Mind of a Monster: The Butcher Baker

S6 Ep.4: Your Job Is To Protect and Serve

Date: January 30, 2024
Host: Dr. Michelle Ward

Episode Overview

In this riveting fourth episode of "Mind of a Monster: The Butcher Baker," Dr. Michelle Ward deepens the investigation into the Robert Hansen case, shifting focus to the 1983 push to bring the elusive serial killer to justice in Anchorage, Alaska. The episode weaves together the perspectives of law enforcement, survivors, and their families, showing how systemic failures, victim-blaming, and departmental rivalries allowed Hansen to evade accountability for years. Central to this episode are the overlooked voices of survivors—particularly Christy Hayes—and the dogged efforts of State Trooper Glenn Flothi, whose empathetic approach becomes instrumental in constructing the case. The story climaxes with the search warrant that finally sets the net around Hansen, but not without complications.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Confirmation of a Serial Killer & Jurisdictional Tensions

• [02:12] Maxine Farrell, an Anchorage detective, reflects on the moment her suspicions of a serial killer are publicly validated with the discovery of another dancer's body on the Knik River, yet laments the lack of acknowledgment from her male colleagues.
  • Quote:
    “I didn’t need the confirmation, because I already knew it. I believed it with all my heart. That’s why I was going at it so hard.” – Maxine Farrell [02:12]
  • Farrell faces continued marginalization, noting, "Nobody. Not in my department anyway." [02:36]
• The episode highlights jurisdictional disputes: Farrell, despite her dedication, lacks authority over cases on “trooper territory,” hampering coordinated progress.

2. Sergeant Glenn Flothi Joins the Case

• [03:35] Author Leland Hale describes Flothi as methodical and deeply thoughtful—a “catalyst” and a chronicler—who inherited both tangible case files and invaluable collective memory.
  • Quote:
    “In meetings with him... there’s something more intellectual about him... a deep thinker, really methodical.” – Leland Hale [03:35]
• Flothi immediately spots the significance of transportation in the case—specifically, the necessity of a plane or boat to access Paula Goulding’s grave, steering suspicion to someone with outdoor, hunting, and aviation skills. [06:24]

3. Robert Hansen Emerges as Prime Suspect

• [07:09] Flothi pieces together prior cases, building a detailed timeline of Hansen’s record: from arson in Iowa, to shoplifting, to previous abductions and attacks, specifically Christy Hayes’ 1979 escape.
  • Quote:
    “Baker’s report made it apparent Hansen was more than a baker who had a problem with a prostitute. Made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.” – Glenn Flothi [07:09]
• Flothi battles with lost/convoluted police records, as files are being digitized, but leverages veteran officers’ memories to fill in gaps. [08:25]

4. Christy Hayes’ Survival and Systemic Neglect

• [09:45 - 25:49] The episode devotes substantial time to Christy Hayes’ firsthand account—a black dancer, barely 19, lured and attacked by Hansen but surviving a harrowing escape.
  • Her account is raw, detailed, and inflected with trauma and resilience:
    • Kidnapping, hog-tying, her daring escape through a window, and seeking help naked and wounded in a stranger’s home.
    • Quote (on the police response):
      “The police said I was promiscuous... So that shut me down. I remember yelling at him, ‘Your job is to protect and serve. Get on your job.’” – Christy Hayes [18:29]
  • Police fail to pursue her case, dismissing her due to prejudice against sex workers.
  • Long-term trauma: substance abuse, loss of her children, ongoing harassment by Hansen, and emotional toll years later.
  • [22:26] Christy’s daughter Neisha gives generational context, underscoring the impact of Christy’s trauma and the family’s ultimate resilience.
    • Quote:
      “She’s had it rough... she’s been through what people couldn’t imagine. ...I’m blessed that she survived, because if she didn’t, we wouldn’t be here.” – Neisha [23:22]
  • The episode conveys how victims like Christy and their families were systemically ignored due to occupation and race.

5. Gathering Evidence and the Role of Cindy Paulson

• [26:55 - 36:42]
  • Flothi recounts how neither Christy’s nor other prior cases could “make him the murderer,” increasing the urgency to win the trust of a fresh witness—Cindy Paulson, whose 1983 ordeal provided live leads.
  • The challenge: the police had summarily dismissed Cindy’s account after just 11 days.
    • Quote:
      “Sure, the police went to her. She didn’t come to the police. ...Finally she told the police what happened. What do they do? They kick her in the head.” – Glenn Flothi [30:27]
  • Flothi builds genuine rapport with Cindy, meeting her on her own hours, treating her not as a suspect but as a person—a method he likens to being “like a dad or a father figure.”
  • Cindy’s vivid memory proves crucial; her specificity about Hansen’s house supports search warrant applications.
    • Quote:
      “She was able to articulate very well, better than any witness I’ve ever had... I guess when your life is on the line, you remember a lot.” – Glenn Flothi [35:22]

6. Sexism and Institutional Hurdles

• [36:42] Maxine Farrell’s files and knowledge become pivotal, but her own department blocks her further involvement out of pride and sexism.
  • Quote:
    “He didn’t want me to have anything to do with the case anymore. I was pissed.” – Maxine Farrell [37:16]
  • Farrell, however, ensures that her meticulously compiled files on missing girls reach Flothi.
• Flothi, with D.A. Pat Dugan, builds on these records for the all-important search warrant.

7. Final Push: Search and Interrogation

• [41:10 - End]
  • On October 27th, 1983, a coordinated raid sweeps Hansen’s house, bakery, car, and plane. Farrell is invited by Flothi—against her supervisor’s wishes—because she can identify victims’ jewelry and mementos.
  • The search scene is tense and traumatic, especially for Hansen’s wife and children.
    • Quote:
      “Anybody who has children, witnessing a wife and children going through this... can imagine what heartache it would bring.” – Maxine Farrell [43:53]
  • Hansen, at the station, is interrogated using a soft-approach, lured into small talk and only slowly pressed about his criminal past. He repeats the same “money dispute” defense used in prior attacks.
  • Meanwhile, the search for the murder weapon—the .223 rifle—hits a snag; it is missing from Hansen’s usual hiding place.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On being ignored by her colleagues:
  “Nobody. Not in my department anyway.” – Maxine Farrell [02:36]

• On the moment suspicion crystallizes:
  “Until then, the plane had not become king. That was the blinding light.” – Glenn Flothi [07:25]

• Christy Hayes on victim-blaming and police neglect:
  “Your job is to protect and serve. Get on your job.” – Christy Hayes [18:29]

• Neisha on generational trauma:
  “All we can do is love her and support her how we can.” – Neisha [25:49]

• Flothi on Cindy Paulson’s importance:
  “I needed her support for these other victims that were never supported. I needed her to stop this killer from killing these innocent people. So I needed her badly, not for my own gratification, but for theirs.” – Glenn Flothi [36:10]

• On institutional sexism:
  “I was pissed.” – Maxine Farrell [37:16]

• Farrell on the search scene:
  “As I look up at the window, there’s a wife and the two children looking out... The little girl is just standing there, tears running down her face, and the little boy’s scared out of his mind.” – Maxine Farrell [43:53]

Important Timestamps & Segments

• [02:12–02:36] – Farrell reflects on lack of respect and confirmation from colleagues
• [03:35–04:40] – Introduction of Glenn Flothi and his approach
• [09:45–18:57] – Christy Hayes’ history: abduction, escape, and failed police response
• [23:22–25:49] – Neisha (Christy’s daughter) discusses family’s experiences and legacy
• [30:06–32:51] – Flothi’s rapport-building with Cindy Paulson
• [35:12–36:10] – The importance of Cindy’s memory and testimony
• [36:42–37:45] – Farrell’s struggles with department leadership and handover to Flothi
• [41:10–43:53] – Conducting the search at Hansen’s home; family trauma
• [44:39–49:34] – Interrogation of Hansen, repeated alibis, and the missing murder weapon

Tone & Storytelling

The episode, in Dr. Michelle Ward’s compassionate and incisive style, seamlessly blends police procedural details with survivor testimony, drawing out the systemic nature of both negligence and persistent advocacy. The language remains raw and candid, especially in first-hand accounts. Rather than sensationalizing Hansen’s crimes, the podcast spotlights the lifelong impacts on survivors and their families—while acknowledging the institutional failures and sexism that prolonged the hunt for justice.

Conclusion

Episode 4 skillfully illustrates the laborious path to justice in the Butcher Baker case: hard-won trust with survivors, piecing together scattered evidence, and the human cost of professional and institutional indifference. The episode ends with a pivotal cliffhanger—the murder weapon is missing—and the sense that the net around Hansen, though tightening, is still precarious. Throughout, the voices of those harmed and those who persisted underscore the real cost and difficult victories in confronting serial violence.

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