Podcast Summary

The Binge Crimes: Fatal Fantasy

Episode 4: The Springtime War

Release Date: March 23, 2026
Host/Narrator: M. William Phelps (Investigative Journalist)

Overview

In this gripping episode, host M. William Phelps delves deeper into the murder of renowned DNA scientist Dr. Robert Schwartz, focusing on the period immediately before the crime in December 2001. The episode explores the role of a Live Action Role-Playing (LARP) game called the "Underworld," reportedly scripted by Dr. Schwartz's daughter Clara. Through interviews, confessions, and investigative revelations, Phelps examines the disturbing interplay of fantasy, manipulation, and mental illness that culminated in a real-world homicide. The narrative centers on Kyle Hulbert—an inmate and key witness—and unpacks how Clara allegedly manipulated friends and leveraged the game’s narrative to orchestrate her father’s death.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Kyle Hulbert’s Confession & Motivations

• Kyle contacts Phelps after incarceration to clarify "his version" of events and to express his anger at Katie Inglis for cooperating with authorities (01:13, 02:37).

  • Quote:
    "First thing she did when she found out she was in trouble, she made a deal with people. So she's got the incentives to come up with whatever bullshit that sounds convincing..."
    — Kyle Hulbert (02:37)

• Katie claims that Kyle, wearing his signature black trench coat and samurai sword, approached Dr. Schwartz’s house alone due to concerns over Clara’s (alleged) abuse by her father (02:56).

• The LARP game, “Underworld,”—written by Clara—blurs fiction and reality for participants, with narrative threads following into real-life relationships and grievances (04:27 - 05:15).

  • The central villain is “the OG” (Old Guy), Clara’s disdainful codename for her father.

Fantasy vs. Reality: Kyle’s Mental Illness

• Kyle’s schizophrenia is highlighted, notably his struggle to distinguish the game's narrative from real life, and his refusal to take medication at the time (09:44 - 11:03).

  • Quote:
    "What am I. What am I doing? How am I doing this? What is this supposed to be?... No, I'm actually protecting somebody."
    — Kyle Hulbert (11:03)

• Imaginary friends Saba and Nicodemus “taunt” Kyle with Clara’s fabricated abuse, further fuelling his delusions (08:28).

Clara’s Influence & Manipulation

• Manipulation through fantasy: Clara allegedly scripts direct references to violence against her father into the game, and leverages Kyle’s savior complex by sharing stories of threatening and abusive behavior by Dr. Schwartz—none of which investigators ever substantiate (06:52 - 07:28, 27:55 - 28:25).

• Example of Clara’s hold:

  • At dinner, Clara claims her steak is poisoned, suggesting her scientist-father is trying to kill her (07:21).
    • Quote:
      "Poison," she whispered to Kyle after the waiter left. "My father is a scientist. It would be easy for him to poison me."
      — Narrator (07:28)

• Transactional evidence:

  • Clara overnighted Kyle a $60 check with a note titled “what's needed and expected"—intended for gloves and a do-rag, Kyle claims it was for a porn site (31:08 - 31:47).

New Witness: Patrick House

• Patrick House, Clara’s ex-boyfriend, steps forward with key evidence, confirming she repeatedly asked him to “take out the OG” during the Underworld game (15:57 - 16:41).

• Instant messages and emails:

  • Clara questions Patrick about poisoning and suicide-murder distinctions (20:26 - 21:14, 22:06 - 22:27).
    • Notable exchange:
      Clara (text): “If a guy puts hemlock in a drink and drinks it, will police think it’s suicide or murder?” (20:26)
      Patrick: “Well, according to modern law, suicide is murder one. Does it make a difference?” (20:56)
      Clara: “But suicide, you can’t prosecute.” (21:09)

• Clara’s transition from fantasy to direct plotting:

  • She directs Patrick to force her father’s suicide via a staged scenario (22:47).
  • She drops fantasy pretense, asking, “When are you going to kill my father? When, Patrick?” (24:06)

• Patrick ends the relationship and brings the evidence to authorities—cementing Clara as the prime suspect (24:20).

The Final Days & the Murder Plot

• Escalation:

  • Clara urges action, promising inheritance money and alleging Dr. Schwartz will harm her during a planned Christmas vacation (29:49 - 30:14).
    • Quote:
      "He told me that when we go to the Virgin Islands for Christmas vacation, he was going to make sure I didn’t come back."
      — Kyle, quoting Clara (29:49)

• Kyle, Katie, and Mike’s journey:

  • On the stormy night of December 8, 2001, the trio drives to Schwartz’s house. Kyle walks down the driveway alone, preparing mentally for confrontation or violence (34:38 - 36:28).
    • Quote:
      "It's like you're standing in a doorway. You're in the light, and the room on the other side is pitch black. You don't even know there's a floor there."
      — Kyle Hulbert (36:16)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Clara’s manipulation:
  "She had made a comment to Katie... it had been given to her to know that they would send somebody into her circle, and that he was, turned out to be me."
  — Kyle Hulbert (27:19)

• On the blurred lines of fantasy:
  "There is now no separation between the underworld OG and the real OG. No more fuzzy lines or ambiguous references. Clara is not the Lord of Chaos asking Path to fulfill his role in the game. She is the girlfriend asking the boyfriend to murder her father."
  — Narrator (23:04)

• Turning Point:
  "This is where it all happens. This is where I cross a line that can’t be uncrossed. This is my Rubicon. After this night, my life is going to be defined in two terms. Before this, then after this."
  — Kyle Hulbert (37:14)

Important Timestamps

• 01:13 — 02:37: Kyle’s phone confession, anger at Katie
• 05:03 — 06:52: Kyle’s immersion in the “Underworld” game and his confusion between fantasy and reality
• 07:21 — 07:28: Clara’s poisoning claim at dinner
• 15:57 — 18:32: Detective Locke recaps Patrick House’s witness account
• 20:26 — 22:27: Exchanges between Clara and Patrick about murder methods
• 24:06 — 24:20: Clara’s explicit request: "When are you going to kill my father?"
• 29:49 — 31:47: Discussion of the escalated threat, inheritance, and the $60 check
• 34:38 — 36:28: The trio’s approach to the Schwartz house, Kyle’s internal dialogue
• 37:14: Kyle’s crossing of the “Rubicon”—the fatal confrontation

Conclusion

This episode strongly highlights the tragic collision of fantasy role-play and psychological vulnerability, showing how the lines between game and reality became fatally blurred. With new witness testimony and digital evidence, authorities increasingly view Clara Schwartz not merely as a participant but as the architect of the plot to kill her father. The emotional manipulation, financial transactions, and shifting alliances among the group underscore how dangerous these dynamics became. The episode ends on the precipice of the murder, setting up for a detailed account of the crime itself in the following installment.