Podcast Summary: An Affair, an Axe, and a Not Guilty Verdict | Crimes Of...

Podcast: Scams, Money, & Murder
Hosts: Sabrina d'Anarroga & Corinne Vian
Release Date: February 5, 2026

Episode Overview

In this emotionally charged episode, Sabrina and Corinne delve into the infamous case of Susan Polk—a woman who, after being groomed by her therapist as a teenager, went on to marry him, endure decades of manipulation and abuse, and ultimately killed him. This episode is a deep exploration not just of the crime, but of the decades of power imbalances, grooming, emotional abuse, and trauma that led to a devastating outcome. The hosts guide listeners through complex questions about victimhood, culpability, and justice in cases that blur the lines of right and wrong.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Red Flag, Green Flag Game: Setting the Stage

• The hosts open with playful but sobering banter about "walking red flags" in relationships, especially when boundaries between therapist and patient are crossed.
  • "This episode's a walking red flag." – Corinne [02:03]
  • "Lots of them in there." – Sabrina [01:17]
• The context: Susan Polk married her therapist, Felix Polk—who began treating her when she was 15. Decades later, she killed him.

2. Background: Susan’s Vulnerability and Grooming

• Susan was a bright teenager overwhelmed by her parents' divorce, leading to her referral to Felix, a respected, much older therapist specializing in adolescent anxiety.
• Felix, 42 at the time, quickly crossed boundaries; the relationship turned romantic and sexual while Susan was still a minor.
  • "Yeah, this is not romance. This is statutory rape." – Sabrina [13:26]
  • Age of consent was 18 in California, making this relationship unequivocally illegal and predatory, even if not yet technically against professional ethics codes in 1972.

3. Therapist-Patient Power Imbalance

• Discussion on emotional dependency, "transference", and the influence a therapist can hold over a vulnerable minor.
  • "He made her feel special, he made her think that he needed her as well, reinforcing dependency and emotional bonding. Yeah, grooming her." – Corinne [18:40]
• Susan’s mother intervened after discovering the relationship, but the damage to Susan's perception and independence was already done. No legal actions were taken.

4. Transition to Marriage and Family

• After Felix divorces his first wife (due to exposure of the affair), he marries Susan in 1982 (he is 50, she is 25).
• They have three sons and live a materially privileged life, but emotional toxicity permeates their home life.

5. Domestic Abuse and Downward Spiral

• Power dynamics never reset. Felix frequently belittles and threatens Susan, at times suggesting institutionalization during arguments.
  • "Felix is the only one who can show her the way." – Corinne [36:18]
  • "Felix talked to Susan like she was a child, which maybe in his mind she always was." – Sabrina [36:49]
• Susan’s mental health deteriorates under ongoing gaslighting and isolation. She attempts suicide in 2001 and later seeks divorce, but Felix resists, reinforcing control.

6. Family Fallout and Escalation

• The children are split in their allegiances, with the youngest, Gabriel, initially siding with his mother, and the older two with Felix.
• Domestic disturbances result in regular police visits, but both parents wave off intervention, perpetuating the cycle of abuse.

7. Trigger Event: Divorce and Financial Desperation

• During divorce proceedings, Felix manipulates the situation to obtain full custody and most of the family assets, leaving Susan feeling utterly abandoned and desperate.
  • "He tried to wait for her to go somewhere else and then, like, abandon her there." – Sabrina [45:17]
• In a rage over this betrayal, Susan returns to the family estate, where the fatal confrontation with Felix occurs.

8. The Murder: Unclear Reality and Aftermath

• Susan recalls a struggle where Felix attacked her and she killed him in self-defense, but evidence and her subsequent actions (covering up, not calling police) cast doubt on the narrative.
  • "We don't know for sure what actually happened on that evening." – Corinne [48:37]

9. Trial and Public Perception

• The trial becomes a media circus, complicated by Susan’s decision to represent herself after her lawyer's wife is murdered.
• Susan’s defense oscillates between lucid descriptions of abuse and increasingly erratic or paranoid claims, undermining her credibility.
  • "She even makes a claim that she had a dream that predicted the 9/11 attacks..." – Corinne [60:36]
• Her three sons testify, with only one (Eli) supporting her claim of self-defense.

10. Verdict and Legacy

• Susan is convicted of second-degree murder. The jury does not believe the killing was premeditated but also rejects self-defense.
• Her subsequent parole bid is unsuccessful due to disruptive behavior at the hearing.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Consequences of Grooming:
  • "That imbalance, it follows you. And over time, affection blurred into manipulation. Safety turned into fear." – Sabrina [07:03]
• On Cycle of Abuse:
  • "Instead of offering reassurance to Susan, [Felix is] treating her as a symptom, a diagnosis, and he's reinforcing the role he established in her mind decades earlier. And that role is that Susan cannot trust her own mind." – Corinne [36:09]
• On the Tragedy for Children:
  • "This isn't just a murder trial. This is a son being asked to testify against his own mother." – Sabrina [08:33]
  • "No child should ever have to walk into something like that. No, ever." – Corinne [51:13]
• On Justice and Victimhood:
  • "So yes, Susan Polk is a killer, but she is also a victim. She was preyed upon by a man that she later then killed." – Corinne [64:16]
• On Legal Strategy:
  • "Given the right defense, this case would have played out differently." – Corinne [62:18]
• On Self-Representation in Court:
  • "Statistically, it does not work in the person's favor." – Sabrina [55:53]

Important Timestamps

• 01:56 – Red flag/green flag game introduces the ethical nightmare.
• 10:09 – Overview of Susan's troubled early years and introduction to Felix.
• 13:26 – Explicit acknowledgment that the relationship was statutory rape.
• 18:40 – Description of Felix’s grooming techniques.
• 24:44 – Susan moves out, setting the scene for the final conflict.
• 36:09 – Deep discussion of the complex cycle of psychological abuse.
• 39:39 – Susan attempts suicide; the spiral deepens.
• 44:50 – Felix manipulates divorce/custody, devastating Susan.
• 47:18 – Narrative of the fatal confrontation.
• 51:13 – Gabriel finds Felix’s body; harrowing family trauma.
• 53:24 – The circus-like trial begins.
• 57:03 – Sons take the stand; shocking family divisions are revealed.
• 61:04 – Susan's failed parole attempt.
• 64:05 – Closing reflections on justice, abuse, and victimhood.

Tone and Language

The episode is candid, emotional, at times darkly humorous (“walking red flags”), and deeply empathetic. The hosts maintain a conversational, compassionate tone, never losing sight of the human suffering at every part of the story. The narrative is honest about the legal, ethical, and emotional complexities, with personal reflections tying modern lessons to the historic tragedy.

Summary Takeaway

This episode exposes a crime rooted in decades of systematic abuse, power imbalance, and emotional destruction. Susan Polk’s story is not one of clear villains or heroes. Instead, the hosts urge listeners to see the legacy of grooming and psychological manipulation, and wonder: when abuse destroys every boundary, what does justice really look like?

For listeners seeking a nuanced, thoughtful take on true crime cases where the lines between perpetrator and victim blur, this episode is essential—and haunting—listening.