Episode Transcript
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Moss (00:00):
I'm sorry your daughter
didn't deserve such a terrible
(00:03):
and tragic thing to happen to her.
I don't expect forgiveness asI will never be able to forgive
myself and I'll be trying to makeamends for the rest of my life.
There is no excuse.
I truly apologize.
I will pray for you andyour family every day.
Don't give into hate like I did.
Love.
Goodbye.
(00:24):
This is what was read duringthe last day of a three day plea
hearing on October 3rd, 2019.
Does this sound like someonewho's truly trying to make amends?
What if I told you this notewas written by an arsonist,
torturer, rapist, and murderer ofa 21-year-old Palestinian woman?
Does it sound so
sorrowful now?
Novis (00:45):
All of one
Moss (00:47):
I would like to remind everyone
the actions of this individual
does not reflect all personswith this background or race.
You should not misinterpret theactions of one person to change your
perspective of an entire group of others.
The morning shift is a proud supporterof Palestine and believes that it's
people should be freed trigger warningto start because this episode will
contain information about sexualassault and violence against women.
(01:10):
This episode covers tough ground.
We encourage self-careand to skip it if needed.
With all that in mind,
it's
time to dig deep.
This is the morning shift.
(01:46):
That is his handwriting.
He wrote that note and triedto hand it to the family.
They refused to read it.
Novis (01:55):
I'm not
Eelderfla (01:58):
This handwriting's.
This already telling me.
This guy's crazy.
It's too neat.
It's too neat.
Moss (02:03):
It was read by a lawyer, not by him.
You think he would readit, but he did not.
As far as I'm aware.
She might have more siblings,but these, this is the only
information I could cover.
She was described as veryfriendly, knowledgeable, easygoing,
and someone who knew a lot.
father stated that she enjoyed studyingdifferent cultures and nationalities.
(02:27):
Considering she was studying both Englishand Chinese at Shanghai University
and moved from China to Melbourne sixmonths before on an exchange program.
I would agree with that.
Shanghai University actually was rankednumber 327 on the best global universities
list and has an acceptance rate of 29%.
It was not easy to get intothis university, let alone
(02:49):
joining an exchange program,
Novis (02:51):
Yes,
Moss (02:52):
it would be fair to say
that I was very intelligent.
Novis (02:55):
very smart cookie.
Moss (02:56):
I was a bright student.
I was a bright studentin Latrobe University.
Her plan was to finish herbusiness degree in one day to work
at her father's firm in China.
for privacy reasons, I will not bementioning the name of his firm.
I.
This was supposed to beconsidered a safe place.
Melbourne is not the nameof a terrifying city.
You hear in the news every day.
(03:18):
Australia's known for its interestingwildlife not so much for anything
violent, I would say, Her sisterstated that Aya had very big dreams
and her father rest for Her love ofthe people in the city of Melbourne.
But that love would notbe rewarded or vindicated.
That day was simple and fun.
In the beginning.
(03:38):
Aya had finished her languageexchange for the night at her.
Let's talk in English Meetup for otherinternational students in the city.
Her friend had invited her out for acomedy show and had driven to Bjork Street
so she could safely take the tram home.
At the time she was safe,
Eelderfla (03:53):
Why.
Moss (03:54):
it was now past midnight
Wednesday, January 16th, two
19. At 12:05 AM she exited the bus onPlenty Road and little did she know
she had someone with horrifyingintentions heading in her direction.
IA often called her sisteron her way back home.
It was her only means of feeling safeas if someone was right next to her.
(04:18):
Israel was seven hours behindMelbourne at this point.
She was only about an 11minute walk back home.
Which will be below in the show notesand on Instagram, and I did send it
to you both on Discord so you guys cansee how far away she was from home.
Eelderfla (04:34):
They happens
within a mile of your home.
Novis (04:41):
She was so close.
Moss (04:42):
Yeah.
close.
to her surprise, UBAactually picked up the phone.
She FaceTimed her sister, expressingher excitement over the comedy
show on the opposing street.
There was a young man bumming acigarette, for lack of a better
word, off of another sweet driller,and making his way toward her.
(05:02):
I, as final words to Uba, was I wasn'texpecting you to pick up before she was
attacked, could hear her sister strugglingover the phone and the sound of one.
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 strikes.
(05:26):
Rupa felt helpless over thephone, unable to do anything,
Novis (05:31):
her
Moss (05:33):
Yes.
Her sister heard her
being struck in nine times
Novis (05:38):
a
metal
Moss (05:39):
with a metal
pipe.
so let's actually dive deepinto this actual crime.
The killers saw IA walking towardhim once he noticed she was
about a hundred meters from the.
He attacked her.
He struck her over thehead with a metal pipe.
Once she fell to the ground unconscious,
he found a low hedge anddragged her li body behind that.
(06:02):
Between the footpath and a car park,he forcibly raped her unconscious body.
After moving some of herclothes and strike her again,
Once, twice, thrice four times,five times, six times, seven
times, eight times, nine timeswith a metal pipe that he had found
right before approaching her,causing multiple fractures.
(06:27):
It caused multiple fractures to her skull.
Her face lacerations to her brain.
IA died from disastrous head injuries.
He then dragged aos body furtherbehind the ledge and set her
body a flame with an aerosol can.
Using a lighter.
he set a flame, both herbody and her clothing.
(06:48):
As the sentencing judge said, thecrimes which he committed were
deeply shocking, both for their sheerbrutality and for their randomness.
He actually stated it was random.
He had no reason to attack her.
He made a savage and sustained attackon ia. then he dragged her and raped her
Eelderfla (07:08):
So I'm assuming he
didn't even try to hide the body.
He just lit her up there inthe middle of the street.
Moss (07:12):
He hit her behind a footpath,
where a low hedge low hedge is
basically in a car park of a mall.
So.
It's like he was hidingher, but he wasn't.
He didn't really care to did this.
The judge found to try anddestroy evidence that might have
implicated him in the attack.
The judge found that given, given,the severity of her skull and brain
(07:34):
injuries, it was highly unlikely that IAhad survived for any significant period
after those injuries were inflicted.
Now, who was our killer?
What could have possessed him to do this.
As we dive deep into the history ofhim, please keep in mind that mental
illness is not an excuse for murder.
Cody Herman was a20-year-old upcoming rapper.
(07:56):
The forensic psychologist, Dr.Andrew Carol, interviewed him in
custody and had access to morethan 2000 pages of RIA Association.
His mother was indigenousand his father was German.
Cody endeared severe childhood neglectfrom birth with authorities receiving
parents' chronic substance abuse,domestic violence, and emotional abuse.
The neglect was so severe that bothhim and his sister suffered from rot
(08:20):
and teeth due to inadequate care.
Before 18 months of age By theage of three, both him and his
sister were in foster care.
Expert testimony revealed that thisearly fundamentally impaired his brain
development with ongoing psychologicaldamage compounded by his mother's
failure to attend scheduled visits orappearing intoxicated when she did,
(08:43):
his father maintained no contactthroughout his time in care.
The defense characterizes upbringingas occurring within a chaotic,
insecure, dangerous environmentthat was not responsive to his basic
needs, establishing a foundationof profound developmental harm.
Defense barrister Tim Marsh, chiefcounsel at Legal Aid Victoria argued that
(09:05):
the plea hearing was not a search fortruth, but a search for an explanation.
I think it's important for me to conce.
At the start that I willultimately fall short in this task.
There is not an explanation thatI can give you that is going
to get us from start to finish.
Herman's adult life followed a destructivepattern, collecting welfare payments,
(09:26):
purchasing drugs, sharing them withassociates and shoplifting food.
He survived primarily on croissantschocolate milk while pursuing chronic
intoxication through meth and cannabis.
Dr. Carol testified that.
Cody's severe childhood neglectcaused lasting psychological damage
and stunted brain developmentresulting in a drug-induced psychosis
(09:49):
and severe personality disorder.
But despite claiming to have nomotive to harm, AYA Cody attempted
to enter her apartment buildingon December 3rd and the ninth.
Without justification.
Days before the murder, a friendfound him sleeping on his mother's
bedroom floor where Cody stated,bro, I just had five psychosis.
(10:10):
I saw a murder in my head.
Now let's talk about the aftermath.
Cody Herman was sentenced to 36 yearsin prison with a period of 30 years.
Outside court.
Sayed Masri spoke through tears thankingpeople of Melbourne and asking people not
to focus on the length of Herm sentence.
Eelderfla (10:29):
such a
short sentence for such
a horrific
crime.
Moss (10:32):
Her father said, we
don't focus on revenge.
That's not our compass.
It's not our focus, but to care forsociety, for the people, for the ladies
who be able to go out and go back home.
My daughter was someonewho was happy, positive.
And liked to help everyone.
She looked at the people.
It doesn't matter which religion,which nation, which color.
(10:54):
She looked at the people on thesame level with the same eyes.
She liked all people, all humans.
It didn't matter where and when.
This is how I want to remember Aya.
During her funeral, the picturethat emerged of her was of an in
individual, a young, vibrant daughter,sister, and friend who loved travel
and study, spoke four languages.
(11:16):
A woman who lost her life in a fewminutes in inexplicable horror.
She used to be all the time smiling.
Her dad said, I as mother Ka Tomstill watches videos and reads
her daughter's text messages justto see her and hear her voice.
I am a Mother.
Whom's.
Heart has been squeezedin pain day after day.
Her father, Sayed and sister, noplan to visit Aya in Australia.
(11:41):
A lot of time I find myselflost, lost in or sometimes stuck.
Stuck in the past.
Now I live with fear.
Nora wrote, and that isthe murder of Aya Masery.
I know that this episode wasvery intense, but please be
mindful of your mental health.
Novis (12:03):
Australia have longer
sentences for murder like that?
Moss (12:08):
So during my research, there
have been longer sentences, but
his mental health was taken into account.
So they're hoping that they can actuallyget him rehabilitated while in prison.
'cause the prisons aredifferent than here.
Um,
they thought a shortersentence would be good.
But that's why he's not gettingparole at all during that
(12:31):
30 years at least.
But I'm pretty sure the six years, 'causeit's 36 years, prison time is like,
oh, well, if he is good, maybehe can get out in 30, which
Novis (12:43):
So was
my
scabies
when he was young,
and also the voices.
Moss (12:53):
no.
So
psychosis.
Smoking cannabis and such.
the fact that he was inside thefoster care with his sister at a very
young, age, his father never visited.
His mother would visit, but while drunk.
Eelderfla (13:10):
Yeah.
Moss (13:11):
I think that's mainly why
they shortened the sentence.
I wouldn't say necessarilybecause he is 20 years old, so.
I mean, I'm not a therapist.
I'm not gonna pretend I'm atherapist at all, but I know that
typically people go through psychosisbetween the ages of 25 and 35,
Novis (13:30):
the issues that he was
having with his mental health
were drug induced.
as long as he doesn't do the drugs, thenthere's no more mental health issues.
Right.
Moss (13:41):
so he could end up relapsing.
We don't know exactly what'llhappen, but because he has a
severe personality disorder,that's what he was diagnosed with.
I'm not the therapist.
That's what he was diagnosed with.
He could still relapse in someway, which is why I think that
he should be in a mental facility
I guess, outside care with atherapist while he's in prison.
(14:03):
Personally,
believe he should be released
Novis (14:05):
goal is rehabilitation.
Moss (14:07):
exactly.
Novis (14:08):
Please keep him in prison.
How old was she?
Moss (14:13):
She
was 21.
She's a year older than him.
Yeah.
I did send a picture of her in the Discordso you guys can see what she looks like.
It's She is a beautiful young woman.
And I will say every photo I found onher, 'cause I found a lot of photos.
I actually found her old Instagram.
(14:34):
I saw pictures posted byher sister on her Instagram.
Um,
I saw other pictures posted by friends.
There were over a thousandpeople at her funeral.
Over a thousand people actuallyshowed up to her funeral.
I think it was mostly, uh, partiallybecause of like the cultural aspect of
(14:55):
just having a Muslim girl, um, murdered.
But also she was, she made sucha big impact in her community
that a thousand people showed up,
Novis (15:05):
even imagine up at my funeral.
A thousand is insane.
Moss (15:10):
think is insane.
Novis (15:11):
if everyone in my
funeral, that'd still a
hundred people.
So it being a
thousand is,
she was loved.
Moss (15:20):
a thousand people in my funeral.
Novis (15:22):
loved.
Eelderfla (15:24):
I.
couldn't bribe.
Novis (15:26):
And
then he had the audacity
Eelderfla (15:31):
Yeah.
Novis (15:32):
family a
note
after that.
Moss (15:35):
Oh yeah.
Eelderfla (15:36):
Oof.
Moss (15:36):
She was incredibly loved
and she was such a sweet soul.
I think the worst part is when hesaid, don't give into hate like I did.
killed their daughter.
Novis (15:51):
walking past and
one.
Moss (15:55):
Not only that, he stated that
he had no reason to attack her.
He doesn't know why he did it.
So what do you mean you gave into hate?
You don't know why you did it.
Mm.
Novis (16:05):
You
Moss (16:07):
And there is actual CCTV
footage of her walking and him
approaching her, um, and him bummingthe cigarette off the street.
Driller.
I actually have that footage.
I can, I'm gonna post it so you guys cansee it, and it will be on the Instagram,
but
it's kind of wild.
'cause you see right before they meeteach other, there's, there's literally
no cameras where he attacked her.
(16:29):
You can just see the area wherehe left her body, but you can't
see her body 'cause she's behindthe hedge, so it's kind of crazy.
Eelderfla (16:38):
Yeah.
Yeah,
Moss (16:40):
IO was an interesting person
and she made a very lasting impact.
There is a foundation that wasactually created after she passed,
basically to protect young women and tocombine hospitals of Israeli people and
Palestinian people, uh, in Gaza, whichI will actually be posting as well.
(17:02):
'cause it was,
it funded her funeral and alot of people commented on it,
Eelderfla (17:09):
Yes.
Moss (17:10):
but I'll be posting that as well.
Eelderfla (17:12):
Remember, kids don't do drugs.
Moss (17:13):
Seriously, don't don't do drugs.
honestly, because you couldhurt somebody as amazing as
I, This is the morning shift.