Podcast Summary: My Favorite Murder – Episode 142, Live at the Durham Performing Arts Center (Oct 11, 2018)

Overview

In this lively live show from Durham, North Carolina, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark bring their signature blend of true crime storytelling and sharp, self-deprecating humor to a packed house. The duo covers two notable North Carolina-centric murders: the tragic 1929 Lawson Family Murders and the multi-generational “Bitter Blood Murders.” The episode also features a hometown murder story from an audience member, lots of tangential banter, and insightful musings on life, family, and the unique quirks of North Carolina.

Opening Banter & Tour Life (02:20–22:55)

Key Points:

• Karen and Georgia humorously lament the “Mint Challenge” (02:32), a pre-show tradition gone wrong.
• They discuss tour travel quirks, hotel rooms, buying expensive Durham fashion online, and misconceptions about North Carolina weather and natural disasters (03:08–06:53).
• “We know earthquakes. I know an earthquake. ...But we don’t know hurricanes.” – Karen (06:12)
• Family anecdotes: Karen’s cousin in the audience, Georgia’s dad house-sitting mishaps, and stories about childhood mishaps with medication (08:42–13:28).
  • “You gotta get a little poison in the kids.” – Georgia (12:11)
• Lighthearted fashion chat about dresses, shapewear, and owning your look on tour (13:48–17:58).
• Local food shout-outs to Durham barbecue and fried green tomatoes (18:14–19:17).
• They address first-time audience members, explain the podcast’s mix of comedy and true crime, and gently roast their Gen Z relatives and the crowd (21:33–23:17).
  • “Generation Z don’t give a...They don’t. ...We’ve ruined the planet for them, and they’re like, ‘Guess what? I’m gonna wear a white dress every day. You did this to me’.” – Georgia (22:24)

Special Note: Phoebe Judge Shout-Out (23:48–24:22)

• The hosts riff on inviting “Criminal” podcast host Phoebe Judge, who couldn’t attend due to “interview[ing] a mobster.” (24:13)
• “That’s the coolest excuse I’ve ever heard.” – Karen (24:16)

Main Story #1: The Lawson Family Murders (Georgia) (26:39–65:08)

The Crime

• Charles “Charlie” Lawson, a tenant tobacco farmer in North Carolina, murdered his entire family (wife Fannie, six of their seven children, and their baby) on Christmas Day, 1929.
• The family had recently taken a formal portrait (decidedly rare and expensive for the time), and all wore new store-bought clothes—an uncharacteristic luxury (32:27–34:43).
  • “My children don’t need Christmas presents. They have everything they need.” – (32:27)
• On Christmas morning, after holiday chores and a layer cake (noted for its garnish of raisins), Charlie methodically killed his family with a shotgun and bludgeoned them to ensure death. He then arranged their bodies with arms crossed and stones under their heads (38:10–41:52).

Aftermath and Investigation

• Only Arthur Lawson, the eldest son, survived—sent on an errand for ammunition, he learned about the murders from townsfolk (43:18–44:54).
• Charlie fled to the woods, walked in circles, and eventually killed himself, leaving two cryptic suicide notes: “Troubles can cause” and “No one to blame.” (46:35–47:23)
  • “Quick reminder, you’re to blame.” – Georgia (47:18)
• The family, dressed in their new portrait clothes, were buried together; 5,000 people attended their funeral (47:54–49:03).
• In the immediate aftermath, the house became a “tourist attraction,” with 25¢ admission and visitors stealing raisins from the infamous Christmas cake, which had to be put under glass for protection (50:30–52:09, 53:03–54:35).

Theories & Legacy

• Possible motives: head trauma from a pickaxe injury, mental illness, or dark family secrets (notably, incest and Marie’s pregnancy by Charlie as revealed decades later by a relative) (57:05–59:03).
• Local rumors included mob involvement—debunked with humor (“It’s never the mob.” – Karen, 55:15).
• The murder site’s materials were eventually used to build a haunted bridge, spawning local ghost stories (61:49–62:39).
• The cake's final fate: bought at auction by Myrtle Brown, who summarily chucked it into the woods. “That’s when the satanic raccoon was born.” – Georgia (64:52)
• Song “The Murder of the Lawson Family” (by the Carolina Buddies, 1930) immortalized the incident in local culture (52:50–53:55).

Main Story #2: The Bitter Blood Murders (Karen) (66:50–109:20)

The Crime

• A convoluted, intergenerational, and interstate saga of murder, mental illness, familial dysfunction, and doomsday prepping.
• Susie Newsome Lynch – privileged, volatile, with a controlling mother (Florence) and a penchant for drama and obsession (70:01–71:59).
• Susie’s disastrous marriage to Tom Lynch, eventual custody battle, and return to North Carolina after living in Albuquerque and even China.
• Reacquaintance with cousin Fritz Klenner (doctor’s son, apocalypse prepper, pathological liar who posed as a CIA agent and Green Beret) (80:06–88:30).
  • “Turns out he’s a fucking lying liar who lies.” – Karen (81:55)

The Crime Spree & Murders

• The duo (now lovers) spiral deeper into paranoia, isolating Susie’s sons from their father and feeding them vitamins and anti-family propaganda.
• 1984: Tom Lynch’s mother (Dolores) and sister (Janie) are found murdered in Kentucky (95:27–97:04).
• 1985: Florence and her husband Bob (Susie’s parents), and grandmother Hattie are killed in Winston-Salem, NC (98:00–99:28).
  • “There’s not enough cold water in the world.” – Karen (98:00)
• Police track Klenner and Susie—who, after a high-speed chase, die in a fiery standoff, along with the two boys, who had been given cyanide and then shot (103:14–108:10).

Aftermath and Analysis

• The full horror emerges: Susie likely participated in the earlier murders. Two shots before the explosion matched the boys’ fatal wounds.
• The family’s social standing, legal wrangling, and mental illness all intersect in this deeply tragic, uniquely Southern story.
• Tom Lynch ensured his boys were laid to rest in New Mexico, “the last place they were truly happy.” (108:48)
• “It’s so much more fun when the doomsday preppers just keep on prepping and everything’s just kind of okay.” – Georgia (109:29)

Hometown Murder: Audience Story (Anna from Scotland Neck, NC) (111:09–116:28)

• Anna shares about a distant cousin, Libby, who embezzled money from her husband's business and killed him during July 4th fireworks to mask the gunshots.
• The body was hidden in the backyard; Libby was caught after failing to keep her story straight and is currently serving time. Her justification: she "wanted to save him from the embarrassment of her embezzling." (114:51)
  • “I won’t make her sound any worse than a murderer.” – Anna (116:16)
• Karen and Georgia express appreciation for the crowd’s stories and the Murderino community.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You gotta get a little poison in the kids.” – Georgia (12:11)
• “I love it when my cousins come out because... she goes back and tells my family, ‘Georgia’s not a loser.’” – Karen (08:10)
• “Maybe all of this is fake. Maybe this is a dream.” – Georgia (28:30)
• “Generation Z don't give a...We've ruined the planet for them, and they're like, ‘Guess what? I'm gonna wear a white dress every day.’” – Georgia (22:24)
• “You knew [the cake] was foreshadowing.” – Georgia (51:54)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening / Banter & Tour Life: 02:20–22:55
• Introduction to Night’s Murders, Format Explanation: 21:33–23:17
• Shout-out to Criminal and Phoebe Judge: 23:48–24:22
• Georgia’s Story: Lawson Family Murders: 26:39–65:08
• Karen’s Story: Bitter Blood Murders: 66:50–109:20
• Audience Hometown Murder Story: 111:09–116:28

Tone & Style

Informal, irreverent, and conversational; both hosts blend macabre details with comic relief. They riff on Southern culture, poke fun at their own neurotic habits, and share a strong sense of empathy for victims and survivors of true crime while playfully skewering small-town rumors and family dramas.

Closing

Karen and Georgia thank the Durham crowd for kicking off their fall 2018 tour, express deep gratitude for the Murderino community, and highlight a local fundraiser. In signature style: “Stay Sexy and Don’t Get Murdered.” (118:19–118:27)

For fans of true crime and comedy, this episode is a quintessential “MFM” mix of deeply researched storytelling and hilarious, insightful banter—set against the background of North Carolina’s most chilling crimes.