My Favorite Murder – Episode 516: "End Quote"

Air Date: January 22, 2026
Hosts: Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Network: Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

In this milestone episode, Karen and Georgia celebrate nearly a decade of My Favorite Murder by diving into both a classic true crime case—the murder of Dorothy Donovan—and a lighter, headline-grabbing legal drama, the Gwyneth Paltrow ski trial. The duo balances their trademark mix of dark humor and sincere commentary, tackling current events, pop culture, and gratitude for their listeners.

Table of Contents

• Opening Banter: The State of the World & MFM’s Mood
• Current Events, Empathy, and Activism
• Pop Culture Break: “Heated Rivalry” & TV Escapism
• 10-Year Anniversary Gratitude & Behind-the-Scenes
• Exactly Right Network & Merch Updates
• True Crime Story: The Murder of Dorothy Donovan
• Notable Segment: Quotes & Format Changes
• Pop Culture True Crime: Gwyneth Paltrow Ski Trial
• Wrap-up: Giving Back & Final Thoughts
• Notable Quotes
• Timestamps

Opening Banter: The State of the World & MFM’s Mood

03:09–04:41

• Karen and Georgia open with playful greetings and joke about using their “pro podcasting voices”.
• They quickly turn to the heaviness of current events and how it’s hard to ignore the grim news on TikTok and elsewhere.
• They express a sense of duty to keep talking about these issues, even if their weekly stories feel frivolous by comparison.
  • “How do we do this when the world is such a mess?” – Georgia (03:22)
  • “Everything I see on TikTok is horrifying, but I don’t want to look away.” – Karen (03:28)

Current Events, Empathy, and Activism

04:41–07:55

• The hosts passionately discuss ICE raids, police overreach, and the treatment of immigrant communities in the U.S.
• Both express horror and disgust at the inhumanity they’re witnessing in the news.
  • “If you hate people who are trying to make their families lives better by coming to this country… Where’s your empathy?” – Georgia (05:13)
• They highlight grassroots activism and local resistance as a source of inspiration, referencing youth protest movements.

Pop Culture Break: “Heated Rivalry” & TV Escapism

07:56–12:59

• In an effort to lighten the mood, Georgia raves about the new queer sports romance series “Heated Rivalry”—shouting out her friend Jacob Tierney as the creator.
• They discuss the joy and function of pop culture as “visual opiates” in dark times.
  • “As things get nightmarish, then there’s just… visual opiates to get away, definitely.” – Karen (09:51)
• Honest confession: Karen hasn’t watched it yet because it would be awkward with her dad.
• The segment veers into talk of media and self-image, referencing their recent Hollywood Reporter profile and the way women scrutinize their appearances.

10-Year Anniversary Gratitude & Behind-the-Scenes

13:06–13:49

• Karen & Georgia acknowledge their “incredible” audience after a decade:
  • “Thank you for all the love and the beautiful comments… so nice. So much love!” – Georgia (13:06)
• They reflect on success, luck, and the challenge of accepting good things.

Exactly Right Network & Merch Updates

13:51–17:40

• The hosts provide updates from Exactly Right Media:
  • “Two-Faced John of God,” a new dual-language true crime podcast, is launching in February (14:36).
  • My Favorite Murder is coming to Netflix—with back catalog and new episodes/minisodes premiering in late January.
  • Merch updates: tour hats, totes, pins (which are actually magnets), and the ongoing Karen-picks-black, Georgia-picks-pink merch tradition.

True Crime Story: The Murder of Dorothy Donovan

19:02–43:41

Case Introduction

Karen covers the harrowing true crime story from Delaware, unraveling the murder of Dorothy Donovan (June 23, 1991):

• The case kicks off when factory worker Charles Holden discovers a lurker near his trailer late at night, then calls 911 (24:22).
• Charles’ elderly mother, Dorothy Donovan, is found brutally murdered in her nearby farmhouse.
• Investigators suspect Charles—thanks to a “far-fetched” account involving a hitchhiker, insurance motives, and family doubts.

Investigation Details

• Blood and fingerprints at the scene don’t belong to the family.
• Charles’ story about a hitchhiker is initially dismissed by police and his own family as implausible.
  • “Only an idiot would believe that story.” – Officer to Charles (33:08)
• Years pass with Charles under suspicion, as “hitchhiker” leads go cold.

Breakthrough & Resolution

• A breakthrough occurs more than a decade later with the advent of CODIS DNA matching (38:20).
• Gilbert Cannon, whose DNA matches the crime scene, confesses and corroborates Charles’ original version of events—the murder was a tragic, random act of violence.
• Charles, after 16 years, is exonerated to the relief (and regret) of his family.
  • “We were all in court and we all went to eat afterwards. We’re working on it, but it’s going to take time.” – Charles’ sister, Brenda (43:33)

Segment Tone

• Emphasizes the emotional and family fallout of wrongful suspicion.
• Classic forensic storytelling with empathy for all involved.

Notable Segment: Quotes & Format Changes

27:27–27:50

• Joking about Netflix requirements, Karen and Georgia wonder if they now need to say “end quote” on air.
  • “We have to start saying end quote because we’re on Netflix.” – Karen (27:27)
  • Playful debate ensues about podcasting style versus journalism.

Pop Culture True Crime: Gwyneth Paltrow Ski Trial

46:20–71:19

Case Introduction

Georgia recaps the viral legal battle between Gwyneth Paltrow and retired doctor Terry Sanderson:

• 2016 skiing collision on Deer Valley’s “Bandana” run results in Terry’s injury.
• Competing claims: Who hit whom—from uphill, from behind?
  • “Who was the uphill skier? Every ski resort has a posted code of rules… and among these rules is that downhill skiers have the right of way.” – Georgia (53:49)

Legal Circus & Cultural Moment

• Lawsuit filed for $3 million, later reduced to $300,000.
• Gwyneth countersues for a symbolic $1.
• CourtTV broadcasts the trial; testimony becomes meme fodder.
  • “Well, I lost half a day of skiing.” – Gwyneth (on stand, 61:55)
• Terry’s health and lifestyle questioned—did the accident truly ruin his life?

Verdict & Viral Aftermath

• Gwyneth wins. On exiting, she famously whispers to Terry:
  • “I wish you well.” (67:40)
• The hosts debate whether it’s petty or sincere (they lean sincere).
• Both reflect on celebrity, public perception, internet culture, and the nature of lawsuit-driven “true crime.”
  • “This must happen to her or that type of person non fucking style. Like you just can’t win. Anything you say is going to be torn apart.” – Georgia (63:01)

Wrap-up: Giving Back & Final Thoughts

72:55–73:39

• The hosts announce a $25,000 donation to the ACLU, urging listeners to get involved however they can.
• Reflection on the “pivotal moment” of current events and the importance of compassion, activism, and being on the right side of history.

Notable Quotes

• “How do we do this when the world is such a mess?”
  — Georgia (03:22)
• “Fuck ice. What are we doing? What is fucking happening?”
  — Georgia (04:19)
• “What’s wrong with you? I’m so disgusted.”
  — Karen (05:24)
• “As things get nightmarish, then there’s just… visual opiates to get away.”
  — Karen (09:51)
• “Only an idiot would believe that story.”
  — Officer to Charles (33:08)
• “It’s the end of the world. Here’s some cute thing. Here’s a cat meme.”
  — Georgia (11:45)
• “Who was the uphill skier?... Downhill skiers have the right of way.”
  — Georgia (53:49)
• “I wish you well.”
  — Gwyneth Paltrow to Terry Sanderson (67:40)
• "Thank you, dear."
  — Terry Sanderson’s response (68:49)
• “I don’t feel as bad as I thought I would at the end of this story.”
  — Georgia (72:20)
• “Stay sexy and don’t get murdered.”
  — Georgia (73:40)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening Banter & Heavy News: 03:09–07:55
• Heated Rivalry & Escapist TV: 07:56–12:59
• Exactly Right Network & Merch: 13:51–17:40
• Dorothy Donovan Case: 19:02–43:41
  • Case discovery: 24:22
  • Suspicion falls on Charles: 28:49
  • Break in case/DNA breakthrough: 38:20
  • Final exoneration: 43:33
• Gwyneth Paltrow Ski Trial: 46:20–71:19
  • Collision details: 51:06
  • Trial testimony & memes: 61:04
  • Verdict & “I wish you well”: 67:40
• ACLU Donation & Call to Action: 72:55–73:39

Tone, Style & Listener Experience

• The episode is classic MFM: irreverent, emotionally honest, and community-oriented.
• Current events are discussed with urgency and empathy.
• The true crime story is handled with respect and clear storytelling.
• The pop culture segment (Gwyneth Paltrow trial) is dissected with both snark and sincerity.
• Behind-the-scenes gratitude and anniversary celebrations foreground the podcast’s longevity and fanbase.

Conclusion

Episode 516, “End Quote,” showcases My Favorite Murder at its best—a blend of dark true crime, comedic rapport, pop culture savvy, and empathetic reflection. From serious social commentary to the absurdities of Goop celebrity lawsuits, Karen and Georgia keep listeners engaged, informed, and laughing, even as they urge everyone to “stay sexy and don’t get murdered.”

“I wish you well, end quote.” — Georgia (68:16)