MFM Minisode 407

Summary

Podcast Summary: My Favorite Murder Minisode 407

Introduction

In Minisode 407 of My Favorite Murder (MFM), hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark delve into a series of gripping hometown horror stories submitted by their dedicated listeners. As always, the episode balances true crime narratives with the hosts' signature humor, creating an engaging and thought-provoking experience for both long-time fans and newcomers alike. Skipping the usual advertisements and promotional material, this summary captures the essence of the episode’s key discussions, insights, and memorable moments.

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1. The Classic Clown Killer Connection

Karen shares a chilling account from a listener who uncovers a horrifying family connection to the notorious serial killer, John Wayne Gacy.

• Story Overview: The listener, employed at a local café near the Chicago suburbs, discovers that her manager’s mother's cousin worked for John Wayne Gacy's landscaping company. Unbeknownst to the manager at the time, this cousin became entangled with Gacy, leading to his untimely and tragic death.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Karen: “...I was so gagged, and the murderino in me wanted to know every detail, but I didn't want to come off as pushy.” [02:21]
  • Georgia: “That’s just like they just didn’t have a chance against that monster. It’s just so sad.” [04:08]

• Insights: The discussion highlights the long-lasting ripple effects of Gacy’s crimes, emphasizing how his actions impacted countless families and communities beyond his immediate victims.

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2. Surviving a Terrifying Van Accident

Georgia recounts a harrowing personal experience from her teenage years, illustrating her resilience in the face of danger.

• Story Overview: At 15, Georgia and her friends attend a concert, only to face a life-threatening situation on their drive home. The van, driven by a friend without a license, skids on black ice, leading to a five-time rollover. Miraculously, Georgia survives while others are ejected from the vehicle.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Georgia: “I remained calm as I felt the pressure move to my shoulder, leg, and back to my head.” [05:10]
  • Karen: “Excuse me, driver. Go fuck yourself. For real. What the fuck? You did this, asshole.” [06:34]

• Insights: The conversation delves into the psychological aspects of trauma and survival, with Georgia reflecting on how her calm demeanor may have contributed to her surviving the crash. The incident underscores the unpredictability of life and the strength individuals can summon in dire circumstances.

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3. Realtor Murderino Discusses Crime Disclosure

A listener working as a broker in Tennessee provides a professional perspective on the ethics of disclosing a property’s violent history.

• Story Overview: The broker explains the complexities of revealing a house’s past crimes, such as shootings or murders, during real estate transactions. Balancing legal obligations with ethical considerations poses significant challenges for realtors aiming to maintain trust with both sellers and buyers.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Karen: “I went show to house with bullet holes in the walls and my clients running out the front door.” [09:26]
  • Georgia: “You can't have both [knowing and not knowing]. No one wants to be the last to know.” [11:04]

• Insights: The discussion emphasizes the importance of transparency in real estate, weighing the necessity to disclose information against the potential impact on property sales. It raises questions about how much past information should influence a buyer’s decision and the realtor’s role in facilitating informed choices.

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4. The Cornbread Mafia: A Family’s Criminal Legacy

Listener Hailey from Alaska unveils her family's notorious history with the Cornbread Mafia, a major marijuana production operation in Kentucky during the 1980s.

• Story Overview: Hailey reveals that her grandfather was a founding member of the Cornbread Mafia, which cultivated 180 tons of marijuana across 29 farms in 10 states between 1985 and 1989. The family’s involvement led to significant legal consequences and enduring stigmas within their community.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Georgia: “The Cornbread Mafia is still blamed for deaths and crimes in the area to this day.” [13:15]
  • Karen: “The phrase Cornbread Mafia is my favorite.” [15:18]

• Insights: Hailey’s story offers a glimpse into the generational impact of criminal enterprises, exploring themes of legacy, shame, and the struggle to redefine family identity amidst past transgressions. The narrative also touches on the socio-economic factors driving individuals into illegal activities and the long-term repercussions on their personal lives.

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5. Discovering a Vintage Murder Scrapbook

Karen shares an intriguing find from an auction cleanout—a scrapbook filled with mid-20th-century crime clippings.

• Story Overview: While cataloging items for auction, Karen stumbles upon a scrapbook from the 1940s containing newspaper clippings about various crimes, including kidnappings, disappearances, and homicides. The discovery highlights the enduring fascination with true crime and the ways in which past Murderinos meticulously documented their interests.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Karen: “I was in my glory. Not actually cataloging or photographing, but skimming through all the articles that a long ago Murderino thought were worth saving.” [18:05]
  • Georgia: “Stay sexy. N. Gosh, why did they want that?” [18:46]

• Insights: The scrapbook serves as a historical artifact, illustrating how true crime enthusiasts preserved and engaged with their interests before the digital age. It prompts reflections on the evolution of true crime consumption and the timeless human curiosity about the darker aspects of society.

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6. Building the Ultimate Halloween Haunted House

Michael shares nostalgic memories of his family's elaborate homemade haunted houses, fostering community spirit and creative expression.

• Story Overview: Michael details the effort his father and siblings put into constructing Halloween haunted houses, starting in an abandoned church and later moving to their home’s basement. These haunted attractions featured intricate scenes like a deranged ice cream shop and a mad surgeon, engaging neighborhood teens and fostering a sense of community during Halloween festivities.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Georgia: “The haunted house was very popular. We had a line going out the front door every year.” [20:52]
  • Karen: “They get to explore, like, different ways in which they could shine.” [22:27]

• Insights: The haunted house stories emphasize the role of family and community in creating memorable experiences. Michael reflects on the skills learned and the strong bonds formed through these creative projects, highlighting the positive aspects of engaging in horror-themed entertainment.

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Conclusion

Minisode 407 of My Favorite Murder offers a rich tapestry of true crime stories interwoven with personal anecdotes and reflections. Through exploring connections to infamous killers, surviving traumatic events, navigating ethical dilemmas in real estate, uncovering familial criminal legacies, and celebrating creative community projects, Karen and Georgia provide listeners with a multifaceted look at the intersections of crime, memory, and human resilience. The episode underscores the enduring allure of true crime narratives and the profound ways they resonate with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

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Key Takeaways:

• Legacy of Crime: The long-term effects of notorious criminals on families and communities.
• Survival and Resilience: Personal strength in overcoming life-threatening situations.
• Ethics in Transparency: The delicate balance realtors must maintain in disclosing property histories.
• Generational Impact: How family involvement in criminal activities shapes identities and community perceptions.
• Community and Creativity: The positive influence of collaborative projects like haunted houses on family bonds and neighborhood cohesion.

Memorable Quotes:

• Karen: “I was so gagged, and the murderino in me wanted to know every detail, but I didn't want to come off as pushy.” [02:21]
• Georgia: “Stay sexy and smoke some shitty Kentucky weed.” [15:18]
• Karen: “They get to explore, like, different ways in which they could shine.” [22:27]

This episode exemplifies My Favorite Murder's ability to weave compelling true crime stories with relatable human experiences, all while maintaining a balance of humor and empathy.

Transcript

[Karen Kilgariff]

This is exactly right.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Calling all thrill seekers and mystery enthusiasts, have you checked out the new television series Cross on Prime Video? Based upon the character created by James Patterson, this is Detective Alex Cross like you've never seen him before. It's a cat and mouse edge of your seat thrill ride that will keep you guessing. Cross stars Aldous Hodge as Alex Cross, DC's lead investigator and forensic psychologist. With a serial killer terrorizing dc, Cross finds himself in a race against the clock to save the latest victim. Follow Cross as he navigates a maze of clues, uncovers dark secrets and corruption, all while someone from his past is threatening his family. You'll be rooting for Alex Cross and loving the killer soundtrack. Get ready to tune in and work the case. Watch Cross a new series only on Prime Video. Watch now. Goodbye.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Lady to lady to lady to lady to Lady Podcast.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's funny ladies doing funny lady stuff on lady to Lady Podcast. New episodes every Wednesday on Lady to Lady Podcast.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Lady to lady to lady to lady to Lady Podcast.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Check out lady to Lady.

[Karen Kilgariff]

New episodes every Wednesday on the exactly right network.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Hello, and welcome to my favorite murder, the miniso, where we read you your stories.

[Karen Kilgariff]

You know what we're going to.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Hey, is this our first time doing this on video hometowns?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes, it is.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's exciting. I'm wearing Halloween colors because this is coming out around Halloween.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Great planning.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Look like a Halloween pirate. Kind of.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah. That's a cute shirt.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Thanks.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I'm wearing a color under black.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Proud of you.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Baby steps. Yeah. Also, apparently a lot of blush on my left cheek and not as much on my right for some reason.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's how it goes.

[Karen Kilgariff]

This is showbiz, baby.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Hey, do you want to go first?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Let's do it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The subject line of this email is hometown, the classic clown killer. And it says, hello, Karen and Georgia. I've never been the person to have crazy stories, so I've never wrote in, unfortunately. And I've only listened to every minisode. Well, thank you so much. But to my surprise, I found out some crazy hometown news at my morning breakfast job. I live close to the Chicago suburbs and I serve at a local cafe.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Ooh, how fun.

[Karen Kilgariff]

We're in Chicago. Okay, remember the subject line that I just read you? Okay, so the other day, I was telling my coworker about a murder that happened in his family. He started off by telling us that his mom's cousin used to be in landscaping and worked for a legitimate company. First cousin removed decided to do some freelance work to have extra income, but unfortunately, that decision cost him his life. The cousin, a young boy, ended up working at John Wayne Gacy's house. Fuck.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, fuck.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And then it says, and you know how it goes. Oh, sadly, he was murdered by Gacy, and his family found out many years after his death. He didn't even know what happened to his mom's cousin until way later in life because he never met him. When I heard the story, I was so gagged, and the murderino in me wanted to know every detail, but I didn't want to come off as pushy. It's crazy to know that there is a connection between my manager and that killer who terrorized Chicago and so many people in the 70s. Anyways, I left you guys and I hope you pick my story so I can be stunned by listening to the next minisode by. And then there's no name.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Classic lotta Anonymous. I like it. Wow. That's just like. They just didn't have a chance against that monster. It's just so sad.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Also, I think that's that thing. If you're talking about Chicago in the 70s, and there are probably so many families that have similar stories, the ripple effects just keep on going.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Karen Kilgariff]

So he had so many victims, and it was. It went on for so long.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Wow. All right. Okay. This one's called. Well, maybe I shouldn't tell you. Yeah, I'm not gonna tell you the title.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Murder ladies. It was my 15th birthday and my best friend had bought me tickets to see the Jesus and Mary chain as a present. We lived in Indianapolis and no good bands came our way, but John Cougar Mellencamp seems to play every damn weekend. So we had to go to Cincinnati to see the show. Her older sister drove us. She was 18 but had never gotten her license. Their old school trash dad lent us his van and so we packed six of us in it and drove over state lines.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Drove over state lines and the driver doesn't have a driver's license?

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's right.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay, great.

[Georgia Hardstark]

We got out of the concert around midnight to find ourselves in the middle of a late spring snowstorm. But we were young and had all the hubris that lubricated knees and a flexible spine gave teenagers in the 90s, so proceeded to drive home in near whiteout conditions. I fell asleep almost immediately and only woke up to a tremendous pressure on the side of my head. I didn't know what was going on, but very clearly heard the driver say, claudia, hold on. It's going to be okay. I didn't panic and I remained calm as I felt the pressure move to my shoulder, leg, and back to my head. Apparently we had hit a patch of black ice on the highway overpass and rolled the van down the embankment five times.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh my God.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Only the people in the front seat were wearing seatbelts. The others were thrown from the car while I remained inside being tossed around on the way down. Incredibly, everyone survived.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Wow.

[Georgia Hardstark]

The pressure I felt on my head was me being upside down in the car. I think being relaxed helped me avoid serious injury. At the hospital, I thanked my friend's older sister, the driver, for reassuring me. She looked at me the way only an 18 year old girl can look at her little sister's dumb friend and said in the most withering voice, I didn't say that. Why would I talk to you? Oh yeah, my boyfriend is in the front seat and my sister is in the back. But I tell you to be calm, right?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Excuse me, driver. Go fuck yourself. For real. What the fuck? You did this, asshole.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, this is on you. I died of embarrassment a little and never brought it up again. But as I've aged, I've stopped thinking about that with a cringe of humiliation, but instead with curiosity. That voice was so clear and kept me completely calm as my body was violently being tumbled in a giant metal can. I've never heard a plausible explanation for this until now. Thank you for doing a show about the Third Man. Now I can go back to just feeling stupid for thinking that any 18 year old anywhere would ever put my wellbeing above theirs. And it was called Holy Shit. I had Third Man Stay Sexy and get a licensed driver to take you to a concert in another State. Claudia.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Claudia. So glad you survived.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Never talk to that person again.

[Georgia Hardstark]

No good.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Although it might have been your rendition, she could have said it nice.

[Georgia Hardstark]

But still no.

[Karen Kilgariff]

But still no. I guess that's not true because the words were ridiculous, harsh.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Totally.

[Karen Kilgariff]

What a dick.

[Georgia Hardstark]

What a dick. Karen, now is the perfect time to turn over a new leaf and rake up some skills.

[Karen Kilgariff]

How dare you attack me with autumnal puns.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Well, with Masterclass, you can fall into a whole new hobby.

[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

Plus, every new membership comes with a 30 day money back guarantee.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Don't wait another moment to start your learning journey with Masterclass.

[Georgia Hardstark]

This is such a perfect gift for like the people in your life who are smart and want to learn, which I feel like should be everyone. If you're like choosing right your favorite, Murderino is going to love the Behavioral science Masterclass from FBI criminal profiler John Douglas. You guys right?

[Karen Kilgariff]

I mean like you've given people shirts, you've given people like gift baskets. Now give them the gift of learning. Right now our listeners will get an additional 15% off any annual [e-mail] MFM.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That'S 15% [e-mail] MFM masterclass.com MFM Goodbye.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Here's my next one. The subject line of this email is Realtor Murderino Here answer about crime disclosure from today's Minisode. Hi Karen in Georgia. I just heard you ask for Realtor Murderinos on today's Minisode. I'm actually a broker in Tennessee and can answer for myself. What y'all are talking about is stigmatized properties in Realtor speak. It's actually a pretty hot topic. I'm so excited.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I can't wait.

[Karen Kilgariff]

This is the best.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Let's talk about meth labs.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay. I went show to house with bullet holes in the walls and my clients running out the front door. The neighbor hollered across the fence, somebody got kilt in that house as soon as we stepped outside. It turns out multiple people were killed in a shootout and the house had been emptied and put up for sale. What? Years later I showed it post renovation and told my clients about the last time I showed it. Then the seller wandered in and told us all about the deaths that had happened there and how the house was haunted. We were mostly trying to get away from the cellar and my clients had no more interest in the house after that. Death and crimes actually happen quite often, quote unquote at home and over decades they really add up logistically. How far back should people disclose and what should they disclose? A common ethics test question is about how you don't have to disclose. As an agent, it's hard because people often want to be rid of haunted houses or the where a family tragedy occurred. Their agent's job is to represent their best interests and help them sell the house at the best possible terms. I wouldn't want to deceive buyers and also don't want to hurt my sellers. I advise my clients to first disclose what the state requires and then be honest about things that neighbors would tell the new buyers anyway. That's great. We want to be the source and not break trust with potential buyers. Thank you for all you do. I've been listening since my stepmom told me about y'all in 2019 and what a gift y'all are. And that's from Kate in Nashville.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Wow.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I can't decide if, like, I just wouldn't want to know if I loved the house, but then I'd be pissed off if I found out from neighbors that I wasn't told. You know what I mean? Like, you can't have both.

[Karen Kilgariff]

No one wants to be the last to know. That's the rule in all of life.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I feel tricked somehow.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah. So if you're somebody that's, like, integral to that thing, like, being the buyer, then you have to tell people as much as you can.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And I feel like if you're buying a house, you have to think about selling it in the future. And is this going to cause a decrease in, you know, its worth because of that? So, like, do you really want to live with that?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah. And then also, how back. It's just, like, the drama of it, how far back it goes?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I don't know.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, for sure. Okay.

[Karen Kilgariff]

What we're saying is it's up to you.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, it's up to you. Classic hometown with family ties and a Throwback to episode 268. Howdy. Lots of pleasantries and love to Georgia, Karen, and the MFM crew. I've been a listener since 2018. Thank you to the waiter who recommended you.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Hey.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And have always wanted a reason to write about my crazy, liberal Appalachian family.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Hey.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Well, I found the reason when I listened to episode 268, All Stars of 7th Grade back in April of 2021. AKA the Cocaine Bear episode.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Classic. I've been sitting on it for three years because of this little thing called analysis paralysis. I couldn't help but chuckle when Karen said, no one in Cali wants that Kentucky weed. And Georgia replied with, no, thanks. Keep it for your stud horses. We're good over here. I don't even really know what a stud horse is, so I don't hear myself saying, that's all a lie.

[Karen Kilgariff]

She's thinking of a different podcast.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, for sure, actually. And that sounds like something I would say that. That. And then you would say, so I think she's got her voices confused.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Could be that.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

But also, I wouldn't say stud horses.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I don't know. You grew up next to, like, in, like, a horse farm area, but not horse breeders.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, that's like a weird, different thing.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay. I thought to myself, if they only knew.

[Karen Kilgariff]

You know what's funny? We're talking about this like there's not an immediate way to prove it. By listening to these.

[Georgia Hardstark]

We know we're wrong as we're saying it. We both know that.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Clearly it's an exercise in wrongness.

[Georgia Hardstark]

On this podcast, my grandfather was one of the founding members of the Cornbread Mafia. What? A quick history of the Cornbread Mafia. This was a group of Kentucky men who ran the largest domestic marijuana production operation in US history. Between 1985 and 1989, 70 Kentuckians were accused of growing 180 tons of marijuana on 29 farms in 10 states. So I guess someone wanted that shitty Kentucky weed.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, we were wrong.

[Georgia Hardstark]

We were wrong. Several books have been written by past members. Plenty fled the US when the arrest began in 1989 and never came back. My grandfather did not and served plenty of prison time on and off. The family even claims the youngest sibling was conceived at a conjugal visit. Oh, that's kind of cool. My mom married into this family when I was a young teen, so learning about this storied history fascinated me. I had several friends in high school whose parents wouldn't let them come to my house, even though my stepdad never had a hand in that family business. And the Cornbread Mafia is still blamed for deaths and crimes in the area to this day.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Wow.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Some of my favorite comical stories of that time include my grandpa stealing a tractor trailer full of John Deere riding mowers and passing them out to neighbors. So everyone had a brand new mower. Not suspicious at all.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That's cool.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And my stepdad unbearing five gallon buckets of money in the backyard when his dad was in prison, only to find that the lid had not been completely popped on, so all the money inside was soaked. So he, his mom, and siblings had to lay tens of thousands of dollars all around the house so it could dry out.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, shit. Well, Lisa, I thought you were gonna say it, like, molded or something. No, thank God.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I wonder how many more buckets are still buried out there that they just forgot about.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Dig, dig, dig.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Thanks for reading My Hometown. I hope you enjoyed it. And most importantly, stay sexy and smoke some shitty Kentucky weed. Xoxo Haley from Alaska. You can use my name, Hailey.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That was a great one. Just the phrase Cornbread Mafia is my favorite.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, I'd never even heard of that at all.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I mean, look, we got a good education.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Absolutely.

[Karen Kilgariff]

If you've ever heard us make snap judgments that we're wrong about in this podcast, please write it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Everyone is worried about the monsters under.

[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

They're self cooling and designed to keep you at the perfect temperature all long.

[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

Temperature regulating and if you're worried about sacrificing comfort or quality, Miracle Made has bidding that's as luxurious as a five star hotel without the hefty price tag.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's really cool. A lot of not that you shouldn't be washing your sheets, but it's that kind of thing where it's like you go to sleep, you sweat, your dogs are sleeping next to you, all kinds of things are happening in that bed. That's your business. But with Miracle Made sheets, you can have sheets that feel really good, but also you don't have to worry about back bacterial growth or anything that's disgusting.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You can rest assured that it's not gross. Hey, so go to trymiracle.com murder to try Miraclemade sheets today.

[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

Again, that's trymiracle.com murder to treat yourself.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Thank you Miracle Maid for sponsoring this episode. Goodbye Calling all thrill seekers and mystery enthusiasts. Have you checked out the new television series Cross on Prime Video? Based upon the character created by James Patterson, this is Detective Alex Cross like you've never seen him before. It's a cat and mouse edge of your seat thrill ride that will keep you guessing. Cross stars Aldous Hodge as Alex Cross, DC's lead investigator and forensic psychologist. With a serial killer terrorizing dc, Cross finds himself in a race against the clock to save the latest victim. Follow Cross as he navigates a maze of clues, uncovers dark secrets and corruption all while someone from his past is threatening his family. You'll be rooting for Alex Cross and loving the killer soundtrack. Get ready to tune in and work the case. Watch Cross a new series only on Prime Video. Watch now. Goodbye.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Here's my last one. And the subject line is Vintage Murderino scrapbook found. Ooh, ladies, while this is not your typical treasure find, it's pretty freaking cool. I work cataloging and photographing at an auction. Estate cleanout business dream. Right. While inputting the next auction, I came across a scrapbook loaded with newspaper clippings from the 40s. Every last clipping involved kidney, kidnapping, disappeared, accidents, homicides, and death. I was in my glory. Not actually cataloging or photographing, but skimming through all the articles that a long ago Murderino thought were worth saving.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Wow.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Thought you'd enjoy knowing you didn't invent it, you just perfected it. Stay sexy. N. Gosh, why did they want that?

[Georgia Hardstark]

They wanted to just be able to look through it. And that's wild.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I mean, yeah, it's like, oh, this scared me. Put it in a book. Oh, I don't like that at all. Put it in a book. Or they liked it. Yeah, could have liked it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, that's a good one. Okay. I have a Halloween One family built Halloween haunted house. Hey, Karen and Georgia. I'll be using Georgia font to tell you. And I'm using Georgia font on mine, of course, to tell you about my dad's obsession with creating Halloween haunted houses. Legend tells the first one was in an abandoned church. I was a baby at the time, so I wasn't able to tell them that this was a bad idea. The second haunted house was built in the basement of our house. It was a new build, so dad made sure we had an extra large basement. We were able to fit a dark maze, four scenes and sprinkle in a few jump scares. You would start by going through the dark maze, being tickled by fishing line hanging from the ceiling.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, I know.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's a good idea, right?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Very good.

[Georgia Hardstark]

The first scene was an infested ice cream shop with a deranged ice cream mix. That's clever. We created a display case and put bugs all over the ice cream. The second scene was an optical illusion room. Hundreds of highlighter dots were placed on black walls. And I put on a black full body suit, also covered with highlighter dots. So when you walk in, it looks like I'm not in the room until I move. The third scene was a quick recreation of the opening to scream when Drew Barrymore was murdered by a ghostface. We included the iconic mask, white sweater, and blonde bob. The fourth scene, a classic raving mad surgeon. We turned our pool table into a surgery table and had an actor getting their legs sawn off. All of the actors and guides were teens from the neighborhood. Fun, right?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Fun.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I will always remember my older sister wearing a headset while waving people down the stairs. My older brother cutting off someone's leg.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Ooh.

[Georgia Hardstark]

My other older sister getting stabbed by goat's face. The haunted house was very popular. We had a line going out the front door every year. After walking through it, the kids would go trick or treating while the parents part at our house. Wow. Essentially, the entire neighborhood was crammed into my house every Halloween until my mom got tired of it. Dad moved the haunted house to a large storage unit where we kept it going for a few more years. It was an amazing experience when it all came together.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Sounds incredible.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Like the work that it took every.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Year, but also like that. Like providing this kind of community. Central. We'll do it for you. It's so generous. It's so great.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah. Now that I'm older, I've started to think more about building the haunted house rather than being in it. My dad, older brother, and I spent a few months building it. I learned how to build plywood walls, make scenes, do sex, design, and act. Now that I'm older, I appreciate the skills my dad taught me and the strength of our community. I love you, dad. Karen and Georgia, you're great. Yada, yada, yada. Thanks for the podcast, Michael and Simon the cat.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, I know.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Michael, you're so lucky. Yeah.

[Georgia Hardstark]

What a memory to have the idea.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That the older sister. Cause also, it's like headpiece. But did she also have a clipboard? Cause I'm seeing a clipboard.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Absolutely. But she was so bossy.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And I bet she had really big hair.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, my God, the biggest.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Right?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

She's like, all of your siblings are doing the thing that suits their personality the best.

[Georgia Hardstark]

They get to explore, like, different ways in which they could shine.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And then Michael was the one who's like, I want to be the creep in a dark room that suddenly, like, you realize someone's in there with you.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Right. That's such a middle child behavior.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, but at least he's no mad surgeon.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's true. Write us your stories and thank you for writing them if you already have. And write them again.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And write, write, write, write for yourself. Don't forget to journal.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's exactly right.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And nice one and stay sexy.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Don't get murdered. Come on, Elvis. Do you want a cookie?

[Karen Kilgariff]

This has been an exactly right production.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Our senior producer is Alejandra Keck.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Our editor is Aristotle Acevedo.

[Georgia Hardstark]

This episode was mixed by Liana Squalace.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Email your hometowns to my favorite murdermail.com.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And follow the show on Instagram and Facebook at my favorite murder. And on Twitter, yfav Murder. Goodbye.