True Crime Obsessed – Episode 460: Murder Has Two Faces: Good Guys Gone Bad

Release Date: October 9, 2025
Hosts: Patrick Hines & Julie Benavali

Episode Overview

This third and final bonus episode on the Murder Has Two Faces series, titled “Good Guys Gone Bad,” examines the chilling similarities—and stark differences—between the high-profile case of the “Craigslist Killer” in Boston and the less-publicized “Tagged Killer” in New Jersey. Hosts Patrick Hines and Julie Benavali recap the documentary with their trademark humor, empathy, and candor, focusing especially on survivor Tiffany Taylor and the social context of the crimes. The discussion centers on victim-blaming, systemic racism, law enforcement failures, the politics of media attention, and the importance of survivor-centered storytelling.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting Up the Episode (00:38–02:09)

• Theme Introduction:

  • Patrick and Julie explain the episode focuses on the comparison between two killers using online platforms to target victims: the “Craigslist Killer” and the “Tagged Killer.”
  • Immediately, the tone is set around how media coverage and police response differ depending on the identity of both victim and perpetrator.

• Memorable Quote:

  • “You would think these cases would get the same attention, and they don’t.” – Julie (01:21)
  • “If they would have just believed me, who knows how many girls would still be here.” – Tiffany Taylor (01:43)

2. Victims’ Stories & Law Enforcement Failures (02:13–13:52)

Robin West’s Disappearance and Family’s Ordeal

• Victim Profile: Robin West—young Black woman, singer, daughter of a pastor and police officer.
• Family Response: Father Leroy's relentless search for information is met with indifference (07:10).
• Police Response: Despite clear leads (e.g., friend provided suspect’s license plate), officers dismissed crucial evidence and failed to act.
• Systemic Issues: Robin was mischaracterized as a sex worker (11:08), resulting in less urgency from police.

Comparing Media Attention

• Craigslist Killer Case (Boston): Immediate, widespread coverage; victim Trisha Leffler is treated respectfully, and investigative resources rapidly deployed.
• Tagged Killer Case (New Jersey): Largely ignored by media and police, especially when victims are Black female sex workers.
• Memorable Quote:
  • “Over in Boston, the Craigslist killer is all over the news even though he too is targeting sex workers.” – Patrick (12:14)
  • “The media is not going to cover stories of Black sex workers.” – Julie (12:42)

Victim Blaming and Racial Bias

• Highlighted Bias: Law enforcement and media treat sex workers (especially Black women) with disdain and skepticism.
• Added Insight:
  • Leah Webb, NY State Senator: “Stories and cases about Black women and girls are underreported to a staggering degree.” (12:54)
  • “Black women have always been hypersexualized. When we’re talking about Black female sex workers, it actually becomes even more negative.” – Tiffany Taylor (13:01)

3. Tiffany Taylor’s Story: Survival and Dismissal (13:53–26:24)

Tiffany’s Ordeal (15:51–23:30)

• Survivor Narrative: Tiffany Taylor, a pregnant Black woman, is violently assaulted by the Tagged Killer but manages to escape using quick thinking.
• Law Enforcement Response: Despite providing the perpetrator’s name, address, and phone number, police disregard her claims, lose her report, and force her to repeat her traumatic story multiple times.
• Bodycam Footage: Reveals officers instantly victim-blaming (“So you let him put duct tape on you?” – Officer, 22:11), skepticism, and a culture of disbelief.
• Notable Exchange:
  • “They did not believe me at all. I just felt like they wanted to lock me up.” – Tiffany Taylor (22:24)

Contrast with Boston’s Response

• Trisha Leffler’s escape from the Craigslist Killer results in public attention, swift action, and empathetic treatment from police. Tiffany’s parallel experience is dismissed.

4. How the Killers Were (Not) Stopped (26:25–38:42)

Investigation Breakdowns

• Police were in possession of both suspect’s names and crucial evidence repeatedly (e.g., Robin’s friend’s license plate photo, Tiffany’s detailed tip), yet failed to connect the dots or take action.
• Jurisdictional Issues: Lack of communication between agencies (Philly, New Jersey) compounded the problem.
• Family and Friends as Investigators: In Sarah Butler’s disappearance (another Tagged Killer victim), her friends and sister conduct their own online sleuthing (“Let the women do the work.” – Julie, 36:19), catfishing the suspect to aid police in his eventual apprehension.

Media & Systemic Failures

• Both killers used technology to find victims; both were ultimately brought down by digital evidence. Yet only the Craigslist Killer’s story was widely reported, because of race and class.
• Notable Quote:
  • “Both cases: arranged on the internet, involved a sex worker who got away, met at a hotel, both caught on surveillance video… except one case is ignored.” – Patrick & Julie, paraphrased (43:01–43:29)

5. Reflections on Justice, Forgiveness, and Systemic Change (46:15–54:55)

Aftermath and Sentencing

• Khalil Wheeler-Weaver (Tagged Killer): Sentenced to 160 years, still faces more charges. Yet families argue more should have been prevented if police had listened to early survivors.
• Robin’s Father, Leroy: Strives to “turn pain into purpose,” extends forgiveness to the killer’s mother:
  • “I had the opportunity to pray with his mother because she was sitting there in tears, and she was saying, ‘Where did I go wrong?’ And I had to say to her, ‘You did nothing wrong. He did this. My anger is not going to bring my daughter back.’” – Leroy (49:15)

Victim-Survivor Solidarity

• Leroy and Tiffany forge a surrogate family bond through tragedy and healing.
• Notable Quote:
  • “I lost a daughter, but I gained a daughter for the rest of our lives.” – Leroy (51:13)

Statistics and Policy

• Leah Webb: “More than 250,000 women and girls go missing every year. Of those, 30% are Black women and girls. It is a systemic failure.” (47:54)
• The case only garnered media attention and police interest once the suspect was labeled a “serial killer.”

Calls for Change

• Hosts advocate:
  • Mental health professionals on set during interviews.
  • Police to publicly admit their failures.
  • Media to treat every victim equitably.
  • The decriminalization and regulation of sex work for safety purposes.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “If they would have just believed me, who knows how many girls would still be here.”
  – Tiffany Taylor (01:43, also echoed later)
• “They did not believe me at all. I just felt like they wanted to lock me up.”
  – Tiffany Taylor (22:24)
• “So you let him duct tape you?”
  – Officer (22:11)
• “We gotta help out these women. The stigma is...it’s so ridiculous.”
  – Patrick Hines (30:28)
• “Let the women do the work.”
  – Julie Benavali (36:19)
• “Do your fucking jobs.”
  – Leroy (46:36)
• “Be the change you want to see in the world...do the right thing, everybody. And you’re also not alone.”
  – Patrick Hines (54:32)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Time | |----------------------------------------|-----------| | Comparing the killers & opening theme | 00:38–02:09 | | Robin West’s story, policing failures | 02:13–13:52 | | Race, sex work & media bias | 12:14–14:22 | | Tiffany Taylor’s survival & dismissal | 15:51–26:24 | | Bodycam footage & law enforcement bias | 21:36–23:36 | | Boston vs. NJ response | 27:25–28:34 | | Sarah Butler’s friends as investigators| 34:30–36:59 | | Systemic critique and statistics | 47:44–48:20 | | Leroy’s forgiveness and reflection | 49:15–51:00 | | Hosts’ calls to action/advocacy | 54:49–54:55 |

Tone & Style Highlights

• Empathetic, direct, often irreverent but always respectful toward victims and survivors.
• Honest frustration at systemic failures.
• Humor used to highlight absurdity (often darkly), break tension, and deepen emotional engagement.
• Frequent calls to action for societal, journalistic, and law enforcement reforms.

Final Thoughts

This episode is a powerful testament to the dangers of selective media coverage and law enforcement indifference—particularly for Black, female, and sex-working victims. The hosts celebrate survivor Tiffany Taylor, honor all the victims, and highlight the crucial failures that allowed a serial killer to continue killing. Ultimately, the show urges society to listen, believe, and support all survivors.

In Memory Of:

• Robin West (19)
• Joanne Brown (33)
• Sarah Butler (20)
• Mawa Dumbia (15)

For survivors of sexual assault, visit RAINN.org or call 1-800-656-HOPE.

“Only the people who have lived this can help heal it in each other.” – Julie (52:24)