Murder Sheet: The Cheat Sheet — Dogs and Dials

Episode Date: September 19, 2025
Hosts: Áine Cain (A), Kevin Greenlee (B)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Áine Cain and Kevin Greenlee return after a brief hiatus for a special "Cheat Sheet" edition, delving into a selection of recent true crime stories from across the United States. They address the disturbing trend of viral murder videos, examine notable recent homicides and legal dilemmas in North Dakota, Alabama, Montana, and Texas, and explore an astonishing case where a podcast episode indirectly set off further violence. The episode closes with memorable stories from their own lives and the criminal justice system, blending sobering analysis with the hosts' characteristic levity and warmth.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. On Viral Murder Videos and Their Impact

Timestamps: 05:23 – 11:08

• Discussion of Two High-profile Murders:

  • Irina Zaruska (August 22, 2025, Charlotte, NC): A 23-year-old Ukrainian woman, seeking refuge in the U.S., was murdered on a light rail by a man "constantly getting arrested" and diagnosed with schizophrenia.
    • Áine: "[Irina] was just minding her own business on this light rail and this 34 year old man named Decarlos Brown Jr. came up behind her and murdered her. ...It's unimaginable, it's horrifying." (06:38)
  • Charlie Kirk: Murdered in a separate incident; video footage also circulated widely online.
    • Kevin: "[W]hen something like that happens, the first thing you need to say is murder is wrong. ...In this country, we don't kill people just because we disagree with their views." (08:15)

• Impact on Victims' Families:

  • Unfiltered violence reaches even those trying to avoid it due to relentless social media algorithms.
    • Kevin: "My mind ...goes back to Delphi. ...Now that the crime scene photos of the murdered girls are out there, they always have to worry about coming across it." (09:19)
    • Áine: "We can talk and discuss and inform without having to inflict further harm on people who are already suffering." (10:36)

• Notable Quote:
  Áine: "I imagine the idea that you can just go out and basically see a snuff film of these two people dying is just horrible." (10:49)

2. North Dakota Case — Legal Questions Around Testimony via Zoom

Timestamps: 11:12 – 22:26

• Background:

  • The case of Spencer Moen, convicted of murdering his wife Sonia; their children testified against him over Zoom rather than in-person, raising Sixth Amendment concerns.
    • Kevin: "...They were allowed to testify via Zoom because there was evidence suggesting it would be difficult, if not damaging, for these young children to actually be in a courtroom where their father was present." (12:51)

• Legal Issue: Confronting Accusers via Technology

  • Is a defendant's constitutional right to confront accusers violated by remote testimony?
    • Áine: "To me, them being on Zoom versus in person is kind of not really the point and doesn't really seem like a violation of his rights." (13:44)
    • Kevin: "...when you talk to a person via Zoom, that doesn't really seem to be fundamentally different from being in the same room." (15:38)
    • Áine: "[D]oesn't mean we need to have him run up and grab his kid by the neck. It's about an attorney being able to cross examine you, right?" (15:53)

• Larger Implications:

  • If allowed here, can all witnesses testify via Zoom? Does this set a precedent?
    • Kevin: "It just raises a lot of interesting questions." (17:33)

3. Alabama — The Murder of Dr. Julie Guard Chanelli

Timestamps: 23:41 – 27:08

• Case Summary:

  • Dr. Julie Guard Chanelli, 59, a respected Auburn University professor emerita, murdered during a dog walk in Auburn, AL, on September 6, 2025.
    • Áine: "[She] spent her life helping animals and people [and] had the misfortune of running into one of those predators that morning." (26:13)
  • Accused: Harold Rashad Dabney III, 28, allegedly killed her to steal her Ford F150.

• Community Impact:

  • Shock in the local area — considered particularly despicable.
    • Áine (quoting a listener): "One of the most despicable, senseless, cruel, evil and disgusting murders I've heard of in our area in a long time." (26:02)
  • Hosts reflect on the unpredictability and randomness of violent predatory acts.

4. Montana — A Podcast's Unintended Consequence

Timestamps: 30:53 – 35:23

• Background:

  • The case of a marijuana trafficking ring leads to murder, with a podcast episode cited as an indirect catalyst.
    • Kevin: "A guy named Gerald Stefanski...goes missing...his mother goes on a podcast and she talks about this and she names some of these names..." (31:51)
    • Áine: "...Mr. Spurlock listens to this podcast and he comes away with the impression that Mr. Larson is somehow cooperating with police....and so he says, well, if he is a rat, he needs to die." (32:38)

• Outcome:

  • Multiple murders resulted from the suspect's paranoia upon hearing the podcast.
    • Áine: "Can you imagine? ...interview somebody and it basically gets somebody killed....But that's pretty heavy." (33:44)

5. Texas — The Case of Rana Nafal Solouri & Accidental Evidence

Timestamps: 38:51 – 41:54

• Case Summary:
  • Rana Nafal Solouri, a 47-year-old flight attendant of Jordanian/Palestinian origin, murdered by Dennis William Day, with help from Joanie Thomas who helped dispose of the body.
    • Áine: "It's a terrible, terrible situation...But here's where it gets insane...there was an accidental voicemail...of them moving a body." (40:52)
    • Accidental "butt dial" left incriminating audio, cementing the concept that most criminals are "not geniuses."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On social media’s role in trauma

  • Áine: "Some of these social media platforms are just so soul deadening and run by people who do not care about any sort of responsibility." (10:00)

• On legal testimony technology

  • Áine: "So we wanted to break them down on the stand. We wanted to destroy the kids. Like, yikes." (16:02)

• On ‘dumb criminals’ and butt dials

  • Áine: "Most people who do crimes are incredibly stupid and not geniuses. ...If they get away with it, it's usually because they get lucky." (41:47)

Episode’s Lighter Side: Banter, State Trivia, and Stories

Humorous State Trivia and Observations

Timestamps: 11:12, 27:14, 36:02

• Running joke about Áine’s lack of U.S. travel experience: "Never been to Alabama. All these states I've never been to except for Texas." (22:32)
• Lighthearted state fact debates and (failed) attempts at trivia about state nicknames and mascots.
• Áine pokes fun at Indiana’s "Hoosier" nickname: "The state nickname should almost be something that tells you a little bit about the state." (28:43)

Personal & Lurid Anecdotes

Timestamps: 47:26 – End

• Áine recounts a childhood story about unintentionally sending a "serial killer-like" package to her former lifeguard employers, courtesy of her Irish grandmother’s unique mailing methods.
• Kevin shares a lurid law office story from Columbus (“Athens of the Prairies”)—a confusing child support case resulting from two couples sharing a condom while on a double date in a parked car.
  • Áine: "It's just so disgusting." (54:06)
  • Kevin: "People who work in the law ... really see people at their absolute worst." (54:43)

Key Case Segment Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------|--------------------| | Viral murder videos & social media | 05:23 – 11:08 | | North Dakota: Zoom testimony debate | 11:12 – 22:26 | | Alabama: Dr. Chanelli’s murder | 23:41 – 27:08 | | Montana: Podcast triggers murder | 30:53 – 35:23 | | Texas: Butt dial evidence murder | 38:51 – 41:54 | | Light stories and anecdotes | 47:26 – 56:25 |

Tone, Style, and Takeaways

• Language and Tone: The episode balances serious, empathetic true-crime reporting with dry humor and a touch of irreverence, especially during banter and storytime.
• Themes: Incidental harms from digital media, evolving legal norms (technology in court), the randomness of predatory violence, and the unpredictability—and frequently the idiocy—of criminal acts.
• Listener Value: A thoughtful but entertaining survey of current case law and high-profile murder cases, coupled with self-aware meta-commentary on crime reporting and the podcasting world. Accessible and informative even for listeners unfamiliar with the specific cases.

Selected Quotes with Timestamps

• Áine (on video of murders): "I saw both without looking it up, without trying to see it..." (06:01)
• Kevin (on prisoner’s rights): "It's interesting because obviously when the Constitution was written, things like Zoom were not even a glimmer in the eyes of the founding fathers." (14:34)
• Áine (on predatory crime): "There are people out there amongst us who are basically operating on selfish and disgusting impulses..." (26:13)
• Kevin (on podcast-prompted violence): "So this is an instance where a podcast kind of played a role unintentionally in some developments." (30:53)
• Áine (on criminals’ competence): "Most people who do crimes are incredibly stupid and not geniuses." (41:47)
• Áine (on law professionals' experiences): "...you see so much weird and, frankly, depraved stuff..." (54:17)

Upcoming Events

• September 20: Book signing at Barnes & Noble, Noblesville, IN (1-3pm) (42:14)
• September 26: Event at Community Learning Center, Kendallville, IN (43:30)
• October 3: Event at Johnson County Museum of History, Franklin, IN (45:26)
• October 11: Louisville Book Festival, KY (46:19)
• October 18: Barnes & Noble, Carmel, IN (46:36)
• November 1: Barnes & Noble, Lafayette, IN (46:36)
• (Details in the episode and at their events page)

Conclusion

A classic "Cheat Sheet" episode: sharp, compassionate crime analysis with geeky legal dives, the bittersweet realities of digital virality, and hosts who know how to soften the horror with genuine laughs. Whether driving home complex questions or sharing fish shack recommendations, Áine and Kevin don't lose sight of the humanity at the heart of their stories.