Podcast Summary: My Favorite Murder – Episode 509: "Let Me Corrupt You"

Podcast: My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Episode Title: 509 - Let Me Corrupt You
Date: December 4, 2025
Hosts: Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark
Producer: Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

In this lively and poignant episode, Karen and Georgia return after Thanksgiving for a catch-up full of tour reflections, holiday recovery, and humorous banter about self-care, vices, and family traditions. The hosts read touching listener emails and discuss how My Favorite Murder fosters connection across generations. The heart of the episode features deep dives into two compelling stories: Karen presents the mysterious death of Phoebe Hansijk in Melbourne—a case riddled with investigative failures and lingering questions. Georgia shares the maritime tragedy of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, its stormy sinking on Lake Superior, the haunting legacy it left, and the music that keeps the memory alive.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Post-Holiday Vibes & Tour Recovery

• Karen and Georgia catch up after tour and Thanksgiving, humorously comparing the anti-climactic return to normal life with "soldiers going to Hawaii mid-war" (01:55).
• Georgia describes her nightmarish 12-hour holiday drive from San Francisco to LA (normally 6 hours), reflecting on travel woes (03:03).
• Karen confesses she stayed home, enjoyed restorative downtime, and even participated in a therapeutic ketamine session--leading to jokes about "doing drugs before the show" (03:44).
• Lighthearted back-and-forth about nicotine pouches leads to the episode's titular line:
  Karen: "Let me corrupt you." (04:48)
• The hosts riff on the shared rebellion of small vices, the need for "a little oblivion," and the ritual of games and agreed-upon fun during the holidays (05:32).

2. Community & Listener Connections

• Reading heartwarming listener emails, the hosts are moved by messages from diverse fans, including a 47-year-old father who uses "MFM protocols" to communicate with his daughters.
  Listener Email: "You both have become the west coast sisters I never knew I needed." (09:17)
• Another listener cleverly likens MFM to “MAS*H—‘a comedy about war’,” offering a way to explain true crime comedy to skeptics (09:50).
• Karen and Georgia thank their engaged community and call for more fan strategies on “how do you tell your friends to listen to this podcast?” (10:21).

3. True Crime Story One — The Mysterious Death of Phoebe Hansijk

Presented by Karen Kilgariff (19:44–52:40)

Case Overview

• The case of Phoebe Hansijk: a 24-year-old woman found dead in her Melbourne apartment building’s trash compactor room in 2010.
• Police quickly ruled it a suicide—Phoebe allegedly entered a narrow garbage chute feet-first from the 12th floor. But Karen details why this ruling is deeply suspect.

Key Points & Evidence

• Suspicious Investigation:

  • Police made early assumptions of suicide, failing to check for signs of life, collect key evidence, or secure the scene(s).
  • CCTV footage was not immediately secured and was eventually lost; blood samples and broken glass were ignored; the boyfriend’s influential judge parents may have complicated the case (42:21).
  • The boyfriend gave inconsistent statements about Phoebe's phone and discarded her SIM card.
  • Family and friends raise doubts: Phoebe was creative, physically fit but claustrophobic, and her BAC was high but not conclusive for suicide.
  • No fingerprints found around the chute, jeans found pulled down, broken glass and blood in the apartment suggest a struggle.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Karen: "Let me corrupt you." (04:48)
  • Karen (on investigation): "There are many, many missed opportunities at the beginning... no one checks her body for signs of life." (41:07)
  • Georgia: "Trying to assemble some sort of idea of what was going on that night... two judges are in the apartment basically dictating what is and isn't going to happen." (43:52)

• Legal Aftermath:

  • A coroner’s inquest (delayed 4 years) ultimately ruled "death by misadventure" despite family objections and expert testimony.
  • The case led to changes in Victoria’s coronial court system, making legal appeals more accessible for families (51:08).

• Emotional Impact:

  • Both hosts express deep empathy for Phoebe, her struggles, and the lack of resolution.
  • Karen: "She deserved better than that, than what she got." (52:39)
  • Urge to listen to the podcast “Phoebe’s Fall” for more details.

4. True Crime Story Two — The Sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald

Presented by Georgia Hardstark (56:54–85:36)

Case Overview

• The 1975 disaster of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, a massive Great Lakes ore freighter lost during a ferocious November storm on Lake Superior.
• The ship vanished with 29 men aboard near the end of its run, inspiring Gordon Lightfoot’s famous ballad.

Key Points & Evidence

• Ship & Storm Details:

  • The Fitzgerald, helmed by Captain Ernest McSorley (on his last pre-retirement run), faced hurricane-force winds, 35-foot rogue waves, and blinding snow.
  • Despite radar/safety backup from the Anderson (another freighter), the Fitzgerald’s last message at 7:10 pm:
    McSorley: “We are holding our own.” (72:20)
  • Five minutes later, vanished from radar without a mayday.

• Aftermath & Legacy:

  • Rapid and total sinking—no survivors, no recovered bodies, only wreckage and a split hull discovered 530 feet down.
  • Debate about the cause: unsecured hatch covers (implying crew error) vs. hull damage from shoal or rogue wave. Both remain unresolved.
  • The tragedy was immortalized in Gordon Lightfoot’s "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," a song that topped charts again on the 50th anniversary in November 2025 (85:36).

• Notable Quotes & Moments:

  • Georgia: "If you want to absolutely destroy a karaoke night, you sign up for that song [Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald]." (85:42)
  • Reading of a memorial speech:
    “As the bell is in their hearts, so they are in the bell. And in the bell’s tone are the voices of the men. And we shall listen.” (83:48)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Georgia: “I have shit all over my hands.” (01:50) — setting their signature irreverent tone.
• Karen (reflecting on coping mechanisms): “I win by losing, where I get back at something I’m mad at by drinking. And it’s not hurting the thing I’m mad at—it’s fucking up the thing I am.” (05:43)
• On Community: "You've helped us so much." (86:34) — expressing gratitude to their supportive listeners.

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Bantery Catch-Up & Vices: 01:44–07:41
• Listener Emails & Community Segment: 08:13–12:40
• Story 1: The Death of Phoebe Hansijk (Karen): 19:44–52:40
• Story 2: Sinking of SS Edmund Fitzgerald (Georgia): 56:54–85:36
• Notable Quotes on Both Cases:
  • Karen: "It doesn't happen twice. No, it doesn't happen twice. But it does." (51:56) (referencing possible patterns in suspicious deaths)

Tone & Style

As always, Karen and Georgia mix genuine horror and deep empathy with relatable humor, sharp asides, and a spirit of inquiry. The episode blends personal vulnerability (about mental health, addiction, loss) with sharp true-crime investigation. The hosts maintain their conversational, supportive, sometimes irreverent style while bringing thoughtful attention—and sometimes righteous anger—to overlooked victims and flawed systems.

Closing

The episode wraps with the hosts encouraging listeners to care for themselves, lean on community, and, in classic MFM style:
"Stay sexy and don’t get murdered." (86:50)

Listen/Read Further

• Phoebe’s Fall (recommended for deeper dive into Phoebe Hansijk’s case)
• Discovery Channel’s "Shipwreck: The Mystery of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (Georgia’s main source)
• Gordon Lightfoot’s "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (especially for the anniversary and cultural context)

For true crime fans, this episode offers a blend of tragedy, unresolved questions, and communal support, all told with the wit and candor that make MFM beloved.