Murder: True Crime Stories

Episode Summary: MYSTERY – The Octopus: A Journalist Who Knew Too Much

Host: Carter Roy
Date: February 20, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Murder: True Crime Stories explores the baffling death of investigative journalist Danny Casolaro and the shadowy conspiracy he pursued called "The Octopus." Host Carter Roy revisits Casolaro's background, the threads of the PROMIS software scandal, his network of mysterious sources, and the circumstances of his suspicious death in 1991. Was Casolaro's demise suicide as authorities ruled, or was he silenced because he knew too much? The story draws listeners into a real-life labyrinth of government cover-ups, secret technology, and the elusive hunt for truth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Danny Casolaro: Adventurer Turned Investigative Journalist

• Raised in privilege near Washington, D.C., Casolaro had a taste for adventure from a young age, leaving home at 16 for a failed treasure hunt in South America.
• He settled into family life but gravitated to unconventional journalism, publishing works ranging from mountain climbing novels to investigative pieces on spy networks and drug smugglers.
• "[Danny] was handsome, charismatic, and deeply in love... But just because [he] was comfortable didn’t mean he was satisfied with the status quo."
  — Carter Roy [03:53]

2. The PROMIS Software Scandal

• Casolaro became obsessed with Inslaw’s software solution, PROMIS—an advanced legal case management system the DOJ allegedly stole, driving the Hamiltons into bankruptcy.
• He uncovered allegations that former Reagan official Earl Bryan orchestrated the theft so his own company could profit and export PROMIS globally, potentially with secret backdoors for U.S. spying.

3. The Birth of “The Octopus” Theory

• Casolaro envisioned a conspiracy—“The Octopus”—with eight tentacles representing powerful ex-government officials manipulating international events.
• He believed these men connected via complex webs: Iran-Contra, the October Surprise hostage scandal, organized crime, and illegal tech deals.

Quote:
"With its tag team compartments, its exploitation of hundreds of people, and its formidable stealth, the Octopus will help to unravel the most compelling puzzles of the 20th century."
— Danny Casolaro, as cited by Carter Roy [01:16]

4. Casolaro’s Key Sources

• Michael Riconosciuto: A self-proclaimed child prodigy, weapons expert and convicted drug manufacturer, claimed he installed a “backdoor” in PROMIS for the U.S. government and participated in covert operations—including alleged involvement in the Iran hostage crisis and money laundering schemes.
• Robert Nichols: An enigmatic figure, accused by others of crime ties, who both denied and downplayed the conspiracy but warned Casolaro his investigation was dangerous.
• Earl Bryan: The alleged orchestrator tying multiple threads—the PROMIS theft and the October Surprise—together. Bryan denied all allegations.

Quote:
"Michael claimed the plan was for the government to sell the program to other countries, then use the secret backdoor to access their files."
— Carter Roy [16:32]

5. Danger Lurks: Death Threats and Paranoia

• Casolaro began receiving nightly death threats; his housekeeper confirmed frequent ominous calls.
• He warned family: "If I wind up dead, it wasn’t an accident."
  — Carter Roy [28:11]

6. Unraveling in Martinsburg

• Casolaro traveled to West Virginia in August 1991 to meet a major source; he was euphoric but exhausted and stopped returning regular calls—a red flag for those close to him.
• On August 10, 1991, he was found dead in a hotel bathtub with 12 deep wrist cuts, a beer can, razor blade, and a brief suicide note.

Quote:
"At 44 years old, he was dead. And so was the biggest story of his life. Even more suspicious, the files Danny always carried with him...were nowhere to be seen."
— Carter Roy [36:29]

7. Aftermath & Investigation: More Questions Than Answers

• Local police ruled the death a suicide, despite procedural oddities (embalming before autopsy, delayed family notification, missing files).
• Casolaro had no documented mental health issues; friends and family doubted suicide, noting his aversion to blood and reporting he’d been in good spirits.
• Journalists and relatives rushed to comb through his remaining notes—uncovering dead ends, more rumors, and hints at further shadowy figures (CIA’s William Casey, Israeli operative/media mogul Robert Maxwell).
• Forensic findings included an unprescribed antidepressant and signs of multiple sclerosis—raising theories of suicide, hidden illness, or poisoning.

Quote:
"The lack of evidence threw the rumor mill into overdrive...Some relatives and fellow journalists claimed he was killed. They theorized he was murdered by the Mafia, an international assassin, or some shadowy intelligence agency."
— Carter Roy [43:09]

8. Is the Octopus Real?

• Casolaro never fully named all conspirators; possible members included Bryan, Nichols, Riconosciuto, and others tied to intelligence and organized crime.
• The Octopus remains more hypothesis than proven fact, but its enigmatic allure endures.
  "It’s possible that Danny didn’t have a unified conspiracy theory at all. Even friends agree he was a theatrical person, and he wasn’t above exaggerating his career accomplishments to make an impression."
  — Carter Roy [52:36]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Introducing the Obsession:
  “Your Roman Empire is that one thing you’re obsessed with. Well, back in July 1991, journalist Danny Casolaro had a very specific Roman Empire. He called it the Octopus.”
  — Carter Roy [00:52]

• On Risk and Paranoia:
  “He told family and friends he was getting anonymous death threats... he once told his brother that if he wound up dead, it wasn’t an accident.”
  — Carter Roy [28:11]

• Death and The Missing Story:
  "He was lying in the bathtub covered in blood. Beside him was a beer can, a razor blade, and a three-sentence long suicide note...”
  — Carter Roy [35:55]

• On the Elusiveness of Truth:
  "With the files gone, we only have bits and pieces of his conspiracy... Decades later, the Octopus remains a mystery."
  — Carter Roy [54:20]

Timeline of Critical Events

| Timestamp | Segment | |---------------|-----------------------------------| | 00:42 – 05:35 | Danny Casolaro’s background and early career | | 06:00 – 13:00 | Discovery of the PROMIS software case and the involvement of Bill and Nancy Hamilton | | 13:30 – 19:25 | Michael Riconosciuto’s claims about secret government operations, PROMIS, and the Octopus | | 20:58 – 25:00 | Casolaro’s deepening obsession; introduction to Robert Nichols and Earl Bryan | | 28:00 – 32:30 | Evidence of threats, fear for safety; preparation for Martinsburg trip | | 34:00 – 36:29 | The discovery of Casolaro’s death; suspicious circumstances; missing files | | 39:04 – 54:20 | Aftermath, official investigation, press scrutiny, ongoing mysteries and speculation about the Octopus |

Conclusion

Carter Roy presents a gripping exploration of Danny Casolaro’s relentless pursuit of the truth, weaving together threads of real government malfeasance, shadowy characters, and unresolved tragedy. The tale is as much about Casolaro—a uniquely obsessive, theatrical truth-seeker—as it is about the enduring myth of the Octopus. Decades later, listeners are left to wonder: what did Casolaro really uncover, and is the Octopus still out there, pulling the world’s strings?

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