MK True Crime – Episode Summary

Podcast: MK True Crime
Host: Dave Aronberg
Contributors: Johnna Spilbor (Criminal Defense Attorney), Arthur Aidala (NY Trial Attorney)
Date: November 21, 2025
Episode: "D4vd Now Seen as Suspect in Teen’s Death, Kaylee Goncalves' Family’s Next Move, and Fetish Murder in FL"

Overview

In this rich, lively episode of MK True Crime, host Dave Aronberg and contributors Johnna Spilbor and Arthur Aidala analyze and debate three headline-grabbing cases currently dominating the true crime landscape:

1. Singer D4vd (David) emerging as a suspect in the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez
2. Kaylee Goncalves’ family planning to sue Washington State University over their daughter’s murder by Bryan Kohberger
3. A Florida ‘fetish murder’ case involving a man accused of killing and dismembering a UK woman he met online

The hosts provide nuanced legal analysis, probe the limits of circumstantial evidence, explore the ethics of institutional responsibility, and discuss the challenges of prosecuting and defending in high-profile cases, all with banter and memorable personality.

Detailed Breakdown & Key Discussion Points

1. The D4vd/Celeste Rivas Hernandez Case

Segment Start: [00:48]

• Background: Singer D4vd (David) is now formally considered a suspect after the dismembered body of teenage girlfriend Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found in the trunk of his Tesla.
• Key Evidence: Police traced David’s cell phone to a remote location two and a half hours from his residence, close to the body’s discovery site ([00:48]).
• Legal Panel Perspective:
  • Johnna: “Is anybody surprised that he’s finally considered a suspect in this case? I mean, anytime you have a dead body that’s found in the trunk of your car, you should be a suspect.” ([02:44])
  • Arthur plays 'defense': Argues the car was used by handlers; no confirmed cause of death; the dismemberment likely required more than one person; stresses David’s innocence and career ([03:50]).
  • Johnna points out the ‘unused Tesla’ is still registered to David and posits, “Would you put it in your favorite [car]? ... By expressing the fact that he didn’t like the Tesla, you just sunk your client, Mr. Idella.” ([05:11])
  • Cell phone records can be decisive, even with attempts to go off-grid.
• Cause of Death Delay: Discussion on why the Medical Examiner hasn’t released cause of death—possibly due to missing body parts or complexity of dismemberment ([07:52]–[08:12]).
• Memorable/Eloquent Moments:
  • Jonna: “Of course, he’s a suspect—the dead body in his car, and they had a relationship. There are texting issues. So of course, he’s a suspect. But there’s a lot more hoops to jump through before a prosecutor says, okay, let’s go into a grand jury...” ([09:09])
  • Arthur: “We would actually make the ultimate decision only on homicides, but whether the case should go forward, whether we would authorize an arrest. We would kind of one up the law enforcement arm of it, because we’re the ones ultimately who have to stand in front of the jury...” ([10:31])
• Prosecutorial Ethics:
  • Dave: “As a prosecutor, you’re under an ethical duty… only to get an indictment when you have a good faith belief you can get a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt, that is a much higher burden than police who only need probable cause...” ([09:52])

Notable Quote:

“People forget. He probably turned [his phone] off, had it in airplane mode. It doesn’t matter. They always ping your cell phone and they can find where you are.”
— Johnna Spilbor [03:00]

2. Goncalves Family’s Notice to Sue WSU (Bryan Kohberger Case)

Segment Start: [15:14]

• Story: Family of Kaylee Goncalves (victim of Idaho quadruple murder) plans a civil suit against Washington State University, claiming prior complaints about Kohberger's ‘creepy’ behavior were ignored.
• Civil vs. Criminal Burden:
  • Dave: “You only need a preponderance of the evidence... and they’re going to… is it more likely than not that the university breached its duty of care?” ([15:14])
• Plaintiffs’ Theory: WSU should have acted on warnings; could share blame for not preventing Kohberger’s crimes.
• Legal Skepticism:
  • Arthur: Explains that in civil law, lawyers have more leeway than prosecutors to go on “fishing expeditions.” Notices rather than lawsuits allow for deeper inquiries ([16:17]).
  • Johnna: “Don’t you think that’s a bridge too far? Slippery slope. I mean, how is it foreseeable that a guy who’s a creep... is going to end up murdering four people...?” ([17:58])
  • Arthur: “The sympathy factor here is on another scale.... Can you see the insurance company from the university saying, okay, why don’t we sit down quietly, and we’ll give each family [an] amount of dollars?” ([18:48])
• Foreseeability & Causation:
  • Hosts agree defenses will likely argue the murders were not foreseeable from campus conduct, especially with events happening in another state ([19:21]).

Notable Quote:

“If you have the facts on your side, you pound the facts. If you have the law on your side, you pound the law. And you’ve got neither on your side, you pound the table. Or if you’re Arthur Idalla, you jump on the table.”
— Dave Aronberg [21:33]

3. Texas Flood Tragedy – Camp Mystic Lawsuit

Segment Start: [24:39]

• Incident: Parents suing Camp Mystic after catastrophic July 4 floods killed 25 girls and two counselors.
• Legal Framing: Unlike the Kohberger suit, this case features clear causation and substantial precedent for liability—floods have happened there before ([24:39]–[25:41]).
• Moral/Ethical Debate:
  • Dave: “Is it right or wrong to even reopen? I do think that they should not reopen. I think ... It is not doing a service to the memory of those lost.” ([28:17])
  • Johnna: “They should have closed their doors. ... They should turn that campground into some sort of memorial and...move on. It’s disgusting. It’s worse than a plane crash, you guys.” ([29:04])
• Insurance & Protocols:
  • Arthur: Insurance companies would require major new protocols to even consider reinsuring; historic flooding record suggests risk should have been recognized ([27:03], [32:11])

4. Florida Fetish Murder Case

Segment Start: [34:31]

• Incident: Dwayne Hall, 53, accused of luring Sonia Exelby (UK) to Florida for violent sexual fantasies, then murdering and dismembering her, hiding the weapon, sending incriminating messages ([34:31]).
• Defense’s Likely Approach: Claims the victim consented to ‘risky’ acts or wanted to die—roundly dismissed.
  • Johnna: “It wouldn’t be a defense anyway because you cannot contract to have somebody kill you. ... It’s really a crappy defense. I don’t think it’s going to fly.” ([36:34])
  • Arthur: “This is...one of these cases when you go in [and] talk about a plea bargain and say, how about, you know, we figure out a way for my client...maybe he gets out at 78 years old. Give him a flat 25 [years].” ([36:54])
• Banter: Extended joke about ‘vanilla sex’ and ‘pistachio’ (Johnna’s new nickname) add comic relief to a grim segment ([38:05], [39:31]).
• Consensus: Overwhelming evidence and disturbing motives mean a strong case for prosecution.

5. Audience Q&A: Does True Crime Podcast Listening Disqualify a Juror?

Segment Start: [46:27]

• Arthur (on juror disclosure): "It is absolutely wrong to lie during jury selection about anything, but especially about your knowledge of that particular case." ([47:50])
• Johnna: “If you’re not lying and you don’t have an agenda but you know about a case, you can respectfully serve on a jury.” ([48:41])

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Prosecutorial Ethics:
  “As a prosecutor, you’re under an ethical duty only to file charges ... when you have a good faith belief you can get a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt.” — Dave Aronberg ([09:52])

• On Legal Responsibility and Sympathy:
  "The sympathy factor here is on another scale ... Very few cases ... are this disturbing. ... God bless that judge for doing the right thing." — Arthur Aidala ([18:48])

• On Institutional Accountability:
  “They should have apologized profusely... turn that campground into some sort of memorial and ... move on. It’s disgusting. It’s worse than a plane crash, you guys.” — Johnna Spilbor ([29:04])

• On Legal Practice:
  "If you have the facts on your side, you pound the facts. If you have the law on your side, you pound the law. And you’ve got neither on your side, you pound the table. Or if you’re Arthur Idalla, you jump on the table." — Dave Aronberg ([21:33])

Closing Rants

Segment Start: [48:59]

• Johnna's Legendary Rant ([49:10]):
  Delivers a comedic, pointed PSA on “How Not To Drive Like a Situationally Unaware Jerk” for the Thanksgiving holiday, covering right turns, traffic circles, and school bus etiquette.

  “Let’s be clear, however, I am strongly against the extended mama Bear to bus driver pep talk or gossip sesh or book club update... Can we confine the conversation...to a quick hi, bye...or do we need a whole new enforcement system similar to the pitch clock in baseball?” ([49:10])

• Arthur's Rant ([52:26]):
  Offers an impassioned and controversial critique of the Ghislaine Maxwell prosecution and the media/political circus surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, questioning the allocation of resources and highlighting the constitutional violations and media hysteria:

  “Anybody who thinks [the Epstein case] is not about politics and it’s about justice for the women...that’s just not how our system works...We should be ashamed the way this whole thing has been handled.” ([52:26])

• Dave's Rant ([57:09]):
  Reflects on the difficulties of being a prosecutor and cautions against political prosecutions, invoking Blackstone’s Ratio and constitutional priorities, using a recent prosecutorial misstep as illustration:

  “It may look easy to play prosecutor, but if you don’t have the law or the facts on your side, that Lemon is headed for the junkyard of history.” ([59:46])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• D4vd Murder Investigation: [00:48] – [13:10]
• Bryan Kohberger Lawsuit Discussion: [15:14] – [21:33]
• Texas Camp Mystic Flood Lawsuits: [24:39] – [34:31]
• Florida Fetish Murder Case: [34:31] – [42:49]
• Live Show Recap / Mailbag: [42:49] – [48:59]
• Closing Rants: [48:59] – [60:33]

Episode Tone

The episode mixes serious, meticulous legal analysis with witty banter and unfiltered opinions. The personalities of the hosts shine, and debates are passionate yet collegial. Johnna’s humor delights (earning her the moniker “Pistachio”), while Arthur provides animated, sometimes polarizing, defenses and critiques. Dave acts as moderator but also injects wry, experienced commentary.

For New Listeners

This episode is a quintessential example of the MK True Crime podcast’s blend of legal expertise, current events insight, and charismatic discussion. It deftly covers the intricacies of high-profile cases, the challenges of prosecution and defense, and ethical questions of institutional liability, all without shying away from controversy or levity. Even without prior knowledge of the headline cases, listeners will walk away informed, entertained, and ready to debate the issues themselves.