The Binge Crimes: Hunting the Bogeyman

Episode 1: The Nightmare

Release Date: November 3, 2025
Host: Peter McDonell (Sony Music Entertainment)
Main Guests: Nicole Earnest-Payte, Keith Hill (Sacramento prosecutor)

Episode Overview

The premiere episode of “Hunting the Bogeyman,” titled “The Nightmare,” delves into the harrowing story of Nicole Earnest-Payte, who, at 21, was brutally attacked in her home in 1991 in Rohnert Park, California. Nicole recounts the life-changing assault and how she came to suspect that a serial predator was operating in Northern California—a suspicion initially dismissed by police. The episode intertwines Nicole’s resilience, her personal investigation, and introduces the crucial role of Detective Paul Holes, whose groundbreaking work years later would lead to a breakthrough in the case.

With raw, emotional storytelling and meticulous detail, episode one sets the stage for a true crime saga spanning almost three decades, exploring trauma, the search for justice, and the extraordinary advancements in forensic science that would eventually shine a light on the real-life “boogeyman.”

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Nicole’s Attack and Immediate Aftermath

• Setting the Scene: Nicole, independent and recently single at 21, is attacked in her own home after falling asleep on her couch. Important details: sliding glass door faced the parking lot, the motion sensor light, and the house’s unique layout.
  • Nicole receives an odd call from a potential roommate, “Bob Smith,” whose flat, monotone voice is unsettling ([05:43]-[06:16]).
  • She recalls the night of the attack, describing her casual relaxation and the vulnerability she felt (“I put on this little green robe…” [06:58]-[07:12]).
• The Assault:
  • Nicole wakes up to a masked man with a gun. He reassures her, “Don’t move. I’m just here to rob you.” ([08:07])
  • He knows intimate details about her: where she works, what car she drives, and recent visitors ([13:40])—suggesting he’s been stalking her.
  • The attack is methodical and sadistic, lasting hours. The man manipulates her psychologically and physically, heightening Nicole’s fear and lasting trauma.
  • “I thought about this crime every day of my life and still do, and I always will.” – Nicole ([09:18])

2. Nicole’s Response and Self-Possession

• Remarkable Composure:
  • Nicole tries to gather evidence: feeling the man’s hair, skin, and ears to get identifying details ([19:18]-[20:48]).
  • “Now that I got his face, I’m gonna feel it… high cheekbones, maybe Eastern European, definitely Caucasian. Likely blonde hair.” – Nicole ([19:18])
• Doubts and Fear:
  • The attacker’s knowledge and demeanor lead Nicole to suspect he might be a police officer (“He’s talking…like a police officer the whole night…I thought he could be a police officer.” [21:11]).
  • After the attack, the man gives her a butter knife, instructing her to wait until three songs have played before freeing herself. He threatens, “I will hear the scanner if you call the police, and I will come back and shoot you before they get here…” ([22:13])
  • Nicole, despite her fear, preserves evidence per her mother’s advice (a former rape crisis volunteer), and calls her mom instead of the police ([24:01]).

3. Interactions with Police and Early Investigation

• Law Enforcement Skepticism:
  • Nicole is met with disbelief at the police station:

    “She said, ‘This sounds like some sort of, you know, movie plot. Like you made this up from a movie plot.’ I was in shock.” – Nicole ([28:36])

  • Her detailed memory, unusual among trauma survivors, is turned against her.
• Systemic Failure & Fallout:
  • Police suspicion and lack of action leave Nicole feeling doubly violated—not just by her attacker, but by the criminal justice system.
  • Nicole’s ordeal was only the first in a series of attacks that would later be connected through investigative breakthroughs.

4. Introduction of Paul Holes & Forensic Innovation

• The “NorCal Rapist” Pattern:
  • In 1996, Paul Holes, then a young criminalist, begins to see potential links between similar attacks in the region ([29:19]).
  • The episode foreshadows Holes’ use of new DNA technology—an innovation that would revolutionize cold case investigations worldwide.
  • “This DNA technology is going to be pretty significant for these types of cases.” ([31:36])
• Nicole’s Hope & the Hunt for the Bogeyman:
  • Nicole’s quest for closure and understanding continues for decades:

    “Every day I fantasize about him getting caught. Could he figure out where I live? Is he somebody I know? Is he in my own community?” ([03:24])
    “He is kind of the boogeyman in the night that you are truly afraid of.” – Nicole ([31:28])

  • Nicole wants to not only see her attacker caught, but to understand why he became a “monster”:

    “I wanted to understand what happened to him and what made him be this monster. I wanted to meet him face to face.” – Nicole ([03:49])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Living After Trauma:

  “Never told people, never discussed it, never told my husband. I would fantasize about how good it would feel to not have to wonder who he was for the rest of my life and be scared for the rest of my life.” – Nicole ([09:31])

• On Her Mother’s Strength:

  “She was the most fierce person I’ve ever met.” – Nicole on her mother ([11:46])

• On Law Enforcement’s Dismissal:

  “This sounds like some sort of, you know, movie plot. Like you made this up from a movie plot.” – Female investigator ([28:36])

• On the Uniqueness of the Case:

  “This boogeyman is truly the manifestation of a nightmare…in this story, no one could find him for almost 30 years.” – Keith Hill ([01:55])

• On the Ongoing Nightmare:

  “The why, the what? The why me? All of those things that I think most victims think about that will probably, you know, eat at me a bit until I get those answers.” – Nicole ([31:57])

Timeline & Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | Details | |------------|-------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:32 | Content Warning & Series Introduction | Host Peter introduces the theme, Keith Hill contextualizes “the bogeyman.” | | 03:24-03:49| Nicole’s Fear and Fantasies of Justice | Nicole describes living with anxiety about her attacker. | | 04:38-06:16| Nicole’s Early Life, Independence, and Roommate | Nicole recounts her life leading up to the attack, including the “Bob Smith” call. | | 08:07 | The Attack Begins | Nicole is woken up by the attacker. | | 09:18 | Nicole’s Enduring Trauma | Nicole reflects on how the attack shaped her life. | | 10:02-11:06| Studio Interview & Nicole’s Childhood | Nicole meets the host in the studio and shares stories about her upbringing. | | 12:37 | Realization: Attacker Was Likely in the House | Nicole speculates about the attacker hiding in her home in advance. | | 13:40 | Attacker Knows Personal Information | Nicole realizes how detailed his observations were. | | 19:18-20:48| Nicole Collects Evidence | She uses her skills as a hairstylist to get physical details about the attacker. | | 21:11 | Theories About the Attacker | Nicole suspects he’s possibly a police officer due to his tone and professionalism. | | 22:13 | Attacker Departs, Issues Final Threats | He tells her to wait before freeing herself and not to call the police. | | 24:01 | Nicole Calls Her Mother | Her mother’s training as a rape crisis volunteer kicks in. | | 28:36 | Police Skepticism | Investigators express disbelief at Nicole’s testimony. | | 29:19-29:55| Introduction of Paul Holes | Cold case detective Holes begins looking for patterns. | | 31:28 | Summary and Series Teaser | Reflects on the scope and stakes of the investigation. |

Tone & Language

The hosts and guests speak with candor, empathy, and unvarnished realism. Nicole’s narration is vulnerable yet resolute, often blending dark humor and dry wit with raw depictions of fear and determination. The tone is tense, at times shocking, but maintains a thread of hope and the pursuit of justice throughout.

Conclusion

“Hunting the Bogeyman: Episode 1” is a gripping and emotionally charged opening to a true crime series that centers survivors' voices and highlights the profound gaps between victim experience and institutional response. Through Nicole’s vivid recollections and the series’ sharp editorial direction, listeners are set up for an exploration not only of a singular criminal mind, but of systemic failures, forensic innovation, and enduring human resilience.

The episode closes by promising to dive deeper into the investigation, the evolving forensic technologies, and the relentless pursuit of closure for Nicole and countless others whose lives were shaped by the real-life “boogeyman” of Northern California.