My Favorite Murder “Rewind with Karen & Georgia - 79: Sharpest Needle In The Tack”

Release Date: January 14, 2026
Hosts: Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark

Episode Overview

In this special “Rewind” episode celebrating the podcast's ten-year anniversary, Karen and Georgia revisit and provide new commentary on their original 2017 episode “Sharpest Needle in the Tack.” The pair reflect on changes in true crime coverage, share updates on the infamous cases they discussed (including the “Collar Bomb Heist” and the “Shoe Fetish Slayer”), and spotlight critical lessons learned through feedback from listeners and advocates. The conversation is full of their trademark humor, tangents about anxiety and sandwiches, cult-classic quotes, and thoughtful reflection, especially around how their approach to true crime has evolved.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Looking Back: Ten Years of MFM

• Karen and Georgia open with astonishment at their decade-long podcast journey (01:09)
• They joke about their signature tangents: “Is every single episode for a minimum 49 minutes.” — Karen (02:06)

2. Tour Announcements & Listener Community

• The hosts announce 2026 Australian and American tour dates, riffing comedically on playing the Sydney Opera House “in the bathroom” (03:13)
• Georgia recaps stories about young listeners, including a nine-year-old naming her baseball bat “Ted Bunty” (05:20)
• They reflect on the evolution and age of their audience, pondering the impact on former child listeners, now in college: “Isn't it crazy to think about how old those children ... are now?” — Georgia (18:51)

3. Listener Corrections & Growth on Victim Blaming

A significant part of the episode spotlights feedback from the Coastal Horizons Rape Crisis Center (06:15) about previous episodes unintentionally perpetuating victim blaming—specifically advice about “covering your drinks.”

Notable quote:

“The onus is never on the victim to stop an assault. We need to have a culture shift where instead of telling victims what to do or not to do, tell perps, hey, don’t rape people.”
— Karen, reading Coastal Horizons feedback (06:15)

• Karen and Georgia reflect on growing out of their “80s” mindset:
  “But it’s such a good point that it doesn’t matter. You can be the most aware, you can be the most responsible … something can happen to you.” — Karen (07:07)
• They emphasize how meaningful it is to apologize, correct, and do better after being called out:
  “You can walk past that to, like, apology and correction and then do better moving forward.” — Karen (20:38)

4. Tangents & Comic Relief

• Run of silly side notes about anxiety from thinking about stardust and the universe (13:24)
• Jokes about butter and cheese hoarding (45:27, 48:03) and Olive Garden brunches (46:43)
• Endearing pet stories: Georgia’s cat Elvis’s health scare and the introduction of kitten Dottie (16:40, 17:04)

5. Story Recaps and Deep Dives

A. The Collar Bomb Heist

Georgia’s Story (27:43–61:15)

• Georgia recounts the bizarre “collar bomb” bank robbery of Erie, PA, where pizza deliveryman Brian Wells died after being forced to rob a bank with a bomb around his neck.
• Details from the original case and follow-up documentaries (“Evil Genius”):
  • The bomb, scavenger hunt-style instructions, and the eventual revelation that Wells had been “double crossed” by accomplices.
  • Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, Bill Rothstein, and Kenneth Barnes’s twisted involvement.
  • “I just want to know Brian Wells more like—I feel he probably wasn’t the sharpest needle in the tack.” — Georgia (56:02)
  • Updated information: Jessica Hoopsick admitted to setting up Wells for money and drugs (61:43)

Formatting highlights:

• Memorable comedic riff on the “dum dum lollipop” and the ‘Guess’ T-shirt (31:49–32:29, 60:44)
• Candid acknowledgment of the trauma in watching the incident video and the weight of covering such cases (36:09, 38:47)

B. The Shoe Fetish Slayer

Karen’s Story (62:59–94:25)

• A comprehensive retelling of Jerry Brudos’s crimes in Oregon, his fixation with women’s shoes and underwear, manipulation of victims, and family life facade.
• The psychological roots tied to childhood shame, isolation, and fetishization.
• “So let me put this away real quick. Yeah. He has it set up where it’s like, this is my man cave. You’re not allowed down here.” — Karen (76:07)
• Discussion of how Brudos’s story is paralleled in “Mindhunter” and Ann Rule’s book “Lust Killer.”
• Reflection on female complicity, societal attitudes (diagnosing “transvesticism” as a crime), and the limits of insanity defenses in the era.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On podcasting style:
  “We absolutely assure you that almost nothing is pre written on the show. Even the things that are supposed to be.” — Karen (11:47)
• Karen on learning from criticism:
  “It’s like, you don’t have to sit in that. You can walk past that to, like, apology and correction…” (20:38)
• Georgia on tangents:
  “Please, doctors, tell us how to do this podcast.” (102:02)
• Karen on podcast growth:
  “We have earned it...We’ve paid our dues and then some.” (96:09–96:26)

Segment Timestamps

• Tour news & community talk: 02:20–04:52
• Listener feedback on victim-blaming: 06:15–08:17
• Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong/collar bomb heist story: 27:43–61:15
• Key twist ('dum dum' lollipop, shirt, victim complicity): 31:49–56:02
• Evil Genius update/Jessica Hoopsick confession: 61:43–62:28
• Shoe Fetish Slayer (Jerry Brudos) story: 62:59–94:25
• Discussion of serial killer psychology/societal context: 72:43–90:42
• Mindhunter & pop culture context: 95:30–96:09
• Closing “happy things”/pet updates & career reflections: 96:41–100:41
• Episode wrap-up/title brainstorming: 100:48–102:20

Reflections & Tone

• Authentic, conversational, humorous: The episode is peppered with throwaway jokes, self-deprecating humor, and pop culture asides even in the midst of recounting brutal crimes (“You know, that beautiful Peter Gabriel song, Salisbury Steak…” – Karen, 10:20).
• Thoughtful self-examination: Particularly regarding listener feedback on victim blaming and true crime responsibly.
• Sense of community: Both in the hosts’ friendship and their openness with listeners—sharing emotional pet stories and the joy of “happy things” (96:41).

Summary for Non-Listeners

This “Rewind” episode is a dynamic mix of true crime storytelling, self-deprecation, and thoughtful reflection on growth, both as podcasters and people. Karen and Georgia re-examine infamous cases with new details, acknowledge the podcast’s stumbles and learnings, and embrace feedback from experts and listeners. The episode is as much about the journey of navigating ethics in true crime storytelling—how to grow after getting it wrong—as it is about the crimes themselves. Longtime fans will appreciate the callbacks and evolution; new listeners will gain insight into the show’s unique blend of irreverence and sincerity.

Enduring advice:
“Stay sexy. Don’t get murdered.” (103:01)