Rotten Mango Podcast Summary

Episode: Influencer Hunts For Twin Lookalike On Instagram & Brutally Kills Her – But She Won’t Say Why

Host: Stephanie Soo
Date: March 29, 2026

Episode Overview

This chilling episode dives into one of Germany’s most bizarre and publicized true crime cases—the so-called “Doppelganger Murder.” Host Stephanie Soo meticulously unpacks the story of Sherry, an Instagram-obsessed young woman who hunts for lookalikes online, eventually orchestrating a brutal killing. The episode grapples with unanswered questions about motive, internet culture, cultural pressures, and an unsettling obsession with identity-replacement fantasy.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The “Dead Woman” and the Initial Investigation

• Startling discovery: A young woman, believed to be Sherry, is found stabbed 56 times in the backseat of a Mercedes.
• Community shock: Town immediately suspects Rowan, Sherry’s ex-husband, due to their messy breakup and public family turmoil.
• Twist: Authorities confirm Sherry is alive, witnessed via CCTV. The victim in the car is not her (12:12).

Notable Quote

• Rowan on the investigation:

  “You know what I feel? An absolute emptiness and utter chaos inside.” (08:13)

2. Doppelganger Motif and Crime Psychology

• Stephanie explores the ancient and modern literary fascination with doppelgangers and identity theft, noting how these anxieties refresh in the age of social media (15:00–19:00).
• Sherry’s IG hunt: She messages 26 women with similar features, hoping to lure a convincing double.

Notable Quote

“It’s a modern book trope... But it’s actually a trope that’s been around for hundreds of years, because there is terror in the idea of being replaced.” (13:14)

3. Background: Sherry and Rowan’s Tumultuous Relationship

• Sherry and Rowan, both young Yazidis from immigrant families, have a turbulent relationship shaped by strict cultural expectations.
• History of violence: Sherry previously assaulted Rowan’s brother, tried to run Rowan over with a car, and had multiple aggravated assault convictions (24:04–39:39).
• Parental control: After her failed marriage, Sherry is micromanaged by her strict father, even tracking her car.

Notable Quote

• Rowan’s despair to Sherry’s father:

  “If you abandon my daughter, it will cost three human lives.”
  Rowan: “Then I would rather die by a bullet from you than die a little every day with your daughter.” (25:14)

4. The Murder Plot Unfolds

• Sherry and accomplice Shakir lure Khadijah—a 23-year-old beauty and language enthusiast—through fake beauty and influencer offers, promising paid work and freebies (29:55–31:35).
• The attack: Khadijah is picked up under false pretenses, driven into the woods, and stabbed to death with brass knuckles and knives, her body left in Sherry’s car to simulate Sherry’s own death (32:42, 31:44).
• Sherry and Shakir linger in town post-murder, displaying bizarrely nonchalant behaviors.

5. Theories and Motives Debated at Trial

• Doppelganger Theory: Sherry wanted to escape her oppressive life by faking her own death, using a lookalike’s corpse to convince her family and ex she was murdered.
• Gone Girl/Gaslighting Theory: Maybe her true aim was to frame Rowan for her “murder.”
• Black Magic and Human Sacrifice Theory: Disproved at court, involving “talismans” and misunderstood religious practices (55:00–57:23).
• Jealousy Theory: Possible rivalry with Khadijah over a local rapper (Fur Khan), though unsupported by evidence (64:03).

Notable Quote

“Everyone in Germany becomes obsessed with this case. It goes to trial, and it’s actually one of the longest criminal trials in recent German history.” (36:49)

6. Trial Highlights & Testimonies

• Over 100 witnesses testify; Sherry is erratic and dishonest, while Shakir remains silent.
• Rowan and his family share damning details of Sherry’s violent and manipulative past.
• Failed hitman testimony: Sherry once offered money to have Rowan’s brother killed; the intermediary was later convicted of fraud because he took the money and never committed murder (52:30).
• Sherry’s intelligence and agency debated—defense argues she’s too unintelligent for such a crime, which prosecutors refute.

Notable Quote

“We never said she was smart. If she was very, very smart, perhaps she would have realized how horrendous this plan is.” (37:47)

7. Aftermath and Sentencing

• Sherry is sentenced to life (eligible for parole after 25 years), Shakir to 15 years.
• Khadijah’s family expresses devastation and frustration at perceived insufficiencies in the sentencing.

Notable Quote

• Khadijah’s father in court:

  “Did I see the truth? No.” (67:53)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On doppelgangers and identity:

  “There is terror in the idea of being replaced... that your identity and your life can be studied, and someone can rehearse it, and then they can just take over your life by pretending to be you, as if it’s just a jacket you can put on.” (13:20)

• Bizarre trial details:

  “One German reporter was like, ‘I’ve never seen someone sit with their legs as wide open... in a court setting it’s just inappropriate, but also, I think it’s like, interesting at that point. They’re, like, doing splits.’” (46:24)

• On Sherry’s courtroom demeanor:

  “She was just emotionless the whole time in a very creepy way.” (62:57)

• On evidence and confusion:

  “Everything about Sherry’s demeanor and trial for Germans was so odd... Every day she’s laughing and giggling with her family.” (67:30)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Episode Narrative “Cold Open”: The mistaken identity at the pizzeria (00:59–03:11)
• Rowan’s Interrogation: Community suspicion, personal emptiness (08:00–12:12)
• Sherry’s Doppelganger Search & Internet Culture: (13:00–19:00)
• Background on Yazidi Community & Marital Pressures: (22:00–25:27)
• The Murder Plot/DMs and Instagram Lures: (29:55–31:44)
• Attack and Crime Details: (32:42–35:28)
• Trial and Defense Theories: (36:39–39:39)
• Rowan’s Testimony & Relationship Turmoil: (39:39–43:29)
• Failed Hitman & Fraud Charges: (52:30–53:39)
• Black Magic Theory Debunked: (55:00–57:23)
• Sherry’s Creepy Testimony: (61:57–62:57)
• Sentencing & Aftermath: (67:13–end)

Summary & Takeaways

Stephanie Soo presents a meticulous, haunting analysis of a crime almost too surreal for fiction. The episode illuminates how cultural history, deep family dysfunction, and dangerous internet delusions can intersect with tragic violence. Despite hundreds of hours of testimony, the true motive may remain a mystery: was this a bid for freedom, an ill-conceived doppelganger fantasy, or something darker and simpler? The case ultimately leaves the community and listeners with uneasy questions about identity, social media, and the dangerous extremes of personal desperation.

For Full Details

Visit the episode page for show notes, resources, and further reading.