Murder With My Husband: "The Blue Moon Killer"

Episode 292 – October 27, 2025
Summary by Segment

Overview: Main Theme & Purpose

In this episode, Peyton and Garrett Moreland discuss the 2015 triple homicide of the Smith family in Escambia County, Florida, a crime dubbed “The Blue Moon Killings.” The episode explores not only the facts of the case but how initial assumptions about witchcraft and Wicca shaped the investigation and public reaction. The hosts unpack the dangers of misunderstanding belief systems and reveal the true, more mundane motives behind a sensationalized crime.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: Escambia County, Florida

• Historical Context: Described as a beautiful coastal destination, Escambia County has an unexpectedly dark reputation for crime, dubbed "the Twilight Zone Vortex."
• Famous Cases: The murders of Bird and Melanie Billings (2009), Ted Bundy's capture (1978), and now, the 2015 Smith family murders.

2. The Smith Family Background (07:49–13:04)

• Family Dynamics:
  • 77-year-old Von Seal (“Aunt Bonnie”), sons John (47, with an intellectual disability), and Richard (49, IT specialist for Homeland Security, cryptologic technician).
  • Richard carries the caretaker role after the father’s death; the family is close and somewhat isolated.
• Day of the Crime:
  • July 28, 2015: Both sons attend work normally; that evening, Richard makes his last outgoing call.
  • July 31: After multiple absences from work, police perform a wellness check and discover all three dead.

3. Discovery and Crime Scene (13:04–15:21)

• Bodies Found: Von Seal and John were beaten and had their throats slashed; Richard was shot in the head and also had his throat cut.
• No Forced Entry: Bodies were hidden under blankets, suggesting someone known to the family.
• Evidence: Bloodied hammer, bloody towels, cigarette butts, missing keys.

4. Early Suspects and Investigation – National Security Angle (15:21–18:00)

• Due to Richard’s sensitive job, Department of Homeland Security agents join the investigation. Ultimately, nothing tied to national security was implicated.

5. Focus on Donald Hartung: The Half-Brother (18:00–23:15)

• Donald’s Involvement: Last person to see family alive; regularly visited for Tuesday night dinners.
• Initial Statements: Cooperates fully, submits DNA, no criminal record, offers to take polygraph (which police decline).
• Family’s View: Labeled by other relatives as the black sheep; described as mean, financially needy, and estranged for his Wiccan practices.

6. Witchcraft, Wicca & The Blue Moon (23:15–26:22)

• Religious Bias:

  • Donald is a practicing Wiccan; police find books, artifacts, a Ouija board, and a “worship room.”
  • Timing of murders coincides with a rare Blue Moon, leading police to speculate about a ritualistic killing.
  • Sheriff David Morgan publicly claims:

    "It is witchcraft. I'll say that right now." – Sheriff Morgan [26:13]

• Community Backlash: Wiccans and scholars strongly refute the claim that Wicca involves ritual murder, criticizing the police for prejudice and misdirection.

7. Actual Evidence Against Donald (29:34–31:23)

• Forensic Links: Donald’s DNA found on Richard’s checkbook and belt buckle (contradicting his statements he never touched them).
• Cigarette Butts: Donald's DNA found on butts in the trash alongside bloody towels, suggesting he cleaned up after the murders and smoked at the scene.

  "I'm not sure how you explain that one or get out of that one." – Garrett [30:19]

8. Arrest and Trial: Motive and Strategy (31:23–36:56)

• Arrest: Donald is charged on October 27, 2015, after months of DNA analysis.
• Motive Revelation: Prosecution later uses witness testimony from fellow inmate Marlon Purifoy, not the Wiccan angle:
  • Alleged motive: Family grudge over past molestation accusations, exclusion from mother’s will (estate worth $900,000).
  • "The only way Donald would ever get any of this is if both his mother and the sons...all died, it would then go to him." [33:51]
  • Confession included grotesque detail: Donald cut off his mother's pinky to get the code to the safe [35:49]
• Dismissal of Witchcraft Motive: By trial, the religious theory is dropped entirely.

9. Defense and Reasonable Doubt (37:11–39:31)

• Defense Claims:
  • Donald’s frequent presence in the home explains his DNA.
  • No murder weapon found.
  • No direct eyewitnesses; timeline of death is debated by a reputable medical expert.
  • Key state forensic witnesses had credibility issues (misconduct or prosecution for unrelated crimes).

10. Verdict and Aftermath (39:32–41:48)

• Outcome: Jury finds Donald guilty on three counts of first-degree murder (avoids death penalty; sentenced to life in prison).
• Reflective Note: Witchcraft was not a real motive; the case became a cautionary tale about the dangers of scapegoating unfamiliar belief systems.

  "It is easy to point fingers at something you don't really understand... But belief isn't dangerous. People are." – Peyton [40:47]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the police’s Wicca theory:

  "It is witchcraft. I'll say that right now." — Sheriff Morgan [26:13]

• Reflecting on the true motive:

  "It all comes down to money. Like I said earlier, it's always money." — Garrett [34:38]

• Caution about tying crime to beliefs:

  "Just because a religion has a spooky outlook doesn't mean we should immediately jump to they're the number one murder suspect because of it." — Peyton [41:27]

Key Timestamps

• 07:49 – Introduction to the Smith Family & Escambia County context
• 13:04 – Discovery of bodies and initial forensic evidence
• 18:00 – Donald Hartung becomes a person of interest
• 23:15 – Evidence of witchcraft; police focus on Wicca as a motive
• 26:13 – Sheriff’s public declaration blaming witchcraft
• 29:34 – DNA evidence mounts against Donald
• 31:23 – Donald’s arrest and the beginning of legal proceedings
• 33:51 – Motive as related by jailhouse informant
• 36:56 – Prosecution drops witchcraft theory at trial
• 39:32 – Verdict: Donald convicted
• 41:27 – Peyton’s final reflections on prejudice and belief

Conclusion & Tone

The Morelands approach the episode with their signature dynamic—Peyton’s empathetic intrigue balanced by Garrett’s skeptical, sometimes darkly humorous commentary. The episode is particularly critical of law enforcement's willingness to target unfamiliar beliefs and delivers a palpable warning about prejudice hindering investigations:

"Belief isn't dangerous. People are. And it's not what someone believes that defines them. It's what they do with it, and how other people perceive it." – Peyton [40:47]

Garrett sums up the universal lesson:

"Yeah, I think so. I think I'm convinced enough." [41:25]

For those who haven't listened, this episode delves deeply into not just a tragic crime, but the societal impulse to blame the “other”—here, an insular religious practice—while the actual motive turns out to be heartbreakingly common: money, betrayal, and personal grievance.