Episode 330

Summary

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Sword and Scale Episode 330 Summary

Overview

Theme:
This episode of Sword and Scale (#330) tells the chilling true crime story of the murder of 17-year-old Kaitlin Root in St. Joseph, Missouri. Through raw, uncensored audio—911 calls, police interrogations, and interviews—the episode unravels how social isolation, toxic delusions, and the dangerous intersection of youthful aimlessness with dark fantasy culminated in a senseless, "satanic" killing. The narrative explores the criminal investigation’s twists, dead-ends, and final heart-wrenching revelations.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Discovery of the Crime

• Setting: Krug Park, a tranquil local landmark, is where a jogger discovered Kaitlin’s naked, stabbed body on October 16, 2016.

  • Memorable quote, describing the scene (03:48):
    • “She had been stabbed repeatedly, her throat slit. This was no accident. It was a brutal and deliberate killing.” — Mike Boudet

• Immediate Challenges:

  • No ID, no sexual assault, and clothes scattered nearby.
  • Dubbed “Krug Park Jane” until a high school t-shirt led to her identification.

2. Kaitlin Root's Background

• Complex Home Life:

  • Parents divorced, living with neither, but "welcomed as family" by a friend’s household.
  • Lively, popular, with a bubbly presence, but sometimes drawn into chaotic environments.

• Friends and Relationships:

  • Described as having several fleeting boyfriends; at the time of death, no active relationship.

3. Investigation – Red Herrings and Early Suspects

• Kevin Whitmer:

  • Recent tension with Kaitlin involving rumors of violence, prominently aired on social media.
  • Voluntarily interviewed; denied romantic involvement or physical altercation:
    • (13:49) “She wanted to [date], but I… I'm cool with friends, but that's as far as it's gonna go.” — Kevin Whitmer

• Adam Brown:

  • Longtime friend, "friend-zoned" but possibly jealous.
  • Last to see Kaitlin alive; claims she left to meet "Amanda Mix."

• Amanda Mix:

  • Former best friend; denied involvement and claimed a group home alibi, not entirely airtight.
  • Investigation stalled as stories conflicted: Was Adam lying, or was Amanda?

4. Breakthrough: The Real Amanda and the Real Plan

• Forensic Discovery:

  • Recovery of Kaitlin’s phone reveals she was meeting Amanda Bennett—not Amanda Mix.
  • Amanda Bennett, 17, and her boyfriend, Sebastian Dowell, 18, become prime suspects.

• Their Profile:

  • Isolated, reclusive couple, both high school dropouts raising a baby in Amanda’s mom’s house.
  • Suspected of dark, satanic interests based on journals and books found during searches.

5. Interviews, Alibis, and Unraveling Lies

• Amanda Bennett's Interrogation:

  • Cold and controlling, indifferent and evasive ("I shaved his legs...to get rid of his masculinity"—41:57).
  • Lied about being at the movies; surveillance footage proved otherwise.
  • Grew frustrated and combative, but later attempted to display remorse (after time in jail).

• Sebastian Dowell's Interrogation:

  • Initially emotionless, claimed to be a "sociopath" and polytheist, “worshipping Hades.”
  • Alleged to have an alternate personality, “Drake,” responsible for memory lapses:
    • (62:29) “Sometimes it's just like I blink my eyes and it's over…”

6. Confessions and Contradictory Narratives

• Sebastian’s Confession:

  • Blamed Amanda as the mastermind; described the murder as a “satanic sacrifice,” with both participating.

• Amanda’s Confession:

  • Claimed she messaged several girls to hang out, Kaitlin just happened to accept.
  • Said Sebastian pressured her, gave her a weapon, and forced her to participate.
  • Admitted to striking Kaitlin and witnessing the attack, but tried to minimize her involvement, claiming Sebastian handled the fatal act (see 67:58).

• Key Takeaway:

  • Both tried to shift major responsibility to the other, but evidence showed equal culpability.

7. Aftermath and Sentencing

• Patterns of Coldness and Rationalization:

  • Both suspects alternated between cold sociopathy and self-pity.
  • Amanda suggested house arrest because she was a mother:
    • (80:45) “I should be put in jail for some time, but I do have a baby that's two months old…” — Amanda Bennett

• Justice Served:

  • Both pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to life in prison with parole possibility.

• Epitaph:

  • (82:21) “Kaitlyn wasn't targeted because she was part of a love triangle... She was just the first person to say yes to a Facebook message. That's it. That's all it took. One moment of trust, one response to an invitation, and her life was over.” — Mike Boudet

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Notable Quotes & Key Moments (with Timestamps)

• Discovery/Scene:

  • (03:48) “She had been stabbed repeatedly… This was no accident. It was a brutal and deliberate killing.” — Boudet

• Family Reaction:

  • (08:35-09:33) “We do believe it is Caitlin that was found up in Krug Park... So we're standing by. Somebody can do that. Jared, we're going to do everything in our power, you know...”— Doug

• On Kaitlin’s Lifestyle:

  • (11:10) “She was a very promiscuous little girl... She didn't have to do that to be liked.” — Family Member

• Kevin Whitmer Interview:

  • (13:49) “She wanted to [date], but I… I'm cool with friends, but that's as far as it's gonna go.”

• Amanda Mix Play:

  • (30:23) “I'm not talking until y'all call Tina. It’s one of those things... you can get that fucking proof right now. Does that not make sense?”

• On Amanda & Sebastian's Relationship:

  • (41:47) “I shaved his legs... to get rid of his masculinity. ...Because he thinks he's all that.” — Amanda Bennett

• Sebastian’s "Religion":

  • (60:02) “I'm a sociopath, for starters. Like that's when Bristol is so calm. I have no emotion right now. I have my own religion... mine is Hades, lord of the underworld.”

• Amanda’s Attempt at Minimizing:

  • (80:45) “I should be put in jail for some time, but I do have a baby...there's house arrest.” — Amanda Bennett

• Boudet’s Final Assessment:

  • (82:21) “Their belief system wasn't just stupid, it was deadly. And Kaitlin Root paid the ultimate price for their stupidity.”

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Important Segment Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------ | | 03:08–05:33 | 911 call; body discovered; Kaitlin identified | | 09:59–13:15 | Interviews with friends, boyfriends; red herrings| | 18:07–24:04| Adam Brown & Amanda Mix interviews; confusion | | 33:43–36:52| Discovery of Amanda Bennett & Sebastian | | 40:37–45:08| Amanda & Sebastian interrogated; their dynamic | | 54:43–56:52| Amanda's chilling indifference | | 57:57–60:26| Sebastian's bizarre self-description & confession | | 64:32–69:29| Amanda's confession; attack details | | 75:29–77:23| Amanda's targeting of multiple girls | | 80:45–82:21| Amanda rationalizes; Boudet's final reflections |

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Episode Tone and Voice

• Unequivocally dark, sarcastic and biting. Mike Boudet’s narration balances emotional outrage, graphic description, and scathing social commentary, frequently mocking the self-delusions of the perpetrators and highlighting the perils of unchecked alienation.
• Direct, unsentimental treatment of tragic subject matter, with frequent editorial asides on youth alienation, family dysfunction, and criminal stupidity.

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Conclusion

This episode exposes the terrifying randomness with which lives can be shattered by seemingly ordinary people lost in toxic, fantasy-driven isolation. Kaitlin Root’s murder was not a crime of passion or revenge—it was the outcome of being the first to accept a friend’s message. Amanda Bennett and Sebastian Dowell’s descent into “satanic” delusion and violence is dissected with unsparing honesty, serving as both a horrifying true crime tale and a cautionary reflection on the dangers of loneliness, obsession, and youth adrift.

“One moment of trust, one response to an invitation, and her life was over.” — Sword and Scale

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Transcript

[Mike Boudet]

Sword and Scale contains adult themes and violence and is not intended for all audiences.

[Doug]

Listener discretion is advised. What happened? It's okay. It's okay. Get it off your chest. I didn't do anything. You're a liar. You danced around in her blood and blah, blah. Yay me. Look at me. Here's to you, Satan. Here's to you, my first sacrifice.

[Mike Boudet]

Life is hard, but it is wonderful, isn't it? And every day is a gift. So thank you for sharing yours with us today. This is episode 330 of Sword and Scale, a show that reveals that the worst monsters are real.

[Doug]

It's.

[Mike Boudet]

And Doug.

[Doug]

Here we have the Limu Emu in.

[Mike Boudet]

Its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating.

[Doug]

It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug. Limu. Is that guy with the binoculars watching us? Cut the camera. They see us.

[Mike Boudet]

Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty Liberty.

[Doug]

Liberty. Liberty Savings. Very underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates.

[Mike Boudet]

Excludes Massachusetts. Tucked into the northern edge of St. Joseph, Missouri, Krug park spans 163 acres of meticulously landscaped grounds, Renaissance style architecture and winding walking trails. Sounds nice. Known for its rose gardens, quiet lagoon, and even whimsical Italian castle, the park draws families and joggers alike, especially when it transforms into a glowing spectacle during the holidays. But beneath its tranquil charm and seasonal cheer, Krug park holds a dark memory. One that shattered its peaceful facade.

[Doug]

Hijab. 911, where's your emergency? I'm actually out running the trails at Krug park and I'm pretty sure I just ran right across the dead body. Why do you think that there's a dead body there? I wasn't sure if it was a mannequin, like Halloween or not, but because it's just sitting there, that's still. But I just stood there, you know, for two minutes trying to take everything in. And it's real. I didn't touch it. I didn't want to put it. Did she have any injuries, anything like that? Again, I came up to the front, but it looked like a hole, like in the middle of her chest. And then a cut by her neck, like maybe her neck was floating. Okay, can you describe the person to me? Young lady? Completely. Like her clothes are all ripped off. Her shoes are right next to her. Did you see any hair or eye color on the female? The eyes were wide open. They're brown.

[Mike Boudet]

On the morning of October 16, 2016, a young man was walking through Krug park. When he made a discovery that would haunt him for the rest of his life. He found the body of a teenage girl lying exposed on the jogging trail. She had been stabbed repeatedly, her throat slit. This was no accident. It was a brutal and deliberate killing. When investigators arrived, the details were as strange as they were disturbing. The girl was naked, her clothes tossed nearby in plain sight. No attempt had been made to hide her or the clothing. There were no signs of sexual assault and no form of identification was found. A search of the surrounding area turned up only a few broken and seemingly useless pieces of a cell phone. A medical examiner later concluded that the murder had taken place recently, likely within 24 hours of the body being found. It was ultimately determined that the teenage girl was killed the night before. The investigators first priority was to identify the girl until they had a name. She was referred to only as Krug Park Jane. Hoping for a lead, detectives examined her discarded clothing and found a logo on a T shirt, one belonging to a nearby high school. They visited the high school where the principal provided a tentative identification. A 17 year old student named Kaitlin Root. Yearbook photos confirmed it. The victim was Kaitlin. Detectives then reached out to her family and continued the investigation by interviewing her father.

[Doug]

Now, is Caitlyn the only child you guys have together? Yes. Okay. And when was the last time you saw Caitlyn? It was actually in person. It was probably around the. I think probably the seventh. Okay.

[Mike Boudet]

Kaitlin's parents were divorced and she wasn't living with either of them at the time, which partly explained why no missing persons report had been filed before her body was found.

[Doug]

And when was the last time that she stayed with you? It's been about a year. About a year. What's Caitlyn's lifestyle like? Yeah, she's just. Let's follow her friends, do whatever they do. Okay.

[Mike Boudet]

A few months before the murder, Kaitlin's mother was preparing for an out of state job transfer. At the time, Caitlin was living with her and. But the prospect of leaving her friends behind didn't sit well. She was determined to stay in St. Joseph. Looking for another option, Kaitlin reached out to her best friend's mom and grandmother to ask if she could move in with them. They didn't hesitate and welcomed Kaitlin with open arms. They had known Kaitlin for years and already thought of her as family.

[Doug]

How do you feel about Kaitlin? Before this all happened, what did you think about her? She's my daughter. She's not my biological. No, but from the moment she walked in the door and met me, I was Mama. That was that.

[Mike Boudet]

Caitlyn was welcomed by a loving family who offered her care and support. But the home was considerably chaotic and very crowded.

[Doug]

Houlal lives there with her. There's a list. There's my buddy Pablo and then Tabitha and her two daughters and then grandma, Grandpa, and then basically their nurses. Home care people take care of it. Okay. Yeah. But they also are kind of looking at the residence. Oh, really? Yeah, there's actually two houses right next door to each other. Okay. Grandpa has one and then grandma has the other. And so where does Caitlyn stay? With who does Caitlyn. She stayed in Grandma's.

[Mike Boudet]

Despite the crowded living situation, everyone in the house was glad to have Caitlin move in. They genuinely liked her. In fact, Caitlin was well liked by many. Her cheerful personality and charm made people naturally gravitate towards her.

[Doug]

Caitlyn has. She's crazy, but it's a bit crazy. What do you mean by that? Like she's violent. She's kinda got my personality, which is. How would you describe that? Bubbly. Bubbly, Which. And Caitlyn's. She's fun to be around. She's fun to be around. Yeah.

[Mike Boudet]

Tragically, Caitlyn's life was cut short at just 17 years old. And investigators were faced with the heartbreaking duty of informing her family and friends that the young woman found in Krug park was Kaitlin Root.

[Doug]

You know, there's really no easy way to say this or do this. We do believe it is Caitlin that was found up in Crumb Park. We're really probably pretty certain it is. We do have a couple pictures that if you'd be willing to take a look at to say for sure. Yeah, there's really no easy way to put. Prepare yourself for this. I'll just, you know, when you're ready if you just wanna. Yep, that's fair. You relatively certain? Are you 100% or. Yeah. Sir. How can you be so sure? Just tell by the picture. I'm so, so very sorry for your loss. So we're standing by. Somebody can do that. Jared, we're going to do everything in our power, you know, to be able.

[Mike Boudet]

To answer all the questions for you naturally. Everyone who knew and loved Kaitlin were desperate for answers. They wanted to know who had done this to her and why.

[Doug]

I just want to know who. So do we. And we're working on it. I just can't figure out why. Even, even if we figure out the who, why, hopefully they'll be able to explain it. Caitlyn, who would be that mad at her? I don't know.

[Mike Boudet]

For a time, the case was a classic whodunit. Kaitlin was an extremely well liked teenager, making the brutal nature of her murder all the more perplexing. Investigators and loved ones alike were left asking the same haunting. Why would anyone want to kill her? Adding to the confusion, no one could explain why Kaitlin had even been at Krug park in the first place.

[Doug]

So as far as you, you think it's out of character for her to be walking in the park? Yes. Okay. Does she enjoy nature at all? She's never been to the park at Cruk park ever. Okay.

[Mike Boudet]

By the time you've known her, she.

[Doug]

Didn'T like Donna Barrington. She hasn't been there since I've known her in about a year or two. I don't think she would go to the park unless it was a coercion.

[Mike Boudet]

In their efforts to unravel the mystery, investigators spoke with several of Kaitlin's family members and everyone she'd been living with. All were cleared as suspects, and none could shed light on why Kaitlin had gone to Krug park that night, the night she was killed. With those leads exhausted, detectives shifted their focus to another group of people. Caitlyn's boyfriends.

[Doug]

She has dated several people. Katie has. She was a very promiscuous little girl. Oh, really? Yes. And I'm not saying that to, no, no disrespect or anything disrespect her character, but she was. And the week before this all happened, she and I had gotten into an argument over it. I said, caitlyn, you don't have to do that to be liked. You think she was doing it to be liked? I think she was doing it to be liked to fit in.

[Mike Boudet]

Caitlyn had been through many short lived relationships, but at the time of her murder, she wasn't dating anyone.

[Doug]

So who's Caitlyn dating at the time? She was dating nobody. Okay. Who was she seeing somebody before? Not that I knew of. Like, I knew there was somebody named Kevin at the time. Okay. If I were Sandy, give me somebody that would want to hurt her. Who would come to your mind? I would have to say Kevin. Why would you say Kevin? From what she was telling me before, that he has put hands on her?

[Mike Boudet]

During the initial round of interviews, one name surfaced repeatedly. Kevin Whitmer. It quickly became clear that there had been some recent tension or drama between him and Caitlin.

[Doug]

I know she was getting Threats from Kevin Allen Whitmer. She sent you about the guy who hit her? Yeah.

[Mike Boudet]

Who's this Whitmer? Apparently he hit her on Friday. She sent him a message saying, hey.

[Doug]

He hit me, and stuff like that. Well, then other people started putting on. What? She put it on Facebook.

[Mike Boudet]

Public, right. Publicly.

[Doug]

Then all these other people started commenting on it. What was it about? Any idea what that was about? No, I have no clue.

[Mike Boudet]

Rumors started to swirl after a Facebook post and a string of comments beneath it suggested that Kevin Whitmer had recently gotten violent with Caitlyn. But before investigators had a chance to find Kevin, he contacted them and voluntarily came to the police station for an interview.

[Doug]

How did you meet her? She is a friend of mine. Old buddies. How long have you known her? Actually known her for probably maybe three weeks. When's the first time you guys started talking or hanging out or whatever? Actually talking, it would have been roughly three weeks ago. That's just, you know, conversation. But when did you guys start hanging out?

[Mike Boudet]

Hanging out?

[Doug]

Dating? I think the first time we hung out was like a week and a half ago. What'd you guys do? Just drove around. Were you guys hanging out as friends?

[Mike Boudet]

Yeah.

[Doug]

Looking into engaging in a relationship with her. She wanted to, But I. She's 17. I'm 21. That's my thing. She wanted to, and I was like, I'm cool with friends, but that's as far as it's gonna go. She tried kissing me. I mean, we kiss. That's about it. That's the end of it.

[Mike Boudet]

21 year old Kevin told investigators he had only known Kaitlin for a short while and insisted he had no interest in a romantic relationship with her. According to him, it was Kaitlin who had wanted something more.

[Doug]

And then we finally got to hang out Thursday, and then she stayed the night with me. You guys watch movies, sitting there on Facebook and talking. Did she stay the night that night? Okay. Anything going on that night? Now, here's the deal.

[Mike Boudet]

We've already talked about this. 17, 21, right?

[Doug]

No, listen.

[Mike Boudet]

Legal.

[Doug]

So I, I just want to make.

[Mike Boudet]

Sure that you're telling me the truth, please.

[Doug]

Because if you don't the most. She, I, I did talk to her about, you know, having sex and I just. And she told me that she's had sex with multiple people. And I'm like, no, it's not gonna happen. So we just cuddled and when we got up next morning, we laid in bed until probably, like I said, 12:31 o'. Clock. And then I took her home and dropped her off.

[Mike Boudet]

Kevin explained he was put off by Caitlyn's age and her alleged promiscuity, so he chose not to sleep with her or pursue a relationship. He also claimed the last time he saw her was three days before the murder when he dropped her off at home. The following day, he received a strange and threatening phone call.

[Doug]

A 689 number called me and was like, are you Kevin Whitmer? I was like, who is this? And he's like, don't worry about it. Just know that you're a woman beater. And if you don't beat on a woman, you can beat on me. So I called Caitlyn and I was like, what the hell is going on? And she's like, you know, you hit me twice and gave me two bloody noses. And I was like, the ever I don't put my hands on women. She's like, you know what you did and off, or whatever. And she hung up on me. So I made a status after that and put it on Facebook. I have all the screenshots of all the comments up to that to last night. Whenever I went to sleep, I woke up this morning, like, 30 plus people comment on it. So I just went and deleted it.

[Mike Boudet]

According to Kevin, Kaitlin had told someone he hit her. This was an allegation that he firmly.

[Doug]

Denied, with her claiming that you punched her in the face and gave her a bloody nose and all that.

[Mike Boudet]

Why do you think that she would say that?

[Doug]

What did she get out of it? Attention? I don't know, honestly.

[Mike Boudet]

With this new information, investigators were faced with two possibilities, neither of which was easy to prove. Either Kaitlin, upset over being rejected, had falsely accused Kevin of violence. Or Kevin was lying to cover up something far more sinister. Without evidence, both scenarios seemed frustratingly out of reach. And this was just the beginning. As the investigation unfolded, detectives encountered a growing list of unusual suspects, each one adding new layers of confusion. More often than not, interviews ended with more questions than answers, and investigators were left asking the one question that continued to haunt them. Who killed Kaitlin Root?

[Doug]

Limu Emu.

[Mike Boudet]

And Doug.

[Doug]

Here we have the limu emu in.

[Mike Boudet]

Its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating.

[Doug]

It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug. Uh, limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us. Cut the camera. They see us.

[Mike Boudet]

Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty, Liberty, Liberty. Liberty Savings Fairy Underwritten by Liberty Mutual.

[Doug]

Insurance Co. Affiliates excludes Massachusetts.

[Mike Boudet]

On October 16, 2016, 17 year old Kaitlin Root was found murdered in Krug Park. She had been stabbed, her throat slit, her naked body left in plain sight. With no witnesses and a few leads, investigators struggled to piece together why she was there, who she was with, and what went so horribly wrong. Suspicions swirled around a young man named Kevin Whitmer, but nothing could be proven. And the deeper investigators dug, the stranger the case became. During their conversations with Kevin, investigators learned about another young man who was reportedly eager and maybe even desperate to start a romantic relationship with Kaitlin.

[Doug]

What exactly did she tell you about Adam? That this guy has the biggest crush on her. She doesn't want to be with him and he keeps messing her, suicidal. He wants to cut himself. He wants to kill himself. Da, da, da.

[Mike Boudet]

Police were already familiar with the name Adam Brown. He was one of Kaitlin's closest friends. They'd known each other for years and were often seen together. To those who knew them, the dynamic was clear. Adam wanted something more, but Kaitlin had firmly placed him in the friend zone.

[Doug]

Adam kind of always had a thing for her. It just never worked out. Yeah, that's the way I would interpret it, judging by actions. What do you mean by his actions? He was always trying to impress her in some way or shape or form. She thought of him as a brother, nothing more or less. He wanted more. You think he wanted more? Do you think he was jealous of the attention the other young men got from her? If he was, he never let it show. And technically he's the last person we really know was seen with her. Right. By his own admission. Right.

[Mike Boudet]

After gathering some background information on Adam's relationship with Kaitlin, investigators brought him in for questioning.

[Doug]

Well, I believe it was like 15th Saturday. So I messaged Caitlin and I asked her if she wanted to hang out for a little bit, I can come by. Because she was, where she was staying was like right up the street from me. Pretty much just sat over on the other porch at Grandpa's. And we were just talking and talking and talking, catching up, and we were just sitting there and then she like jumps off the porch and was like, I gotta go meet the Amanda. And I'm like, amanda who? And then she said, amanda mix. And I'm like, I wouldn't even just stay home and slay. Don't you get hurt.

[Mike Boudet]

Adam freely admitted he was with Kaitlin on the front porch of her home the night she was murdered and that he was the last person to see her alive. He claimed that during their Final moments together. Kaitlin abruptly decided to leave and meet up with someone else. Poor Adam. Adam said he tried to warn her not to go, but she ignored his advice.

[Doug]

She didn't listen. She went down to the corner on 15th and Olive, got into a car that I couldn't even actually recognize. It looked like a SUV ish kind of looking thing. And that's the last I heard from her.

[Mike Boudet]

Adam told investigators that Kaitlin stepped off her front porch, walked down the road, and climbed into a mysterious black suv. If you've heard enough sword and scale, you know that this kind of story immediately raises some red flags. Investigators wondered why someone would pick her up down the street instead of at her house. What were they trying to avoid or hide? Did this even really happen? Or was it just a whole story that Adam was making up just to cover his tracks?

[Doug]

So you guys just all sitting there chatting on the front porch. So when does Caitlin leave? She left about, like, in between, like, 10:30 and 11. So how did she tell me the story again? How she upped them leaves. She was messaging Amanda on Facebook. And then what's the relationship between her and Amanda? As far as I know, they're just friends. And that's Amanda Mix? Yeah. Okay. Have they had any trouble with each other before or. No, but I've had my doubts about Amanda, and I don't really trust her. What do you mean by your dogs? Like, to me, she's just not the right kind of. The right kind of people to really be hanging out with personal nitpicking things that me and her, we just don't click, don't leave long or anything. Yeah. So basically, yeah, they were texting on Facebook. That's whenever she was like, I got to hurry. Get down here. She's about to pull up and everything. I'm like, you should not go. Did she say what she was going to go do? Yeah, she said that they were going to go sit at Hyde park and they were going to basically be hanging out and everything else. Just basically doing girl stuff.

[Mike Boudet]

Adam identified the person who picked up Caitlyn as someone named Amanda Mix. This was a name that caught investigators off guard. Until this moment, no one else had mentioned her in connection with this case.

[Doug]

So actually, when Caitlin left, you were the only one that truly see her leave? Pretty much. I was sitting on the porch on the pillow. Yeah.

[Mike Boudet]

Investigators were clearly wary of Adam. There was something a little shady about him. They questioned both his account of that night and how he characterized his relationship with kin.

[Doug]

There was a brief Moment where, like, we thought me and her needed to eat together. But no, I'm sorry, I'm not going to date my best friend for 12 years. No. So basically I was just. So how long did you guys date or how long did that work out? We pretty much were together for about six hours total. Oh, really? You guys ever have sex? No. Do you have any idea who might have done something to her? I mean, I can only pretty much, like, start where basically the first person I knew about that she was going to be with, which would be Amanda. Like, that's my. That's who. I would take him out first. How the heck would I get in touch with Amanda? That's a very good question because I haven't been able to get a hold of her all day.

[Mike Boudet]

Despite their doubts about Adam's story, investigators decided to look into Amanda Mix. What they found was intriguing. Amanda, as it turns out, was once Kaitlin's best friend.

[Doug]

You said that Amanda Mix and her were friends, but they had a falling.

[Mike Boudet]

Out and only recently they started hanging.

[Doug]

And that's the person she was last seen with that night. How do you know that's from. Everybody's told me that she came over to the house on 15th to get Caitlyn. Okay.

[Mike Boudet]

Before long, Amanda's name started coming up repeatedly in the investigation. Some even claim that the former best friend of Caitlin's had confessed to murder. The next day at the candle lighting, my brother came up to me crying.

[Doug]

I mean, he was, like, shaking and crying.

[Mike Boudet]

And he's like, hey, dude. He's like, I'm glad I found you.

[Doug]

He's like, I'm scared shitless right now. He's like, she admitted it. Like, admitted who? Who?

[Mike Boudet]

Calm down.

[Doug]

Tell me what's going on. He sat there and told me. He's like, she admitted it. I was like, who admitted it? What? He's like, amanda. She admitted that she, her and several other people beat that shit out of that Root girl. Did they? You said earlier that they.

[Mike Boudet]

You referred to them as they had jumped her.

[Doug]

I don't know who they are. Okay. He just said Amanda and several other people.

[Mike Boudet]

Eventually, investigators brought Amanda Mix in for questioning, but her situation was a bit different from the other potential suspects. Unlike the rest, Amanda had not come willingly. She was picked up on an unrelated outstanding warrant, which, you know, is always a good sign.

[Doug]

Do you know a girl by the name of Caitlin Root? Yes. How do you know her? Do I have to say all this? Well, I'm just asking questions. I'm just curious how do you know her well? She's your best friend. Oh, she's your best friend? Yes.

[Mike Boudet]

Tippy.

[Doug]

I don't really. I don't hang out with nobody anymore. What happened between you two? I mean, that you guys aren't friends anymore? Well, somewhere like we didn't be. Like, we just. When I said I don't have. I don't have an att.

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda told investigators there was no bad blood between her and Caitlyn. They had simply grown apart over time, which is why they were no longer as close as they once were.

[Doug]

You never had a falling out with Caitlyn or anything a while back? Why you guys? I mean, because I remember I've got friends that I've grown up for the long time, but. Was there anything that ever happened between you two that you just kind of lost track of each other? There's just. I. I love stuff. Ribs. Because I don't. I don't like being around people. Are you. Are you. Were you mad or pissed off at Caitlyn? Okay. Can I ask what this is about? I'm asking about Kate. Caitlin. Okay. So why is. I mean, why? Well, she's missing.

[Mike Boudet]

What?

[Doug]

She's missing? Yeah. When did she go missing? The other day. I'm not quite sure what day. When's the last time you saw her? Oh, I just seen her. I mean, I went to a. I don't know what day it was, but it was like some day last week. A couple. Why are you so upset? Because I love Caitlyn. I really do. Then what happened? I don't know anything. I haven't. Last time I seen her. Was that when we had the ride?

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda appeared genuinely unaware that Kaitlyn was dead. She told investigators the last time she saw her was more than a week before the murder. According to Amanda, she and her boyfriend were walking past Kaitlin's house when they spotted her sitting on the front porch. Amanda asked if anyone inside could give them a ride home. And Kaitlin found someone willing to help. Since that day, Amanda had not seen or heard from Kaitlin, or so she claimed.

[Doug]

Do you ever Facebook her or talk to her? We have, yeah. Not recently. No, not recently. It hasn't been recently at all. We don't really talk on Facebook. Somebody said that you guys talked the other day on Facebook. Is that not true? That's not true. I haven't talked to Caitlyn on Facebook or messenger or something. Nothing like that. How many Facebook accounts do you have? One. Panda. Panda. I just feel like there's something you're just not quite telling me. I mean, I promise you I'm not keeping anything from you.

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda also claimed she had not communicated with Kaitlin through texts or social media in quite some time. If true, that directly contradicted Adam Brown's statement. He had told police that Caitlyn was messaging Amanda the very night she was killed.

[Doug]

I'll be honest. We talked with somebody said that you were with her Saturday night. Are you serious? Yeah. Okay. I was not worried. It's no big deal. I don't know why somebody would lie and say that you were with her on Saturday. Exactly. You know what I'm saying? Unless they want to get somebody else in trouble. I can get in serious trouble with whatever the going on. What's going on? Whatever the situation is. I don't know what's going on. That's what I'm saying. So you mean tell me you didn't know that Caitlin's been missing? No, I didn't know until now. So what would you say I said that somebody saw you leaving with her about 10 o' clock Saturday night. I would laugh at you because it's not true. 10 o' clock that night I was up in my room.

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda insisted she was home the night of the murder and she was adamant about it. She even claimed she could back it up. At the time, Amanda was living in a group home and she told investigators that the house manager could confirm her whereabouts.

[Doug]

That's hilarious, dude. It pisses me off. But if we call Tina right now, we get this off. Verified. But I don't know if you call her we'll get around to calling her, obviously. But I try to catch a case with all this. Trying to catch what? A case with all this. Cuz I didn't leave with her at 10 o' clock PM. You said you were going to try. I mean, I don't know. Y. This is. That's why I would like you to call her now. So I'll see if I can get somebody to call to you. Yeah, exactly. She'll even tell you I was there Saturday night.

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda urged investigators to contact her house manager to confirm her alibi. And she grew increasingly impatient as the questioning continued.

[Doug]

I have not talked to Caitlin. I have time to repeat myself. No, I want to know the whole story. That's what I want to know. That's exactly what I want to know. Because I'm telling you guys what the fuck I did Saturday night at 10:00pm well, I'm telling you that people are telling me you're the last person that. Well, that's hilarious. Call Tina, please. 8167. We're working on that. When? Because I want to hear her tell y'. All. You know, this sounds like one of the mysteries fucking TV shows. I know.

[Mike Boudet]

I agree.

[Doug]

It does, doesn't it? So just call Tina, please. Get this shit figured out. Like, this is ridiculous. If y' all just call. Y' all know the fucking truth. Here's the thing. I'm not talking until y' all call Tina. It's one of those things that. It's one of those things where you can get that fucking proof right now. Does that not make sense? You can go get my boyfriend, and he'll tell you the same exact purple. Why are you yelling? Because you think and I really did something to Caitlyn. I don't really talk to Caitlyn anymore. Who said anything happened to Caitlin? Okay. She's missing. Well. So something obviously had to happen. Maybe she's in Kansas City. Maybe. Totally. What? Caitlin did not go to Kansas City. How do you know that? You haven't been friends with her for a while, so. But I know. Okay, Just because. You know what? I'm gonna sit down. No, I'm gonna go, man. No, I'm done. I don't want to talk. I'm done talking. I'm gonna be silent. I just want to go. That's all.

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda took a firm stance with investigators and ultimately chose to remain silent, which is, of course, her right. When they followed up with her house manager, the story she gave them seemed to check out. Amanda had signed in early that evening, but the alibi wasn't airtight. Nothing would have prevented her from slipping out unnoticed later that night. Once again, investigators were faced with two conflicting stories. Either Adam Brown had lied about Kaitlin Messaging and leaving with Amanda Mix, or Amanda was lying about her whereabouts on the night of the murder. Now's a good time to test your sleuthing abilities. And I ask you, who do you think was responsible out of these two? I wonder if you'll get it right. Because what came next was a revelation that no one expected. Neither of them had lied. Yeah, how about that? The person who had actually misled the investigators and did not tell the truth was the most unlikely person of all. The victim. Caitlin Root. And Doug.

[Doug]

Here we have the Limu imu in.

[Mike Boudet]

Its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual.

[Doug]

Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug. Limu. Is that guy with the binoculars watching us cut the camera they see us.

[Mike Boudet]

Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty.

[Doug]

Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings very underwritten by.

[Mike Boudet]

Liberty Mutual Insurance Company affiliates excludes Massachusetts. In October of 2016, homicide investigators in St. Joseph, Missouri were deep into the investigation of 17 year old Kaitlin Root's brutal murder. Kaitlin's body had been found in Krug park with a few clues to follow. Investigators chased down leads, questioned family and friends, and attempted to unravel conflicting stories. But nothing was adding up. Then came a stunning theory. Perhaps the person misleading them wasn't a suspect. Perhaps it was Kaitlin herself. You see, Kaitlin's close friend Adam Brown told investigators that the last time he saw her, she'd said that she was going to meet up with Amanda Mix. Maybe she told him the truth. Or maybe it was a lie. It was entirely possible that Kaitlin had plans with someone else that night and just didn't want anyone to know. With answers still elusive, investigators returned to the crime scene and expanded their search of the area. This decision led to a crucial breakthrough. While the initial sweep had uncovered only broken fragments of Kaitlin's cell phone, the extended search turned up even more pieces. Forensic specialists managed to reassemble the phone, giving detectives access to Kaitlin's texts and social media. This was a game changer. The recovered messages revealed that Kaitlin had been planning to meet someone named Amanda that night. But not Amanda Mix. It was another teenager who had gone to high school with Kaitlin. Her name was Amanda Bennett. These messages revealed that Amanda Bennett had invited Caitlin to to hang out with her and her boyfriend and had even told her not to tell anyone who she was with. Armed with this discovery, investigators quietly surveilled Amanda Bennett and her boyfriend for several days before making their move. Both were arrested. Amanda's mom was also brought in for questioning. So Amanda and Sebastian both live with you?

[Doug]

Correct. Okay, and how long have you been living with with you? He's been there at least over a year. Where's Amanda working at right now? She worked at North Belt Pizza Hut with me. And how about Sebastian? Where she work? At the McDonald's down on the interstate. What do they do for fun besides at the house? What kind of things do they do? Don't really do much, that's what I'm saying. Like I said, I have Internet and Netflix and all that. So they pretty much stay in their room and watch tv. Tv or they play video games. They ever go anywhere and hang out? Not really, no. Anyone ever come to the house, hang out? And that's been a lot of Amanda's problems. She don't have very many friends, so she doesn't have any friends. And she'll tell you that she doesn't hang out with anybody.

[Mike Boudet]

Investigators learn that 17 year old Amanda Bennett and her 18 year old boyfriend, Sebastian Dowell were living with Amanda's mom. The couple was reclusive with no known friends or social connections. What they did have was a newborn son who was just a few months old. The soft cooing heard in the background of this interview belongs to their baby.

[Doug]

I don't keep track of Sebastian, honestly, because I can care less about Sebastian.

[Mike Boudet]

What's the deal with that?

[Doug]

Well, he's lazy, pretty much. There's always an excuse why he can't get up and go to work or, you know, he doesn't want to do any tours around the house. He's. He's just not a good dad. She's usually up with the baby all night. She'd been trying to go to school and then working and he does nothing. And it makes me mad. And I was to the point, I've been talking to my son. I said, you know, she's been talking about moving out with them and if that's the case, I'm, we'll get an attorney and get custody of Syler because he's not taking care of himself on the baby, from what sounds. And he also has a two year old little girl. And I know that he doesn't ever see her nor pay child support. Doesn't do anything for her.

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda's mom shared some background with investigators about her daughter and Sebastian. She confirmed that both were high school dropouts, with Amanda working at Pizza Hut and Sebastian at McDonald's. What a pair. She also admitted she wasn't fond of Sebastian, describing him as a lazy, inattentive and irresponsible father. When asked about the night Kaitlin Root was murdered, she recalled that Amanda and Sebastian had gone out supposedly to see a movie. They returned home very late.

[Doug]

And you work together.

[Mike Boudet]

So you're together all day until 9pm so you. So when you come home, 9pm does she ride home with you?

[Doug]

Yes. Okay, so we came home. Sebastian was home with the baby. And I'm gonna look on my phone because I want to say that that was the night they went to the movies. As far as I know, they went to the movies is what I was told. Okay, and they take your car? Yes. And what time do you think they text you to tell you that they're.

[Mike Boudet]

Going over to Jeremy's?

[Doug]

Well, they didn't actually text me to tell me that's where they were going. I text her and asked her. I said, where are you guys at? Because I don't think the movie lasts. No. Three hours. So it was like 10, probably around 12:30. She said, oh, we came over to Jeremy's house.

[Mike Boudet]

After their conversation with Amanda's mom, investigators sat down with Amanda herself, who appeared remarkably unfazed by the situation, showing little concern or emotion as the questioning started.

[Doug]

You're 17, okay. Today. Happy birthday. Yeah. What was the last grade level in school you completed? I finished sophomore year. Okay. And you working anywhere? Pizza Hut? Northville? Any idea why you're here? Be honest. I find it hard to believe you don't know why you're here. We have a lot of information. We have a lot of evidence, and I know you know why you're here. You know, I don't believe that your involvement is done on your own. I know that, you know, somebody else was there. And we don't think you're a bad person. Not at all. When do I ask for a lawyer? You can ask for a lawyer anytime you want, if that's what you want to do. Well, you guys think I did something, so I. What do you think we think you did? I don't know. Then I would think you would want to find out what I thought you're supposed to tell me. What do you think I did?

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda claimed she had no idea what was going on, and it quickly became clear that a confession wasn't coming anytime soon. Shifting tactics, investigators eased into a gentler line of questioning, focusing instead on her relationship with Sebastian.

[Doug]

Does he stay anywhere else now? Even occasionally? Every night at. You got some on that, right? Make sure he's where he's supposed to be. Yep. He's pretty. You gotta keep a lock on that. He's pretty. Yeah, you gotta keep a lock on that. Do you guys ever go out separate. Do you guys ever do separate things? Like, you go, he goes where he goes, you go. Huh. Except for work, of course. Yeah, I'm usually at his work, too, but really, except for when I work, who do you guys run around with? I mean, who do you guys do stuff with other than when you guys go to something? You don't have friends? Don't have any friends? No. You guys don't run around with anybody. You don't hang out with anybody. It's just you two. We're always home. Love, exciting and new. No, we just don't have friends. We don't have any. Sebastian didn't have any friends. No, I don't. I don't let him.

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda was pretty open about her relationship with Sebastian and admitted to being a very controlling presence in his life, let's put it that way.

[Doug]

I shaved his legs. What? He let you shave his legs? Like, with a razor shave, like, all the way up top? All the way down. Why is that? I wanted to get rid of his masculinity. Okay, now you're have to explain that one to me. You got me scratched. Because he thinks he's all that. Well, you do, too, apparently.

[Mike Boudet]

Investigators also questioned Amanda about her religious beliefs, particularly her views on the devil. Their curiosity stemmed from a search of her bedroom, where they had found books related to Satanism. In her basement, they also found a journal penned by Amanda that was full of bizarre writings about demons sacrificing souls and controlling fire with one's mind. How about that?

[Doug]

So what do you think about the devil? Do you think the devil exists? I don't know. Have you ever looked into other forms of religion? Have you ever considered other forms of religion, experimenting with any of that or any satanic stuff or anything like that? No. So you have faith in God, but you've questioned it? Well, I've grown up believing that. Like, ever since I was born, I was in a church environment, so.

[Mike Boudet]

After gaining more insight into Amanda, her relationship with Sebastian and her beliefs, investigators turn to a crucial. Where was she and Sebastian on the night of October 15, 2016, the night Kaitlin Root was murdered?

[Doug]

We were going to go to the movies because I got free tickets. You know how they had the free tickets? But we watched the Girl in the Train. We were going to go see that. Is that good? No. Most scary movies nowadays are good. So you stayed for the whole movie. How'd the movie end? Weird. Just weird. It was all, like a mystery about, like, murder. Who did the murder? Paying attention. You weren't paying attention. It was a boring movie. Yeah. What did you do after that? And then we went to Sebastian's dad's house.

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda told investigators that she and Sebastian had gone to see the movie the Girl on the Train that night. But when asked about the plot, she couldn't recall a single detail. Pro tip, if you're going to use a movie as an alibi, make sure you've actually seen it. Also, that movie was fantastic. So if you say it was boring, then you're either lying or you're extremely unintelligent. Or most likely both. Amanda went on to say that after the movie, the two of them headed to Sebastian's dad's house and spent a few hours there. But Amanda didn't know that investigators had already done their homework. You see, this is the kind of person that doesn't do homework, so she assumes no one else does, either. The police had reviewed surveillance footage from the theater, and neither Amanda nor Sebastian appeared in any of it. Her story was obviously a lie.

[Doug]

Why would you tell me that you were at the movies when you weren't at the movies? We were at the movies at the late movie, which started at 1010 of girl on the Train. Then why are you. I mean, are you guys, like, invisible or something, or. I mean, why won't you be on the video? You're not there. I don't know. Well, honey, you got to be there. If you were there, you had to go up to the window and get exchange of passes for tickets, right? Neither one of you are on video getting the tickets. They're. They've got the videos on thumb drives. They're going to bring it back here, you know, and you can't be there if you're not there. You know, cameras don't lie. So tell me why you wouldn't be on. On video? I don't know. I would suggest it's because you weren't there. And I would suggest you were somewhere else and you don't want to tell me about that. We were at the movies. What would you say if we had Sebastian on video somewhere else? I'd say you weren't a liar. Are you afraid to tell us the truth? No. I went to the movie, okay? Other than the movie. Are you afraid to tell us the truth? Are you afraid for us to know everything that happened Saturday night? I told you everything that happened.

[Mike Boudet]

In addition to the theater footage, police had surveillance from another location that placed Sebastian across town, alarmingly close to Krug Park. A street camera captured him sitting in the passenger seat of Amanda's mom's car. Presumably, Amanda was behind the wheel.

[Doug]

So how do we explain that? How do we explain your car with Sebastian in it being at a completely different location the time the movie was going on? Are you scared right now? Mm. Mm. Not at all. I would be. Why? Because you're not telling us the truth, Huh? I would be looking for a chance to help yourself and stop lying. I'm not lying. I mean, if you think. Think I did something wrong, either way, I'm going down. Well, yeah, but you can minim. No, that's not true. If you didn't do it, you wouldn't have anything to worry about. You wouldn't need to be scared right now. I'm not scared. But you should be. Because I know you did it. And I know, see, you think I did it. No, I know it's not. It's not a matter. Don't get upset. I'm talking to you. I mean, person to person, being real. I told you I would not lie to you. I will not tell you that. That I can prove something that I can't prove. You know, this is not our first rodeo. We've had a team seven homicides in St. Joe within the past year. Yeah, at least that you found a body for, right? It's probably more, but is it? Well, who said anything about a homicide? Google, but I mean, we didn't say anything about a homicide.

[Mike Boudet]

Interestingly, the first mention of murder during this interview didn't come from investigators. It came from Amanda herself. Oops. I guess you're not the criminal mastermind you thought you were. Ain't that right, Amanda?

[Doug]

He says this is a homicide we're talking about. Is there something we need to know about a homicide? Well, you're investigating the homicide. We're investigating hundreds of crimes. Well, that's the only one in the news, so I'm assuming. So what do you know about the homicide then? Since you talking about it. What do you know about it? The stuff in the news.

[Mike Boudet]

For a while, Amanda stuck to her flimsy story about going to the movies on the night of the murder, even though it had already been disproven. So investigators decided to leave her alone in the interrogation room and shift their focus to her boyfriend, 18 year old Sebastian Dowell.

[Doug]

Saturday. Did you work last Saturday? Saturday. A week ago today. I don't think I did. Pretty sure I was off that day. Okay, so did you guys do anything Saturday? No, we just stayed home. Stayed home the whole time? Yeah, we normally do. It's Saturday night. Don't do nothing? No date night? No, no. Just watch TV and watch Netflix.

[Mike Boudet]

For investigators, it was clear that Amanda and Satisfaction Sebastian hadn't coordinated their story very well. Amanda said they were going to a movie on the night of the murder, while Sebastian insisted they had stayed home the entire time.

[Doug]

So who's the domineering one in the house? Probably her. There's nothing wrong with admitting that it's the same way we're. The same way. Is she a jealous woman? She does it that way, yes. Yeah, like majorly. Majorly. Tell me about that. Well, she'll slap me. If she thinks I did something wrong, she'll yell and so what's the most violent thing she's ever done over jealousy? She fractured my ribs. I think she tried to stab me at one point. I don't know. How did she break your ribs? She kicked me and punched me really hard. And tried to stab you? Yeah. That's scary, you know? Yeah, but she's always been controlling. I have to ask if I can move the house. I have to ask her anything if I want to do anything.

[Mike Boudet]

Sebastian confirmed the controlling nature of his relationship with Amanda and added a disturbing layer. He claimed Amanda's dominance over him was enforced through violence, alleging that she had once fractured his ribs and even tried to stab him. While the rest of the interview offered deeper insight into their toxic and abusive relationship. Much of the audio was difficult to make out, with Sebastian muttering, barely above a whisper, like a little kid. Still, he revealed that both he and Amanda were deeply involved in Satanism and considered themselves devoted followers. As for Kaitlin Root, Sebastian claimed he barely knew her. According to him, the only time they met was on the day his son was born, when Kaitlin visited Amanda in the hospital and get this. Started flirting with him right there. Right in the hospital, Right in front of Amanda.

[Doug]

That was in front of Amanda. Yeah. Again, I wasn't there, but was she being disrespectful? Like, in her face? Like throwing it into Amanda's face that she's. It was kind of disrespectful, I'd say. I guess what I'm kind of missing here is she. They're not really friends, but she shows up at the hospital and starts hitting on the father of the child. I mean, why. I mean, what's. I have no idea.

[Mike Boudet]

According to Sebastian, during the hospital visit, Kaitlin implied that Amanda's newborn son wasn't his, but rather a child of Amanda's ex boyfriend. This suggestion infuriated Amanda. Ho's mad, as they say. Finally, after two hours of questioning, Sebastian requested a lawyer, bringing the interview to a close. Investigators then shifted their attention back to Amanda, returning to the interrogation room where she'd been waiting.

[Doug]

What happened at the homicide? I don't know. Does she do well? You know, you've seen. You saw, too. With your own eyes. Mm. And at your hands. Yes, she did. Honey, your phone tells a different story. Your messages. And if you want to sit and continue to lie and say no, no, no. And when you go to court and we prove this, this, this, this, this, and this, that, we have. And you sit there and say, I don't know anything, show no remorse, say you didn't do it and the reason Sylar's gone. I mean, we know why that's a threat. No, it's not a threat. It's not a threat. No, it's not. You said you weren't gonna do that. No. If you get convicted, honey, I'm going away forever. And you don't do anything to help yourself, to explain. Syler's gonna be raised by somebody else to explain. Explain why this happened. Don't you think that everybody deserves to at least know why? Sure. Then tell us why. Why what? Why you guys killed this girl. We didn't kill anyone. That's not true and you know it.

[Mike Boudet]

This time, investigators adopted a much tougher approach with Amanda, and it quickly revealed the very cold and callous side of her personality.

[Doug]

There's only two people that were there. You and Sebastian. So you're telling me he did it all? He didn't do anything. And who did then? A bear. You know what I'm beginning to think? What I'm beginning to think is you are a very cold, hard person. That you can sit here and have no emotion and make funnies about all this stuff to say. Maybe she was killed by a bear. Well, I don't know what she was kill. Oh, you know exactly what she was killed by, but yet you sit here and make light of it like it's no big deal taking a human life. It's. You don't physically scare me, but it's just spooky that you. It just had no emotion about it.

[Mike Boudet]

Possibly recognizing that they were dealing with someone who was deeply detached and sociopathic, investigators abandoned any pretense of gentleness and doubled down on their hardline approach with Amanda.

[Doug]

You killed her. I don't know, Caitlyn. You're a liar. You like the fact that you killed Kaitlin Root and you can't wait to do it again. You're a killer and you like that. You don't care. Less than a week ago, you killed somebody and you don't care. You probably went home and had a great time. Oh, wasn't that fun? Wasn't that great? I can't wait to do again. Maybe we should do it to Tyler. You're sick. You're sick. I've never killed anyone. Neither have I. You're a liar. You're a liar. You watched her die and you got off on it. What was it like? Were you looking in her eyes the whole time? As she's dying. Did she say anything to you? Do you replay it when you close your eyes at night? You and Sebastian are killers. And you like it. You like to be. You want to be known as the people who kill people. You're getting off on the fact that you know that you guys killed somebody together and you'll kill again because you're killers. You probably rubbed her blood all over your body and probably, I don't know, probably had some weird sex. Danced in a circle. Yeah. Shouting. You did. Is that what you think? What happened? It's okay. It's okay. Get it off your chest. I didn't do anything. You're a liar. You danced around in her blood. Yay, me. Look at me. Here's to you, Satan. Here's to you. My first sacrifice. Or is it my first sacrifice?

[Mike Boudet]

Despite their best efforts, investigators did not get a confession from Amanda, and eventually they had to call it quits. Amanda remained in the interrogation room, waiting to be booked for murder. While she sat there, a different officer kept her company, and the two engaged in a surprisingly casual conversation about favorite TV shows and other everyday topics. During the course of that seemingly harmless chat, Amanda revealed some unsettling things about herself.

[Doug]

Nothing really bothers me because I've interacted with the supernatural. I've seen demons, I've. So nothing really scares me anymore. You ever do any of the ghost hunting kind of stuff before? I have an interest in that I like to do. You're gonna think I'm crazy, but I've been to hell before. So once you cross over that border, you can see everything from a spiritual point of view? Well, if they want you to see them. Hell's way more complex than what everyone says. Like, there's no fire, for one. It's not hot, it's normal. And there's like. It's kind of like an office building. There's different sections and each demon has, like, a secretary who goes out and collects, like, debts and souls from people. It's like corridors like that. And you get to decorate. You get to, like, design it however you want. Like, the secretary for Almadir has a room exactly like this. It's gray. That's it.

[Mike Boudet]

As Amanda continued to ramble on about her bizarre and quite frankly, retarded beliefs, something unexpected was unfolding in the other interrogation room. Sebastian had waived his right to an attorney and asked to speak with investigators again. After a week long investigation and countless hours of interviews with friends, family, and suspects, the moment they had been waiting for had arrived. One of Kaitlin's killers was finally ready to confess.

[Doug]

Here we have the Limu Emu in.

[Mike Boudet]

Its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual.

[Doug]

Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug Limu. Is that guy with the binoculars watching us? Cut the camera. They see us.

[Mike Boudet]

Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty.

[Doug]

Liberty. Liberty.

[Mike Boudet]

Liberty Savings Fairy Underwritten by Liberty Mutual.

[Doug]

Insurance Company Affiliates excludes Massachusetts.

[Mike Boudet]

On October 2016, teenagers Amanda Bennett and Sebastian Dowell were arrested for the brutal murder of Kaitlin Root. At first, both denied any involvement, but investigators knew it was only a matter of time before one of them cracked. They were right. During a second interview, Sebastian finally began to open up, revealing not just pieces of the truth, but also the disturbing details about his beliefs about himself.

[Doug]

I'm a sociopath, for starters. Like, that's when Bristol is so calm. I have no emotion right now. I have my own religion. Which is? I'm a polyetheist. There is an exact name for more of my religion. It's mostly based on myth. Now we have a patriot gods. My religion, mine is Hades, the lord of the underworld.

[Mike Boudet]

In case Sebastian's low, muttered voice is hard to make out, he told investigators that he considered himself a sociopath and claimed to worship Hades, the Greek God of the underworld. I have my own religion, he says, matter of factly. To be clear, Amanda and Sebastian weren't dark mystics or vessels of some supernatural evil. They didn't have their own religion. As he says, what they did have was way too much time on their hands and a lack of cognitive skills. They were delusional and deeply out of touch with reality. They fancied themselves connected to something sinister. But that's what losers do. They spend their lazy asses online building up delusions of grandeur to feed and protect their own egos from coming to the realization that they are utterly useless trash, leeching off the goodwill of others and contributing absolutely nothing to society other than misery and death. In truth, they were nothing but just a couple of high school dropouts working part time fast food jobs, living in a cluttered bedroom in Amanda's mom's house, barely managing to care for their newborn son, and they were responsible for the murder of an innocent 17 year old girl. That's it. That's the end result of too much coddling, too much sheltering and no actual parenting. Where the fuck is the father? Where are the rules? Where's the goddamn discipline? If you're an adult with a child still Living at your mom's house because that's all you can afford. Jesus Christ, where's the fucking shame? As this interview continued, Sebastian revealed another bizarre detail about himself. He claimed to have a second personality of all names, Drake, who would sometimes take control of Sebastian's body. He said, so here we go with all that bullshit.

[Doug]

And when you're Drake, do you feel. I mean, can you, like Sebastian, look back on a third person view and see Drake talking and doing. Or is it times? Sometimes it's just like I blink my eyes and it's over. And then sometimes it's just watching, Watching what's happening.

[Mike Boudet]

After setting the stage with claims of memory loss and blame for his alter ego, Sebastian started recounting his version of what happened on the night Kaitlin Root was murdered.

[Doug]

You were holding her head? No, she was holding her head. So did maybe Amanda hit her with something to knock her down? I suppose. And so this was part of. The satanic part that she had kind of off read of. You became obsessed with. She became obsessed with doing a sacrifice? I think so, yeah.

[Mike Boudet]

As expected, Sebastian claimed he couldn't remember much about the murder because Drake had taken over his body. Still, he told investigators that Amanda had struck Caitlin over the head. And once she was unconscious, the two of them cut off her clothes and carried out what he described as a satanic human sacrifice, stabbing her multiple times and slitting her throat. Sebastian emphasized that Amanda was the mastermind behind all of this. According to him, she'd planned the entire thing and taken the lead. While he didn't deny participating, he painted himself as a passive accomplice. Despite the outlandish claims of memory loss and a second personality, investigators had what they needed, a confession. And it wouldn't be the only one. Just two days later, Amanda requested another meeting with investigators.

[Doug]

I was just messaging people to see if anyone wanted to hang out, because I never do. I messaged a girl named Hailey, another girl named Haley, and a girl named Allie and asked. And I was like, hi, how are you guys? So are you the same age as all these girls? Yeah, they're in my grade. Okay.

[Mike Boudet]

During her next interview, Amanda revealed that on the night of the murder, she had sent Facebook messages to several teenage girls asking if they wanted to hang out with her and her boyfriend Sebastian. The first to respond was Kaitlin Root.

[Doug]

And Caitlin talked to me. I was like, oh, you want to hang out or something? She said, yeah, that'd be cool. I was like, do you smoke? Because I know she hangs around that crowd that does she hangs out with. Smoke weed, you mean?

[Mike Boudet]

Yeah.

[Doug]

I told Sebastian that we were gonna go to the park, and he was like, okay. And then. And we left and then we, like. I asked her where she was at, and then she told me. And I was like, well, can you just walk up to, like, the corner of the street so I didn't have to look for your house?

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda and Sebastian drove to Katelyn's neighborhood. As they got closer, Amanda told Kaitlin to meet them at the nearby street corner. After picking them up, the two drove around for a bit before ending up at Krug park, where they walked the wooded trails and paused for a while to smoke some weed.

[Doug]

And then Sebastian sat down next to me and he said they wanted her for a sacrifice. They wanted her specifically. And that she fit the criteria and that they wanted her. I told them that we were having fun with her and that she was becoming my friend, that I didn't wanted. That I didn't want it to be her. He said that it had to be her because they wanted her. So we kept walking, and then Sebastian. Like, she was leading. So Sebastian pulled me aside and said. And handed me a stick and said, hit her. You need to hit her. And I told him I didn't want to. And he said, hit her now. So I hit her with a stick. And then after I hit her, Sebastian jumped on top of her and started choking her. So she went to the ground after you hit him? No, he ran past me. She. Sebastian ran past me and knocked her to the ground, started choking her. How was he choking her? She was laying right here. And he had a hold of her leg like that and was choking her. And then she was trying to say, help me. Please stop. I can't breathe. And he said, can you help me? And I. And I just stood there. I didn't know what to do. And then he took a syringe out of his pocket. What? A syringe. And he stabbed her in the neck with it. And I asked him of what that was when he said it was supposed to make her go to sleep so she wouldn't feel anything. So then he cut her combed off and pulled her pants off.

[Mike Boudet]

Hold on. I thought that once you'd been to hell, nothing scared you anymore. Why are you crying, Amanda? What happened? As you can tell, Amanda's version of events differed quite a bit from Sebastian's. She was just a reluctant bystander and an unwilling participant in a satanic ritual that Sebastian alone wanted to carry out. It was all him. It wasn't her. She was just an innocent little girl. Female accountability. Am I right?

[Doug]

And then he handed me a knife and said to stab her. And I told him I couldn't do it. I told him that I couldn't do it. And he said that I had to. And I told him that he couldn't. And he said, we have to do it now. So he took it back and he stabbed her in the chest. And then I covered my eyes and ears and I turned around. When I turned back around, she was standing up. I knew he had stabbed her, though. But she was standing up and starting to get up and walk away. And he looked surprised, so I. I don't think it was supposed to happen. He, like, knocked her back down and jumped on top of her. Like, on top of her with his legs. It was like he was choking her again. After a while, he says that she didn't have a pulse anymore. He looked at me and he said he was proud of me. He said he was proud of me for being there.

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda claimed that after Kaitlin was killed, Sebastian smashed her phone and scattered the pieces throughout the park. He then coached Amanda on what to say if they were ever questioned by police.

[Doug]

He took the SIM card out and he broke it in half and put it somewhere. He told me to look at it. And he told me that if we were caught, I had to tell the police that we were at the movies.

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda also insisted that any evidence linking her to Satanism or human sacrifice. Sacrifice was entirely Sebastian's doing. It's always the man who's to blame, isn't it? She claimed he had forced his beliefs onto her and that she had simply gone along without taking any of his beliefs seriously.

[Doug]

I know you guys found the books as you were talking to me about Satan's satanic rituals. And the stuff that was written in the books is the stuff that he told me that was handwritten, Stu. Yeah. In the black book. Who wrote it? I wrote what he told me.

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda explained that Sebastian had mentioned performing a human sacrifice more than once, but she never actually believed he would do it. How many times have we heard that shit before? She claimed that when they picked up Caitlyn that night, she had no idea what Sebastian intended to do.

[Doug]

There's a part of you thinking that, yeah, this is gonna happen, right? I thought he was kidding. I didn't think he was really gonna do it. That's why I thought when we got to the end that we were just gonna take her home. I thought he was joking. I thought it was Just all a. Why would you tell him I've got somebody that you can sacrifice? I found her. I found the one we can sacrifice because he's said that he needed to do it, and I didn't want him to kill a random person if he was going to do it.

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda's story was riddled with inconsistencies. And after listening to her for several minutes, investigators started pushing back with pointed questions and rebuttals. It was clear she was still lying and trying to protect herself by shifting all of the blame onto Sebastian.

[Doug]

I mean, we talked the other day. You talked about how you control him, how you're the domineering person in the relationship, how you keep him locked down because he's pretty. He'll lock that down. You say what you told me. Well, I don't want him talk to anybody like his phone isn't on. And I read all of his messages because he's had. Jealous? Yeah. I mean, you basically made it pretty clear that you were the boss in the family about some things, but then now we're at where he's controlling you and. Well, another thing is all honesty, and I'm just being straight with you. I mean, you show no remorse, no emotion whatsoever. Matter of fact, laughed a couple times when we were talking about the situations, and now there's this complete mood and demeanor change in these crocodile tear stuff. I mean, I mean, with your demeanor the other day, I have a hard time believing that all of a sudden. Now, complete opposite. You were just as cold and soulless as you can possibly be.

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda's interviews with investigators painted a picture of two entirely different people. In the first, she came off as a cold, arrogant, and detached sociopath. But after two days in a jail cell, she returned as a tearful, self proclaimed victim. You know, female privilege.

[Doug]

So why, if this is a story we would believe now that he's this evil person and you're just kind of a. I guess you're kind of saying you're a victim of this. Why didn't you tell us all this or not? Because. Why did you act so cold? Why did you not care? Why did you laugh? Why did you tell us to prove it? Why did you. How could you possibly have. No. With the emotions you're having today, how could you possibly sit there as I'm describing this homicide? It didn't affect me because it wasn't true. I mean, I knew what he was telling me wasn't true. That's how you. You said you went and threw up. You said you had to Cover your eyes, your ears, and your ears. So you wouldn't hear her scream and you wouldn't see it. But you had no emotion in the other day, Not a single tear, not even a sad face. Well, because you said jail for. For 48 hours now, because you realize that you guys aren't gonna get away with this. Because you realize you've been charged and you're gonna go to prison. Is that why? No, it's because he told me that no matter what, it would be okay. And obviously, since we're getting charged with something, so if you wouldn't have got charged, everything would have been okay. Well, I wanted to tell you guys what happened, but I knew it would probably be worse.

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda's Facebook messages to Kaitlin erased any chance of plausible deniability. She lured Kaitlin to Krug park and specifically told her not to reveal who she was meeting, asking her to keep it a secret under the pretense of hiding her marijuana use. Tragically, Caitlyn honored that request when she lied about her plans that night. In return, Amanda repaid her trust by slitting Caitlyn's throat and stabbing her to death. All in the service of some twisted, delusional beliefs in the supernatural.

[Doug]

Everything you're saying now is exactly what he said about you. You know, he's saying that. That you said it had to be Caitlyn, that had to be a unclean soul, someone was condemned. Said that you've been talking about sacrifice for some time, that he's kind of squashed it. But when you said it, he's, you know, said he went along with it. He said he held her down while you. You stabbed her and cut her throat. How many of the wounds were from you on Caitlyn? Let's be honest now. I hit her with a stick. What about the stabbing or cutting? I didn't stab her. Cut her throat. He said you did it all while he held her down by the shoulders. It's not true. I believe that you were both equally on board with it. I believe that you picked her. I believe that you lured her out just like the text messages showed. And I believe that what you need to do is be responsible for your actions.

[Mike Boudet]

What makes this case even more chilling is the fact that Kaitlin wasn't Amanda's only target. She was just the first to respond. By her own admission, she reached out to four different teenage girls that night. Any one of them could have ended up as the victim to this brutal, senseless murder. Kaitlin Root was just unfortunate and friendly. She accepted Amanda's invitation to hang out, which was her undoing. Investigators would later uncover an even more disturbing detail. Amanda and Sebastian had created a twisted mandate for themselves to kill two people per year. Had they gotten away with Kaitlin's murder, there's little doubt they would have struck again.

[Doug]

I'd be curious to know what your feelings are on these other three girls. If maybe all four of these girls really, you didn't really care that much for the first person that would have went with you would have been the person. And she's just the one that went. Yes.

[Mike Boudet]

Following Amanda's confession, which was filled with contradictions and obvious lies, investigators sat down with Sebastian when one last time to confront him with what she had said. He denied most of it, falling back on memory lapses and claiming he couldn't recall details. It's funny how amnesia hits after you do something really bad. Much like Amanda. This follow up interview revealed a drastically different version of Sebastian. The cold, stoic follower of Hades, lord of the underworld, had vanished. He was replaced by a frightened, trembling young man who looked nothing like the supernatural villain he claimed to be.

[Doug]

You just didn't, you seemed perfectly fine. You didn't seem like you had these, you know, kind of like now the shakes and the having the difficulty. It doesn't seem even. It seems like more. You're acting more than anything right now. And I know that's nerves and, and you don't want to come off as this terrible animal or whatnot, you know, and I don't think you are. I think you guys got caught up in a kind of romantic notion that this was something neat or cool. And now that the realism set in, that's really not so romantic and it's not so neat. You know, it's not the Twilight Saga, you know, it's real life. And it's affected both you guys and your families and Caitlyn and her family. You know, you're kind of looking for an out in, in a sense of, to try to bury yourself behind this Persona. I, I do, I think you got wrapped up in this mentally, physically, emotionally, and then when it happened, you know, and now that have to face their realism. But I think there's realism has hit home, you know, and it's a, it's a mess.

[Mike Boudet]

Indeed. This situation was a disturbing mess and it was now up to the justice system to sort it all out. On that note, Amanda had an unusual suggestion for how she thought the system should deal with her.

[Doug]

You guys are involved in this. Caitlyn's dead. What do you think the appropriate time should be would be? I mean, honestly, for me. I was there and I didn't tell anybody anything happened, so. I mean, I should be put in jail for some time, but I do have a baby that's two months old and that's a vital part of his life because he's going to be crawling soon. He. He's gonna have his first Halloween without me there already. He's gonna start talking, and he's growing out of all of his clothes that I got for him and stuff, and I'm never gonna get to see him in those, and I'm not gonna get to dress him and stuff like that. I don't know. I mean. I mean, there's house arrest.

[Mike Boudet]

Amanda suggested that as a mother, house arrest would be an appropriate form of punishment. Fortunately, a prosecutor and judge saw things a little differently. I hate to keep beating this drum because Jesus Christ, talk about female privilege. But, yeah, that's what every baby needs. A psychopathic, moronic, devil worshipping loser of a mom with bad taste in men, abandoning them to go kill innocent young women. Sure, Amanda. In the end, both Amanda and Sebastian accepted plea deals, but not the kind they wanted. They pleaded guilty to second degree murder and were each sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

[Doug]

I would leave you with this. Caitlin will never have a baby. Her parents will never see her get any older. Her friends will never see her, her grandparents. She'll never. Yeah, and I know. I listened to all of the things that people said. Yeah, but this is me saying it. Okay. You know, when we carry. When we. When we compare the things that you're gonna miss, that sucks. But Caitlin will never have any. But you have a chance at some life in the future. You have a chance at parole. You will. I mean, as young age you are, chances are you'll probably come out of prison a young woman yet and get to remake the rest of your life. For the better, I hope. But Caitlyn will never have that opportunity.

[Mike Boudet]

The murder of Kaitlin Root wasn't the result of a sudden outburst or tragic misunderstanding. It was a calculated act fueled by delusion, detachment, and a warped sense of purpose. Amanda Bennett and Sebastian Dowell had isolated themselves from the world, living in a bubble of dysfunction and feeding off one another's twisted beliefs. Seemingly with Mom's approval, they spiraled deeper into a fantasy where they weren't just ordinary teenagers, where they weren't just the losers that we all know them to be. But in their own minds, they were powerful dark figures fulfilling some higher unholy calling. What a bunch of fucking losers. In truth, they were nothing of the sort. They were deeply troubled, profounding immature high school dropouts clinging to half baked ideas about Satanism and sacrifice, desperate to inject meaning into their otherwise aimless lives. Their belief system wasn't just stupid, it was deadly. And Kaitlin Root paid the ultimate price for their stupidity. She was a kind hearted, free spirited and trusting 17 year old who wanted to hang out, have a good time. Her life, her future and her relationships were stolen in a brutal, senseless act committed by two people who confused cruelty with for purpose. What's most haunting is how random this all was. Kaitlyn wasn't targeted because she was part of a love triangle or a bitter betrayal. She was just the first person to say yes to a Facebook message. That's it. That's all it took. One moment of trust, one response to an invitation and her life was over. As if making friends isn't already hard enough, these losers go around killing people who want to be their friend. If nothing else, this case is a stark reminder of how dangerous isolation can become, how toxic delusions can fester, and how easily the innocent can become pulled into someone else's madness. This show was written and produced by Michael Stabile, hosted by yours truly, Mike Boudet. Thank you so much for joining us. If you like the show, check out our website swordandscale.com you'll find our TV show on there, which is pretty good. Might want to check that out. It's available at only 20 bucks a month. You can cancel at any time. Thanks for supporting and stay safe.

[Doug]

Sa. Hey Mike, my name is Nicole. I have been listening since 2017. Tell everybody about the show. It is my favorite thing. Your storytelling is unmatched. Dude, listen, not like you need the advice from me, but screw the shit talkers. You're incredible. Keep doing what you're doing. Love the show. Thank you.

[Mike Boudet]

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[Doug]

Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us. Cut the camera. They see us.

[Mike Boudet]

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[Doug]

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[Mike Boudet]

Excludes Massachusetts.