Morbid Podcast
Episode: The Murder of Olga Kupczyk (Part 2)
Hosts: Ash Kelley & Alaina Urquhart
Date: March 5, 2026

Episode Overview

In this emotionally charged, research-heavy, yet often darkly comic episode, Ash and Alaina continue their deep dive into the infamous murder case of Olga Kupczyk. Building on Part 1, Part 2 explores the shocking unraveling of the plot against Olga—a heavily pregnant woman—by her twisted mother-in-law, Elizabeth Duncan, and the web of conspiracies, betrayals, and courtroom drama that followed.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene & Quick Recap (09:09–10:27)

• Ash summarizes the story so far for listeners jumping in late:
  • Olga met Frank when he was visiting his ill mother at the hospital where Olga worked.
  • Frank’s mother, Elizabeth Duncan, became bizarrely obsessed with her son’s relationship, ultimately annulling their marriage in secret.
  • Olga, eight months pregnant, went missing; suspicion and a series of blackmail accusations soon followed.

Quote:
"Frank is the pusoir of the century in this." (Ash, 09:44)

2. The Conspirators Emerge: Elizabeth’s Scheming (12:17–14:28)

• Key informant, Emma Short, inadvertently reveals the annulment plot and that Elizabeth approached numerous people to have Olga killed, including:
  • Barbara Reed (asked to attack with acid and push her off a cliff),
  • Ralph Winterstein, and
  • A random woman called Becky.
• Nobody went to the police despite these murder-for-hire attempts.

Quote:
"The real tragedy of the story—Olga didn’t have to die. So many people knew." (Ash, 14:41)

3. The Murder Plot and Execution (15:55–24:27)

• Esperanza Esquivel (café owner) admits Elizabeth paid Moya and Baldonado $6,000 (~$67,000 today) to kidnap and murder Olga.
• Through a link provided by a traffic officer (Chico Rojo), police discover the getaway car with blood-stained, burned upholstery—a critical piece of evidence.
• Gus Baldonado confesses, recounting how they lured Olga (claiming Frank was drunk), violently assaulted and abducted her, attempted to drive to Mexico, but eventually murdered her during a breakdown near Ojai.
• The grim discovery: Olga was ultimately buried alive.

Notable Quotes:
"When Olga came to the door, Lewis told her Frank was in the car and he was really drunk and they needed help getting him inside. So they preyed upon her...she's eight months pregnant." (Ash, 21:23)
"The cause of death was listed as suffocation, such as would be produced by being buried alive...She was buried alive." (Ash & Elena, 23:41–23:42)

4. Arrests, Charges, and Grief (19:57–26:28)

• Elizabeth is formally arrested on multiple felony counts; her co-conspirators begin to cooperate, unravelling the full scheme.
• The family learns about Olga’s death not from authorities, but through a press call—a particularly heartbreaking moment.
• Elizabeth consistently claims innocence, insisting she was the true victim of blackmail.

Quote:
"It was only when reporters called the house that evening that Olga's family learned she was in fact dead and had been murdered." (Ash, 25:22)

5. Sensational Trial and Courtroom Dramas (28:17–41:43)

• Elizabeth’s eccentric, volatile behavior and long history (married 11 times, student affairs, fraud) become fodder for the prosecution and the press.
• Gripping testimonies reveal Elizabeth’s real motivation—her jealous, unnatural attachment to her son Frank.
• The prosecution dramatizes, suggesting Elizabeth not only wanted Olga dead, but disfigured.

Notable Moments:

• Dramatic courtroom outbursts, both from Elizabeth and Frank who supports his mother blindly.
• Testimonies from would-be co-conspirators and close friends, including Emma, whose cross-examination included Elizabeth yelling, "You're a liar!" and accusing Emma of wearing her clothes (35:55).

Quotes:
"Why are you so jealous of your daughter-in-law? This is an unnatural relationship." (Elena, 32:52)
"Elizabeth insisted on testifying on her own behalf...These always do. Dig that grave myself." (Ash & Elena, 36:35–36:39)
"If I had to live alone, I wanted to die...I told her I didn't want a daughter-in-law of her character." (Elizabeth's testimony, 38:03–38:30)
"Frank leapt to his feet and shouted, 'Just a minute, Mr. Gustafsson. My name is Frank, not Frankie. I'm a big boy.'" (Frank, 39:15)

6. The Verdict: Sentencing and Aftermath (41:43–48:00)

• Psychologists declare Elizabeth egocentric and emotionally immature, but not insane.
• All involved (Elizabeth, Louis, and Gus) sentenced to death.
• The hosts discuss how modern legal standards might have changed the trial, but the gravity of Olga’s murder—while eight months pregnant—helped solidify the outcome.

Final Moments:
Elizabeth’s last words before execution:
"Where's Frank?" (Ash, 46:24)

• She was the last woman executed in California. Frank, her son, never wavered in his support, but his career spiraled and ultimately ended in disbarment.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "The real tragedy of the story—Olga didn’t have to die. So many people knew." (Ash, 14:41)
• "She was buried alive." (Ash & Elena, 23:41–23:42)
• "Frank is the pusoir of the century in this." (Ash, 09:44)
• "You're a liar!…This woman has my clothes on right now and she is a liar. I feel like tearing them right off of her." (Elizabeth, 35:55–36:13)
• "If I had to live alone, I wanted to die...I'm petrified if I have to be by myself at night." (Elizabeth, 38:03)
• "Where's Frank?" (Elizabeth's last words before execution, 46:24)
• Fun Fact Ending: "Bees, in fact, have knees!" (Ash, 48:53)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Romanticizing daily life & pre-case banter: 01:32–09:08
• Recap & case re-entry: 09:10–10:27
• Annulment revelation & Emma's confession: 10:50–12:31
• Murder plot mechanics: 12:31–14:28
• Co-conspirators’ confessions & Olga’s murder: 15:55–24:27
• Evidence discovery (the car): 18:57–19:41
• Olga’s remains and autopsy: 23:09–23:56
• Bizarre courtroom dynamics: 28:17–41:43
• Verdict, aftermath, and execution: 41:43–48:00
• Fun fact closer: 48:25–49:00

Tone & Closing Thoughts

Ash and Alaina maintain their signature blend of meticulous research, empathy for victims, wry observations, and comic relief—no one is spared from their sharp (often explicit) commentary. They highlight the enduring tragedy of Olga’s story, the horror of bystander silence, and the truly grotesque obsession of Elizabeth with her son Frank—a psychological nightmare preserved in legal history.

Resource Mention

• Book by Deborah Holt Larkin (the episode's primary source; see Morbid’s show notes for details).

Useful for: Listeners seeking a comprehensive, engaging, and unflinching look into the murder of Olga Kupczyk and Elizabeth Duncan’s twisted motivations, even if they haven’t caught Part 1. The episode provides emotional resonance, memorable quotes, and all the key facts—serving true crime aficionados and newcomers alike.