Detailed Summary: "Killer Story | 5. Diners, Dreams, and Death"

Podcast: The Binge Cases: Killer Story
Host: Steve Fishman / Sony Music Entertainment
Release Date: March 2, 2026
Main Theme: The unraveling of the truth behind Sabrina Kidd's disappearance and murder, centering on suspicious father figure Tom Preston, his history, and the dogged pursuit of justice by tabloid reporter Lindell Marks.

Episode Overview

This gripping episode chronicles the chilling cold case of Sabrina Kidd, setting a detailed stage for the interpersonal betrayals and calculated manipulations that led to her murder. Through interviews, personal reflections, and methodical storytelling, the episode reveals new facets of the suspects, emerging witnesses, and the relentless pursuit of justice by reporter Lindell Marks. At the heart: the disturbing role of Sabrina’s guardian, Tom Preston, and how the past unspools in present-day consequences for all involved.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tommy Preston’s Desperate Warning and Murder

[01:34–07:59]

• Three years after Sabrina Kidd disappears, her ex-boyfriend Jim Bixel recounts a frantic call from his childhood friend, Tommy Preston. Tommy is terrified, insisting on an urgent in-person meeting about his father, Tom Preston.
  • "He says, this is about my fucking dad." — Jim Bixel [03:02]
• Tommy never shows up. Days later, Jim hears on the news that Tommy’s body has been found in a drainage pipe, killed execution style.
  • "Somebody freaking killed him and stuffed him in his drainage pipe. And I'm thinking, what? What is going on?" — Jim Bixel [07:45]

2. Tom Preston’s Brazen Attempt to Manipulate the Investigation

[07:59–13:09]

• After Tommy’s death, Preston invites Jim to a diner. Preston’s not grieving his son—he’s desperate to clear suspicion from himself about Sabrina’s disappearance.
  • "The police think I have something to do with Sabrina's disappearance and I need your help." — Jim Bixel quoting Preston [08:49]
• Preston tries bribing Jim to lie to police, fabricating a sighting of Sabrina after her disappearance in exchange for Tommy’s Mustang and $5,000.
  • "He just is trying to bribe me to come up with some lie... to get him off." — Jim Bixel [10:54]
• Notably, Preston doesn’t mention Tommy during the entire conversation.
  • "He never, ever brought up his son Tommy... It was all about Sabrina." — Jim Bixel [11:18]

3. Preston as Guardian, Promises, and Control

[14:01–25:42]

• Flashback to 1987: Sabrina briefly finds a sense of security after moving into Preston’s house. He flatters her, promises a modeling career, and presents himself as a caring adult.
  • "He really sold it to her." — Jennifer, Sabrina’s friend [17:04]
• Preston builds up Sabrina’s hopes, claims he can land her a Sprite commercial; friends remain skeptical.
  • "He had told Sabrina that he had her set up to do a Sprite commercial." — Jim Bixel [17:50]
• After a shoplifting arrest, authorities ban Sabrina from Las Vegas without legal guardianship. She returns to Texas, but Preston orchestrates her return, becoming her legal guardian with her mother’s reluctant approval.
• Upon returning, Sabrina’s elation sours—Preston suddenly enforces strict control, becomes cold, and takes suggestive photos of her.
  • "She said that... he told her he was going to lay the law down... She wished that she hadn't gone back." — Bobby Sue, Sabrina’s mother [25:00]

4. The Investigation Reawakens

[26:21–36:10]

• After Sabrina’s body is discovered, Lindell Marks and Detective Leonard intensify the investigation. Marks’s TV segment increases public scrutiny.
  • "A dusty missing person file was quickly turned into a murder investigation. With one suspect, Tom Preston..." — Lindell Marks [32:22]
• Preston flees, becoming a grant writer in Washington under an assumed persona, only to be exposed on national TV and arrested in Deadwood, South Dakota.
  • "He buttonholes the mayor's wife. Keep an eye on that guy, he tells her. And then he calls the sheriff's office. Preston is soon let off in handcuffs." — Narrator [34:06]

5. The Legal Tightrope and New Witness Testimony

[35:28–38:27]

• Despite arrest, concerns persist: the case is still circumstantial, lacking direct witnesses.
  • "We had a body, we had motive, we had an arrest. But... it was still a circumstantial case." — Lindell Marks [35:28]
• A breakthrough arrives: Denise Day (Tommy’s girlfriend; Sabrina’s housemate), previously silent, is moved by the TV coverage to come forward:
  • "If Tom Preston's in custody, I want to talk to you about Sabrina. He had something to do with Sabrina." — Lindell Marks, quoting Denise [37:22]
  • Denise, terrified, claims: "I was there when they threw Sabrina's body into the river." — Denise [38:14]
• The episode closes with the promise of courtroom drama to come, with Denise and a surprise new witness set to testify.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Somebody freaking killed him and stuffed him in his drainage pipe. And I'm thinking, what? What is going on?" — Jim Bixel, about Tommy [07:45]
• "He never, ever brought up his son Tommy. During that whole conversation, it was all about Sabrina. That's all it was about. I'm like, man, this is wild." — Jim Bixel [11:18]
• "He really sold it to her." — Jennifer, about Preston’s manipulation of Sabrina [17:04]
• "She said that...he told her he was going to lay the law down... She wished that she hadn't gone back." — Bobby Sue [25:00]
• "A dusty missing person file was quickly turned into a murder investigation. With one suspect, Tom Preston..." — Lindell Marks (TV segment) [32:22]
• "If Tom Preston's in custody, I want to talk to you about Sabrina. He had something to do with Sabrina." — Denise, via Lindell Marks [37:22]
• "I was there when they threw Sabrina's body into the river." — Denise [38:14]

Timestamps by Section

• Tommy’s warning/death: [01:34–07:59]
• Preston bribes Jim: [07:59–13:09]
• Flashback: Sabrina, Preston, and the dream of modeling: [14:01–25:42]
• Sabrina’s return, control, and chilling shift: [25:00–25:42]
• Investigation reopens, TV exposure, and arrest: [26:21–36:10]
• Legal case, new testimony emerges: [35:28–38:27]
• Denise’s confession and the cliffhanger: [37:22–38:27]

Character Profiles

• Sabrina Kidd: Teenage dreamer, high school dropout, target of Preston’s manipulation.
• Tom Preston: Charismatic but sinister “father figure,” manipulator, main murder suspect, master of reinvention.
• Jim Bixel: Former boyfriend, loyal friend, traumatized by events, almost pulled into the cover-up.
• Tommy Preston: Tom's son, friend to Jim, murder victim whose fear foreshadows the unfolding revelations.
• Denise Day: Tommy’s girlfriend, initially in denial, but ultimately a pivotal eyewitness.
• Lindell Marks: Dogged tabloid reporter, personally invested in seeking justice.
• Bobby Sue: Sabrina's mother, a mixture of relief and regret about Preston’s involvement.

Tone and Style

The episode moves in a confiding, suspenseful true-crime tone, balancing personal recollection with investigative rigor. The narrative closely follows the emotional states of the participants—fear, excitement, regret, determination—yielding a story as much about the vulnerabilities of its characters as about the procedural steps of the investigation.

Closing

Episode 5 of “Killer Story” is a masterclass in unravelling a cold case, laying bare the duplicity and darkness at the heart of Sabrina Kidd’s disappearance. The emotional core—the pain of friends and family, the chilling indifference and self-interest of Tom Preston, the relentless drive of Lindell Marks—keeps listeners hooked. With the emergence of a confessional eyewitness, the next episode promises courtroom fireworks and long-awaited answers.