My Favorite Murder – Episode 499: "First Live Show in 6 Years!!" (Denver, September 25, 2025)
Overview: A Triumphant Return to the Stage
Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark return to the stage in Denver for the first live "My Favorite Murder" show since 2019, marking a celebratory and slightly chaotic comeback. The episode is filled with their signature blend of humor, personal anecdotes, crowd interactions, and, of course, two captivating true crime cases from Colorado. The energy is electric, the audience is wild, and the live format brings out the duo’s improvisational best.
Key Themes and Episode Flow
- Live show jitters, nostalgia, and friendship banter
- Audience interactions and live quirks
- Fashion emergencies and menopausal honesty
- Two Colorado-centric true crime tales:
- The murder of William Dickens, one of Colorado’s oldest cold cases
- The infamous "Killdozer" rampage of Granby, Colorado
- Hometown stories from the audience, Denver style
Segment Breakdown & Notable Highlights
1. Welcome Back to Live Shows (03:38–09:19)
- The show opens with Karen and Georgia reveling in the return to the stage.
- Banter about outfit stress, vintage fashion, and menopausal heat provide comic relief and relatability.
- Memorable audience interaction: spotting someone in a hot dog costume, riffing on local Denver references, and “hot dog shame.”
- The duo recalls favorite live show moments, including the infamous “barf in the aisle” incident.
- Classic Karen: “There’s gonna be things that you remember that we do not remember. It’s been six years since we have been on stage.” (04:32)
2. Setting the Tone (09:19–18:29)
- Karen and Georgia discuss live show culture, podcast quirks, and the importance of comedic true crime as a genre.
- Humor around being "drag alongs" (attendees not familiar with the podcast).
- Acknowledgement of the current political climate and women's rights ("Since the last time we saw you, our rights have been taken away. Our bodily autonomy has been taken away..." – 13:01).
- Warm acknowledgments for their research and production team.
3. True Crime Story 1: The Murder of William Dickens (21:05–55:07)
Synopsis
Georgia presents the unsolved 1914 murder of William Dickens—Longmont, Colorado founder, businessman, and philanthropist—shot through his library window in a case full of twists, dead ends, and family suspicion.
Key Facts & Moments
- Dickens’ prominent status; the shooting’s shock to the community.
- Colorful family history: Born on a ship, distant Charles Dickens relation, and Gold Rush era roots.
- After multiple false leads, attention falls on William's son, Rienzi, whose debt and access to the murder weapon make him the prime suspect.
- Complex courtroom drama, suspicious confession letters, alibi issues, and technical retrials—yet a divided local opinion on guilt.
Standout Quotes
- Georgia: "You can't. You have to sit there for three minutes. And so smiling for three minutes is kind of hard." – (32:56, on vintage photographs)
- Karen: “He participated in the Sand Creek Massacre. Yep. You did that one to me. ... Did I? How would I fucking know?” – (37:04)
- Georgia: "My diamonds are haunted by this fucking story. Stop it." – (23:56)
- The surreal, comedic asides about Denver’s streetlights, fashion, and the audience’s deep local knowledge keep the tone both irreverent and affectionate.
Resolution
- Despite suggestive evidence against Rienzi Dickens, he is eventually acquitted, leaving the murder officially unsolved.
- Georgia speculates possible alternative theories, including insurance fraud and self-arranged death: “What if he had an insurance policy taken out on himself... He has himself killed. Yeah. This is terrible." (54:04)
4. True Crime Story 2: The Killdozer Rampage (58:31–102:19)
Synopsis
Karen recounts the astonishing 2004 story of Marv Heemeyer in Granby, Colorado—a skilled, introverted welder who, after years of local disputes and grudges, armor-plated a bulldozer and went on a destructive rampage (the infamous "Killdozer").
Key Facts & Moments
- Marv’s backstory: military service, snowmobiling obsession, small-town property battles, and festering resentment toward local officials.
- Escalation of conflict: property auctions, septic system disputes, failed negotiations, and environmental complaints.
- Years of isolation and preparation, culminating in the purchase and transformation of a Komatsu bulldozer into a tank-like weapon.
- The rampage: Marv destroys multiple buildings (town hall, library, bank, newspaper office, and a Ford Expedition), fires shots, but miraculously kills no one but himself.
Standout Quotes
- Karen: “He’s like a ballerina with the muffler. Locals think that Marv is nice, he's friendly, he's making friends. ... But there is one problem. For Marvin, it's Bud Wilson, the Granby water and sanitation guy who keeps on calling and reminding him he's got to connect to the city sewer line.” (77:13)
- Georgia (on the bulldozer): “Holy shit. It’s the death star of bulldozers." – (90:41)
- Karen: "He began modifying this gigantic bulldozer, adding steel and concrete panels up to a foot thick, ... basically turning this machine into a full-on weaponized tank." (90:20)
- Karen: “This is a perfect person who isolated themselves, started believing every goddamn thing that they thought, got real into money, ego, bullshit, and didn’t have a person to call up and go, hey, can I run a couple things by you? I would really love to build the largest killdozer anyone’s ever seen and attack my enemies.” (99:09)
- Ending note from Karen: “He became a lonely man. He spent too much time alone. That’s what I put it off to. He spent too much time in the hot tub alone.” (102:08, quoting Marv's friend)
Timestamps for Major Rampage Events
- Killdozer breaks out of shop: 91:15
- Destroys town hall/library: 94:40–95:00
- Attempts at propane yard: 96:15–96:43
- Conclusion & dismantling of Killdozer: 98:19–99:09
5. Classic "Hometowns" Segment (103:04–108:28)
- Georgia invites an audience member (Katie) from Florida—amusing confusion over whether hometowns need to be local.
- Classic Colorado audience member Cassandra tells an Aspen party story: a wealthy family’s drug scandal, cover-up, and a rich kid avoiding juvie. Memorable for its slice of local scandal and the audience’s delighted reactions.
- "Ask me about my bad habits and red flags" button awarded, cementing the MFM spirit.
Notable Live Show Energy
- Karen and Georgia’s fast-paced wit, improvisation, and encouragement of audience participation.
- Unfiltered revelations about anxiety, menopause, and backstage nerves post-hiatus.
- Hysterical running thread about the audience "hot dog," vintage fashion odors, and a persistently menacing moth.
Final Thoughts and Memorable Quotes
- Karen: “It happened. You got it done. We all thank you. The people of Longmont thank you. The Longmont Museum. Now our business partners.” – (55:24)
- Georgia: "This is incredible. We appreciate you guys coming to our first live show in six freaking years." – (108:38)
- On podcast legacy: “We don’t think murder is funny. We think we’re funny.” – (15:30)
Summary Table of Key Segments
| Segment | Approx. Timestamp | Key Content | |-------------------------------------------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | Welcome & Live Show Banter | 03:38–09:19 | Outfits, audience, nostalgia | | Show Structure/Podcast Culture | 09:19–18:29 | Format explanation, team credits, genre reflection | | Story 1: Murder of William Dickens | 21:05–55:07 | Cold case, family drama, vintage Colorado history | | Story 2: The Killdozer Rampage | 58:31–102:19 | Small-town feud escalates to mechanized chaos | | Hometown Stories (Audience Participation) | 103:04–108:28 | Florida & Aspen party scandals, audience Q&A |
Tone & Style
- Fast-paced, irreverent, and self-aware
- Profane, warm, and inclusive—balancing dark content with laughter and comfort
- Meta-commentary on their own show, performance, and podcasting as a medium
If You Missed This Episode:
This live show revival navigates both vintage and modern Colorado true crime with the dynamic, hilarious chemistry that made MFM a sensation. You’ll laugh at menopause jokes and hot dog costumes, cringe at historic injustices and family betrayals, and marvel at the bizarre true tale of a man who literally bulldozed his way into infamy. All against the backdrop of a long-awaited reunion with their devoted fans—who, if you ask Georgia and Karen, are simply “the fucking best.”