My Favorite Murder Minisode 473 – Detailed Summary

Date: February 2, 2026
Hosts: Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark
Episode Theme:
Listener Hometown Stories: Near-encounters with infamous criminals, neighborhood true crime mayhem, instrument lore with a criminal twist, accidental terror plot, family milestones inspired by the show, and a heartwarming tale of "reverse dog kidnapping."

1. John Wayne Gacy Almost-Victim Story (01:54–04:14)

Main Points:

• Listener Story: Subject: "My dad was almost John Wayne Gacy's first murder victim" (Kristin Murphy).
  • Kristin's dad, Jeff, hitchhiked in 1972 on his way to a Cheech and Chong concert.
  • He was picked up by a "smaller and stockier" man who became inappropriately forward, causing Jeff to panic and demand to be let out.
  • Years later, Jeff recognized the driver as John Wayne Gacy after his arrest.
  • The timing coincides with Gacy's first murder.

Notable Quotes:

• Georgia [02:00]: "Holy shit."
• Karen [03:35]: "My dad panicked, knocked his arm off, and yelled at him to pull the car over immediately or he would grab the wheel and wreck the car."
• Georgia [04:09]: "Jesus."
• Karen [04:10]: "SSDGM. Fuck politeness. Kristin Murphy."

Additional Discussion:

• Georgia discusses new literature written about Gacy, including "Postmortem" by Courtney Lund O'Neill [04:32–04:51].
• Karen: "He was kind of one of my entrees in. ... There's like a lot of people in the Chicago area that have those kinds of 70s stories of like, cause the hitchhiking and all that stuff." [04:55]

2. Hellacious San Francisco Neighborhood (05:16–08:16)

Main Points:

• Listener Story: "Longtime listener, first time writer," referencing previous episode themes.
  • In 2017, listener’s teenage brother saved their house from burning down after an arson in their San Francisco neighborhood.
  • A wave of violent incidents: drive-by shooting, attempted arson with a Molotov cocktail, and the revelation that a jailed neighbor orchestrated these attacks.
  • The family discovered that a neighbor had been “swatting” them for years, leading to an armed police raid, which the parents de-escalated.

Notable Quotes:

• Georgia [06:15]: "My brother saved the whole house from burning down."
• Karen [08:06]: "God, that's so violent. And then, like, it happening over and over... horrifying."
• Georgia [08:16]: "It makes me like, you know, that neighbor's dog barking all the time isn't such a bad thing."

Additional Discussion:

• Reflections on what constitutes a "bad neighbor" and personal anecdotes about being the "problem neighbor" in the Upper Haight in San Francisco.

3. Mafia Banjo – The Capone Connection (10:24–15:38)

Main Points:

• Listener Story: Gavin from Queens, NY, is a professional banjo restorer.
  • Received photos of a high-end 1928 Bacon and Day Silver Belle NE+ Ultra 9 tenor banjo, engraved for Sammy Mosmano.
  • Research revealed Sammy was a musician in Chicago, connected to Al Capone. Capone allegedly bought the banjo for him, and Sammy taught Capone how to play.
  • Sammy's brother was a defense attorney and judge; gangster drama ensued, including a post-gig mugging.
  • Sammy retired with a peaceful family life after escaping the mob.

Notable Quotes:

• Karen [11:32]: "To those who don't know what that is, it's basically like the Rolls Royce of banjos."
• Georgia [13:01]: "I was thinking that, oh my God."
• Karen [13:05]: "Apparently Sammy Masmano had quite the career. He was involved with the Chicago mafia and played with orchestras hired by Al Capone for his parties."
• Georgia [15:02]: "That's a podcast. Yeah. Of like, stories about your instrument."

Additional Discussion:

• Hosts riff about launching a podcast series of musical instrument history stories.
• Georgia admires the banjo's artistry and encourages listeners to send in similarly fascinating music stories.

4. Therapy Journals & Accidental Terror Plot (15:45–19:37)

Main Points:

• Listener Story: Combines "stories you can never live down" and "vetoed wedding speech” prompts.
  • The listener’s sister, undergoing therapy, kept a “worst-case scenario” journal; one entry described a terrorist attack at Rogers Arena—with detailed maps.
  • She lost the journal at the hockey game, which included her full name and diagrams—inside the actual stadium, causing a panic.
  • The event became a family legend, but the sister has not been banned from Rogers Arena.

Notable Quotes:

• Georgia [16:50]: "I fucking love that."
• Karen [19:37]: "A I mean, thank God those other stories were in there. ... I think it is just somebody trying to work through some stuff."

Additional Discussion:

• Both hosts discuss the usefulness of writing out grief scenarios, especially concerning beloved pets, and share personal coping strategies.

5. "Pappy": Family Nicknames and Podcast Influence (21:43–23:55)

Main Points:

• Listener Story: A high school teacher and long-time listener announces her pregnancy to her whiskey-enthusiast father by gifting a thematically relevant bottle; uses bottle names as clues (Old Granddad, McLaughlin's Grandma's Rocking Chair, Uncle Nearest).
• Dad, inspired by the show's Pappygate episode, chooses "Pappy" as his grandpa nickname.
• Listener credits show for support throughout her teaching career and therapy journey.

Notable Quotes:

• Karen [23:23]: "That's it. I'm going to be Pappy. ... We named a grandpa."
• Georgia [23:55]: "Oh my God. Stop with this."

Additional Discussion:

• Georgia shares her own family’s assortment of grandparent nicknames, discussing their sweetness.

6. Reverse Kidnapping: The Accidental Dog Adoption (24:11–27:22)

Main Points:

• Listener Story: Amanda writes about "reverse kidnapping"—her family fostered (then adopted) a greyhound, Dimitri, from a rescue group.
• The dog was informally made a family member when the rescue quietly listed him as adopted while he was still in their care.
• Amanda emphasizes the joy and blessing Dimitri brought to the family.

Notable Quotes:

• Amanda (via Georgia) [26:41]: "When fate or determined rescue brings a dog into your life, accept the blessing. Much love, Amanda."
• Georgia [26:58]: "Italian greyhound. Like, if you ever get a chance to own a greyhound, just do it."

Additional Discussion:

• The hosts extol the virtues of greyhounds, their personalities, and the rescue group’s "genius" in engineering successful pet placements.

7. Closing Remarks

• Throughout, Karen and Georgia maintain their trademark dark humor and warmth, with loving jabs and emotionally honest moments.
• Requests for more instrument and pet stories, emphasizing community and shared experience.
• Signature sign-off: “Stay sexy and don’t get murdered.”

Timestamps & Segments Reference

• [01:54–04:14] — John Wayne Gacy Almost-Victim Hometown
• [05:16–08:16] — Violent San Francisco Neighborhood
• [10:24–15:38] — Mafia Banjo & Al Capone
• [15:45–19:37] — Therapy Journal/Terror Plot Fiasco
• [21:43–23:55] — Pappy, Grandparent Nicknames & Podcast Milestones
• [24:11–27:22] — Reverse Dog Kidnapping & Greyhound Love

Memorable Quotes (with Speakers & Timestamps)

• "My dad panicked, knocked his arm off, and yelled at him to pull the car over immediately or he would grab the wheel and wreck the car." — Karen Kilgariff [03:35]
• "It makes me like, you know, that neighbor's dog barking all the time isn't such a bad thing." — Georgia Hardstark [08:16]
• "Apparently, Sammy Masmano had quite the career. He was involved with the Chicago mafia and played with orchestras hired by Al Capone for his parties." — Karen Kilgariff [13:05]
• "That's a podcast. Yeah. Of like, stories about your instrument." — Georgia Hardstark [15:02]
• "When fate or determined rescue brings a dog into your life, accept the blessing." — Amanda (read by Georgia) [26:41]
• "Stay sexy and don’t get murdered." — Karen & Georgia [27:27]

Episode Tone

• Witty, darkly comedic, honest, supportive, and engaging—as always, Karen and Georgia balance true crime chills with vulnerability, humor, and a celebration of community storytelling.

For fans and newcomers alike, this episode is a perfect snapshot of My Favorite Murder’s cult appeal: heartfelt, creepy, hilarious, and full of unexpected twists—sometimes from history, sometimes from your own neighborhood.