The Killer Prodigy - Groton, Massachusetts

Summary

Small Town Murder: "The Killer Prodigy – Groton, Massachusetts"

Episode Date: December 13, 2025
Hosts: James Pietragallo and Jimmie Whisman

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Episode Overview

In this episode of Small Town Murder, James and Jimmie take listeners to Groton, Massachusetts—a wealthy, leafy small town with deep historical roots and a shockingly brutal crime in its recent past. The hosts explore the lives of the Lackey family, their privileged existence, and how their prodigious grandson, Orion Kraus, spiraled into a horrifying act of violence that left four people dead. James and Jimmie blend their signature dark humor and empathy in unraveling both the town’s quirks and the tragedy that unsettled its peace.

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Town Profile: Groton, Massachusetts

• Location: 55 minutes to Boston, 45 to Worcester.
• Population: 11,254
• Income: Median $169,497; median home cost $645,800.
• Vibe: Wealthy, sleepy—“20 pounds of murder in a two-pound bag” [01:47, James].
• Culture:
  • Festivals: “Nothing more small town than a festival that’s just the name of the town with ‘-fest’ after it.” [10:52, James]
  • Year-round events: Grotonfest; Winterfest—“Meet Santa. Duh... What is Santa made of?” “Meat. Steak Santa.” [11:24, James and Jimmie].

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Introducing the Lackey Family

Dan and Esu (Elizabeth) Lackey

• Background: Both from prominent, wealthy families tracing back to New York.

• Achievements: Ivy League/elite educations (Yale, Phillips Andover, Columbia Business School, etc.).

• Community Involvement: Extensive charity work, ran their own foundation, donated anonymously.

  “If I’m giving money away, I am telling you. Think I’m letting that shit slide?” [21:39, Jimmy]

• Personal traits: Humble, “represent the Chiwonki ethos at its best, always directing attention to others.” [21:36, James quoting friend]

Their Daughter: Elizabeth “Buffy” Lackey Kraus

• Classic country club, Cape-cod upper crust; “Literally a rich country club girl that goes by Buffy. This is where that joke came from.” [17:46, James]
• Kind-hearted, supportive, “probably had great parents.” [18:20, Jimmie]

Buffy’s Family

• Husband: Alexander “Lexi” Kraus, prominent tuna fisherman.
• Children: Twin boys Orion and Cooper, born 1995, raised in great privilege—idyllic island/affluent coastal lives.

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Orion Kraus – The Jazz Prodigy

• Talents: Gifted jazz drummer; “insanely gifted,” “practicing... obsessively” [26:48].
  • All-State jazz drummer.
  • Oberlin Conservatory of Music graduate—“one of the most prestigious places... in the country” [34:32, James].
• Personality: Seemed genial, “wonderful student who had a twinkle in his eye” [32:39, James quoting band director].
• Peers: “Wolfgang Bagel played basketball with Orion. Wolfgang and Orion... could anyone give their kid a normal name?” [33:31, James]

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First Signs of Trouble

Mental Health Decline

• 2016 Incident: Buffy calls 911—Orion home from school “screaming religious rants.” [35:41]

  • “Please don’t send a policeman. I just as soon not have a policeman. He needs some gentleness. This has got to be a loving experience.” [36:23, Buffy quoted by James & Jimmie]
  • “I would never call 911 and think a loving experience would happen on the other end of that phone.” [37:22, James]

• Possible Cult Involvement: Buffy worried he’d “joined some sort of cult.”

Graduation and Another Incident

• 2017: Orion graduates Oberlin; shortly after, he deserts home, taking mother’s car and leaving his phone—a “suicidal flags scenario.” [40:39, paraphrased]

• Buffy’s Concern:

  • Searches for Orion at suicide spots, hospitals, calls crisis line and police.
  • “He’s just a very tender heart who’s troubled.... reaching out to help him.” [43:40]
  • Police indifferent to tollbooth tracking: “That’s a lot. We’re not doing that.” [44:30, James]

• September 8, 2017: Orion calls, needs a ride in Boston; plans detour to visit grandparents in Groton. [45:50]

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The Crime

Setup

• Orion, Buffy, and grandparents reunite for a meal at the Lackeys’ Groton home; the live-in aide, Bertha May Parker (68), is present but not dining with them.
• Quiet small town: “One murder is bad enough. Four murders is horrific.” [71:33, Selectman Joshua Deegan]

The Murders [~48:29-55:50]

1. Orion calls his jazz instructor (Jamie Haddad):

   • “I’ve done something bad. I stole some money and my mom’s car… I think I have to kill my mom.” [48:29, Orion]
   • “I think I have to kill my mom with the golf clubs from my grandparents’ garage." (paraphrased)

2. Sequence of Events:

   • Orion can’t find golf clubs, picks up a baseball bat instead.
   • Practices swinging by hitting apples outside.
   • Re-enters the house, bludgeons mother (Buffy) first, then grandparents (Esu & Dan) as they plead for him to stop (“couldn’t do anything but watch, trapped in their recliners”).
   • Bertha May tries to escape—struck down in the driveway.
   • Scene left: “25-foot kitchen painted red... horror movie couldn’t be more horrific.” [52:42, James]

3. Aftermath:

   • Orion strips naked, covers himself in mud, wanders into neighbor’s yard.
   • Naked, cut-up, covered in mud, claims: “Help me please. I murdered four people.” [51:33, Wagner, neighbor]
   • Neighbor: “He looked like a tall skinny kid... could not hurt a fly.” [52:25, Wagner, via James]

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Police and Community Response

• Police Reports:

  • EMT had to step outside to not throw up: “That’s how bad.” [52:40]
  • “Blood on floor, ceiling, old people in recliners with head trauma.”

• Orion’s Interrogation:

  • Calmly says, “I murdered four people.” [53:56 & 67:25]
  • After being read his rights, he invokes silence.
  • Tells nurse he was a heroin user—“His friends were unaware.” [67:48]

• Community Shock:

  • “We do not understand this.” [69:07, Pastor quoted by James]
  • Oberlin statement: “...yet Orion is one of our own.” [69:18]
  • Friend Wolfgang: “This is the most devastating news I’ve ever heard in my life.” [69:41]

• Town’s Perspective:

  • Vigil held; officials stress rarity of violence—“there hasn’t been a murder in this community in over 20 years.” [70:28-71:03]

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Legal Proceedings

Court Motions & Secrecy

• Initial impoundment of records to shield family from crime scene details; debated by press and defense.
• Orion’s father: “Must I now also read the grisly details... What good will it serve?” [74:08, Lexi's affidavit]
• Psychiatric evaluations concur Orion suffers from schizophrenia, had been taking antipsychotics since arrest.
• Deemed competent to stand trial while on medication.

The Plea & Sentencing

• September 2021: Plea deal—Orion pleads guilty to four counts of second-degree murder.
  • Life in prison, possibility of parole after 25 years (he’ll be 51).

    “The utter brutality... the cruelty of this act is beyond comprehension.” [77:26, Family impact statement] “I was in a psychotic state. I pray we will be able to process it in the future, hopefully together.” [77:26, Orion at sentencing] “You jazzy lunatic, may fuck off.” [77:26, James, with dark comic spin]

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• [01:47] James: “20 pounds of murder in a two-pound bag. It’s a lot.”
• [17:46] James: “Literally a rich country club girl that goes by Buffy. Like, this is the stick...”
• [21:39] Jimmy: “Think I’m lettin’ that shit slide? No. Shit no.”
• [36:23] Buffy (via James): “Tell them all my son needs some gentleness. He doesn’t need any force. This has got to be a loving experience.”
• [48:29] Orion: “I think I have to kill my mom.”
• [52:42] James: “25-foot kitchen... painted red. Horror movie couldn’t be more horrific.”
• [53:56] James/Orion: “I murdered four people.”
• [67:38] James: “I killed my family with a baseball bat.”
• [77:26] Family statement: “The utter brutality, the human indecency, the cruelty of this act is beyond comprehension.”
• [77:26] Orion at sentencing: “I was in a psychotic state at the time. I pray we will be able to process it in the future...”

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Reflections, Questions & Closing Tone

• James and Jimmie stress the utter unpredictability of violence, even among the most privileged families.
• Sympathy for victims and surviving relatives, clear discomfort with aspects of wealth and privilege.
• Persistent theme: impossible to comprehend (“We do not understand this.” [69:07])—a community left traumatized and shaken.

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Summary Note:
This episode combines rich social observation, gallows humor, and deep sympathy for the victims, spotlighting how severe mental illness and family privilege can sometimes mask inner turmoil—until an unthinkable tragedy exposes it all.

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Key Timestamps

• [01:47] – Episode theme/”20 pounds of murder”
• [07:38] – Demonic possession in Groton history
• [17:46] – The “Buffy” archetype
• [26:48] – Orion’s prodigious talent
• [35:41] – Orion’s first mental health crisis
• [40:39] – Second incident; disappearance
• [48:29] – “I think I have to kill my mom”—critical moment
• [52:42] – Crime scene discovery
• [67:38] – Orion’s confession to police
• [69:07] – “We do not understand this”—community response
• [77:26] – Sentencing and impact statements

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If you missed this episode:
It’s a detailed, tragic journey through privilege, mental illness, and horrifying violence, narrated with insight, deadpan honesty, and genuine compassion for both the victims and those grappling in the aftermath.

Transcript

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[James Petragalo]

Hello and welcome back to Small Town Murder Express.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Yeah. Choo choo.

[James Petragalo]

Oh yay indeed, Jimmy. Yay indeed. My name is James Petragalo. I'm here with my co host.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I'm Jimmy Whisman.

[James Petragalo]

Thank you folks so much for joining us today. All aboard the murder train pulling away from the station. We have some wild, wild, absolute insanity for you this week. Oh my goodness. 20 pounds of murder in a two pound bag. It's a lot. Before we get to that very quickly, head over to shutupandgivemerder.com not only is there merchandise available for all three shows that we do, but also tickets for live shows. The 2026 calendar has been populated. We have a full slate of live shows all for sale right this [e-mail] I will go down the list very quickly. February 21st in Nashville. Those tickets sell fast in Nashville. Get those. March 6th in Durham, North Carolina. March 7th Atlanta. March 20th in Phoenix. March 21st also in Phoenix. That's a you stupid opinions live show. Get in there. Come for both shows. That's going to be so much fun. May 1 in Salt Lake City's already sold out. So sorry. Thank you for doing that. But no more tickets there. May 2nd in Denver. May 29th, Buffalo. May 30th in Royal Oak, Michigan. September 18th, Milwaukee September 19th, Minneapolis. October 3rd, Dallas. October 16th, San Jose, California. October 17th, Sacramento. November 13th, Tarrytown, New York. And November 14th in Boston, rounding it out. So get your tickets right now. Shut up and givemeimurder.com while you're getting stuff, get yourself Patreon. Do yourself a favor. Patreon.com crimeinsports that's P-A-T-R-E-O-N dot com. That's our other show that you should be listening to. It's very funny, Patreon. What you get there, is anybody $5 a month or above. You're getting everything. You're getting hundreds of bonus episodes you've never heard before. Immediately upon subscription, ready to binge. Then new ones every other week. One crime in sports, one small town murder, and you get them all. This week we're gonna be for small town murder, we're gonna be finishing up Charles Starkweather because he is in the middle of a murder spree after part one where he blames his girlfriend, his girlfriend blames him. And the back and forth of the two of them is amazing on this of the different ones. So get that patreon.com crimeinsports and in addition to that, you get all the shows. We do everything all ad free with your Patreon as well. And you get a shout out at the end of the regular show. You can't beat it. It's all we could possibly give you. So please do that. Patreon.com CrimeAndSports that said, I think it's time, everybody.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Here we go.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, I think it's time to clear the lungs and throats and everything else you can clear. And let's all shout. Shut up and give me murder. Let's do this, everybody. Okay. Let's go on a trip, shall we? We are going to Massachusetts this week. All right? Groton, Massachusetts. So I, or Groton, however you want to say it's. I know it's Groton, but I don't know if people wanted to. I'm just giving alternate pronunciations kind of as a joke because no matter what the word is, it's never right. So it's one of those things. It's the I don't care anymore deal. You want it to be Groton. There it is, it's yours. Enjoy. It's Groton, Massachusetts. It's in eastern Massachusetts. It's about 55 minutes to Boston. So Boston suburbs out here. 45 minutes to Worcester, if you want to go the other way. And about 45 minutes to Wakefield, Massachusetts, which was Our last Massachusetts episode, episode 607, the creepy killer motives. That was that lake house murder. Remember where the guy said she like just. It was crazy. The woman like fell and then was in the water and she would have had to have like bounced 10ft into.

[Jimmy Whisman]

The water on the sidewalk.

[James Petragalo]

People made of rubber kind of thing. This is in. That was a crazy case. This is in Middlesex county. Area codes here, 3, 5, 1 and 9, 7 8. Population of this town in less than an hour outside of Boston, but 11,254.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Wow.

[James Petragalo]

This is a quiet, sleepy little town over here. Median household income. These people are doing well. Median household income, 169,497. That's median. That's crazy. The median home cost here also a little elevated. $645,800. Wow. That is price. Yeah. 169 and 645.

[Jimmy Whisman]

That's holy.

[James Petragalo]

Everything is raised here. They have two mottos here. One is all are welcome. Which, I mean, I don't know if that's really a model. How can you keep people out? All are welcome. Except the Irish. Like you can't put that on a sign.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Not in Massachusetts.

[James Petragalo]

Not in Massachusetts. Yeah, everyone would leave. You'd be like, oh, there's like three Italian guys left. That's it. And they also have faith labor. Yeah, that's another one they have there. So work hard and pray, I guess. I don't know. History of this town. 1655 is when this town was officially settled and Incorporated. Wow. 1655. The town was named for Groton in Suffolk, England, which is the hometown of one of the selectmen named Dean Winthrop. It was his. The hometown of his father and also the hometown of the Massachusetts governor. Also somebody in his family named John Winthrop also. So demonic possession. In October of 1671, the Willard family's 16 year old servant, Elizabeth Knapp, fell into what was judged to be a demonic possession.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Nice.

[James Petragalo]

This is during the witch trials and shit. And this is Massachusetts. Reportedly, the accused witch accosted Reverend Willard having demonstrated, quote, physical, violent or violent physical actions, mental moods, sudden shrieks, changing of continents, exclamations, fits. Barking, bleeding.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Oh, yeah.

[James Petragalo]

Up to this point I'm like, yeah, maybe you pissed her off. You know what I mean? That just sounds like a, you know, if you get married, that's what happens. But barking and bleeding, not barking and bleeding. Now we're in another area that's different. Speaking in different voices and ventriloquism and, oh, throwing her voice. I don't know.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I agree with that.

[James Petragalo]

Wow. And hurling accusations of torment toward the reverend. At one point, she accused a neighbor of bewitching her. But Willard knew the neighbor to be a pious person and did not pursue that accusation. Said, no, it's your fault. All right, let's get to reviews of this town. Here. Here's five stars. I've been in Groton my whole life. Grew up here. The schools are great, neighbors are friendly and there's a lot of trails to walk and explore. It's beautiful in the fall with all the leaves changing colors. That's true. Gorgeous time of year. There are lots of cute little cafes and some fancy restaurants that are farm to table. I love living here. It's a very family oriented, safe place. You can tell exactly what this place is. Very leafy. The big houses going out to fancy dinners. Median income, 170 grand a year. You get it. Three stars. Groton is a pleasant and cute town with great historical stuff. But I personally have never felt quite at home here. You're not wealthy. Maybe that's why. That's how I'd feel. I've had lots of great opportunities here and I'm very thankful for them. But I don't think I could move back once I've graduated high school. This is a young person. Yeah.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I'm not going to be able to afford this place.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, that's. That's what's going on here. And three stars. The community is pretty rural and offers many opportunities for involvement in outdoor activities. Hiking, canoeing, etc. In general, people in this area are friendly. And then one star. There are very few local businesses and none of them are hiring. So luckily Boston is right there. So knock yourself out. Things to do in this town. Groton Fest. Yeah, Be rich. I love. There's nothing more about small town when we do the small town like things to do than a festival. That's just the name of the town. With fest afterwards. That's my. If they have that, we're talking about it. Groton Fest. It's a family of festivals. Four unique festivals held throughout the year in the heart of the Groton, Mass. So they have one for each season. They have seasonal festivals. In 1979, Grotonfest. Since 1979, Grotonfest has brought our community together to uplift local businesses, highlight the work of talented artists and artisans and connect residents with the non profits that support Groton and its neighboring towns. Okay. Produced by the Groton Business Association. They sound like they know how to throw a party, huh? Wealthy folk is what it is. Yeah, it is. Each festival shines a spotlight on the rich character, creativity, rich spirit of our rich, should be rich characters. Rich comma, rich comma, character. Making Grotonfest a joyful tribute to everything that makes our town feel like home. Our spring, fall and winter festivals have become beloved traditions. Well, here is Groton Winterfest. It's a celebration of holiday cheer. Jimmy. So we got that. Of course. Yeah. We got. Meet Santa. Duh.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Meet Santa.

[James Petragalo]

Meet Santa. Meet him. Hi, Santa. Nice to meet you. I got it. I'm James.

[Jimmy Whisman]

What is Santa made of?

[James Petragalo]

Meat. Of meat. Yeah.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Steak Santa.

[James Petragalo]

It is a big giant pork chop Santa that's getting put to ham hock Santa. There he is, everybody.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Meat Santa.

[James Petragalo]

So you can share your holiday wishes with the jolly man himself.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Yeah.

[James Petragalo]

Hayrides, a carolers and live music. All right, so they're gonna. I think people are gonna be singing Christmas songs. Hearty, warm food and hot chocolates. Christmas decor. Garlands and wreaths to buy. Sure. There winter clothing and accessories. This is all shit to buy. Handmade Christmas gifts and jewelry. Crap that people will be disappointed with. In other words, baked goods and sweet treats. Local trucks, photo booths. Here we go. It says that there'll be bands playing at all of these different festivals.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Great.

[James Petragalo]

And it says music fest for each season of the year, including Celtic bands.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Oh, boy.

[James Petragalo]

Solas, Altan and Lunasa. Jazz bands. New Black Eagle jazz band. Bluegrass slash roots. The Nefesh Mountain and the Jacob Jolliffe Band. And High Horse and country music.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I think of Massachusetts.

[James Petragalo]

I think of. Yeah, I do. Although Massachusetts. Rural Massachusetts is pretty.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Oh, there are some.

[James Petragalo]

It's hickey out there, boy.

[Jimmy Whisman]

There's some scary characters. That's where my brother lives. Yeah. The one that I just met.

[James Petragalo]

That's the one.

[Jimmy Whisman]

He's a little on the. On the. Definitely my dad's side of the family.

[James Petragalo]

God. And there'll be world music such as Sonny Jane. J A I N. So there you go. That said, let's talk about some murder. Okay, here we go. Let us start with. Let's start with a lady. Okay. We're going to go back to the year 2017 for this, which is.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Oh, yeah.

[James Petragalo]

Not that far removed. Everything is the same. Your phone is the same phone with a different operating, different software on it. That's it. You got iOS. Whatever the fuck it was then. Yeah, yeah. So here is Elizabeth Cleveland is what she's born as. She goes by Esu. Esu is her nickname. Essu. I don't know. Who knows, Maybe a younger relative or one of those things where I had an aunt that was called Dee Dee for decades because my cousin couldn't say Lorraine when he was 2. So she was Dee Dee for the rest of her fucking life, Literally till she died. Everyone called her Dee Dee. That was that. That's what happens. So this woman here, and she's 85 years old in 2017. Wow. Okay. She's born in Pelham Manor, New York. Very accomplished, this woman. This is a not only wealthy but accomplished person. She graduated from the master's school in Dobbs Ferry, New York. Then l' Ecole Brilliant Mont in Lusanne, Sweden or Switzerland. I'm sorry. So she went to college abroad and also to Connecticut College. She later earned a master's degree in divinity from the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge. So she's a real kind of religious woman and really energetic and really a go go type of accomplish things type of woman. She got married in 1956 to a man of. A man of substance. This guy Frank Danby Lackey III.

[Jimmy Whisman]

The third.

[James Petragalo]

The third. And he goes by Dan. Old Dan Lackey, Dan III. He's born April 23, 1928, making him 89 years old in 2017. He's born in New York City, grew up in Pelham as well. I think that's how they met. And also lived in Delaware for a while. He attended the Phillips Academy in Andover, which is one of the most elite prep schools in the entire United States.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Is that right?

[James Petragalo]

Then he went to Yale and graduated, class of 1951.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Fantastic.

[James Petragalo]

These are people. I just look from the street at their lawns and houses and go. I don't know how these people do anything.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I could relate to nothing.

[James Petragalo]

I didn't know how to apply to a college even. I didn't even know how to go get the form to do it. Never mind going to Yale and elite prep schools.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I didn't know how to take the test to qualify.

[James Petragalo]

Oh, no, that was. That's. I didn't even know the. I didn't even know where to get the form, never mind how to fill it out. I didn't even know where to get it.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Oh, who has that?

[James Petragalo]

The guidance?

[Jimmy Whisman]

I just found out.

[James Petragalo]

I don't know.

[Jimmy Whisman]

It costs money to apply for a couple weeks. It costs money to take tests, to take the sat. All this costs money.

[James Petragalo]

Yep.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I guess that's why they didn't tell me.

[James Petragalo]

That's right.

[Jimmy Whisman]

You have money.

[James Petragalo]

Forget nobody. Yeah. Nobody thought they were getting any test money out of me, I'll tell you that much.

[Jimmy Whisman]

He fails Tests for free.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, he does that all day, all day long. He didn't even show up for half of them. So certainly. So then he went to the Columbia Business School, which is pretty elite too. After graduation, he enlisted in the Navy, which most people then. What? Most people that go to Yale then get an MBA at Columbia, go right to the Navy.

[Jimmy Whisman]

What's he trying to be President of the United States back then?

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, but back then that's what people did, though. In the 40s, after World War II, you would go in the Navy to show you're well rounded, you're a serviceman. That way when you go to like jobs and shit like that and these high powered firms, when all those guys that are probably hiring you were In World War II, you can say I.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Just falls off in all the colleges, the best ones, and then went into the Navy separate as a public servant.

[James Petragalo]

So he's got frat guys, probably secret society people from Yale, and he's got the Navy. And that was a thing too. You didn't want to go in there and be like, I wasn't in the service. When literally every guy hiring you was a man who was in World War II, probably. So by 1957, they have a daughter also named Elizabeth. They name her Elizabeth also. So this is Elizabeth Lackey. She goes by Buffy her whole life though. Literally a rich country club girl that goes by Buffy. Like, this is the stick. This is where that joke came from.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Yeah, she's probably the originator of it too, because she's that generation.

[James Petragalo]

She's born in 1957. Big into the outdoors. She likes to fish for bass at Race Point Beach. Super into it. One of her friends, and this is kind of the sentiment of everyone that knows her, calls her a good hearted person always. And she should be. She grew up with no worries whatsoever, you know what I mean? Like, grew up in a stable family with successful people with a future in front of her. College paid for. I couldn't imagine what that felt like.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Probably great parents too. Probably very supportive and kind to her and into the.

[James Petragalo]

That's what I mean. I can't imagine what that was like. For a kid to have that kind of stability is crazy.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I hope two podcast dicks talk about my kids like this one day.

[James Petragalo]

Don't worry, they won't like her. His father, a barely literate comedian and his partner.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Barely. That was so nice.

[James Petragalo]

Well, I'm not going to sell you short. You're literate.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I got the words for fine.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, you can get it down. Yeah, you're fine. And his partner, the non high school graduate, complete loudmouth dummy. Fucking same thing.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Do the reading.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, same thing. Somehow learned reading skills. Oh, Christ. So while this is going on, Dan here, he's building a career in finance. That's where the money is. He knows it. He starts at Chase Manhattan bank in New York, then spends years advising clients and managing investments for pension funds and nonprofit endowments at firms like Thorndike, Doran Payne and Lewis and Wellington Management Group in Boston.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Those sound like they make money.

[James Petragalo]

That sounds like you're making a lot of money and it's all shit again. I don't know how to do any of that. He eventually became president of the Spinnaker Capital in Boston. Of the company Spinnaker Capital, which is a investment group. But the lackeys also, you think they're just stacking cash. They're also insanely charitable. They have. They give it away. Tons of money away. Absolutely. Dan served as a trustee at the Chiwonki foundation in Maine from 76 to 2003. It's an environmental education organization that runs summer camps teaching children about nature and sustainability. Yeah. Dan created their first investment committee. He and ESU were members of the Chiwonkey's Osprey Society, which is their Osprey Society, which is their major donor group. I guess they're. They're flying above, looking down, seeing what needs money. Lucy Hall, a former Chiwonki director of development, remembered Dan as, quote, so generous. And I don't just mean financially. He was incredibly knowledgeable and incredibly giving of that knowledge. He was a caring, sweet person. And ESU was a dynamo and a rock of their community. So, I mean, these two are hardcore, upstanding citizens. Yeah. The lackeys also run the Nadu foundation, which is a family charity founded in 1997. According to tax filings, they gave to organizations like the Massachusetts Autobahn Society, Friends of the Hail School, the Chiwonki Foundation, Massachusetts Art foundation, and the Master school, which was ESU's Alma material. They have tons of charity shit. They're doing away, one person said about them. Despite decades of generous support, Dan and ESU didn't want any recognition at all. They represented the Chiwonki ethos at its best, always directing attention to others. They don't. They're the type that donates large sums anonymously.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Yeah. And then let somebody else take the credit.

[James Petragalo]

This building donated by anonymous. They're those people like, that's insane, dude. If I'm giving money away, I am telling you.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Think I'm letting that shit Slide.

[James Petragalo]

No. Shit. No.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I don't even write Santa on my kids gifts. That. I did this. God damn it.

[James Petragalo]

That's right. God damn it. I slid my gift down the chimney. Yeah, this is for me.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I didn't have a chimney. I locked that motherfucker out.

[James Petragalo]

Dan also has time somehow to write two volumes of, quote, light hearted verse, some sort of poetry or something he's writing. He's super into sports. He likes baseball and tennis, One of his family members said. His optimism and cheerful advice, his generosity, his fondness for tomatoes and strawberries and other red foods, beets and whatever he gets ants on. He eats pomegranates. He doesn't even take the skin off. He just bites into it like an apple. 1992, they purchased their home in Boston, which is here on Common street, which is about 40 miles northwest of Boston here. And it's not a crazy house either. It's a modest house. And 1992, so they're getting. They're retiring and they're downsizing. They don't have the kids anymore, obviously, and everything like that. Now Buffy, the daughter, Buffy, went on to get married to a guy named Alexander Kraus. He goes by Lexi. Lexi. Got it. Yeah. Yeah. Alexander. Lexi. That sounds like a guy's name, right? No, but that's fine.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Whatever, man.

[James Petragalo]

That's fine. Hey, call yourself whatever you want.

[Jimmy Whisman]

His name's Lexi.

[James Petragalo]

Lexi. Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. You're gonna. Yeah, that's a. That's a porn name there, for sure. Even a stripper's like, I don't think so. That's a little. That's a little too porny, you know, I'm just taking my top off. That's nothing. So Alexander here, they get married now. Alexander is a respected tuna fisherman. I don't think he's out there with a pole. I think he owns the business. Yeah, that's like he owns the boat. Who had moored his boats on Monaghan island and later Rockport, Port Harbor. So he's a. He owns the goddamn boats. Yeah, several of them.

[Jimmy Whisman]

They're out there pulling tuna from the sea.

[James Petragalo]

He's getting tuna money now. They're gonna have some kids here. They're gonna have twin boys, by the way.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Okay.

[James Petragalo]

Twin boys. Orion and Cooper Krause. Yeah, Cooper Krause. That's tough. Orion, like the constellation and Cooper. They're born in 1995. Buffy was like 38 when she had them. She was pushing it. Yeah. According to her friend, quote, she was so excited and nervous. Her husband is a kind Soul. It was their. Finally, their opportunity to have children. Now, a little bit about Orion here and about, you know, Cooper also, I guess here. They. They're. They're going to grow up in idyllic places here. Now they spend their early, early years on the. I guess it's Monaghan Island, I'm not sure. Which is 10 miles off the coast of Maine, accessible only by boat with a population of 70.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Fuck yeah.

[James Petragalo]

Fuck yes. Take me there.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Those 70 people are killing it and they don't want us talking about it.

[James Petragalo]

Take me home. Country boat. Yeah, to the place I belong.

[Jimmy Whisman]

They don't want us saying this at all.

[James Petragalo]

I promise less opportunity for assholes.

[Jimmy Whisman]

A lot of fucking boats out there that can make it. Oh, man, you can just shut the fuck up.

[James Petragalo]

You can throw shit at people as they pull up. This is my island. Go away. So that's where they are. Then the family eventually moves to the mainland because that's a rough place with the kids. What are you gonna. Oh, we have to go to Target. Well, get the boat. Fire up the boat. That's tough.

[Jimmy Whisman]

It's a lot of. A lot of well checks. We got to take the boat.

[James Petragalo]

Oh, that's a lot, man. So anyway, they eventually settle into Rockport, which is an affluent coastal place and sitting there eating lobster rolls. And it's. It's exactly where we want to live.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Basically, it's seacoast with rocky. No dick bags and thongs and. And short hoodie beaches.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, hoodie beaches all around. I love it. So they move there and, you know, everything's. They have a normal upbringing. The kids, they're raised in an affluent environment in a wonderful place here. And, you know that sound from the ocean going on, I mean, lots of chimney chiming smelling salt water, eating shellfish. What a great deal here. Now, Orion, somehow out of all this, they figure out that he's like an insanely gifted jazz drummer. What? He's a really good drummer. And especially with jazz music. That's his specialty.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Fast boy.

[James Petragalo]

Really strange. Friends described him practicing sometimes obsessively. They said he was just. Which is how you have to do to be great, you know. So usually they said inside a barn on his family's property, he's got a practice barn. What a great life, man. So other kids are doing other shit and hanging out, and all he does is practice drums and just do. And he's interested in jazz. He's just super into jazz. He went to Camden Hills Regional High School. Orion did get straight A's, was named an all State jazz drummer as a senior, which I didn't know they had.

[Jimmy Whisman]

All state.

[James Petragalo]

All state, like the football team. I didn't know they had that for jazz specifically jazz drumming, but apparently they do.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Is that movie with Nick Cannon, is that considered jazz drumming?

[James Petragalo]

I don't think so.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Drumline is.

[James Petragalo]

I don't think that's.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I mean, drum major, right?

[James Petragalo]

Is that drum line? But no, I, that's.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Yeah, but isn't that the drum major? Is that guy. The guy that.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, but that's like marching band drumming. That's a different type of drum.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Yeah, that's not right.

[James Petragalo]

Band. Band. Yeah. This is a different kind of thing.

[Jimmy Whisman]

But if you're a jazz drummer, don't you have like a guy there with a guitar and a dude with a stand up bass? Yeah, those guys don't get judged just the drummer.

[James Petragalo]

Just the drummer. Well, maybe they do, but he wasn't in an allstate, any of those. And we don't know who those people are. They're not involved in our story. Those people are strangers, Jimmy. So, hey everybody, just gonna take a quick break from the show to tell you how to get the best holiday gift. It's an aura frame. Auraframes.com oh, you know it. I'm telling you, you want to be the holiday cheer spreader. This is the way to do it. And these frames, they do spread cheer. It's wild. I've given them to everybody. They always have them right on. Right in the kitchen, right where everybody's hanging out and everybody. Oh, there's grandpa.

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[James Petragalo]

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[Jimmy Whisman]

Oh, it's great.

[James Petragalo]

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[Jimmy Whisman]

Now back to the show.

[James Petragalo]

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[Jimmy Whisman]

Now back to the show.

[James Petragalo]

Anyway, yeah, he's the band's director, remembered Orion as, quote, a wonderful student who had a twinkle in his eye and was always eager to learn. Great. All right, now, 2014, Orion's, you know, pushing 19 at this point. 18, he joins a band. Like a band band.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Okay.

[James Petragalo]

It's a local band called Mostly Brothers and Company. So there's probably a couple brothers in there, I assume, and the drummer. And there's five people. Four of the other kids are all from his school to guys he knows. They play in small venues throughout central Maine and around coastal areas. And, you know, they're always looking for. During the summer, those places are heaving with tourists and shit. They're always looking for a band in the background. His friend Wolfgang Bagel.

[Jimmy Whisman]

What?

[James Petragalo]

His name is Wolfgang Bagel, man. P O E G L is Bagel. That's like how you do bagel. That's Wolfgang Bagel. All right. Wolfgang Bagel played basketball with Orion. Oh, it's just Wolfgang and Orion playing basketball. Could anyone give their kid a normal name?

[Jimmy Whisman]

All right, Wolfgang and orion. This is 2017.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, it's just Orion and Wolfgang Bagel playing some pickup ball. Don't worry about it. Playing some horse out on the playground there. So anyway, they. They were playing basketball all the time. And he described Orion as a great student and a phenomenal musician who was well liked by Everybody. So, the twins. It's time for them to go to college. Cooper and Orion. And they don't go to the same place. They go their separate ways. Yeah, Cooper goes to Ithaca College, which is in New York. At Ithaca. I think it's a SUNY school, as a matter of fact, which is like a. Not an expensive school.

[Jimmy Whisman]

No.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah. No. And later on, transferred to the University of Southern Maine, which. Not a powerhouse. Now Orion goes to Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio. And it's apparently one of the most prestigious places you can go for this in the country. Yeah, he studied under a guy named Jamie Haddad, who was a renowned percussionist and one of the top drum instructors in America. Okay, I guess, assumingly, that's what they say now in studies in the Oberlins Jazz division. If this is right from their website, Oberlins prepare students for careers as professional jazz musicians and for the advanced study of jazz in both performance and composition and composing. Wow. Yeah. This is a serious school for seriously talented musicians. So, o', Ryan, though, he's got a couple of problems. Seems like old Orion's quiver isn't quite full of arrows, if you know what I mean. There's a couple arrows short of a quiver over here.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Belt's missing a buckle.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, he's. July 16, 2016. This is the first 911 call his mother has to make about him. Buffy. Buffy calls 911 from her home in Rockport, and wow. She says, my husband is downstairs with him. I am upstairs calling you. The dispatcher asks if this is a suicide attempt you're calling about, and she said she didn't think so. So Elizabeth says. Buffy says, please don't send a policeman. I just as soon not have a policeman. I don't know who else they expect to send. Yeah, over here. Can you.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Fireman.

[James Petragalo]

Can you just send somebody over here to talk to us? Is that 911 we send? Yeah, 911. Is something on fire? Is there something illegal happening? Right, Those are. Those are the two things you call for somebody hurt. Other than that, I don't know what to tell you. We really don't have that. Can you send a therapist over? Is not a thing.

[Jimmy Whisman]

You're from the 901.

[James Petragalo]

I need a therapist and probably should get me an MD too, in case I need a script. Just bring them all over.

[Jimmy Whisman]

You got a dentist on you know what?

[James Petragalo]

My one fucking molar back here, it's just. I feel like I chipped it the other day, so. That's what she says. The Dispatcher said she'll send one anyway as a precaution. Like I'm sending a copy. So she says. Buffy says, tell them all my son needs some gentleness. He doesn't need any force. This has got to be a loving experience.

[Jimmy Whisman]

What the fuck are you talking about?

[James Petragalo]

Okay, you can tell that Buffy has not grown up in.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Yeah, yeah, she has seen so media though, is the thing.

[James Petragalo]

Oh, that's a fact. But she hasn't had many hard times, that is what I'm saying, where I would never call 911 and think that a loving experience was going to happen on the other end of that phone, ever. I would think. You call 91 1, they're either coming with hoses or force or those paddles or guns or something.

[Jimmy Whisman]

There's handcuffs either way.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, there's going to be sirens. Shit's happening.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Hi, 911. What's your emergency? I need a loving.

[James Petragalo]

This is a loving. That's all I need a loving Experience.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Experience, please.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, I'd like a loving experience.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I think you called the wrong number, man.

[James Petragalo]

So I transfer you to, I don't know, the fucking Bunny Ranch. What are we talking about?

[Jimmy Whisman]

You're gonna have to go to Nevada for this.

[James Petragalo]

I don't think we have that here. That's not available now. I get Buffy's a nice lady and.

[Jimmy Whisman]

She, yeah, she cares about her son help.

[James Petragalo]

But she, yeah, she doesn't want the cops coming over and stun gunning her kid in the living room either. So I get what she's going for here. According to what ends up happening here, Orion's parents, Lexi and Buffy, say that he had came home from school, came home not acting like himself, and he was quote, screaming religious rants, which is.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Oh, what the hell?

[James Petragalo]

That's never a good sign. Really?

[Jimmy Whisman]

No. That's weird.

[James Petragalo]

Elizabeth here. Buffy, told the first responders that he had joined some sort of copy cult. And she wasn't sure about drug usage or what he had done the previous night. But he's screaming about religious shit. And we think he joined a cult. So whatever happened that day calms down. It was a loving experience. And everybody held hands, they did a nice round of Kumbaya and everybody went back to their TO one here. So it passed. Orion returned to school, to Oberlin, to finish his degree. And in 2017, he graduated from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in the spring. He put on a senior recital in April, playing his own compositions on jazz drums. He's 22. He's ready for the world. So his Facebook Page had a picture of him playing drums. And his page on another social media site called Vandalism, which is a musician site, discussed his time playing in a Beatles tribute band. Okay, so he's getting some stuff done. Now, Dan and Esu, grandparents of Orion and Cooper here, what are they up to in 2016? 17. Well, they're pretty goddamn old, like we said. They're, you know, in their late 80s. So old that they, they're doing well. But they also need a live in caretaker.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Okay.

[James Petragalo]

They need a woman that works for them pretty much all the time, basically. So they have a woman named Bertha May Parker who's 68 years old. She takes care of them. Yeah, she, I guess originally was from Louisiana and she's living in the area now, working for them. They're 89 and 85 years old. They've been married 61 years, Dan and Esu. So September 7, 2017, Orion leaves his family home in Rockport without explanation. He's just gone.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Just walks away, huh.

[James Petragalo]

Taking his mother's car without telling her. So he even leaves his cell phone behind. Which when someone takes off unexpectedly and leaves their cell phone behind, either they're going to jump off a bridge or someone has kidnapped them, I usually think.

[Jimmy Whisman]

You know what I mean, Taking someone else's car.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, exactly. He's wearing a dirty T shirt and gray corduroy pants. That's what he's choosing to wear here. Elizabeth, Buffy. Buffy comes home from work at about 3:20pm and sees her car is gone and also her son is gone. Puts two and sees the keys are gone. Puts it together and says, okay, he took the car. So she panics, which is interesting because she had the same thought I had. He left his cell phone. He took my card. Yes. So she searches everywhere. She searches like suicide, like places. First she goes to a breakwater nearby, which is like it's basically if you were gonna jump off something and kill yourself, this is where you'd go.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Somewhere in Maine, Massachusetts.

[James Petragalo]

She goes there. She a hospital parking lot. Checking to see if he'd admitted himself to basically for treatment. It's the park Unit Parc, which is. It's at a treatment center in Rockport that focuses primarily on substance abuse services.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Oh, so drugs.

[James Petragalo]

She thinks he's got a drug problem. Obviously, if she thinks. Checking to see if he checked in there. She checks a Walmart parking lot. Just. Yeah, maybe he went to Walmart. Maybe he's just shopping. Yeah, yeah, maybe he's just picking out some like, fishing lures for the upcoming fall season. Who knows?

[Jimmy Whisman]

Maybe he wants new underwear and just.

[James Petragalo]

That's all he wants. A 12 pack of cheap underwear. Who cares? That's for him. So by 9:40pm she still hasn't found him. It's been six hours. She's looked for him in a small town. So if you didn't find him, he's just not around. So she calls a crisis hotline. At that point, Buffy does for a loving experience. Then when the crisis hotline says, what the hell do you want us to do? If your kids innocent, call the goddamn cops. This is. I don't know what. Yeah, we don't have, like, can you send like, you know, bloodhounds over here? Is not what we do. So then she calls the Rockport police and she says, quote, he's just a very tender heart who's troubled and I'm reaching out to help him. Now she tells the dispatcher that Orion doesn't do drugs or alcohol. But she checked to see if he was at a drug treatment program. But she said he doesn't own any weapons. He's only been gone six hours. But she's super worried. She said that. She described him wearing the dirty T shirt, the gray corduroy point pants, and said he doesn't even have his cell phone. And she said, we told him that the world wants him alive. And he did promise that he wouldn't do it. So I'm trying to have faith. I'm just concerned and I'm scared. So they're worried about him having suicidal ideations here. So that's what she keeps talking about. She said earlier in the day, she went all over the place looking. She went to the parking lot. She did all that shit. She said, I've been trying to tell myself that my kid is just going to come home, that he's been with a girl, and he, you know, he's not thinking about what I'm thinking or feeling. He's going to come home. And so I've just kept the lights on. That's what she tells them. She tells them also, he suddenly had the urge to go to Chicago, but they couldn't go with him. I guess she said neither of us could drop anything and go with it, me or my husband. She said he might be heading to Chicago or to visit friends in Ohio where he went to school.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Okay.

[James Petragalo]

So she asks, can the police check license plates that go through the tolls for my car in Massachusetts?

[Jimmy Whisman]

Great question.

[James Petragalo]

Which is good detective work on her part. They're like, we're not doing that. Jesus Christ. What are you talking about?

[Jimmy Whisman]

That's not all we do.

[James Petragalo]

Listen, lady, that's a lot. That's a lot to do. We're not doing that, all right? That ain't happening. No, not happening.

[Jimmy Whisman]

When we have some sort of indication that he's dead, maybe we'll do that. Or that he's committed a crime, maybe.

[James Petragalo]

Well, we'll comb the streams at that point. What do you want from me? So then Buffy says, do you know how much of a relief I would have with that information? I'm just praying more than anything that he's headed out of state to his friends. But, you know, since he didn't take a damn thing with him except probably a wallet, I'm not so sure what he's done. And I don't know. That's why I'm calling. So the police advise to check toll booths. And they call around to do that. They're looking for it. She's just hoping. She says, I'm going to be like, okay. I can deal with this. Give him some space, and he'll be okay. I know it's only been six hours. And I've been sitting here saying to myself, you know, I trust him. I love him. Have faith he'll be okay. I'm trying to have faith in him. So then, September 8, the next morning, here, she gets a phone call from Orion. He's alive. That's great. He's in good shape. He says he's totally fine. He's in the Boston area and he needs a ride home.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Yeah.

[James Petragalo]

Now, my question would be, don't you have my car?

[Jimmy Whisman]

Where's my fucking car?

[James Petragalo]

She doesn't ask shit. She just says, where are you? I'm coming to get you. She's just relieved. Good for her. And that's that. So she goes to her son, drives down to Massachusetts, picks him up. We don't know where her car is in this house. We don't know where he left it. If it's. Who knows what's. If it got towed by the cops or impounded or. So who the hell knows? But the plans to drive back to Maine, but along the way, they decide to take a detour because outside of Boston is groton. It's about 50 miles outside of Boston. And that's where the grandparents live. That's where Esu and Dan live. So they decide to go see them, make a stop and go see the grandparents on the way home. Why not? We're already down here. It's three hours away. What the hell? So it's Pretty much on the way. It's like, you know, probably a little off the mark. And who. What grandparents wouldn't like to see their daughter and grandson coming to visit them?

[Jimmy Whisman]

Beautiful.

[James Petragalo]

Come on. They love that shit. They love it. So they visit here. They go to the house. It's a quiet little town in Groton. Obviously this is a very peaceful, quiet neighborhood they live in leafy, very safe. So they arrive that afternoon. Bertha May Parker is there, the caretaker who currently lives in Tewksbury. At that time she provides nearly 24 hour care. They're basically confined to reclining chairs in the kitchen most of the day. Oh, they're so old. That's pretty much what they do. So at some point, the four sit down for a meal. Not Bertha May, but Essu, Dan, Orion, Buffy. They sit down for a meal. Dan and Esu in their recliners. Elizabeth on a kitchen stool. Bertha May Parker's upstairs, perhaps doing something else. We don't know what she's doing. She's not hanging out with them. She probably says, I'll leave you alone with your family. Yeah, you know, I'm not a part of your family. So at approximately 4:40pm, everything seems to be going fine.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Yeah.

[James Petragalo]

Orion picks up the phone and he gives a little call to Jamie Haddad. Remember him? He's his instructor. Drumming instructor, former professor, according to Haddad's wife, Mary Gray, because I assume she answered the phone. He doesn't sound like himself. Orion says into the phone, I've done something bad. I stole some money in my mom's car. And then there's a pause and he says, I think I have to kill my mom.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Oh my God, no you don't.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah. So they said. Haddad said, can you repeat? Repeat that. Did I hear that? And he said again, I think I have to kill my mom. Duh. That's what I said. So he also tells him that he intends to kill his mom with golf clubs from his grandparents garage.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Good Lord, man.

[James Petragalo]

And then he's like, all right, well have a good one. And hangs up. They're like, holy shit, what do we do here? He's about to do something crazy. So Mary, the drumming instructor's wife, calls the Rockport police in Maine at 5pm because she knows they live in Rockport. That's all she knows. So she tries to reach Buffy directly and can't get a hold of her. Okay. So the Rockport police sergeant James Moore, takes the call there. He says that Buffy had called the department about her son the day before. He contacts Orion's twin brother Cooper, who tells him that his family's in Massachusetts visiting the grandparents. Okay. So the cop tries Buffy's phone, her cell phone, no answer. He tries the grandmother's number, the grandparents number, no answer. So he googles the grandparents phone number and discovers they live in Groton, Massachusetts. So he calls the Groton police department, okay, and he says, this is Sergeant James Morse. And I was immediately asked if this was about Orion Kraus. He's like, oh, what? He said, I was advised that this was the fifth call in relation to Orion and that quote, officers were at the scene. Oh God, the fifth call. So apparently he's late. Basically he hangs up the phone and why are the cops on the scene? Well, at 5:52pm they had received a 911 call from a neighbor named Wagner Alcocker. Al koser, okay. He's 52 year old guy who's a neighbor on Common Street. There's. They said what's your emergency? And his answer to what's Your emergency at 911 is quote, He's a little bit crazy and he keeps saying that he murdered four people. We don't know who he is.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Oh boy.

[James Petragalo]

So this is later on, this neighbor said, I opened the door and he said, I need help. I closed the door on him because he was naked, covered in mud and, and I didn't know what he had in his hands. Then I opened it again. What would, what would make you open the door? A scary naked, mud covered man like Schwarzenegger at the end of Predator at your door with an unknown item in his hand. You're going to open the door for that?

[Jimmy Whisman]

I Curious George. You are incredibly naive. I would call.

[James Petragalo]

This is what doors are for.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Yeah, and arm myself. I don't give a fuck what I've got.

[James Petragalo]

I'm going to the kitchen. This is how nice of a neighborhood this is though. These people don't even think that. They don't even think about it.

[Jimmy Whisman]

He probably shut the door and then was like, I didn't see that. And then opened the door again.

[James Petragalo]

Maybe he did say that. And then he says, quote, Orion said to him, help me please. Help me, please. I murdered four people. Those are incongruous statements. Help me. I murdered four people. Motherfucker. You don't need help? No.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Get off my. Here's some help. Get the fuck out of here.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, so this Wagner guy thinks he's like either a drug addict, some guy literally tripped out on, took like five tabs of acid, lost his mind, or a severely Mentally ill person that doesn't know what they're talking about. So he says he didn't understand it. He's looking at him and he looked like a tall skinny kid. And he said he was looking at him thinking this guy couldn't hurt a fly. Who's skinny kid? Yeah. It's just some skinny kid at the door. That's why he opened it. He didn't seem threatened by him.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Okay.

[James Petragalo]

So the police arrive, they enter Dan and esu's house and what they see immediately we'll say they said that responding EMT had to step outside so they didn't throw up. That's how bad.

[Jimmy Whisman]

God damn.

[James Petragalo]

25 big, 25 foot kitchen. That looks like it's painted red. Completely like floor to ceiling. Blood. Wow. They find beneath a tree a baseball bat covered in hair tissue and blood. They find that underneath the tree. Okay, now what the fuck happened? Let's find out what happened. Apparently Orion went into the garage looking for the golf clubs and instead he found the baseball bat. Couldn't find the golf clubs. All right. So he said that he then walked outside and practiced swinging by hitting apples. He went outside to get a couple of cuts in the cage.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Yeah.

[James Petragalo]

Just to, you know, before you step up to the plate in the on deck circle, you want to.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Sometimes you gotta fight him off.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah. Try to time the pitcher. He went out and hit some apples around. Then he goes inside.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Okay.

[James Petragalo]

And this is from the district attorney. Said he then went inside and immediately started hitting his mother in the head and face severely and repeatedly with this baseball bat. Just decided to attack his fucking mother. This nice lady who wanted nothing but good for him. Nothing.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Why did he do this?

[James Petragalo]

Okay. Then his grandparents yelled at him to stop, as you would imagine they would. But they were in their chairs and couldn't do anything to make him stop or to even get away from them. All they could do is watch. So he went over and beat them both to death in their recliners with baseball bats.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Oh my word.

[James Petragalo]

His 89 year old grandfather and his 85 year old grandmother. For what? I had old grandparents, I had my grandmothers. Both lived to be 93 and they were so frail. Yeah, like you. I don't even. You when you hug them, it was like. Oh God. Gentle, gentle. Yeah, don't break them. Can't imagine this is horrifying to do anything violent or even anything. Just a fuck. Quick motions you don't want to do around them. So. Gets worse. During the attack, at some point, Bertha May Parker came downstairs. Probably heard the commotion, I would imagine. And she sees what's going on and makes a run for it. She said, oh, shit, I'm getting the fuck out of here. Apparently this is from the district attorney again. Parker was trying to get away when Kraus caught up with her in the home's driveway and struck her in the back of the head with the bat. She died face down in a flower bed in the driveway at 68 years old. This poor woman, they said the ADA here, assistant district attorney, said the wounds to everybody were horrific, to put it mildly. Blood cover in the house, baseball bat beneath the tree. Apparently. What happened is, by the way, Orion had did all this then stripped naked, wandered into the woods, covered himself in mud and walked to the neighbor's house.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Why did he do this?

[James Petragalo]

Naked, naked dick covered in mud.

[Jimmy Whisman]

What the fuck?

[James Petragalo]

Hey, everybody. Just gonna take a quick break from the show to tell you how to get your kids some financial literacy here with acorns early.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Acorns early.com Absolutely.

[James Petragalo]

It's hard to teach your kids about money. Oh, my. It's not a fun subject. They don't want to know about it, so you gotta make it interesting for them. And Acorns early is the way you can do this. Acorns early knows that you've got a lot going on. They know that. That's why they try to help you teach your kids about money one little step at a time. You can let them learn by doing and watching their potential grow for tomorrow. This is what you do. They can watch their savings grow. It's great. You want to teach your kids that hard work pays off. Well. Acorns early is a way to do that. They can learn by doing because it's hard to get them to do chores right. So you have to motivate them. And you can motivate them with things with money. You know, that's how the world works. So that's how it is. Every kid has potential, but no matter what they grow up to be, they're going to have to deal with money. So you need to start building their money skills now. It's important with Acorns early they can learn by doing and watch the small steps they take today grow into the big potential. A lot of parents like us didn't receive this kind of financial education, so you need to impart this to your kids. Acorns early is the money app and debit card that makes it easy to grow kids smart money habits. Acorns early lets kids learn by doing. They can earn money with the inch in app chores tracker when practice real life budgeting with automatic allowances even they can set their own savings goals. It's not just a card, it's their card too. This is important so they have some responsibility. Over 35 customizable designs to choose from. Plus kids feel the impact of their spending choices, sparking independence and confidence with every swipe they make. And parents can get peace of mind too, because kids securely manage their own money. While you can set limits, send money in seconds, get notifications, and step in if the card is ever lost. Because obviously you want to protect your kids and all that and this is really a big deal. You need to do this for your kids. Don't let them go into the world not knowing anything about how money works. Because that is a nightmare and we had to learn the hard way. So are you ready to join the over 1.2 million parents and kids who've unlocked their kids potential with Acorns early? Get your first month on us when you head to acornserly.comsmall or download the Acorns early app. That's one month free when you sign up at acornserly.comsmall now back to the show. Hey everybody. Just gonna take a quick break from the show to tell you about a better kind of safe. SimpliSafe.

[Jimmy Whisman]

SimpliSafe.com S I M P L I safe.com that's right.

[James Petragalo]

If you could stop somebody from breaking in before they got inside, why wouldn't you want to do that? That's the greatest. Yeah, most old school systems, they go off after someone's already inside.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Too late.

[James Petragalo]

The alarm's going off. Woo woo woo. Big deal. They're stealing things. They murdered grandma. Who cares? At that point it's all over. What's the difference? So you don't need that. That's too late. Simplisafe is different. It's proactive. They'll keep Grandma alive with a double layer of defense that stops crimes before they start. You've listened to this show. You need this. There's a lot of bad stuff out there. First, AI powered cameras spot potential threats outside. Then live agents step in talking to the person through the camera. Get out of here. You're not allowed here. Go. Letting them know they're on video and the police are being called right now. So get out and go. They can even trigger a loud sound siren or a spotlight. That's how you stop crime before it starts. There's no long term contracts or hidden fees you can cancel anytime. Named Best Home security systems by U.S. news and World Report for five years running. 60 day money back guarantee. So you can try it and see the difference for yourself. We use it. Our houses, our studios, everything. I can't put together an Ikea coffee table, but I installed this, no problem. That's. I'm telling you, it's good stuff. Super easy. It's great. You can do it too. And you really should because I feel better with this. I really do. For the holidays, protect your family. What are you doing out there this month? Only take 50% off any new system. This is one of the best prices you will ever see from SimpliSafe. Don't miss it. Hit simplisafe.com small again. That's simplisafe.com small and lock in your discount. There's no safe like SimpliSafe.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Now back to the show.

[James Petragalo]

Hey everybody. Just going to take a quick break from the show to tell you a better way to shop with Thrive Market.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Thrive Market.com.

[James Petragalo]

Oh, you know what? The holidays are coming here and it's a time for connection, not chaos.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Yeah.

[James Petragalo]

Between the baking, the gifting, the gatherings, no one wants to spend precious hours in a grocery store with strangers. That's not what you want to do. And with Thrive Market, you can simplify the season. Get yourself premium healthy groceries for your entire family curated and delivered to your door so you can just skip the whole store garbage and save your sanity this holiday season. They have premium pantry essentials all the way to non alcoholic bubbly and nostalgic snacks. Thrive Market put your holiday pantry on autopilot. That's what they can do for you. So. And that's what I do too. So I can focus on the good stuff and not grocery store aisles. Between wrapping and hosting holiday parties, the last thing I want to do and the last thing you want to do is go to the grocery store to track down the seasonal and harder to find items. Thanks to Thrive Market, I can grocery shop from the comfort of my couch and I really do. I love Thrive Market. We order this stuff all the time. I love how you can find like the gluten free options for Sarah. It's great stuff there.

[Jimmy Whisman]

You don't have to compromise health absolutely.

[James Petragalo]

But you can still look for the good little holiday snacks that I've been getting from there. Some of them I didn't even know existed, which is really cool. I'm like, wow, they have this. This is great. So Thrive Market makes it simple to keep things festive and healthy this season by restricting over 1000 sketchy ingredients from the site so everything you shop for is high quality and trustworthy. Thrive Market creates healthy high quality groceries personalized so you can filter by dye free, high protein, low sugar, you name it. The smart sweets are really really good and Thrive Market added their seasonal sour snowflake flavor and that's pretty good stuff. You probably want that. The holidays are always a time to reflect and give back. Which is also why we love Thrive Market's mission through their Thrive Gives program. Every membership purchased sponsors one for a low income family teacher, veteran or first responder. Because access to healthy groceries shouldn't be a privilege. That's a fact. I love this. They have a lot of great options for things. Super easy to shop here, right to your door. There's no reason not to shop at Thrive Market. You can do it too. Go to thrivemarket.com smalltown murder to get 30% off your first order and a free $60 gift.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Now back to the show.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, apparently he came to the neighbor's back door door and this guy said, I opened the door and he said I need help. And I closed the door because he was naked and covered in mud again. Then he opened it and he said he looked like a nice kid who needed help. He said he had real red eyes and he had cuts all over his body and blood above his eye and his knee and he's covered in mud. He said, I thought he was the victim of a prank or in an accident because he looks like a young kid too. He said, it looks like some other kids fucked with him or something. Or he had a mental problem. He wasn't bleeding profusely or anything. And then he said, I murdered four people. But this guy doesn't believe him. He thinks he's just talking crazy. And then Orion apparently said, I need my sleeping pills. That's what he said. So this neighbor Wagner here was polite and Orion was polite to him. They had a little back and forth. He even asked Wagner's wife to open the door for him since his hands were dirty. He didn't want to get it muddy, right? So they called 91 1. That's the he keeps saying he murdered four people. We don't know who he is. The cops, when they walk in, officer that responded said, I walked up the step to the back patio and I could see a white male in his early 20s sitting in a patio chair. The male was naked and it appeared he had rubbed mud all over his body. The male was also covered in thin cuts. He said, are you okay? What's going on that's what the officer said. Hey, are you okay? What's going on? His response is, quote, I murdered four people. Guy says, who? Which his first response at that point should have been, you have the right to remain silent. Yeah. But instead he said, who? And Orion said, my grandparents, my mother and my grandparents. Aid. Oh, everybody, the cops, everyone, whatever. They had pretty much they said, where? And he points to the woods near the house and says, somewhere over there. He just. Yonder, basically, is what he said. So they said, how? And he said, quote, I killed my family with a baseball bat. I said, what's the last name of your parents or what's the name of your grandparents? He says, lackey. L A C K E Y Dang. So they cuff him, obviously. The officers head in there, they find a bed sheet, they wrap it around him, by the way, and sit him back down in a chair. Wagner goes inside, gets a bedsheet. And then they said, Orion began to quietly sing to himself. And then he says to everybody, quote, I freed them. I freed them. He keeps saying it, I freed them. So, holy shit, the guy's looking, going to the murder scene, said, one guy said, I look through a bay window and can see a light on. He said, as I looked in the window, I observed two elderly looking people seated separately in chairs facing my direction. Both persons appeared to have severe trauma to the face and forehead. The door was locked. So this guy kicks it in, the sergeant and he finds horror. I mean, a horror movie couldn't be more horrific. You couldn't recreate it in a movie. Blood on the floor, blood on the ceiling, blood everywhere. He said, the old people are in recliners facing forward. He said, as I walked a little closer, I then saw a third victim that I was not able to see prior. That victim was seated in a chair, slouched down with the back of their head against the corner of the kitchen island. And obviously that's Buffy. Yeah. So apparently the Elizabeth ESU had suffered massive head wounds in the attack. And everybody did, pretty much. They checked the rest of the house. Then they go outside. They came in through the back, remember? Then they go out front and said, we found a fourth victim outside, face down in the flower bed parallel to the driveway. That's Bertha May Parker. She's the only victim who was attacked from behind. And she's also the only one who ran. Everybody else was seated. They found an eight foot trail of blood next to her body, which was, you know, goes back to where she was there, probably dripping off the bat. I would think so. The EMT responding, like we said, had to step outside to not throw up. They found discarded clothes in the woods nearby. A bat beneath the tree, covered in blood and hair and tissue. They radio back to the. Because the other cop is. They radio to the cop who's with Orion on the patio.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Yeah.

[James Petragalo]

Having a chit chat. And this cop said, I could tell in the tone of Sergeant Goodwin's voice that he may have found victims. So they read him his Miranda rights. He says he understands them and he doesn't want to talk anymore.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Okay.

[James Petragalo]

He takes. He goes to the hospital for evaluation. During that evaluation, he tells a nurse that he's a heroin user.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Oh.

[James Petragalo]

Oh.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Mom was right.

[James Petragalo]

That's what he said. She would know. They said friends were completely unaware of any drug use. So if he was doing it, he was hiding it from everybody. His mother told police he didn't do drugs or alcohol, but he told the nurse he did heroin. I don't know why you would tell the nurse you do heroin if you don't do heroin. This is crazy. This is the chief of police, Donald Palma. He had a 42 year law enforcement veteran. He said, it's something I could have done without for the remainder of my career. But it did happen. He said it was the worst he's ever seen. He'd had to bring in his entire department to respond. He said literally, no, there was not another cop in town for anything. He said, if you called our dispatch, they would send somebody from another jurisdiction. They would ask for help because we didn't have any cops left. He said it's a horrific situation and we're not used to dealing with it. I want to assure the town that we are safe, your department is safe, and we're going to continue on. Everybody's fine, so they have a vigil for everybody. The reverend said four people are dead, two of them are elderly. Killed by a young man who is known and loved by them. We do not understand this. Yeah, I am. I'd like to join the congregation on. This one. Is in the. I don't understand this congregation.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Certainly.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, I am. I'm in the pew. Amen, brother. I don't know what else to say.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I can't believe it either.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah. The Oberlin Conservatory puts out a statement.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Yeah.

[James Petragalo]

And said the nature of this crime is horrific and the grief of the family and friends is immeasurable. And yet Orion is one of our own. So they're not trying to hide from it anyway, that he went there. Reactions are crazy. Wolfgang Bagel he said, this is the most devastating news I've ever heard in my life. He said, everything.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I thought my name was gonna be the most tragic thing ever. And now this.

[James Petragalo]

Christ's sake. Wolfgang Bagel. And now my friend's a murderer. He said he played basketball two weeks before the murders with Orion and everything was perfectly fine. High school band director that, you know, he played under said, I just can't make any sense of it. The Orion Kraus I knew here at Camden Hills would never have done something like that. He's being accused of. She said he was a wonderful student. So she said his father would chaperone jazz band trips. His parents were supportive of his musical endeavors. So who knows? The town does not want to be defined by this, though, that is for sure. They want to be like, listen, this isn't us. He didn't even live here. They don't want to be the murder town at all.

[Jimmy Whisman]

He's from elsewhere.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, I would say. They said, this is. Who is this? One of the town town manager. He said, when you have an event like this, it makes you reflect on the community. Groton is such a tight knit community. It's such a wonderful place. It's a great place to raise a family. And I don't think one incident like this is going to change that. I'm confident that the town will rebound well. And then the selectman, Joshua Deegan, said, there hasn't been a murder in this community in over 20 years. Again. The other one this week that we did, the Kentucky one. 20 years. 20 damn years.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Every 20 years somebody's got to die.

[James Petragalo]

Had to happen terribly, but their grandpa's got to die.

[Jimmy Whisman]

And it's something that is fucking unreal.

[James Petragalo]

That I can't believe that.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I want to know what the. What's the catalyst, man, especially.

[James Petragalo]

Those are like cool old people you'd want to talk to because they've like done shit and have cool experiences. Talk to those old people. They're fun. Don't beat them to death.

[Jimmy Whisman]

And you be kind to them and they'll take care of you whenever they dignifiedly pass on of their own volition. Yeah.

[James Petragalo]

So he said, haven't had a murder in over 20 years. And it's not something we're used to dealing with. One murder is bad enough. Four murders is horrific. And this community is very much in shock. So he goes to get arraigned. He said he's just real. His picture too. He's just a real placid, relaxed son of a bitch, man.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I want to See this kid.

[James Petragalo]

Calm morning on the lake. Yeah. So he said that the attorney, the DA said this is a tragic incident of family violence. The judge ordered Orion to undergo a mental health evaluation which seems very warranted. At the Bridgewater State Hospital, a not guilty plea is entered on his behalf. They also. The judge issues an impoundment order.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Of what?

[James Petragalo]

Which seals all court and police records reports related to the case. The order states because the investigation is ongoing and involves gruesome details, the information should be withheld. It also references allegations of abuse, though it provides no other details. The media outlets, including the Boston Coast Globe and Lowell sun, immediately challenged this order on constitutional grounds of you can't just hide willy nilly, you know, suppress police records. So this goes all the way through. They go to, they argue in court. They said future jurors in this case will be discussing these things long before my client has the ability to challenge their admissibility. So the judge is saying it's to not poison the jury pool. That's why they're sealing it. Once everything's out, then it'll be open. Kind of like the Coburger thing was a lot like that. Yeah, because it was a very, you know, well known thing here. So the Orion's father, Lexi, files an affidavit pleading for the records to remain impounded. He says, as the court can well imagine, my family and I have been devastated by both the recent deaths of our loved ones and my son's arrest for their murders. Speaking for the defendant's twin brother and myself, we're both in deep shock over what has occurred. In just the past two weeks, I've had to bury my wife, my in laws and see my son confined to an institution for the criminally insane. Must I now also read the grisly details of the crime scene in the newspaper? Must I hear the public discuss the precise condition of my wife's body when it was found? What good will it serve to force that information on my family and me? No doubt many are morbidly curious about such things, but I cannot bear them. That's life, man. That's America. If you were. That's just how it sucks for you. I mean, I'm not saying tough shit. I'm just saying that's, you know, we live in an information society.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Don't take it out on us.

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, this is an information society. You know what I mean? Your son did it. Like you said. One family friend, a psychiatrist, also filed an affidavit arguing that Orion may be struggling to regain self control. In the face of an emerging mental illness. And releasing the detailed documents could set him back. So September 22, 2017, the judge rescinds the impoundment order. And. Yeah, so that's that. Now, competency 40 day court ordered assessment at the Bridgewater State Hospital. They deem him competent to stand trial.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Is that right?

[James Petragalo]

Yeah, I guess, if you medicate him. Yikes. He. Court records show that he'd been administered antipsychotic medications since his arrest, and now he's feeling much better. Okay. His lawyer says he should be in a psychiatric setting. And, you know, he shouldn't be in jail. This is what he is.

[Jimmy Whisman]

He should certainly be in jail. Jail, but you know what I mean.

[James Petragalo]

Something lock this kid up forever. That's what. Yeah. The lawyer's saying, you know, he obviously should be in some sort of psychological issue or some sort.

[Jimmy Whisman]

He needs help.

[James Petragalo]

They end up diagnosing him as a schizophrenic schizophrenia.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Okay.

[James Petragalo]

So he remains at Bridgewater to stabilize. And his attorney said he's smart but volatile. He's hard to deal with. So April 18, 2018, is his superior court arraignment. When asked how he pleads in the charge of killing his grandparents and Bertha May. And Bertha May, he says flatly, not guilty. When asked about his mother, he starts kind of holding back. Cheers and choking, and his voice is breaking. He says, not guilty. So his father and his brother are both there supporting him.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Okay.

[James Petragalo]

His lawyer said, at the end of the day, I think mental illness will be the explanation for this event. An insanity defense. Not guilty by reason of mental defects. So he also said, oh, the DA told everybody that I would describe the scene as mildly, as horrific. That's the most mild I can put it. So the trial set for May 2019, and then it gets postponed for early 20. 20, 20. And then Covid happens. So he's transferred from the Bridgewater State Hospital to the Middlesex County County Jail. He's attended other hearings. Alexander Kraus said he declined to speak. And he just said, I would say it's a mental illness that caused this to happen and only mental illness. That's all he would say. Okay. September 2021. Prosecutors offer a deal. Plead guilty to four counts of second degree murder instead of first degree murder, and in exchange, life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Pretty decent deal.

[James Petragalo]

That's a good deal. It takes into consideration his lack of criminal record, his age at the time of the crime, and his clearly fucked up mental state. Clearly, there's something wrong here. So the District attorney presented the prosecution's case, him pulling out a baseball bat from a long paper bag to show.

[Jimmy Whisman]

And took it out back to swing practice.

[James Petragalo]

And I'll show it's covered in blood. I mean, it's from stained red. It's nasty. Goes through the timeline, the practice swings on the apples and talks about the cops calling to try to. People calling to try to stop him. And they said the calls came too late. Your Honor, they have family impact statements here talking about this. The sister said, the utter brutality, the human indecency, the cruelty of this act is beyond comprehension. There are acts that with the veracity, the ferocity, the complete cross cruelty that our loved ones met that day is a darkness beyond any theology or any philosophy and maybe any psychology of understanding. He said, they said, anything to say for yourself? He apologizes and said, I was in a psychotic state at the time. And he said, I pray we will be able to process it in the future, hopefully together. As he turns to his father and his brother and says that the sentence, you jazzy lunatic, may fuck off. Agreed upon sentence. Eligible for parole in 25 years. He'd only be 51 when that happens. Whoa. Yeah, man, that's a lot. So that's. 51 is terrifying. He can still be drumming at 51. I mean, so they said before he was charged with this. You know, they're talking about all this. And his friend said, it's a hard thing to think through mentally. He was my friend. I feel really sad this happened to him and he could be paroled. Then that's that. So there you go. Everybody there is Groton, Massachusetts. Holy shit. Head shaker.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Are those well off? Just the privilege. How can you say happened to him? He did this.

[James Petragalo]

He did it. I don't know. Mental. Mental problems. Something's wrong.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Not a victim.

[James Petragalo]

No, no.

[Jimmy Whisman]

I mean, he's obviously something's wrong and he was. He was caught.

[James Petragalo]

I don't know. That's what I mean.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Who knows Something's wrong.

[James Petragalo]

If you have an idea or if you just like the show, get on whatever app you're on and give us five stars. It helps a ton. Please do that. Head to shutupandgivemerder.com get your tickets for live shows. Full slate of 2026 live shows for sale right now. I'm not going to do the dates, but I'll do the cities. Nashville, Durham, Atlanta, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, Buffalo, Royal Oak, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Dallas, San Jose, Sacramento, Tarrytown and Boston. And if you didn't hear your city on there, it's not cause we don't like you or any of that. It's because we probably were there last year or we were trying to go there but it didn't work out with anything else on another weekend and we couldn't.

[Jimmy Whisman]

Indy was the plan.

[James Petragalo]

That was a plan. It didn't happen. So there you go. So thank you so much for doing that. Get your tickets right there. Patreon.com CrimeInSports is where you get all the bonus material. 5 bucks a month or above and hundreds of bonus episodes immediately upon subscription. New ones every other week. We're going to finish up Charles Starkweather this week. You get it all. You get all the shows. We put out ad free and you get a shout out at the end of the regular show. If you want to find us on social media head over to shutupandgivememurder.com drop down Mendies take you wherever you want to go and until next week everybody it's been our pleasure. Bye. Sam.