My Favorite Murder Minisode 461

Hosts: Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark
Date: November 10, 2025
Podcast Network: Exactly Right & iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

In this Halloween-tinged minisode, Karen and Georgia read a new batch of listener-submitted "hometown" stories—ranging from the truly bizarre to the historically significant to the just plain hilarious. Dark true crime meets family lore and personal near-misses, with the hosts’ signature wit and empathy guiding the way. Listeners send tales of buried skeletons, predatory teachers, generational witch trial trauma, near-abductions, childhood misunderstandings, and unexpected second-chance love stories.

Key Discussion Points & Listener Stories

1. Unearthed Skeletons and Sacred Ground

• Story Recap:

  • Marissa writes about growing up in South San Jose in a 70s tract home. When her dad tries to transplant a bush, he unearths a finger bone—and then a human skull (02:27).
  • Police and a coroner arrive; the skeleton is found curled in a fetal position, a foot and a half deep in the front yard.
  • It’s eventually determined the remains belong to a Muwekma Ohlone man from hundreds of years prior—the house was built atop a Native burial ground.
  • Archaeology students comb the yard for artifacts; the family is advised not to dig deep. The remains are reburied in the yard per the tribal descendants’ wishes.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “There, peeking out from under the damn bush, was a human skull.” – Georgia reads (03:43)
  • “That’s wild.” – Karen (05:28)
  • “And what a beautiful thing they did. That’s where that person belongs…Oh my God.” – Karen (05:30)

2. Predatory Teachers and Hidden Cameras

• Story Recap:

  • Sarah from Millbrae writes about her “cool” high school leadership teacher, Mr. L, who disappears often from class (06:39).
  • It turns out he was crawling through ceiling tiles to install cameras above the stalls in the girls’ bathrooms, and hiding a camera under his desk.
  • The holes in the ceiling and the entryway in the closet were visible long after the story broke.
  • After arrest, Mr. L’s meth-fueled YouTube ramblings are found by students.
  • Sarah hints she has more wild stories, including one about a cult attempting resurrection.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “Turns out he was crawling around in the ceilings of the school, installing cameras above the stalls in the girls bathrooms.” – Karen reads (07:15)
  • “He was a child predator whose energy was in fact fueled by meth.” – Karen (08:03)
  • “Wow, that’s just so fucked up. …And it’s like, nope, that’s from recently.” – Georgia (09:04)
  • “We should definitely do some meth-fueled ramblings.” – Karen, joking about YouTube cringe (08:33)

3. Salem Witch Trials—Living Legacy

• Story Recap:

  • Ally tells the story of her ancestor, Marytown Esty, accused of witchcraft at the Salem Witch Trials in 1692 (11:27).
  • Mary petitions the governor to stop the madness, is nonetheless hanged, but her petition helps save her youngest sister, Sarah Cloyce.
  • The sisters are historical inspiration for the Sanderson Sisters from “Hocus Pocus.”
  • Reparations for the survivors decades later amounted to a pittance.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “My ancestors served as the real life inspiration for the Sanderson Sisters from the legendary Hocus Pocus.” – Georgia reads (13:31)
  • “What a legacy. …That’s a great one.” – Karen (13:58)

4. Don’t Storm Off While Drunk—A Near Abduction (San Francisco)

• Story Recap:

  • Jess recounts a foolish night out at 16—her first time drinking in San Francisco (14:20).
  • After a fight with a friend, Jess storms off alone and is nearly abducted by a man who tries to carry her off to a parking garage (15:00).
  • Her friends intervene, and a kindly taxi driver takes the girls back to their hotel, free of charge.
  • Jess now works night shifts as a nurse and is a self-described “helicopter parent.”

• Notable Quotes:

  • “Luckily, I had enough sense to begin kicking and screaming. Even luckier though, my friends…forced him to flee.” – Karen reads (16:04)
  • “All caps: Lucky…that my friends were nearby.” – Karen (16:41)
  • “Stay sexy and don’t IN ALL CAPS walk off by yourself like ever.” – Jess (17:27)
  • “I can’t even blame mine on being a teen—I was in my twenties, and guess where I walked off alone at night drunk? New Orleans…” – Georgia (17:35)

5. Kids Say the Darnedest Things: My Toddler Sees ‘Kevin’

• Story Recap:

  • Corrine writes about her toddler talking about “grandma with Kevin,” after the grandma’s passing (20:28).
  • Nobody in the family is named Kevin, leading to wild speculation.
  • After another death in the family, her son says “grandma and Bubba are at Kevin’s” and she realizes he meant “heaven.”
  • Cute mispronunciation, not a supernatural revelation!

• Notable Quotes:

  • “He was just a little off with his pronunciation. Love the pod and all you do. Stay sexy and…duke Heaven’s mission.” – Corrine (22:25)
  • “My guess was that…did he mean Jesus? But that’s kind of a crazy one because it doesn’t sound like Kevin.” – Karen (22:30)
  • “He’s with Kevin.” – Karen (22:41)

6. Parent Trap: Divorced Parents Rekindling Love

• Story Recap:

  • Listener tells of divorcing parents who reconnect years later after therapy and a health scare (23:12).
  • When her mom inquires after her dad and receives a recent photo, they start texting and soon reunite.
  • Complications: Dad is divorced, but mom is still married. Mom’s second husband dies unexpectedly soon after.
  • Within a year, her parents are remarried.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “He grabbed my phone and looked like a teenager who was just told his crush liked him back.” – Karen (24:21)
  • “So messy. The messier, the better.” – Karen (26:46)
  • “I parent trapped my parents.” – Subject line (25:24)
  • “I love reuniting stories, but I don’t like that this poor stepdad…” – Georgia (26:23)
  • “That mother must have…been overwhelmed with the synchronicity where it’s just the thing that’s happening…” – Karen (26:29)

Memorable Moments & Running Themes

• Hosts’ Relatability & Reactiveness

  • Karen and Georgia regularly interject with personal stories and reactions that echo listeners’ experiences.
  • The tone vacillates between comic relief and heartfelt empathy.

• Historical Intersections

  • Several stories bump up against larger histories—Native burial grounds, the Salem Witch Trials—bringing wider context to the “hometown murder” genre.
  • “That’s the plot of Poltergeist!” – Karen, referencing the unearthed skeleton (04:26)

• Importance of Community (and Friendship)

  • Multiple stories underscore the importance of friends intervening, parents protecting kids, and family legacy.
  • “Send us your messy family stories…the messier, the better.” – Karen (26:47)

Notable Quotes by Timestamps

• “There, peeking out from under the damn bush, was a human skull.” (03:43) – Georgia
• “Turns out he was crawling around in the ceilings of the school, installing cameras above the stalls in the girls bathrooms.” (07:15) – Karen
• “That’s from recently. That’s a real problem.” (09:12) – Karen & Georgia
• “My ancestors served as the real life inspiration for the Sanderson Sisters from the legendary Hocus Pocus.” (13:31) – Georgia
• “You never know what people are going to do.” (27:34) – Karen, quoting her dad

Episode Structure/Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |---------------|------------------------------------------------------| | 02:12–05:28 | South San Jose buried skeleton/native burial ground | | 05:39–09:03 | Millbrae hidden camera teacher story | | 11:27–13:58 | Ancestors at Salem witch trials | | 14:02–18:21 | Near abduction in San Francisco | | 20:04–22:39 | Toddler mispronounces “Heaven” as “Kevin” | | 23:13–26:47 | Divorced parents rekindle relationship |

Takeaways for Listeners

• The episode showcases the incredible variety of “hometown” crime and near-miss stories—spanning true crime, legend, and family history.
• Karen and Georgia maintain their trademark mixture of humor, empathy, and advocacy for wisdom learned the hard way.
• The episode leans into the idea that “the messier, the better”—with authenticity and a touch of dark humor, reminding listeners not to repeat past mistakes and to appreciate both the darkness and levity of shared history.

Final Words

As always, Karen and Georgia encourage listeners to send in their stories—“the messier the better”—making clear that this podcast is for everyone with a wild family history, close call, or local legend.
“Stay sexy and don’t get murdered.”