July 24, 2024 • 10 mins
Can strained familial ties push someone to the brink of committing an unthinkable crime? Join me, Thomas, on this chilling episode of the Human Wreckage True Crime Podcast as we uncover the haunting details of the Privacky Massacre. On November 2nd, 1998, the tranquil town of Muskegon, Michigan, was shattered by the horrifying murder of the Privacky family. We begin with the alarming discovery made by April Boss's parents, leading to the gruesome crime scene with five victims, including April herself. It's a tale of unimaginable tragedy, with the spotlight quickly turning to 18-year-old Seth Privackyand his accomplice Stephen Wallace, catapulting the community into a state of fear and confusion.
Throughout this episode, we dissect the troubling backstory of Seth Privacky, exploring the tumultuous relationship with his father that culminated in this tragic event. Despite his short criminal history and various psychological concerns, his parents' unwavering support couldn't avert the catastrophe. We'll delve into the lives of the victims, their dreams, and the heartbreak that engulfed Muskegon. From the swift law enforcement response to Seth's startling confession, this episode will leave you questioning the depths of human nature and the factors that drive someone to commit such heinous acts.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It was the 2nd of November 1998, in Muskegon
Michigan, when the mother andstepfather of 19-year-old April
Boss became concerned when shedidn't return home from her
boyfriend Jedediah Privaki'shome.
Shortly before midnight theytraveled over to the Privaki
home.
As soon as they pulled upoutside, they were confronted
with the lifeless body of a manin the driveway.
(00:20):
Welcome to another episode ofHuman Wreckage True Crime
Podcast.
I am your host, thomas.
Thank you for joining me today.
If you like what I do, pleasehit the subscribe button.
This episode is about thePrivaki Massacre.
Let's get into it.
The family immediatelycontacted police.
(01:03):
There's a man, I believe dead,in the driveway, said April's
mother, julie, to the 911operator.
All the people expected to behere are not here, but their
cars are.
She said that the man on thedriveway was covered in blood.
He was cold and not moving orbreathing.
Police responded to the scenewithin minutes.
The man on the driveway waschecked for vital signs, but it
(01:26):
was apparent that he wasdeceased.
The investigators thenproceeded to conduct a sweep of
the home.
In a back room, off the garage,they found two more bodies.
In a lower room, off thebasement, they found another
body and then in an upstairsbedroom they found a fifth body.
The victims were identified as50-year-old Stephen Privacki,
(01:51):
his 49-year-old wife LindaPrivacki, his 78-year-old father
John Privacki, his 19-year-oldson Jedediah Privacki and
Jedediah's 19-year-oldgirlfriend April Boss.
All of the victims had beenshot dead.
Not long after police arrived atthe scene, a teenage male was
spotted coming out of the woodswithin a few hundred feet of the
home.
He was identified as 18 yearold Stephen Wallace, the best
friend of Stephen and Linda's 18year old son, seth Pravaki.
(02:13):
It quickly became apparent toinvestigators that Seth Pravaki
had slaughtered all of thevictims and then Wallace helped
him clear up the crime scene.
Seth Pravaki was still nowhereto be found and security at
Reith's Puffer High School wasincreased as the search
continued as a precaution.
Both Pravaki and Wallace wereseniors at the high school.
Superintendent Gloria Lewissaid security is to comfort the
(02:37):
families of students and thestaff.
We don't know where Seth is atthis point.
Whether he has harmed himself.
If police thought we were inserious danger, we would take
more serious measures.
Stephen was well known withinthe local school community.
He had taught fifth grade inthe system for the past 25 years
.
By all accounts, he was awonderful and dedicated teacher,
(02:58):
as well as a hard worker.
He could always be counted onto work on the school
improvement committee and helpany students who needed that
extra bit of care.
As for Linda, she was areceptionist and a medical
officer.
John was a widow and he livednear the family.
Jedediah and April were bothstudying at Muskegon Community
College and they had ambitionsto one day become teachers.
(03:20):
They had been in a relationshipfor years.
Pribaki eluded investigators foralmost 24 hours but was found
the following afternoon hidingout in a barn around a mile away
from his home.
Prosecutor Tony Tague said thehouse was scattered with bodies.
There was blood everywhere.
It's difficult to imagine whatpossesses 18-year-olds to do
(03:41):
something like this.
Investigators were initiallyperplexed as to the motivation,
but once Priwacki was arrestedhe would provide them with one.
He readily confessed tomurdering his family and his
brother's girlfriend and saidthat he hadn't been getting
along with his father.
Priwacki had a short criminalrecord which included just two
incidents.
In 1996, he had stolen beerfrom a store where he worked.
(04:05):
He was placed on probation andsatisfied all terms of that
probation.
He was then arrested forshoplifting a compact disc.
His parents had expressedconcern about his psychological
well-being after the incident hewas prescribed the
antidepressant Welbitrin and wasreferred to a psychologist for
therapy.
He was also ordered to serve 10days in the county youth home
(04:28):
Six.
Both Stephen and Linda wereextremely supportive of their
son, trying their hardest to gethim the help he needed.
By April 1997, Privaki's gradeshad improved from average to
3.28 out of 4.0.
Privaki said that he and hisfather had some real
disagreements lately andlamented the fact that his
mother and brother always sidedwith his father.
(04:49):
He said he felt as though thefamily were ganging up against
him.
Stephen and Linda had reachedbreaking point with their oldest
son and Stephen had threatenedto kick Privaki out of the
family home if he did not changehis ways.
On the Sunday they were killed.
Stephen finally told his son itwas time for him to move out.
The family had gathered at thehome for a delayed Thanksgiving
(05:11):
celebration.
Linda was taking a shower andJedediah was watching television
and waiting for his girlfriendApril to arrive.
As for Stephen, he was overpicking up his father John to
arrive.
As for Stephen, he was overpicking up his father John to
bring him over for the familydinner.
In his bedroom upstairs,pravaki was loading his father's
.22 caliber Ruger.
The first to die was Jedediah.
He was shot in the back of thehead while he watched television
(05:34):
.
When his father and grandfatherreturned shortly thereafter,
they were ambushed by Seth.
He shot his grandfather twicejust to make sure that he was
dead.
Linda, who was in the shower,was completely oblivious to the
horrors that were unfolding.
As soon as she got out of theshower, seth shot her.
April showed up not too longafterwards.
She saw the lifeless bodies ofStephen and John, so Seth shot
(05:58):
her dead aswell.
Prebacke admitted to shootingall five victims and then
calling his friend Wallace tohelp him move the bodies around
the home and out onto thedriveway.
Wallace had known about themurder plot.
Prebacke had made a vow toslaughter his entire family just
the day beforehand.
When Prebacke called him up, hesimply stated it's done.
Prebacke had anticipated thatby moving the bodies,
(06:21):
investigators would theorizethat the murders were the result
of a robbery gone wrong.
After the bodies werestrategically placed, preveke
got rid of the shells, whileWallace tossed the gun into a
pond.
Seth Preveke then spent hoursmopping up the blood before
driving to a grocery store wherehe purchased duct tape.
Investigators believe that thepurchase was made to set up the
(06:42):
phony robbery scene.
Meanwhile, wallace went to avideo store and then went to a
church meeting.
He returned to the home laterto help Prevacchi clean up more
of the scene.
While setting the scene,april's parents showed up and
Wallace fled into thewoods.
During his confession,prevacchi said showed up and
Wallace fled into the woods.
During his confession,prevecchi said I never thought
(07:06):
about killing my parents untilthat morning.
I feel awful.
I wish I'd never done it.
It was all a mistake.
I'd take it back a thousandtimes.
He said that when he fled frompolice he intended on taking his
own life, but he had given awaythe murder weapon to Wallace
for him to disposeof.
Both Prevecchi and Wallace werearraigned on five counts of
open murder and were ordered tobe held on $5 million bail.
During their arraignment,prevacchi asked if he could go
(07:28):
on a break on his bond so thathe could travel before going to
prison for life.
He stated I would just like achance to get out and see the
world before I go away for avery long time.
His request was immediatelydenied.
The murder charges againstWallace would be dropped and he
would instead be charged withbeing an accessory after the
fact and using a firearm duringa felony.
(07:49):
His bond was reduced from $5million to $500,000, and he was
released fromjail.
In May of 1999, priveckiappeared in court where he
pleaded no contest to themurders.
The plea came with a lifesentence without the possibility
of parole.
In handing down the sentence,judge James Graves said the
(08:10):
entire community stands shockedat your actions.
You turned what should havebeen a pleasant Thanksgiving
weekend into your own killingfield.
Seth Pruvecki apologized forhis actions, stating I'm sorry
for what I did, but that is notenough.
I know.
Nothing I could ever do willchange the
facts.
He then sent a letter to theChronicle in which he said he
(08:30):
should not be compared to theColumbine shooter's writing.
I was not an outcast in myschool.
Although I was not the mostpopular student at school, I had
no lack of friends.
I got along with pretty mucheverybody.
He continued, although it isvery regrettable that this
happened to my family, aprilBoss included.
I am not this monster peoplemake me out to be.
(08:51):
I do have feelings and, forwhatever it's worth, I am not
totally responsible for whathappened, because I'm convinced
Mr Cain played a role in thisevent.
He did not reveal what he meantby Mr Cain, but investigators
on the case theorized that hewas using cocaine at the time of
the murders.
They also established he was aregular drug user, experimenting
(09:13):
with LSD and marijuana as wellas alcohol.
He could have also beenreferring to the biblical story
of Cain and Abel.
In November, wallace was foundnot guilty of all charges
againsthim.
In July of 2010, seth Prevacchiwas shot dead while attempting
to escape the KinrossCorrectional Facility.
He and two other inmatesoverpowered a man driving a
(09:34):
tractor-trailer at the prisonjust after 9 am.
They crashed the truck througha double chain link fence topped
with razor wire.
They traveled around 100 yardsbefore jumping out and beginning
to run.
Prison guards ordered the mento stop.
The two other men did, butPervocky continued to run, so
the prison guards opened fire,killing him.
(09:54):
Just wow, definitely a messedup individual.
What makes a person do suchhorrible deeds?
Thanks for joining me again.
Please subscribe if you enjoywhat I do.
Till next time, please takecare of yourselves, thank you.
It was the 2nd of November 1998, in Muskegon
Michigan, when the mother andstepfather of 19-year-old April
Boss became concerned when shedidn't return home from her
boyfriend Jedediah Privaki'shome.
Shortly before midnight theytraveled over to the Privaki
home.
As soon as they pulled upoutside, they were confronted
with the lifeless body of a manin the driveway.
(00:20):
Welcome to another episode ofHuman Wreckage True Crime
Podcast.
I am your host, thomas.
Thank you for joining me today.
If you like what I do, pleasehit the subscribe button.
This episode is about thePrivaki Massacre.
Let's get into it.
The family immediatelycontacted police.
(01:03):
There's a man, I believe dead,in the driveway, said April's
mother, julie, to the 911operator.
All the people expected to behere are not here, but their
cars are.
She said that the man on thedriveway was covered in blood.
He was cold and not moving orbreathing.
Police responded to the scenewithin minutes.
The man on the driveway waschecked for vital signs, but it
(01:26):
was apparent that he wasdeceased.
The investigators thenproceeded to conduct a sweep of
the home.
In a back room, off the garage,they found two more bodies.
In a lower room, off thebasement, they found another
body and then in an upstairsbedroom they found a fifth body.
The victims were identified as50-year-old Stephen Privacki,
(01:51):
his 49-year-old wife LindaPrivacki, his 78-year-old father
John Privacki, his 19-year-oldson Jedediah Privacki and
Jedediah's 19-year-oldgirlfriend April Boss.
All of the victims had beenshot dead.
Not long after police arrived atthe scene, a teenage male was
spotted coming out of the woodswithin a few hundred feet of the
home.
He was identified as 18 yearold Stephen Wallace, the best
friend of Stephen and Linda's 18year old son, seth Pravaki.
(02:13):
It quickly became apparent toinvestigators that Seth Pravaki
had slaughtered all of thevictims and then Wallace helped
him clear up the crime scene.
Seth Pravaki was still nowhereto be found and security at
Reith's Puffer High School wasincreased as the search
continued as a precaution.
Both Pravaki and Wallace wereseniors at the high school.
Superintendent Gloria Lewissaid security is to comfort the
(02:37):
families of students and thestaff.
We don't know where Seth is atthis point.
Whether he has harmed himself.
If police thought we were inserious danger, we would take
more serious measures.
Stephen was well known withinthe local school community.
He had taught fifth grade inthe system for the past 25 years
.
By all accounts, he was awonderful and dedicated teacher,
(02:58):
as well as a hard worker.
He could always be counted onto work on the school
improvement committee and helpany students who needed that
extra bit of care.
As for Linda, she was areceptionist and a medical
officer.
John was a widow and he livednear the family.
Jedediah and April were bothstudying at Muskegon Community
College and they had ambitionsto one day become teachers.
(03:20):
They had been in a relationshipfor years.
Pribaki eluded investigators foralmost 24 hours but was found
the following afternoon hidingout in a barn around a mile away
from his home.
Prosecutor Tony Tague said thehouse was scattered with bodies.
There was blood everywhere.
It's difficult to imagine whatpossesses 18-year-olds to do
(03:41):
something like this.
Investigators were initiallyperplexed as to the motivation,
but once Priwacki was arrestedhe would provide them with one.
He readily confessed tomurdering his family and his
brother's girlfriend and saidthat he hadn't been getting
along with his father.
Priwacki had a short criminalrecord which included just two
incidents.
In 1996, he had stolen beerfrom a store where he worked.
(04:05):
He was placed on probation andsatisfied all terms of that
probation.
He was then arrested forshoplifting a compact disc.
His parents had expressedconcern about his psychological
well-being after the incident hewas prescribed the
antidepressant Welbitrin and wasreferred to a psychologist for
therapy.
He was also ordered to serve 10days in the county youth home
(04:28):
Six.
Both Stephen and Linda wereextremely supportive of their
son, trying their hardest to gethim the help he needed.
By April 1997, Privaki's gradeshad improved from average to
3.28 out of 4.0.
Privaki said that he and hisfather had some real
disagreements lately andlamented the fact that his
mother and brother always sidedwith his father.
(04:49):
He said he felt as though thefamily were ganging up against
him.
Stephen and Linda had reachedbreaking point with their oldest
son and Stephen had threatenedto kick Privaki out of the
family home if he did not changehis ways.
On the Sunday they were killed.
Stephen finally told his son itwas time for him to move out.
The family had gathered at thehome for a delayed Thanksgiving
(05:11):
celebration.
Linda was taking a shower andJedediah was watching television
and waiting for his girlfriendApril to arrive.
As for Stephen, he was overpicking up his father John to
arrive.
As for Stephen, he was overpicking up his father John to
bring him over for the familydinner.
In his bedroom upstairs,pravaki was loading his father's
.22 caliber Ruger.
The first to die was Jedediah.
He was shot in the back of thehead while he watched television
(05:34):
.
When his father and grandfatherreturned shortly thereafter,
they were ambushed by Seth.
He shot his grandfather twicejust to make sure that he was
dead.
Linda, who was in the shower,was completely oblivious to the
horrors that were unfolding.
As soon as she got out of theshower, seth shot her.
April showed up not too longafterwards.
She saw the lifeless bodies ofStephen and John, so Seth shot
(05:58):
her dead aswell.
Prebacke admitted to shootingall five victims and then
calling his friend Wallace tohelp him move the bodies around
the home and out onto thedriveway.
Wallace had known about themurder plot.
Prebacke had made a vow toslaughter his entire family just
the day beforehand.
When Prebacke called him up, hesimply stated it's done.
Prebacke had anticipated thatby moving the bodies,
(06:21):
investigators would theorizethat the murders were the result
of a robbery gone wrong.
After the bodies werestrategically placed, preveke
got rid of the shells, whileWallace tossed the gun into a
pond.
Seth Preveke then spent hoursmopping up the blood before
driving to a grocery store wherehe purchased duct tape.
Investigators believe that thepurchase was made to set up the
(06:42):
phony robbery scene.
Meanwhile, wallace went to avideo store and then went to a
church meeting.
He returned to the home laterto help Prevacchi clean up more
of the scene.
While setting the scene,april's parents showed up and
Wallace fled into thewoods.
During his confession,prevacchi said showed up and
Wallace fled into the woods.
During his confession,prevecchi said I never thought
(07:06):
about killing my parents untilthat morning.
I feel awful.
I wish I'd never done it.
It was all a mistake.
I'd take it back a thousandtimes.
He said that when he fled frompolice he intended on taking his
own life, but he had given awaythe murder weapon to Wallace
for him to disposeof.
Both Prevecchi and Wallace werearraigned on five counts of
open murder and were ordered tobe held on $5 million bail.
During their arraignment,prevacchi asked if he could go
(07:28):
on a break on his bond so thathe could travel before going to
prison for life.
He stated I would just like achance to get out and see the
world before I go away for avery long time.
His request was immediatelydenied.
The murder charges againstWallace would be dropped and he
would instead be charged withbeing an accessory after the
fact and using a firearm duringa felony.
(07:49):
His bond was reduced from $5million to $500,000, and he was
released fromjail.
In May of 1999, priveckiappeared in court where he
pleaded no contest to themurders.
The plea came with a lifesentence without the possibility
of parole.
In handing down the sentence,judge James Graves said the
(08:10):
entire community stands shockedat your actions.
You turned what should havebeen a pleasant Thanksgiving
weekend into your own killingfield.
Seth Pruvecki apologized forhis actions, stating I'm sorry
for what I did, but that is notenough.
I know.
Nothing I could ever do willchange the
facts.
He then sent a letter to theChronicle in which he said he
(08:30):
should not be compared to theColumbine shooter's writing.
I was not an outcast in myschool.
Although I was not the mostpopular student at school, I had
no lack of friends.
I got along with pretty mucheverybody.
He continued, although it isvery regrettable that this
happened to my family, aprilBoss included.
I am not this monster peoplemake me out to be.
(08:51):
I do have feelings and, forwhatever it's worth, I am not
totally responsible for whathappened, because I'm convinced
Mr Cain played a role in thisevent.
He did not reveal what he meantby Mr Cain, but investigators
on the case theorized that hewas using cocaine at the time of
the murders.
They also established he was aregular drug user, experimenting
(09:13):
with LSD and marijuana as wellas alcohol.
He could have also beenreferring to the biblical story
of Cain and Abel.
In November, wallace was foundnot guilty of all charges
againsthim.
In July of 2010, seth Prevacchiwas shot dead while attempting
to escape the KinrossCorrectional Facility.
He and two other inmatesoverpowered a man driving a
(09:34):
tractor-trailer at the prisonjust after 9 am.
They crashed the truck througha double chain link fence topped
with razor wire.
They traveled around 100 yardsbefore jumping out and beginning
to run.
Prison guards ordered the mento stop.
The two other men did, butPervocky continued to run, so
the prison guards opened fire,killing him.
(09:54):
Just wow, definitely a messedup individual.
What makes a person do suchhorrible deeds?
Thanks for joining me again.
Please subscribe if you enjoywhat I do.
Till next time, please takecare of yourselves, thank you.
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