WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.159 --> 00:00:09.000 The following is intended for mature audiences. Hey, Diva, this 2 00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:12.679 episode is sponsored by Blood, Sweat and Tears. How about 3 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:14.800 this horror show? By showing some love and rating five 4 00:00:14.839 --> 00:00:17.640 stars on Apple Podcasts, leave me a little love note 5 00:00:17.640 --> 00:00:20.359 on there as well. All good reviews help push this 6 00:00:20.600 --> 00:00:24.800 into more people's feeds. Now Before diving into the chaos 7 00:00:24.839 --> 00:00:28.559 of the episode, I've got a rather creepy experience from 8 00:00:28.760 --> 00:00:33.079 one of my buddies. Hi, friend, I have a submission 9 00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:36.399 for a future episode. Something pretty weird happened to me 10 00:00:36.520 --> 00:00:39.799 and some friends. So I went to see Obsession with 11 00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:43.079 some friends. Definitely recommend. It was a five out of five, 12 00:00:43.520 --> 00:00:46.600 and afterwards I was dropping them off since I was 13 00:00:46.679 --> 00:00:49.159 up for a drive. I had just dropped one of 14 00:00:49.159 --> 00:00:52.640 my friends off, made sure he got inside the apartment complex, 15 00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:56.119 and continued driving down a one way road. A man 16 00:00:56.200 --> 00:00:59.719 crosses the street maybe thirty forty feet ahead of the car, 17 00:01:00.119 --> 00:01:03.359 so I slowed down to let him pass jaywalking, But 18 00:01:03.479 --> 00:01:07.480 alas as he passes the car, he makes hard eye 19 00:01:07.519 --> 00:01:10.599 contact with my friend and myself. It was odd, but 20 00:01:10.680 --> 00:01:13.439 I shrugged it off. The dude looked pretty normal. He 21 00:01:13.560 --> 00:01:16.480 was even pretty cute. He had on a tank top 22 00:01:16.560 --> 00:01:19.079 and shorts and a bag in his hand. Looked like 23 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:21.280 he was headed home after a seven to eleven trip 24 00:01:21.400 --> 00:01:23.439 or something. But as I'm nearing the red light on 25 00:01:23.480 --> 00:01:26.079 this one way road, I'm looking back in the mirror 26 00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:28.640 and I see the guy turn around and start booking 27 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:31.640 it toward my car. I'm talking, full on sprint down 28 00:01:31.640 --> 00:01:34.239 the street, staring hard as hell with that heavy eye 29 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:38.000 contact again through my review mirror. Now I needed to 30 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:39.879 turn left to drop my friend off, but with this 31 00:01:39.959 --> 00:01:41.959 dude running it down the street, I wasn't trying to 32 00:01:41.959 --> 00:01:44.480 find out what happened if he caught up with the car, 33 00:01:44.760 --> 00:01:47.560 so I made the right turn on red and high 34 00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:50.159 tailed it down another street. All in all, not too 35 00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:53.359 crazy and probably heightened after having watched a horror film, 36 00:01:53.640 --> 00:01:56.120 but the way he turned and snapped into action running 37 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:59.799 toward my car had me shaky the entire way home. 38 00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:06.519 Welcome to a world where darkness and mystery converge. Navigate 39 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:09.560 the depths of horror and true crime, and join a 40 00:02:09.639 --> 00:02:15.159 society beyond the ordinary, where buzzworthy topics, paranormal tales, and 41 00:02:15.319 --> 00:02:19.960 listeners submitted experiences blend into a realm of the unknown. 42 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:23.479 You have crossed into a place where the unusual and 43 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:28.599 the terrifying are just the beginning. My name is Ralph 44 00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:57.560 Anthony and welcome to the Scream Society Podcast. Hello Screamers, 45 00:02:58.039 --> 00:03:02.000 Welcome into another edition of the Scream Society Podcast what 46 00:03:02.120 --> 00:03:05.039 I love to call a variety show from Hell in 47 00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:07.280 the dawn of another Pride month. I hope you all 48 00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:11.400 are thriving and slang per usual and anyone who's uncomfortable 49 00:03:11.479 --> 00:03:14.599 during this time, well, I hope you have the gayest 50 00:03:14.680 --> 00:03:17.599 month ever. Feels good to be in my chair and 51 00:03:17.919 --> 00:03:20.240 on the mic once again. I've actually been on the 52 00:03:20.280 --> 00:03:24.360 mic quite a bit for other projects, which announcement time 53 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:29.120 and totally non horror related. But I had the opportunity 54 00:03:29.159 --> 00:03:33.439 to collaborate on a project with my buddy, an independent artist, 55 00:03:33.479 --> 00:03:38.360 Buddha Kuil, which he then connected me with another independent artist, Aplo. 56 00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:42.199 And I'm putting an emphasis on independent artists because I 57 00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:46.960 want you guys to see what independent creatives are capable of. Hello, But, 58 00:03:47.080 --> 00:03:49.439 like I said, I was approached to be on their 59 00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:54.439 collaborative album, Studio eighty five on some interludes between the tracks, 60 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:59.240 which are fire. But Studio eighty five is this pop 61 00:03:59.319 --> 00:04:03.520 and discoh inspired album, and I think the project really 62 00:04:03.560 --> 00:04:08.719 captures this summer vibe mixed with smooth coastal rides and 63 00:04:09.479 --> 00:04:14.000 lively nightlife. And we went all in on this album. 64 00:04:14.120 --> 00:04:17.879 Skits too because on the album I play DJ Danny 65 00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:21.759 Hayes on this fictional radio station that pretty much bridges 66 00:04:21.800 --> 00:04:25.959 the album together and it's just fucking cool. So please 67 00:04:26.040 --> 00:04:28.920 check that out. Give these guys a follow because right now, 68 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:32.480 more than ever, it's so important we support real, non 69 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:35.120 AI artists because we want to keep this shit human. 70 00:04:35.800 --> 00:04:38.480 So yeah, Studio eighty five is available wherever you get 71 00:04:38.519 --> 00:04:41.839 your music, and I'll link everything in the episode description 72 00:04:42.360 --> 00:04:45.040 and shout out to Bouda Akil and APLO four allowing 73 00:04:45.079 --> 00:04:47.839 me to be a part of the project. Moving on here, 74 00:04:48.279 --> 00:04:50.279 I've got quite a lot to talk about, including the 75 00:04:50.360 --> 00:04:54.120 latest horror movie Sensation taking social media by storm. Plus 76 00:04:54.160 --> 00:04:57.319 I'll be dissecting a terrifying but true case with airially 77 00:04:57.360 --> 00:05:01.560 similar parallels to set horror movie. So let's get into 78 00:05:01.879 --> 00:05:13.600 sinister subjects. We need to talk about the film obsession. Obviously, 79 00:05:14.279 --> 00:05:17.360 it is completely taking over the world right now. The 80 00:05:17.399 --> 00:05:21.040 horror community is going crazy. People who aren't even into 81 00:05:21.079 --> 00:05:24.720 horror are showing interest, and some people, including yours truly, 82 00:05:24.759 --> 00:05:27.680 are already calling it the best horror film of the 83 00:05:27.759 --> 00:05:31.000 year so far. So take this as a minor spoiler 84 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:35.319 warning now. The film was directed by Curry Barker, who 85 00:05:35.560 --> 00:05:39.160 drew inspiration from a nineteen ninety one Simpson's Treehouse of 86 00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:43.720 Horror episode, which is quite fascinating to me. Also, Curry 87 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:47.959 Barker comes from a background of making comedy sketches on 88 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:53.040 YouTube and somehow turned a tiny indie budget like around 89 00:05:53.079 --> 00:05:56.240 seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars into one of the 90 00:05:56.240 --> 00:06:00.000 biggest horror sensations of the year. And that is basically 91 00:06:00.279 --> 00:06:03.160 nothing by Hollywood standards, and we've seen it happen so 92 00:06:03.160 --> 00:06:06.079 many times before. Usually movies like this get a little 93 00:06:06.120 --> 00:06:10.319 buzz opening a weekend and then disappear immediately. But this 94 00:06:10.399 --> 00:06:14.879 thing did the complete opposite. People walked out of theaters 95 00:06:14.920 --> 00:06:18.560 so disturbed or exhausted in a good way that they 96 00:06:18.680 --> 00:06:21.920 instantly started posting about it online and it created this 97 00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:26.079 insane word of mouth spiral and because of that, the 98 00:06:26.079 --> 00:06:28.959 box office actually went up almost forty percent in its 99 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:33.959 second weekend, which basically never happens anymore. And now it 100 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:38.759 has made over eighty five million dollars worldwide. No giant franchise, 101 00:06:39.160 --> 00:06:43.079 no crazy masks, no Halloween costumes based around it, no 102 00:06:43.240 --> 00:06:47.240 massive studio push, just the Internet collectively losing its mind 103 00:06:47.240 --> 00:06:52.120 over how uncomfortable and brilliant this film is. And I 104 00:06:52.160 --> 00:06:55.879 think what makes it really stick with people so hard 105 00:06:56.120 --> 00:07:01.079 is the way it completely flips horror expectation upside down, 106 00:07:01.160 --> 00:07:04.639 because I actually thought I was in for another fatal 107 00:07:04.680 --> 00:07:09.519 attraction type of film, and at first it seems almost 108 00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:13.759 what's the word I'm looking for, like goofy, Like there's 109 00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:16.959 this awkward music store employee named Bear who has a 110 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:20.959 crush on his coworker Nikki. He basically gets rejected when 111 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:23.279 he tries to confess his feelings, like he can't get 112 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:27.360 the words out, and then buys this supernatural little item 113 00:07:27.399 --> 00:07:29.879 called a one wish willow so he can wish for 114 00:07:29.879 --> 00:07:32.439 her to love him more than anyone else in the world. 115 00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:35.560 I kind of need one of those, and the wish works, 116 00:07:36.079 --> 00:07:39.680 But instead of becoming some magical romance fantasy, her love 117 00:07:39.720 --> 00:07:45.360 immediately turns into this horrifying, suffocating obsession, like she becomes 118 00:07:45.480 --> 00:07:50.560 completely emotionally dependent on him. In this deeply unnatural way 119 00:07:50.600 --> 00:07:54.639 that feels more exhausting than romantic, because, let me tell you, 120 00:07:55.079 --> 00:07:57.839 once the credit started rolling, I actually said, get me 121 00:07:57.879 --> 00:08:00.279 the fuck out of here. I'm so drained. And I 122 00:08:00.279 --> 00:08:02.360 mean that in the best way possible. And if you 123 00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:05.519 didn't like this movie, I'm so sorry, but I absolutely 124 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:10.480 loved it now stating the obvious. Inda Navarette's performance as 125 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:13.319 Nikki is honestly what's making so many people call this 126 00:08:13.399 --> 00:08:18.920 movie unforgettable because she's creepy as hell. Okay, she spends 127 00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:22.839 huge parts of the movie with this forced smile. And 128 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:24.759 I know you've seen the memes. I know you've seen 129 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:27.199 it in trailers, I know you've seen it on posters. 130 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:29.800 But yes, she spends huge parts of the movie with 131 00:08:29.879 --> 00:08:33.200 this forced smile plastered all over her face, staring at 132 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:36.879 Bear like he is the center of her entire existence. 133 00:08:37.320 --> 00:08:41.240 But there is something so deeply wrong underneath it that 134 00:08:41.320 --> 00:08:46.279 it becomes genuinely unsettling, and she acts the house down. 135 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:49.759 I'm talking. This is up there with Tony Collette and Hereditary, 136 00:08:50.120 --> 00:08:53.480 Demi Moore in The Substance and Naomi Scott in Smile Too, 137 00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:58.480 in my opinion. I remember there was one scene where 138 00:08:58.759 --> 00:09:01.639 she's having a melt down in a dark corner of 139 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:04.840 the bedroom. And this was like probably one of the 140 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:07.120 first moments that I was watching there, and I started 141 00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:10.399 to get really uncomfortable and really creeped out, and I 142 00:09:10.440 --> 00:09:12.559 even started plugging my ears at some point because I 143 00:09:12.600 --> 00:09:16.159 was so nervous because she's standing in this dark corner 144 00:09:16.440 --> 00:09:18.919 of the bedroom and her face just looks so off. 145 00:09:19.240 --> 00:09:21.279 And props to the special effects team here, because this 146 00:09:21.399 --> 00:09:24.240 was achieved by some Uncanny Valley type of makeup in 147 00:09:24.639 --> 00:09:30.039 utilizing darkness and shadows, and it was fucking awesome. And 148 00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:32.919 another praise I have here is that the movie strips 149 00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:35.639 all the fantasy of the dream girl who loves you 150 00:09:35.720 --> 00:09:40.559 unconditionally trope and turns it into absolute psychological horror because 151 00:09:40.600 --> 00:09:42.960 if you really think about it, and I'm sure we've 152 00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:46.159 all wished our crushes growing up loved us, but somebody 153 00:09:46.200 --> 00:09:50.159 losing all free will just to satisfy another person's ego 154 00:09:50.679 --> 00:09:54.320 or desire is terrifying, right, And this is where the 155 00:09:54.360 --> 00:09:58.320 online debate gets so interesting, because everybody on Instagram, TikTok, 156 00:09:58.759 --> 00:10:02.320 read it, you name it is split on who the 157 00:10:02.360 --> 00:10:05.759 real villain actually is, and some people are even fighting 158 00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:08.399 about it. A lot of people think Bear is obviously 159 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:11.399 the villain here and the whole movie is this brutal 160 00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:15.879 metaphor for male entitlement and the toxic nice guy mentality, 161 00:10:16.440 --> 00:10:19.639 Like he thinks being nice to Nicki means that he 162 00:10:19.720 --> 00:10:23.679 deserves her affection, and by making that wish, he completely 163 00:10:23.799 --> 00:10:29.840 destroys her ability to consent. He ruins her entire life physically, mentally, emotionally, 164 00:10:30.120 --> 00:10:32.799 all of the above. And the horror is not some 165 00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:36.200 monster jumping out of the shadows here. Well, if you've 166 00:10:36.200 --> 00:10:38.320 seen the movie and you've seen Nikki with that makeup on, 167 00:10:38.440 --> 00:10:41.320 it's kind of terrifying. It could be like a monster. 168 00:10:41.759 --> 00:10:44.600 But I think what it is here is it's realizing 169 00:10:44.679 --> 00:10:48.840 what someone is capable of when they can't handle rejection. 170 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:51.799 But then there are all these other interpretations floating around. 171 00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:54.840 Some people think the true villain is actually the supernatural 172 00:10:54.840 --> 00:10:58.240 force behind the one wish Willow itself, although the film 173 00:10:58.279 --> 00:11:03.360 never really goes into that much into the backstory or 174 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:07.879 entities behind this wish Willow or but whoever, this was 175 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:12.240 intentionally twisted the wish into this nightmare to punish both 176 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:15.720 of them unfortunately, kind of like how genies use wishes 177 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:18.879 to trig people. Then there are other theories analyzing Nicki's 178 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:22.320 behavior under the spell and pointing out all these tiny, 179 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:25.879 heartbreaking moments where it feels like the real Nikki is 180 00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:30.120 still trapped somewhere underneath it all which she is, and 181 00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:34.679 every destructive thing she does could actually be her subconscious 182 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:38.240 somehow trying to fight back and force Bear to undo 183 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:40.639 this wish. I mean, she even begs him to kill 184 00:11:40.679 --> 00:11:43.559 her at one point. And I think what really makes 185 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:46.159 this movie hit though, is the way it just constantly 186 00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:49.120 shifts tones without relying on too many jump scares. I 187 00:11:49.159 --> 00:11:51.960 mean there are a few here, Like it starts off 188 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:55.600 feeling like this quirky indie rom com, then it turns 189 00:11:55.639 --> 00:12:00.360 into this painfully awkward public humiliation drama, and before you 190 00:12:00.399 --> 00:12:05.279 realize it, you are trapped in this claustrophobic, psychological nightmare 191 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:09.399 where every inner action feels just wrong, and I think 192 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:12.559 the movie forces you to sit in the discomfort of 193 00:12:12.600 --> 00:12:16.320 what forced love would actually look like in real life. 194 00:12:16.600 --> 00:12:18.559 I really do think, though, that the real villain here 195 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:21.960 is Bear, because he couldn't just accept the fact that 196 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:26.360 Nicki wasn't interested, that Nicki saw him as this little 197 00:12:26.360 --> 00:12:28.840 brother figure. I don't know, it's just really fun to 198 00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:31.799 theorize here. I can tell you this much, though. I 199 00:12:32.120 --> 00:12:35.240 just hope we see some oscar buzz around this movie, 200 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:40.000 because we need more horror films at award shows. Truly 201 00:12:40.159 --> 00:12:43.440 overlooking horror is doing a disservice to all of the 202 00:12:43.480 --> 00:12:47.440 actors who act their asses off in these films, and 203 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:49.600 it is honestly still rare to see a horror movie 204 00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:53.440 pull off this kind of balancing act, especially one sitting 205 00:12:53.480 --> 00:12:56.039 at a ninety four percent on Rotten Tomatoes while also 206 00:12:56.120 --> 00:13:00.120 getting mainstream audiences on board. Usually movies this weird and 207 00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:04.039 psychologically nasty and a super divisive, right, but this one 208 00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:06.759 somehow managed to become both a critical hit and a 209 00:13:06.840 --> 00:13:11.159 giant online obsession at the exact same time. Now, as 210 00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:13.639 far as what I think the film wants you to 211 00:13:13.720 --> 00:13:16.960 take from it, and I'm going to backtrack here just 212 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:20.200 a little bit to get some other points across, I 213 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:23.759 think that the horror here is Bear, or more specifically, 214 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:27.799 the kind of entitlement Bear represents. Like I said, he 215 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:33.320 is this awkward, lonely, insecure, emotionally needy, basically the exact 216 00:13:33.320 --> 00:13:37.399 type of guy society constantly tells women that they should 217 00:13:37.480 --> 00:13:40.120 give a chance to And I think that's what makes 218 00:13:40.120 --> 00:13:44.080 the entire thing just feel so real. Bear does not 219 00:13:44.120 --> 00:13:48.000 actually love Nikki as a human being with agency, flaws, boundaries, 220 00:13:48.039 --> 00:13:51.159 and independence, right, He loves a fantasy of being loved 221 00:13:51.240 --> 00:13:54.720 by her. He is completely willing to watch her identity 222 00:13:54.759 --> 00:13:57.799 collapse in real time as long as her physical shell 223 00:13:58.080 --> 00:14:01.039 keeps feeding his ego. The movie, it's the romantic fantasy 224 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:04.759 away until all that has left is possession disguised as 225 00:14:05.080 --> 00:14:08.000 this affection. And I think that's why Obsession is hitting 226 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:10.840 with so many people, because beneath all the supernatural horror 227 00:14:10.840 --> 00:14:14.720 and viral marketing, the movie is really asking a terrifying question. 228 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:17.799 If somebody truly loves you, but only because you stripped 229 00:14:17.799 --> 00:14:20.320 away their ability to choose otherwise, was it ever love 230 00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:24.440 at all? Or was it just possession wearing love skin? Now, 231 00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:27.279 this topic inspired me to look into a few cases, 232 00:14:27.480 --> 00:14:30.759 surely not of anyone making wishes and then coming true, 233 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:35.039 but cases of real life relationships, real life obsessions turning 234 00:14:35.080 --> 00:14:38.440 into real life horror. So on that note, let's get 235 00:14:38.440 --> 00:14:56.720 into this episode's nine to one one call. Now, this 236 00:14:56.759 --> 00:14:59.360 case is one of those true crime stories that completely 237 00:14:59.639 --> 00:15:02.720 took a the media for years. Once you get into 238 00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:09.080 the details, you kind of understand why, because it's messy, disturbing, emotional, 239 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:12.440 and the relationship at the center of it was toxic 240 00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:15.879 from pretty much every angle. So just to set the 241 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:19.759 stage here, you have this guy, Travis Alexander, who was 242 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:23.840 this salesman and motivational speaker from California who worked for 243 00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:28.480 this company called Prepaid Legal Services. His friends would describe 244 00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:33.639 him as charismatic. He was funny, super social, and really 245 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:36.759 involved in his church. He even did stand up comedy 246 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:39.559 sometimes under the name Eddie Snow, which is kind of 247 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:42.240 random here, but I also want to make him feel 248 00:15:42.360 --> 00:15:45.440 more human outside of just being the victim in this case. 249 00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:49.200 Then you bring in this woman by the name of 250 00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:52.759 Jody Arius. She was from California as well and was 251 00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:55.960 trying to make photography happen while bouncing around different jobs 252 00:15:56.039 --> 00:16:00.159 before eventually working for the same company as Travis. The 253 00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:03.279 two met at a work conference that took place in 254 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:07.080 Las Vegas in two thousand and six, and things moved 255 00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:11.639 pretty quickly. Jody actually converted to the Mormon Church for him, 256 00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:16.080 and Travis baptized her himself and I don't know why, 257 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:19.919 but I find that just extremely weird, honestly, and I 258 00:16:19.960 --> 00:16:25.600 know I'm probably coming off as judgmental, but it's giving obsessed. 259 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:28.879 It's almost as if Jody was obsessed with Travis already 260 00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:33.600 right now. They started dating officially in two thousand and seven, 261 00:16:33.879 --> 00:16:37.080 but their relationship was apparently super on and off and 262 00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:42.120 incredibly intense. Friends around them said it was chaotic and 263 00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:46.120 unhealthy pretty much from the beginning. Even after breakups, they 264 00:16:46.279 --> 00:16:51.759 kept reconnecting long distance. The emotional fights, jealousy, just all 265 00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:55.120 of it, and according to Travis's friends, they were really 266 00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:59.000 worried about Jody. They claimed she was obsessive and started 267 00:16:59.039 --> 00:17:02.360 to stalk him, getting into his Facebook account and even 268 00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:07.279 allegedly slashing his tires. Then, unfortunately, in June of two 269 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:10.759 thousand and eight, Travis was found murdered in his Messa, 270 00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:16.279 Arizona home, and the details are quite brutal here because 271 00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:19.799 he was stabbed twenty seven times. His throat was slit 272 00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:25.119 so deeply that his jugular gratid artery and trachea were cut, 273 00:17:25.319 --> 00:17:27.160 and he was also shot in the back of the 274 00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:31.359 head with the twenty five caliber handgun. Investigators believed that 275 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:34.079 the attack happened while he was in the shower. The 276 00:17:34.119 --> 00:17:37.200 medical examiner later said that he had defensive wounds on 277 00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:41.039 his hands, meaning he tried to fight back. And what 278 00:17:41.160 --> 00:17:45.279 makes this case even creepier is just how police figured 279 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:49.039 things out, because when Travis's friends couldn't reach him for days, 280 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:51.920 they went to his house and found blood leading to 281 00:17:51.960 --> 00:17:55.079 the bathroom where his body was discovered in the shower. 282 00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:58.039 Right away, they called nine to one one to listen 283 00:17:58.079 --> 00:18:00.240 to some of these clips from the actual life. One 284 00:18:00.519 --> 00:18:02.400 can emergency, HI. 285 00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:05.119 This is pure with the tramp calling from one one 286 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:14.400 for two eight East Queen Barrel Mammy correct, yes, O, 287 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:18.720 huh okay, okay, that's one one fortwo Eightiest Queen Burrel 288 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:19.640 Avenue in Mesa. 289 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:21.799 Yeah, okay, what's going on? 290 00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:23.880 What? What's going on? 291 00:18:24.920 --> 00:18:27.359 Our friend of ours is dead in his bedroom. We 292 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:31.160 hadn't heard from him for a while. We think came dead. 293 00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:34.319 His roommate just went in there and he said they 294 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:36.720 bought some blood. I didn't know when, but I can 295 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:38.720 give you this phone to someone who went in there. 296 00:18:38.839 --> 00:18:40.720 Can yes, please name hello? 297 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:41.559 Hi? 298 00:18:41.640 --> 00:18:42.559 What's going on? 299 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:49.079 He's dead, He's in his bedroom, Okay, in the shower. Okay, 300 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:50.440 how did this happen? 301 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:52.440 Do you have any idea? We have no idea. 302 00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:56.319 Everyone's been wondering about him for she said that there's blood, 303 00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:59.240 so is it coming from his head? Did he did? 304 00:19:00.119 --> 00:19:01.079 It's all over the place? 305 00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:06.720 Hold on just a moment. Okay, you're a good friend 306 00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:07.599 of Travis's. 307 00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:08.680 Yes, I am okay. 308 00:19:08.839 --> 00:19:11.519 Because he had been depressed at all to thinking about 309 00:19:11.559 --> 00:19:13.240 meaning suicide anything like that. 310 00:19:13.880 --> 00:19:16.079 I don't think he's been being a community is that 311 00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:18.559 he's been really depressed because he broke up with this 312 00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:21.920 girl and he was all upset about that. But I 313 00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:24.519 don't think he would actually kill himself over that. 314 00:19:26.359 --> 00:19:28.640 Has he been threatened by anyone recently? 315 00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:31.960 He hasn't. He has an ex girlfriend that's been bothering 316 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:35.400 him and in them following him and flashing tires and 317 00:19:35.440 --> 00:19:36.079 things like that. 318 00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:43.599 And you know the ex girlfriend's name, mother? 319 00:19:44.680 --> 00:19:45.839 What's his ex girlfriend? 320 00:19:45.839 --> 00:19:45.960 Who? 321 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:47.440 Aw coool? 322 00:19:48.039 --> 00:19:48.559 What's up? 323 00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:52.960 And do you know if he's ever reported it to 324 00:19:53.000 --> 00:19:53.559 the police. 325 00:19:54.559 --> 00:19:57.400 His her name is Jody. I don't know if he's 326 00:19:57.400 --> 00:19:59.960 ever reported hold on, yeah a cool? 327 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:03.480 He's ever reported building school? Fool? But the sad said. 328 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:11.119 No, he hasn't reported anything about guilty's behavior. 329 00:20:11.599 --> 00:20:13.680 Okay. The tub is in his bedroom. 330 00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:17.960 Yeah, and I guess I didn't go in, but from 331 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:20.640 what I heard, his roommate went in, there's blood in 332 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:25.440 his bedroom behind the door. Uh, and palpa, and then 333 00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:27.880 he said it's all over. And then they went in 334 00:20:27.920 --> 00:20:29.680 the bathroom and he in his shower. 335 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:36.279 And you know his his his bedroom is where in 336 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:36.720 the house. 337 00:20:37.559 --> 00:20:41.799 It's upstairs. And if you go up the stairs, it's 338 00:20:41.880 --> 00:20:43.880 on the left. It's the first door on your left. 339 00:20:43.880 --> 00:20:45.119 It's the only door on your left. 340 00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:46.200 Okay. 341 00:20:46.279 --> 00:20:51.079 And and it's just a big master, sweet bedroom oday. 342 00:20:51.720 --> 00:20:52.079 What's this? 343 00:20:55.440 --> 00:21:00.960 And she's talking to his friend right now. There's a 344 00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:06.039 girl that sends stocking him and see, and she's trying 345 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:11.960 and he's trying to might not with some information. They 346 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:14.240 hope my phone doesn't I I'm on like one bar 347 00:21:14.359 --> 00:21:14.920 of battery. 348 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:17.200 Okay. Well, I'm just gonna keep you on the phone 349 00:21:17.240 --> 00:21:19.480 until officers arrive, e their officers or paramedics arrive. 350 00:21:19.559 --> 00:21:21.799 Okay, okay, I think I can hear the same. 351 00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:26.720 While searching the house, investigators found a damage digital camera 352 00:21:26.839 --> 00:21:31.559 inside the washing machine. Somehow they managed to recover deleted 353 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:34.359 photos from it, and those photos became one of the 354 00:21:34.359 --> 00:21:38.000 biggest pieces of evidence in the case, and this, to me, 355 00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:40.920 is one of the more sinister parts of the case 356 00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:45.400 because pictures showed Travis and Jody together that day in 357 00:21:45.480 --> 00:21:49.640 intimate photos, all time stamped. Then the last image of 358 00:21:49.720 --> 00:21:53.440 Travis alive showed him standing in the shower, and that's 359 00:21:53.480 --> 00:21:55.920 the one photo of Travis looking at the camera, and 360 00:21:56.119 --> 00:22:01.039 the look on his face is just creepy because it 361 00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:04.960 shows him seconds before Jody murders him, and it's him 362 00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:09.359 either realizing she snapped or that he knows what's about 363 00:22:09.400 --> 00:22:12.039 to happen. It's also a photo of someone's final moment, 364 00:22:12.119 --> 00:22:15.759 which makes it disturbing to me. Other photos found after 365 00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:20.240 were blurry photos showing him on the bathroom floor bleeding heavily. 366 00:22:20.920 --> 00:22:23.160 It's one of the most haunting pieces of evidence I've 367 00:22:23.160 --> 00:22:25.880 ever heard about in a case. Not to mention, there 368 00:22:25.880 --> 00:22:28.160 was also a bloody pomp print with both of their 369 00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:33.160 DNA mixed together. Now, at first, Jody denied even being there. 370 00:22:33.559 --> 00:22:36.759 She told police she hadn't seen Travis in months. Then 371 00:22:36.920 --> 00:22:40.759 her story changed, and suddenly there were supposedly two masked 372 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:44.640 intruders who killed him and attacked her as well. Now 373 00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:48.359 years later, she changed her story again and admitted that 374 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:51.160 she did kill him, but claimed it with self defense 375 00:22:51.240 --> 00:22:56.079 after enduring abuse from him for months, and that became 376 00:22:56.119 --> 00:22:59.839 the center of the entire trial. The prosecution painted you 377 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:04.359 as an obsessed ex girlfriend who carefully planned the murder. 378 00:23:04.680 --> 00:23:08.079 They pointed out that she rented a car, drove hundreds 379 00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:11.279 of miles, bought gas cans ahead of time, changed her 380 00:23:11.319 --> 00:23:14.319 hair color afterward, and showed up to a business event 381 00:23:14.440 --> 00:23:17.880 the next day acting completely normal despite having cuts all 382 00:23:17.920 --> 00:23:23.079 over her hands. The defense argued Travis was abusive behind 383 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:27.160 closed doors and said Jody snapped while defending herself. During 384 00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:31.440 the trial, some really personal and uncomfortable details about the 385 00:23:31.519 --> 00:23:37.599 relationship came out, explicit text messages, phone recordings, sexual conversations. 386 00:23:37.640 --> 00:23:42.319 Even the whole trial basically became this massive public dissection 387 00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:47.559 of their private relationship. Jody testified for something like eighteen days, 388 00:23:47.559 --> 00:23:50.440 which is kind of unheard of. She talked about alleged 389 00:23:50.519 --> 00:23:55.279 emotional and physical abuse, claimed Travis had dark sexual interests, 390 00:23:55.519 --> 00:23:59.400 and said she feared for her life. The prosecution meanwhile 391 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:03.400 focused on how many times she changed her story and 392 00:24:03.480 --> 00:24:09.000 called her manipulative and dishonest and understandably, so like how 393 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:10.720 many times are you going to change a story? Girl? 394 00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:14.960 And psychologists were brought in from both sides as well. 395 00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:20.079 One expert said Jody had PTSD from abuse. Another diagnosed 396 00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:23.720 her with borderline personality disorder and said she wasn't actually 397 00:24:23.720 --> 00:24:26.880 a victim of domestic violence. So even the mental health 398 00:24:26.920 --> 00:24:30.359 side of the case became this huge back and forth battle, 399 00:24:30.920 --> 00:24:35.640 and because the trial was televised, people became completely obsessed 400 00:24:35.680 --> 00:24:40.000 with it. Every little detail was analyzed online. Jody herself 401 00:24:40.079 --> 00:24:45.240