MFM Minisode 456

Summary

My Favorite Murder Minisode 456 – Summary

Podcast: My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Episode: Minisode 456
Original Release: October 6, 2025
Hosts: Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark
Purpose: In their weekly minisode, Karen and Georgia read listener-submitted “hometown” stories—ranging from chilling to hilarious. In this episode, they feature tales of shadowy figures, disastrous apartment squatting, childhood encounters with true crime, near-abduction, Glasgow’s contradictory reputation, and a touching set of coincidences.

---

Main Theme

The episode’s main theme centers on the strange, spooky, and sometimes darkly comedic encounters listeners have experienced, ranging from supernatural phenomena to brushes with crime. Karen and Georgia’s trademark blend of empathy and humor is present throughout, as they riff on each story, offer commentary, and connect the tales back to broader themes within true crime and personal safety.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shadow Figures in Davis, California

• [02:01] Listener Story (Jose, Arturo & RuPaul the Chihuahua):
  • A Davis, CA couple shares a harrowing supernatural encounter while out walking their dog, RuPaul.
  • They see a “four foot tall shadow figure” on the Greenbelt—“darker than the surrounding shadows, like the blackest black.”
  • Their friend nonchalantly says, “Oh yeah, I used to see short shadow figures running across my backyard all the time.” ([04:14])
  • Google search connects the phenomenon to:
    • The 2023 Carlos Dominguez stabbings (the perpetrator claimed to be attacking “shape-shifting shadow figures”).
    • Urban legends about ghostly twin girls.
  • The couple now carries a giant flashlight and “sages the house...just in case.”
  • Memorable Moment:
    • Georgia reacts: “Short shadow figures are like a known entity? Goodbye. I’m moving.” ([04:17])
    • Karen adds the chilling twist of the real-life case: “It truly...it’s like they are witnessing that man who committed those horrible crimes. But other people are witnessing this perhaps as well.” ([06:17])

2. Nightmare Apartment Neighbor (Denver, CO)

• [06:45] Listener Story (Angie):
  • Angie recounts a chaotic first apartment in Denver after returning from California.
  • Red flags abound: the landlord admits the previous tenant (a heroin dealer) went back to prison.
  • A new neighbor, “Colin,” throws parties nightly, culminating in her overhearing, “I’ve never held a gun before” ([09:18]).
  • Angie attempts mediation, leaves a note—no response.
  • A wild birthday morning fight: “...the woman started shouting, ‘Fuck me, Colin,’ over and over again.” ([09:57])
  • Subsequently, management investigates after a guest rings all the intercoms, spreading blood.
  • Big twist: “Colin” is actually in Texas; a squatter had moved in, pretending to be him, drug use rampant, and once “played dead” in a sleeping bag when confronted by law enforcement.
  • Karen: “This guy at least has a creative mind. He’s got some great ideas, and he’s got some bad habits.” ([13:21])
  • Angie’s lesson: “Stay sexy and don’t fake your own death.”
  • Karen’s concluding take: “It’s all drug decision-making. You think what you’re doing makes perfect sense...I’m going to get away from the cops by literally playing dead.” ([13:57]-[14:10])

3. Childhood Friend Turned True Crime

• [15:57] Listener Story (Brooke Lynn):
  • From Florida, Brooke recounts befriending “Kate” in 4th grade—remembered for drama and stealing a Goosebumps book.
  • Years later, Brooke spots Kate’s mugshot online: “She’s been arrested for shooting and killing her boyfriend.” ([16:43])
  • The story highlights the “you’ve probably walked past a murderer and didn’t even know it” adage.
  • Karen and Georgia riff on the shock: “The Scholastic Book Fair is a sacred place. How dare you.” – Georgia ([16:51])
  • Moral: “Always say yes to the lip gloss. It could save your life.”

4. Almost-Abduction at the Mall Arcade

• [18:12] Listener Story (Jessica):
  • Classic 1990s mall scenario: mom says “don’t take candy from strangers” before leaving.
  • A man offers more tickets—young Jessica almost leaves with him, only stopped by her brother yelling: “Mom said no strangers!” ([19:39])
  • Jessica’s logic: “Mom said not to take candy from strangers. She said nothing about tickets.”
  • The would-be abductor flees when caught: “The guy ran like he was fucking kidnappered.” – Georgia ([20:54])
  • Karen’s analysis: “You’re parsing words. You’re trying to get kidnapped on a technicality.” ([20:18])

5. Glasgow: The Murder Capital with a Heart

• [23:20] Listener Story (unnamed, Glasgow):
  • Listener recounts her father being mugged after leaving a pub but, after requesting his bus fare, the mugger returns money so he can get home.
  • “You may not know this, but there was a time when Glasgow was simultaneously the murder capital of Europe and Europe’s friendliest city.” – Listener ([23:24])
  • Touchingly, the story transitions to her late father’s passing and the unexpected timing of her baby’s due date coinciding with his birthday.
  • “If that’s not a sign that your loved ones still look out for you, then I don’t know what is.” ([24:46])
  • Georgia: “That was perfect.”

6. Strange Coincidences & Signs (Celebrating a Lost Friend)

• [24:52] Listener Story (Zoe):
  • Listener’s mother organizes an impromptu wake for a friend, Rhonda, locating most of the old friend group—except one, Shirley.
  • Coincidentally, Shirley is celebrating her niece’s birthday in the same pub at the same time.
  • As they commemorate Rhonda, the waitress asks, “Did anyone call a cab for Rhonda?” ([26:10])
  • Chills as it’s noted another friend’s late husband was a cab driver, and this was exactly the kind of joke he and Rhonda would play.
  • Karen: “The fact that that friend was actually there. I really wish we got a little description of what her reaction was, because how weird would that be...” ([26:53])
  • Georgia: “I love coincidences.” ([26:51])

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On urban legend overload:
  “How has it almost been ten years and this is the first we’re hearing about shadow figures in Davis, California? ...We don’t know every folk—or you know what I mean?” – Georgia ([05:57])

• On squatter shenanigans:
  “This guy at least has a creative mind. He’s got some great ideas, and he’s got some bad habits.” – Karen ([13:21])

  “It’s all drug decision-making. You think what you’re doing makes perfect sense...I’m going to get away from the cops by literally playing dead.” – Karen ([13:57]-[14:10])

• On fourth grade theft:
  “The Scholastic Book Fair is a sacred place. How dare you.” – Georgia ([16:51])

• On technicalities in kidnapping:
  “You’re parsing words. You’re trying to get kidnapped on a technicality. Please see the forest for the trees here.” – Karen ([20:18])

• Glasgow’s reputation:
  “You might get beaten and robbed, but we’ll at least get you home safely afterwards.” – Listener ([24:24])

• On spontaneous reunions and ghostly signs:
  “I love coincidences.” – Georgia ([26:51])

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Story Title | |-------------|-----------------------------------------------------| | 01:51 | Start of Minisode / Hosts’ Welcome | | 02:01 | Shadow Figures in Davis, CA | | 06:45 | Apartment Squatter Saga (Denver, CO) | | 15:57 | Sitting Next to a Future Murderer | | 18:12 | Near-Abduction for Arcade Tickets | | 23:20 | Glasgow: Beaten, Mugged—But Still Friendly | | 24:52 | Coincidences at a Wake: Cab for Rhonda |

---

Tone and Language

The tone remains conversational, warm, and laced with dark humor—Karen and Georgia’s signature style. Their banter adds levity even to unsettling stories, and they express genuine empathy toward listeners’ harrowing or poignant experiences. Many memorable moments feature the duo’s quick wit and playfulness, particularly in their asides and interjections.

---

Overall Flow

• Opening: Karen and Georgia exchange greetings, then launch straight into the listener emails.
• Story Segments: Each “hometown” is read aloud (usually in full), followed by spirited commentary, jokes, and personal asides.
• Closing: After a final listener email, the hosts reiterate their catchphrase: “Stay sexy and don’t get murdered,” and encourage further submissions.

---

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This minisode captures the quintessential MFM experience: candid readings of strange, scary, or touching listener-submitted stories, interspersed with host banter that ranges from empathetic to irreverently hilarious. Whether it’s shadowy apparitions in Davis, an epic squatter saga, old friendships turned tragic, or reminders that sometimes the universe delivers strange, meaningful coincidences, this episode is a reminder that truth is often stranger (and funnier) than fiction.

“Stay sexy and don’t get murdered.”

Transcript

[Karen Kilgariff]

This is exactly right.

[Georgia Hardstark]

The hit TV drama High Potential is back. Season two stars Kaitlyn Olson as Morgan, a crime solving single mom with an IQ of 160. Every week, Morgan uses her unconventional style and exceptional mind to crack LAPD's most perplexing cases. This show is the perfect blend of humor and mystery. Watch as Morgan breaks the mold without breaking a sweat. No new episodes of High potential Tuesdays at 10, 9 Central on ABC and stream on Hulu. Goodbye. For over 50 years, they redefined rock. The spirit lives on. Monday Warrior Me Me Stride today's times for your Me Me Dry Kenny Lee.

[Commercial Announcer]

And Alex Lifeson Rush Live 50 Something.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Tour Fly by night away from here. Sign up for presale access at ticket Legends don't stop. They evolve.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Rush hey, Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. Now I don't know if you've heard, but Mint's Premium Wireless is $15 a month. But I'd like to offer one other perk. We have no stores. That means no small talk. Crazy weather we're having. No, it's not. It's just weather. It is an introvert's dream. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment.

[Mint Mobile Ad Voice]

Of $45 for 3 month plan. $15 per month equivalent required. New customer offer first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. Seamanmobile.com.

[Georgia Hardstark]

My Savior.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Hello, hello and welcome.

[Georgia Hardstark]

To my favorite murder, the Minisode. Hi. Your stories. Hey, you wanna go?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes, I have a really good one to start off. It's very centric to my experience, but I think you'll be able to relate in just the insanity of this story. So I won't read you this subject line. It says, hi Karen in Georgia, my husband and I. And then in parentheses it says both PhDs live. Really us too. Us two live in Davis, California with our drag queen Chihuahua, Ru Powell. And it's P A W L. Of course it is. Uh huh. And she's got her own Instagram handle if anybody wants to go check it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Love it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Anybody named Georgia? We moved here from Boulder, Colorado over a year ago, where we lived about two miles from JonBenet Ramsey's home. Three exclamation points. We wanted to write in for years because we've had multiple supernatural experiences, including a haunting in our old San Francisco home. But this recent one felt like it was made for the MFM audience. As Karen might already know, Davis is 15 miles outside of Sacramento and is usually described as a haven for bikers and walkers. There's a beautiful green Belt that connects the neighborhoods. Tree lined and safe feeling even at night. It is a really lovely little college town.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I really thought bikers, as in like motorcycle gangs for a minute. That's very different.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Just those mountain bikers where the bike never sees a mountain. So one warm summer evening not long ago, we were out walking RuPaul when my husband saw a short shadowy thing dart across the path. At first he thought it was an animal, but it seemed too tall, about four feet. And it moved like it was on two legs, not four. We kept going until we turned a corner and saw it again. A four foot tall shadow figure standing still near a tree about 50ft away. It wasn't just dark, it was darker than the surrounding shadows, like the blackest black. That's when RuPaul pulled back hard on the leash, basically saying, nope, absolutely not, and started dragging us back home. And we did not argue. We power walked the rest of the way, looking over our shoulder and both confirming, yes, you saw it too, right? Once inside our home, we locked the doors and texted a friend who lived in Davis for years. Her response? Oh yeah, I used to see short shadow figures running across my backyard all the time.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You.

[Karen Kilgariff]

You just learned to coexist.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Short shadow figures are like a known entity. Goodbye. I'm moving.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It says right here. Nope. Again it says. Spooked and unsatisfied with my friend's resigned response, I googled shadow figures. Davis Greenbelt. The first thing I found was the widely reported 2023 case of Carlos Dominguez, a former UC Davis student who committed a series of stabbings. And during his trial, he testified that he believed he was attacking shape shifting shadow figures, not actual people. His victims, tragically, were real people. His testimony at his trial revealed that he has profound ment health struggles and terrifying delusions about shadow figures. Reading this made us wonder, what if these shadow people were more than just hallucinations? The second thing I found was folklore, where some local stories mention encountering the ghosts of twin girls in the vicinity of the Davis Green belt. Though there is no factual evidence to support these claims. This legend says the twins sometimes appear, peering through windows of nearby homes or along the path. This ghost story is part of Davis folklore, but there are no police reports or concrete evidence of ghostly children in the Greenbelt. Our eyes that evening beg to differ. Regardless, and needless to say, we now carry a massive flashlight on our walks and sage the house as soon as we come back home just in case anything supernatural follows us. Thank you for all the wit, comfort and keen storytelling. You bring. You have kept us company on countless road trips, commutes and Saturday cleaning sessions. Stay sexy and don't go chasing shadowy figures. Jose, Arturo and RuPaul.

[Georgia Hardstark]

How has it almost been 10 years and this is the first we're hearing about shadow figures in Davis, California? Like, right. It kind of gives me hope that everyone hasn't written in their like, we don't know every folk. You know what I mean?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Cause you know, like, you know those ones that you always hear like on Unsolved Mysteries of like little children. Push your car across the bridge, send those to us. How do we, how do we not know about this?

[Karen Kilgariff]

And also don't tell Roz Hernandez over on Ghosted by Ros Hernandez because I bet you some of those stories are going over there. But I love the fact that Jose and Arturo that we would love this because it is like, wait, what just happened? And then it is slightly connected. It truly. It's like they are witnessing that man who committed those horrible crimes. It's like. But other people are witnessing this perhaps as well.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's chilling. That is so chilling.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's really quite a story.

[Georgia Hardstark]

All right, changing pace. I'm not going to read you the title of this one. Hi Karen, Georgia and MFM crew. I just finished the minisode where you mentioned sharing that story that your friends always make you tell at parties. Well, here is mine. I moved back to Denver in early, early 2016 after a brief hiatus. Mid-20s crisis in California with all my belongings in my car and no permanent home. I've done that.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, scary.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I stayed with friends for a couple of weeks while I searched for housing and finally had some luck. I found a studio apartment on the cheap on Craigslist. Really centrally located. When I went to check it out, the place was a wreck with fist size holes in the wall. But the property manager insisted it would be in perfect condition when she was done with it. And feeling desperate, I applied. Less than 24 hours later they called to say they wanted to rent it to me. Red flag because now I know they don't background check anyone. Takes a minute to get any legit check back.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, that's a great point. If you get accepted to an apartment building that immediately says yes. That means that other people in that apartment building aren't have not been checked.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I would never even thought of that. I would have been like yay. Instead it's like, no, this is bad.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, think it through. That's a. Wow.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Wow.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Scary.

[Georgia Hardstark]

When I went back, it was all cleaned up and I decided to sign the lease not moments after the ink dried. The manager let me know that the previous tenant was sent back to prison, but that there was nothing to worry about. And then it says, disclosure laws, question mark, question mark. I quickly found out from a neighbor that said tenant was dealing heroin out of the apartment, violating his parole, and was sent back for life. Shockingly, that part of the story is a dead end. So as no former customer showed up at my door, I received a couple pieces of mail from the DOC for him, but that was it. This isn't the story about that.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, okay. Well, that's moving on. Well, that's kind of a relief.

[Georgia Hardstark]

All right. The first night I slept in my new studio. The 10 and above came home around 2:30am With a group of people and proceeded to have a party. I was unemployed at this point, getting up early every day to hit the pavement. The guests rolled out of the complex around 7am Just as I was getting up. I had that. I had an upstairs neighbor who like, worked like motorcycle boots when she got home from bartending and just plumped around her fucking apartment. And then like, take off your shoes.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah. Just one simple act.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah. I decided to let it go. Except it happened every night for a week. I tried earplugs, fans, movies, et cetera, to no avail. Finally, one night I was so pissed I went upstairs to say something, but when I was outside the door, I heard a click and this guy say, I've never held a gun before.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Uh oh.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I bolted downstairs and sat in the kitchen in case this yahoo accidentally fired the gun and it went through my ceiling. The next day I went upstairs and I could hear the tenant in there. I knocked, but no one answered. I left a note basically explaining my need for quiet and I didn't want to cramp anyone's style, but could he or she keep it down? I left my phone number but never heard from them. The tenant continued to come home every day around 2:30am but no more parties. It quickly became part of my routine. I found out from a neighbor that the tenant was a man named Colin who worked at a bar around town. I never saw him, but over time I created this idea of who I thought Colin was. I woke up in the wee hours of my birthday, April 27th. Woo. To Colin bringing home a date around 4am this had never happened before, and I immediately turned on Netflix because I didn't want to be involved. Too bad, because not five minutes in, the woman started shouting, fuck me, Colin. Over and over again. About 30 minutes went by and I heard, you're a piece of shit. Everyone I date is a piece of shit. Followed by a door slam and stomping down the stairs. Later that morning, my parents called to wish me a happy birthday and I proceeded to tell them I was going to kill my upstairs neighbor due to his prolonged shenanigans. All tenants received a text from management later that day asking if we had info about the disturbance. Now is my chance. I called and let them know my upstairs neighbor had a guest and they got in a fight. The manager let me know that they received multiple complaints because the guests exited the building and then tried to get back in by ringing everyone's doorbells. You know that intercom? I'm just pressing all the intercom buttons.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I'm being delivered back to like my drinking twenties. And all the garbage that you spent your time either doing or being a recipient of that was just always stressful and bad.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Just chaos. Everything is chaos.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Constant chaos. And you're like, why does everything suck? And it's like, put the Jagermeister down for five goddamn minutes.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay? Luckily my bell was broken, so I missed out on that part. I decided then to let them know about my previous noise issues and told Me Colin had 24 hours to come forward or they'd evict him. That night I went to sleep like a baby. I left the building around 4:30am to get to the airport as I was going to visit my parents in California. I landed in Arizona after the first leg of my flight to a voicemail that said, hey Angie, we got a hold of Colin and he says he's been in Texas for the last three weeks. So your stories don't match up, call us. I'm like, what the hell? So I called and proceeded to tell my landlord about the sex, having and the quote, fuck me, Colin. To prove my story, my landlord was in the building while we were on the phone and as we were talking he went upstairs and found Collins door open, blood all over the door and a figure zipped up in a mummy style sleeping bag, non responsive on the floor. No, the landlord said, In 40 years of being a landlord, I've never had a homicide. There's a first for everything. Let me call you back.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh my God.

[Georgia Hardstark]

At this point I was freaking out because one dead man, question mark. But two, I had threatened to kill him out loud. What if someone overheard me? And now it looked like I'd fled the state. Oh yeah, I landed in California. From my second leg to another voicemail that said, hi, Angie, we Spoke with Colin again, and it turns out he gave his keys to a friend. The friend has been impersonating him the whole time and is claiming squatters rights and refusing to leave.

[Karen Kilgariff]

What?

[Georgia Hardstark]

We need you to sign an affidavit so we can evict him. Holy shit. Yeah. This is like. I've never. This never got that bad for me. Thank fucking God. No. I got back to Denver to find out that this dude had totally moved into Colin's apartment and was on drugs. It sounds like telling women that his name was Colin, because, yes, he was impersonating someone else. His guest tried to get back in the building by banging on the front door, and she cut her hand open, hence the blood. Somehow she got back into the building, a mystery that remains to this day, and banged Oliver Collins door, spreading blood. The squatter didn't want to get kicked out, so he played dead until the police arrived, unzipped the sleeping bag, and this guy was totally fine. This guy sounds fun.

[Karen Kilgariff]

This guy at least has a creative mind. He's got some great ideas, and he's got some bad habits.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I bet you he's a Gemini. Just saying, as a Gemini. I bet he's a Gemini because we're fun. Needless to say, the real Colin got kicked out and the squatter had nothing left to sleep on, so he left, too. I stayed in that apartment for almost another year with countless police encounters, drug dealers, unwanted guests, et cetera. I think I lived there if it was in Hollywood.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I mean, so familiar.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Stay sexy and don't fake your own death, Angie.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I mean, that was the payoff right there.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's just like, weird after weird after weird.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's all drug decision making. This is the thing that you lose sight of if you're going to be a drunk or a drug addict. Is that you think what you're doing makes perfect sense?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And there is now your life.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You're making sense.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's all clicking here. Hold on. I'm going to get away from the cops by literally playing dead. Playing possum in my. In an apartment I'm squatting in.

[Georgia Hardstark]

They'll never. They'll never get this.

[Karen Kilgariff]

They'll never get me. They'll never get me.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Mint is still $15 a month for premium wireless. And if you haven't made the switch yet, here are 15 reasons why you should. One, it's $15 a month. Two, seriously, it's $15 a month. Three, no big contracts. Four, I use it. Five, my mom used to say, are you. Are you playing me off? That's what's happening, right? Okay, give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront.

[Mint Mobile Ad Voice]

Payment of $45 for three month plan. $15 per month equivalent required. New customer offer first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra.

[Georgia Hardstark]

See mintmobile.com A sleek professional website makes you look very put together even when you're wearing sweatpants and eating cereal out of a mug.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And that's where Squarespace comes in.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Squarespace gives you everything you need to offer your services and get paid all in one place.

[Karen Kilgariff]

From consultations to experiences. Showcase your services with a customizable website designed to attract clients and grow your business.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And managing those payments is a breeze. In just a few clicks, you'll be able to accept payments with options like Klarna, Apple Pay Afterpay and more.

[Karen Kilgariff]

You'll get paid on time with professional on brand invoices and online payments. Plus streamline your workflow with built in appointment scheduling and email marketing tools and.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Get discovered faster with Squarespace's built in SEO tools with meta descriptions and auto generated sitemaps, you'll rank higher in search results globally.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Go to squarespace.com murder for a free trial and when you're ready to launch, use Offer Code murder to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's squarespace.com murder code murder. Goodbye.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I'm not going to read you the subject line of this. It says, hi Karen in Georgia. My name's Brooke Lynn. It's a hyphenated Brooke and Lynn.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It says, I'm from Florida and I've been listening to you both since I was in high school. Love the show so much. Thank you for making something that's made me obsess over every strange news headline for years.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, from Florida.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Fuck yeah. Really? Brooklyn just needs to look out the window and be like, oh yeah, that's what they're talking about. Do you know that saying, you've probably walked past a murderer and you didn't even know it? Well, I sat next to one in fourth grade. Let's call her Kate. Kate and I sat next to each other in elementary school. Even back then she was getting into trouble. She'd stir up drama in class, cheat on tests, and one time stole from the book fair.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh shit. In fourth grade?

[Karen Kilgariff]

How dare you besmirch the book fair.

[Georgia Hardstark]

The Scholastic Book Fair is a sacred place. How dare you.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, also, sorry, there's a parenthetical here that right after it says which was the hot topic for all of us fourth graders to discuss at recess. That's so funny. But weirdly. And this is my favorite ending to this paragraph, but weirdly, she was always super nice to me. I remember her offering to share her sparkly lip gloss with me like we were besties. After fifth grade, I moved schools and completely lost touch. Fast forward to 2023. I'm scrolling the news and I see her face on Facebook. For the first time in years, she's been arrested for shooting and killing her boyfriend. According to investigators, she gave conflicting statements how and why it happened, but she claimed it was an accident and that she didn't mean to shoot him. It came out that she ended up shooting him in the face while they were in bed. She was later charged with culpable negligence. I went from sharing lip gloss with her to reading her name in a murder headline. To think I thought the biggest crime she'd ever commit was stealing a goosebumps book. Anyway, the moral of the story, always say yes to the lip gloss. It could save your life. Stay sexy and don't get murdered.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Brooklyn in bed and culpable. Like, what? Is she saying it was accidental? They were playing with a gun in bed or something?

[Karen Kilgariff]

I mean, who knows?

[Georgia Hardstark]

But it's horrifying. Yeah. God. Wow. Okay, this one's called note to my favorite murder. Oh, all right. And unfortunately, they're making me start this way. Yo, yo, yo. I've been holding back on writing this strictly because my attention span just can't be trusted to complete a task. So maybe this is sent finished, maybe not. Here we go. I'm like, honesty. Yeah, let's set the scene. It's the 1990s, and my mom needs to shop. So she drops my older brother, 11, and I8 off at the arcade in the mall. As you do, she lets us know, don't take candy from strangers. And off she goes. I'm hitting these ticket games hard, focused. I've got my eye on the prizes. I've not seen my brother in approximately 100 hours because he's on the other side of this place doing those older brother lame kill everyone games with zero prizes.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, so true.

[Georgia Hardstark]

A man comes in and he's like, hey, do you want more tickets? I've got some in my car outside. Me. You bet I do. So off I go, walking out of the arcade with said man. I see the exit of the mall, just steps away. My brother comes out and he yells at me, you can't leave. Mom said no strangers. Me? Mom said not to take candy from strangers. She Said nothing about tickets. What an idiot of a brother I have. I thought, just let a girl live a little. Unfortunately, the man was no longer next to me and was walking out of the doors quite quickly. Quite quickly. I tried to run after him, but he also ran. She ran after her kidnapper.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yep. And he was like, get the hell away from me.

[Georgia Hardstark]

This kid's a brother's a narc.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Shit.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I was so mad at my brother the rest of the time in the arcade. I even immediately told my mom. When she came back, to my surprise, I got in trouble. Yeah, what did we learn? Be specific with your instructions because candy and tickets are not the same. Thanks for sticking with me. I almost gave up. Several times. Okay, this is the end. Bye. Still not kidnapped. Jessica.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Jessica. Incredible job. Half ass or no. Yeah, What a good story. And also I love the idea she's trying to spin it, that it was that her mom needed to be more specific. Where it's like, you are. You're parsing words. You're trying to get kidnapped on a technicality. Please see the forest for the trees here.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And having an older brother who would have done that, I bet he did it, like, to get her in trouble, not to save her. He was worried. He was like, you're not allowed to leave. Mom said. Not like, hey, you don't get to.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Have more fun somewhere else. Exactly.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Exactly.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, my God. Thank God for that.

[Georgia Hardstark]

The guy ran like he was fucking kidnappered.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, it was all real. That was a real situation. The guy ran and she ran after him. I'm on my tickets.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Hey, motherfucker.

[Commercial Announcer]

October is Cybersecurity Awareness month. A reminder that your digital life is always at risk. Every day, hackers steal identities, drain bank accounts and open fraudulent accounts. Lifelock is here with tips to help prevent you from becoming a victim. Use strong passwords, set up multi factor authentication on your accounts, report scams, and update the software on your devices. And for peace of mind, get Lifelock. Lifelock monitors millions of data points a second for threats to your identity. If your identity is stolen, a LifeLock US based restoration specialist will fix it, guaranteed, or your money back. Plus, LifeLock plans include the million dollar protection package, meaning LifeLock will reimburse you to your plan's limits. If you lose money due to identity theft, stay smart, stay safe and stay protected. Get comprehensive identity protection with a 30 day free trial at lifelock.com, use promo code NEWS. That's lifelock.com promo code NEWS for 30 days. Free terms apply.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's spooky season, but your home should feel lived in, not haunted.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Article has everything you need to create a stylish home at an unbeatable price.

[Karen Kilgariff]

They offer a curated range of mid century, modern, coastal and scandi inspired pieces that not only shine on their own, but also pair seamlessly with other article products.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Article takes great care in curating its collection, focusing solely on high quality, meaningful pieces that will stand the test of time. There's no filler. Every item is chosen for its craftsmanship, design, and lasting value.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And article provides fast and affordable shipping across the US And Canada. You get to choose your delivery time and they'll keep you in the loop with updates along the way. I know I've mentioned already how much I love my entryway table, but I swear to God, because the path that it's on, like you have to walk out of the front of my house to walk to the bathroom. So I pass it four times a day and I love it more every time. It's like perfectly made, stylish, all these things that I needed and wanted, and it was under a hundred dollars.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I've seen it and I will vouch for it. It was freaking adorable. And it fits so well with your house. Yes. So if you're in the market for a beautiful new sofa, dining table, or bed, head over to article.com.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Goodbye.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Goodbye.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay, I'm not gonna read you the subject line. It says, hi, Karen in Georgia, day one listener all the way from Glasgow, Scotland. Hi. Did you guys go to Glasgow?

[Georgia Hardstark]

We went to Edinburgh. But you and I have been to Glasgow.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes, I've been a citizen of Glenn.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, that's right.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That's great. I love that place. Okay, it says. You may not know this, but there was a time when Glasgow was simultaneously the murder capital of Europe and Europe's friendliest city. And I have the perfect story to explain why.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I love that.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It is. That is so perfect for that place. It's amazing. My dad loved a drink, as most Scots do. And one night while walking home from the pub, he was battered and mugged. However, somehow still willing to chance his luck, he called after his attacker to ask if he could at least have his bus fare back. The attacker marched over to him, but did he beat my dad more for his cheek, which is Scottish for sassiness.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Cheeky. Yeah. Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Nope. He gave him back the money he needed to get home safely. So that's Glasgow for you. You might get beaten and robbed, but we'll at least get you home safely afterwards.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, my God.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And then it says, aw, we lost my lovely dad last year after a short battle with cancer. A few months later, I got pregnant with my first child. As soon as I came off the pill and my baby's due date, well, it was only my dad's birthday. If that's not a sign that your loved ones still look out for you, then I don't know what is. Say sexy and always chance your demi.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Wow. That was perfect.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That was perfect.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That was perfect.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay, my last one's called Strange Coincidences. Light Hearted. Hi all. This is my mom Lynn's story that I bore witness to. The summer after I turned 19. Circa 2011, my godmother Rhonda passed away and her partner decided against a funeral or celebration of life.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Wow.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That wouldn't deter my mom. She had met rhonda in the 80s while working in the kitchens at our local military base. So she tracked down everyone from their old work crew and got them together to tell stories and drink far too much. I got a help hunt for everyone using Facebook and the phone book as she had lost touch with some 20 plus years prior. Eventually we got a hold of all but one of the crew and everyone decided on a day. As I sat in the corner of the table listening to the stories of what my mom and her friends got up to at my age, I looked up, gasped, and elbowed my mom. Hey, isn't that Shirley? Question mark. The friend no one could get in touch with happened to be in the same pub celebrating her niece's birthday. What? Yeah, no one could fucking track her down. She's in the place. My mom goes over and Shirley bounces between the two groups until her niece's group is ready to head out. After several hours and several jugs of kamikaze. And then it says, think vodka margarita. I know you know.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Karen knows.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Karen knows that recipe. Our group is the last table in there. Our waitress comes up to the table with the phone and asks, did anyone call a cab for Rhonda? The whole group goes dead silent and just stares at the poor waitress until someone says, no. We are in fact there to mourn Rhonda. Extra twist. Another lady from the group had lost her husband about a month prior. He was a cab driver and this was the exact kind of joke him and Rhonda would have played. I'd like to think that all the coincidences of that night were Rhonda pushing the group together and reminding everyone to lighten the fuck up, stay sexy and don't be afraid to reach out to old friends. Zoe.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, that's so sweet.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I love coincidences.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I mean, the fact that that friend was actually there. I really wish we got a little description of what her reaction was, because how weird would that be to be the person everyone's been searching for and you're just like, out at your niece's birthday or whatever.

[Georgia Hardstark]

All of it. I love just like the random running into people. That is so fucking weird and like, unexpected. Send us yours at My favorite murder.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And describe what it was like. We want to know.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes, that's right. How much people freak out the screaming. Go ahead, just get creative with it. And in the meantime, stay sexy and don't get murdered.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Goodbye. Goodbye, Elvis. Do you want a cookie?

[Karen Kilgariff]

This has been an Exactly Right product.

[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 Squillace.

[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. Goodbye, Goodbye. Foreign.

[Commercial Announcer]

It'S cybersecurity awareness month. Lifelock is here with tips to help protect your identity. Use strong passwords, set up multi factor authentication, report scams and update your software. And for comprehensive identity protection, Lifelock is your best choice. Lifelock alerts you to suspicious uses of your personal information and fixes identity theft guaranteed or your money back. Start your protection today with a 30 day free [e-mail]. use promo code. News terms apply.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Hi, I'm Morgan. I have three kids. I have an IQ of 160. I work with the cops.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You're a cop?

[Karen Kilgariff]

No, but they do sign my paychecks.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Kaitlin Olsen returns in High potential, the number one drama.

[Commercial Announcer]

She was abducted.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You knew that already, didn't you?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, I thought it'd be nice to let you have this one.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And one of the best, best new crime procedurals.

[Jardiance Commercial Voice]

You're waiting on me to leave so.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You can poke around without a warrant, aren't you? Yeah. High potential. New Tuesdays, 10, 9 Central on ABC and stream on Hulu. I have type 2 diabetes, but I manage it well. It's a little pill with a big story to tell. I take one stay le Jardiance at each day start.

[Jardiance Commercial Voice]

And for adults with type 2 diabetes and known heart disease, Jardians can lower the risk of cardiovascular death too prescription Jardians are used to lower blood sugar along with diet and exercise in adults with type 2 diabetes. Jardiance is not for use to lower blood sugar in people with type 1 diabetes and not for people with type 2 diabetes who have severe kidney disease. Serious side effects include increased ketones and blood or urine, which can be fatal. Stop Jardiance and call your doctor right away if you have nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, tiredness, trouble breathing or increased ketones. Jardians may cause dehydration that can suddenly worsen kidney function and make you feel dizzy, lightheaded or weak upon standing. Genital yeast infections in men and women, urinary tract infections, low blood sugar or a rare life threatening bacterial infection between and around the anus and genitals can occur. Call your doctor right away if you have fever or feel weak or tired and pain, tenderness, swelling or redness in the genital area. Don't use if allergic to jardians. Stop use if you have a serious allergic reaction. Call your doctor if you have rash, swelling, difficulty breathing or swallowing. You may have increased risk for lower limb loss. Call your doctor right away if you have new pain or tenderness, sores, ulcers or infection in your legs or feet. To learn more about Jardian's 10 or 25 milligram tablets, ask your doctor, visit jardians.com or call 1-888-968-6648.