Murder Sheet: The Cheat Sheet – Housekeepers and Hospitals

Release Date: November 14, 2025
Hosts: Áine (Anya) Cain (Journalist), Kevin Greenlee (Attorney)

Episode Overview

In this "Cheat Sheet" installment, Anya Cain and Kevin Greenlee provide a roundup of major true crime stories with a particular focus on recent developments involving housekeepers, hospitals, and tragic cases spanning New York, Indiana, California, and Ohio. The conversation weaves in commentary about the broader implications of the criminal justice system, stand-your-ground laws, and systemic failures in mental health care, while also highlighting ongoing debates and public reactions to each event.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Kings Park Psychiatric Hospital Case (New York, Suffolk County)

Starts at ~05:35

• Background:
  • Kings Park is a well-known abandoned psychiatric hospital on Long Island, infamous for its eerie, graffiti-laden buildings that attract urban explorers.
  • The area’s neglected mental health history is discussed, with Anya noting the tragic outcomes of deinstitutionalization.
  • "[W]e need to stop this. And like, most well intentioned moral crusades, it just... stopped it, but it didn’t really stop negative outcomes for children with intellectual disabilities or mental health concerns." (08:56 - Anya Cain)
• Featured Case:
  • Victim: Ann Lustig, a 69-year-old mother and grandmother living in a group home and psychiatric patient.
  • Incident (1997): Disappeared after leaving Kings Park hospital for an appointment; body found the next day. She was kidnapped, raped, and murdered.
  • Recent Break: New DNA analysis from evidence (a “mysterious smudge” on her sweatshirt) matched Steve Briek, a parolee and prior suspect, now deceased.
  • Law Enforcement Response: Suffolk County DA Ray Tierney credited the recent momentum and cross-case task force efforts post-Gilgo Beach (Rex Heuermann) investigation.
  • Broader Takeaway: Emphasizes that people with mental illnesses are more often victims than perpetrators of violent crime.

Notable Quote

"This case underscores that when we talk about mental health and mental illness, oftentimes it’s portrayed as if someone mentally ill is going to be the perpetrator. But more often than not, they’re going to be the victim of a violent crime." (13:37 – Anya Cain)

2. Cleaning Crew Tragedy (Indiana)

Starts at ~20:24

• Incident:
  • Maria Perez and her husband, both self-employed cleaners, mistaken address; as they attempt entry, the homeowner shoots through the door, killing Maria.
• Legal Context:
  • Indiana’s “Stand Your Ground” law gives broad latitude for self-defense if a homeowner feels threatened.
  • Kevin explains the legal hurdles: "It all boils down to reasonable. And that means the prosecutor... would have the burden to prove that what happened was not reasonable." (22:04)
• Debate:
  • Anya expresses outrage at the permissiveness of the law:

    “If our laws are structured in a way where this is okay, where a woman can be shot for going to the wrong house... then we need to change our laws in Indiana because that's a disgrace.” (24:37)

  • Both hosts agree that while the event is morally wrong, prosecution under current law may be impossible.
• Emotional Impact:
  • Anya: “How much of a fricking coward do you have to be to shoot first and ask questions later when someone comes to your door? ...How soft are you?” (34:40)
• Community & Societal Reactions
  • Hosts urge listeners to focus anger at lawmakers, not just prosecutors.
  • Broader context: Stand your ground laws are often used with tragic, sometimes racially charged, consequences.

Notable Quotes

• "If the prosecutor concludes that under our law, I don't feel confident I have a case here, that ultimately is not his fault. It's the fault of the law..." (26:13 – Kevin Greenlee)
• "It's appalling the idea that these people would not get justice." (29:21 – Anya Cain)
• "If you're angry, be angry. I encourage you to be angry. But be angry at the legislatures..." (33:11 – Kevin Greenlee)

3. Celebrity, Social Media, and a Teenager's Death (California)

Starts at ~40:26

• Case:
  • Victim: Celeste Rivas Hernandez, 14, disappeared after reportedly running away in April 2024; had past connection to 20-year-old musician David Anthony Burke ("D4VD").
  • Discovery: Her body, badly decomposed, was found in the trunk of a Tesla near a house Burke had rented.
  • Current Status:
    • No cause or manner of death released yet; police unable to charge homicide without further evidence.
    • Suspicion of foul play is fuelled by internet sleuthing and Burke’s sudden disappearance from the public eye.
  • Reflection: Hosts note the failures of support systems for vulnerable youth and the challenges law enforcement faces with digital evidence and public expectations.

Notable Quote

“She was just a teenager and it just sounds like a lot of, a lot of things failed her in this life.” (46:15 – Anya Cain)

4. Sextortion and a Murder-Suicide Attempt (Ohio)

Starts at ~48:32

• Incident:
  • 76-year-old James Hill, after being sextorted over nude photos sent via dating app, decides the only way out is to kill himself and his wife, Mary Hill (64).
  • He fatally stabs his wife (from behind, during a shoulder rub), attempts to kill their dog, then himself (unsuccessfully).
• Analysis:
  • Hosts dissect the irrationality and selfishness behind Hill’s actions, contrasting it with reasonable alternatives.
  • "Can you imagine that poor woman, she's having a loving touch from her husband...and then the knife to the chest." (52:51 – Kevin Greenlee)
  • Anya speculates prior controlling tendencies, noting this behavior "doesn’t come out of nowhere."
• Advice:
  • Both hosts urge honesty and seeking help, rather than taking extreme or violent measures under pressure.

Notable Quotes

• "It’s ridiculous. There’s no...this is like a hissy fit almost for an adult man..." (54:44 – Anya Cain)
• "Own up to your mistakes." (55:51 – Anya Cain)

5. Legal Oddity: Carroll County Journalist Charged (Indiana)

Starts at ~56:49

• Story:
  • Holly Eitenmiller, former editor of the Carroll County Comet, is charged with offenses after allegedly facilitating (and participating in) the removal of items from the Chamber of Commerce building after hours.
  • Items taken: antiques, office chair, overhead projector, a laptop (the latter personalized and technically "borrowed" without permission).
• Relevance:
  • While inside baseball, hosts note it as a striking local news aberration but stress it doesn’t reflect on the publication.
  • Anya: “That's a nightmare hire right there. Not only are you literally stealing from the community you're supposed to be covering...”

Additional Memorable Moments & Timestamps

• Discussion of psychiatric hospitals and the legacy of deinstitutionalization:
  “[W]e need to stop this. And like, most well intentioned moral crusades, it just... stopped it, but it didn’t really stop negative outcomes...” (08:56)
• Debate over justifications for shooting through a door:
  “I'm not a big believer in shoot first, ask questions later in general, but if they were in the house... I could understand that more...” (27:49 – Anya)
• Legal analysis on 'stand your ground' implications:
  “Those facts may end up being absolutely determinative..." (31:27 – Kevin)
• Sardonic banter about founding a “Supreme Podcaster Court”:
  (47:55) “I'm not even counting on that. I'm just saying when I die, the headline of my obituary will be he never served on the Supreme Court.” (Kevin/Anya, playful segment)
• Tips for listeners:
  “Don’t be sending nudes to people, especially nudes that are identifiable to you. So that’s my tip for the day.” (55:42 – Kevin Greenlee)

Recurring Themes & Tone

• Tone: Candid, direct, occasionally sardonic, always focused on broader legal/societal context and the human stories behind the crimes.
• Themes:
  • Systemic failures and the law’s limitations (especially regarding mental health and stand your ground rules)
  • Victims’ humanity and empathy for both those harmed and occasionally those who perpetrate
  • Frustration with slow or illogical legal progress and misguided public outrage toward individuals rather than systems

Summary Takeaways

• Investigative updates: Cold cases can be advanced with new forensic techniques and energetic leadership (as in Long Island/Suffolk County).
• Law & Morality: Stand your ground laws and self-defense statutes are deeply flawed and create outcomes that feel unjust, yet may be fully legal.
• Personal Responsibility: Succumbing to fear or shame with violence (as in Ohio) is inexcusable, and empathy must always be joined with a call for accountability.
• Outliers in True Crime Reporting: Even reputable organizations can have surprising side stories—transparency and community reporting remain vital.

For Further Listening

• Indiana Historical Society Event: Anya and Kevin promote their book and invite listeners to their December 6th appearance.
• Call to Action: Listeners are encouraged to direct advocacy toward lawmakers, support robust local journalism, and, most importantly, remember the humanity lost in each tragic case.

End of summary.