Murder Sheet: The Cheat Sheet - Candy and Concocted Confessions

Date: November 28, 2025
Hosts: Áine Cain (journalist) & Kevin Greenlee (attorney)

Episode Overview

This Cheat Sheet installment of the Murder Sheet examines several recent and notable true crime stories:

• An update on the federal case involving the murder of FBI Task Force Officer Greg Ferency in Indiana and the possible death penalty for his accused killer
• The tragic suicide of a trans teen in Washington manipulated by an online group, raising questions about online safety and regulation
• The break in a decades-old Oklahoma cold case involving convoluted confessions
• A foiled New York City terror plot hatched online, highlighting the dark impacts of extremist communities

With a focus on how online behaviors translate into real-world violence, mental health in criminal proceedings, long-lingering cases, and the responsibilities of digital platforms, Áine and Kevin deliver analysis in their signature thoughtful, candid style.

Main Cases & Discussion Points

1. Update: Murder of Detective Greg Ferency – Indiana

[07:26 – 20:16]

• Case Background:

  • Greg Ferency, a respected Terre Haute police detective and FBI Task Force Officer, was murdered July 7, 2021.
  • The alleged shooter, Shane Meehan, is a failed mayoral candidate and ex-federal prison guard.
  • Meehan attacked the FBI building, threw a Molotov cocktail, and shot Ferency point blank.

• Common Misconceptions:

  • Kevin dismisses conspiracy theories attempting to connect Ferency’s death to the Delphi murders, stating:

    "I have seen absolutely zero evidence to lend any credence whatsoever to those theories." — Kevin [11:24]

• Legal Update:

  • Federal prosecutors have filed for intent to seek the death penalty.
  • The trial has lagged due to repeated questions about Meehan's competency to stand trial.
  • Áine clarifies the difference between competency (can currently assist in defense) and insanity (state of mind during crime):

    "It's more about being able to fight your case in trial versus what you were doing at the time of the crime." — Áine [14:11]

• Insanity Defense & Mental Health:

  • Meehan’s actions post-shooting (fleeing to a hospital) suggest rationality.
  • Kevin notes the death penalty threat may push for a plea deal, citing the Idaho case precedent.

• Victim’s Family and Systemic Frustration:

  • Áine highlights the agony of drawn-out legal proceedings for victims' families:

    "This has been dragging out for years. I imagine that’s agony to just have this beholding over your heads for all that time." — Áine [19:18]

2. Washington State: The Suicide of Jay Taylor & Online Manipulation

[22:29 – 36:23]

• Background:

  • Jay Taylor, a 13-year-old trans boy, was targeted online by the harassment group “764” and died by suicide.
  • Jay’s parents were loving and supportive, but didn’t realize the extent of digital manipulation.

• Details of Harassment:

  • The group targeted Jay for his gender transition, misgendered and bullied him, and actively encouraged his suicide.
  • One leading perpetrator is a German medical student, shielded by privacy laws.

• Legal & Ethical Analysis:

  • There is currently little legal framework to address cross-border, online-driven psychological abuse.
  • Kevin acknowledges the difficulty of balancing free speech with online harms:

    "It's hard because we value free speech in this country. And whenever you want to pass laws that potentially infringe on free speech, that's something you have to put a lot of thought and care into..." — Kevin [26:40]

• Host Perspective:

  • Áine is emphatic about the need to hold both perpetrators and platforms accountable:

    "People who hurt kids should be under the jail. This needs to be prosecuted to the fullest extent." — Áine [32:12]

  • Conversation highlights discord’s failure to moderate, the naiveté of parents, and societal responsibility.

• Notable Moments:

  • Áine’s pointed analogy about platform responsibility:

    "If a bunch of criminals start hanging out at my house...and then they shoot a kid outside...morally speaking, I brought them into this situation." — Áine [34:11]

• Parental Courage:

  • Kevin praises Jay’s parents for their advocacy despite risk of public criticism.

3. Oklahoma Cold Case: Todd Sanseverino’s Murder and False Confessions

[37:04 – 41:11]

• Case Narrative:

  • Todd Sanseverino was shot and killed in 1997.
  • Initial suspect Angie Cutnose claimed it was accidental; her fiancé later falsely confessed (motivation: to free her for her children).
  • Over two decades later, witness reinterviews led to Cutnose’s recent charge for first-degree murder.

• Timeline Oddities:

  • Áine expresses confusion over investigative delays:

    "I'm really baffled...they had her on multiple occasions indicating that she shot him...it seems like they've known what happened to a certain extent from the jump." — Áine [40:19]

4. New York City Terror Plot & Online Extremism

[41:13 – 47:54]

• Case Summary:

  • A man known online as “Commander Butcher” led a group plotting atrocities, including a 2023 scheme to poison Jewish children in NYC with candy.
  • Inspired international violence: a school shooting in Tennessee, a murder in Romania, a mass stabbing in Turkey.

• Digital Radicalization:

  • Hosts discuss how violent groups grow and operate via the internet, often with gamified scoring systems for atrocities.
  • Áine’s disgust at the “unhinged plot to hurt children...where do these people come from?” [46:43]

• Resolution:

  • The leader pled guilty in Brooklyn, but both hosts express alarm at the global and national reach of such online evil.

Thematic Insights

• Intersection of Online Activity and Physical Harm:
  All major stories in this episode involve digital communities enabling or directly inciting real-world violence, making it clear that "what happens online" does not stay online.

• Challenges in Regulating Online Spaces:

  • Legislative and civil approaches (liability, platform moderation, regulation) are debated, particularly regarding First Amendment limits.

• Cognitive Dissonance in Competency and Culpability:

  • The Indiana case illustrates how mental health, rational action, and legal responsibility are complexly intertwined.

• The System’s Slow Pace – Impact on Victims:

  • Multiple stories reflect on the agony victims’ families endure due to delays, uncertainty, and legal loopholes.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Specious Conspiracy Theories:

  "Your opinion is uninformed and stupid and frankly, insulting to this man's memory." — Áine [11:51]

• On Legal Strategy:

  "One potential great use of the death penalty is that it can be used to motivate people to plead out." — Kevin [18:14]

• On Platform Accountability:

  "We have effectively allowed billionaires and companies worth billions of dollars to hijack our media environment, hijack our brains, hijack our children." — Áine [32:12]

• Áine’s outrage at group 764:

  "This is so evil. I think anyone involved in that, in hurting this young person should suffer the consequences." [25:50]

• On Digital Radicalization:

  "The Internet brings people together. It also brings evil people together. It's not just nice people who care about knitting or, you know, posting videos of cats. It's about people who want to do evil." — Áine [44:51]

• On the challenges of old cases:

  "With this, I'm like, I don't know. Weird. Very weird." — Áine [41:10]

Lighter Interludes & Banter

• The hosts exchange light-hearted jabs about state nicknames, musical references ("The Unsinkable Molly Brown," "Oklahoma!"), and the logistical mishaps of recording episodes in advance.
• Amusing stories at the end include Áine’s mortifying Penn Station “beer” incident (actually spilled Snapple) [54:11].
• The hosts poke fun at themselves for running out of life anecdotes, reflecting their rapport and the show’s approachable tone.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro/State and Holiday Banter: 03:29 – 07:26
• Indiana - Greg Ferency Murder Update: 07:26 – 20:16
• Washington - Jay Taylor Online Suicide Case: 22:29 – 36:23
• Oklahoma - Cold Case Break: 37:04 – 41:11
• New York - Online Terror Plot: 41:13 – 47:54
• Light Stories & Outro: 47:54 – 55:47

Episode Tone

• Language: Direct, empathetic, with pointed criticism of injustice and system failures.
• Mood: Somber when addressing tragic or violent subjects, but buoyed by the hosts’ dry wit, personal banter, and resolve for truth and advocacy.

Summary prepared for listeners seeking the episode’s central cases, analysis, and notable moments with detailed context.