Episode Summary: Monster: Hunting the Long Island Serial Killer

Episode: A message from host Josh Zeman
Podcast: Monster (iHeartPodcasts & Tenderfoot TV)
Release Date: November 3, 2025

Overview

This episode serves as a personal message and teaser from host and filmmaker Josh Zeman about the upcoming podcast series, "Monster: Hunting the Long Island Serial Killer." Zeman, who previously investigated the case and came close to identifying the killer, discusses the new developments since the 2023 arrest of the suspect, Rex Heuermann, and promises a fresh look at the infamous LISK case. The message is a mix of reflection, anticipation for the new series, and an exclusive audio preview.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Personal Invitation and Case Background

• Josh Zeman welcomes listeners, acknowledging longtime followers and newcomers:

  "If you're listening to this message, it's because you're either a friend of the show or because somehow you've discovered this podcast and decided to give it a listen. Either way, I'm glad you're here." (00:01)

• He outlines his past involvement as a filmmaker who investigated the Long Island Serial Killer (LISK) and nearly uncovered the truth:

  "In 2016 I released an investigative series where I came close to catching Lisk. Closer than anyone had been before." (00:39)

• Zeman expresses that the story is even bigger and more complicated than he thought:

  "Looking back, there's so much more to this story than I originally thought and so many questions that I now have answers to."

2. New Evidence & Uncovered Clues

• Zeman reveals that clues leading to the recent arrest were already available years ago, hidden “in plain sight,” and asks the tough question:

  "So why did it take authorities so long to catch him, and how many lives could have been saved?"

3. Exclusive Series Clip

A preview segment features conversations between filmmakers, survivors, and law enforcement with emotional, revelatory clips:

• Rachel reflects on their independent investigation:

  "When Rachel and I first started filming in the summer of 2014, the official investigation was only three years old. But for some reason the Suffolk County Police Department wouldn't even talk about it and they rarely spoke to the families." (01:22)

  • Rachel says they found clues themselves during their two-year investigation and notes:

    "As it turns out, we were far closer to catching Lisk than we thought. And those same clues...were right there all along buried in our footage." (01:38)

• Investigator/Commentator describes the main suspect:

  "He was just this beast of a man, like 6 foot 9, 300 fucking pounds, white, black, Hispanic, white dude, 50 years old. Monster. It was only like a couple weeks right before she disappeared that that guy was there." (02:03)

4. Revisiting Evidence & Closer Look at Police Work

• Rachel details the new podcast’s approach:

  "On this podcast we're going to reveal those clues as we sift through hundreds of hours of old footage from our show. Interviews, phone calls, doorstep confrontations." (02:17)

• Confrontational encounters highlight the risks and drama of field investigation:
  • "Were you at my house tonight?" (02:28)
  • "Yes, we're looking for you." (02:30)
  • "Not a good thing to do." (02:32)

5. Key Questions and the Upcoming Trial

• Rachel voices the show's driving questions:

  "Could Lisk have been caught sooner? And finally, what so many of us have been waiting for for over two decades, the upcoming trial of Rex Heuermann, the alleged Long island serial killer." (02:34)

• Prosecutor outlines the accusation:

  "The theory of our case is this defendant meticulously and methodically hunted down and murdered seven women." (02:54)

• The narrator raises the possibility of missed opportunities:

  "Could this man have been caught as far back as 2010? God forbid we that could still be alive if they had made the arrest back then." (03:01)

• Rachel reflects on remaining questions and the importance of the trial:

  "And while we might think we know who Lisk is. There's still so many questions that this trial might answer. And we'll be there every step of the way until finally, we get what may be the most important answer of them all. The verdict." (03:10)

6. The Timeline and Setting

• The story starts in 2010, with the earliest body discovered by chance on Gilgo Beach:
  • "It’s a story that starts back in the winter of 2010, exactly 15 years ago, on a remote stretch of highway in Long Island in an area known as Gilgo Beach." (03:29)
  • "An off duty cop walking his dog stumbles on a woman's dead body." (03:50)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Josh Zeman:

  “Closer than anyone had been before.” (00:39)

• Rachel:

  “We were far closer to catching Lisk than we thought... those same clues that led police to cracking this case were right there all along buried in our footage.” (01:38)

• Investigator/Commentator:

  “He was just this beast of a man... Monster. It was only like a couple weeks right before she disappeared that that guy was there.” (02:03)

• Prosecutor:

  “The theory of our case is this defendant meticulously and methodically hunted down and murdered seven women.” (02:54)

• Tenderfoot TV Narrator:

  “Could this man have been caught as far back as 2010? God forbid we that could still be alive if they had made the arrest back then.” (03:01)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:01: Josh Zeman personal introduction and show background
• 01:14: Show identification (“You’re listening to a Tenderfoot TV podcast.”)
• 01:22: Rachel recounts beginning their own investigation
• 02:03: Description of suspect and time frame
• 02:17: Rachel explains the new podcast’s investigative approach
• 02:28: Audio from a doorstep confrontation
• 02:34: Rachel raises core investigative questions and mentions Rex Heuermann’s trial
• 02:54: Prosecutor summarizes the prosecution’s case
• 03:01: Tenderfoot narrator reflects on missed opportunities by authorities
• 03:10: Rachel emphasizes unanswered questions and the importance of the coming verdict
• 03:29: Setting the scene in 2010, Gilgo Beach
• 03:50: First body discovered by an off-duty cop walking his dog

Tone and Style

The episode features a deeply investigative, personal, and urgent tone:

• Zeman speaks directly, emotionally, and with a sense of unfinished business.
• Rachel and others offer reflective, determined commentary, focused on justice and truth.
• Interviews, cop encounters, and production snippets add a raw, documentary feel.

Conclusion

This special message and preview introduces a gripping new chapter in the "Monster" podcast series, promising a blend of untold investigative work, new insights, and updates on the highly anticipated trial of the alleged Long Island Serial Killer. Listeners are encouraged to follow the series, launching November 17th, for in-depth revelations and ongoing coverage of one of New York’s most chilling cases.