MFM Minisode 443

Summary

My Favorite Murder Minisode 443 Summary

Released on July 7, 2025

Hosts: Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Network: Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts

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Introduction to the Minisode

In Minisode 443 of My Favorite Murder (MFM), hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark dive into a series of gripping listener-submitted stories, each unraveling a unique blend of true crime, mystery, and the supernatural. Skipping over promotional segments, Karen and Georgia focus on delivering engaging and chilling narratives that resonate with both longtime fans and newcomers alike.

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1. The Cold Case of Tina Fales [02:32]

Georgia opens the minisode with a harrowing true crime story from Fremont, California, recounting the 1984 murder of 14-year-old Tina Fales. Described as "44 times" stabbed and found in a drainage culvert, Tina's case remained unsolved for decades until advancements in DNA technology brought about a breakthrough.

"I'm a pregnant detective on light duty," Georgia humorously remarks at [04:09], highlighting the unexpected hero who reignited the investigation. The identification of Stephen Carlson, a former classmate who had previously faced bullying, brought some closure, though Carlson continues to claim innocence despite sending letters to the family five years post-conviction.

Karen reflects on the recurring theme of young women losing their lives to violence, stating at [05:26], "the saddest part of a classic hometown is just... it's always that same story." This poignant observation underscores the emotional weight the hosts place on such narratives.

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2. Summer Ghost Story: The Phantom Child Thomas [10:42]

Listener Kelsey shares a spine-tingling ghost story that takes a personal turn for Georgia. Recalling childhood summers in a secluded Fremont suburb, Georgia describes an enigmatic boy named Thomas who mysteriously appeared without trace.

"I started describing him, trying to jog her memory, but she had no idea who he was and insisted we never watched a little boy named Thomas," Georgia explains at [14:41]. The story crescendos with the revelation that Thomas was likely a ghost, leaving Georgia to grapple with memories that no one else could verify.

Karen humorously interjects at [15:37], "This whole thing is of your imagination. Thank you for creating us, Kelsey," adding a light-hearted touch to the eerie tale. The story emphasizes the lingering effects of childhood fears and the supernatural's mysterious grip on memory.

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3. The Murderous Reverend of Alexander City [16:18]

An email from a listener in Alexander City, Alabama, introduces a chilling account tied to local legends. The sender references Willie Maxwell, a "murderous reverend," and his lawyer, connecting to an episode of Paranormal Witness that aired during Karen’s high school years.

"She grew up in Alexander City and remembers all of this happening," Karen notes at [18:38], highlighting the deep historical roots and community impact of the murders. The story intertwines with local lore, including mentions of cultural icons like Harper Lee, adding layers of intrigue and suspense.

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4. Childhood Snake Story: Overcoming Fear [20:51]

Another listener recounts their petrifying experience with a snake during childhood, which left a lasting fear. Georgia shares her own tale from [22:39], where a garter snake in her bathtub led to a night of terror and family chaos.

"I was trapped and the door was locked and I was naked, which somehow made it seem even more life-threatening," Georgia recounts at [24:04]. The story resonates with listeners who understand how childhood fears can leave enduring scars, blending humor with genuine horror.

Karen empathizes, adding at [25:15], "I have the same experience, only I close Nora's fingers into a drawer like that," creating a shared sense of vulnerability and fear that listeners can relate to.

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5. Hometown Sharks: Summer Beach Terror [27:57]

The final story delves into a summer beach encounter with hammerhead sharks, inspired by previous episodes discussing shark attacks. A listener narrates their terrifying experience while on a beach trip to the Gulf Coast in 2006.

"We saw a family of five hammerhead sharks are circling beneath us," Karen describes at [30:23], capturing the sheer panic and disbelief of the moment. The narrative builds suspense as the sharks linger ominously before swimming away, leaving the group shaken.

Georgia humorously critiques the beachgoers' reaction through the listener's recounting of the salesman Steve's quip, "sharks are bad for business," bringing levity to an otherwise intense encounter.

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Conclusion and Call to Action

As the minisode wraps up, Karen and Georgia encourage listeners to share their own hometown stories, emphasizing the community-driven essence of My Favorite Murder. They invite fans to join the "fan cult" and engage with the show on various platforms, fostering a sense of belonging and shared fascination with true crime and the unexplained.

"Stay sexy and don't get murdered," Karen signs off, encapsulating the show's blend of humor and horror that keeps audiences coming back for more.

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Notable Quotes:

• "I'm a pregnant detective on light duty," — Georgia Hardstark [04:09]
• "the saddest part of a classic hometown is just... it's always that same story," — Karen Kilgariff [05:26]
• "I was playing with a goddamn ghost child," — Georgia Hardstark [15:06]
• "sharks are bad for business," — Listener’s Account [31:48]

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Final Thoughts

Minisode 443 of My Favorite Murder masterfully balances storytelling with relatable commentary, navigating through true crime, ghostly encounters, and personal anecdotes. Karen and Georgia’s dynamic hosting ensures each story is not only captivating but also deeply engaging, making it an essential listen for fans seeking both thrills and connection.

Transcript

[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

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[T.S. Madison]

This is your girl, T.S. madison, and I'm coming to you loud, live and in color from the Outlaws podcast. Let me tell you something. I've got the voice, my podcast, the one they never saw coming. Each week I sit down with the culture creators and scroll stoppers. Tina Knowles, Lil Nas X. Will we ever see a dating show? My next ex.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That's actually cute, though.

[T.S. Madison]

And Chapel Rome.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I was dropped in 2020 working the drive, and here we are.

[T.S. Madison]

Now, listen, make sure you tell Beyonce.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I'm going right on the phone and call her.

[T.S. Madison]

Listen to outlaws with TS Madison on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Honey, I've seen a lot of stuff over 30 years, you know, some very despicable crime and things that are kind of tough to wrap your head around. And this ranks right up there in the pantheon of Rhode island fraudsters.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I've always been told I'm a really good listener, right? And I maximized that while I was lying. Listen to Deep Cover the Truth About.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Sarah on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. My favorite love, Hel. Hello, and welcome to my favorite murder, the minisode, where we read you your stories.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Do you like emails? Want to hear six?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Did you just get off a long day of work and you want to be read more emails?

[Karen Kilgariff]

You're like, you know what? I didn't get enough of today in my nine to five emails.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Emails. That's right. Well, here we are.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Here we are. That's why our tagline of the Minisode is it could have been an email. And it is. Here we go.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I have a real hometown and it was a cold case. Should I go first with a heavy hitter?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Kick it off.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay. Good evening, lovely ladies, et al. Well, technically, my hometown is Fremont, California. It says happiest city in the U.S. i didn't make that up. I spent well over a decade in nearby Pleasanton. It's all the name implies. Also, I didn't make that up. And this is all near where you grew up, right?

[Karen Kilgariff]

This is East Bay. Yeah, these are all the suburbs. My roommate, Christy Ward was from Fremont. Okay, so I heard a lot about these places. I don't know anything about them. I just heard what she told me about them.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay, well, then also it says, and Dublin, home of the federal women's prison, recently shut down due to rampant sex abuse by the staff. I really can't make this stuff up.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Jesus. I didn't hear about that. That's horrible.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It says. Anywho. I'm not saying that to you. Anywho, not a whole lot happens in this East Bay community. However, in 1984, 14 year old Tina Fales was murdered while walking home from Foothill High School in Pleasanton using a shortcut that ran under Interstate 680. I totally remember this. Forensic files. She was found in a drainage culvert having been stabbed 44 times. I know. 14. One odd piece of evidence was her purse having been tossed into a tree. There were several viable suspects, including her mom's super creepy boyfriend, but nothing that panned out and the case went cold for decades. Fast forward to 2007, and a pregnant detective on light duty started taking up cold cases. Pregnant detective is the coolest fucking thing I've ever heard of.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That's called Fargo, baby. That's like, America loves a pregnant detective cop lady that's gonna take care of business.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, it's such a, like, juxtaposition going on. We love it. Yes, she sent the purse for DNA testing, which wasn't available at the time of the murder. And it came back to classmate Stephen Carlson. Stephen had been bullied in school, and that day was beat up and thrown into a dumpster and in a fit of rage, took it out on Tina when they crossed paths. Just tragedy, that purse being tossed in the tree. Apparently Steven tossed it up there to mark where her body was left. As he could see the treetop from. From sitting on his rooftop. I know. Chilling. The case was depicted on a 2017 episode of Cold Case Files. He was convicted in 2014, still claiming innocence. However, five years later, wrote three letters to the family admitting guilt and feigning remorse. But the family isn't buying it. Can't say I blame them. They waited 30 years for justice. Yeah, thanks for making my long East Bay commute more bearable. And if you're feeling blue, come visit us in Fremont, where apparently we are overjoyed to be here. Fun fact. Fremont's Niles district was Hollywood before there was a Hollywood shout out to Charlie Chaplin and SNA Studios. Stay sexy Becky.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That is a classic hometown. And it also is the hometown in the way of so many of these stories are young women being just having their lives ripped away because of some angry man or man boy. And it is like the saddest part of a classic hometown is just. It's always that same story.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And we're not even safe walking during the day. We're not even safe walking during the day. It's just that bothers me so fucking much.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay, self defense class, everybody.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay, here's a little Nice turn. The subject line of this email is, I'm the archivist in Lucy Nichols hometown. So, like, Lucy Nichols was a Civil War nurse that I told you about that went and joined the regiment. Okay, so it says Karen in Georgia. I've been a fan of the podcast since your early days and just about lost my mind when I heard you say Lucy Nichols. I'm the archivist for the Floyd County Library, the public library system in New Albany, Indiana, where Lucy Nichols lived after the Civil War and where the 21st Indiana Regiment was from. The museum where Lucy's exhibit is on display is actually a branch of our library system, formerly named the Carnegie center for Art and History, now named the Cultural Arts Center. Lucy's story is a cherished part of our city's history. And we're currently working on making some much needed updates to the 13 year old exhibit to preserve the historic documents on display and tell her story in a more inclusive way. If any listeners are interested in learning more, please come visit us. I'm grateful to you both and the Exactly Right team for giving this important history a broader platform. Especially when libraries, archives and museums are facing increasing pressure to remove and suppress powerful stories like these. I mean, you've got to be fucking kidding me. It's like they already have been suppressed, right? We can't. We're not doing it again.

[Georgia Hardstark]

No, we're not doubling down.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Extreme funding cuts at the federal level and at the state level in Indiana are making it more and more difficult for us to operate. But without these critical institutions and people who run them, Lucy's story and many others would have been lost to time. Stay sexy and remember that black history is American history. Allison Kay. And then it says, PS if you're ever in the Louisville area, I'd love to show you some of the creepy cool things in our archives, like our 19th century post mortem photographs.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh my God.

[Karen Kilgariff]

From the 1800s. I can even give you a tour of the haunted old library attic. And then there's the little smiley face made out of a colon.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh my God. Brb getting a plane ticket now.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I mean here's the thing though. This is what's beautiful. Like if you live in Indiana, make a little weekend trip so that you can go to the Floyd County Library and go support see this stuff and support it and or figure out a way to become a part of it. And like that's how we make it so that nothing disappears. That's how we fight it. It's just people start showing up and repping for all these places.

[Georgia Hardstark]

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[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]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

So I get that ping on my phone, on my app that tells me when there's someone like on my lawn, I'm such an old lady or like you know, walking up my driveway because I live up off the street and you shouldn't be there if you're not meant to be there. So like if I Get the ping that someone's on my lawn. And I'm like, I know something's up and I can check it before they even get to the door or break in. In the window. It's great.

[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay, this one's called. Well, I'm not going to read you the title.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay.

[Georgia Hardstark]

No, I am, because it says it immediately. Summer Ghost Story, you say?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, great.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Hi, Karen and Georgia Animals. Exactly right, Crew. And the memory of Steven's mustache. Oh, I was listening to Minisode 441 and you asked for more summertime ghost stories. I had exactly that. My dad worked for the U.S. forest Service in the mountains of Montana. When I was a kid, we lived on a compound which consisted of the ranger station, fire station, and three houses available for rent by employees. I mean, wow, to be a kid then, you know, like, that sounds incredible.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Where it's like your backyard is the forest.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah. Your free range. It was very secluded and so far north, it was practically Canada. My parents had a huge vegetable garden and my dad built a greenhouse for the tomatoes. The walls were made of thick plastic nailed to a wooden frame. When I was around five, I was playing with this little boy named Thomas. My mom watched him during the workday. Now, Thomas was about my age, but more, shall we say, precocious than I was. And then it says he was a little shit. He was always full of ideas. Some good, some definitely not good. And I was already a tiny people pleaser, so I usually went along with every scheme he came up with. Hi.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Always full ideas is literally how I was, like, described for my entire childhood.

[Georgia Hardstark]

She just got a big imagination and a lot of ideas.

[Karen Kilgariff]

What if we go on the roof and throw pennies down at the cat? Like, it's always that shit.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I know they told us not to do this because this would happen, but what if that didn't happen and this happened?

[Karen Kilgariff]

We go down the store, we get a bunch of candy, we put it in a bowl. Ideas.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It was the early 90s when children were free roaming, so we were often outside with no supervision. One day we were playing in the greenhouse because it was a very chilly morning and the greenhouse was nice and warm inside. My dad had just put up the plastic for the upcoming planting season and had left an old rusty can of leftover nails. Inside. That's on him, dude. That's on him.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I don't know. What should we do with these things that absolutely will give you tetanus if you come anywhere near them.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Let's put them at child level.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Thomas wanted to know if the nails were strong enough to poke holes in the thick plastic. Turns out they sure were. And they made a super satisfying noise when they poked through. I knew we were doing something naughty, but I joined anyway. Together, we had a merry time poking probably hundreds of holes in the plastic. My God. We drew on my neighbor's kitchen walls once. My parents were rightly super mad when they saw it and I got in huge trouble. I don't remember Thomas getting in trouble, but that wasn't weird to me because he wasn't their kid. We got in trouble several times that summer for doing things like sneaking down to the lake without a grown up. But that moment with the greenhouse is the clearest in my memory. When I was about 12, I randomly remembered Thomas. As I was thinking about him, a lot of questions came up. Where were his parents? How did he get to our house Every day? I could picture him clearly and remember playing and talking with him. But I couldn't recall any other details. So I asked my mom how he knew Thomas and why she watched him every day. She had no idea what I was talking about.

[Karen Kilgariff]

What?

[Georgia Hardstark]

I started describing him, trying to jog her memory, but she had no idea who he was and insisted we never watched a little boy named Thomas. She told me it must have been a dream. That didn't feel right. But I eventually conceded because what other option was there? Plus, my dad always had his giant video camera out, recording every moment. And there was no footage of a little boy named Thomas during that time. I thought about it every few years for the next couple of decades. I could still picture Thomas so clearly. But then I'd shrug and repeat what my mom said must have been a dream. It wasn't until a few years ago that it hit me. Thomas always just appeared. I never remembered him being dropped off or picked up. We were always alone outside together. He never came inside the house. No one else remembers him. And the detail that made my blood turn to ice was that he always wore the same old fashioned clothes. Brown linen overalls rolled up to his knees, a white linen shirt, a straw hat, and his feet were bare.

[Karen Kilgariff]

He's dressed like Tom Sway.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Exactly. He looked like a kid who had stepped out of a western movie set in the 1800s. I whipped out my phone and sent a text to my mom. Did a friend and I ever poke holes in dad's greenhouse when I was a kid? Her response gave me chills. You did. But you are by yourself. I think I spent all summer playing with a goddamn ghost child.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, you did. You did. You actually did.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Thank you for keeping me company as I draw or clean my house. I'm an artist and author, and I can't tell you how many times I paused while writing my dark stories full of trauma and violence and thought, am I okay? Then I'll listen to you two tell stories about real life, people doing real life, things that are far worse than anything I can imagine, and I feel a lot better. Stay sexy and don't get into mischief with a ghost child. Kelsey.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Kelsey, I have really bad news. We're not real either. Oh, my God, Kelsey, this whole time, call your mom.

[Georgia Hardstark]

This was a dream.

[Karen Kilgariff]

This is a dream podcast. This whole thing is of your imagination. Thank you for creating us, Kelsey.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Thank you. We appreciate you.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's so funny. Okay, well, I'll go with that theme, which is also partly the theme of my last email and then your last email, because it says. Well, I won't read you the subject line. It just starts in all caps. Omg, ladies. With four exclamation points, all still in all caps. I am going to lose my mind. Four exclamation points. Then at normal writing, it says, let me start with saying, y' all are great and have kept me company throughout college, getting married, and being an elementary school teacher. Hell yes. Thank you for your service.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Bless your heart.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I just listened to episode 438, those pants that Hand, truly one of our best titles of all time, and freaked out. I mean, tapping my husband's leg, pausing the episode to agree with your statements, saying what you were going to say. Just imagine a man watching the super bowl or something like that. And then all caps. Anyways, I am not only. This whole thing is all caps. I am not only from and grew up in Alexander City, Alabama, but I grew up with both Willie Maxwell and Tom Radney's grandkids.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Whoa.

[Karen Kilgariff]

So that was the murderous reverend and his lawyer. And then later, other people's lawyer.

[Georgia Hardstark]

The grandkids. Holy shit. The grandkids.

[Karen Kilgariff]

So it says. But FYI, we refer to it as Ellac City. Oh, so you know the Murdoch murders. And it was Alec Murdoch, even though it looked like it said Alec. Yeah, it's like the way they pronounce it, I think, in the south or there. So I should have been saying Ellick City.

[Georgia Hardstark]

The whole time. Eh. We're not in the south, though, are we?

[Karen Kilgariff]

During our senior year of high school, the TV show Paranormal Witness did an episode on Willie Maxwell and his former house. I think someone had moved into the house. And of course some shit got weird. Not entirely sure the details of it, but it did air on tv. And that has four exclamation points at.

[Georgia Hardstark]

The end as well. That's exciting.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It is exciting. It was the talk of my high school. Anytime a thing happens in your town. So in Petaluma, it's a very kind of traditional. Lot of Victorian houses and stuff. So they. When I was in high school, they filmed Peggy Sue, Got Married, which was way.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, it was one of my favorite movies as a kid.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah. So Laura and her friend Adrian sat outside of Adrian's house and watched Nicolas Cage and watched them do a whole exterior scene on the street outside of, like, our church, essentially.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Amazing.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That was the rage. Okay, so we're back into the email. And I'm almost certain the grandson would have parties on his grandfather's old property. We don't know which grandson she means. I don't think. I think it's Willy Maxwell's. Yeah, because that's what she was just talking about. Okay. I never went because even as a stupid teenager, I knew not to fuck with the paranormal. And all caps, exclamation point. My mom grew up in Alexander city and all caps remembers all of this happening.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Holy shit.

[Karen Kilgariff]

She was 14 when Harper Lee moved up to Ellic City and can still remember the rumors that create through our small town. I know it was a long read. Really wasn't. But I have thought about sending you an email about Willie Maxwell for so long, but never had the time or a researcher. And then in parentheses, it says shout out to yalls to put pen to paper. Or I guess fingers to keys. Anyways, stay sexy. And maybe don't go to a high school party that's at a former alleged murderer's property. And then it just is dash J. She her. Wow, a local.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I think I'd still go to the party. Would you go to the party?

[Karen Kilgariff]

I would absolutely be at the party early. I'd be like, do you need. Do you need me to set up the area where we do Jagermeister shots? I'll do that.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Can I sage the Jagermeister shots? I'd be Karen.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I want to make it all okay for everybody. And I think the way we do this is Jagermeister shots.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Let's have a seance around jello shots.

[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

Live it down, nor should they. No, you go first. You and your baby take the hit for us.

[Georgia Hardstark]

The first thing my own children learn from me is that if we see a snake, they better learn to take care of themselves because I will be all caps gone. The root of this fear is no mystery at all. It began with the following story. It was 1993 and I was seven years old, minding my own business, taking a bath. Seven year old minding her own business.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Do, do, do.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah. I was enjoying the silky soft feeling of my hair under the water after using Finesse conditioner. Oh my God, Finesse.

[Karen Kilgariff]

When you said Finesse conditioner. I could smell it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It was pink, pearlescent and it was the best smelling shampoo.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It smelled so good. I bet it was made of toxicity.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I bet it was like, like lie. I bet it literally was just like the worst thing you could put on yourself.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Absolutely. But it smelled amazing. When I heard a soft rustling sound on the bathroom floor. I hope Vince isn't listening to this.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh yeah, he hates.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I had my head in the water so my ears were muffled and when I sat up I could hear it more clearly. I peeked over the side of the tub to see a snake slithering on the floor a few feet away.

[Karen Kilgariff]

What the fuck?

[Georgia Hardstark]

A real snake? It's not. This is not a ghost snake.

[Karen Kilgariff]

No, the scariest of all ghost snakes.

[Georgia Hardstark]

When it saw me, it did that freaky ass thing snakes do where they can rear up and lift their body.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Off the ground like a fucking cobra. Like a king cobra.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, yeah, fuck off. It lifted its little head up and was waving side to side and hissing. It was just a garter snake and probably not that big, but in my memory it was basically an anaconda. Yes, yes, I absolutely lost my shit. Screaming and crying and all out panicking because I was trapped and the door was locked and I was naked, which somehow made it seem even more life threatening.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It is. It is.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You're just totally like. What's word? You're totally exposed.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Vulnerable.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Exposed and vulnerable. My mom started banging on the door asking me what the actual was going on and I couldn't even answer. Someone finally got one of those lockpicking things that you shove into the door knob to pop the lock. Can you imagine? Right. Just kick the door down. Your child is screaming in a locked bathtub.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Who let this child lock the bath? Okay.

[Georgia Hardstark]

No, there were no locked doors in my house.

[Karen Kilgariff]

No.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You dare. No.

[Karen Kilgariff]

But also in our house. And no accusations or anything, but they were all those kind of modern like empty doors. It was like a. So the locks were truly just like a slit that if you stuck a butter knife in it and turned it, you could open the lock.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I feel some sisterly animosity going on.

[Karen Kilgariff]

There was all kinds of lack of.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Respect for locks and my entire family rushed in to help me. The humiliation and the terror combined and absolutely altered my brain chemistry. Of course, I have never been the same since. How did the snake get into our second story bathroom you ask? My four year old brother thought it would be a funny prank and slipped it under the door to scare me. His little self was absolutely sobbing when he realized how much of a shitstorm he had caused. I almost felt bad for him. P.S. thank you for getting me through nursing school during the pandemic with three small kids. You truly provided my calming escape and you inspired my daughter to start martial arts Hurts. When you Talked about the 13 year old girl who broke her kidnapper's ankle with Jiu jitsu.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You're helping me raise the next generation to be even smarter and more badass. Thank you. Stay sexy and make your little brother pay for your therapy. Shanna like banana she her Shanna.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That was epic. And also what garter snake rises up like that and hisses like.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah. The little boy had to go run into the yard and. And find it. First of all. Yeah, like that is premeditated.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I was kind of obsessed with this when Nora was growing up where it's like what's the thing that's going to do this to her in some way the way it all happened to all of us. Everyone has a garter snake like experience.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah. My nephew once closed his Micah when he was a little close his little fingers in like a, like a closet thing. And I'm like, that's he's going to remember that for the rest of his life and be afraid of like these kind of doors. And it's my fault. It was Awful. He was screaming.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I mean, so awful. I have the same experience, only I close Nora's fingers into a drawer like that, and I like, even saying it makes me sick to my stomach the way it did at the time where it was just off, and it was like, thing, like a drawer that we couldn't get closed. And finally I got it done.

[Georgia Hardstark]

She was holding Sam. It was like one of those, like, you know, folding door, like, closets.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And he just like, oh, right in the.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And he couldn't talk yet, but he could all he knew what words were, so he was just babbling nonsense words. Oh, my God.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay, wait, let me.

[Georgia Hardstark]

He's fine.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I'll erase it. I'll erase it for you right now.

[Georgia Hardstark]

As you Finesse.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Original finesse bottles.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Blue.

[Karen Kilgariff]

There we go.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Beautiful.

[Karen Kilgariff]

But the actual shampoo, I think, if I'm not mistaken, was pink. When it came out of that bottle.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It smelled good no matter what.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, those two finesse bottles cost $44. Because it people. It's basically like people are bidding on them.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Dude, estate sales are where it's at.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay, so here's my last one, and it says, hometown sharks are bad for business. So we have now, I think, thematically, really followed each other in this thing. Cause we've gone reptilian, and now we're going to the apex predator. You think snakes are bad?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Let's talk about sharks.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And then it just says, ladies, where do I even begin? Maybe back in 2016 when I had binged cereal and needed something murdery to fill my void. And, boy, did you deliver. So. Yes.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Man, we really got that timing right, didn't we?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, we did. It says so. Yes. That would make me a day one listener.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Hey.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Hell yeah. That said, after hearing episode 443 about the new Jersey shark attacks, I knew it was time for my email to shine. In parentheses, it says, enter resend. Hoping this time it gets through. In the summer of 2006, my best friend and her family were on our weekly beach trip to the Gulf coast, locally known as 30A. It was the perfect summer day with a slack tide. The ocean was clear blue without a single wave. So we took our gas station neon floats out to sea. Oh, my God.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Nah, I'll be sunbathing if you need me.

[Karen Kilgariff]

See you later. Good luck on your plastic floats that could get you really far and then absolutely just pop and leave you there.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You look sexy in your death wish. Bye.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Bye. The water was so perfect, in fact, that we kept making jokes about how we could see the Shadows of our floats on the bottom of the sea floor until I forgot there's a shark.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Fuck.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Right? My friend's dad. And then in parentheses it says who was a jokester 99.9% of the time. Sternly said, girls, stop moving now. We immediately pulled our limbs out of the water and peered over the edge of our floats. So basically it's like a little floating bed thing. I was thinking of the arm floaties, but.

[Georgia Hardstark]

But actually on like a chaise lap. What are those called?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think, yeah, just like a. More of a chair or a bed as opposed to just the individuals. Okay, got it. So they have to pull their legs up and their arms up.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh no.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It should also be mentioned that my friend's little sister wasn't in a full length float, but rather in an inner tube fully exposed.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, we just look like a delicious turtle to that shark. Right? That's what they say. That's why you pull your limbs in. Looks like a fucking turtle. And it's like, yum, crunchy on the.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Outside, pistachio cream on the inside.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Right. But it's not a turtle.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's not okay. As we look down, a family of five hammerhead sharks are circling beneath us. I think hammerheads are okay though.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I know, I was just thinking like, at least it wasn't a real shark. But I don't know anything same.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's like you wouldn't care. It's a prehistoric predator that's at the.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Top of the food chain and it looks fucking insane.

[Karen Kilgariff]

So insane. The way their eyes are way out to the side.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's like a nightmare. What happened?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Crazy not to eye shame, you hammerhead shark. But God, get it together the next few minutes already. Would you evolve for the next 10 million years, please? What if it was like a hammerhead shark but then their eyes evolved close together? Oh no.

[Georgia Hardstark]

So I just still had the hammerhead. But then there was no reason for that to. Okay, stop it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Evolves into a Phillips head. The next few minutes were in slow motion. I remember looking to the shore and seeing everyone pointing with one hand and covering their mouths with the other.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh no.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Worst kind of pointing. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the sharks moseyed on about their business and we frantically made our way back to shore. So they just had to sit there floating above.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Once we made it back, Steve the chair and umbrella salesman made his way through the crowd yelling, whew, Those manatees sure were friendly. No worries folks, those weren't sharks. Just some friendly manatees. He then turned to us with a wink and said, sharks are bad for business. Keep it on the down low. No. Hey, Steve. What's up? Steve?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Steve, it's all on you. Hope your conscience something.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Steve, have you seen the film Jaws? Because that's. You are literally the mayor. You're the mayor.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yep.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Keep. Let's keep those beaches open this summertime. Okay. I think Molly just told me It's Jah's 50th anniversary.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's right. That's right.

[Karen Kilgariff]

50Th. Yeah. Perfect. 5, 0. To this day, we are still scarred and never miss the chance to reminisce when we're all together, stay sexy and know the difference between sharks and manatees. Sam, she.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Her.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, Sam. That was epic.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Good one. Great one. Good one. Love a shark story. Tell us your scary ocean story or beach story. We love those.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes, perfect. Like a scary summertime story.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Getting into that summertime vibe.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Totally. Well, that was fun. Hey, you guys, if you like these stories and you want more of them, guess what? Go to the fan cult. There are, like hundreds of episodes of mini minisodes where we each read one email per episode. So if you're bored and you want to check that out, go to my favorite murder.com and join the fan cult.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Well, thank you for listening. We love you.

[Georgia Hardstark]

We do.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Stay sexy and don't get murdered.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Goodbye, Elvis. Do you want a cookie?

[Karen Kilgariff]

This is Ben and an Exactly Right production.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Our senior producers are Alejandra Keck and Molly Smith.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Our editor is Aristotle Acevedo.

[Georgia Hardstark]

This episode was mixed by Liana Squilacci.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Email your hometowns to my favorite murdermail.com.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And follow the show on Instagram at my favorite murder.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Listen to my favorite murder on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And now you can watch us On Exactly Right's YouTube page. And while you're there, please like and subscribe.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Goodbye.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Goodbye.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Marsha P. Johnson is the trans icon of the queer movement, and it's time.

[Georgia Hardstark]

To listen to her.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I want to be one of the.

[Georgia Hardstark]

World'S biggest drag queens.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Today you can buy T shirts with.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Her face on them.

[Karen Kilgariff]

But her death in 1992 was never solved.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I'm dying, dying, dying.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Hear how Marsha's life and legacy reshaped our world. Just get your heart ready. Listen to afterlives on the iHeartRadio app.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I've seen a lot of stuff over 30 years. You know, some very despicable crime and things that are kind of tough to wrap your head around. And this ranks right up there in the pantheon of Rhode island fraud.

[Karen Kilgariff]

So I've always been told I'm a really good listener, right? And I maximized that while I was lying. Listen to Deep Cover the Truth About.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Sarah on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[T.S. Madison]

This is your girl, T.S. madison, and I'm coming to you loud, live and in color from the Outlaws podcast. Let me tell you something. I've got the Voice, my podcast, the one they never saw coming. Each week I sit down with the culture creators and scroll stoppers. Tina Knowles, Lil Nas X. Will we ever see a dating show? My Next ex.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That's actually cute, though.

[T.S. Madison]

And Chapel Rome.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I was dropped in 2020 working the drive thru and here we are.

[T.S. Madison]

Now listen, make sure you tell Beyonce.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I'm going right on the phone and call her.

[T.S. Madison]

Listen to outlaws with TS Madison on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Honey.