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Annie Elise
This episode of Serial Less Ly is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are all things that people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds because Progressive offers discounts for paying in full, owning a home and more. Plus you can count on their great customer service to help you when you need it. So your dollar goes a long way. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save on car insurance, Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations. Hey true crime besties. Welcome back to an all new episode of Serial Asleep. Hey everybody. Welcome back to an all new episode of Serial Lessly with me, Annie, Elise. I hope you guys are all having a good week so far that you know you got through midweek and you're almost ready for the weekend. I do have an exciting announcement though, if you are somebody who lives in the LA or Orange county area. I have something for you to do tonight if you're looking to like you know, do something after work or hang out. But basically I've partnered up with Amazon prime and I'm going to be hosting a screening of Nicole Kidman's new movie Ha Holland at the Lot in Newport beach and I'm really excited. Tickets are totally free, but of course it's first come, first serve. I will put the link if you do want to go and claim some tickets in the description of this podcast episode, but I'm really excited. The movie doesn't release to the public for about another week and a half, so they've allowed us to rent out the theater there, which the lot is a really cool movie theater in Newport beach where you can order food, drinks, all of that. But they allowed us to rent the theater out and I'll be hosting it and so you guys can come check out Nicole Kidman's new movie Hang Me. We can get a group pick after and spots are limited as I said. So I'll put the link in the description of this episode. So if you do want to join us, you can go ahead and claim your tickets there. But first come, first served. And it's for. What time is it? It's gonna be at 7:00, so I think arrival time is 6:30 and then the movie will start at 7. So really excited to meet a lot of you guys. As you know, especially from back in the live tour days. I just, which I just say that like it was 20 years ago, it was literally last year. But I love just like getting out in the community and meeting you gu to face and talking about cases and other things. So I'm really excited. This was something that just kind of was pulled together last minute. It wasn't super planned in advance. So that's why I wish I would have been able to give you guys more notice. But for those of you who can make it tonight, I am really excited and again, totally free. So I'll put that link in now for today. And I apologize for those of you who are watching this on YouTube. It's obviously now past Thursday. So I apologize that you weren't able to get this notification. But all the more reason to listen to the podcast before it goes on YouTube because then there's no delay in information. You get everything in real time. No. So today is headline highlights, of course, and we are going to talk about everything going on in the true crime world this week. Not everything, I guess, because that would we'd be here forever, but some of the big dial ups that I want to share with you and so many of these that you guys have been requesting for more information on. I've been able to do these quick, quick little YouTube shorts or things over on my Instagram story and reels where I'm giving you guys updates about these cases as they're breaking. But it's of course, I'm limited to, you know, 90 seconds or three minutes. So now I'm over here and I want to give you more information on these cases. But as a reminder, if you want any of like the breaking news information right away and you don't want to wait till a Monday or Thursday episode, you can follow me on all platforms at at Underscore Annie Elise, and you'll be able to keep up to date with all of that. But let me talk to you about some of these cases that we're going to be reviewing together today. First and foremost, we're going to be talking about a case that is coming out of New York City where once again, somebody was lit on fire. Now, last time we heard about this, it was in the subway and it was a woman. This time it's a man and it was in the middle of Times Square. So we're going to talk about all of that. There's also a case that is breaking all the way over in Tokyo and it's about a female influencer who was live streaming and literally as she had her phone in her hand as she was like this doing selfies walking through Tokyo, she was attacked and she was stabbed over 30 times. And it was all caught on live stream. So we're going to be talking about not only what happened in that case, but also the motive behind it and what really was found out after they figured out the connection between her and this man. There's also some breaking news in the Kanye west and Diddy of it all, which I wasn't really sure if I was going to talk about that, to be quite honest. But you may have seen that there's been some issues with Kim getting involved. Now, she had trademarked Northwest's name. Also after I had put together what I wanted to talk about with that in regards to, you know, the song that's coming out or came out, I should say. There's also a new phone call between Diddy and Kanye while Diddy's been incarcerated. And I don't know the call. I have my thoughts about it, so I'm going to share it with you so you can hear it directly. And then it was just released. So I want you to hear it and then tell me what you think. We're also going to, of course, be talking about the evil stepmom, the one who allegedly kept her son captive, her stepson captive for over 20 years. He was found. He's 5, 9, 32 years old, and he weighed only 68 pounds. This is one of those cases where I jumped on Instagram and did, like, some reels about it and tried to get out as much information as possible. But since then, even more information has come to light. Information about what happened when he was at school, when he was then pulled out of school, some CPS investigations, the welfare checks, different things he had to do for survival while he was locked away. So we're going to go into all of the details that we have learned now in that case. And then, of course, I want to talk to you about the missing student, the missing student from the University of Pittsburgh, because, as you know, she went missing in the Dominican Republic. And this case, everybody is referring to it as Natalee Holloway 2.0. And for those of you who are my younger listeners, that might not ring a bell or strike a chord, but there are a lot of comparisons. And I will be honest, at first glance, about a week or so ago, when I had heard about this case and was following it, I was under the impression that because it was, you know, the middle of the night, they were all drinking, they went to the beach. The clothing was left there on the lounger, and his were, too. I was like, maybe they just were drunk and went swimming and she drowned. And he came out. And then he panicked and something like that. But now it's way different. They've actually, they're naming suspects that they're talking to. They are holding passports back. And it looks like there is something more at play here. So I want to go through all of those new updates too, but that was a really long winded intro. I apologize for that. I'm trying to take things slow. I just had like a massive sneezing attack before I pressed Record, where it was one of those things where I like eight sneezes in a row. So I'm like trying not to trigger anything in my nostrils here to where I'm gonna start sneaking sneezing, which sounds so dumb, I know, but I'm like, if I just take it slow and I don't talk super fast, maybe I won't have another sneezing attack. And whatever. I'll shut up now. And let's just get into this first case. Okay? So we're going to start with the New York case because if you remember, three months ago, a woman was set on fire in a New York City subway. She was sleeping and this random sicko just came and lit her on fire. Then he just watched as she burned it to death. It was so sad, so morbid, so disgusting. And now another person has been set on fire in New York City. This time it was in the middle of Times Square, which is like the Mecca. You know where Times Square is, right? It's where the ball drops. It's where it's so busy, all the lights, all the action, the big tourist spot, which, what is wrong with people right now? It happened on Monday and it was just before 4am so police say that they quote, came across a 45 year old man who had been lit on fire. The attacker, though, is still unidentified, but apparently he lit this guy on fire, fled, and then he managed to like duck away into a nightclub somewhere. Now the man who was attacked and set on fire reportedly ran about 100ft all while he was on fire. Then someone finally approached him, used a fire extinguisher on him and put the fire out. Which can you just imagine that for a moment you're a police officer, you're walking your early morning beat through Times Square, just trying to get ready, get started for the day. But then out of the corner of your eye, you literally see somebody running through Times Square on fire. So this victim was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance and thankfully the doctors were able to perform miracles on him. And he's now in stable condition and Even though the attacker has not been publicly identified, police say that the two of them could have known each other because get this, witnesses said that the two of them had spoken at a food cart a little bit before this attack took place. Which, you know, the food carts in New York, even if you haven't been there, I'm sure you've seen it in the movies. It's like the little kebab places or the little hot dog carts, they're right all over the sidewalks in the city. Well, something must have gone very wrong during this conversation with them because a little while later, that's when the attacker took something off of the food truck. Maybe gasoline, lighter fluid, something like that, I don't know. But that's what he used to set the 45 year old man on fire. The attack also happened just hours before the New York City Half Marathon was starting. So what's interesting about that is a lot of people were already out really early that morning. They were enjoying the early morning, getting their coffee, getting their. Reserving their spots on the track of where people run through the city and pass through. Which if you've never been to the marathon in New York City, guys, I highly recommend it as a bucket list item. Maybe the half marathon, sure. But I'm talking the full marathon that happens in the fall. It is something I'm not into running. My husband obviously is. He's somebody who runs these marathons. Me, literally the only marathons I do are Bravo marathons on tv. But it is such an amazing experience because there's no energy like New York. And I'm not saying that to be like, you know, some stuck up former New Yorker. There really is just a different kind of energy there. And on marathon day it's just, it's almost indescribable. It's like the energy, everybody coming together, everybody supporting runners they don't even know, supporting each other, making signs for the runners, even if they don't personally know somebody in the marathon. And I've never been to Boston Marathon or like other majors like that, but I would imagine it's a similar vibe. And I know I'm getting a little sidetracked here, but I just wanted to mention this because there's something about the community and the energy on marathon days. And my point in saying that is that this was the half marathon day. It was starting. So people were already out, they were reserving their spots along the road, getting their early morning coffee, or if you're like me, maybe it's a mimosa on Marathon day and getting ready. So it's not like it was just, you know, the dead of the night and nobody was around, and this person didn't think that anybody was going to be coming around. Right. So it was something that definitely shocked everybody. Happened here, right on my corner where I work. I'm here every day. Got me scared.
Listener
That's a tragedy to hear that happen. That's not far from my age. I'm 43. I'll be 44 in June. So that was a peer to me. But it was. It's a shame.
Annie Elise
That was very heartbreaking to hear. I wasn't 4:00am like, no, yeah, that breaks my heart. I wasn't expecting it. Like, I haven't. I haven't been out here long. I've been working early mornings and. Yeah. This is so random. There was also a video released of the attack. And in this video, you can see this man with just horrific burns all over his face and body. He's standing shirtless, wrapped in this blue blanket, while he's also being loaded into the ambulance. And look, you can look up the video online. But psa, FYI, trigger warning, all the things, the injuries are pretty difficult to look at. They're very intense. Now, the investigation is still ongoing, so there are, of course, still a lot of unanswered questions. But my biggest question is, how did these guys know each other? Did they really know each other before they ever even interacted at this food cart with one another? Or was it just one of them who pissed the other one off in, like, some random chance encounter and then it escalated as badly as it did? I don't know. I just don't understand what's wrong with people, because how can you just decide to light somebody on fire and in the middle of a public area? Not that it would be okay in private, but you get what I mean. I mean, no matter how much somebody pisses you off, you have to be not in the right state of mind to do something like that to somebody. So the police are still trying to comb through all of the security cameras and talk with all of the witnesses, trying to find this attacker who. Maybe they're onto it and they just haven't vocalized it yet, but they haven't publicly been identified. But I don't know what is up with people lighting people on fire. It is just freaking crazy. Now let's go into the new Diddy, Kanye Kim Kardashian News, and I promise you it will be very, very brief. But not only do I want to talk to you about this song and this trademark issue, but I also want to play for you this new prison call from Diddy and Kanye west, because, like, I don't know, I feel like Diddy, I have my thoughts about him, and I get it. It's all alleged at this point, but I also feel like he's got to get a grip on reality and what the reality of the situation is. But we'll get to that in a second, and I will play that audio for you. And I know a lot of you guys might be sick of the Diddy rabbit hole, but this new update does have kind of a weird twist, so I just want to touch on it very quickly. So Kanye west released a new song over the weekend, and it's actually turning into a little bit of a scandal because here's why. The new song is called Lonely Roads Still Go to Sunshine. And the song features not only Diddy, but also Kanye and Kim Kardashian's daughter, North West. Now, north is only 11 years old, so Kim kind of sprung into action and told Kanye she didn't want north to be dragged into any of this mess, which what kind of mother would, right? She even had previously tried to trademark North's name and sent a cease and desist letter to halt this entire song's release. She's like, I don't want my daughter in this. I've trademarked her name. You can't use her name either. Whether you're going to agree with me as a parent or not about having her involved in this, legally, you can't do it because I trademarked her name. And then it got messy because, as you know, anything pretty much with Kanye west these days gets super toxic and super messy. So along with the release of the song on X or Twitter, Kanye also posted screenshots of text messages between him and Kim. The screenshots basically say that Kim was trademarking North's name so that he couldn't release the song. But then Kanye was telling her that if she didn't get rid of the trademark, he would go to war. Now, the biggest thing in all of this that Kim wants is for north to just be separated and not involved with all of Kanye's, you know, questionable behavior over the last few months. I mean, for example, when he went on that anti Semitic rant, then sold T shirts with swastikas on them. Also showing up to the Oscars red carpet uninvited, and then making his wife strip down naked in front of the cameras. Just some weird, odd behavior. Kanye also went On a social media rant about how Diddy should be released. So I can definitely imagine mother to mother, just human being to human being, why Kim wouldn't want their 11 year old daughter associated with all of this right now. In other news, sidestepping that, which this is what I wanted to add. In the shade room also just dropped some newly obtained audio of Diddy talking to Kanye west, pushing him to get back on the stage and tear down the stadiums. Diddy says to Kanye, when I get out and I get that fucking freedom, I'm not caring about anything but motherfucking being happy. And I want you to feel that. Now as we know he's facing a minimum of 15 years in prison, but he doesn't hold back as he's talking to Kanye. This call goes on for about five minutes. He even says, they're definitely trying to end us. I'm gonna beat this shit and get next to you. He also talks about what his time has been like since being behind bars, saying, quote, it's like being left for dead and only one person coming to do anything to get you. That's the level of appreciation that I have for you. So I'm gonna play the full phone call here for you so that you can get the context, the tone of voice, all of those things. But there was other, this one other part like at this start of the call that kind of gave me pause and it's probably me just being paranoid and looking into it. But he talks about like, how did he talks to Kanye about how he like needs Kanye on the outside still, like, I need you still on the outside. Almost like he's his soldier in a weird way. And again, that could be me way reading into things, but take a listen for yourself from the front line, you.
Listener
Know what I'm saying? Just wicked, wicked, wicked. So you be careful. Yeah, you can't do nothing, you know what I'm saying? I need you out there, you feel me?
Kanye West
Yeah, I hear you. Yes, sir.
Listener
Yeah.
Kanye West
Yes, sir.
Listener
Have some fun. Having no fun. And they get behind the mic. Have fun. Chop up them samples. Get back on your. Have some fun. Get back to smiling these other wasting time, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, I understand time, you know what I'm saying? So put that love in your heart, man, and enjoy yourself, man. When I get out there, man, I'm gonna see you tear down the stadiums. I need to see you back on that stage actually rapping and performing and everything. I'll be dreaming of that.
Kanye West
Yeah, yeah, it's time. It's time for me to grab the mic and get back on. It's like I. I love. I love music again. It was a time when it. It's just like everything was so frustrating. I can't explain it, but jump into your bag, man.
Listener
Jump into your bag. We gonna have years and decades to fight these mother right now. Enjoy your life. It's just coming from me, from God to you, right? Enjoy your life. Fall back in love. Like when you was making the beast in the shot coming up to gang's house and mother from rock studio and just chop them shits up during that SC 1200 album. Have a good conversation, the world and all the man.
Kanye West
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.
Listener
Yeah, man. So I love you, man. I appreciate you and thanks again and you know, I'm going see you soon, man.
Kanye West
Yeah. Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
Listener
Yeah.
Kanye West
That's how it's going to be. You going to definitely beat this. Yeah. And that's it.
Listener
That's it. And that's all, baby. But I'm going to make sure I call you back or something. It'll be good to hear your voice again.
Kanye West
Yeah.
Listener
Like 59 more days before trial. So I'll definitely be touching in the. Tap into the energy or something. Yeah, Play me some over the phone. Give me some life sad. I daddy in jail. This is sad as a insane. The devil is a liar.
Kanye West
Coming out, though.
Listener
Yeah, man, but I love you once again, man. I'm gonna let y'all go and get back to some fun, man. I want to bring your vibration down. Never keep it in a high frequency, man. You keep doing everything you're doing, man. You got that freedom. And when I get out and I get that freedom right, I'm not caring about nothing but being happy. And I want you to feel that. I want y'all to have that for yourselves, man.
Kanye West
Yeah, yeah. Yes, sir.
Listener
Yeah.
Kanye West
Yes, sir. That's it.
Listener
Thank you so much for just taking care of my kids, man, because ain't nobody reach out to them. Ain't nobody calling. You know what I'm saying?
Kanye West
Nobody.
Listener
You know, saying that meant so much. You know, I'm saying that you reached out to them and took them under your wing while I'm in this one, man. I appreciate you. Word up, man.
Kanye West
Yeah, absolutely. I love you so much, man. It's like you. You raised me even. Even when I didn't know you. You know what I'm saying?
Listener
Yeah. I feel the love. Yeah, for real. I feel the love. For real. It means so much to me because this right here is crazy. You be careful out there. Cause they definitely trying to end us. You feel me?
Kanye West
Yeah.
Listener
They can't do it. They can't do it, and they ain't going through it. You know what I'm saying? I'm gonna beat this and get next to you. We gonna raise our families and become the kings that we supposed to be. You feel me?
Kanye West
Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, but.
Listener
But words can't explain how much it means to me. You know what I'm saying?
Kanye West
Yeah.
Listener
It's like being left with therapy and only one person coming to do anything to get you. And that's the level of appreciation that I have for you. But just like, taking care of my son, that's something. Like, next up, big brother should be, you know what I'm saying? You ain't have to do that. Taking my son in like, damn. A big brother, father figure to him.
Kanye West
Means a lot, you know, Man, I apprec that, man.
Listener
These people trying to rock me, you know what I'm saying?
Kanye West
Yeah. And the way you. You are as a father, man, it's just like I. I looked up to the relationship that y'all got, you know? You know, just evil.
Listener
Yeah.
Kanye West
I just always love the way the connection y'all had. Oh, this connection you got.
Listener
I appreciate it, man.
Kanye West
Yeah.
Listener
You helping to give them the love that they. They need. Just like, it just means so much, bro. For real. And I see you in your face, you know what I'm saying? I'm be able to hug you and thank you and show you for the rest of your life how much you appreciate it and always be there for you, man.
Kanye West
Thank you, man. Thank you. But it's. I just feel like, as a community, like, we got to take the responsibility to, you know, just for us, just all us. It's like we a family. Everybody has been taken in by this. Fame, media, music, everything go duck.
Listener
I thought we was all family, man. I really thought that. You know what I'm saying right now, you know, family. I got you the only family I see. You feel me?
Kanye West
Yeah.
Listener
I always spoke up for everybody, you know, and, you know, I ain't better or nothing. Just telling you how it is because you're the only one. You know what I'm saying?
Kanye West
I mean, you.
Listener
If you're the only one that came to get me, that's all I could do is say, like, damn. You know what I'm saying?
Kanye West
Yeah.
Listener
Every time everybody try to attack us, I'm always riding and you're the only person that spoke up, and I appreciate it.
Kanye West
Yeah, absolutely. I just felt that energy. It's like some, something was channeling through me. You know how I be when I like get, get in that mode and it's like, gotta do it. Yeah, yeah.
Listener
Thanks for the short job look too. You know what I'm saying?
Kanye West
Yeah.
Annie Elise
So this might be something to watch out for in the pop culture world and it might turn into the next big scandal if Kanye continues kind of going off this unhinged derailed wagon where he's like off on like another planet. Right. So we're just gonna have to wait and see what all happens. But what do you guys think about this? Now next up, we are going to talk about the influencer who was stabbed on the live stream, the horrific stepmother and stepson situation, and then also we are going to talk about the missing student. But first we are going to take a quick break. It feels like the last few years there has definitely been a shift out there where we're wanting to all get clean. And I mean that in terms of like cleaning up our diets, removing harsh chemicals from our homes, things like that. So why are we still relying on outdated remedies for our health? And let me put you onto something better. 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That's exactly where I was. Because I started losing my hair right in like the. I have no other way to describe this guys, but like the cul de sac region, okay? Like, so whenever I put my hair in a bun or pull it back, it looks like I have a receding hairline. And I've tried a lot of things, let me just tell you. But when I started using the Irestore Elite, which I had never even heard about that, but then I started trying it and using it, I felt like I finally found a real solution. The device is lightweight, it's hands free, it is so comfortable. So I barely even notice that I'm wearing it. I wear it when I'm binge watching my shows on Peacock, whether it's, you know, the traders, which is now over. But recently I binged paradise on Hulu and that was so good. So like, I'll wear it while I'm catching up on a show. Sometimes, even when I'm answering emails, even when I'm just like editing my videos, I can use the I Restore elite without any hassle. 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But then all of a sudden, people heard her yelling. She was yelling, help, help. And then the phone screen went dark. So people who were watching her live stream of course got scared, got super worried. So then people started commenting things like, somebody help. Where'd she go? Is she okay? The next thing they knew, police and ambulance sirens were heard on the live stream. Like the whole crime, the reaction, everything was just happening live, which I can't imagine literally hearing somebody's death on your screen when you're just trying to watch something in the morning casually and like watch somebody running errands or grabbing coffee or whatever. And then you literally hear and witness a murder. It is so chilling. So her live stream finally went completely dark. And at that point, Arie was also rushed to the hospital. She had suffered more than 30 stab wounds. She had been stabbed in the head, the neck and the torso. After she got to the hospital, doctors tried to do everything they could, but unfortunately, the damage was too extensive. Ari was unable to make it. Then after the attack, photos were posted online for people who were there and witnessed the attack. These photos showed Arie lying on the ground, dead and covered in blood. Now, at the scene the Police arrested a 42 year old man named Kenji Takono. And that's when the investigators learned that this attack was in fact, not a random one. Kenji and Eri actually had some history. Now, at first it looked like Eri was just killed by some crazy fan who was stalking her. But it turns out there was a little bit more to this story. Kenji told the police that he had first met Aerie through her live streams online. He had also met her a few times in person. Then in 2022, he started loaning her money. And I'm not really sure the entire story behind it, but apparently they had some sort of understanding, some sort of financial agreement where Kenji was going to loan her money and then eventually she would pay him back. So Kenji said that Eri had told him she was in financial trouble, and because of that, he agreed to help her out. So he ended up loaning her a total of 2.2 million yen, which equates to almost $15,000. But then airy never paid him back. Now, Kenji wanted his money back. He apparently even tried to sue her, and she received a court order to pay him back. But even so, she never ended up paying him back. So this, for one reason or another, obviously drove Kenji to some sort of breaking point. So when Ari announced that she was gonna go live, she was gonna go on her livestream, he drove over 60 miles, six zero to get to the same neighborhood that she was in. He ended up being able to track her down by recognizing the buildings that were showing in the back of her live stream, like literally tracking her in real time. Then when he attacked her, he used a survival knife, which is very similar to a K bar knife, which is kind of the one that Brian Coburger allegedly used in the Idaho four case. So you can imagine it is like a massive weapon, and he used that and he stabbed her to death. Now, when he was confronted by the police, they found two knives on him. And he actually didn't even try to run, try to argue, try to cover. He admitted to the entire thing. However, he also told them that he didn't mean to kill her, which I don't really know how that works. Okay. Because how do you not try to kill somebody yet? You stab them over 30 times. You stab them in the head, the neck, the stomach, the torso, like 30 times, but you're not trying to kill him. That doesn't really make sense. Right. Although I will say we also know that in a lot of these cases, when it's a stabbing case and there's that many stab wounds and stab stabbings, like individual stabbings, that it can be considered either a prior, a crime of passion, or overkill or something like that. So it's also possible that maybe he didn't mean to kill her. I don't know if that's real or not, but I'm just, you know, playing devil's advocate here, guys. But maybe he wanted to just scare her or maybe just stab her once. I don't know. Not like that's any better. I don't know why he's saying all this, but anyway, my point is that, like, maybe he flew into a blind rage, and then this was overkill. It was a crime of passion. But personally, I doubt it. I think that if you're going and approaching somebody, watching them, driving 60 miles to where they are bringing two knives with you, and then you stab them 30 times, for me, I'm gonna call premeditated. It ain't Landon for me. So, as of right now, Kenji has been arrested, but he hasn't officially been charged with anything yet. However, the authorities did say that they plan to charge him with murder. And I don't know, I think that maybe this is also a case of where this man became just fixated on her, obsessed with her online. We know they met a couple of times in person. Maybe she was. I don't want to say sugar baby, but, like, she. Maybe she was playing to how cute she is and that she's an influencer. And once again, she said she was in financial trouble, so he felt like there was some sort of parasocial connection, and he wanted to help her. And then maybe he thought that if he was, like, saving her from her financial trouble, that she would want to be with him, that maybe she would start treating him more special. And then when he realized that she was just after his money, he got pissed and he wanted, you know, to retaliate. I don't know. I guess we'll see what happens in this case as we learn more. There are a lot of different theories and rumors out there, but at the end of the day, whether or not he was scammed or not murdering somebody, I think we can all agree is never okay. And he should have known better. He was, what, 45 years old, and she was only 22 years old, so, I don't know. Not making it right to scam him. Of course not. But she was young. She had her whole life ahead of her. And maybe that's a cautionary tale for anybody who, you know, is on the influencing life trying to get money out of somebody. Maybe this is a good reason why you shouldn't, because you never can predict how people are going to react. Now let's talk about this psychotic stepmother who allegedly held her stepson captive for 20 years. Because this case is wild and it's being described as something literally out of a horror movie. It also takes the idea of an evil stepmother to like a whole other level. But don't get me started on that. So In February of 2025, a 32 year old man in Connecticut set his house on fire. But you'll never guess why. Apparently he lit his bedroom on fire on purpose because he was trying to escape. He was trying to escape his stepmom who had been holding him hostage in that house for over 20 years. So the fire and the police department responded to it. And like I said, it all went down in February. But it's all coming to light right now, which I'm sure we're gonna see an episode of Dateline on this in the very near future, because 20 years. 20 years. And this kind of goes to a headline highlights episode that I recorded and aired. What was it like? I don't know, four weeks ago, maybe, maybe five weeks ago, where I was like, are you guys like me or do I just have intrusive thoughts? Because literally when I'm driving in any given place, I'm always looking around the neighborhoods and looking around the buildings, being like, I wonder how many people are being held captive right now or are in a tent in the backyard or if there's a house that has some boarded up windows. I always start wondering, and I asked people on that episode, I'm like, are you. Is that like you? I all. That's me. That's where my mind goes all the time. Also, if I'm ever in a public area, like a concert or a mall or something like that, I start thinking to myself, like, how many people here have killed somebody? How many people here are pedophiles? How many people? And like some con. A lot of people were like, oh my God, I'm not alone. I think that way too. But then a lot of people are like, annie, you have intrusive thoughts. It's also could be a form of ocd. Like, you should probably get that checked. I was also recording this from my brother's cabin in Big Bear at the time in the mountains. And there was no lighting. And so people were like, speaking of, it looks like you're being held hostage right now. Like, are you okay? So anyway, my point is, I feel Like, I always think about this. I always, wherever I am, am wondering what's really happening in these homes that I'm seeing. And, and this again is just like a psychotic example that it is happening. It's happening right under our noses. I mean, she held him there, allegedly for 20 years. Now, the man's name hasn't been released, but the stepmother's name is Kimberly Sullivan and she's 56 years old. She allegedly started the abuse and started holding him captive when he was just 11 years old. So this man said that he was constantly locked in that one bedroom almost all day and all night. And he had no heat and no air conditioning. He was also only given a tiny bit of food and water. He also didn't have access to a bathroom. So he said that in order to use the bathroom, he connected a bunch of straws together, then hung that out the window so that he could pee through the straw and it would be eliminated outside, which I don't even really understand how that works, but there are a lot of unanswered questions here. He also was never taken to the doctors for checkups, never taken to the dentist. So eventually, whenever he would eat, sometimes literal pieces of his teeth would just start breaking off in his mouth. He would also have to cut his own hair because he of course, never was taken to a barber. And sometimes, instead of actually drinking the small amount of water that he was given, he would save it so that he could try to bathe himself. The man said that growing up, he was constantly starving. He even said that in grade school, before he was locked away, he would always beg the students for extra food. But then once he was pulled out of school after the fourth grade, he was only allowed outside of his room for 15 minutes every single day. And that was in the morning to do some chores. Then he would be given two sandwiches for the entire day. That's all he was given to eat and two glasses of water. He was kept a secret for basically his entire life. And when he was finally rescued, he, as I said, was 32 years old. He was five nine and he only weighed 68 pounds. 68 pounds for a 32 year old man who is standing at five nine. You can only imagine how emaciated that is, right? It is a horrifying thought to think about. Now, the bedroom that he was allegedly kept in was a 9 by 8 foot room on the second floor of the house. But like I said, after 20 years of this, he finally had enough. And on February 17th, he started devising his escape plan. He had a few pieces of paper. He had some hand sanitizer, and he had a lighter. So with just using those three things, he was able to set his room on fire. And then once the fire was in full force and started burning, Kimberly woke up and she called, nine, one, one.
Kim Kardashian
Please hurry, there's a fire.
Annie Elise
Okay.
Kim Kardashian
Oh, my God, there's a fire. My son, he was. Step son is in his room.
Annie Elise
Did he get injured? Is he on fire?
Kim Kardashian
Yes, he's injured.
Annie Elise
Where is he injured?
Kim Kardashian
I don't know. He's. He's kind of. He's. I don't know. I don't know. He's kind of passed out. He's out of now.
Annie Elise
When the police and firefighters responded to the home, Kimberly was standing outside the burning house holding her little pet dog. She also told the police that her stepson was still inside. Then once a firefighter got to her stepson, it was pretty easy to carry him out of the house because, like I said, he only weighed 68 pounds. The police said that he looked dirty, his hair was matted, and his teeth looked completely rotten. And I'm going to play some body cam footage here from the rescue. You can listen to it here, of course, on the podcast, and then if you want to watch the visual, you can go check it out on YouTube. But in this audio, you can hear Kimberly, and she's shouting about the dog that she's holding. She isn't even really concerned about her stepson. She literally just keeps yelling about her dog, who is already outside of the fire. Meanwhile, her stepson is still trapped inside. So take a listen.
Emergency Dispatcher
Come on, come down, come down. Walter's in the house. Who else is in here?
Kim Kardashian
My stepson is in here.
Emergency Dispatcher
How many.
Kim Kardashian
How many other people? I have two cats.
Emergency Dispatcher
Everybody's out?
Kim Kardashian
Yes.
Emergency Dispatcher
But your stepson's still inside?
Kim Kardashian
Yeah, he's right here.
Emergency Dispatcher
Okay, come out. Come down the road. Come on, come on, come on.
Annie Elise
All right.
Kim Kardashian
My dog is shaking.
Emergency Dispatcher
I know. Come down here. That's true. Victim. Fire victim.
Listener
Okay.
Emergency Dispatcher
I know. Come on.
Annie Elise
I'm coming.
Emergency Dispatcher
You're seeing it. Got one victim right here.
Annie Elise
The stepson immediately told the responding officers that he had started this fire on purpose. And he said that the reason he did that is because he wanted, quote, his freedom. Then once he was loaded into the ambulance, he began to tell them everything. He told them about the abuse, the lack of food and water, and then he told them about how he started the fire. The Waterbury police chief said, this is the worst treatment of humanity that I have ever Witnessed. The man was immediately taken to the hospital, where he was treated for his injuries. Along with smoke inhalation, he was also diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and depression. Once the police learned about how he had been living, they decided they needed to start an investigation into Kimberly. I mean, obviously. And one of the craziest parts about this whole thing, and the main thing that had the police just completely baffled, is how did this go on for so long without anybody noticing? Well, back when the stepson was enrolled in grade school, people actually had been really concerned about him. Kids were telling their parents about how skinny he was, how hungry he was, all of those things. So a welfare check was actually performed in 2005, but apparently nothing came out of that welfare check. Then after that, in what I would imagine is a panic, his family claimed that the welfare check was harassment and that the authorities had no right to report them to the state welfare office. So the welfare officers said that they then went to the home. They talked to everybody there, and they said that there was no cause for concern. After that, the family never spoke to the police. They never had any run ins with child welfare. Nothing happened ever again. Family members also said that Kimberly had isolated her family from everybody else. And they remember thinking that her stepson was very, very skinny, but they didn't see him or the family ever often enough to realize the extent of what was truly going on. The boy's biological mother was also said to never be a part of his life. His biological father, who allegedly also was involved in this abuse, he died last year. And after he passed away, the abuse from Kimberly and the confinement allegedly only got worse. So after roughly a month of investigating, Kimberly was finally arrested on March 12. She was charged with assault, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons, and reckless endangerment. She was being held on a $300,000 bond, which, get this, she posted the next day. And I have to say that's kind of crazy, because she allegedly held this person captive for 20 years, but she wasn't even held in custody for a week. Why did they allow her to even have that kind of bond amount? Like, it just makes no sense because now it's like, obviously she's a flight risk, right? I mean, and I get it. You don't have to post the full amount, but you post 10%. So even at 300,000, she had to come up with 30 grand cash. That's enough to try to get a head start and flee, in my opinion. So I'll never understand it. In cases like this, anytime there is some Sort of harm and physical harm or sexual harm inflicted. And I'm not saying there was sexual harm, but, like, you know what I mean? Like, anything involving a child, I think at that point, it's like bail bond off the table. You are remanded. And I know that's where it gets sticky, because it's innocent until proven guilty. But, like, I don't know, err on the side of caution, right? Who's gonna. You gotta protect the kid. Now, even though they're an adult. Now, as you can imagine, Kimberly and her lawyer are denying all of these charges. They're saying the entire thing is untrue. Kimberly says she's actually shocked to hear about what she's being accused of. And her lawyer said that he looks forward to showing just how false this entire thing is, showing everybody that Kimberly is innocent. Now, look, I don't know how somebody can be shocked by these accusations. Clearly, you knew your stepson was upstairs. Clearly, you knew what you were feeding him because you were the one delivering the food. Clearly you knew that there was an external lock on the door. So shocked by the accusations. I mean, get a grip. It also has been said that she blamed the biological father, saying that he was the one who inflicted all this, and she just went along with it because she was so scared. Okay, maybe that argument holds a little bit of water, but here's the problem. He died a year ago. He died a year ago. So what's your excuse for the rest of the year? Like, it makes no sense. Absolutely not true. He was not locked in a room. She did not restrain him in any way. She provided food. She provided shelter. She is blown away by these allegations. Now, as for the stepson, he's currently on the road to healing, but, I mean, honestly, I can't even imagine what he's going through. He was held captive for over 20 years. He was robbed of his childhood completely. He was robbed of his entire 20s. I mean, and just to the extent of what he had to endure, the filth that he had to live in, it's heartbreaking. And get this. The police said that he set this fire knowing he could possibly die, but he wanted the chance at freedom. And he wanted it so badly that he knew that this was his only way out. Even risking his own death. He's currently going through mental health therapy along with physical therapy. And the police have also said how they're supporting him every step of the way, even pitching in to buy him new clothes, books, whatever else helps him adjust. So this is definitely a case that I'm going to keep my eye on, I want to watch how this all unfolds in the courtroom and what really goes down because I'm imagining we're probably just skimming the surface right now. I would imagine this goes much, much deeper. So stay tuned for that. Now let's talk about the missing student because this is something that has been all over. Everybody's talking about it. As I mentioned in the beginning, people are referring to it as a very similar case to the Natalee Holloway case. And there's been new information that out where it does feel like maybe there was foul play involved. Sudiksha Konaki was a 20 year old college student who went to spring break in the Dominican Republic and she's now been missing for about two weeks. She was last seen early in the morning on March 6th and she was walking on the beach. She was on vacation from the University of Pittsburgh and she was traveling in a group of six girls. But now the chain of events leading up to her going missing has completely hit the rumor mill. And let me just tell you, the Internet is going into a frenzy over what really happened, especially because a 22 year old guy was the last person to ever see her alive. So according to the authorities, the night before she went missing, she was seen on security footage out drinking with friends at the local hotel bar. The hotel was the RIU Republica Hotel in Punta Cana. And at some point during the trip, she met a 22 year old guy named Joshua Ribeira. Joshua was also on spring break. He was coming from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota and he's from Iowa. So on this security footage you can kind of see them flirting. They're all drinking, they're all hanging out and then they're walking and he has his arm around her and it almost feels like, okay, maybe there was some romance going on, maybe they were gonna hook up, we don't really know. So the kids keep drinking, they keep hanging out, and then at around 4am she ends up on the beach with just Joshua. All of the other college kids had left at this point and I'm guessing they left because maybe the two of them wanted some alone time, you know, a little spring break fling. They're gonna go to the beach, have like a romantic night, you know, you know how it is, right? You get swept up, you romanticize it. So all of the other students arrived back at the hotel at around 6am Now I will just say, and this isn't to shame her friends, but one of the biggest rules, and I'M saying this as a reminder. One of the biggest rules between girlfriends is never leave your friend alone. Even if you're on vacation. Especially, especially if you're on vacation and especially if there's ever alcohol involved, don't ever leave them alone. And again, this isn't to shame her friends or make them feel like they did anything wrong. I just want to use it as a reminder to, like, just remind everybody. You can't trust everybody out there, you know, so stick together. So Joshua told the police that the two of them were waiting out into the water, sort of like waist deep. They were just hanging out, talking, making out a little. But then all of a sudden a massive wave came and it swept the two of them out to sea. They got jumbled around in the ocean for a little while, and they both, of course, took a lot of water in. If you've ever been caught under a wave, you probably know what that feels like, right? It's like you're trying to catch your breath. You catch water in because you're not prepared and you're trying to, like, get your footing. Now, Joshua was a former pool lifeguard. So he said he did his best to get himself and Sudiksha back to safety, back to land, back to the shore. And he said that once he got back to knee high water, that's when he put her down and he started throwing up all of that water that he had swallowed. He told the police. Then he just passed out on the beach. And when he woke up, he was actually shocked to see that she was no longer there. He said, the last time I saw her, I asked if she was okay. I didn't hear her answer. I looked around and I didn't see anyone. I thought that she grabbed her things and left. So he finally went back to the hotel alone at around 10am and at first police listed Joshua as a witness, then as a person of interest, but never as a suspect. And even though he's not being called a suspect and there are no charges of anything against him, he was confined to his hotel room and his passport was confiscated for the investigation. His parents also said that he is fully cooperating with the police and they want to do everything that they can do to help her family, to help the police get answers, to figure out what happened. Now, the other students that were with her before she went missing have also all been questioned, but the investigators have maintained that they believe that none of them are suspects and that no foul play was truly involved. Later on, police found her clothing hanging on a beach chair, but there was still no sign of her. Now, as you can imagine, the rumor mill is running wild, and it's totally possible that foul play wasn't involved. And that's what I thought at first. I thought maybe they were drunk, she drowned. Maybe he couldn't bring her back to the shore, but said he did because he didn't want to be implicated in that and thought that it would be easier for his story. I don't really know. It could just be that this Joshua guy was the last person to have seen her alive before a tragic accident took place. But also, when you have a case like this, you know there are always going to be rumors and theories. And a lot of people online have been accusing Joshua of knowing more than he has shared. There also are some different versions of the story that he was telling the investigators, like how at first he told them he went back to the hotel by himself, but then he told them that he passed out on the beach. It was also reported in a Daily Mail article that he does have a girlfriend back at school. But, I mean, that's Daily Mail, so take it with a grain of salt and do your own research before jumping to conclusions. But he's also 22 years old, so if it was an accidental drowning involving alcohol, this must be traumatic for him, too. And there's bound to be some shock in play. And again, maybe they were drinking. They were in the water, they were making out, and the wave hit, and then he panicked because he couldn't rescue her. But they had been drinking, and he didn't want to get in trouble. We don't really know, but his hometown released this statement about Joshua, and in this, they're showing their support for him. They say the Rock Rapids community stands behind and supports Joshua and his family. The family moved to town in 2015, and they have been active in various school and community events and organizations. They are well known and loved. Josh has an unwavering devotion to his faith and a genuine kindness towards others. He exemplified the values of compassion, respect, and integrity that are fundamental to our church and our community. Now, this case is just so incredibly sad because it really is every parent's worst nightmare. These kids were just on a college spring break, hoping to have fun. Everything was going fine. They were trying to have a young, wild night out, drinking, watch the sunrise, maybe hook up a little bit, and everything just went completely wrong. And just imagine all of a sudden getting that phone call that your daughter is missing. It's incredibly heartbreaking. So now, after searching for the last two weeks, her parents have asked the authorities to declare their daughter as dead. On Monday, they sent a letter to the authorities in the Dominican Republic asking for, quote, a declaration of death. They also sent the request to investigators so that they would close the investigation.
Emergency Dispatcher
We heard that we are coming to the terms with the fact that our daughter has drowned. This is incredibly difficult for us to process. We kindly ask you to keep our daughter in your prayers. We still have two young children took.
Annie Elise
Care of her, which I don't know if you. I don't know what you think. Do you think that's too soon? Do you think there's still hope? Do you think that they just think she probably was swept away to see and they're ready to have closure and move on? I don't know. What do you think? In the letter, the parents acknowledge the idea that there is no foul play. And they say that they do just want closure after this entire thing. And, I mean, regardless of anything, I just cannot imagine being in this situation at all. Her friends, her family, everybody, they must just be so shocked and devastated and heartbroken. Also, I think it's possible that the parents could know more information than what's been released to the public right now, and maybe that's why they're asking for this declaration and for the closure of the investigation, hopefully, you know, in an effort to kind of quiet down the rumor mill and all the online conversation and chatter. So we don't really know, but we, of course, will continue to watch this and see what happens. So that's what we've got this week for headline highlights. As a reminder, too, guys, if you missed the Monday episode, it's a long one, it's almost two hours. And you may have seen the viral TikTok a few weeks back about this young woman, Fallon, sharing her story about how her mother's stalker broke into their family's home, held her hostage, her brother hostage, her mother hostage, her father hostage, and then ultimately killed both of her parents in front of her and her siblings. And they called the police, the dispatcher fell back asleep and they never came. So she was in this house with the stalker, with then her deceased parents for hours with her younger brother. And she was only nine years old when this happened. Unfortunately, after all of this, both of her brothers suffered from very traumatic ptsd, from just horrific things in their own lives, and they both ended up taking their own lives. So it's a very powerful story. And she goes into detail about that night, what happened when he broke in, when they were held in the basement, how at one point the stalker looked at her mother and said, you have to choose who I'm gonna kill first, your daughter or your son. It's just a very heartbreaking story. And so when I had seen that TikTok of her sharing this, I reached out and offered support, asked her if she wanted to share her story in more deep dive of a way. And so we flew her out from Canada and she joined me in studio. And so that episode is out now. It was just released this last Monday. But I want to warn you, it is definitely a difficult listen. It is very emotionally charged so and graphic. So just be warned. And as a reminder, if you need even more content to binge going into your weekend, we put out extra episodes every single Friday on Patreon and on Apple Podcasts. So you can get access either on Patreon.com Annie Elise or directly through the podcast app on Apple. And we right now have a library of upwards of maybe 80 episodes. And they're many deep dives into cases. It's an extra episode completely ad free too, so you don't have to like get interrupted. And this week we actually talk about this very disturbing story of a kidnapper who would constantly torture these women, who would assault these women and then this one woman who was held in his garage or his friend's garage I should say, and thought that she was going to die, but she escaped. And you might remember even seeing that footage when this case broke. So we talk all about this case and it does not end how you might think. So that comes out this Friday. Other than that we have a whole library of things and again you can get access over on Apple or Patreon and I think right now over on Apple we actually gave a massive discount for the annual subscription to this. I think it's like 40 off, maybe even the monthly too. So that's only lasting until what, for another week I believe. So now would be the time to go and activate it. So you can also do a free trial. So go check that out and see if it's for you. And other than that, I will be back with you on Monday with an all new deep dive. Alright guys, thank you so much for tuning in with me today. If you guys are coming tonight, as a reminder, come to the screening event, the movie tonight. It's free. The link will be in the description. It's Nicole Kidman's new movie. So all my Orange county local famous and I will see you there. But it's first come first serve so link in the description. Alright? Guys. Thanks again. And until the next one, be nice, don't kill people, don't join any cults and just stay safe. Alright? Bye.
Serialously with Annie Elise – Episode 253 Summary
Episode Title: What Truly Happened to Sudiksha Konanki, Influencer Murdered on Livestream, Diddy’s Prison Phone Call and Woman Held Stepson Captive 20 Years
Release Date: March 20, 2025
Host: Annie Elise
Produced by: 10 to LIFE & Audioboom Studios
In episode 253 of "Serialously with Annie Elise," host Annie Elise delves into a series of gripping true crime stories that have recently shaken communities around the globe. Skipping over advertisements and promotional segments, Annie focuses on four major cases: a brutal arson attack in New York City, high-profile legal disputes involving celebrities Diddy and Kanye West, a chilling live-streamed murder in Tokyo, a harrowing case of a woman holding her stepson captive for two decades, and the mysterious disappearance of a college student. Below is a detailed summary of each segment, complete with notable quotes and timestamps for reference.
Annie begins with a horrifying incident that unfolded in the heart of New York City. On a Monday morning around 4:00 AM, a 45-year-old man was set on fire in Times Square, one of the busiest and most iconic locations in the world. Unlike the previous case three months prior, where a woman was brutally burned in a subway, this time the victim is male.
Key Details:
Notable Quote:
"I mean, no matter how much somebody pisses you off, you have to be not in the right state of mind to do something like that to somebody."
— Annie Elise [11:27]
Annie reflects on the shock and randomness of such a violent act occurring in a highly public and lively area like Times Square during a major event, questioning the motives behind such senseless brutality.
Shifting gears, Annie addresses the tumultuous legal and personal disputes involving music mogul Diddy, rapper Kanye West, and reality TV star Kim Kardashian. Central to the conflict is the release of a new song titled "Lonely Roads Still Go to Sunshine," featuring Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's daughter, North West.
Key Details:
Annie also plays an extended prison phone call between Diddy and Kanye West, revealing raw emotions and strained relationships.
Notable Quotes:
"They can't do it, and they ain't going through it. You know what I'm saying?"
— Listener [17:03]
"When I get out and I get that fucking freedom, I'm not caring about anything but motherfucking being happy."
— Diddy [17:13]
Annie speculates on the potential fallout from these disputes, suggesting it could spiral into a significant scandal within the celebrity world.
A particularly chilling story follows the murder of Eri Sato, a 22-year-old Japanese influencer who was fatally stabbed over 30 times during a live stream in Tokyo.
Key Details:
Notable Quote:
"If you're going and approaching somebody, watching them, driving 60 miles to where they are bringing two knives with you, and then you stab them 30 times, for me, I'm gonna call premeditated. It ain't landing for me."
— Annie Elise [15:50]
Annie discusses whether this act was premeditated or a crime of passion, emphasizing the dangers posed by parasocial relationships between influencers and their followers.
One of the most harrowing cases Annie covers is that of a 32-year-old man, Walter, who was held captive by his stepmother, Kimberly Sullivan, in Connecticut for over 20 years.
Key Details:
Notable Quote:
"This is just something to watch out for in the pop culture world and it might turn into the next big scandal if Kanye continues..."
— Annie Elise [23:15]
Annie highlights the systemic failures that allowed Sullivan to isolate and abuse Walter for two decades, questioning how such an ordeal went unnoticed despite previous welfare checks.
Concluding the episode, Annie discusses the mysterious disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old student from the University of Pittsburgh, who went missing during a spring break trip to the Dominican Republic.
Key Details:
Notable Quote:
"You can't trust everybody out there, you know, so stick together."
— Annie Elise [38:54]
Annie reflects on the trauma faced by Joshua if the incident was accidental, and the mounting pressures on Sudiksha’s family as they seek answers and closure.
Annie wraps up the episode by emphasizing the emotional gravity of these cases and the importance of staying informed and vigilant. She encourages listeners to explore more in-depth analyses available on Patreon and highlights the availability of additional content for those seeking further engagement with true crime narratives.
Final Quote:
"Until the next one, be nice, don't kill people, don't join any cults and just stay safe."
— Annie Elise [Conclusion]
Listeners are also reminded of upcoming events, including a free screening of Nicole Kidman's new movie, and are encouraged to subscribe for exclusive deep dives into other compelling cases.
This comprehensive summary captures the essence of episode 253, providing an informative overview for those who haven't listened while maintaining engagement through structured sections and pertinent quotes.