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On the Crime House Original podcast, Serial Killers and Murderous Minds, we're diving into the psychology of the world's most complex murder cases. From serial killers to cult leaders, deadly exes and spree killers, we're examining not just how they killed, but why. Is it uncontrollable rage? Overwhelming fear? Or is it something deeper? Serial Killers and Murderous Minds is a Crime House Studios original new episodes drop every Monday and Thursday Friday. Follow wherever you get your podcasts.
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This is crime house. Jealousy is a powerful emotion and something we've all experienced. Most of us first had these feelings as children. Maybe our classmate had a toy we wanted, or our sibling was getting more attention from our parents. It's normal to feel this way, but left unchecked, those emotions can escalate in a dangerous way. With hormones running rampant, high school is practically a breeding ground for jealousy. We've all seen our crush flirt with someone else, or watched a peer excel at something that seems impossible to us. It doesn't feel good most of the time. We learn to deal with those emotions in a healthy way. But not everyone is willing to take the high road. In the 1980s, 17 year old Missy Avila was one of the most popular girls at her high school in Los Angeles. She was beautiful, smart and extroverted. Some people loved her for it, but others couldn't stand to see Missy succeed. And on October 1, 1985, they decided to snuff out Missy's bright light for good. People's lives are like a story. There's a beginning, a middle, and an end. A but you don't always know which part you're on. Sometimes the final chapter arrives far too soon and we don't always get to know the real ending. I'm Carter Roy and this is True Crime Stories, a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. New episodes come out every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with Friday's episode covering the cases that deserve a deeper look. Thank you for being part of the Crime House community. Please please rate, review and follow the show and for early ad free access to every episode. Subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. This is the first of two episodes on the murder of 17 year old Missy Avila in 1985. Today, I'll introduce you to Missy and her childhood friends. As Missy grew older, her relationships began to change. And during high school, teenage jealousy drove a wedge between Missy and her classmates. After years of bullying and bitter rumors, things reached a horrible boiling point one fall day. Next time, I'll discuss the investigation that followed. And one woman's Attempt to throw the police off course. After years of dead ends and red herrings, it seemed like Missy would never find justice. But just when the Avila family was losing hope, a new witness came forward and what they said changed everything. All that and more coming up. A wardrobe that actually lasts comes down to choosing the right basics. Pieces that feel good, look good, and hold up over time. That's what Quince does best. They focus on premium materials and thoughtful details to create everyday staples that are easy to wear and easy to trust. Even when the weather can't make up its mind. Quince has all the essentials. Organic cotton sweaters, Polos for every occasion, and lighter jackets that keep you warm without feeling heavy. Everything is designed to fit into your daily routine and still look polished. I've been especially impressed with the wool coat I got a while ago. It's holding up way better than coats that I've owned that cost a lot more and still looks great. So refresh your wardrobe with quince. Go to quince.com crimehouse for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q U I-N C E.com crimehouse free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com crimehouse hey, Sal. Hank. What's going on? We haven't worked a case in years. I just bought my car at Carvana and it was so easy. Too easy. Think something's up? You tell me. They got thousands of options, found a great car at a great price, and.
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From the moment she was born on February 8, 1968, Irene Avila knew her daughter was special. With emerald eyes, deep brown hair, and a glowing personality. Missy, whose full name was Michelle, grabbed attention wherever she went. At home, Irene absolutely doted on her. Missy was the third of four children and the only girl in her family. At school, things weren't much different. In 1973, her her kindergarten teacher told Irene that Missy was becoming a little too popular. The other students were spending more time socializing with her than paying attention in class. Missy had to promise her mom she would be a little quieter from then on. With natural charisma like that, Missy had plenty of friends. But it wasn't until 1976 that 8 year old Missy met the girl who would become her lifelong bestie. A girl named Karen Severson. The first time she talked to Missy. Karen bragged about the benefits of having divorced parents. She said that a bigger family meant more people to love. Karen also made sure to tell Missy that her brothers were a lot nicer than Missy's, though none of them had ever met. Weeks later, Missy found out that Karen's parents weren't divorced. Not only that, but she was an only child. None of that bothered Missy. Clearly, Karen had an active imagination and a burning desire for companionship. And Missy was happy to fill that role. Soon, the two girls were inseparable. They walked home every day after school, had playdates on the weekends, and navigated the minefield of early adolescence together. But it wasn't long before cracks started to form in their relationship. By 1981, 13 year old Missy was a high achiever with good grades and a huge group of friends vying for her attention. Not that she was particularly interested, but she was popular with the boys in school too. Karen had a very different experience. She wasn't the best student and was heavier than average, which made her deeply insecure. As the years passed and Missy continued to flourish, Karen only grew angrier and more jealous of Missy. Of course, Karen didn't tell Missy how she really felt on the outside. She pretended like they were closer than ever. But deep down, Karen resented Missy. And she secretly worked to break Missy down however she could. In middle school, Karen once gossiped about some of the girls in her class, claiming they'd been sleeping around. When the group of girls confronted her, Karen said Missy was the one who started the rumor. The next day, the girls passed Missy a nasty note that made them enemies for life. After that, they refused to speak to her. Missy was hurt and confused. She had no idea what had made them turn on her. Meanwhile, Karen was right by Missy's side, consoling her. She promised Missy it was them against the world. But it turned out that loyalty had some conditions. At 14 years old, Karen got her first boyfriend. And suddenly Missy was old news. The relationship was brief but passionate. A few months later, she was pregnant. On January 31, 1982, Karen gave birth to a baby girl named Andrea. In her second trimester, she had to drop out of school. The experience left her bitter and angry. After all, Karen was still a child herself. She depended on her parents to do most of the heavy lifting when it came to the baby. And the father, who was just as young, didn't want to be involved in raising their child. Karen's fairytale romance had turned into a nightmare. But thankfully, Missy was there every step of the way. To support her, she defended Karen when other kids bullied her, offered to help care for Andrea, and gave Karen a shoulder to cry on. But sometimes having Missy around only made Karen feel worse. It was like a constant reminder of everything Karen didn't have. While Karen's life now revolved around her baby, Missy could still do whatever she wanted. And Karen resented Bissy for it. During one of their hangouts, Karen burst into tears. She told Missy she was too perfect. Karen even admitted that sometimes she hated Missy. Missy's mom, Irene, understood how Karen was feeling. She knew how difficult it was to raise a child. She tried explaining to Missy that Karen didn't hate her. She hated the position she was in. Missy didn't get it. She felt guilty, like it was her fault that Karen was unhappy, and she was desperate to fix it. Somehow this strange dynamic continued into 1983. After a year of raising her baby full time, Karen decided to go back to school through a continuation program designed for kids who wanted to graduate early. The coursework there was looser and generally reserved for students who didn't do well in traditional environments. Missy, now 15 years old, was supposed to go to a different high school. She begged her mom to join Karen instead. First, Irene was against it, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Ever since Karen had dropped out, Missy's grades had been slipping. That might have been because, behind the scenes, her parents were having marital problems. In fact, Irene had recently told Missy that she and her father were separating. Missy took the news hard, and Irene was desperate to make her daughter feel better. So eventually she gave in and let her enroll in the continuation program. It wouldn't be long before she regretted it. Missy and Karen started spending all their time together again, slacking off and smoking marijuana. A third friend, Laura Doyle, often joined them when they did. Laura didn't go to the continuation school, but she lived in the same neighborhood as Missy and Karen. She originally got to know Missy in middle school while Karen was taking care of her daughter. When Karen came back into the picture, Laura felt like a third wheel. But as time went on, things changed. Soon, Laura and Karen were besties. The two of them shared inside jokes and gossiped about Missy behind her back. Irene wanted to interfere, but her relationship with her daughter had been on the rocks ever since the divorce. Besides, she knew this sort of stuff happened between teenagers all the time. As hurtful as it was to watch, she felt it was something Missy would have to deal with on her own. Irene didn't realize that Karen's bullying went beyond the occasional snide remark, though, once when Missy was out sick, Karen told a random girl that Missy was sleeping with her boyfriend. The next day, the girl and three of her friends jumped Missy on her way home from school, Mississippi. They slapped her repeatedly while calling her names, leaving her face covered in bruises. Missy was baffled and heartbroken. She'd never even spoken to the boy in question. When she talked to Karen about it, she dismissed Missy's new haters like she'd done back in middle school. She said those girls were just jealous of their friendship with all the while, she was secretly thrilled that Missy had taken a beating. Missy trusted Karen completely. She had no idea that Karen was playing a twisted game. And going into their sophomore year, the 16 year old turned up the heat. In the fall semester of 1984, Missy and Karen started to drift apart. Though they were both still attending the continuation school, they found steady boyfriends and gradually spent less time together. Missy's was named Victor Amaya, and he was about two years older than her. Karen's was named Randy. It turned out that years earlier, Randy had a crush on Missy. When he made the mistake of telling Karen about it, her insecurity reared its ugly head. One day, about two weeks after they started dating, Karen went off on Missy for daring to say hello to her boyfriend in the hallway. Missy reacted to the abuse the same way she always did by blaming herself. She told her mom she would have to try to be nicer to Karen in the future. She wanted to show Karen that she still valued their friendship even if they were drifting apart. But no matter what she did, Karen was never satisfied. The harder Missy tried to make things work between them, the more Karen pushed her away. And eventually the two of them reached a breaking point they could never come back from.
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The spring of 1985, 16 year old Missy Avila and her childhood best friend, 16 year old Karen Severson, had a complicated relationship. The year before, the pair had gradually drifted apart when they both got new boyfriends, Karen was still dating Randy, but Missy had broken up with Victor Amaia. After a few months without Karen around, Missy got closer to Laura Doyle, but Laura was still friends with both of them. It was an awkward position to be in, but mostly Laura was happy to hang out with whoever was free. She just wanted an excuse to be out of her house. Her parents had a toxic relationship that was rife with alcoholism and abuse. Things at home were so bad that Laura preferred to avoid them as much as possible. She stayed for dinner at Missy's so often that she even started calling Missy's mother Irene Mom. Without knowing all the details, Irene could tell that Laura was struggling. She was extremely withdrawn and rarely disagreed with her friends. Usually she just went along with whatever the crowd wanted. Laura preferred to blend in rather than stand out, but Irene didn't know the half of what the kids were up to when she wasn't around. Most afternoons that spring, Missy and Laura killed time at a nearby park, drinking beer and smoking pot. It was there, during some deep conversations under the California sun, that Missy learned Laura had a crush on her ex, Victor Amaia. By that point, Victor and Missy were back to being just friends. So Missy encouraged Laura to date Victor, but once the two actually started going out, Missy was caught in the middle. Victor started calling her to vent about his relationship with Laura. It seemed like he was still harboring feelings for Missy, but she didn't want to acknowledge them and Laura could sense it. She became possessive, which only pushed Victor further away. Like Karen before her, Laura started to resent Missy for being so popular with boys and in trying to please everyone, Missy only ended up making more enemies. The drama continued after sophomore year ended. Missy got closer to some of her other classmates, which pushed her to take her rebellious phase up a notch. Thanks to one of those new friends, a girl we'll call Samantha. Missy tried cocaine for the first time that summer. For Missy, the months melded together in a drug fueled haze as she hopped from one party to another. She met a new guy who we'll call Andy at one of those parties. And in July they started dating. At the same time, Karen Severson was making some major changes in her own life. She moved out of her parents house and started renting an apartment near the school. The move made her feel more independent but also more isolated than ever. And every time she and Missy happened to cross paths, the old envy returned. But now it was more dangerous than ever. On July 4, Karen convinced her boyfriend Randy to throw lit firecrackers in Missy's face. She just barely got them out of her hair before the flames caught. The next day, Karen sheepishly apologized on behalf of Randy. She never let it slip that the whole thing had been her idea. But Missy remembered how hard Karen was laughing as she coughed and hacked in the cloud of smoke. For the first time it seemed like Missy was actually catching on to Karen's two faced game. Of course, Karen was savvy enough to notice her mistake and get out in front of it. After the summer was over. Sometime in August, she invited Missy over to her house to make up. It was time for them to get things out in the open and go back to being real friends again. Missy agreed. She showed up at Karen's apartment to find Randy there too. For about an hour, the trio made some awkward small talk. But the minute Karen left the room, Randy pulled Missy onto his lap. Karen walked in to find her boyfriend whispering in Missy's ear. Missy was just about to slap Randy when Karen threw her out of the apartment. She was screaming too loudly for Missy to give her side of the story. In Karen's mind, Missy was a homewrecker. This is what she had feared for so long. For years, Karen had convinced herself that Missy was secretly a snake who loved male attention. Now Karen seemed to have proof. The moment Missy was out of the apartment, Karen and Randy broke up. Karen was left alone with her two year old daughter, still stewing over her grudge. In eight years of on and off friendship, she had never let Missy get away with a single thing. And she certainly wasn't going to start now. But as always, Karen was clever. The more she thought about it, the more she regretted screaming at her friend. That wasn't the right way to get her revenge. Instead, she decided to stick to what had worked in the past. She had to be sneaky. A week later, Karen called Missy up and gave yet another insincere apology. She said she wanted to be friends again and put the whole incident behind them. Missy was relieved. Once again, she forgave Karen. The two vowed to stick together forever. The truce lasted about a month and once the girls started junior year, it didn't take long for the drama to return. About a week after the semester began, Laura Doyle and Missy's ex Victor broke up. Laura took the split hard. She stopped going to class and refused to answer Missy's calls. After another week, Missy went over to Victor's house to check on how he was doing. They had a long heart to heart which ended with them sharing a kiss on his porch. Moments later, Laura pulled into the driveway. It was officially the worst case scenario. Victor tried to talk to Laura, but all they did was scream at each other. Laura closed out the shouting match by telling Victor she was going to kill Missy, then sped away. Victor decided not to tell Missy about the threat. Over the next few days, things were tense, but the drama had only just begun. Soon, Karen learned she was pregnant again, this time by her recent ex boyfriend Randy. Before telling Missy, Karen broke the news to Irene. During the conversation, she lied and told Irene that Missy was sleeping with Randy and several other guys on the side. Karen even said Missy ought to be tested for an sti. Irene could tell Karen was lashing out, but like Victor, she decided not to tell Missy about the conversation. She didn't want to hurt her daughter. As a result, Missy had no idea how truly toxic things had become between her and her former friends. So when Laura called her to invite her out on October 1, 1985, she eagerly agreed. In her mind, it was her chance to reconcile with Laura. She had no idea Laura had other plans. Around 3:30pm on Tuesday afternoon, Laura picked Missy up from her house. As always, she greeted Irene by calling her mom. At the sound of her voice, Missy skipped downstairs in a tan sweatshirt and blue jeans. The pair told Irene goodbye, then rushed outside to Laura's candy apple Volkswagen Bug. A few Hours later, around 6pm Irene was sitting out on the patio with a glass of iced tea when the phone rang. It was Laura. She asked if Missy was had come home yet. Irene didn't know what she was talking about. She listened in stunned silence as Laura explained that she and Missy had gone to the park to talk. Shortly afterward, three young men who Laura didn't recognize pulled up in a blue Camaro. Missy told Laura the boys were her friends, then got in the car with them and drove away. Laura didn't know where they went and and said she was calling to check in. By the end of the story, Irene's heart was pounding. She hung up and wondered what to do next. Irene trusted Missy and she wasn't late yet. She'd expected her to be home around six, which is when Laura had called. So for the time being, Irene forced herself to calm down. But as the hours passed, Irene got this sinking feeling that sort of something was very wrong. And by 11pm she was certain that her daughter wasn't okay. But she also knew the police wouldn't do anything until Missy had been missing for 24 hours. Irene felt completely powerless. She sank into her couch and cried until she eventually drifted off to sleep. At 3am on Oct. 2, Irene bolted upright and looked at the clock. With her heart in her throat, she shuffled upstairs and threw open the door to Missy's bedroom. It was empty. The sense of dread returned, but Irene talked herself out of calling the police. Maybe her daughter went to a party and slept over at a friend's place. Maybe something happened with Laura that she didn't want to talk about. Maybe, in a fit of teenage angst, Missy was deliberately messing with her mom. None of those scenarios was unbelievable, but none of them convinced Irene either. In the end, all she could do was sit up all night worrying herself sick. The next morning, Missy's brothers came downstairs to find her a wreck. When Irene told them what had happened, they tried their best to comfort her. They were sure Missy had just stayed out with her friends. Even so, Irene couldn't help herself from double checking. At 10:30am she called Missy's newest boyfriend, Andy. He said he hadn't seen her and his mom confirmed that he was home all night. Next, Irene went over to Samantha's house. The friend who introduced Missy to cocaine. She hadn't seen Missy either. Four hours later, Missy. Missy had officially been gone for a full day. At 3pm on the dot, Irene burst into the police station to report her daughter missing.
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On October 2, 1985, Irene Avila told police in Los Angeles that her 17 year old daughter Missy was missing. At first, the authorities didn't seem too concerned and they figured a girl that age was probably staying with a secret boyfriend and would come back home soon. But she never did. Irene stayed up on the couch night after night, praying her daughter would suddenly walk through the front door. She questioned Missy's friends Laura Doyle and Karen Severson again and again. Neither of them had any idea where she could be. Even so, the family held out hope for the first 48 hours. But on October 4, everything changed. That afternoon, a pair of hikers marched through the Angeles National Forest about 10 miles east of Missy's home in the LA suburbs. As they passed by a stream, the two men caught a glimpse of a shadow floating in the water. When they got closer, they realized it was a girl's body lying face down in the water. A heavy log was resting on the back of her neck, keeping her from drifting with the current. The hikers called the police and a team of investigators led by Deputy Sheriff Catherine Scott arrived at the scene. The official cause of death was drowning, but it wasn't accidental. From the beginning, it was obvious the girl had been murdered. The log that held her body in place weighed over 100 pounds. It couldn't have gotten there by accident. One of her arms was bent at an unnatural angle while her ankles were crossed. It looked like at least two people were involved. One to hold her arms behind her back and another to restrain her feet. After removing the body from the stream, Sheriff Scott noticed a thick brown ball next to a a nearby boulder. For some reason, the murderers had cut her hair before killing her. A high school ID in Missy's purse made it easy to identify the body. After breaking the news to Irene and the rest of the Avila family, police took statements from her friends. 17 year old Laura Doyle told them she, she and Missy had driven to a nearby park a day earlier on October 1st, and that's where they spotted three boys in a blue Camaro. Missy hopped out of the car to talk to them while Laura left to get gas. When she returned about 15 minutes later, Missy was Already gone. Sheriff Scott spent hours interrogating Laura about the young men in the Camaro. There was no reason for for her to doubt Laura's story. But she kept pressing the teen in the hopes that she would remember some crucial detail about the boys. No matter how hard she tried, though, Laura couldn't recall anything about them. She couldn't even say what color their hair was. Left without much to go on, the police pulled a list of every Camaro in the state and started doing interviews. In the meantime, it was impossible to keep the story out of local headlines. Still, the police held back two crucial details from the press, hoping to use them to identify the killers in the future. They didn't tell any reporters that Missy's hair was cut or that she was found with the heavy log pinning her down. The hairball especially nagged Sheriff Scott. It was just a hunch, but she thought it indicated a woman was somehow involved. She'd never heard of a male killer trying to hurt or humiliate a woman by cutting her hair. For the time being, she kept her suspicions in the back of her mind. But three days after the body was found on October 7, Irene called with an unusual tip. Apparently, Karen Severson's daughter, 3 year old Andrea, had a strange dream the night before. In it, Missy appeared to her like a ghost and told Andrea that a girl named Samantha was the killer. Aside from Karen and Laura, she was one of Missy's closest friends. Sheriff Scott didn't put much stock in prophetic dreams, but she scheduled an interview with Samantha for a few days later. In the meantime, she and her team stayed focused on searching for the elusive blue Camaro. During these early stages of the police investigation, Irina Vila and the rest of her family struggled to process their grief. Everywhere they looked, they were reminded of Missy. Without her around, it was like the light of their lives had been snuffed out. But if there was one small comfort in the midst of the tragedy, it was 17 year old Karen Severson. After Missy died, she devoted herself to filling her friend's shoes. Before the funeral, Karen told a tearful Irene that she. She would be her daughter from now on. About a week after the body was found, Karen made good on her promise by moving in with the Avilas full time. It started as a single sleepover after a long day spent discussing the investigation with the family. But one night became two, and then three. Eventually, her presence became an unspoken part of the life at the Avilas. Karen slept in Missy's bedroom. She wore Missy's clothes around the house. And she gathered the family in the living room every evening to talk about the murder. From the outside, it looked like Karen was more committed than anyone to keeping Missy's memory alive and finding her killers. That was what Irene believed. She knew Karen could be manipulative, but she never thought she was a killer. While she and Missy fought from time to time, they had always made up in the end. Besides, Irene and Missy's brothers had their hands full trying to process their grief. They could barely get out of bed. Some mornings. They certainly didn't have it in them to call, question Missy's friends, or come up with potential leads to help the police. But for Karen, it seemed to be an obsession. She insisted on the meetings in order to keep track of what everyone else was telling the cops. While Karen quietly worked behind the scenes, Laura Doyle deliberately stayed out of the way. After Missy's funeral, she stopped coming by to see the evidence. But neither Irene nor anyone else took offense. They could tell Laura felt guilty. They assumed it was because she had been the last one to see Missy alive at the park. They didn't blame her for wanting to distance herself. After all, everyone grieved in their own way. After that, Karen became the sole representative for Missy's friends and subtly worked to mold the investigation to her liking. She tried especially hard to turn the Avilas against Samantha. Not only did she make up the story about her daughter's prophetic dream, but she probably tormented Samantha secretly, too. A mysterious caller had been calling Samantha in the middle of the night to say everyone knew she had killed Missy. Before long, though, Karen turned her sights on a new target. One afternoon, Karen led Missy's brothers and a small group of friends to the crime scene to look for clues. The group spread out around the stream and the surrounding hiking trails to search. All the while, Karen made ghostly pronouncements, telling them she had surreal psychic feelings about where and how Missy died. Not far from the spot where her body was found, Missy's older brother, Mark, spotted a message carved into a tree. It said Karen's name and the name of her ex boyfriend, Randy. It had been crossed out with a big, brutal X. Above it, there was another set of names. Karen and Missy. Mark yelled over to Karen, asking if she had ever been to this area before. She turned red and told him that she hadn't. When he pointed to the names on the tree, her face fell. But always thinking on her feet, Karen quickly spun things to her advantage. She insisted she had never seen the carvings in her life, or they must have been made by her ex. As Missy's friends and family gathered around Karen wove a new theory. She told them that Randy had always liked Missy, but she had never given him the time of day. The more Karen thought about it, the clearer it all seemed. This whole time she had suspected Samantha, but the more likely killer had to be Randy. In a fit of jealousy, he must have been the one to lure Missy out into the woods. Out of everyone the group had discussed so far, he seemed to have the strongest motive, at least according to Karen. The others nodded in agreement. To cap off her monologue, Karen punched a rock dramatically. She told the group that she wouldn't just make Randy pay, she he should die for what he did. Still chewing over the new information, the crew dispersed in silence. Most were convinced by Karen's passion. After weeks of talking about Missy endlessly, they believed they finally knew who the killer was. The thought weighed heavily on them as they walked away from the carved up tree and the trickling stream. Karen smiled to herself. She had done it. She had gotten away with murder. Thanks so much for listening. I'm Carter Roy and this is True Crime Stories. Come back next time for part two on the murder of Missy Avila and all the people it affected. True Crime Stories is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. Here at Crime House, we want to thank each and every one of you for your support. If you like what you heard today, reach out on social media, Rimehouse on TikTok and Instagram. Don't forget to rate, review and follow Murder True Crime Stories wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback truly makes a difference. And to enhance your Murder True Crime Stories listening experience, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get every episode early and ad free. We'll be back on Thursday. True Crime Stories is hosted by me, Carter Roy and is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. This episode was brought to life by the Murder True Crime Stories team. Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Natalie Perchovsky, Sarah Camp, Terrell Wells, Hania Said, and Russell Nash. Thank you for listening.
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Episode: SOLVED: Missy Avila (Part 1)
Host: Carter Roy
Date: February 10, 2026
In the first of a two-part series, host Carter Roy delves into the life and tragic murder of 17-year-old Missy Avila, a popular high school student in Los Angeles whose brutal killing in 1985 sent shockwaves through her community. This episode focuses on Missy’s early life, her turbulent friendships—particularly with Karen Severson and Laura Doyle—and the toxic web of jealousy, betrayal, and manipulation that ultimately led to her death. Roy guides listeners through the family’s devastation, the initial investigation, and the behaviors that pointed to a far more personal motive than random violence.
"With hormones running rampant, high school is practically a breeding ground for jealousy." — Carter Roy (00:42)
"Karen slept in Missy's bedroom. She wore Missy's clothes around the house. And she gathered the family in the living room every evening to talk about the murder." — Carter Roy (36:10)
“To cap off her monologue, Karen punched a rock dramatically. She told the group that she wouldn't just make Randy pay, she—he should die for what he did.” — Carter Roy (41:05)
On the start of Missy and Karen's friendship:
"Clearly, Karen had an active imagination and a burning desire for companionship. And Missy was happy to fill that role. Soon, the two girls were inseparable." — Carter Roy (05:39)
Karen’s chilling manipulation after the murder:
"Karen smiled to herself. She had done it. She had gotten away with murder." — Carter Roy (41:59)
On adolescent rivalry:
"Like Karen before her, Laura started to resent Missy for being so popular with boys and in trying to please everyone, Missy only ended up making more enemies." — Carter Roy (17:57)
| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|----------------------------------------------| | 00:42 | Introduction on jealousy and teen dynamics | | 05:39 | Missy & Karen’s early childhood friendship | | 09:36 | Laura Doyle joins dynamic, bullying worsens | | 17:14 | Spring 1985: shifting friendships, new drama | | 19:59 | Firecracker incident and broken trust | | 26:00 | October 1: Missy leaves with Laura | | 27:15 | Laura’s suspicious phone call to Irene | | 28:20 | Irene reports Missy missing | | 30:20 | Discovery of Missy's body | | 36:10 | Karen moves in, manipulates Avila family | | 39:27 | Karen’s staged crime scene "investigation" | | 41:05 | Karen’s dramatic accusation of Randy | | 41:59 | “Karen smiled to herself. She had done it...”|
Carter Roy delivers the story with empathy and a steady mix of narrative suspense and psychological insight, consistently emphasizing the very human cost of petty jealousies and manipulation. The tone is invested, sympathetic, and occasionally chilling—befitting the story’s tragic subject matter.
Part one lays the groundwork for Missy’s murder, positioning listeners to understand the relationships and deep-seated motives at play. The next episode promises to cover the investigation's twists, a major witness revelation, and justice for Missy Avila.
End of Part 1
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Summary prepared for those seeking a concise but thorough understanding of the episode’s narrative, psychological depth, and the harrowing events leading to Missy Avila’s murder and its impact on all involved.