Murder With My Husband – Episode 291: The Big Bad Wolf (October 20, 2025)

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode dives into the harrowing true crime case of Doreen Erbert, a pregnant woman brutally murdered in her San Jose home on Halloween night, 1984, by a masked attacker known to her family as the “Big Bad Wolf.” Peyton and Garrett Moreland walk listeners through the shocking details, the tragic family history, and the investigation, examining how grief, resentment, and mental health culminated in one of California’s most horrific Halloween crimes.

Episode Structure & Key Discussion Points

Framing the Episode: Spooky Season and True Crime (05:18)

• Peyton sets the Halloween atmosphere, discussing the anonymity of costumes and the increased crime rate during October.
• Explains how “the real monsters” can hide in plain sight during Halloween and how eventually the truth comes to light.
• Warns listeners this episode contains descriptions of fetal homicide and the murder of a pregnant woman.

The Victim: Doreen Erbert's Background (06:50)

• Doreen: described as loving, supportive, determined.
• Happily remarried to Charles Erbert, with whom she had daughter Deanna (age 4) and was eight months pregnant.
• Previous history includes a divorce from ex-husband Michael Dennis and a tragic incident where her and Michael's son, Paul, drowned at age four.

Halloween Night, 1984: The Crime (09:40–13:47)

• After trick-or-treating, Charles leaves briefly while Doreen stays with Deanna.
• Doreen answers an aggressive knock at the door—an adult in coveralls and a wolf mask.
• Doreen tells Deanna to hide (“run and hide”), which saves Deanna’s life. ([11:14] “This is insane.” – Garrett)
• The attacker brutalizes Doreen with a sword-like weapon and threatens Deanna before fleeing.
• Charles returns to a bloody crime scene, slips in his wife’s blood, and frantically calls 911 ([11:50]).
• Police treat Charles as a suspect, handcuffing and detaining him given the incriminating circumstances.

The Crime Scene and Initial Investigation (17:45)

• Police find a blood-soaked home: inch-thick pools of blood, marks on the 8-ft ceiling indicating a long weapon—likely a machete or sword.
• Doreen’s unborn baby is removed from her body and left at the scene; her hand is also severed ([18:49]).
• A wolf mask left on the porch becomes a crucial clue.
• Four-year-old Deanna, questioned by a female officer, describes “a big bad wolf” in the house ([19:10]).
• Eyewitnesses report seeing a man in a wolf mask loitering in the area.

Shifting Suspicion: From Husband to Ex-Husband (22:43–27:00)

• Charles’s alibi checks out and evidence (receipts, store clerk, video) confirm he was at the liquor store at the time of the murder.
• Focus shifts to Michael Dennis, Doreen’s ex-husband, who lived blocks away in the direction bloody footprints led.

Motive and Family Tragedy (23:10–27:00)

• Detailed backstory: Michael and Doreen’s failed marriage, sharing custody of Paul, subsequent tensions and tragic drowning of their son at Doreen’s home.
• Michael’s unprocessed grief, lawsuits, job loss, decline in mental health.
• Peyton and Garrett discuss the possible psychological build-up to the murder.

The Confrontation with Michael Dennis (28:24–31:23)

• Police arrive at Michael’s house after midnight; he delays answering the door, is found with a freshly bandaged, bleeding hand.
• Michael provides a dubious excuse about a “kitchen accident.”
• Officers discover blood in his truck, on his clothes, and a blood trail leading directly from the crime scene to his home ([30:55]).
• Michael is arrested but later released due to insufficient forensic evidence pending blood analysis.

Breakthroughs: Mask, Machete, and Motive (32:44–37:15)

• Police discover two homemade, weighted coffins and a sheath for an 18” machete at Michael’s house—machete matches wounds and ceiling marks at the scene.
• Eyewitness sees Michael in the same wolf mask at a previous Halloween party; his costume from that photo is found in his closet.
• Eventually, Michael’s blood is confirmed at the crime scene and Doreen’s blood is found in his home.
• Michael is re-arrested and charged with first and second degree murder ([37:15]).

The Trial and Aftermath (38:20–41:14)

• Michael pleads not guilty to first-degree murder, aiming for a lesser charge, with defense citing mental illness and a “break” triggered by Halloween memories.
• Deanna, age 8, bravely testifies. Judge prevents Michael from looking at her while she recounts her trauma ([40:07]).
• Jury unmoved; finds Michael guilty of first-degree murder of Doreen and second-degree murder of their unborn baby.
• Michael sentenced to death, later commuted to life without parole due to changes in California’s death penalty.
• Deanna and Charles’s lasting trauma and survival.
• Deanna now in her mid-40s; Michael, age 73, remains in prison ([41:14]).

Hosts’ Reflections and Moral Discussion (42:04 to episode end)

• Peyton speculates on the “homemade coffin” evidence indicating premeditation.
• Both hosts criticize attempts to use mental illness or tragedy as excuses for murder.
  • “Mental illness doesn’t mean you’re going to commit murder. There are plenty of people that struggle with mental illnesses that know right from wrong.” – Peyton ([43:23])
• Garrett condemns efforts to use mental illness disingenuously as a “scapegoat” ([43:07]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “There was a big bad wolf in our house.” – Deanna’s chilling statement to police ([19:10])
• “If you see us, come say hi. That’s all I gotta say.” – Garrett, early in the episode, encouraging listeners ([04:38])
• “I can’t even believe at the end of the day that there are people who even want to say hi to us. It’s always just... a humbling, grateful experience.” – Peyton ([03:57])
• “Honestly should be implemented for children who are testifying… blindfold them or something, because it’s scary for children.” – Peyton on child witness protection ([40:09])
• “To take a child out and just leave them on the floor, that’s a different level of cruelty.” – Peyton ([40:31])
• On premeditation: “Is that not enough time to count as first degree murder?... Two coffins with weights on them definitely feels like there was some type of scheme.” – Peyton ([42:04])
• On using mental illness as excuse: “Mental illness doesn’t mean you’re going to commit murder. There are plenty of people that struggle with mental illnesses that know right from wrong.” – Peyton ([43:23])

Timeline of Important Segments

• 05:18 – Halloween, crime rates, and theme introduction.
• 06:50 – Doreen's background, setup of family dynamics.
• 09:40 – Trick or treating, onset of the crime.
• 11:14–13:47 – Deanna hides, the murder, Charles’s return, police arrival.
• 17:45 – Crime scene description, wolf mask found, narrative from Deanna.
• 22:43–27:00 – Police investigate Charles, then Michael, and family tragedy details.
• 28:24–31:23 – Police confront Michael Dennis, blood evidence, initial arrest.
• 32:44–37:15 – Mask, machete sheath, connection to Michael, forensic evidence locked.
• 38:20–41:14 – Trial, Deanna’s emotional testimony, Michael’s conviction and sentencing.
• 42:04–43:47 – Peyton and Garrett’s closing analysis on mental illness, intent, and justice.

Final Note

Tone: Casual and conversational, with Peyton’s empathetic narrative and Garrett’s skepticism, consistent with the show’s unique “wife loves true crime, husband hates it” format. The hosts balance vivid storytelling with emotional reflection, providing space for listeners to grieve and be appalled by the “monsters” who walk among us — sometimes unmasked by tragedy, trauma, and skilled investigation.