The county’s top prosecutor returns to the Escape Pod this week with true tales from the courtroom that rival anything you’d see on a TV drama! Plus, the co-hosts ask for insight on a case out of Wisconsin, where a woman is behind bars for killing the man she said trafficked her for years.

WARNING: This episode includes content involving physical and sexual violence.

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:

• Topic #1 4:48 Woman fighting traffic violation gets feisty with the judge.

• Topic #2 10:22 Courtroom couture? Not exactly.

• Topic #3 22:18 WI: Trafficking survivor kills her alleged abuser.

• Topic #4 41:44 Co-host is left truly speechless.

Resources & Links

• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y87kpg8rpo

• https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/chrystul-kizer-sentenced-11-years-prison-killing-man-said-sexually-tra-rcna167226

• https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2024/08/19/woman-charged-with-killing-her-suspected-sex-trafficker-receives-11-years-in-prison/74861586007/

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A California couple begins a whirlwind romance in 2014. When it ends, the woman sends a bizarre and threatening email to her ex. After he moves on and marries another woman a short time later, his new wife starts receiving threatening messages in her inbox as well. But the bad behavior doesn’t stop with threats. At one point, the wife reports being attacked in her own home, and law enforcement believes she’s the victim of a “rape fantasy” ad posted online.

We take the Escape Pod off-road this week for a tale of true crime that has truly “crazy exes” and more sharp turns than the co-hosts can count!

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:

• Topic #1 0:41 Escaping high stress, bad intentions, and teen lingo

• Topic #2 10:03 California, 2014: Michelle and Ian begin a whirlwind romance

• Topic #3 19:15 Suspect's lawyer and family begin their own investigation

• Topic #4 25:52 Fast-forward 6 years for update on Ian

• Topic #5 36:20 Escapism, co-host-style!

Resources & Links

• https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4257684/Michelle-Hadley-speaks-framed-jailed.html 2/24/2017

• https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/diabolical-scheme-woman-jailed-craigslist-rape-fantasy-plot-against-ex-n724881 2/24/2017

• https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/pocharaponneammanee/ian-angela-diaz-guilty-frame-sexual-assault 3/26/2023

• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michelle-hadley-da-says-rape-fantasy-attack-was-hoax-woman-arrested-was-framed/ 01/10/2017

• https://ktla.com/news/local-news/ontario-woman-jailed-for-posing-as-exs-wife-to-post-rape-fantasy-ads-online-was-framed-orange-county-da/ 01/10/2017

• https://news.yahoo.com/woman-framed-rape-fantasy-plot-120041983.html 03/27/2023

• https://www.courthousenews.com/anaheim-settles-lawsuit-by-woman-framed-in-rape-fantasy-case/ 03/30/2021

• https://ktla.com/news/local-news/woman-sentenced-to-5-years-after-framing-husbands-ex-fiancee-for-stalking-attempted-rape-in-o-c/ 10/17/2017

• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ian-diaz-michelle-hadley-former-us-marshal-convicted-in-twisted-rape-fantasy-plot/ 03/24/2023

• https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-deputy-us-marshal-sentenced-cyberstalking-perjury-and-obstruction 06/30/2023

Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more.

https://www.escapepod.live

Do you have a story that you want to share with EscapePod? Or do you just want to reach out to us with your comments and thoughts?

• General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live

• Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live

A 13-year-old is abducted in Texas and driven hundreds of miles from home; a 17-year-old is kidnapped in Florida and abused for 26 hours; a 15-year-old is taken in South Carolina by a man later identified as a serial killer. Rarely do such horrific crimes result in even a smidge of a happy ending, but these actually do! In fact, all three cases and others included in this episode put the spotlight directly on amazing young escape artists who kept their cool, outsmarted their captors, and survived to see justice served.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes content involving crimes against children and teens.

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:

• Topic #1 3:04 Escaping school threats and house guests in unexpected places

• Topic #2 19:12 Texas, 2023: 13yo abducted, driven to California

• Topic #3 23:53 Florida, 1984: 17yo snatched while bicycling home from work

• Topic #4 35:59 S.C., 2006: 14yo departed school bus, vanished

• Topic #5 40:45 S.C., 2002: 15yo kidnapped from front yard of friend’s house

• Topic #6 46:30 Teenage co-host hangs with motorcycle gang

Resources & Links

• https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/news/kidnapping-victim-helps-orchestrate-her-own-rescue-by-holding-up-sign-saying-help-me Robin Raven. US Dept of Justice.

• December 1,2022. Melinda Beck. https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/lisa-mcvey-interview

• September 9, 2023. Miss Spooks. “Surviving Abduction: Lisa McVey” https://medium.com/@lisariggio1994/surviving-abduction-lisa-mcvey-4800242c08ba

• March 26, 2020. C.M. Frankie. https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/elizabeth-shoaf-kidnapping-assault-in-bunker

• February 2023. Christine Pelisek. https://people.com/crime/kara-robinson-lifetime-movie-girl-who-escaped/

• https://www.oxygen.com/escaping-captivity-the-kara-robinson-story/crime-news/kara-robinsons-story-who-were-richard

• July 13, 2011. ABD News. https://abcnews.go.com/2020/jeannette-tamayo-escape-kidnapper/story?id=14062737

• If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.

Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more.

https://www.escapepod.live

Do you have a story that you want to share with EscapePod? Or do you just want to reach out to us with your comments and thoughts?

• General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live

• Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live