My Favorite Murder Ep. 508 – Live at Paramount Theatre (Oakland Night 2)

Date: November 27, 2025
Hosts: Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark

Overview

Episode 508 of My Favorite Murder brings listeners to Night 2 at Oakland’s Paramount Theatre. In their signature blend of true crime, comedy, and personal stories, Karen and Georgia welcome a lively Bay Area crowd, share tales from their tour life, and dive into peculiar and mysterious crimes—one from local California history, another about a notorious conman. The night wraps up with a powerful hometown story from the audience.

Show Highlights

Warm Oakland Welcome, Tour Banter, and Local Color

[01:54 – 08:42]

• Karen and Georgia are met with huge, raucous support from Oakland fans, whom they thank for waiting six years for their return (“Thank you so much for waiting six years for us”—Karen, [08:52]).
• The hosts riff on vintage shopping in San Francisco, memories of Upper Haight, and the eccentricities of Bay Area life now versus their youth:

  "Are the rich kids from Marin still pretending they're punks and sitting on the street asking you for money? ... And they'd get up and get into a Saab and drive away and just be like, shit, must be nice." — Karen [05:15–05:45]

• They joke about show business rituals (Karen’s gum), fashion mishaps on tour (remembering a bra), and the unexplained presence of slippers in dressing rooms.
• Audience participation is immediate: a sign proclaims, “I washed my bangs in the sink for this!” [02:09]
• Special moments, like finding a former Hot Dog on a Stick employee in the audience, spur classic Karen stand-up nostalgia [13:02–14:26].
• Tour life is candidly described, from backstage quirks to local snacks (Japanese Kit Kats, anyone?).

Reflections on Time, Age, and Their Audience

[09:02 – 10:53]

• Karen jokes about how the time has flown since their last Oakland appearance:

  "Last time we played here, my niece Nora did a little cartwheel on stage... She was nine... Now she just started college. So think about how much closer to death you are now."—Karen [09:09–09:27]

• The hosts riff about aging, menopause, foundation garments, and interacting with bemused theater staff and audience.

Main Stories

Story 1: The Disappearance and Death of Edith Irene Wolfskill

Told by Georgia | [20:13 – 51:40]

Background

• Edith came from the affluent Wolfskill family—early settlers and ranchers who helped shape California’s agricultural wealth.
• As a young woman, Edith was a society beauty (“her wide eyes, her long, rich brown hair, and fascinating form, aka she stacked.” —Georgia [27:10]) but returned from finishing school in Europe a changed, increasingly eccentric person.

Eccentric Behavior and Family’s Response

• Edith became fixated on religious rituals (“kneels in the streets of San Francisco and prays loudly... announces herself to be the Empress of the World…”—Georgia [29:06–29:21]).
• Her family commits her to psychiatric institutions; she often wanders away but is always found.

The Disappearance (1929)

• At age 57, Edith left for her daily hike near her Fairfield farmhouse and vanished.
• A county-wide search ensues—hundreds scour the land, a reward is offered, but she’s not found until 2 months later, when a neighbor’s son finds her decomposed body in a creek bed searched many prior times.
• The circumstances are mysterious: not wearing her original outfit, instead in men’s overalls, with a cryptic handwritten note found in her pocket.

  “Do not give anything. Do not show sympathy. Do not speak to any nurse. Do not speak magic. Walk out....” — Georgia [46:13]

Theories & The Investigation

• Was it foul play? Did she die naturally and the body discovered late? Did someone move her?
• Signs suggest she might have lived in a shack nearby before dying—food scraps and religious phrases on cabin walls.
• The autopsy revealed a blood clot in her brain but no direct evidence of murder.
• The official verdict: Cause unknown.

Aftermath

• Edith’s brothers, embroiled in a “Succession”-style estate feud, are left without closure but do set up a trust for her portion of the millions.
• Georgia summarizes:

  “That’s the story of the unexplained disappearance and death of Edith Irene Wolfskill, the Empress of the World.” [51:40]

• Laughter, side commentary, and local references (orchards vs. orchids) keep the tone unexpectedly lighthearted.

Story 2: The “College Con Man” James Hogue

Told by Karen | [55:17 – 90:52]

Introduction

• Karen introduces a wild, winding tale about James Hogue, a serial imposter, chronicled notably in The New Yorker (“The Runner”).
• Hogue started as a gifted Kansas runner, but his ego and inability to accept being merely good set him on a path of deception.

Early Ambitions, Downfall, and Reinvention

• Hogue’s athletic dreams unravel in college—at University of Wyoming and UT Austin, he’s never the best.

  “You’re in high school and you’re like, God, I’m so good at this thing. And then... you’re fucking terrible at everything.” — Karen [63:04]

• After law troubles, he drops out. At 25, he resurfaces as a “17-year-old orphan” at Palo Alto High, wins major races, raising suspicions because he “looks a bit older.” [67:10–68:09]

The Pattern of Scams

• Outed by a journalist, Hogue flees, but this launches a career of cons:
  • He poses as a Stanford-credentialed Ph.D. at a Vail training camp.
  • He gets caught after burglarizing his roommate’s bike shop and using stolen goods.

The Ivy League Scam: Alexi Santana at Princeton

• Using the alias “Alexi Santana,” Hogue earns admission (and a scholarship) to Princeton by concocting a tale of backwoods self-education and tragedy, despite no high school transcript [57:35].

  • “He claims that he’s never once set foot in a school and that he’s entirely self-taught... yet he has higher-than-average SAT scores.” — Karen [57:35–57:57]

• Hogue attends as a 29-year-old freshman, fools classmates and faculty, even competes in collegiate track.

Caught & Aftermath

• A fellow runner recognizes him at a meet; the saga is exposed and Hogue is arrested mid-class at Princeton [80:36].
• Despite charges, he continues fake jobs and crimes—stealing gems at Harvard, returning to Princeton under more aliases, and always “running.”
  • The highlight: arrested in Telluride after a woman finds her stolen throw pillows on his (Hogue’s) couch [84:35].
  • Later, he’s caught living in makeshift, camouflaged mountain shacks and selling stolen goods on eBay.

Analysis & Legacy

• Hogue emerges as a folk anti-hero—a “Gatsby brought low” as documentary filmmakers and English teachers compare him to classic American hustlers.

  “He did not seem malicious, but he did paint himself as a victim of the government and of social hierarchy and class structures.” — Karen, quoting law enforcement [89:19]

“Love a scammer, but always have fun with scammers—your own scammer.” —Georgia [90:52]

Hometown Story: Sydney’s Mother, Survivor and Hero

[92:13 – 99:16]

• Audience member Sydney from Phoenix shares a gripping two-part story of her mother, who—
  • At 17, in Lake Tahoe (1970s), was abducted, assaulted, and managed to gain her attacker’s trust to escape, though the perpetrator was never caught.
  • Years later, in LA, another man attempted to abduct her. This time, her mother fought back and escaped.
  • The attacker was apprehended and imprisoned for life, thanks to Sydney’s mom’s bravery.
• Sydney expresses deep gratitude for her mother’s strength and influence.

  “It’s not going to happen again. That’s right.” —Sydney & Karen [99:09–99:11]

  “Look what you got.... Oh, so worth it.” —Georgia, awarding the guest [99:19]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "Someone has a sign that said I washed my bangs in the sink for this. Thank you." — Georgia [02:09]
• "Can a bitch get a turkey sandwich?" — Karen [06:30]
• "We do not think murder is funny. We just think we're funny." — Karen [15:57]
• On aging and time: “So think about how much closer to death you are now.” — Karen [09:27]
• “Aristocracy… I was trying to hit that stacked line joke, and so I didn’t.” — Georgia [27:20]
• “He looks like James Spader. And he does look like an 80s teenager. Like movie teenager.” — Georgia on James Hogue’s high school photo [72:12]
• “He impersonated a murderino.” — Karen fantasizing about Hogue showing up at their shows [88:41]
• “Always have fun with scammers. Your own scammer.” — Georgia [90:52]

Timeline of Main Segments

• Welcome & Tour Anecdotes: 01:54 – 16:00
• Explanation of Show & Humor: 15:57 – 17:32
• Main Story 1 (Edith Irene Wolfskill): 20:13 – 51:40
• Main Story 2 (James Hogue): 55:17 – 90:52
• Hometown Story (Sydney): 93:07 – 99:16

Tone & Audience Engagement

The episode is lively, uproarious, and unrehearsed—Karen and Georgia riff, banter, and heckle each other, the audience, and themselves while weaving in true crime stories with empathy and sharp, self-aware humor. Interactivity is strong: audience signs, local references, and the heartfelt hometown story all serve to make this live taping especially dynamic and community-driven.

For New Listeners

This episode showcases My Favorite Murder’s best strengths: blending serious stories with comic relief, highlighting both notorious and little-known crimes, and fostering genuine connection with listeners both in the room and at home. You’ll leave entertained, occasionally moved—and possibly with a new appreciation for running, conmen, and the quest for a turkey sandwich in the Bay Area.

Stay sexy and don’t get murdered!