Podcast Summary: The Megyn Kelly Show –

"Baby Lisa's Disappearance – Megyn Kelly Investigates: Answering YOUR Questions and Key Updates"
Date: August 29, 2025
Host: Megyn Kelly (A)
Guests:

• Phil Houston (B) – Former CIA agent, deception detection expert
• Bill Stanton (C) – Former NYPD detective
• Brian O'Keefe (E) – Producer
• John Tanko ("Jersey Joe") (D) – Key figure/suspect (appears in interview audio)

Episode Overview

This episode of The Megyn Kelly Show serves as a deep-dive Q&A and update in response to the recent five-part investigative series on the disappearance of Baby Lisa Irwin, who vanished in 2011 from her crib in Kansas City, Missouri. Megyn and her investigative team field audience questions, explore key evidence, discuss the prime suspect (John Tanko aka Jersey Joe), and provide insights drawn from both law enforcement experience and deception detection expertise. The episode also features updates on law enforcement's renewed interest in the case following the podcast's airing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reflections on the Five-Part Series ([03:41]-[07:35])

• Each team member shares whether their opinion of the case shifted after the series:

  • Phil Houston:

    “It hasn't changed my thinking per se, but it did spawn some thought process in reviewing what my rationale is for thinking who is responsible for the disappearance of baby Lisa.” ([03:56])

  • Bill Stanton:

    “If it changed at all, I would say absolutely not...when you walked up on that individual in his backyard, it only galvanized my opinion. And I'm more sure both personally and professionally more than ever.” ([04:21])

  • Brian O'Keefe:

    “I'm still a little torn, you know, but I've had some distance now...I'm really beginning to wonder what Megan has told us...It's the phone call. I mean, that phone call is everything.” ([05:22]-[06:10])

2. Locating and Confronting John "Jersey" Tanko ([07:35]-[14:27])

• Brian details the arduous search to find Tanko, including tracing him via a domestic partnership listing in an obituary and unexpected encounters in New Jersey neighborhoods.
• Memorable Moment: Brian describes the shock of encountering Tanko in person:

  “He literally looks me in the eye and immediately lies and says, oh, John and Lisa, you gotta go into the block and go all the way down. He's sending me away. He doesn't want me to know where John Lisa lives. And it's him.” ([09:09]-[09:52])

• The team reflects on the safety concerns and tactical planning before their confrontation with Tanko.

3. Analysis of Tanko's Demeanor and Answers ([15:30]-[18:00])

• Audience points out Tanko’s repeated use of present tense (e.g., “I am not involved”).

  • Phil Houston’s expert read:

    “It reflects his worry that he is going to be caught. That's his biggest fear now.” ([16:03])

• Bill Stanton:

  “...breaking into homes… meth addict...preponderance of evidence. For me, all roads, in my opinion, lead to Jersey Joe.” ([17:19])

4. Fires, Phones, and Timeline Details ([18:09]-[34:15])

• Discussion about Tanko's history as a fire-setter, the dumpster fire the night of the disappearance, and law enforcement’s investigation of that incident.

• Brian: Clarifies police looked into the fire but found only burnt clothing not tied to the case. ([20:30])

• Debate over the significance of the cell phone call from the Irwin home to Megan Wright the night Lisa disappeared.

• Tanko’s statements about why someone would kidnap a baby:

  “...to sell it to maybe somebody that they can't have kids...that's the best case scenario...” ([21:25])

  • Phil:

    “He's using, his answer is very, very deceptive. He immediately goes to the FBI that he's talked to them...he's giving convincing statements, as we know deceptive people...almost immediately go into some form of convincing statements or efforts to influence us to believe them.” ([22:01])

5. Motive—Sale vs. Opportunity? ([28:10]-[29:51])

• The team’s consensus is that, if Tanko took Lisa, it was likely a crime of opportunity rather than a lucrative premeditated sale.

  • Megyn:

    “There's just no way this guy who was a meth head in and out of the prison system had a connection to somebody very wealthy who was gonna, like...he probably got a pittance for her because he was likely just looking for a drug hit…” ([28:25])

6. The “Three Phones” and The Mystery Woman ([30:31]-[33:54])

• Revisiting Tanko’s jailhouse claim to have found “three phones” with a woman—team agrees his shifting account is designed to distance himself while covering his tracks.
  • Phil:

    “He has to cover up his tracks. The original reason that he told her about finding the phones and was so that if those phones were ever recovered or found...he's gotta hedge his bet.” ([34:15])

7. Deception Detection Techniques in Action ([37:02]-[40:37])

• Phil dissects Tanko’s body language and verbal cues for deception (e.g., hand movements above the midline as anxiety signals).
  • Phil:

    “...typically it's a spike in anxiety, the fight or flight or freeze response.” ([37:02])

8. Megan Wright Interview Reaction ([54:16]-[60:59])

• Phil and the team are skeptical of Megan Wright’s denials and emotional displays.
  • Phil:

    “She started the. Her answer with aggression. And what that typically means is...they will try to shut it down right off the bat.” ([54:20])

  • Consistent audience and team reaction: Megan’s tears seem insincere and possibly manipulative.

9. Audience Theories and Additional Suspects ([69:32]-[74:11])

• The role of the neighbor Samantha Brando is questioned—team notes Brando initially cooperated with early police interviews but refused further participation for unknown personal reasons.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Tanko’s Deception:

  • Phil Houston:

    “Truthful people don't sit around worrying about, you know, that they're going to be at a death penalty case unless they have a reason to worry about it.” ([16:03])

  • Bill Stanton:

    “He is so adept at doing it, you know, to the average layperson, they may...think he's trying to be cooperative. But thank God we have Phil on our team that can cut through all that BS and we get right down to it. That just about almost on every question you asked him was a lie.” ([27:17])

• On Crime Motive:

  • Megyn Kelly:

    “If he did it, it was a crime of opportunity...he probably got a pittance for her because he was likely just looking for a drug hit...” ([28:25])

• On Megan Wright’s Role:

  • Phil Houston:

    “Megan Wright knows what happened that night. There's no doubt in my mind.” ([75:09])

  • Bill Stanton:

    “If you were to ask me, do I think Megan Wright actively participate in new. I'm going to say no...But my feeling is more of a guilty conscience, knowing that he very well could have done it and she just didn't want any part of it.” ([62:42])

• Aggression as a Deceptive Tactic:

  • Phil Houston:

    “He used the aggression also just in case Bill was with law enforcement...But the major benefit to him was he needed to buy time.” ([45:55])

• On AI Deception Detection “Q”:

  • Phil Houston:

    “Q is better than Phil Houston...Q has no bias...He deals only with what's in front of him.” ([79:53])

  • Bill Stanton (analogy):

    “It's essentially Phil is Bobby Fischer and he invented the computer that could beat him in chess.” ([82:20])

Important Timeline / Timestamps

| Segment | Description | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|-------------------| | Series context & team intros | Opening, case review, team background | [00:15]-[03:38] | | Team reactions to finished series | Initial impressions and changing views | [03:41]-[07:35] | | How Tanko was found | Brian recounts key breakthrough and first contact | [07:35]-[11:54] | | On interviewing Tanko, confrontation | Safety, planning, emotional tension | [13:25]-[14:45] | | Viewer Q: Tanko’s language analyzed | Use of present tense, fear, deception | [15:30]-[18:09] | | Fires and the Megan Wright phone call | Timeline details, leads, and backgrounds | [18:09]-[22:01] | | Tanko’s theories on baby’s fate | Sales, adoption theory, team analyses | [21:25]-[24:08] | | Dissecting phone and “woman” claims | Team unpacks Tanko’s shifting stories | [30:31]-[34:15] | | Detecting deception: body language | Deception detection 101, Tanko’s anxiety | [37:02]-[40:37] | | Megan Wright interview—reaction | Analysis of emotions, denials, audience reaction | [54:16]-[60:59] | | Samantha Brando, other possible suspects | Audience theories, Samantha’s non-participation | [69:32]-[74:11] | | Phil & team current conclusions | Where they stand on Tanko, Wright, final analysis | [74:29]-[76:05] | | AI lie detector “Q”, demo and insights | Phil explains and demonstrates “Q” | [79:53]-[88:18] | | FBI reopening the case | Podcast impact, FBI now open to audience tips | [88:18]-end |

Final Takeaways

• Prime Suspect: The consensus of the investigative team is that John Tanko (“Jersey Joe”) remains the most likely perpetrator based on his history, behavior, and deception in interviews. Bill and Phil are especially firm on this point.
• Role of Megan Wright: Lingering suspicion remains about her knowledge or indirect involvement, especially given the phone call and her behavior, but the team does not believe she directly participated in the abduction.
• Crime of Opportunity: The team favors the theory that if Lisa was taken by Tanko, it was likely spontaneous and driven by desperation or a misguided attempt to please a partner; any “sale” or handoff would have netted little in exchange—likely drugs, not large sums.
• Significance of Cell Phones: The stolen phones and the call to Megan Wright are seen as central clues. Tanko’s claims about “finding” the phones and his shifting stories increase the team’s suspicion.
• Law Enforcement Response: Thanks to the renewed attention from the series, the FBI has looked into the case again and is inviting credible tips from the public.
• AI in Deception Detection: The team demonstrates how AI is now being applied to deception analysis with promising results—Q, Phil Houston’s AI protocol, consistently identified Tanko’s responses as deceptive.
• Audience Engagement: The series has prompted intense and intelligent questions from listeners, some of whom raised key points—such as linguistic analysis and alternative suspect theories—mirroring detective-level investigation.

Notable Closing Statements

• Megyn Kelly:

  “At a minimum, [Megan Wright] knows it's possible he did it, and it's possible she was the inspiration behind it. Exactly. Kind of the best case scenario for Megan...But then if he had something to do with it, I don't think anybody believes he just did it...on his own.” ([63:49])

• Phil Houston:

  “I have no doubts about whether [Tanko] is involved in this...he has at a minimum significant guilty knowledge and, or direct involvement. And I'm leaning much more towards direct involvement than just guilty knowledge.” ([74:29])

Audience Call to Action

At the end of the episode, Megyn reiterates:

“The FBI has reviewed the first five episodes of our Baby Lisa series and they are ready to hear from all of you. If you have relevant and credible information, you can reach the FBI directly at tips.fbi.gov...” ([88:18])

For listeners, this episode offered gripping behind-the-scenes detail, expert-level analysis of statements and actions, and hope that new attention might finally unlock the truth behind the disappearance of Baby Lisa Irwin.