Small Town Murder, Ep. 632: Lawnmower Man – Willard, Ohio

Date: September 19, 2025
Hosts: James Pietragallo & Jimmie Whisman
Special Guest: Will Forte

Episode Overview

In this milestone episode of Small Town Murder, hosts James Pietragallo and Jimmie Whisman are joined by hilarious special guest Will Forte for the show’s very first guest interview. The trio sets their comedic sights on the small town of Willard, Ohio, and unravel the deeply bizarre and tragic case of the Lawnmower Man—a reclusive, paranoid neighbor who violently snaps, resulting in a murder that's as shocking as it is senseless. Alongside the dark tale, the episode is packed with sharp banter, earnest guest chat, and Forte’s signature deadpan wit.

Main Segments & Timestamps

• [01:07] – Show and Guest Introduction (Will Forte)
• [07:04] – Setting the Scene: Willard, Ohio
• [17:27] – The Murder Story Begins: James Blair and Neighborly Tensions
• [33:24] – The Crime: The Shocking Murder and Aftermath
• [41:05] – The Police Stand-off, Arrest, and Investigation
• [54:46] – Plea Deal, Trial, and Sentencing
• [63:07] – Civil Lawsuit, Aftermath, and Ohio Gun Law Debates
• [72:24] – Coda: The Murder House, Reflections, and Will Forte's Thoughts

Episode Highlights

1. Podcast & Guest Introduction ([01:07]–[05:08])

• James and Jimmie welcome listeners and share their excitement for finally bringing a guest on board for episode 632—comedy legend Will Forte.
• Will Forte plugs his new animated Netflix series, Haunted Hotel. Will describes the premise: "I die and leave my hotel to my sister, who runs it with her kids, and the hotel is filled with ghosts—including me." ([03:17])
• Both hosts rave about the show, emphasizing its genuinely strong writing and animation:

  "If you have the thirst for death, it doesn't leave you once you die." – Will Forte ([03:49])

• Lighthearted banter about Will’s career, including The Brothers Solomon and his “wish” to be guest for episode 632.

2. Willard, Ohio: “The City of Blossoms” ([07:04]–[17:27])

• The hosts provide quirky census facts, local reviews and oddities about Willard—a tiny, north-central Ohio town (pop. ~6,200).
• Banter over the town’s history, name changes, and the mundaneness of Midwest life, poking fun at ever-so-creative town slogans and festivals.
• Humorous takes on small-town reviews:

  “The town of Willard is large enough to offer amenities like grocery stores, pharmacies, bowling alley, new hospital and a new school but also small enough to give you a safe and homey atmosphere." ([10:34]) "Ohio is very cold and I really did not like living there. People were extremely nice, but practically everyone smokes." ([12:32])

• Will Forte riffs about being chased by dogs and the safety of “steel jeans,” keeping up with the absurd tone.

3. The Murderous Neighbor: James Blair ([17:27]–[33:24])

• Protagonists:
  • James Blair: 50-year-old man, recently moved back in with his elderly mother, Billy Hinkle.
  • Linda Scioto: 62-year-old, retired railroad worker, neighbor, beloved mother and grandmother.
• James' trajectory: once independent, now jobless, depressed, severely paranoid, drinking heavily, suffering auditory hallucinations.

  “He looks out the window and sees a neighbor like getting in their car and thinks that they're gonna do something to him." ([19:20])

• Note of rising danger: Blair previously fired his mother’s revolver into the air drunk, scaring the neighborhood.

4. The Crime: Lawn Rage Homicide ([33:24]–[41:05])

• The Crime: July 28, 2015
  • Linda, just days away from moving, is mowing her lawn at dusk to prepare for the new owners.
  • Blair, seething after months of self-imposed isolation and paranoia, becomes fixated on the “annoying” sound of her mower.
  • In a whiskey-fueled rage, he retrieves his mother’s .38 revolver, storms outside for the first time in nine months, and, without a word, shoots Linda in the face as she waves and says hello.

    “He approached her without saying anything … and just raises the gun and, according to the police report, quote, ‘shot her directly in the face.’” ([33:59])

  • In a further grotesque move, he commandeers her riding lawnmower, does a victory lap, and runs over her body:

    “He grabs her lawnmower...takes it, goes out, does a little circle around the yard...and runs over her body with the riding mower.” ([35:00])

  • Hosts, Forte, and listeners are horrified; Forte, deadpan, tries to find comfort in the tragic fact:

    “The comfort that I take is you said she died within seconds after getting...shot...she didn’t know she was getting mowed, which is good.” ([36:40])

5. Investigation & Wild Aftermath ([41:05]–[54:46])

• Blair calmly returns home, gives the murder weapon back to his mother, and his mother flees the house with the gun.
• The body isn’t discovered until hours later; a multi-day, robot-assisted SWAT standoff ensues as Blair refuses to surrender.

  “He barricades himself inside. He’s not coming out without a fight...He’s got nothing to fight with. His mom took the gun.” ([39:19])

• Forte riffing on the surreal imagery:

  “The police Roomba’s talking.” ([39:43])

• After tear gas is deployed, Blair surrenders. His mother, Billy, is caught at the station with the gun in her purse after telling various, evolving lies about its location.

  “There’s one last place I haven’t looked for that thing – reaches into her purse and pulls it out. ‘Here it is.’” ([44:01])

6. Legal Proceedings, Plea, and Sentencing ([54:46]–[63:07])

• Blair is found competent after several evaluations (diagnosed: mood disorder with psychosis).
• He takes a plea deal, claiming:

  “I disagree with pretty much everything she said. That’s all a lie… I'd like to clarify: I ran the mower over just her head.” ([53:36])

• Will Forte pushes for clarification on sentencing, finding it “light”:

  “So...he’s still like going to jail for the rest of his life, right?” ([54:11])

• Sentenced to 20 years to life for aggravated murder, three years for firearm specification, and 11 months for corpse abuse—total 23 to life, with parole eligibility at age 73.

Notable Quotes

• You, sir, may fuck off. (Judge, to Blair at sentencing; show’s classic catchphrase) ([60:51])
• Blair’s defense:

  “No, I think that’s about right.” ([60:48])

7. Civil Lawsuit & Policy Fails ([63:07]–[72:24])

• Linda’s estate sues Blair’s mother for negligence, arguing she knowingly enabled her unstable son’s access to a loaded firearm.
• Despite all evidence, court finds no legal duty for parents to secure guns from adult, mentally ill children in Ohio.

  “You have no duty to secure your firearms from mentally ill adult family members, even if they're alcoholic, even if they hear voices, even if they've taken your gun before, even if they fired it while drunk....Not at all.” ([71:46])

• Hosts shocked there is “no duty to protect neighbors from easily accessible loaded weapons...Every man for themselves.”

8. Reflections, House Update, and Will Forte’s Reactions ([72:24]–END)

• Forte reflects on the sadness and surreal tragedy of the crime, empathizing with the victim who was just about to start a new chapter.

  “I just feel so bad for her. She’s like Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon, too old for this shit, right? She’s almost out of it.” ([72:52])

• The “murder house”—Linda’s neat, 3-bed, 2-bath—is on the market for $204,800 ([74:39]), with more dark humor about who would dare to buy and mow the lawn.
• Episode ends with gratitude among the hosts, and enthusiastic encouragement for listeners to check out Forte’s Haunted Hotel and come see their live shows.

Memorable Moments & Quotes (With Timestamps)

• Will on Haunted Hotel:

  “If you have the thirst for death, it doesn’t leave you once you die.” ([03:49])

• James on Willard, OH:

  “Motto here: City of Blossoms.” ([08:31])

• Will on steel jeans:

  “I had to buy some steel jeans.” ([13:21])

• Jimmie, upon realizing where this story is going:

  “Will has caught on to your ruse, Dick.” ([23:22])

• James, narrating the murder:

  “She wasn’t even blocking. She was waving. She goes, ‘hi, neighbor,’ and he shoots her in the face.” ([34:13])

• Forte, grasping for silver linings:

  “The comfort that I take is you said she died within seconds after getting shot...she didn’t know she was getting mowed.” ([36:40])

• Blair’s gruesome clarification:

  “Excuse me, I ran over just her head, thank you.” ([45:39])

• James, sentencing:

  “You, sir, may fuck off. 20 years to life for aggravated murder...The total is 23 years to life.” ([60:48])

• Will’s stinger:

  “The 23 years seems light...I think that probably is about right for her [the mother]. Like, she is trying to protect her son.” ([65:07])

• James, on Ohio gun law:

  “It stands for the proposition in Ohio, you have no duty to secure your firearms from mentally ill adult family members, even if they're alcoholic, even if they hear voices, even if they've taken your gun before, even if they've fired it while drunk. And they did not change anything…” ([71:46])

Tone and Style

The episode is a pitch-perfect blend of true crime depth, gallows humor, and genuine compassion for the victim’s plight. The hosts’ empathy for Linda shines through—particularly as they paint her as a hardworking, selfless woman on the cusp of a new life chapter.

Will Forte’s involvement elevates the banter, with plenty of dry one-liners, incredulous reactions, and gentle self-mockery, perfectly meshing with James and Jimmie’s mix of sarcasm, disbelief, and absurdist takes.

Conclusion

A classic Small Town Murder episode—equal parts chilling, hilarious, and thought-provoking, bolstered by a stellar first guest and an all-too-believable portrait of small-town darkness and American legal loopholes.

Don’t miss:

• Haunted Hotel on Netflix (out now)
• Small Town Murder live shows & Patreon exclusives

“Just shut up and give me some murder.” – Will Forte, embracing the show’s infamous rally cry ([23:34])