Podcast Summary: The Binge Crimes: Cut, Color, Kill – Introducing . . . The Poet
Host: Sony Music Entertainment
Episode Date: June 24, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode serves as a gripping preview of “The Poet,” a new investigative true crime series from Sony Music Entertainment and New Metric Media. The episode introduces listeners to two chilling unsolved cases that terrorized Wichita: the stalking of Ruth Finley by a mysterious figure known as “the Poet” and the notorious serial killer BTK (Bind, Torture, Kill). The podcast promises to unravel the bizarre intersections between the cases and deliver surprising twists that challenge everything law enforcement and the public thought they knew.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Stalking of Ruth Finley
- The Obsession: For years, a man known as “the Poet” harassed and threatened Ruth Finley, sending her menacing letters, gifts, and poems.
[00:03] “He thought she was dead.” (Speaker B)
[00:06] “For years, a deranged man in Wichita known as the Poet stalked Ruth Finley. He sent her letters, gifts, and poems.” (Speaker A)
- Psychological Terror:
[00:16] “You know, in your f-ed up mind, you are going to die. You don't know when, but you do know what.” (Speaker C)
2. Police Investigation & Citywide Fear
- Intense Police Focus:
[00:25] “The Wichita police put everything they had into Ruth's case.” (Speaker A)
- A Predator Ahead of Police:
[00:29] “The Poet was always two steps in front of us, and we just didn't know why. It just kind of became the local story of terror.” (Speaker B)
3. The BTK Killer’s Shadow
- BTK’s Infamy: The public was already on edge thanks to the activities of another predator—BTK, infamous for targeting families in their homes.
[00:40] “...the city was already living in fear. A serial killer was cutting people's phone lines and murdering them in their homes. Binding, torturing, killing them. He called himself BTK, and he had a thing for poetry.” (Speaker A)
- Possible Connections:
[00:57] “Could we really have two different people, or is this the same guy?” (Speaker B)
4. Escalation of Violence
- The Real-World Attack: After years of psychological threats, the Poet grows more dangerous.
[01:02] “Then the Poet took his violence into the real world.” (Speaker A)
[01:06] “This guy comes up to her and stabs her. She's got three stab wounds in her back and her side.” (Speaker B)
5. A Twisted Climax
- Unexpected Ending:
[01:13] “But no one could have guessed how this would end.” (Speaker A)
[01:16] “That's one of those Hitchcock endings that we did not expect.” (Speaker B)
- The Mystery Deepens: Listeners are left wondering if one of history’s most notorious serial killers targeted Ruth or if something “far stranger” happened.
[01:21] “Did one of history's most notorious serial killers have it out for an unassuming wife and mother from Wichita?” (Speaker A)
[01:28] “She's not what people think she is.” (Speaker D)
[01:32] “Or was something far stranger going on here?” (Speaker A)
6. The Case Breaks Open
- Breakthrough Moment:
[01:35] “That's kind of the moment when he said, you know, enough's enough. We're going to try to get to the bottom of this. He couldn't believe it, but it was true. That's when the case broke.” (Speaker B)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- [00:29] Speaker B: “The Poet was always two steps in front of us, and we just didn't know why. It just kind of became the local story of terror.”
- [00:40] Speaker A: “The city was already living in fear. A serial killer was cutting people's phone lines and murdering them in their homes... He called himself BTK, and he had a thing for poetry.”
- [01:16] Speaker B: “That's one of those Hitchcock endings that we did not expect.”
- [01:28] Speaker D: “She's not what people think she is.”
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [00:01] – Ruth Finley’s stalker: Introduction to “the Poet”
- [00:16] – The chilling psychological threats
- [00:25] – Police determination to solve the case
- [00:40] – The link to BTK and citywide fear
- [00:57] – The big question: Are the Poet and BTK the same person?
- [01:06] – The attack on Ruth Finley
- [01:16] – “Hitchcock ending” – the story takes an unexpected turn
- [01:21] – Speculation on Ruth’s true story and what really happened
Tone & Style
The episode’s tone is suspenseful, urgent, and dramatic, mirroring the unsettling and enigmatic nature of the cases. The hosts and speakers maintain a storytelling style that mixes empathy with intrigue, drawing listeners deep into the mystery while promising jaw-dropping twists.
Conclusion
“Introducing . . . The Poet” sets up a true crime series that explores not just a horrifying case of stalking but a potential link to one of America’s most infamous killers. With twists, ominous overtones, and hints at a deeper, stranger truth, the podcast invites listeners to question what they know about Ruth Finley, the Poet, and the blurred lines between victim and perpetrator.
For full episodes and to follow the investigation, listen to The Binge Crimes: The Poet on your favorite podcast platform.
