Real Life Real Crime: True Crime Time for November 28, 2025 | Thanksgiving Tales
Hosts: Woody Overton & Cindy Overton
Release Date: November 28, 2025
Podcast Theme: A mix of twisted, gruesome, sometimes funny, but always true crime stories, focused on incidents around Thanksgiving—told with Woody and Cindy’s characteristic wit, insight, and Southern charm.
Overview
In this special Thanksgiving episode, Woody and Cindy Overton gather to share a collection of bizarre, shocking, and sometimes darkly humorous true crime stories that happened on—or are tangentially related to—Thanksgiving. The episode blends infamous cases, lesser-known oddities, and the hosts' signature banter, making for an entertaining and unconventional holiday listening experience. Through these tales, the Overtons also touch on themes of family, gratitude, and the sometimes volatile mix of both, especially during the holidays.
Key Discussion Points & Stories
1. Giving Thanks—The Overton Way
- [02:40-03:59]
Cindy and Woody open with gratitude, good wishes, and some light jokes about Thanksgiving traditions and family dynamics.- Quote:
"We hope you all are having just a good old turkey day and football and all the good eats and not getting any family arguments..." — Woody Overton [02:55]
- They joke about who does the dishes, paper plates, and the joys (and struggles) of family gatherings.
- Quote:
2. Law Enforcement Professionals: The 'Cannibal Cop'
- [04:04-09:24]
Cindy recounts the case of Gilberto Valle, the NYPD officer known as the 'Cannibal Cop,' whose gruesome online fantasies got him arrested but later released.- Story Recap:
- Valle was arrested after his wife found disturbing material about planning to kidnap, torture, and eat women, including her.
- Despite damning chats, the judge determined it was fantasy, not intent or action—resulting in his release.
- Notable Quotes:
"I always wonder what human flesh tastes like." — Woody Overton [05:05]
“That’s probably a legit call by the judge…you get online…you can say some stupid f***g st because we live in America, right?” — Woody Overton [07:50] - Discussion: The hosts dive into freedom of speech, legal thresholds for criminal intent, and how fantasy can cross into criminal territory (or not).
- Story Recap:
3. Thanksgiving Crime Oddities
Woody and Cindy share several offbeat stories, each more outrageous or tragic than the last:
a) Turkey Theft and a Heartwarming Twist
- [10:02-11:53]
- Jimmy Mulligan of Bridgeport, CT gets mugged for his Thanksgiving turkey. Dispatchers are skeptical but help out, sending him turkey dinners after police confirm the theft.
- Quote:
"So Jimmy gives it up. Then he calls 911…‘I just got robbed my turkey and stuff’...the dispatcher didn't believe him." — Woody Overton [10:02]
- Memorable Moment:
"They bought two turkey dinners from Boston Market and had them delivered to Mr. Mulligan." — Woody Overton [11:47]
b) Family Feud with a Serving Fork
- [13:07-13:51]
- Shanika Alsop in Baltimore stabs her half-brother in the neck with a serving fork at the Thanksgiving table. Woody jokes about 'assault' vs. 'a salt'.
- Quote:
"She grabbed a two-pronged serving fork and jabbed it into his neck..." — Woody Overton [13:13]
4. Classic Thanksgiving Crimes
D.B. Cooper & Unsolved Mysteries
- [12:22-13:06]
- Cindy starts on the infamous D.B. Cooper skyjacking but is quickly ribbed by Woody for picking a well-known case.
- Woody gives a one-line summary:
"D.B. Cooper jumped out of the back of an airplane with a whole bunch of money." — Woody Overton [13:51]
5. Law Enforcement Professional 'Cool Cop' Segment
- [14:10-15:01]
- A cop pulls over a man in a luxury Mercedes on Thanksgiving, impressed by the car and the driver’s job in oil and gas, lets him off with a warning.
- Quote:
“Was the cop really cool or just a tool for the rich?” — Cindy Overton [14:59]
"Tool for the rich, I guess." — Woody Overton [15:00]
6. Beer-Robbing Gone Wrong
- [21:24-22:57]
- Johnny Anton Love tries to rob a Miami gas station; the clerk keeps cool, befriends him, triggers the silent alarm. The would-be robber drops his haul and gets caught.
- Quote:
“And Love's ass went to jail. In prison. And now he's got no body to feed him turkey.” — Woody Overton [22:54]
- Their banter adds another layer of humor to the tale, imagining what Thanksgiving is like behind bars.
7. The Model Who Killed for Thanksgiving
- [23:22-25:15]
- In 1991, Egyptian model Omaima Nelson murders, castrates, and partially eats her abusive husband after a cycle of trauma—one of the most notorious Thanksgiving murders.
- Quote:
"Imagine hitting with a f***ing iron. But she already stabbed him." — Woody Overton [23:42]
“Symbolic revenge. Omaima…made a point of castrating her husband as well…” — Woody Overton [24:52]
8. Thanksgiving Massacre: 20 Years of Grudge
- [25:26-26:56]
- Paul Michael Merhige dines with 16 relatives, then murders four—including a pregnant woman and a six-year-old—after waiting “20 years” for revenge.
- Quote:
“Afterward he reportedly said, I've waited 20 years to do this.” — Cindy Overton [26:21]
“That is why I tell you all about the holidays…You leave the ones you love to be with the ones you can barely stand.” — Woody Overton [26:35] - The hosts are visibly horrified, especially at the killing of a child.
9. Dishes, Dirty Deeds, and Deadly Arguments
- [27:51-29:10]
- A father-son feud over Thanksgiving chores ends in patricide after a 76-year-old man shoots his son, who refuses to help clean up.
- Quote:
“He left. But he left in a body bag.” — Woody Overton [29:03]
10. Home Burglaries, Vigilantes, and Deadly Stand Your Ground
- [29:19-32:15]
- Brian David Smith, after repeated burglaries, waits in ambush and kills two teen intruders on Thanksgiving Day 2012—then delays calling police “not to bother them” on the holiday.
- Quote:
"There was no Hun like the Hun of men. And those that hunted armed men long enough and grew to like it, soon cared about little else. Ernest Hemingway." — Woody Overton [29:39]
"I felt like I was cleaning up a mess. I was doing my civic duty. I don't see them as human. I see them as vermin." — Woody Overton quoting Smith [31:36] - The hosts discuss the blurred line between self-defense and vigilantism, referencing Hemingway and real-life consequences.
11. Final Thoughts and Holiday Warnings
- [32:26-33:17]
- Woody and Cindy sign off, reminding listeners to appreciate family, stay safe (especially around Black Friday shopping), and look out for one another.
- Quote:
"Happy Thanksgiving to all y’all. We love you very much. Cindy and I about to roll out and get some vittles and do all that good family stuff…” — Woody Overton [32:33]
“Black Friday shoppers, stay safe… we're going to do some safety tips on that…” — Cindy Overton [32:51]
Notable Quotes & Standout Moments
-
Woody on Thanksgiving Family Dishes:
"If I serve you, it’s on a plate... plate most of the time." — Cindy Overton [03:32]
-
On the Cannibal Cop Case:
"You can say some stupid fucking shit because we live in America, right? And you have freedom of speech." — Woody Overton [07:50]
-
On the 'Happy Ending' Turkey Theft Story:
"Why you laugh every time you say happy ending? You got a dirty mind." — Woody Overton [11:55]
-
On Family Violence:
"He left. But he left in a body bag." — Woody Overton [29:03]
-
Reflecting on Holidays and Crime:
"That is why I tell you all about the holidays… You leave the ones you love to be with the ones you can barely stand." — Woody Overton [26:35]
Episode Structure & Flow (with Timestamps)
| Segment | Timestamp | Highlight | | ------------------------------------- | --------------- | -------------------------------------------- | | Intro, Family Gratitude | 01:51-04:00 | Warm wishes, family jokes | | Cannibal Cop Story | 04:04-09:24 | Infamous case, freedom of speech, legality | | Turkey Theft + Heartwarming Ending | 10:02-11:53 | Lighthearted, kind gesture | | Serving Fork Stabbing | 13:07-13:51 | Family violence at the table | | D.B. Cooper & Rapid-Fire Banter | 12:22-13:06 | True crime legend, quick summary | | Fancy Car Cop Encounter | 14:10-15:01 | Cops, riches, and holiday leniency | | Beer Robbery Fails | 21:24-22:57 | Clerk outwits robber with kindness | | Model’s Murderous Thanksgiving | 23:22-25:15 | Domestic horror, cannibalism | | Thanksgiving Massacre (Merhige) | 25:26-26:56 | Multi-victim family murder | | Dad Shoots Son Over Dishes | 27:51-29:10 | Chores end in death | | Vigilante Thanksgiving Ambush | 29:19-32:15 | Security, stand your ground, legal horror | | Closing Thoughts, Safety Tips | 32:26-33:17 | Safe shopping, family care |
Tone & Style
The episode is full of Woody and Cindy’s characteristic back-and-forth: irreverent, unfiltered, and sometimes darkly funny, always juxtaposed with moments of genuine empathy for victims and survivors. They blend storytelling with law enforcement insight and Southern wit, making each tale a mix of education and entertainment.
Useful for New Listeners
This episode encapsulates what makes "Real Life Real Crime" beloved: a mix of infamous and obscure crime stories, genuine rapport between hosts, legal insights, and a willingness to laugh at the absurdities (and horrors) of real life—even at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Perfect for listeners who want true crime with both edge and heart.