RedHanded #424: Robert Wone – The Dead of Night, Part One
Date: November 6, 2025
Hosts: Alina Urquhart & Ash Kelly
Podcast: RedHanded (Wondery)
Overview
In this episode of RedHanded, Alina and Ash take on the baffling and unsolved murder of Robert Wone, a case infamous for its locked-room setting, perplexing forensic details, and the bizarre, contradictory narratives of those present in the house that night. The episode focuses on the events leading up to, during, and after Robert's death on August 2, 2006, primarily covering the 911 call, initial police interviews, the dynamic between the residents, and the logistical mysteries of the crime scene. This is the first of a two-part deep dive, with this installment setting up the scene, the cast, and the enormous list of unanswered questions.
Episode Structure
- Introduction: What Draws the Hosts to the Case? [03:09]
- Who Was Robert Wone? [05:35–09:01]
- The Timeline of August 2, 2006 [09:01–11:52]
- The Locked Room & House Layout [10:13]
- The Hosts' Dissection of the 911 Call [15:35–30:34]
- First Responders Arrive – Their Observations [37:14–45:02]
- Initial Police Interviews & The Men’s Behavior [46:00–61:48]
- Household Dynamics: More Than Just Roommates [58:44–63:39]
- Police Challenge the Intruder Theory [64:01–76:34]
- Timeline Problems – Neighbor Testimony [99:56–103:21]
- Polygraph Results & The Cliffhanger [103:21–end]
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Hosts' Fascination and Expectations [03:27 / 27:00]
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Alina explains her love for “closed door mysteries.”
“This case... It’s very like [the] Ellen Greenberg situation but more bonkers. Way more bonkers.” – Alina [03:27]
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Both hosts frame the episode as a set-up for much deeper exploration in Part Two, where they’ll share their own theories.
2. Robert Wone’s Background and the Stakes [05:35–09:01]
- Robert: A high-achieving, universally liked 32-year-old Chinese American lawyer, married, recently changed from big law to a public service role (Radio Free Asia), known for his kindness and philanthropy.
- His longstanding friendship with Joe Price (resident of the murder house and central to the events).
- Establishing that Robert was the last person anyone would have expected to be at the center of such a violent event.
“He just seems like the nicest person.” – Alina [06:15]
3. The Timeline and Setup for the Night of the Murder [09:01–11:52, 10:13]
- Robert finishes work at 9:15pm, calls his wife at 9:30, then Joe at 10, arrives at the house at 10:30. Housemates settle in for bed shortly thereafter.
- The house:
- 3 floors, 4 bedrooms, Dupont Circle (D.C.)
- Robert in guest room (2nd floor, front)
- Dylan’s room on same floor (back), Joe & Victor upstairs
- Key detail: Last unsent emails from Robert’s laptop at 11:05 (to wife) and 11:07 (to work); 911 call made at 11:49. Implies a potential gap of up to 40 minutes between last known Robert activity and discovery.
4. The Contradictory “Intruder” Narrative [12:51–16:47, 21:05–21:43, 24:24–31:46]
- Victor and Joe claim they heard the chime from the back door alarm and a scream or grunting noise, then found Robert stabbed; claim intruder escaped with one of their knives.
- The 911 call (analyzed in detail) is laden with inconsistencies, depersonalizations, and distancing language (“someone,” “we,” avoidance of names, vague details).
- Neither asks for police initially, only an ambulance.
- Timing of what was heard—door chimes, scream, who discovered what, and when—changes in the retellings.
- The hosts note multiple times that split-second reactions and lack of concern for each other’s safety ("splitting up" when an alleged intruder may still be present) make the “intruder theory” implausible.
“I just think, again, one point at a time. I get it. It's weird.” – Alina [39:32]
5. Paramedic and Police Observations – The Scene Was 'Wrong’ [37:14–45:02]
- First responder Jeff Baker found:
- Victor outside, “hysterical,” in a white bathrobe, not making eye contact.
- Dylan wordless, goes into his room, closes door (odd).
- Joe in boxers, sitting with his back to the door (not applying pressure, contrary to 911 call instructions).
- Minimal visible blood for three stab wounds; blood seems “wiped,” suggesting a clean-up.
- All three men had the appearance (wet hair, clean) of having just showered.
- Robert’s possessions neatly stacked; the knife left at the scene.
6. Challenging the Residents’ Stories—Host & Detective Skepticism [46:00–62:28]
- Detectives pick apart the men's stories, focusing on:
- Lack of footsteps (not plausible in such a creaky house)
- No apparent panic about an intruder
- Contradictions in who heard what and when
- Overly detailed or odd alibis (Joe’s story about seeing a spider in the garden to explain leaving the back door unlocked)
- Both hosts and detectives note how Joe and Victor go out of their way to vouch for Dylan, even though, by their own testimony, they can’t possibly know what he did during the key window.
“He says in that clip that we just heard, I know them both better than I know my own mother. What a fucking weird thing to say.” – Alina [57:23]
7. Household Dynamics: Dysfunction at the Center [58:44–63:39]
- Not a true throuple, but two overlapping “two-way” relationships:
- Joe & Victor (long-term couple, family focus)
- Joe & Dylan (sexually “BDSM-centric” relationship)
- Dylan as “houseboy”/submissive to Joe’s dominant persona.
- Tensions clear from post-murder interviews; overt hints that Victor is unhappy and felt out of the loop.
“If you can make that kind of thing work, then go for it. But I do not believe for a second that there was not huge amounts of tension in that house.” – Alina [63:34]
8. Implausibility of the Intruder Theory – Logistics and Physical Evidence [64:01–76:39]
- No forced entry, neighbors out but saw nothing, no one heard/observed a fleeing person, mid-terrace layout makes escape nearly impossible.
- Seven-foot fences behind the house, with undisturbed cobwebs and pollen.
- Residents’ stories on the unlocked door change, with mundane justifications.
“How is somebody getting in and out with none of the neighbors seeing anything? ... Very unusual.” – Alina [74:22]
9. Timeline Problems and the Scream [99:56–103:21]
- Neighbors heard a scream between 11 and 11:30 (while watching a local news program).
- If Robert last wrote an email at 11:07 and 911 was called at 11:49, there may be up to a 40-minute gap between his last activity/the scream and the emergency call.
- Raises substantial doubt about the men's narrative of “immediate” discovery and 911 dialing.
“At most ... a 40 minute window between the scream and the 911 call. Or ... at the very least ... a 20 minute window between the scream and the 911 call, which just doesn’t make sense.” – Alina [101:04]
10. Polygraph Results & The Stage for Part Two [103:21–104:21]
- Dylan fails FBI polygraph when asked if he killed Robert or knew who did, though, as the hosts emphasize, polygraphs are not reliable or admissible in US courts.
- All three men are treated (subtly) as suspects, not witnesses, yet police lack the evidence to charge—case remains unresolved.
- Cliffhanger: Next week’s episode will explore the forensic and autopsy evidence, including unexpected and shocking results regarding DNA.
“The semen that they found inside Robert Wan’s body and who it belonged to is genuinely one of the most shocking and confusing twists I have seen in a case...” – Alina [104:21]
Notable Quotes & Moments
Dissection of the 911 Call
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On Victor’s 911 call:
“He very rarely says I, he always says we. ... It feels a bit like the retelling of a pre-agreed story between two people.” – Alina [21:05]
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On the scene upon EMS arrival:
“He’s not applying pressure to his wounds. He’s just sat there.” – Alina [26:00]
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Hosts’ skepticism about the panic level:
“You don’t even know that this person isn’t still in your house. ... It’s not Scooby-Doo, where you’re like, 'let’s split up.'” – Alina [32:30]
On the Investigative Breakdown
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Detective to Joe:
“So the scenario you’re telling is a burglar comes in the house for the sole purpose of coming upstairs and stabbing a person who spent ... half an hour in your house?” [64:01]
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Alina on the web of contradictions:
“He says repeatedly in the interviews, like, 'Oh, nothing bad’s ever happened to me. ... You never—but you’ve got a little unit that chimes in your bedroom when the back door opens, but you don’t care at all about safety.'” [72:07]
On House Dynamics
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Ash on the relationships:
“Dylan and Jo’s relationship was one that ... appeared to have centered on BDSM. Jo was the submissive and Dylan the dominant.” [61:48]
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Alina on their polycule:
“I do not believe for a second that there was not huge amounts of tension in that house.” [63:34]
Important Timestamps
- 03:27 – “You love [closed-door mysteries], can't get enough.”
- 09:01–11:52 – Timeline of Robert’s arrival & the house setup
- 15:35–16:47 – Start of 911 call analysis
- 21:05–21:43 – Detailed breakdown of Victor's distancing language
- 37:14–45:02 – Paramedic’s arrival and the odd scene
- 46:00–55:25 – First police interviews (Joe’s story discrepancies begin)
- 57:23 – “I know [Victor and Dylan] better than I know my mother.”
- 63:34 – “I do not believe for a second that there was not huge amounts of tension in that house.”
- 74:22 – Physical implausibility of the intruder escape
- 99:56–103:21 – Neighbor’s timeline shatters the men’s account
- 104:21 – "The semen that they found inside Robert Wone's body..."
Final Thoughts & Coming Next
- The episode leaves the mystery’s main suspects in a tangle of contradictions and the audience with more questions than answers.
- Forensics, unexplained physical evidence, and the housemates’ bizarrely synchronized yet inconsistent stories set the stage for Part Two.
- Next week: Autopsy results, DNA revelations, theories, and the enduring enigma of Robert Wone’s murder.
Conclusion:
RedHanded delivers a layered, skeptical, and deeply researched breakdown of the Robert Wone case, bringing the “locked-door mystery” to life with sharp commentary and a clear sense of the absurdity in the suspects’ stories. Listeners are left eagerly awaiting Part Two’s deeper forensic dive.