Small Town Murder – “Beauty Queen Conspiracy Murder – Freeland, Washington”
Episode Date: August 22, 2025
Hosts: James Pietragallo & Jimmie Whisman
Main Theme & Purpose
James and Jimmie take listeners to Freeland, Washington, offering an in-depth, darkly comedic exploration of the infamous murder of Russell Douglas—a case entangled with jealousy, greed, a beauty queen, a coke-snorting software millionaire in a band, and a web of small-town relationships. The episode blends detailed crime storytelling, character sketches, local color, and plenty of riffs, all while distilling a convoluted tragedy into a gripping narrative.
Freeland, Whidbey Island: Setting the Scene
[04:04–11:22]
- Freeland, Washington: A picturesque but personality-filled vacation/retirement spot on Whidbey Island.
- Population: About 2,000, with a much larger summer presence and a quirky mix of middle class and wealthy residents.
- History: Founded as a “settlement of socialists cooperating on semi-capitalistic principles”—literally “Free Land.”
- Host reviews:
- "Not much crime at all...makes the police a little lackadaisical." – [07:47]
- "Rains all the time. In all caps." – [08:04]
- "Very pricey, not very family friendly, no nightlife." – [08:18]
- Local color: Whidbey Island Fair for a hundred years, complete with absurd local entertainers (lasso-trick old ladies, clowns, hypnotists, bubble guys).
- “There’s a lot of 14-year-olds there with their parents going, this sucks.” – Jimmie Whisman [11:32]
Main Players & Their Intertwined Lives
[12:28–25:47]
Peggy Sue Stackhouse / Thomas
- Tall, redheaded beauty; ex-Navy aircraft mechanic; basketball star.
- Family history touched by murder (father’s first wife killed before Peggy Sue was born).
- Beauty queen—won Miss Washington in 2000 after losing 100 lbs at age ~35.
- Built a new, glamorous Vegas life as a “hot chick limo driver,” renting her Whidbey home to friends.
Brenna (Haslam) Douglas
- Peggy Sue’s best friend; lifelong Whidbey resident; beautician.
- Anti-college, married high school sweetheart Russell Douglas—volatile, mismatched couple.
- Envious of Peggy Sue’s transformation and Vegas lifestyle.
Russell Douglas
- Grew up on the island; educated, oddball personality (kilts, sarongs, depression), manages hair salon finances.
- Married to Brenna, two kids (Jack and Hannah); marriage troubled, accusations both ways (verbal abuse, sexual deviance, financial chaos).
Jim Heuden
- Wealthy, eccentric software developer/rock band guitarist (Buck Naked and the Exhibitionists—bandmates include "Dick Deposit").
- Perennial midlife crisis, double life (Florida wife, Vegas trysts with Peggy Sue, coke-fueled benders, relentless partying).
- Peggy and Jim become lovers.
The Betrayal, Murder Plot, and Motive
[33:57–47:32]
Russell & Brenna’s Breakdown
- Constant fighting, restraining orders, affairs on both sides (including Russell with a 50-year-old “Marge”).
- Brenna deeply jealous of Peggy Sue’s success and lifestyle.
- Salon business in financial tailspin after Russell stops managing books.
Weapon Acquired
- November 2003: Jim Heuden buys a .380 Bersa Thunder pistol, claiming he needs to shoot pigeons.
- “A.380 is how you get $88 out of a liquor store. That’s all it’s for.” – James Petregallo [40:05]
- Friend Keith Ogden (ex-cop) teaches him to shoot using a Coke bottle as a silencer.
Christmas 2003: The Deadly Setup
- Russell & Brenna try “for the children” reconciliation at Christmas, filled with awkwardness (Russell’s gifts to Brenna: sex swing, lingerie, flavored condoms—she’s mortified).
- The day after Christmas, Russell leaves on errands, telling Brenna he might go surfing.
- His yellow Geo Tracker is seen in an unusual neighborhood—where Peggy Sue used to stay, near the Black family’s empty home.
The Crime: Discovery and Investigation
[47:32–63:03]
The Body
- Dec. 27: Russell found dead, slumped in the Geo Tracker, shot directly between the eyes, seatbelt on, gears in reverse.
- No weapon, no note; quickly determined not a suicide due to missing gun and bullet trajectory.
Suspicion Turns to Brenna
- Brenna nonchalant with police, gives negative spin on the marriage, never asks “why are you here?” or "how did he die?" when informed of his death.
- “Oh.” That’s her response when told Russell is dead. [60:40]
- She promptly files for $600,000+ in life insurance, refuses polygraphs, and stops talking to law enforcement.
Phone Records Paint a Picture
- Calls link Russell and Peggy Sue (undisclosed “gift”).
- Eventually, a tip from Jim's bandmate Bill Hill breaks the case open: Jim confessed to him.
- “He had to testify. He said it was guilt that made me call. I just knew too much.” [74:16]
How the Murder Happened
[65:17–68:50]
- Peggy Sue lured Russell by claiming she had a gift for Brenna at a vacant house.
- Jim Heuden hid in the woods, matching height/appearance to Peggy Sue, crept up, and with a .380, shot Russell in the forehead through the sunglasses.
- The shell casing accidentally got stuck in the car door.
- Payment plan: Brenna would keep most of insurance money, Jim and Peggy get smaller cuts.
Aftermath, Downfall, and Trials
[68:50–77:10]
The Fugitives
- Jim Heuden flees to Mexico, living as “Maestro Jim,” bluesman and guitar instructor, supported by his wife’s secret visits.
- Peggy Sue marries a millionaire Kentucky Derby racehorse owner ("Mine That Bird"), cashes out via divorce.
- Brenna gets life insurance payout, buys house/car, loses it all within years.
- Eventually, Jim’s wife is arrested on unrelated charges, flips for leniency, and tips off authorities to Jim’s location.
Justice, Sentencing, and “Who Got What”
- Jim extradited, tried, and convicted of first-degree murder—80 years in prison.
- “He’s in so much trouble.” – Jimmie Whisman [75:06]
- “You, sir, may fuck off. 80 years in prison.” – James Petregallo/Judge [75:54]
- Peggy Sue, negotiating a plea to avoid possible murder charges, gets only four years for rendering criminal assistance, serves less.
- “Stop it. Four years?!” – Jimmie Whisman [76:45]
- “She maintains her innocence to this day, calling the whole thing just poor taste in men.” – James Petregallo [77:43]
- Brenna—who benefited most—was never charged.
Notable Quote from Prosecutor:
“It’s a succotash of greed, madness, depression, addiction and power. It really defies simple explanation.” [77:10]
Episode Highlights & Memorable Moments
- On Russell’s Christmas Gifts: “You can buy your wife [a sex swing, flavored condoms, lingerie] if things are going well…but you have to buy them a Christmas present and a private one.” – James Petregallo [45:41]
- On the Salon Business: “Every time she went to Costco it was $1,000...in 2000.” – [25:46]
- On Small Town Policing: “Not much crime at all…a few robberies, police a little lackadaisical.” – [07:47]
- On Jim Heuden’s “Double Life”: “Khaki shorts and a polo shirt talking about his wife and software in Florida, then he’s playing in Buck Naked and the Exhibitionists at night.” – [32:42]
- On the Investigation’s Difficulty: “The story is a pretzel within a kaleidoscope. It’s just a mess.” – James Petregallo [43:28]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Town/Case Setup: 04:04–12:31
- Meet the Main Characters: 12:41–25:47
- Affairs, Jealously, Business Woes: 25:47–33:57
- The Murder Plot: 33:57–47:32
- The Killing & Discovery: 47:32–51:45
- Police Interviews/Red Flags: 51:45–63:03
- Break in the Case: 64:18–68:50
- Fugitive Years/Captures/Sentences: 68:50–77:43
- Wrap-Up & Reflections: 77:43–79:44
Final Notes & Tone
The hosts blend detailed research, incredulous riffs, and snappy one-liners in chronicling an almost unbelievable murder-for-profit plot. The tone is irreverent, sharp, and peppered with genuine shock at both the criminal’s stupidity and lack of consequences for central conspirators.
“It’s all just a mess of jealousy, greed, and the worst judgment ever…And in the end, the murderer goes away for life, the beauty queen for four years, and the mastermind doesn’t even get charged.” – episode summary
Highly recommended for anyone who wants a rollercoaster true-crime story vividly told—and made sense of through comedy.
(All ads, promos, and outros omitted as per instructions.)