Killer Story | Episode 6: “Perfect for Television”

Podcast: The Binge Cases: Killer Story
Host: Steve Fishman (Sony Music Entertainment)
Date: March 9, 2026

Episode Overview

The final episode of "Killer Story" brings listeners into the courtroom for the long-awaited trial of Tom Preston, alleged murderer of 17-year-old Sabrina Kidd in Las Vegas. The episode threads together the high-stakes drama of the trial, the tangled, often unreliable witness accounts, and the personal journey of Lyndal Marks—the tabloid reporter who helped bring the case back into the public eye. It also dedicates time to the emotional fallout for Lyndal, her past trauma, and the ripple effects for her family.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Trial of Tom Preston

[06:18–13:45]

• The Prosecution’s Case:
  Prosecutors describe Sabrina’s murder as a violent strangulation inside Tom Preston’s home, presenting a narrative that unfolds “perfect for television.” The evidence, primarily circumstantial, is built on timelines and witness statements.

  “This is a case where a young woman was choked around the neck until she became lifeless.” — Prosecutor [07:03]

• Defense Strategy:
  Preston is painted as a grandfatherly, humanitarian figure, undermined only by “media sensationalism.” The defense attacks the role of shows like A Current Affair, suggesting the trial wouldn’t exist but for TV ratings.

  “If not for A Current Affair, this poor older man would be free to support his family.” — Defense Attorney [07:34] “He had good defence and he had the gift of the gab and he gave his own testimony.” — Lyndal [09:05]

• Preston's Testimony:
  Unusually, Preston takes the stand himself, touting his community involvement—citing everything from law enforcement experience to being a “mascot for cheerleaders.” He describes his devotion to his troubled son, Tommy.

  “I was the humanitarian of the year in Las Vegas. I saved single handedly a bus from being hijacked. I was mascot for the cheerleaders. Everybody loved me.” — Tom Preston, quoted by Steve Fishman [09:19]

2. Competing Narratives and Witness Testimony

[13:45–33:48]

• The Life Insurance Motive:
  Bobby Sue, Sabrina’s mother, provides emotional testimony, confronting Preston about a suspicious $400,000 life insurance policy he tried to secure on Sabrina’s life after knowing her less than a month.

  “I asked him, how did he come about making a $400,000 life insurance policy on my daughter since he hadn’t even known her for a month?” — Bobby Sue [16:39]

• Key Witness – Denise Day:
  The prosecution's most dramatic evidence comes from Denise, Tommy’s on-and-off girlfriend, who recounts a chilling story of helping dump Sabrina’s hogtied body in the Colorado River. Denise’s credibility is, however, deeply questioned:

  “I lied on my testimony. The part where I said I didn’t know anything?” — Denise Day [19:06]
  “She was hog tied with her hands and legs tied behind her back...They headed down to the rocks into the river. They put her face down in the water and took the ropes off and pushed her down into the water.” — Denise Day [24:34, 25:57]

• Alternate Account – Kathy Simmons:
  Denise’s cellmate, Kathy, testifies for the defense, claiming Denise admitted deeper involvement—including wanting 30% of the insurance money and that it was a “planned murder by all three of them.”

  “Tom Sr., Tom Jr., and Denise Day.” — Kathy Simmons [29:03]
  “She was alive the whole way there. And when she got out... she tried to ask Denise for a cigarette.” — Kathy Simmons [32:15]

3. The Verdict

[33:48–36:11]

• The jury deliberates for eight hours; Tom Preston is convicted of premeditated murder.
• The judge, referencing Preston’s amiable courtroom persona, delivers a scathing sentence:

  “You appear to be very friendly and jovial. You look rather grandfatherly and like a nice guy. But... you are an evil, heartless predator.” — Judge [34:59]

• Preston receives life without parole and dies in prison. Further victims come forward, revealing Preston as a serial predator.

4. Lyndal Marks: Closure and Family Legacy

[37:43–43:53]

• Fishman probes whether Lyndal found emotional closure after helping solve Sabrina’s case—a personal quest linked to her own attack decades before in Australia.
• Lyndal's daughters, Ellie and Molly, reflect on learning about their mother's trauma and how it drew their small family closer.

  “Mum is truly in every way, shape or form, absolutely my hero. The most incredible human on the planet.” — Molly [39:13] “I think it made us become closer as a little family unit... we appreciated and understood Mum more than we had before.” — Molly [43:10]

• Lyndal admits the case didn’t bring closure, but sharing her secret with her daughters provided its own kind of healing.

  “It didn’t give me any emotional closure.” — Lyndal [42:43]
  “In a way, it was a great relief sharing it with the two people that mean more to me than anybody else on this planet.” — Lyndal [43:35]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Preston's Narcissism:

  “If I were to kill somebody, I surely wouldn’t include Denise Day in a conspiracy.” — Tom Preston [26:41]

• On the Power of TV:

  “He used to get my name wrong and he called me that Lynn Dal Marks.” — Lyndal [11:21]

• Raw Grief in the Courtroom:

  “Her hands were trembling. They were clasped very, very tightly. And her face was barely composed. Her grief just kept breaking through.” — (about Bobby Sue, Sabrina’s mother) [13:45]

• Defense’s Bluster:

  “Excuse me, sir. I heard again. Kiss my—” — Tom Preston’s attorney, to the TV crew [36:07]

• Daughters' Perspective:

  “The thought of anyone hurting my mom just like makes me so furious.” — Ellie [41:34]

Important Timestamps

• [06:18] — Explanation: Courtroom and trial begin, starting on Valentine’s Day 1994.
• [09:05] — Lyndal recalls her fear of an acquittal due to Preston’s testimony.
• [16:39] — Bobby Sue confronts Preston about the life insurance policy.
• [19:06] — Denise Day admits on the stand to lying previously.
• [24:34–25:57] — Denise’s graphic testimony about what she saw at the Colorado River.
• [29:03] — Kathy Simmons testifies, implicating Denise as more than a bystander.
• [33:48] — Jury deliberations and verdict.
• [37:43–43:53] — Lyndal and daughters on family, trauma, and closure.

Conclusion

“Perfect for Television” closes the saga with a multi-layered exploration of justice, memory, media, and personal reckoning. Preston is revealed as both a predator and a manipulator of his public persona, ultimately convicted of murder. The case’s conclusion, while a relief for many, cannot erase the devastation for those left behind—especially for reporter Lyndal Marks, for whom the chase for justice was always deeply personal.

Note: The episode teases more about the mysterious circumstances of Tommy Preston’s death, implicating further unresolved threads, but closes on the affirmation that sometimes meaning is found not in answers, but in the bonds forged by telling the truth—and surviving together.