November 29, 2025 • 57 mins
In August 1990, Gainesville, Florida was shaken to its core. Over the span of just four days, five young college students were brutally murdered — a series of attacks that plunged the city into fear and forever altered the lives of families, classmates, and an entire community.
In this episode of Chillworthy, Talia and Brent revisit those terrifying days: how the victims were discovered, the growing panic that sent thousands of students fleeing campus, and the overwhelming uncertainty that gripped Gainesville as investigators raced to stop an unknown predator.
The episode explores the lives behind the headlines, the futures cut short, and the emotional aftermath that still echoes decades later. And we look at how these real-life tragedies went on to influence the creation of a cult-classic horror film — a reminder of how deeply this case embedded itself in American culture.
Click here to leave a donation to support the podcast
Click here to see all links
Find us on socials:
Instagram: @chillworthypodcast
Bluesky: @chillworthypodcast
Skylight: @chillworthypodcast
Youtube: @chillworthypodcast
Tiktok: @chillworthypodcast
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/chillworthy--6229613/support.
DISCLAIMER The content presented on Chillworthy, including all episodes, transcripts, social media posts, and associated materials, is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. The podcast does not offer legal, medical, psychological, or professional advice of any kind. While the hosts—Brent and Talia—make a good faith effort to ensure that the information shared is based on publicly available sources and is as accurate as possible at the time of recording, Chillworthy does not guarantee the completeness, timeliness, or reliability of any statements made. Listeners should be aware that cases may involve ongoing legal proceedings or developments that evolve over time. The hosts are not licensed attorneys, journalists, law enforcement professionals, or forensic experts. Opinions expressed in the podcast reflect the personal views of the hosts and do not represent factual determinations or official findings. All individuals named or discussed are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Any resemblance to real individuals or entities, outside of those explicitly named, is purely coincidental. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by any legal authority, news outlet, or investigative body. By listening to Chillworthy, you acknowledge and accept these terms and agree not to hold the hosts or producers liable for any inaccuracies, misstatements, or interpretations derived from the content.
In this episode of Chillworthy, Talia and Brent revisit those terrifying days: how the victims were discovered, the growing panic that sent thousands of students fleeing campus, and the overwhelming uncertainty that gripped Gainesville as investigators raced to stop an unknown predator.
The episode explores the lives behind the headlines, the futures cut short, and the emotional aftermath that still echoes decades later. And we look at how these real-life tragedies went on to influence the creation of a cult-classic horror film — a reminder of how deeply this case embedded itself in American culture.
Click here to leave a donation to support the podcast
Click here to see all links
Find us on socials:
Instagram: @chillworthypodcast
Bluesky: @chillworthypodcast
Skylight: @chillworthypodcast
Youtube: @chillworthypodcast
Tiktok: @chillworthypodcast
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/chillworthy--6229613/support.
DISCLAIMER The content presented on Chillworthy, including all episodes, transcripts, social media posts, and associated materials, is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. The podcast does not offer legal, medical, psychological, or professional advice of any kind. While the hosts—Brent and Talia—make a good faith effort to ensure that the information shared is based on publicly available sources and is as accurate as possible at the time of recording, Chillworthy does not guarantee the completeness, timeliness, or reliability of any statements made. Listeners should be aware that cases may involve ongoing legal proceedings or developments that evolve over time. The hosts are not licensed attorneys, journalists, law enforcement professionals, or forensic experts. Opinions expressed in the podcast reflect the personal views of the hosts and do not represent factual determinations or official findings. All individuals named or discussed are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Any resemblance to real individuals or entities, outside of those explicitly named, is purely coincidental. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by any legal authority, news outlet, or investigative body. By listening to Chillworthy, you acknowledge and accept these terms and agree not to hold the hosts or producers liable for any inaccuracies, misstatements, or interpretations derived from the content.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
You're listening to Chillworthy.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
A podcast we're two best friends discuss mysteries, murders, and
anything in between for your enjoyment.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
So if you're ready to hear some chilling and unsettling cases,
you're in the right place, happy listening. Hello, Hello, everyone,
Welcome back to another episode of Chillworthy with Brent and Talia.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Hi, everybody, how's it going today? Good? It is lovely
and just very folly and crisp. Did you see my shirt?
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
I did, Eshley got it for me. You say, very cute, cute,
thank you? Only a true fan and you know it.
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
I guess you want to tell them?
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah, yeah, I gotta go. Julia, we got cows. It's
a picture Marissa, Melissa? What the hell is her name?
This is like, literally, what hell?
Speaker 1 (01:09):
I think it's I think it's Marissa. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah, what is her freaking name? This is so embarrassing.
We should both know that. I don't think it's actually
either name. Melinda, Miranda, Oh my god, awful Melinda. Maybe
that's all right anyway.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
I guess not so much of a true fan.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
I know exactly.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Very embarrassing, right.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
So it's Bill Paxton's new wife in Twister, and when
they're in.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
The car, they're definitely not married.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
She has the oh yeah, because they're not divorced yet,
so they have to be divorced, but that's why they
want to get married or what they're waiting for. Yes,
good call, and then that's all over with. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
I freaking love this shirt. I'm so excited.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
It's a nice little shirt.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Thank you you how you doing.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
I'm all right, we uh you know, we're sawidly solidly
in fall, which is obviously wonderful.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Absolutely, I will say I'm a little sad. And this
always happened. This always happens every October. It's like gone,
like it's literally about to be over. I'm exaggerating, of course,
but like it's flying by as time does.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
It is a little I mean, I've when I've let
marmalade out in the past, like at night night it's
like almost it's felt like snow almost in the in
the air, which obviously was not the case. But wow,
So I don't know what that's all about, except I
guess I do. It's winter.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Well it's not winter, I'm saying, Well, right, Okay, we're
supposed to get a pretty snowy winter, though, I think,
oh good, I'm.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
So all right. What books do you have?
Speaker 2 (03:04):
So since we last met, I started The Saturday Night
Ghost Club by Craig Davidson.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Well, now that sounds nice.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Finally, I actually don't think you would like it. It
is wonderful. I'm loving it, and it's just it's like
a coming of age and it's being told by the
adult main character, Jake, and he's flashing back to when
he was a twelve year old boy, and it is
very heavily involving like his uncle, who he has a
(03:34):
very close relationship, who sounds like a dear, dear sweet man.
This I'm getting a vibe it's going to be a
very sad book. So far it's not. But it's just
it's so heartwarming and wonderfully written. I'm very sucked in.
I love it. I'm hoping to finish it this weekend.
And then since we last met, I finished Indian Burial Ground.
(03:55):
I gave that three stars. It was good, wasn't great.
I enjoyed the story. There were parts of it supernaturally
speaking that I was turned off by good writing, very
interesting with like Native American culture, customs history. Loved that,
(04:16):
but just the three stars. And then if you remember,
I've literally been reading this book since June, all the
water in the world that I was super excited you
and I.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Got it in that little bookshop.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yes, yes, so finally finished that, which, as you recall,
I was taking breaks because it was like so emotionally grueling.
I finished it. I was sobbing. Five stars, absolute masterpiece.
And I'm not kidding.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
I know you're not. I trust me, I know you're not.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Yes, I highly recommend, I mean trigger warnings for you know,
it's like dystopian, so end of the World. It goes
back and forth between the it refers to it as
the world as it was, so basically like now, and
then the world as it is, which is like the
futuristic you know, there's just the world is kind of
(05:10):
like drowning, a lot of like trauma, parental loss, loss,
all the way around. It's just it was so well done.
I absolutely loved that book. That's it. That's all I got.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Well, I mean, I don't think you can get a
better review than that, in my opinion. If anyone else
thinks differently, let me know, ye all right, So, going
off of the superstition route, we have officially made it
(05:45):
to f oh shit. So with f I decided to.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Do firecracker fur and gully frogs.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
So just some things about frogs.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Can I stop you quickly?
Speaker 1 (06:07):
I haven't even began, right?
Speaker 2 (06:09):
What do you think of them?
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Just?
Speaker 2 (06:11):
You know, generally?
Speaker 1 (06:12):
I think they're cute? You do? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Did you like them as a child?
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Like I think?
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Did you ever fiddle with them? Find them in the
great outdoors? You know, pick them up, that kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
I think I might have found one or two. I mean,
I wouldn't say I was drowning in them. Yeah, I'm
sure I tried to pet them at some.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Point, right, did you? Okay? Yeah? Go ahead?
Speaker 1 (06:35):
So yeah, so some of these superstitions involving frogs. In
some societies, Swallowing live frogs is believed to cure tuberculosis
and whooping cough.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Good God, accordingly is able? I'm sorry, but who is
able to do that?
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (06:54):
I don't freaking no, goodness gracious. According to an old
British legend, carrying a dried frog in a pouch around
your neck, I'm sorry, prevents epileptic seizures epic.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Eilepsy, right epilepsy. I'm not mocking people with disorders, just
my own speech issues.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
So some cultures believe that a frog coming in your
home might be carrying a curse, while others claim it
brings good luck.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
That's what I was going to say that where my
mind would go.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
I meant, I understand some African tribes believe that the
death of a frog will cause drought, while some other
people say that killing a frog can lead to heavy
rain and floods. Telia has so sorry.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
I tried.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
I needed to readjust so I turned my mic off
and wouldn't make like extra noise, And then I thought
you'd still be talking so I wouldn't run into the
issue that I'm currently in.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
That's fascinating because I did hear a major echo and
I don't hear it that much anymore, and that must
be because your mic was off.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Interesting.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Okay, wait, anyway.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
What about the droughts and the floods? What did you now?
It's gone? And I wanted to respond to it. Oh,
gone out of my head?
Speaker 1 (08:31):
I meant, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's just saying that some
African tribes believe that the death of a frog will
cause a drought, while other tribes believed that killing a
frog can lead to heavy rains and floods.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Interesting.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
So there we have it. There are some fascinating little
superstitions around frogs, tuberculosis, things of that nature. So we
are going to jump in to the case today. I
was inspired to look this up. And I don't know
(09:09):
if you even know about anything about this. Have you
ever heard of the Gainesville Ripper?
Speaker 2 (09:18):
No?
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Okay, now I ask that because this was, from what
I have seen, one of the main inspirations for Scream.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Get out of Here. Oh. I am very excited about this.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
So I started watching. As I told you last night,
I started watching Scream one two, and I got halfway
through three, two or three games sitting.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Yes, maybe I'll do that later. That's a good ie.
Now are you accessing all you of the DVDs? Don't you?
Speaker 1 (09:48):
No? I wasn't doing it. I was watching it through Peacock.
But I don't think you have that.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
No, I don't, so Peacock.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
You could probably like get.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
You know trial.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Oh so you pay for it.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Well kind of, I mean through the family.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Oh yeah, yeah, but like it's not like a paid service. Yes, Okay,
got it, got it?
Speaker 1 (10:13):
So, yeah, they have all the screams on there. So
I just and I was saying to you, like, I know,
you know, you just stop at one, but you know,
I plan on fully finishing three to four into five,
even though once they start with those other people, I
really don't give a damn.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
But loses its luster.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
But uh, I do like how it's very how it
strings the stuff together. You know, it's very consistent on
like it'll take like it'll use a cameo from somebody
from the second the second movie, and it starts out,
you know, the third movie starts out with Cotton weary
(10:56):
from the second movie all the way back from the
first movie for a hot second on the TV. You
know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
I do know what you mean, which though takes me too.
I'm questioning if I've ever even seen the third I
must have, but it's also I remember being very excited
about him. Yeah I did. I did see it. I
take that back. I did, but I don't believe I
watched anything further. And I think I saw two, two,
maybe a few times, nothing like my number for one. Yeah, three,
(11:28):
I think I literally saw ones. And then, like I said,
I think I stopped there. Who does the screen withies
Wes Craven, Right, yeah, yeah, a hero to us all well,
I mean not to everybody.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
But number number three was the uh when Courtney Cox
had that horrible haircut, those bangs that were like an
inch long, just jagged like jagged pieces of glass glitz.
So this is what we're going to do, the Gainesville Ripper. Okay,
(12:05):
all right, So in late August nineteen ninety, the college
town of Gainesville, Florida, which was the home of the
University of Florida, was struck by a series of horrific murders.
Now keep in mind, this wasn't the like obviously Scream
wasn't a real true crime case. Obviously, like it was
(12:29):
based around this concept. But like you know, just realize,
like I'm not saying the movie was based on this.
It was just inspiration for the movie.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Got thank you for the clarification.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Was struck by a series of horrific murders. So, over
a span of just a few days, five students, four
UF students, and one of the nearby Santa Fe Community
College were brutally murdered. So this unknown person would break
into off campus upon apartments at night and would attack
(13:03):
young victims in their homes.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Which already granted, Scream is high school, this is college.
But the fact that this person was targeting students, and
that's essentially the theme of Scream, Like obviously when you
find out what's going on and like who it is
and they're reasoning for doing it is different. But like
nice little touch in terms of Scream and the inspiration
(13:27):
and the creation.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
OKAYM done, but yeah, well Scream two is about college.
Scream three they're all out of college, so you know,
succession absolutely, So, like I said, this unknown assailant breaks
into off campus apartments at night, attacks victim. Gainesville, known
for its lively campus and safe streets, suddenly descends into
(13:51):
panic and fear. Local authorities and media quickly drew comparisons
to Ted Bundy's Florida killings shit twelve years earlier. Students
who had just arrived for the fall semester reacted in terror.
Many withdrew or fled the town. Could you imagine just
(14:12):
people leaving a town because of a killer.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
It just shows though, like how obviously amped up people were.
Of course they were, but it's like thinking back to
being in college and if not just one student was killed,
but five. All I'm are we going to hear details
of the of the victims, like I'd like to think
just I met, like the circumstances and timeline of like
(14:41):
how close were they were the murders. It's like that,
even two parents insisting that their kids come home to
like you're not staying on this campus.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Like you're yeah, wow, I agree with that.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
And I'm sorry, when did you say this was happening?
What was the year ninety? Oh shit, nineteen ninety Oh wow?
Speaker 1 (15:05):
Okay, what's so jarring about that?
Speaker 2 (15:07):
In my head? In my head, it was the two thousands.
I didn't think it was that far back.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
The Gainesville Ripper, who you'd never heard of before.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
In my head, it was worker, which makes sense because
if Scream one was inspired by this, it had to
be the nine.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
You're absolutely right, right, You're connected the dots, thank you
real quick?
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Oh not so much, but for me, yes, thank you?
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Okay, all right, So, like I said, local authorities thought
that it was kind of like Ted Bundy's killings twelve
years earlier. So they are leaving the town. They're fleeing
the town. The university delayed the start of classes and
even offered off campus dorm housing. No, I'm sorry, even
(15:58):
offered on campus housing to off campus students. Steak close
feel safer in numbers. Uh, dorms implemented extra security, a
student led nighttime patrol program expanded, which could I feel
like that was kind of a joke.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Well, and you're literally putting these poor kids out of
sacrificial lambs. That's who's getting killed. Bring in a company
to offer sick Oh my gosh, all right.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
And then you probably have these college kids boozing and cruising,
boozing it up looking for somebody who's trying to kill people.
I don't know. That does sound like a movie to
me anyway, So okay, student led nighttime patrol. There was
also an uptick in sales of guns, mace, I would
I fight a jarring, and even steak knives.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
That's where I should have gasped. I should have saved
my guessping.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Steak knives just as student for trying to arm themselves.
Uh So, no one knew who the killer was, or
if he would strike again, or even if there was
more than one killer working together.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Like Stuie and Billy.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
So in the words of one student at the time,
they said, it's another Ted Bundy on the loose, some
sicko sickoh, but she has a callback to hook his
focus is weirdo weirdo.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
I've always wanted to have an online following now I
have you have you, Yeah, where I would refer to
them like you know how you like refer to like, well,
obviously here right as hobgoblins, because when Winnie is out
and she they're like, you know, like, what is this
she goes hobgoblin.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
I do not remember that.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
When they when they're fine, when they're it was write
a trick or treat when they get.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Off the bus everywhere, Yes, odd spottigans. I probably couldn't
understand her. So that's why I never do what the
word was I could hear you.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
Oh you know that would actually be a really nice
thing to do, is to just for an episode that's
not a true crime, but we just put on hocus
pocus and just make commentary as we go.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Love where your head's at a.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Nice, easy, breezy height, because there were so many things
that like, anybody could comment on it anytime, and I
think people might enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Also, I love how like they're getting a now behind
the scenes, behind the music. But if we if we
would commit to not pausing it, people could watch it
with us in real time. How would we sorry, Like
I'm saying, if we say, okay, everybody in in y second,
(19:09):
we're going to start the movie and we will not
pause it, then every commentary we make, they will they
will be hearing as they're watching it.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
My throat is already starting to close over this, like
not being able to pause and Rewind, I need to
rewind all things all the time. You know, I love
a nice rewind.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
I hate it.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
I know, all right, you don't allow it perfect?
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Yeah, I know normally. I mean, yeah, anyway, maybe we'll
maybe we should do that next time.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
I think that's lovely.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Okay, anyway, can we get.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Food stir and mervyn. I mean that'll be a lovely
little Now I can't eat. That'll take a talking watching eating, please, Okay.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
I mean this movie is only about an hour and
twenty minutes, so I think you know, well we could
order the it's about halfway through, because if we can't
because we can't pause.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
And then they'll come to the door. All right, we're
moving on with the pizza. I'll call you on the phone.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Rose, I'll give you a ring. Oh, I can't accept
jewelry to Gigi's quote, Okay, yeah, all right, so we're
back to this frightening atmosphere, right, So a community of
young people under siege by an unknown predator. Obviously, like
I said, it does seem like the plot of a movie.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Let me ask you this. If you were there as
a student, would you stay? Also, would your answer very
if you were in off campus housing or on campus housing?
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Oh? I don't know, because I don't know.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Yeah, I mean.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
I think if I think if that were happening to
my fellow students, that would be pretty damn scary. But
it's also like I think i'd have to see, Like
you just said, where am I? You know? Who's with me? Like?
Is it like a group home where a bunch of
people are coming in and out on a regular basis
(21:16):
and things get get a little hinky? Or is it
like I'm in my house and I come home at
a reasonable time and.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
I you're in for the night, lock the.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Door most likely if I remember, And god, you know,
but I don't know. I think it would be very
I think I would be very unsettled.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
And you I am thinking back to that time in
my life and how I was and nothing gutt my
goat if you will, like I, I feel like I
would be taking it so lightly and nonchalantly, and like
I had such an air of like nothing can happen
to me. I'm good, like always having a good time.
(21:57):
I feel like I would have insisted on staying. My
mother would have been like, you need to come home,
like this is not safe. I would have been like,
oh my god, it's fine, I'm good. And she would
have had to just roll in and be like, Okay,
I'm here, getting in the car, let's go. You're leaving
with me. Yeah, And I would have been out.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Except that doesn't make any sense from what you've told
me in the past, where you would never go anywhere
by yourself, Your friends were never allowed to go anywhere
by themselves. The poor man who found your phone, who
you thought was a psycho.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Killer poor man, well he was returned to you.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Without a bunch of people. So what are you talking about.
You were free wheeling and letting.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
Loose that like I would throw caution to the wind,
like I did a lot of stupid shit I took risks.
I shouldn't have like that sort of thing.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Like I don't listen to this kids.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Not wise.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
You don't want to be like Talia in college.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
No, certainly not so. Yeah, I just and I also think, well,
I'm not going to say this next thing because it's
going to sound insensitive and I don't mean it to be.
So I'm just not going to say.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
All right, I think that's a good plan. Yes, I'm
still just as confused as to whether you were careful
or or free wheeling it because of what I've just said.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
But I said I would have been like, I'm fine,
I'm going to stay, and my mom would have been
like this is not safe. I think she would have
come in it.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
Okay, Yes, now let's get into the murders.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Yeah, I agree.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
All right. So now, over a period of three days,
three rends me of Versula got that three days.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
I heard how she says the number three like that zip.
All right, Well, Angelfish, the.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Solution to your problem is sipful. All right, I gotta go.
Five young people were slain in Gainesville in a very
brutal in three days. Thank you for the recap.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Absolutely all right.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
Friday August twenty fourth, nineteen ninety freshman Sonia Larson, oh
Baby eighteen and Christina Powell seventeen in college. At seventeen,
maybe she was smart.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
Yeah, and had just placement classes.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Yeah, maybe had just moved in together. They were preparing
for a new semester and one would assume the first
semester right when Christina's parents couldn't reach her by Sunday,
August twenty sixth, they went to the apartment complex to
check on the girls.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Well, they were never the same again, and you know it, I'm.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Sure they weren't. After a maintenance man and the apartment
manager entered with a police officer, they encountered a scene
of horror. Oh, Christina's partially clothed body was found on
the living room floor. She had been sexually assaulted and
stabbed to death. Now that's not part of the scream,
(25:09):
you know, the sexual assault?
Speaker 2 (25:11):
No, no, you.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
Know, But which is? I think that's fine to leave out.
Let it just be. Let it just be a horror.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Well I was gonna say, yeah, I totally agree, and
now that not that I'm a horror kind of sore whatsoever,
like compared to you, especially, but.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
I feel like, I'm assured, but you really.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
That is not a theme in horror movies, as I
don't think it should be, Like, I agree.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
Yeah, the other thing I realized, and I actually think
this is fan frea fantastic. Yeah, the scream Killers never
hurt animals. Yes, ever not, I don't know that I recall.
I mean, I love it and you've only seen one,
but you know.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
I've seen two or three. But from my memory, you're.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
Correct because in the third episode the third movie, Sydney
does have a golden retriever.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Oh, I do remember that. So what's the dog's name?
Do you remember?
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Wait, Cherokee?
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Cherokee.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
I only know that because I had the captions on.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
Oh hell yeah. I don't watch anything anymore without the captions,
and I know that's pretty much like been cemented because
I can't hear anything, so that's why I read. But
even as a kid, I distinctly remember loving having the
captions on.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Well maybe a hearing aid, maybe because the captions aren't
for us Dorothy, Oh my god, that's another good happen.
One of my one of my coworkers, by my request,
I'll have you know, went to the ear doctor got
a hearing aid. Not only has it immensely helped her,
but now she can take phone calls.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
Right in her ear get out of here via bluetooth.
That is some advanced futuristic.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Like the Jetson's Baby.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
Absolutely, but I have Let's also not forget I have
gone to the ear doctor about this issue.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
All right, well, then I stand corrected.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
But I guess this is my future.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
I don't know how much of a of a rumor
this is, and we won't be looking it up right
now because we don't have the time. But I thought
I saw an article that it said they were making
a real life Jetson's movie. And this, this is the
part that made me say this out loud. The guy
(27:40):
who's supposed to play George Jetson, of all people, Jim Carrey.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
I immediately was thinking Jason Bateman. And I'm not sure
why I think he would be good, because he really
I don't think personal. I mean, who the hell knows
how Jason Bateman is as a person, but like just
what I'm using to him being, you know, in roles,
acting roles. That was silly that I thought that, But
I kind of do actually think Jim Carrey would be good.
(28:10):
George was a goof like he had some goof things
that occurred, and like, I think that actually would be
okay body type very similar.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Yeah, it's true.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Oh my gosh. Well this also makes Rosy. Makes me
think of the Flintstones and I was obsessed with that
as a child. Did you like that movie?
Speaker 1 (28:33):
Not really?
Speaker 2 (28:33):
Oh my god? Did you like the Flintstones? You didn't
really care.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
For that really? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Yeah, I mean I always preferred the Jetsons to the Flintstones,
but I love that real life Flintstone movie.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
And I think as a kid it did give me
anxiety when they swapped worlds or timelines, I did not
like that. Like when they left the Jetsons in the past,
I was like, well, this is some bullshit. I was
into it, Like I didn't go for it. I was like, well, one,
do they go on back? Like they are going to
go back though? Right?
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Will they be coming whom?
Speaker 1 (29:06):
True?
Speaker 2 (29:08):
My funny screen saver went on and then I was like,
ship did that mess.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
Trying to send me smoke signals?
Speaker 2 (29:15):
What do you recording? And then when I went.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
Back in, it was fine, everyone's fine.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
If I wanted to leave the site.
Speaker 1 (29:23):
All right, No, you don't pleased God. All right, anyway,
these people are probably thinking anyway, Okay, these people.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
At this point, right, all right, So.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
Let's go back to this. So, like I said, she
was tragically sexually assaulted and stabbed to death. So then
we have her friend Sonya. Her body was up on
her bed, she had no clothes on, her long hair
was fanned out, and she too had been stabbed to
(29:59):
death while she was Apparently the investigators noted evidence that
both victims had been bound with duct tape, though the
killer had removed the tape and his tools from the scene,
this was likely to eliminate any evidence that they could
get on him. The front door showed pri marks from
(30:20):
a screwdriver, indicating that the killer had forced entry while
the students slept. Now we're on Saturday, August twenty fifth.
The next night, the killer strikes again. Christa Hoyt eighteen.
She was a student at Santa Fe Community College and
(30:41):
an aspiring police officer.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
Who worked part time as a record's clerk for the
Sheriff's Office, failed to show up for her midnight shift
on Sunday, August twenty sixth. Concerned colleagues went to her
duplex apartment. In the next apartment the next morning and
discovered a scene even more ghastly. Christa had been sexually assaulted, stabbed,
(31:09):
and mutilated, and, in a shocking I guess level up decapitated.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
Geez.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Yeah, so earl, her head was found placed on a shelf,
positioned to face her lifeless body.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Who the hell is this person? And this is like
so much happening in such a short amount of time,
and the time that all of this would like horrifying.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
So her body was like positioned sitting on the edge
of her bed. So the killer obviously took time to
arrange this scene for maximum horror.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
Oh yeah, just messing with people and very disrespectful to her.
Obviously he killed her, but that's like taking it to
the next level of just disrespect. I feel like, like
you're it's like not that he was making a joke,
but sort of you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
Yeah, So the officers who arrived, they were like devastated
because many of them already knew.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
I didn't even think of that. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
They later told her family that she likely died quickly
from the first stab wound, though in truth, there were
many more injuries inflicted after death. So this detail, I
guess was offered out of kindness to spare her loved
one some pain. Yeah, now we've got Monday, August twenty seventh.
(32:47):
Early on Tuesday, August twenty eighth, police found two more victims,
which I'm assuming were killed Monday, August twenty second or
twenty seventh at another off campus apartment complex. Tracy Paula's
pa U l e s Paul's Paulus.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
I want to say.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
Paulis twenty three. She was a UF senior, and her
longtime friend Manuel, who went by Manny. I'm just going
to have to spell this tabo ada toboda, toboda tabota. Yes,
as I read it out loud. He was twenty three,
(33:35):
so he was a student at Santa Fe Community College
and they were roommates. So sometime in the early hours
of August twenty seventh, the killer broke into the ground
floor unit by prying open a sliding glass door.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
Very into the prying of the doors, this monster, similarly
to the previous entries, he yes was a door prior.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
Yeah, he first encountered Manny asleep in his bedroom. Manny
was a strong former football player and he fought back
fiercely upon being attacked. Evidence showed a very violent struggle,
but he was ultimately overpowered and stabbed to death, which.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Then is making me think, granted, Menoil was like at
a disadvantage with having been startled awake or you know,
not like unexpectedly woken up, but with the strength that
he naturally would have had just from his history of
being an athlete. It's like, I don't know, It's like, yes,
he was at a disadvantage, but it I don't know.
(34:38):
I guess he also was unarmed though when this killer
oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
I mean it does make me think though, even because
like I said, obviously where this was inspiration for even
in Scream, I mean, any of these killers, they were
all freaking They were just wire oh, I mean totally.
And they were not stealthy. They were not graceful.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Flunky falling around in the bathroom.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
One Almost everyone that that whoever was behind the mass
tried to kill God at least a few good hits
in absolutely, which is always where their mistake was, because
he would always be down and out and they would
just keep running away solutely. But you know, anyway, so
(35:32):
hearing the commotion Tracy came down the hall, she saw
the intruder, and she tried to barricade herself in her bedroom.
The killer broke through the door, and, just with the
other female victims, he taped her mouth shut and bound
her wrists. He cut off her clothes, sexually assaulted her,
(35:54):
and then turned her over and stabbed her three times
in the back, killing her. He then poised Tracy's body
in a provocative position oh my god, while Nanny's body
was just left where it fell. When police found the
scene later that morning, Tracy's body was on the living
(36:14):
room floor, and like the other women, she had tape
residue on her wrists and mouth. Notably, investigators also found
traces of soap on her lower body, suggesting that the
killer had washed her, possibly to remove any evidence of
like seamen or DNA or fingerprints. So this detail just
(36:38):
talked about this pattern where the killer liked to clean
the crime scenes, a trait also noted in earlier murders
and in the triple homicide case in another state.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
So now I'm so sorry. So you're saying that unrelated
crimes like you're saying from farther, like you're saying they're
noticing these similarities in crimes prior to the killing spree
(37:13):
of the students that it's like, oh, this match is
actually yeah ok.
Speaker 1 (37:18):
Yeah yeah, it so all fine. All five victims, now,
they were killed in their own homes in the dead
of night, with the exception of Manny because he was
the lone male victim. You know, he was not sexually assaulted.
He just had the misfortune of being present. So the victims.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
Yeah sorry, I was just going to say, and he
was the barrier to that female. It makes me think
that he knew that the killer knew that there was
like a male in this house that was going to,
like I said, be a barrier to get to the
female that he I assume really wanted to get to.
Since he sexually assaulted everybody, like all of the victims,
(38:03):
I feel like that was part of his thing. Like,
I don't think he randomly came upon that house, Like
I don't think Manny surprised him. I feel like he
absolutely knew Manny was in there, just didn't know necessarily
who he would run into first.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
Well, I think he would have had. I think he
would have had to have planned to run into Manny first,
because if he was attacking Tracy first, then Manny could
have woken up and actually been a little more ready
to fight the man.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
Very good point, I meant, more like, when he walked in,
he wouldn't have necessarily known whose bedroom was where and like,
but maybe.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
He did, who the hell knows, right right? So anyway,
all of the victims, like I said, not counting Manny,
were all young, petite, brunette women.
Speaker 2 (38:52):
Oh god, so he had a type that he was
going for.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
And as I said, each had been sexually assaulted and
then stabbed with a knife and then gruesomely posed or
mutilated after the death. Why that why Christa was decapitated?
Is so such an odd addition, but yeah, the level
(39:19):
of overkill and ritualism at the scenes led authorities to
conclude immediately that a serial killer was at work. So
the share of spokesman said at the time, quote unquote anyone,
you know, I never understood quote unquote, how do you
know what I'm done? Quoting? Then? Good call, I mean,
do you know that?
Speaker 2 (39:38):
Though?
Speaker 1 (39:39):
No, all right, I don't either. You could say end
quote I understand, but then it would be quote unquote,
it would be quote blah blah blah, blah blah end quote.
I don't know. I just think it's dumb. Good call, man,
I'm gonna say, quote, Okay, anybody that commits homicide using
mutilation is a pretty sick individual. And well, yeah, absolutely,
(40:01):
and somebody we want to get off the streets very badly,
you surely hope. So well, when you're right, you're right,
you didn't do end question. So I guess there is
a memorial mural once yes, yeah, you got it on
Gainville's thirty fourth Street wall, which honors the five victims
(40:26):
of the nineteen ninety murders.
Speaker 2 (40:28):
That's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (40:29):
So okay. Now, in the immediate aftermath of the murders,
Gainesville was in a state of siege and paranoia. Police
received a flood of calls about any and all suspicious incidents,
every strange noise in the night. God only knows what
you would have been up to at this point.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
I would have been panicked, I think, I really think,
because too like everyone's talking about it. You know, it's
coming up all the time, like you are supposed to
be really like aware of what's going on around you
more than usual. I mean, it must have been a
rough time for all.
Speaker 1 (41:04):
Like one would be like, oh, let's tally again. Hey girl,
what's up? Now, that's just missus Johnson walking her chihuahua.
You've seen her.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
Before, Leave her alone, let her be.
Speaker 1 (41:23):
So police received a flood of calls about any and
all suspicious events, like I said, noises, sightings of just people, whatever.
Rumors flew as students swapped grim theories. So some were
saying that the killer might actually be two people working
together because how quickly the murders were happening, and like
(41:45):
the idea of how much like strength was needed to
overpower these victims, obviously, especially Manny when you know he
was woken up. So others were saying that it could
be some that other feared it could be someone who
they knew, because everyone was a potential suspects in the
(42:05):
public's eyes. In fact, investigators later revealed that they had
a list of six hundred and seventy five people of interest. Geez,
six hundred and seventy five people. So this was showing
just how wide of a net of suspicion was cast
for students at UF. That fall semester of nineteen ninety
(42:28):
was one of the most terrifying in the school's history.
Many students wouldn't go out at night or even walk
across campus without an escort. Well, who the hell are
these escorts?
Speaker 2 (42:40):
Maybe school stiff, These poor students probably that are doing
the night watch security.
Speaker 1 (42:47):
Till the dirty.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
Me.
Speaker 1 (42:55):
So on campus volunteer volunteer security escorts they were, they
were They were the kids student nighttime auxiliary patrol.
Speaker 2 (43:08):
Did they Well no, of course they didn't get paid.
Speaker 1 (43:10):
I'm sure I don't think so. No, it says volunteers.
Speaker 2 (43:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (43:15):
Yeah, they expanded to to meet the larger demand of
people wanting other people to walk them around. I guess
so off campus groups of friends formed buddy systems. Now
that you'd like that, you'd be into that.
Speaker 2 (43:32):
I think that would be safe to.
Speaker 1 (43:34):
Check on each other and even sleep in shifts.
Speaker 2 (43:37):
Oh, I think that's nice. Well, Manny wasn't awake. I
was going to say it didn't help Manny, but I
mean he was still woken, so I guess scratched that.
But yeah, all right, that's nice. I think that's nice.
Speaker 1 (43:51):
So one account described students keeping steak knives under their
pillows and mace canisters at the ready.
Speaker 2 (44:01):
If I can just say, if I was sleeping with
a steak knife under my pillow. I would kill myself.
I would brutally injure myself over Oh.
Speaker 1 (44:10):
Yeah, yeah, I would never very unsafe, yes.
Speaker 2 (44:14):
Yes, which maybe they had in a little cover a
sheet what I can only hope they do it right.
Speaker 1 (44:20):
So over the Labor Day weekend, this is just days
after the murder, Gainesville was practically a ghost town. Hundreds
of students had already left the city to spend time
with their family until things had calmed down. The university
administration adjusted policies to accommodate the chaos. They extended deadlines,
like so that you don't you didn't have to add
(44:41):
or drop classes as quickly as normal. They delayed tuition
due dates. How big of them they You know, they
were acknowledging that many students were not in a normal
frame of mind.
Speaker 2 (44:52):
I'll say that is a good point, though, Like who's focusing,
who's able to study? Like they're fighting for their lives,
they're trying to stay alive.
Speaker 1 (45:00):
It's yeah. Media from all over the country descended on Gainesville.
Gail Weatherstone, I was.
Speaker 2 (45:09):
Just thinking that you were.
Speaker 1 (45:12):
Yeah, the story of these five slaughtered college students in
the sun belt town grabbed national headlines in cable news coverage,
and I mean, yeah, those details are pretty gripping, gripping, scandalous,
news worthy, chillworthy.
Speaker 2 (45:31):
Absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (45:34):
The press had soon given the unknown murderer the name
of the Gainesville Ripper, a name that both horrified and
sensationalized this tragedy, which I agree, at its peak, one
d and twenty five officers were working on the case.
They set up a twenty four hour hotline for tips,
which generated thousands of calls. Investigators painstakingly combed through eighteen
(46:01):
thousand pieces of evidence JEEZ, and conducted hundreds of interviews.
As one officer later said, quote, there was no precedent
for this scale of tragedy. Parents and students didn't know
what to do end quote. The authorities knew that they
had to catch us killed it quickly to restore any
sense of peace. So now we have an early suspect.
(46:25):
Within days of the murders, even as the last crime
scenes were being processed, police announced they had a potential suspect,
an eighteen year old UF freshman named Edward ed Humphrey.
So Humphrey was brought to the authority's attention by multiple
(46:46):
reports from students and neighbors. He was known to wander
around late at night dressed in military fatigues, often carrying
large knives, and he exhibited odd behavior which was aggressive,
likely related to mental health issues. Well, I would say
that is someone to keep an eye on, absolutely with
the things happening.
Speaker 2 (47:07):
Yes, there's some red flags going on here.
Speaker 1 (47:10):
Those large knives especially are standing out to me.
Speaker 2 (47:13):
But dare I say, well, I mean, I'd.
Speaker 1 (47:17):
Love to hear this.
Speaker 2 (47:18):
What I was just gonna say, that doesn't make him
a murderer.
Speaker 1 (47:22):
I didn't say it does.
Speaker 2 (47:25):
I'm just saying, all right.
Speaker 1 (47:30):
Oh yeah, thank you though for pointing that out.
Speaker 2 (47:33):
Absolutely, you're right.
Speaker 1 (47:34):
I have knives in my house as well as I
think you do, correct exce and just by your logic,
that does not make us a murderer.
Speaker 2 (47:41):
We don't walk around the neighborhood with them either, but
if we did that, yes, would not make us murderers either.
In our fatigue, there is fair right.
Speaker 1 (47:53):
Coincidentally, around that time, Humphrey was arrested for a physical
altercation with his grandmother, which landed him in jail for
for an unrelated assault charge. Police held him on an
extraordinarily high bond of one million dollars back then.
Speaker 2 (48:11):
Back then, and not even that he killed her like
just I mean not to say like, oh, all he
did was assault her. I mean she's an elderly woman,
a relative of h I mean, that is ruthless man.
But they were not messing around, now, riddled me. This
was that though? Was he sort of like the fact
that he was on the suspect list then this happened.
(48:31):
Do you think that's what played a part in the
high bail amount?
Speaker 1 (48:36):
Oh yeah, people were saying, like, given the context of
what was going on, yes, that's why it was like,
you know, a little harder than it might have been
to scoot out of there.
Speaker 2 (48:49):
Well, and what I'm curious what you're going to say
next is is this going to be similar to like
how in Scream, where like Billy is in jail murder
keep happening, which obviously we know who that was, But
I'm wondering for this, is it going to be like
this guy Ed was now in jail, high bond, high
(49:12):
bail whatever, and murders continue.
Speaker 1 (49:15):
I guess we'll see, right, Okay, So Humphrey certainly looked
the part of a suspect to a you know, to
the public like they were like, oh, this guy, like,
it's definitely him. He had deep scars on his face
from a car accident, and side effects from his medication
made him appear twitchy and quote unquote off. Now see
(49:39):
there you can use quote unquote it's one word good
call quote unquote off. If his mugshot was splashed across
the newspapers and tabloid TV shows, So basically they were
already branding him as the face of the Gainesville Ripper. However,
(50:00):
as investigators quietly realized, looks were deceiving in this case,
the crime scene evidence, especially DNA, did not match ed Humphrey.
Speaker 2 (50:10):
Oh shit.
Speaker 1 (50:12):
Semen and blood samples from the murder scenes had a
certain blood type which was B which Humphrey did not share. So,
in other words, unless he was working with someone else,
he was not the killer. So still, authorities hesitated to
(50:33):
completely clear Humphrey publicly because they were like scared that
if they would lose their only named suspect, that people
would lose faith in the fact that they were like
making any kind of progress at all. Basically, so for
months they kept him in jail on his assault charge
(50:54):
while the murder investigation continued. Wow, And officially he was
never exonerated until much later. But the focus of the
task force, however, was already shifting and by the fall
of nineteen ninety toward another lead, one far more promising
than the troubled teenager who happened to act strange at
(51:17):
the wrong time. And on that note, everybody, we are
gonna have to continue this in the next episode because
we are only halfway through the Gainesville Ripper case.
Speaker 2 (51:31):
Wow. Good job, man, good freaking job.
Speaker 1 (51:37):
So yeah, there we have it. But I thought you
would be pleased with the inspiration.
Speaker 2 (51:43):
Oh a thousand percent. I feel terrible for these victims,
and it's a very sad case. I'm extremely sucked in
and curious to you know, the rest of what transpires
and hopefully finding this person. But I am very no,
I don't want to say delighted by the connection of
the screen movies. That sounds highly disrespectful to the victims.
(52:06):
But I'm just I'm very I don't know what word
to use. Appreciative. Now that's terribly interested, I guess, yes, yes, gripped, Yes,
thank you.
Speaker 1 (52:21):
Well, you're welcome. So on that note, we are going
to break, all right, and we will see everybody next
week and that I think we might do what we
said and oh yeah, the focus Pocus episode. Yes, I
(52:44):
would say, you know, let us know if you want
us to do the hocus Pocus episode. But in reality,
we're doing it because the people won't listen to this
for weeks.
Speaker 2 (52:53):
I was going to say, right, it won't even they
won't even know until it hits. Some jokes on them,
we're doing it.
Speaker 1 (53:01):
I also, really quick before we go, did want to say,
I think it's a very very sweet. We have gotten
comments since we've been on our very well for us.
It was a long hiatus, agreed, We've never really broken
for more than a month. In this time we did,
lots of things were happening, and you know, and and
that's fine, it's our show. But we have seen multiple
(53:25):
comments from multiple people asking when when it's coming back.
And we just got a comment today from Ashley that said.
Speaker 2 (53:37):
Like she told us about it, it wasn't her comment.
Use that a comment from ash because.
Speaker 1 (53:45):
She texted the group is what I meant. Yeah, I'm
sorry everyone. Let me clarify that Ashley sent us a
picture of a comment that was not Ashley's.
Speaker 2 (53:57):
I'm just saying.
Speaker 1 (53:58):
From a very love listener who said she just finished
listening to the last episode of season two and she
was delighted to see that season three, episode one had
just dropped, and so that's all very very nice, and she.
Speaker 2 (54:13):
Also asked that we do more.
Speaker 1 (54:17):
Oh right, how would you say it? Read it?
Speaker 2 (54:19):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (54:19):
I did, shout her out, said bless her, shout her
the hell.
Speaker 2 (54:22):
Out, Hannah Maxie Smith, and she said, y'all posted this
the exact day I finished the last episode of season two.
Crying face meant to be exclamation point. Can't wait to
catch the weekly new episodes. Also want to say, I
really love hearing y'all delve into the older and more
historical cases. I'd love to hear more of those, if
that's something y'all would enjoy. With a smile, And that
(54:44):
was on Spotify and her name was what Hannah Maxi Smith.
Speaker 1 (54:49):
Well, I'll call her Hannah. Now, I wonder if Hannah
considers the nineties. Is that the kind of historical she means? Like,
that's very subjective at this point point, well.
Speaker 2 (55:00):
Good point in my head. I immediately thought Jack the Ripper,
like that's where my head went. But but then also,
or does she mean neither or maybe partly, like for instance,
a really well known case, no matter when it occurred,
is what She's.
Speaker 1 (55:18):
More so saying, well, Hannah, shed any light you want
on that comment, because you know, we're not exactly sure
what people you know. I mean, it's a we love
the comment, but we're just wondering, like, does thirty years
count as historical or does.
Speaker 2 (55:34):
It have to be sixty or six hundred?
Speaker 1 (55:37):
Right? The first vampire of New Jersey or I forget
whoever she was, but God bless her?
Speaker 2 (55:45):
What was her name? What was her first name? I
don't even remember, very sweetie? The heck was it?
Speaker 1 (55:50):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (55:51):
I don't know to.
Speaker 1 (55:52):
Look at it, so anyway, but yes, we appreciate all
those very sweet comments.
Speaker 2 (55:57):
Yes, and everyone who is so to listening to us
and still here for our current season now that we're big.
Speaker 1 (56:06):
Yeah, And I mean, if there are people literally from
the beginning that are not blood related to us or
are still listening like that would be so lovely to know.
Speaker 2 (56:16):
I love you all. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (56:18):
So anyway, all right, Well until next time, everybody.
Speaker 2 (56:22):
Stay safe and stay chill.
Speaker 3 (56:25):
Bye everybody, goodbye, you've just listened to Chilworthy.
Speaker 1 (56:36):
Thank you for joining us. On this latest episode. While
we strive to keep our discussions engaging and lighthearted, we
also wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the real
lives and events that are at the heart of these stories.
Speaker 2 (56:48):
We try to approach each topic with a sense of
curiosity and respect fully aware of the impact these events
have had on the individuals and their loved ones. Our
goal is to honor their memories by keep finger stories
alive and shedding light on the mysteries that surround them.
Speaker 1 (57:04):
If you enjoyed this episode, please remember to subscribe, rate,
and leave a review, and don't forget to join us
on the next episode of Chilworthy.
You're listening to Chillworthy.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
A podcast we're two best friends discuss mysteries, murders, and
anything in between for your enjoyment.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
So if you're ready to hear some chilling and unsettling cases,
you're in the right place, happy listening. Hello, Hello, everyone,
Welcome back to another episode of Chillworthy with Brent and Talia.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Hi, everybody, how's it going today? Good? It is lovely
and just very folly and crisp. Did you see my shirt?
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
I did, Eshley got it for me. You say, very cute, cute,
thank you? Only a true fan and you know it.
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
I guess you want to tell them?
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah, yeah, I gotta go. Julia, we got cows. It's
a picture Marissa, Melissa? What the hell is her name?
This is like, literally, what hell?
Speaker 1 (01:09):
I think it's I think it's Marissa. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah, what is her freaking name? This is so embarrassing.
We should both know that. I don't think it's actually
either name. Melinda, Miranda, Oh my god, awful Melinda. Maybe
that's all right anyway.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
I guess not so much of a true fan.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
I know exactly.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Very embarrassing, right.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
So it's Bill Paxton's new wife in Twister, and when
they're in.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
The car, they're definitely not married.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
She has the oh yeah, because they're not divorced yet,
so they have to be divorced, but that's why they
want to get married or what they're waiting for. Yes,
good call, and then that's all over with. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
I freaking love this shirt. I'm so excited.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
It's a nice little shirt.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Thank you you how you doing.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
I'm all right, we uh you know, we're sawidly solidly
in fall, which is obviously wonderful.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Absolutely, I will say I'm a little sad. And this
always happened. This always happens every October. It's like gone,
like it's literally about to be over. I'm exaggerating, of course,
but like it's flying by as time does.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
It is a little I mean, I've when I've let
marmalade out in the past, like at night night it's
like almost it's felt like snow almost in the in
the air, which obviously was not the case. But wow,
So I don't know what that's all about, except I
guess I do. It's winter.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Well it's not winter, I'm saying, Well, right, Okay, we're
supposed to get a pretty snowy winter, though, I think,
oh good, I'm.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
So all right. What books do you have?
Speaker 2 (03:04):
So since we last met, I started The Saturday Night
Ghost Club by Craig Davidson.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Well, now that sounds nice.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Finally, I actually don't think you would like it. It
is wonderful. I'm loving it, and it's just it's like
a coming of age and it's being told by the
adult main character, Jake, and he's flashing back to when
he was a twelve year old boy, and it is
very heavily involving like his uncle, who he has a
(03:34):
very close relationship, who sounds like a dear, dear sweet man.
This I'm getting a vibe it's going to be a
very sad book. So far it's not. But it's just
it's so heartwarming and wonderfully written. I'm very sucked in.
I love it. I'm hoping to finish it this weekend.
And then since we last met, I finished Indian Burial Ground.
(03:55):
I gave that three stars. It was good, wasn't great.
I enjoyed the story. There were parts of it supernaturally
speaking that I was turned off by good writing, very
interesting with like Native American culture, customs history. Loved that,
(04:16):
but just the three stars. And then if you remember,
I've literally been reading this book since June, all the
water in the world that I was super excited you
and I.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Got it in that little bookshop.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yes, yes, so finally finished that, which, as you recall,
I was taking breaks because it was like so emotionally grueling.
I finished it. I was sobbing. Five stars, absolute masterpiece.
And I'm not kidding.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
I know you're not. I trust me, I know you're not.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Yes, I highly recommend, I mean trigger warnings for you know,
it's like dystopian, so end of the World. It goes
back and forth between the it refers to it as
the world as it was, so basically like now, and
then the world as it is, which is like the
futuristic you know, there's just the world is kind of
(05:10):
like drowning, a lot of like trauma, parental loss, loss,
all the way around. It's just it was so well done.
I absolutely loved that book. That's it. That's all I got.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Well, I mean, I don't think you can get a
better review than that, in my opinion. If anyone else
thinks differently, let me know, ye all right, So, going
off of the superstition route, we have officially made it
(05:45):
to f oh shit. So with f I decided to.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Do firecracker fur and gully frogs.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
So just some things about frogs.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Can I stop you quickly?
Speaker 1 (06:07):
I haven't even began, right?
Speaker 2 (06:09):
What do you think of them?
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Just?
Speaker 2 (06:11):
You know, generally?
Speaker 1 (06:12):
I think they're cute? You do? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Did you like them as a child?
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Like I think?
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Did you ever fiddle with them? Find them in the
great outdoors? You know, pick them up, that kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
I think I might have found one or two. I mean,
I wouldn't say I was drowning in them. Yeah, I'm
sure I tried to pet them at some.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Point, right, did you? Okay? Yeah? Go ahead?
Speaker 1 (06:35):
So yeah, so some of these superstitions involving frogs. In
some societies, Swallowing live frogs is believed to cure tuberculosis
and whooping cough.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Good God, accordingly is able? I'm sorry, but who is
able to do that?
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (06:54):
I don't freaking no, goodness gracious. According to an old
British legend, carrying a dried frog in a pouch around
your neck, I'm sorry, prevents epileptic seizures epic.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Eilepsy, right epilepsy. I'm not mocking people with disorders, just
my own speech issues.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
So some cultures believe that a frog coming in your
home might be carrying a curse, while others claim it
brings good luck.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
That's what I was going to say that where my
mind would go.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
I meant, I understand some African tribes believe that the
death of a frog will cause drought, while some other
people say that killing a frog can lead to heavy
rain and floods. Telia has so sorry.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
I tried.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
I needed to readjust so I turned my mic off
and wouldn't make like extra noise, And then I thought
you'd still be talking so I wouldn't run into the
issue that I'm currently in.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
That's fascinating because I did hear a major echo and
I don't hear it that much anymore, and that must
be because your mic was off.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Interesting.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Okay, wait, anyway.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
What about the droughts and the floods? What did you now?
It's gone? And I wanted to respond to it. Oh,
gone out of my head?
Speaker 1 (08:31):
I meant, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's just saying that some
African tribes believe that the death of a frog will
cause a drought, while other tribes believed that killing a
frog can lead to heavy rains and floods.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Interesting.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
So there we have it. There are some fascinating little
superstitions around frogs, tuberculosis, things of that nature. So we
are going to jump in to the case today. I
was inspired to look this up. And I don't know
(09:09):
if you even know about anything about this. Have you
ever heard of the Gainesville Ripper?
Speaker 2 (09:18):
No?
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Okay, now I ask that because this was, from what
I have seen, one of the main inspirations for Scream.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Get out of Here. Oh. I am very excited about this.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
So I started watching. As I told you last night,
I started watching Scream one two, and I got halfway
through three, two or three games sitting.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Yes, maybe I'll do that later. That's a good ie.
Now are you accessing all you of the DVDs? Don't you?
Speaker 1 (09:48):
No? I wasn't doing it. I was watching it through Peacock.
But I don't think you have that.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
No, I don't, so Peacock.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
You could probably like get.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
You know trial.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Oh so you pay for it.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Well kind of, I mean through the family.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Oh yeah, yeah, but like it's not like a paid service. Yes, Okay,
got it, got it?
Speaker 1 (10:13):
So, yeah, they have all the screams on there. So
I just and I was saying to you, like, I know,
you know, you just stop at one, but you know,
I plan on fully finishing three to four into five,
even though once they start with those other people, I
really don't give a damn.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
But loses its luster.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
But uh, I do like how it's very how it
strings the stuff together. You know, it's very consistent on
like it'll take like it'll use a cameo from somebody
from the second the second movie, and it starts out,
you know, the third movie starts out with Cotton weary
(10:56):
from the second movie all the way back from the
first movie for a hot second on the TV. You
know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
I do know what you mean, which though takes me too.
I'm questioning if I've ever even seen the third I
must have, but it's also I remember being very excited
about him. Yeah I did. I did see it. I
take that back. I did, but I don't believe I
watched anything further. And I think I saw two, two,
maybe a few times, nothing like my number for one. Yeah, three,
(11:28):
I think I literally saw ones. And then, like I said,
I think I stopped there. Who does the screen withies
Wes Craven, Right, yeah, yeah, a hero to us all well,
I mean not to everybody.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
But number number three was the uh when Courtney Cox
had that horrible haircut, those bangs that were like an
inch long, just jagged like jagged pieces of glass glitz.
So this is what we're going to do, the Gainesville Ripper. Okay,
(12:05):
all right, So in late August nineteen ninety, the college
town of Gainesville, Florida, which was the home of the
University of Florida, was struck by a series of horrific murders.
Now keep in mind, this wasn't the like obviously Scream
wasn't a real true crime case. Obviously, like it was
(12:29):
based around this concept. But like you know, just realize,
like I'm not saying the movie was based on this.
It was just inspiration for the movie.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Got thank you for the clarification.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Was struck by a series of horrific murders. So, over
a span of just a few days, five students, four
UF students, and one of the nearby Santa Fe Community
College were brutally murdered. So this unknown person would break
into off campus upon apartments at night and would attack
(13:03):
young victims in their homes.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Which already granted, Scream is high school, this is college.
But the fact that this person was targeting students, and
that's essentially the theme of Scream, Like obviously when you
find out what's going on and like who it is
and they're reasoning for doing it is different. But like
nice little touch in terms of Scream and the inspiration
(13:27):
and the creation.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
OKAYM done, but yeah, well Scream two is about college.
Scream three they're all out of college, so you know,
succession absolutely, So, like I said, this unknown assailant breaks
into off campus apartments at night, attacks victim. Gainesville, known
for its lively campus and safe streets, suddenly descends into
(13:51):
panic and fear. Local authorities and media quickly drew comparisons
to Ted Bundy's Florida killings shit twelve years earlier. Students
who had just arrived for the fall semester reacted in terror.
Many withdrew or fled the town. Could you imagine just
(14:12):
people leaving a town because of a killer.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
It just shows though, like how obviously amped up people were.
Of course they were, but it's like thinking back to
being in college and if not just one student was killed,
but five. All I'm are we going to hear details
of the of the victims, like I'd like to think
just I met, like the circumstances and timeline of like
(14:41):
how close were they were the murders. It's like that,
even two parents insisting that their kids come home to
like you're not staying on this campus.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Like you're yeah, wow, I agree with that.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
And I'm sorry, when did you say this was happening?
What was the year ninety? Oh shit, nineteen ninety Oh wow?
Speaker 1 (15:05):
Okay, what's so jarring about that?
Speaker 2 (15:07):
In my head? In my head, it was the two thousands.
I didn't think it was that far back.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
The Gainesville Ripper, who you'd never heard of before.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
In my head, it was worker, which makes sense because
if Scream one was inspired by this, it had to
be the nine.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
You're absolutely right, right, You're connected the dots, thank you
real quick?
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Oh not so much, but for me, yes, thank you?
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Okay, all right, So, like I said, local authorities thought
that it was kind of like Ted Bundy's killings twelve
years earlier. So they are leaving the town. They're fleeing
the town. The university delayed the start of classes and
even offered off campus dorm housing. No, I'm sorry, even
(15:58):
offered on campus housing to off campus students. Steak close
feel safer in numbers. Uh, dorms implemented extra security, a
student led nighttime patrol program expanded, which could I feel
like that was kind of a joke.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Well, and you're literally putting these poor kids out of
sacrificial lambs. That's who's getting killed. Bring in a company
to offer sick Oh my gosh, all right.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
And then you probably have these college kids boozing and cruising,
boozing it up looking for somebody who's trying to kill people.
I don't know. That does sound like a movie to
me anyway, So okay, student led nighttime patrol. There was
also an uptick in sales of guns, mace, I would
I fight a jarring, and even steak knives.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
That's where I should have gasped. I should have saved
my guessping.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Steak knives just as student for trying to arm themselves.
Uh So, no one knew who the killer was, or
if he would strike again, or even if there was
more than one killer working together.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Like Stuie and Billy.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
So in the words of one student at the time,
they said, it's another Ted Bundy on the loose, some
sicko sickoh, but she has a callback to hook his
focus is weirdo weirdo.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
I've always wanted to have an online following now I
have you have you, Yeah, where I would refer to
them like you know how you like refer to like, well,
obviously here right as hobgoblins, because when Winnie is out
and she they're like, you know, like, what is this
she goes hobgoblin.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
I do not remember that.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
When they when they're fine, when they're it was write
a trick or treat when they get.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Off the bus everywhere, Yes, odd spottigans. I probably couldn't
understand her. So that's why I never do what the
word was I could hear you.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
Oh you know that would actually be a really nice
thing to do, is to just for an episode that's
not a true crime, but we just put on hocus
pocus and just make commentary as we go.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Love where your head's at a.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Nice, easy, breezy height, because there were so many things
that like, anybody could comment on it anytime, and I
think people might enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Also, I love how like they're getting a now behind
the scenes, behind the music. But if we if we
would commit to not pausing it, people could watch it
with us in real time. How would we sorry, Like
I'm saying, if we say, okay, everybody in in y second,
(19:09):
we're going to start the movie and we will not
pause it, then every commentary we make, they will they
will be hearing as they're watching it.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
My throat is already starting to close over this, like
not being able to pause and Rewind, I need to
rewind all things all the time. You know, I love
a nice rewind.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
I hate it.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
I know, all right, you don't allow it perfect?
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Yeah, I know normally. I mean, yeah, anyway, maybe we'll
maybe we should do that next time.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
I think that's lovely.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Okay, anyway, can we get.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Food stir and mervyn. I mean that'll be a lovely
little Now I can't eat. That'll take a talking watching eating, please, Okay.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
I mean this movie is only about an hour and
twenty minutes, so I think you know, well we could
order the it's about halfway through, because if we can't
because we can't pause.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
And then they'll come to the door. All right, we're
moving on with the pizza. I'll call you on the phone.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Rose, I'll give you a ring. Oh, I can't accept
jewelry to Gigi's quote, Okay, yeah, all right, so we're
back to this frightening atmosphere, right, So a community of
young people under siege by an unknown predator. Obviously, like
I said, it does seem like the plot of a movie.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Let me ask you this. If you were there as
a student, would you stay? Also, would your answer very
if you were in off campus housing or on campus housing?
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Oh? I don't know, because I don't know.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Yeah, I mean.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
I think if I think if that were happening to
my fellow students, that would be pretty damn scary. But
it's also like I think i'd have to see, Like
you just said, where am I? You know? Who's with me? Like?
Is it like a group home where a bunch of
people are coming in and out on a regular basis
(21:16):
and things get get a little hinky? Or is it
like I'm in my house and I come home at
a reasonable time and.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
I you're in for the night, lock the.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Door most likely if I remember, And god, you know,
but I don't know. I think it would be very
I think I would be very unsettled.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
And you I am thinking back to that time in
my life and how I was and nothing gutt my
goat if you will, like I, I feel like I
would be taking it so lightly and nonchalantly, and like
I had such an air of like nothing can happen
to me. I'm good, like always having a good time.
(21:57):
I feel like I would have insisted on staying. My
mother would have been like, you need to come home,
like this is not safe. I would have been like,
oh my god, it's fine, I'm good. And she would
have had to just roll in and be like, Okay,
I'm here, getting in the car, let's go. You're leaving
with me. Yeah, And I would have been out.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Except that doesn't make any sense from what you've told
me in the past, where you would never go anywhere
by yourself, Your friends were never allowed to go anywhere
by themselves. The poor man who found your phone, who
you thought was a psycho.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Killer poor man, well he was returned to you.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Without a bunch of people. So what are you talking about.
You were free wheeling and letting.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
Loose that like I would throw caution to the wind,
like I did a lot of stupid shit I took risks.
I shouldn't have like that sort of thing.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Like I don't listen to this kids.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Not wise.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
You don't want to be like Talia in college.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
No, certainly not so. Yeah, I just and I also think, well,
I'm not going to say this next thing because it's
going to sound insensitive and I don't mean it to be.
So I'm just not going to say.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
All right, I think that's a good plan. Yes, I'm
still just as confused as to whether you were careful
or or free wheeling it because of what I've just said.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
But I said I would have been like, I'm fine,
I'm going to stay, and my mom would have been
like this is not safe. I think she would have
come in it.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
Okay, Yes, now let's get into the murders.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Yeah, I agree.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
All right. So now, over a period of three days,
three rends me of Versula got that three days.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
I heard how she says the number three like that zip.
All right, Well, Angelfish, the.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Solution to your problem is sipful. All right, I gotta go.
Five young people were slain in Gainesville in a very
brutal in three days. Thank you for the recap.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Absolutely all right.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
Friday August twenty fourth, nineteen ninety freshman Sonia Larson, oh
Baby eighteen and Christina Powell seventeen in college. At seventeen,
maybe she was smart.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
Yeah, and had just placement classes.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Yeah, maybe had just moved in together. They were preparing
for a new semester and one would assume the first
semester right when Christina's parents couldn't reach her by Sunday,
August twenty sixth, they went to the apartment complex to
check on the girls.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Well, they were never the same again, and you know it, I'm.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Sure they weren't. After a maintenance man and the apartment
manager entered with a police officer, they encountered a scene
of horror. Oh, Christina's partially clothed body was found on
the living room floor. She had been sexually assaulted and
stabbed to death. Now that's not part of the scream,
(25:09):
you know, the sexual assault?
Speaker 2 (25:11):
No, no, you.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
Know, But which is? I think that's fine to leave out.
Let it just be. Let it just be a horror.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Well I was gonna say, yeah, I totally agree, and
now that not that I'm a horror kind of sore whatsoever,
like compared to you, especially, but.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
I feel like, I'm assured, but you really.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
That is not a theme in horror movies, as I
don't think it should be, Like, I agree.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
Yeah, the other thing I realized, and I actually think
this is fan frea fantastic. Yeah, the scream Killers never
hurt animals. Yes, ever not, I don't know that I recall.
I mean, I love it and you've only seen one,
but you know.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
I've seen two or three. But from my memory, you're.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
Correct because in the third episode the third movie, Sydney
does have a golden retriever.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Oh, I do remember that. So what's the dog's name?
Do you remember?
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Wait, Cherokee?
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Cherokee.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
I only know that because I had the captions on.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
Oh hell yeah. I don't watch anything anymore without the captions,
and I know that's pretty much like been cemented because
I can't hear anything, so that's why I read. But
even as a kid, I distinctly remember loving having the
captions on.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Well maybe a hearing aid, maybe because the captions aren't
for us Dorothy, Oh my god, that's another good happen.
One of my one of my coworkers, by my request,
I'll have you know, went to the ear doctor got
a hearing aid. Not only has it immensely helped her,
but now she can take phone calls.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
Right in her ear get out of here via bluetooth.
That is some advanced futuristic.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Like the Jetson's Baby.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
Absolutely, but I have Let's also not forget I have
gone to the ear doctor about this issue.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
All right, well, then I stand corrected.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
But I guess this is my future.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
I don't know how much of a of a rumor
this is, and we won't be looking it up right
now because we don't have the time. But I thought
I saw an article that it said they were making
a real life Jetson's movie. And this, this is the
part that made me say this out loud. The guy
(27:40):
who's supposed to play George Jetson, of all people, Jim Carrey.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
I immediately was thinking Jason Bateman. And I'm not sure
why I think he would be good, because he really
I don't think personal. I mean, who the hell knows
how Jason Bateman is as a person, but like just
what I'm using to him being, you know, in roles,
acting roles. That was silly that I thought that, But
I kind of do actually think Jim Carrey would be good.
(28:10):
George was a goof like he had some goof things
that occurred, and like, I think that actually would be
okay body type very similar.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Yeah, it's true.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Oh my gosh. Well this also makes Rosy. Makes me
think of the Flintstones and I was obsessed with that
as a child. Did you like that movie?
Speaker 1 (28:33):
Not really?
Speaker 2 (28:33):
Oh my god? Did you like the Flintstones? You didn't
really care.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
For that really? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Yeah, I mean I always preferred the Jetsons to the Flintstones,
but I love that real life Flintstone movie.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
And I think as a kid it did give me
anxiety when they swapped worlds or timelines, I did not
like that. Like when they left the Jetsons in the past,
I was like, well, this is some bullshit. I was
into it, Like I didn't go for it. I was like, well, one,
do they go on back? Like they are going to
go back though? Right?
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Will they be coming whom?
Speaker 1 (29:06):
True?
Speaker 2 (29:08):
My funny screen saver went on and then I was like,
ship did that mess.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
Trying to send me smoke signals?
Speaker 2 (29:15):
What do you recording? And then when I went.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
Back in, it was fine, everyone's fine.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
If I wanted to leave the site.
Speaker 1 (29:23):
All right, No, you don't pleased God. All right, anyway,
these people are probably thinking anyway, Okay, these people.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
At this point, right, all right, So.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
Let's go back to this. So, like I said, she
was tragically sexually assaulted and stabbed to death. So then
we have her friend Sonya. Her body was up on
her bed, she had no clothes on, her long hair
was fanned out, and she too had been stabbed to
(29:59):
death while she was Apparently the investigators noted evidence that
both victims had been bound with duct tape, though the
killer had removed the tape and his tools from the scene,
this was likely to eliminate any evidence that they could
get on him. The front door showed pri marks from
(30:20):
a screwdriver, indicating that the killer had forced entry while
the students slept. Now we're on Saturday, August twenty fifth.
The next night, the killer strikes again. Christa Hoyt eighteen.
She was a student at Santa Fe Community College and
(30:41):
an aspiring police officer.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
Who worked part time as a record's clerk for the
Sheriff's Office, failed to show up for her midnight shift
on Sunday, August twenty sixth. Concerned colleagues went to her
duplex apartment. In the next apartment the next morning and
discovered a scene even more ghastly. Christa had been sexually assaulted, stabbed,
(31:09):
and mutilated, and, in a shocking I guess level up decapitated.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
Geez.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Yeah, so earl, her head was found placed on a shelf,
positioned to face her lifeless body.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Who the hell is this person? And this is like
so much happening in such a short amount of time,
and the time that all of this would like horrifying.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
So her body was like positioned sitting on the edge
of her bed. So the killer obviously took time to
arrange this scene for maximum horror.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
Oh yeah, just messing with people and very disrespectful to her.
Obviously he killed her, but that's like taking it to
the next level of just disrespect. I feel like, like
you're it's like not that he was making a joke,
but sort of you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
Yeah, So the officers who arrived, they were like devastated
because many of them already knew.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
I didn't even think of that. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
They later told her family that she likely died quickly
from the first stab wound, though in truth, there were
many more injuries inflicted after death. So this detail, I
guess was offered out of kindness to spare her loved
one some pain. Yeah, now we've got Monday, August twenty seventh.
(32:47):
Early on Tuesday, August twenty eighth, police found two more victims,
which I'm assuming were killed Monday, August twenty second or
twenty seventh at another off campus apartment complex. Tracy Paula's
pa U l e s Paul's Paulus.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
I want to say.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
Paulis twenty three. She was a UF senior, and her
longtime friend Manuel, who went by Manny. I'm just going
to have to spell this tabo ada toboda, toboda tabota. Yes,
as I read it out loud. He was twenty three,
(33:35):
so he was a student at Santa Fe Community College
and they were roommates. So sometime in the early hours
of August twenty seventh, the killer broke into the ground
floor unit by prying open a sliding glass door.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
Very into the prying of the doors, this monster, similarly
to the previous entries, he yes was a door prior.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
Yeah, he first encountered Manny asleep in his bedroom. Manny
was a strong former football player and he fought back
fiercely upon being attacked. Evidence showed a very violent struggle,
but he was ultimately overpowered and stabbed to death, which.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Then is making me think, granted, Menoil was like at
a disadvantage with having been startled awake or you know,
not like unexpectedly woken up, but with the strength that
he naturally would have had just from his history of
being an athlete. It's like, I don't know, It's like, yes,
he was at a disadvantage, but it I don't know.
(34:38):
I guess he also was unarmed though when this killer
oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
I mean it does make me think though, even because
like I said, obviously where this was inspiration for even
in Scream, I mean, any of these killers, they were
all freaking They were just wire oh, I mean totally.
And they were not stealthy. They were not graceful.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Flunky falling around in the bathroom.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
One Almost everyone that that whoever was behind the mass
tried to kill God at least a few good hits
in absolutely, which is always where their mistake was, because
he would always be down and out and they would
just keep running away solutely. But you know, anyway, so
(35:32):
hearing the commotion Tracy came down the hall, she saw
the intruder, and she tried to barricade herself in her bedroom.
The killer broke through the door, and, just with the
other female victims, he taped her mouth shut and bound
her wrists. He cut off her clothes, sexually assaulted her,
(35:54):
and then turned her over and stabbed her three times
in the back, killing her. He then poised Tracy's body
in a provocative position oh my god, while Nanny's body
was just left where it fell. When police found the
scene later that morning, Tracy's body was on the living
(36:14):
room floor, and like the other women, she had tape
residue on her wrists and mouth. Notably, investigators also found
traces of soap on her lower body, suggesting that the
killer had washed her, possibly to remove any evidence of
like seamen or DNA or fingerprints. So this detail just
(36:38):
talked about this pattern where the killer liked to clean
the crime scenes, a trait also noted in earlier murders
and in the triple homicide case in another state.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
So now I'm so sorry. So you're saying that unrelated
crimes like you're saying from farther, like you're saying they're
noticing these similarities in crimes prior to the killing spree
(37:13):
of the students that it's like, oh, this match is
actually yeah ok.
Speaker 1 (37:18):
Yeah yeah, it so all fine. All five victims, now,
they were killed in their own homes in the dead
of night, with the exception of Manny because he was
the lone male victim. You know, he was not sexually assaulted.
He just had the misfortune of being present. So the victims.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
Yeah sorry, I was just going to say, and he
was the barrier to that female. It makes me think
that he knew that the killer knew that there was
like a male in this house that was going to,
like I said, be a barrier to get to the
female that he I assume really wanted to get to.
Since he sexually assaulted everybody, like all of the victims,
(38:03):
I feel like that was part of his thing. Like,
I don't think he randomly came upon that house, Like
I don't think Manny surprised him. I feel like he
absolutely knew Manny was in there, just didn't know necessarily
who he would run into first.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
Well, I think he would have had. I think he
would have had to have planned to run into Manny first,
because if he was attacking Tracy first, then Manny could
have woken up and actually been a little more ready
to fight the man.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
Very good point, I meant, more like, when he walked in,
he wouldn't have necessarily known whose bedroom was where and like,
but maybe.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
He did, who the hell knows, right right? So anyway,
all of the victims, like I said, not counting Manny,
were all young, petite, brunette women.
Speaker 2 (38:52):
Oh god, so he had a type that he was
going for.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
And as I said, each had been sexually assaulted and
then stabbed with a knife and then gruesomely posed or
mutilated after the death. Why that why Christa was decapitated?
Is so such an odd addition, but yeah, the level
(39:19):
of overkill and ritualism at the scenes led authorities to
conclude immediately that a serial killer was at work. So
the share of spokesman said at the time, quote unquote anyone,
you know, I never understood quote unquote, how do you
know what I'm done? Quoting? Then? Good call, I mean,
do you know that?
Speaker 2 (39:38):
Though?
Speaker 1 (39:39):
No, all right, I don't either. You could say end
quote I understand, but then it would be quote unquote,
it would be quote blah blah blah, blah blah end quote.
I don't know. I just think it's dumb. Good call, man,
I'm gonna say, quote, Okay, anybody that commits homicide using
mutilation is a pretty sick individual. And well, yeah, absolutely,
(40:01):
and somebody we want to get off the streets very badly,
you surely hope. So well, when you're right, you're right,
you didn't do end question. So I guess there is
a memorial mural once yes, yeah, you got it on
Gainville's thirty fourth Street wall, which honors the five victims
(40:26):
of the nineteen ninety murders.
Speaker 2 (40:28):
That's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (40:29):
So okay. Now, in the immediate aftermath of the murders,
Gainesville was in a state of siege and paranoia. Police
received a flood of calls about any and all suspicious incidents,
every strange noise in the night. God only knows what
you would have been up to at this point.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
I would have been panicked, I think, I really think,
because too like everyone's talking about it. You know, it's
coming up all the time, like you are supposed to
be really like aware of what's going on around you
more than usual. I mean, it must have been a
rough time for all.
Speaker 1 (41:04):
Like one would be like, oh, let's tally again. Hey girl,
what's up? Now, that's just missus Johnson walking her chihuahua.
You've seen her.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
Before, Leave her alone, let her be.
Speaker 1 (41:23):
So police received a flood of calls about any and
all suspicious events, like I said, noises, sightings of just people, whatever.
Rumors flew as students swapped grim theories. So some were
saying that the killer might actually be two people working
together because how quickly the murders were happening, and like
(41:45):
the idea of how much like strength was needed to
overpower these victims, obviously, especially Manny when you know he
was woken up. So others were saying that it could
be some that other feared it could be someone who
they knew, because everyone was a potential suspects in the
(42:05):
public's eyes. In fact, investigators later revealed that they had
a list of six hundred and seventy five people of interest. Geez,
six hundred and seventy five people. So this was showing
just how wide of a net of suspicion was cast
for students at UF. That fall semester of nineteen ninety
(42:28):
was one of the most terrifying in the school's history.
Many students wouldn't go out at night or even walk
across campus without an escort. Well, who the hell are
these escorts?
Speaker 2 (42:40):
Maybe school stiff, These poor students probably that are doing
the night watch security.
Speaker 1 (42:47):
Till the dirty.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
Me.
Speaker 1 (42:55):
So on campus volunteer volunteer security escorts they were, they
were They were the kids student nighttime auxiliary patrol.
Speaker 2 (43:08):
Did they Well no, of course they didn't get paid.
Speaker 1 (43:10):
I'm sure I don't think so. No, it says volunteers.
Speaker 2 (43:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (43:15):
Yeah, they expanded to to meet the larger demand of
people wanting other people to walk them around. I guess
so off campus groups of friends formed buddy systems. Now
that you'd like that, you'd be into that.
Speaker 2 (43:32):
I think that would be safe to.
Speaker 1 (43:34):
Check on each other and even sleep in shifts.
Speaker 2 (43:37):
Oh, I think that's nice. Well, Manny wasn't awake. I
was going to say it didn't help Manny, but I
mean he was still woken, so I guess scratched that.
But yeah, all right, that's nice. I think that's nice.
Speaker 1 (43:51):
So one account described students keeping steak knives under their
pillows and mace canisters at the ready.
Speaker 2 (44:01):
If I can just say, if I was sleeping with
a steak knife under my pillow. I would kill myself.
I would brutally injure myself over Oh.
Speaker 1 (44:10):
Yeah, yeah, I would never very unsafe, yes.
Speaker 2 (44:14):
Yes, which maybe they had in a little cover a
sheet what I can only hope they do it right.
Speaker 1 (44:20):
So over the Labor Day weekend, this is just days
after the murder, Gainesville was practically a ghost town. Hundreds
of students had already left the city to spend time
with their family until things had calmed down. The university
administration adjusted policies to accommodate the chaos. They extended deadlines,
like so that you don't you didn't have to add
(44:41):
or drop classes as quickly as normal. They delayed tuition
due dates. How big of them they You know, they
were acknowledging that many students were not in a normal
frame of mind.
Speaker 2 (44:52):
I'll say that is a good point, though, Like who's focusing,
who's able to study? Like they're fighting for their lives,
they're trying to stay alive.
Speaker 1 (45:00):
It's yeah. Media from all over the country descended on Gainesville.
Gail Weatherstone, I was.
Speaker 2 (45:09):
Just thinking that you were.
Speaker 1 (45:12):
Yeah, the story of these five slaughtered college students in
the sun belt town grabbed national headlines in cable news coverage,
and I mean, yeah, those details are pretty gripping, gripping, scandalous,
news worthy, chillworthy.
Speaker 2 (45:31):
Absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (45:34):
The press had soon given the unknown murderer the name
of the Gainesville Ripper, a name that both horrified and
sensationalized this tragedy, which I agree, at its peak, one
d and twenty five officers were working on the case.
They set up a twenty four hour hotline for tips,
which generated thousands of calls. Investigators painstakingly combed through eighteen
(46:01):
thousand pieces of evidence JEEZ, and conducted hundreds of interviews.
As one officer later said, quote, there was no precedent
for this scale of tragedy. Parents and students didn't know
what to do end quote. The authorities knew that they
had to catch us killed it quickly to restore any
sense of peace. So now we have an early suspect.
(46:25):
Within days of the murders, even as the last crime
scenes were being processed, police announced they had a potential suspect,
an eighteen year old UF freshman named Edward ed Humphrey.
So Humphrey was brought to the authority's attention by multiple
(46:46):
reports from students and neighbors. He was known to wander
around late at night dressed in military fatigues, often carrying
large knives, and he exhibited odd behavior which was aggressive,
likely related to mental health issues. Well, I would say
that is someone to keep an eye on, absolutely with
the things happening.
Speaker 2 (47:07):
Yes, there's some red flags going on here.
Speaker 1 (47:10):
Those large knives especially are standing out to me.
Speaker 2 (47:13):
But dare I say, well, I mean, I'd.
Speaker 1 (47:17):
Love to hear this.
Speaker 2 (47:18):
What I was just gonna say, that doesn't make him
a murderer.
Speaker 1 (47:22):
I didn't say it does.
Speaker 2 (47:25):
I'm just saying, all right.
Speaker 1 (47:30):
Oh yeah, thank you though for pointing that out.
Speaker 2 (47:33):
Absolutely, you're right.
Speaker 1 (47:34):
I have knives in my house as well as I
think you do, correct exce and just by your logic,
that does not make us a murderer.
Speaker 2 (47:41):
We don't walk around the neighborhood with them either, but
if we did that, yes, would not make us murderers either.
In our fatigue, there is fair right.
Speaker 1 (47:53):
Coincidentally, around that time, Humphrey was arrested for a physical
altercation with his grandmother, which landed him in jail for
for an unrelated assault charge. Police held him on an
extraordinarily high bond of one million dollars back then.
Speaker 2 (48:11):
Back then, and not even that he killed her like
just I mean not to say like, oh, all he
did was assault her. I mean she's an elderly woman,
a relative of h I mean, that is ruthless man.
But they were not messing around, now, riddled me. This
was that though? Was he sort of like the fact
that he was on the suspect list then this happened.
(48:31):
Do you think that's what played a part in the
high bail amount?
Speaker 1 (48:36):
Oh yeah, people were saying, like, given the context of
what was going on, yes, that's why it was like,
you know, a little harder than it might have been
to scoot out of there.
Speaker 2 (48:49):
Well, and what I'm curious what you're going to say
next is is this going to be similar to like
how in Scream, where like Billy is in jail murder
keep happening, which obviously we know who that was, But
I'm wondering for this, is it going to be like
this guy Ed was now in jail, high bond, high
(49:12):
bail whatever, and murders continue.
Speaker 1 (49:15):
I guess we'll see, right, Okay, So Humphrey certainly looked
the part of a suspect to a you know, to
the public like they were like, oh, this guy, like,
it's definitely him. He had deep scars on his face
from a car accident, and side effects from his medication
made him appear twitchy and quote unquote off. Now see
(49:39):
there you can use quote unquote it's one word good
call quote unquote off. If his mugshot was splashed across
the newspapers and tabloid TV shows, So basically they were
already branding him as the face of the Gainesville Ripper. However,
(50:00):
as investigators quietly realized, looks were deceiving in this case,
the crime scene evidence, especially DNA, did not match ed Humphrey.
Speaker 2 (50:10):
Oh shit.
Speaker 1 (50:12):
Semen and blood samples from the murder scenes had a
certain blood type which was B which Humphrey did not share. So,
in other words, unless he was working with someone else,
he was not the killer. So still, authorities hesitated to
(50:33):
completely clear Humphrey publicly because they were like scared that
if they would lose their only named suspect, that people
would lose faith in the fact that they were like
making any kind of progress at all. Basically, so for
months they kept him in jail on his assault charge
(50:54):
while the murder investigation continued. Wow, And officially he was
never exonerated until much later. But the focus of the
task force, however, was already shifting and by the fall
of nineteen ninety toward another lead, one far more promising
than the troubled teenager who happened to act strange at
(51:17):
the wrong time. And on that note, everybody, we are
gonna have to continue this in the next episode because
we are only halfway through the Gainesville Ripper case.
Speaker 2 (51:31):
Wow. Good job, man, good freaking job.
Speaker 1 (51:37):
So yeah, there we have it. But I thought you
would be pleased with the inspiration.
Speaker 2 (51:43):
Oh a thousand percent. I feel terrible for these victims,
and it's a very sad case. I'm extremely sucked in
and curious to you know, the rest of what transpires
and hopefully finding this person. But I am very no,
I don't want to say delighted by the connection of
the screen movies. That sounds highly disrespectful to the victims.
(52:06):
But I'm just I'm very I don't know what word
to use. Appreciative. Now that's terribly interested, I guess, yes, yes, gripped, Yes,
thank you.
Speaker 1 (52:21):
Well, you're welcome. So on that note, we are going
to break, all right, and we will see everybody next
week and that I think we might do what we
said and oh yeah, the focus Pocus episode. Yes, I
(52:44):
would say, you know, let us know if you want
us to do the hocus Pocus episode. But in reality,
we're doing it because the people won't listen to this
for weeks.
Speaker 2 (52:53):
I was going to say, right, it won't even they
won't even know until it hits. Some jokes on them,
we're doing it.
Speaker 1 (53:01):
I also, really quick before we go, did want to say,
I think it's a very very sweet. We have gotten
comments since we've been on our very well for us.
It was a long hiatus, agreed, We've never really broken
for more than a month. In this time we did,
lots of things were happening, and you know, and and
that's fine, it's our show. But we have seen multiple
(53:25):
comments from multiple people asking when when it's coming back.
And we just got a comment today from Ashley that said.
Speaker 2 (53:37):
Like she told us about it, it wasn't her comment.
Use that a comment from ash because.
Speaker 1 (53:45):
She texted the group is what I meant. Yeah, I'm
sorry everyone. Let me clarify that Ashley sent us a
picture of a comment that was not Ashley's.
Speaker 2 (53:57):
I'm just saying.
Speaker 1 (53:58):
From a very love listener who said she just finished
listening to the last episode of season two and she
was delighted to see that season three, episode one had
just dropped, and so that's all very very nice, and she.
Speaker 2 (54:13):
Also asked that we do more.
Speaker 1 (54:17):
Oh right, how would you say it? Read it?
Speaker 2 (54:19):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (54:19):
I did, shout her out, said bless her, shout her
the hell.
Speaker 2 (54:22):
Out, Hannah Maxie Smith, and she said, y'all posted this
the exact day I finished the last episode of season two.
Crying face meant to be exclamation point. Can't wait to
catch the weekly new episodes. Also want to say, I
really love hearing y'all delve into the older and more
historical cases. I'd love to hear more of those, if
that's something y'all would enjoy. With a smile, And that
(54:44):
was on Spotify and her name was what Hannah Maxi Smith.
Speaker 1 (54:49):
Well, I'll call her Hannah. Now, I wonder if Hannah
considers the nineties. Is that the kind of historical she means? Like,
that's very subjective at this point point, well.
Speaker 2 (55:00):
Good point in my head. I immediately thought Jack the Ripper,
like that's where my head went. But but then also,
or does she mean neither or maybe partly, like for instance,
a really well known case, no matter when it occurred,
is what She's.
Speaker 1 (55:18):
More so saying, well, Hannah, shed any light you want
on that comment, because you know, we're not exactly sure
what people you know. I mean, it's a we love
the comment, but we're just wondering, like, does thirty years
count as historical or does.
Speaker 2 (55:34):
It have to be sixty or six hundred?
Speaker 1 (55:37):
Right? The first vampire of New Jersey or I forget
whoever she was, but God bless her?
Speaker 2 (55:45):
What was her name? What was her first name? I
don't even remember, very sweetie? The heck was it?
Speaker 1 (55:50):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (55:51):
I don't know to.
Speaker 1 (55:52):
Look at it, so anyway, but yes, we appreciate all
those very sweet comments.
Speaker 2 (55:57):
Yes, and everyone who is so to listening to us
and still here for our current season now that we're big.
Speaker 1 (56:06):
Yeah, And I mean, if there are people literally from
the beginning that are not blood related to us or
are still listening like that would be so lovely to know.
Speaker 2 (56:16):
I love you all. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (56:18):
So anyway, all right, Well until next time, everybody.
Speaker 2 (56:22):
Stay safe and stay chill.
Speaker 3 (56:25):
Bye everybody, goodbye, you've just listened to Chilworthy.
Speaker 1 (56:36):
Thank you for joining us. On this latest episode. While
we strive to keep our discussions engaging and lighthearted, we
also wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the real
lives and events that are at the heart of these stories.
Speaker 2 (56:48):
We try to approach each topic with a sense of
curiosity and respect fully aware of the impact these events
have had on the individuals and their loved ones. Our
goal is to honor their memories by keep finger stories
alive and shedding light on the mysteries that surround them.
Speaker 1 (57:04):
If you enjoyed this episode, please remember to subscribe, rate,
and leave a review, and don't forget to join us
on the next episode of Chilworthy.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Male Room with Dr. Jesse Mills
As Director of The Men’s Clinic at UCLA, Dr. Jesse Mills has spent his career helping men understand their bodies, their hormones, and their health. Now he’s bringing that expertise to The Male Room — a podcast where data-driven medicine meets common sense. Each episode separates fact from hype, science from snake oil, and gives men the tools to live longer, stronger, and happier lives. With candor, humor, and real-world experience from the exam room and the operating room, Dr. Mills breaks down the latest health headlines, dissects trends, and explains what actually works — and what doesn’t. Smart, straightforward, and entertaining, The Male Room is the show that helps men take charge of their health without the jargon.