MFM Minisode 490

In this emotionally layered minisode, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark reflect on their decade-long journey with My Favorite Murder while diving into a series of haunting, real-life stories that blur the line between mundane normalcy and monstrous deception. The episode opens with a surreal blend of sponsorships and personal anecdotes, but quickly pivots to a chilling tale from Karen’s aunt about Dorothea Puente, the Sacramento serial killer who hosted dinner parties while hiding victims in her home—proof that psychopaths can maintain impeccable social rituals like dental appointments. The narrative then shifts to a jaw-dropping cold case: a man who dismembered his father, disposed of the body in suitcases along I-77, and continued collecting his Social Security benefits for decades—only to be unknowingly befriended by a man in recovery who later realized he’d been giving rides to the killer. The episode culminates in a tender, powerful tribute to Kayla Hoosen, America’s first openly lesbian photojournalist, whose lifelong activism and artistry helped shape LGBTQ+ visibility in the 20th century. These stories converge on a central theme: the terrifying ease with which evil can hide in plain sight, dressed in the clothes of routine, respectability, and even kindness.