loving marriage and shared activities that seemingly cement their bond. However, cracks soon appear. Post-marriage, Ron introduces Jennifer to BDSM as a way to "spice things up," which marks the beginning of his controlling behavior.

As Jennifer grapples with pregnancy and motherhood, Ron's demands intensify. He enforces humiliating titles, exerts surveillance through cameras and GPS trackers, and imposes restrictive control over her actions and relationships. The situation deteriorates further when Ron introduces another woman, Amanda, into their already strained marriage, exacerbating Jennifer’s distress.

3. The Race Against Time: Carl Miller’s Investigation

As Carl delves into Jennifer’s plight, he confronts systemic issues of police inaction and bureaucratic delays both domestically and internationally. His frustration is palpable as he recounts previous cases where law enforcement failed to respond effectively, leaving victims vulnerable.

Notable Quote:

Carl Miller [17:09]: "I cannot keep doing this. I get an email. It's about Jennifer."

Despite these challenges, Carl’s relentless pursuit leads him to collaborate with the FBI after local authorities prove ineffective. This partnership becomes pivotal in advancing the investigation.

4. FBI Intercession: Confronting Ronald Ilg

The involvement of federal agents marks a turning point. On April 9th, Ronald attempts to enter the United States from Mexico, where he had been traveling—a calculated move to establish an alibi. FBI agents Christian Parker and Eric Barker intercept him at Pecan International Airport, initiating a delicate interrogation.

Notable Quote:

Special Agent [23:00]: "If we miss him."

During the interview, Ron presents a narrative of contemplating suicide to benefit Amanda through life insurance, presenting it as a misguided attempt to protect her. However, discrepancies arise when Carl and the agents expose the true nature of scar215, revealing Ron’s intentions to manipulate and control Jennifer rather than harm himself.

As pressure mounts, Ron's facade begins to crumble. The agents discover incriminating evidence during a subsequent search of his residence, including a sticky note linking him directly to scar215.

5. The Climax: Arrest and Aftermath

Tragedy strikes when Ron is found unconscious in his home after an apparent overdose, accompanied by a suicide note that superficially aligns with his earlier claims. Hospitalized in critical condition, Ron's vulnerability offers a narrow window for the FBI to solidify their case.

Upon his recovery, heightened surveillance ensures Ron remains confined within the hospital premises. A breakthrough occurs when Ron is arrested on April 16th, charged with attempted kidnapping. This arrest not only serves as a relief to Jennifer but also underscores the effectiveness of Carl’s collaboration with federal authorities.

Notable Quote:

Jennifer [40:21]: "I feel like he would probably try to get a hold of me and probably kill me and then kill himself."

6. Reflections and the Path Forward

In the episode’s conclusion, Carl reflects on the significance of the arrest, acknowledging it as a victory but also recognizing the vast landscape of ongoing cases that remain unresolved. The collaborative effort with the FBI signifies a potential shift towards more effective investigations, yet the responsibility of monitoring and exposing these dark net operations continues to lie with Carl and his team.

Notable Quote:

Carl Miller [43:32]: "We need to change focus. Rather than just dealing with the kill orders, our investigation needs to go after the dark website itself."

This introspection highlights the broader implications of the case, emphasizing the need for systemic change to combat the burgeoning threat of contract violence facilitated by clandestine online platforms.

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Conclusion

Episode 4 of "Kill List," titled "The Doctor," masterfully intertwines personal narratives with the intricate mechanics of dark net criminal operations. Through Jennifer’s ordeal and Carl Miller’s unwavering determination, listeners gain a profound understanding of the psychological and logistical challenges in thwarting such insidious plots. The episode not only chronicles a single case but also underscores the imperative for enhanced cooperation between independent investigators and law enforcement agencies to safeguard innocent lives.

Transcript

[Carl Miller]

Wandery subscribers can binge all episodes of Chaolist early and ad free. Join Wandri in the Wandary app or on Apple Podcasts. Hey, it's Karl here. I wanted to let you know that this episode contains references to suicide and descriptions of a coercive and controlling relationship. We've put some links with resources in the episode notes in case you're affected by the things we talk about in the show.

[Jennifer]

Wondrous.

[Carl Miller]

Do you want to explain what's happening? Yeah. So, all right, it's 2nd of April, it's Easter, and we're now all kind of scrambling to deal with the case, which has frightened me more than any other one over the last year. Almost all of the orders I've been dealing with on the kill list so far have been for murders. But in the case of scar215, they want something I've never seen before.

[Ronald Ilg]

I want the target kidnapped for seven days while being held. She will be given injections of heroin at least two times per day. It would be unfortunate if her older boy became addicted to heroin, or her dad be severely beaten, or her dog be slaughtered.

[Carl Miller]

I mean, I don't even have the words to describe this really, but kind of psychological torture contract to bend her will in such a way that she will go home back to her husband.

[Ronald Ilg]

Any and all persuasion should be used.

[Carl Miller]

The target is a woman called Jennifer. Our team springs into action and we begin to get a fix on her. She lives in the city of Spokane, Washington State, and works at a beauty spa.

[Ronald Ilg]

She works there every other Wednesday night and closes the business by herself around.

[Carl Miller]

7Pm we're getting better, I think, at reaching people on the list, but if the case in Switzerland has taught us anything, it's just how dangerous these cases can be, at least based on the order. Sky R215 has strong parallels to the Swiss case, an ugly divorce and what seems like a former romantic partner spiraling dangerously out of control. I can't help but notice just how many of our most serious cases have this dynamic. The order actually lays out a Series of bonuses scar215 is willing to pay if the hitman can coerce Jennifer into a series of goals. 1.

[Ronald Ilg]

Stop all court proceedings immediately. 10K 2. Returns back to her husband permanently for reconciliation of their marriage and relationship.

[Carl Miller]

3. Keep her mouth shut and tell no one. The list goes on. $30,000 worth of bonus criteria laid out in grotesque detail. There's a real keen sense of urgency in the sender.

[Ronald Ilg]

This needs to be done around April 9th to the 18th. If it is done at this time and the goals are achieved, the payment will be double.

[Carl Miller]

Whilst we've been tracking Jennifer down, we've auto traced the payments. Scar215 has already transferred the money for the kidnapping and all of the associated bonuses. $55,000 in total. It's the largest payment we've ever seen.

[Ronald Ilg]

She is stubborn. The team will have to be very.

[Carl Miller]

Persuasive to get her to follow through with the goals.

[Ronald Ilg]

But I suspect your team can be just that. Very persuasive.

[Carl Miller]

My God. We need to act very quickly now to try and reach Jennifer. You know, this is it.

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[Angie Hicks]

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[Carl Miller]

From Wandery and Novel. I'm Carl Miller. This is Kill List Episode four, the Doctor.

[Jennifer]

Can you hear me?

[Carl Miller]

Hi there. Yes, I can hear you. How are you doing? Good.

[Jennifer]

How are you?

[Carl Miller]

Good. Jennifer, thank you for jumping into this zoom room. With the help of a local reporter, I've been frantically trying to track Jennifer down across Speakan to tell her about scar215. So for the last year, we have been doing an investigation into what we call contract violence websites. I left a message with one of Jennifer's colleagues at the spa, and I told them it was urgent. And later that day, Jennifer called me back. I'm so sorry, Jennifer. Immediately, Jennifer has a suspect in mind.

[Jennifer]

He's trying to find ways to get custody of our son, and he'll do whatever it takes.

[Carl Miller]

And just as we'd guessed is a former partner, Dr. Ronald Ilg. Her estranged husband.

[Jennifer]

He thinks he's invincible.

[Carl Miller]

They're separated, but their divorce hasn't been finalized yet. Would you think that Ron would be capable of doing you serious physical harm?

[Jennifer]

I wouldn't put it past him at all.

[Carl Miller]

After we hang up, I send Jennifer the order messages, and one of my producers calls the local police in Spokane. They take our information and say they'll look into it in the days that follow. Whilst I wait to hear from the police, I keep talking to Jennifer to try and understand the situation we've stepped into. So when did you meet Ron for the first time?

[Jennifer]

We actually met online, I think. 2011.

[Carl Miller]

Jennifer had recently separated from her first husband. She was juggling her job at a healthcare company with looking after two young kids. So, like lots of us do, she signed up to a dating app. Jennifer was swiping through the profiles when one caused her to stop.

[Jennifer]

At first, I wasn't very interested because he's quite a bit older than me and he wasn't my typical type.

[Carl Miller]

His name was Dr. Ronald Ilg. He messaged Jennifer wanting to meet, but for the first couple of months, she brushed him off. Finally, she decided to give him a chance. So the two of them arranged to meet for a glass of wine. When Ron arrived for the date, he was clean cut and handsome, with dark hair neatly swept back. He was a lot more reserved than the guys Jennifer usually went for. But maybe different could be a good thing.

[Jennifer]

He's definitely very smart. He comes off very professional, very charming. I felt like he was genuinely interested in getting to know me. His dad was a janitor and his mom was a nurse. That's why he wanted to be successful, because he grew up very poor.

[Carl Miller]

Ron had worked hard to get into med school, where he specialized in neonatology.

[Jennifer]

We took care of little preemie babies or babies that are withdrawing from drugs, like if the mom was an addict.

[Carl Miller]

After their first meeting, Ron kept up the charm offensive.

[Jennifer]

He would text me all the time, you know, good morning and how was your day? And it was not what I was used to. That's when I started to like him.

[Carl Miller]

Ron took Jennifer out to dinner at a fancy fondue restaurant. Another time, he invited her over to dinner at his place. He cooked a crab, and they ate it in his living room in front of a roaring fire. Jennifer discovered that she actually had a lot in common with Ron.

[Jennifer]

We trained and did half marathons, and we did a marathon and bodybuilding competitions. We were always doing things together, and I thought we were the perfect couple. Eventually, we moved in together, and everything seemed to be great.

[Carl Miller]

Jennifer even joined Ron's Catholic church one day in 2015. The two of them stayed behind. After a service, we went over to.

[Jennifer]

The pews over by the candles that you light for loved ones. And he wanted to light a candle for my mom because my mom had passed away years ago.

[Carl Miller]

They prayed together by the flickering candlelight. Then Ron turned to Jennifer. He held out a ring and asked her to marry him. A year later, Jennifer and Ron tied the knot with a full mass.

[Jennifer]

Once you're married, it's when he really shows who he is.

[Carl Miller]

After the flowers and gifts were cleared away, after the guests were all gone, Ron began to change.

[Christian Parker]

First, he told Jennifer that he was into bdsm.

[Jennifer]

And he kind of made it like, oh, it's just to spice things up when we don't have kids. And it didn't seem too alarming at that time.

[Carl Miller]

Then in 2018, two years into their marriage, Jennifer became pregnant with their son.

[Jennifer]

He was very adamant about having a baby, and I think that's how he really gets the person to be stuck.

[Carl Miller]

Now that it was harder for Jennifer to leave him, Ron's demands increased.

[Jennifer]

He wanted me to call him sir all the time, Every day, all day. And then he'd get frustrated if I didn't want to do certain things that he requested me to do because it felt demeaning, it was humiliating. And so we'd fight about it all the time because I wasn't submissive enough.

[Carl Miller]

He installed cameras, cages, and ropes. He put a GPS tracker on Jennifer's car. One day, Ron handed Jennifer a drink.

[Jennifer]

It looked like something was dissolved in it. It was cloudy, and it tasted like a pill.

[Carl Miller]

Jennifer refused to drink it.

[Jennifer]

And then when you would mention, you know, what did you put in my drink? He would just act complet dumb, like, what are you talking about? Why would I do that? I did find a little vials that he had a powder substance in. And so I did take one just in case I ever needed proof.

[Carl Miller]

A few months later, Ron told Jennifer he'd met another woman on a BDSM site.

[Jennifer]

She was into the dominant submissive stuff.

[Carl Miller]

I'm going to call her Amanda. That's not her real name. But despite meeting Amanda, Ron didn't want to leave Jennifer.

[Jennifer]

He was trying to force her into our marriage, basically telling me, I have to accept her and I have to be your friend, and he can be in love with more than one person. And it just became a crazy fantasy at that point. He's delusional.

[Carl Miller]

Jennifer resisted this new situation.

[Jennifer]

She was definitely an enemy for a while. But then the more I talk to her and hear what she was going through, the more I was trying to help her and tried to let her know she needs to get out of the situation, because I wouldn't wish the way he treats people on anybody.

[Carl Miller]

Finally, one day in the spring of 2020, Jennifer and Amanda sat down to compare notes.

[Jennifer]

She said he put her in a hole in the yard. There's, like, a septic tank thing in his yard. She said that he put her down in there and put the top on and was threatening to leave her in there.

[Carl Miller]

For hours, Ron had been telling Jennifer he was trying to find a way to let Amanda go gently. Amanda, however, told a very different story.

[Jennifer]

He was trying to tell her that we were going to get a divorce. He would try to tell her I was crazy. And we found out together by talking about what he was telling her and what he was telling me. And then we confronted him on it, and that's when he really got crazy.

[Carl Miller]

Is this the beginning of the end? Like, is this when he begins to completely unravel?

[Jennifer]

Yeah.

[Carl Miller]

The two women met at Ron's house in an apartment above his garage. Jennifer and Amanda sat on the couch. Ron sat across from them in a chair. When they challenged him about the lies he'd been telling them, Ron did not take it well.

[Jennifer]

I was looking at him with a glare in my eyes, and he looked at me and said, if you come towards me, I'll knock you out on that couch.

[Carl Miller]

Jennifer, that must have been absolutely terrifying.

[Jennifer]

Oh, it was. Yeah.

[Carl Miller]

It was time to get out. In June that year, Ron traveled to Montana for a work trip. He was due to be away for 10 days. Jennifer saw a chance, and she took it.

[Jennifer]

My sister drove up from Oregon, and my dad came over, and we just loaded up all of my stuff and left the day before he got back, and I moved all my stuff back to my house. And he got home, and I was not there.

[Carl Miller]

Ron arrived back to find their house empty.

[Jennifer]

He was doing everything he could to get me back, promising me counseling, promising me that he'll get rid of our postnuptial agreement if I Stay, I mean, just a bunch of empty promises.

[Carl Miller]

Jennifer filed for divorce, but that didn't deter Ronald.

[Jennifer]

He would just text like nonstop and call over and over and over.

[Carl Miller]

Jennifer wrote to the court asking for an anti harassment order to put an end to, quote, constant and incessant harassment. In response, Ron claimed that his behaviour was simply, quote, a sad husband's last ditch effort to remind his wife what their life could be if they worked things out. But Ron didn't stop. A couple months after she filed the harassment order, Jennifer was leaving the spa where she worked when she found outside in the parking lot waiting for her. Jennifer filed a second anti harassment order. That same month, Jennifer got a message from Amanda.

[Jennifer]

She showed me text of them talking about how he had been on the Dark Web.

[Carl Miller]

Things between Amanda and Ron had been on and off at the time they were back together but it wasn't going well.

[Jennifer]

She was trying to get away from him because he was getting overly controlling and she had found him on the Dark Web and he'd admitted to her that he hired somebody to send me a message but didn't tell her what it was and said that he canceled it.

[Carl Miller]

Jennifer was on her guard. The Dark Web was a scary place and she didn't know exactly what Ron was planning. So she got in touch with her lawyer. That's when she noticed something strange.

[Jennifer]

I was watching our bank account and that's when I saw money being transferred in and then transferred out. I think it was a total of about a little over $10,000 recently that had come out of our joint account to this moonpay and one other one. I looked it up and it's where you buy cryptocurrency. I was like, I'm sorry I'm being overly paranoid, but I think something weird is going on. And that's when I was notified by you guys.

[Carl Miller]

When I first read scar215's messages, they were so unusual, so unsettling because they weren't about killing Jennifer, but about using pressure, force and drugs to completely control her.

[Christian Parker]

And as I listen to Jennifer, the way she talks about Ron seems to fit into this picture. A man with a fetish for domination, prone to coercion and controlling behavior, who appears to be spiralling as he feels his grip on Jennifer slipping. A man who could be willing, as SCAR 215 surely is, to do almost anything to force Jennifer back. And yet by April 6, three days since I disclosed the case to the police, there's still no news.

[Carl Miller]

We haven't heard anything fucking back from them. So I assume that that's still pinballing around in the local PD's bullshit excuse for a quick reaction team or triage team. For the last eight weeks, nearly every day has been like this. We'd already been laughed out of one police station in Spain. I've been helping a French waitress with an abusive stalker and alleged rapist who told me she'd struggled to have the police take an interest. A former Marine in Wisconsin told me he's terrified his ex wife might murder their children if she found out the police knew anything. I've been trying to track down a Finnish TV personality who appears to have been targeted over a failed business deal and a South American artist locked in a feud with her family over a disputed inheritance. What I'm learning is that actually stepping into these scenarios is itself dangerously destabilizing. Ineffective police investigations are dangerously destabilizing. They create a shrinking window of opportunity that one of these perpetrators will feel compelled to act with it. I'm lying in bed every night, staring up at the shadows moving across my ceiling, thinking I'm going to get somebody killed. I cannot keep doing this. I get an email. It's about Jennifer. But it's not from the local police that I passed the case to or anyone I've spoken to. It's from one of the most powerful intelligence and security services in the world. They've heard about what we're doing and they're asking for my help. We get support from Uncommon Goods Spark something uncommon this holiday with just the right gift from Uncommon Goods. It's a spot for incredible handpicked gifts for everyone on your list. Uncommon Goods has products that are high quality, unique and often handmade or made in the us Meaning you're supporting artists and small independent businesses. So for me, I bought a gift for a friend who loves fruit and the gift are these small woolen things that you put on the top of bananas to apparently keep them fresh for longer. Sounds a bit odd. I mean definitely uncommon. But I genuinely think he'll love them. And with every purchase you make an Uncommon Goods, they'll give back $1 to a non profit partner of your choice. They've donated more than $3 million to date. To get 15% off your next gift, go to UncommonGoods.com list that's UncommonGoods.com L I S T for 15 off. Don't miss out on this limited time offer on Common Goods. We're all out of the ordinary.

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[Jennifer]

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[Jennifer]

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[Carl Miller]

At Pecan International Airport, the arrivals terminal is full of excited tourists with backpacks and baseball caps, weary parents who've just endured a long haul flight with their kids, business travelers with smart briefcases, and 10 FBI officers spread out across the airport. The FBI are here because a few days ago, Jennifer's lawyer got in touch with them and told them about our investigations. They reached out to me and I sent them everything I had on the kill order, every message and the bitcoin payments.

[Christian Parker]

The FBI's Financial Crime Team quickly got to work to see if our information checked out. They obtained proof of crypto payments tied to the kill order totaling just over $56,000. All of them coming from an account under one name, Ronald Ilg.

[Carl Miller]

Ron was in Mexico on holiday over the specific dates when Jennifer was due to get kidnapped. Possibly a deliberate alibi. Now he's about to land back on US soil within reach of Jennifer. This is the moment of maximum danger. It's also the FBI's best chance to secure the evidence they need. As Ron's plane makes its way across the tarmac, two of the FBI agents, Christian Parker and Eric Barker, are standing under the fluorescent lights of the arrivals gate. The tape is rolling.

[Eric Barker]

This is going to be really bad.

[Special Agent]

If we miss him.

[Carl Miller]

Right up. They have a search warrant for Ron's devices and his luggage, but Ron is under no obligation to talk to them. A fact that Special Agent Christine Parker is only too aware of.

[Eric Barker]

That first interaction is pretty key. It's a voluntary interview. We could not compel him to talk to us. He very easily could have said, yeah, no thanks. I'm going to go get my luggage and go home.

[Carl Miller]

A steady flow of people begin to make their way through the gate. Christian catches sight of Ron and Amanda.

[Eric Barker]

Excuse me, sir.

[Special Agent]

Dr. Eild?

[Carl Miller]

Yeah.

[Special Agent]

Can I speak with you for a minute? My name is Special Agent Parker with the FBI. Okay, you guys go ahead. Can we visit with you in here?

[Eric Barker]

He showed no surprise. It was as if he was expecting for us to be there. Just cool as a cucumber.

[Carl Miller]

Christian and Eric lead Ron into a small side room.

[Eric Barker]

Come on in here, if you would.

[Special Agent]

This is Special Agent Barker.

[Carl Miller]

It's all nice and cordial. How was Mexico?

[Ron Ilg]

It was fun. We had a good time, actually.

[Eric Barker]

We began to build a relationship or build rapport with him. Seemed very comfortable talking to us.

[Carl Miller]

But there's only so long the agents can dance around why they've come to the airport. They tell Ron they're there because some threats have been made against his wife.

[Eric Barker]

The plan was to start little by little. Hopefully he tells us things that we can catch him in. A lie.

[Carl Miller]

Do you know of anybody that has any ill will against your wife or.

[Ron Ilg]

No.

[Carl Miller]

They ask Ron about Jennifer and what kind of a person she is. They ask about Amanda and her relationship with Jennifer. Then they ask about his finances. What about the big bank crypto these days? Do you have any crypto accounts?

[Ron Ilg]

Yeah, I have a couple.

[Carl Miller]

Okay.

[Ron Ilg]

Before we go, should I have a lawyer?

[Carl Miller]

That's always up to you.

[Special Agent]

Yeah. You're here of your own will if you. If you ever want to get up and walk out, you're. You're free to do that.

[Eric Barker]

When he asked for an attorney, that kind of changed things and we had to shift and say, okay, now we're going to execute this search warrant. We're going to search your bags and search for your phone.

[Special Agent]

We have a search warrant. Federal search warrant. Yes. Not an arrest warrant. Not being arrested tonight. Yeah.

[Christian Parker]

Ron is about to hand over his phone and then he pauses and does something. Well, I think at least utterly bizarre.

[Ron Ilg]

There's one thing that I will share with you.

[Carl Miller]

There's something on the phone, he says, that he needs to share with them first.

[Ron Ilg]

I did put it on there while I was in Mexico and I'll just read it to you because you're going to see it anyway. And the reason I put it on there is because I was. Let me just read it to you.

[Carl Miller]

Ron opens up a document on his phone and starts to read.

[Ron Ilg]

Says, I have occasionally visited the dark web over the last couple years and cure out of curiosity. Looking at porn and then buying steroids. Okay. I'll admit that because I was part of competitive bodybuilding.

[Special Agent]

Okay.

[Carl Miller]

He continues to list off other things he found on there market. Selling recreational drugs, stunning credit card information and more. They also listed hitmen, hitmen for hire websites.

[Ron Ilg]

In this forum, one customer had asked the question if he could order a hit on himself. Sorry. And make it look like an accident again. Interesting. So about six to eight weeks ago, my depression was probably at its worst. Um, and I hate to admit it, but I constantly contemplated suicide.

[Carl Miller]

Ron says he was trying to figure out a way to kill himself and leave his money to his girlfriend, Amanda.

[Ron Ilg]

The best way I could protect her was to stage an accident so that she could have the life insurance. Have my.

[Carl Miller]

His life insurance policy wouldn't pay out if he died by suicide. But Ron says the post he'd seen gave him an idea. He went back on the hitman for hiresight to order a hit against himself that would make his death look like an accident.

[Ron Ilg]

Started an email thread with a particular hitman. We started at 10,000, but quickly they went to 26,000, and then there.

[Eric Barker]

He knew we'd know about dark web access, and he knew we would know about transfer of bitcoin, and so he took that information to create a story that was, you know, potentially believable.

[Carl Miller]

Christian keeps pressing Ron, were you concerned.

[Special Agent]

As you were scheming up this suicide plan, accident plan, that in the investigation afterwards, somebody would find the document you wrote?

[Ron Ilg]

No, I was gonna.

[Special Agent]

That would undo everything that you had orchestrated.

[Ron Ilg]

I was gonna delete that. So, yeah, I wasn't gonna keep that.

[Carl Miller]

Christian asks about Ron's will. After all, the whole point of ordering the hit on himself Is supposedly to leave the money for Amanda.

[Special Agent]

Did you modify your will or your trust? What do you have?

[Ron Ilg]

I was actually thinking about that on the plane. No, I haven't.

[Special Agent]

Okay.

[Carl Miller]

Did you change your insurance beneficiaries?

[Ron Ilg]

No, I haven't changed any.

[Carl Miller]

Ron hasn't changed his will or his life insurance policy to benefit Amanda if he died.

[Eric Barker]

If you haven't done that, committing suicide really isn't your ultimate plan.

[Carl Miller]

There is a world here where Ron's weird phone statement Is actually a lot smarter than it might appear. It explains anything the FBI might have picked up about him being on the darknet. It also explains any payments they might have traced from him to people on the darknet. But it doesn't explain the messages outlining the plot to kidnap Jennifer. Ron has no idea of our role in this. He has no idea that we've broken into the site and passed all of the scar 215 messages to the FBI. For 40 minutes, the agents have been circling Ron. They've patiently listened to his story. They've let Ron get comfortable, but they are about to ratchet up the pressure.

[Special Agent]

We know Your moniker is scar215, and we have your transcript. So the document that you read is a great document to deflect. It's a great document to explain away why the bitcoin was transferred, but it doesn't match up with the transcript. Is there any explanation for that?

[Carl Miller]

Ron doesn't flinch.

[Ron Ilg]

The only explanation I Have is what I read from my phone and is that again, I wasn't gonna hurt anybody. The only person that was gonna be hurt in my mind was gonna be me.

[Carl Miller]

The FBI agents turn the screw. They describe the messages to him.

[Special Agent]

It's not good. And it was nothing about suicide or an accident to cover up a suicide. These are assaults. These are kidnappings to get your wife back. I mean, I can see in your face this is sounding very familiar because.

[Eric Barker]

These are your words that you typed.

[Ron Ilg]

I don't know what you're seeing in my face, but like I said, I would never want to hurt her.

[Carl Miller]

The small talk is all gone now. They directly confront him about Jennifer.

[Special Agent]

Is she in danger? And this isn't a confession, but just a yes or no. Is she in danger?

[Ron Ilg]

My interactions with the Dark Web was never meant to do anything to hurt her. I will simply say that anything that you say is my transcript. I would disagree with.

[Carl Miller]

Ron tells the FBI he won't say another word without his attorney. Christian decides to wrap up the interview. But he leaves Ron no room for misunderstanding.

[Special Agent]

We know what happened. Not tonight, but in the future, you're likely to be arrested. We don't want to hear about the suicide plan to make it look like an actual. It's. That's not. That's not what happened. Let's just be done, and we'll. We'll continue this once you've identified an attorney. All right. Anything else from you? No. Let me step outside here.

[Carl Miller]

Christian leaves to make a call. He hasn't been the only FBI agent keeping busy.

[Christian Parker]

While he and Eric have been grilling Ron, another FBI team have been at Ron's house executing their search warrant. Christian wants to update them on Ron's supposed alibi and the pre prepared statement he just read from his phone.

[Eric Barker]

He had a fabulous story.

[Special Agent]

Oh, yeah. I mean, there's holes all over it.

[Carl Miller]

The agents at the house have searched the property, but they need something from Ron.

[Eric Barker]

He said, yeah, we're about done here. There's a couple of safes that we haven't gotten into yet. Is he willing to give us the combination?

[Special Agent]

We're still searching his bags, so it'll be at least another 10 minutes or so. Sounds good. Thanks.

[Eric Barker]

Bye.

[Christian Parker]

Christian goes back inside the interview room and asks Ron about the safes.

[Special Agent]

We are executing search warrants at your residence. There's a safe in the closet near the front door. Do you mind sharing the combination with us?

[Ron Ilg]

It's a fingerprint.

[Eric Barker]

He said, well, it's my fingerprint. It opens with my Fingerprint.

[Carl Miller]

They need Ron to come down to the house and open up the safe with his fingerprint.

[Eric Barker]

How do you feel about us being your Uber?

[Special Agent]

We can, we can get you home faster and then you can pop those safes for us. And then I think we should be done there.

[Carl Miller]

Together. They drive through downtown Spokane, over the river that cuts through the middle of the city and out the other side into green countryside. Ron's house is set back from the road at the end of a long gravel track. It's exactly where you'd imagine a high flying doctor might a large, tidy building with a three car garage, a veranda, and a fountain in the front garden. The perfect family home apart from the swarm of FBI agents now sweeping across the entire property. Christian gets out the car and takes Ron inside.

[Eric Barker]

I think certainly when we walked into his house and he sees all the people there and everything that's kind of, you know, all his firearms are laid out and everything's been and gone through. I think that was a moment for him.

[Carl Miller]

Ron is led straight to the safes. One's by the front door and one is in the master bedroom. Each one is a metal box about a foot square. Ron presses his finger to the pad on the lock. Okay. Okay.

[Special Agent]

All right, thank you.

[Eric Barker]

You know, inside there was things you'd expect to find in a safe. Some cash, some passport, another firearm. And then a sticky note.

[Carl Miller]

A small purple piece of paper with a few handwritten words.

[Eric Barker]

When we pulled out the sticky note, he knew he was in trouble at that point.

[Carl Miller]

Scrawled across the notes in a doctor's hurried pen strokes is a password, mufasa.

[Christian Parker]

And a username scar215.

[Carl Miller]

But the FBI aren't able to arrest Ron at this point.

[Eric Barker]

We still didn't have the communication from the Dark website, and so we still didn't have evidence that we could use in court to convict him.

[Carl Miller]

The messages we've given them aren't enough alone to charge Ron to prove he's guilty. They need to get the messages directly from the site. Yes, they have the scar215 password, but they actually need another warrant to log into the Hitman for Hire website and use it to access the kill order itself.

[Christian Parker]

And that will have to wait until tomorrow when they can get a judge to sign it off.

[Eric Barker]

Yeah, so we left him there. We dropped the evidence back at the office and. And everybody went home.

[Christian Parker]

Saron's alone in his house, fully aware that he's about to get caught and with just enough time to be able to do something about it.

[Narrator]

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[Carl Miller]

The morning after Ron's house was searched on April 12, 2021, Special Agent Christian Parker gets a phone call from one of Ron's family members who'd been trying to get hold of him.

[Eric Barker]

They had sent a family friend to go check on him at his house and that's where they discovered him unconscious on the floor and was in. Was in pretty bad shape.

[Christian Parker]

Ron was found unresponsive on the kitchen floor. He'd taken an overdose of Xanax pills and had a black eye.

[Carl Miller]

On the kitchen counter was an FBI agent's business card and a suicide note mentioning Jennifer and Amanda and asking for forgiveness. Ron was rushed to the hospital with his life hanging in the balance.

[Eric Barker]

He was in the intensive care unit and the doctors weren't sure that he would survive.

[Carl Miller]

A few days later, special agent Christian Parker hears news.

[Eric Barker]

We began to get word that he was recovering and he left the intensive care unit and was just in a regular hospital room. And at that point we made the decision to post somebody outside his hospital room so that he didn't get up and walk away.

[Carl Miller]

For 24 hours a day, a rotating watch of FBI agents sit outside Ron's hospital. Inside, Ron calls Jennifer.

[Jennifer]

He actually had the nerve to call me from the hospital after he was intubated. And I just heard the voice on the end. It sounded really scratchy because of his throat from being intubated. And it was creepy. I was angry because I felt like he was taking the easy way out.

[Carl Miller]

Jennifer says Ron only called to ask her to tell Amanda that he was dying.

[Jennifer]

He didn't say anything about his kids. He didn't say he was sorry or anything. I think he did it to poke at me in a way to get under my skin.

[Carl Miller]

It wasn't a long conversation, though.

[Jennifer]

No, I hung up on him.

[Carl Miller]

In the days that Ron spends recovering the FBI get their ducks in a row.

[Eric Barker]

We're getting search warrants for every possible dark website that we could get access to with his login credentials. And so that really tightened things up. We can now really put him behind the keyboard in all of these communications, all of these transactions. And as he's sending tens of thousands of dollars in bitcoin to these hitmen. We've got fantastic evidence to say that this is Ron Ilg who's doing all of this.

[Carl Miller]

On April 16th, Ron is arrested at the hospital and charged with attempted kidnapping. As soon as I hear the news, I call Jennifer. Well, Jennifer, it's nice to see you again.

[Jennifer]

Nice to see you, too.

[Carl Miller]

Hopefully, like, slightly less straightened circumstances than last time. Certainly. Anyway, how are you doing?

[Jennifer]

Relieved. He actually was arrested yesterday. It's on the news, so. It's crazy. It's unreal. Feels like it's fake.

[Carl Miller]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

I don't know. I always hoped that the truth would come out about how he was behind closed doors, but I never expected it to be aired out, you know, for the world to hear. I haven't agreed to do any interviews with anybody else in the media just because I don't. I don't want to put myself out there right now.

[Carl Miller]

How dangerous do you think he would be now if he was let out?

[Jennifer]

I don't know if he would, but I feel like he would probably try to get ahold of me and probably kill me and then kill himself. I don't know. That was my biggest fear, is that he's gonna go so nuts that he's gonna want to take himself out, but he's not gonna let me live, you know, my life. But who knows? I don't know.

[Carl Miller]

Jennifer, thank you. What a horrendous time for you. I'm so sorry you've had to go through all of this. I can't begin to imagine how much pain Ron has caused you.

[Jennifer]

Yeah, well, I'm just thankful for what you guys did. My dad said that he was going to send you guys a gift card to your local pub so you can have beers.

[Carl Miller]

That's great. We'll do everything we can to get that conviction so that hopefully you never have to spend another day worried about what Ron's going to do to you.

[Jennifer]

Okay. Thank you so much.

[Carl Miller]

When I started helping the targets on the kill list, I didn't know how. How to do it safely, how to be believed, or really how to do anything to change the circumstances. I was stepping into the team, and I, we went through loads of trial and error to get the process right. And at Jennifer's case, it feels like a success. With the FBI now in the picture, suddenly we might be able to scale up our investigation. They might be able to actually competently investigate more of these cases, and they'd certainly be better placed than us to get police forces around the world to take these threats to life seriously. But they've solved just one case.

[Christian Parker]

At this point, we've got dozens and dozens more.

[Carl Miller]

We've proven our information is legitimate, but we're only at the beginning of what we hope will be a constructive relationship. For now, at least, the FBI seem willing to accept information from us. But that's all. So the FBI doesn't solve the biggest problem we're facing. We, this small media outfit in London, remain the only people able to access the kill orders and the payment details directly. That responsibility remains on us, and it will continue until we can find a permanent solution. So I've been sat here wondering, how on earth does this all end? And there's only one conclusion I can reach.

[Christian Parker]

We need to change focus. Rather than just dealing with the kill orders, our investigation needs to go after the dark website itself.

[Carl Miller]

It feels great. It feels like we're on the offense for the first time.

[Jennifer]

Oh my God. I know. Imagine if this is it.

[Carl Miller]

Who knows? If you like Kill List, you can binge all episodes ad free right now by joining Wondry in the Wandri app or on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey from Wandery and Novel this is episode 4 of Kill List.

[Christian Parker]

Kill List is hosted by me, Carl Miller. It was written by me, Caroline Thornham and Tom Wright.

[Carl Miller]

Our lead producer is Caroline Thornham.

[Christian Parker]

Our producer is Tom Wright for Wandery.

[Carl Miller]

Our story editor is Chris Siegel and.

[Christian Parker]

Our senior producer is Russell Finch. Our assistant producer is Amalia Sortland and our researchers are Megan Oyinka and Lena Chang. Additional research from Chris Montero and from Onique Mossou, Fuka Postmer and Brenna Smith at Bellingcat. Additional reporting by Jonathan Glover. Fact checking by Fendor Fulton. Our managing producers are Cherie Houston, Sarah Tobin and Charlotte Wolfe for novel and Lata Pundia for Wandery.

[Carl Miller]

Original music by Skylar Gerdemann and Martin Linnebell.

[Christian Parker]

Music supervision by Nicholas Alexander, Max O'Brien and Caroline Thornham. Sound design and mixing by Nicholas Alexander. Additional engineering by Daniel Kempsen for novel. Willard Foxton is creative director of development. Our executive producers are Shaun Glynn, Austin.

[Carl Miller]

Mitchell, Max O'Brien and Craig Strachan for novel.

[Christian Parker]

Executive producers for Wandery are George Lavender, Marshall Louis and Jen Sargent.

[Carl Miller]

Daphne Kerwana Galicia was a household name for her fearless reporting on government corruption in the Panama papers. Nothing got in the way of her search for the truth until she was suddenly murdered by a car bomb explosion right outside of her own home. Disturbed by police inaction, her son Matthew turns to the international journalism community to find answers. And what they find is a shocking trail of government corruption, cover up crimes and deception that rises all the way to the top. From Wandery. Who Killed Daphne? Is a six part podcast series hosted by investigative reporter Stephen Gray about the mysterious assassination of a blogger and investigative journalist that exposed some of the most scandalous secrets of the rich and powerful. As the investigation unfolds, answers become more complex, revealing immense scandals, offshore companies and corrupt politicians. You can binge all episodes of who Killed Daphne? Exclusively and ad free on WanderyPlus. Join wonder in the Wandery app, Apple Podcasts or Spotify.