Episode 742: The Shocking Murder of Terry King (Part 1) | Forensic Files

Hey weirdos. I'm Ash. And I'm Elena. And this is Morbid. This is Morbid. It's a podcast that you
listen to to hear scary, cautionary, horrifying, chilling, paranormal tales that are sometimes uh motivational.
Yeah. And Twilightified. >> Oh, yeah. Get ready for that, babes. >> It's coming up quick, actually.
>> Get ready. >> Yeah. I can't wait. I'm going to reread New Moon. Oh, [ __ ] I got to reread. I
got to order it. >> Yeah, I have it. I just got to dig it I'm so jealous of you having your
original copies. >> Oh, yeah. >> I got shuffled around so much. I like it just didn't work out.
>> I know. I was lucky. I only really had to go from one house to >> That's actually so wild.
>> Like you moved from mom papa's to one apartment and then like with John. >> Yeah, I was just with John after that.
>> That's cuckoo nuts. >> One of your kids asked me how many times I moved the other day and I was like,
"Babe, I don't have time to count right now." >> I feel like it's a lot. >> I have no time to count right now.
>> There's a lot here. >> Yeah. Um, I'm just I feel like I'm like still recovering from New York. Like in
a good way. I had so much fun. >> I always recover from any kind of travel. >> Yeah, same. You hit a certain age and
you're just like, whoa. >> I'm always thrown off by it. >> I forgot to mention when we were talking
about it though, me and Drew saw Death Becomes Her. If anybody has a chance to go see that show, go see it. Mikey had
seen it before me and he was like, "You got to go." And it's like one of my favorite movies, so I was like, "Oh
yeah, like I'll definitely go." >> I wasn't I'm not like a huge musical person usually. I'm going to fight you.
>> I know. Just kidding. Somebody um >> It was the most incredible thing I've ever seen in my life, I think.
>> Yeah, I've heard nothing but good things. >> It was so much fun. Uh we got to say see
Michelle Williams. >> Holy [ __ ] >> Which was like next level. I thought John was very impressed by that.
>> Drew thought that was the funniest thing in the world cuz we met up with you guys
later and uh Drew was like telling John about it and John was like, "Oh my god, that's so cool." And then that night,
Drew was like, "John like cares about Michelle Williams." And I was like, "Yeah." I was like, "John's a big '9s
guy. >> He's a big R&B guy." >> It was so funny. >> Yeah, it was a great show. So, if you
guys have a chance to see it and I met a couple listeners there. >> Oh, I love that.
>> And they were so nice. >> What a nice place to meet people. >> I know. It really was.
>> I love when it's like a good vibe like that. >> Mhm. Oh, yeah. The vibes were
impeccable. >> Oh, yeah. >> Top notch. >> Topnotch. And speaking of things that you should watch, um, this week for
Scream, I'm or whatever week it is for Scream, I'm covering, uh, GMO Del Toro's Frankenstein, which you can watch on
Netflix. >> It, >> guys, >> incredible. Blew my [ __ ] mind apart. I mean, I'm a I love GMO.
>> You're g Pan's Labyrinth is one of my favorite movies. I think Gummo, his Cabinet of Curiosities, by the way, on
Netflix is also awesome. So, go watch that. >> Oh, I remember I told you about that.
>> It's very cool. And uh GMO's the best. I literally am obsessed with everything he
does. I think he's brilliant. I think he is like a special flower that I hope just stays around forever.
>> He has a rain room, right? >> Oh, he's the His house is iconic. Iconic. >> He's like [ __ ] in there. He's an artist
>> and everything whenever he opens his mouth and talks, listen cuz he's saying brilliant [ __ ] It's like that that show
um from the Princess Diary. Shut up and listen. >> Shut up and listen. And his take on
Frankenstein. >> Now, it was next level. >> It had me crying. >> I cried. >> It had me I I after I finished watching
it cuz John was cuz he's just the best. John was literally wrapping Christmas presents and I was like I have to watch
this for Scream. So like do you mind? >> I'm working. >> And he was like you know what he was
like let me wrap these gifts and I'm going to wrap some of yours. I'm like I'll do this. And he's like I do want to
watch it later but like I'll let you do this cuz you're I watch it. We have to pause a lot and all that.
>> Afterwards I was like John we need to watch this immediately together because
that was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. >> No it really is. >> Jacob Allerty I and here's the thing.
Jacob Allerty is a very good-looking man. like he is very attractive >> and don't you forget it.
>> But he's it's not like I'm not like losing my mind like that. You know, >> I'd like you to go now.
>> And like I will acknowledge I'm never going to say that that is not a handsome
man. >> You must. But like just you know Yeah. >> Well, he's I think he's like 27 so it's
it's okay for you to not be like losing your [ __ ] >> Like >> not that it would be weird if you did,
but like just to make you feel better. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. >> Because here's the thing. No, I'm I'm
actually really glad that you're being so brave right now. >> I'm being brave >> and I'm going to be brave afterwards.
>> Why did I love him as Frankenstein? >> Why was I literally attracted to like I
find I loved Euphoria. I found him to be so attractive. >> Form you love. >> I love his human form. And then as I was
watching I I'm not even going to lie to you. I have to be I'm going to be so brave right now.
>> Be brave. >> I I didn't really want to watch it. I was like, "Okay, I'm sure this will be
like like whatever." It was incredible. And as I was watching it, I just got like more and more enthralled and I was
like, "I think I would spend the rest of my life with that monster." >> 100%. Like I
>> He absolutely shattered that role. >> That movie better. When I was finished with it, I literally said cuz I told
Drew, I was like, "I got to watch this for Scream." I'm like, you know, >> and then he was like I at the end of it
I go, "That was one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen." And he was laughing so hard. He's like, "You
didn't even want to watch it." >> Yeah. It shows you though like >> give it a give things a chance.
>> Give it a chance because like that's not usually something I would just click to
like for leisure. I'm going to watch it again. >> It was >> I mean I'm telling like GMO the way he
does like GMO. I'm saying it like he's my friend GMO someday. >> Someday I'm going to meet GMO and just
tell him that he's a brilliant special. >> Yeah. fairy creature and I love him. >> Manifest it.
>> Um I will and I'm pretty good at manifesting. >> You're so good at manifesting. That's
why I'm telling you here. >> Uh but he it's something about cuz I think we've talked about this before
that like certain TV shows or movies >> if the color palette is off for me, I'm out. Like I immediately am out.
>> And I have a very particular color palette that will just send me into orbit like in a good way.
>> I was never really aware of color palettes until you like shattered that for me. Now I think about it
>> well and I'm very particular about the one that I love and so I when I come across that GMO always gives me that one
I love labyrinth >> deep tones like >> also just the fashion like all of Mia Goth's outfits were
>> where do I get where do I purchase >> everything is beautiful the monster the
way he put him together is beautiful >> it's so cool >> like everything was be so like this is
all to say go Watch that if you haven't watched it yet. It's >> when he gives her the leaf.
>> Oh, shattered my soul. >> Like I wouldn't I wouldn't look at a million dollars the same way I would
look at that leaf from that monster. >> I was going to [ __ ] up Victor Frankenstein
>> when he just kept go like Well, you got to go listen to Scream, of course, cuz
we're basically just doing it right now. >> Give me your leg. Your leg. I was like,
I was like, I'll punch you in the goddamn face. At one point, John walked by like to go into the kitchen and I had
it paused and I just looked at him and I go, "Fuck Victor Frankenstein. Am I right?" And he was like, "Hell yeah."
>> Like he had no idea what I was like, "Yep, >> that's a husband." >> He said, "Support. Let's kill him." And
I was like, "Yeah, just wait, buddy. Just wait. >> It's a great movie, though. I'm highly
recommending it." >> Yeah. It's got to win like every award in my opinion. >> It really does. It really does.
>> Go listen to our episode on Scream. If you don't listen to Scream, we cover horror movies and just like like
thrillers, anything spooky, creepy, >> and Caleb's there >> and we do it with Caleb who's just the
[ __ ] tits. >> He's just a delight. >> So, go check out Scream. Um, I think that's like all the banter we have
today. >> That's and then now we're going to we're going to dive. >> I'm about to rock your [ __ ]
>> Yeah, we're going to dive into the depths right now. >> Yeah, I actually got to watch
Frankenstein after I covered this, like after I finished writing this. So, I was
like, "Okay, cool." >> Yeah. So, I ju I do want to give like a trigger warning up top. This is going to
be a two-parter. This, if you've clicked on it, obviously you know is the murder
of Terry King. Um, it involves a lot of child abuse and like actual physical abuse and sexual abuse. So, I know
that's not something everybody wants to listen to. So, I just want you to know that these two parts we are going to
talk about some of that kind of stuff. Not very explicitly by any means. Dave is incredible when he helps us research
this stuff and he keeps out like the awful >> details super graphic. >> We never want to go too far, but uh that
is a theme in this. So, just know that. >> So, let's dive in. Let's do it. All right. So, on the night of November
26th, 2001, Ed Harris had just fallen asleep next to his wife. Like, he was falling asleep and he got up all of a
sudden and heard these weird cracking popping sounds. So, he's still half asleep. He gets out of bed and he's like
stumbling around in the dark figuring out trying to figure out where these sounds are coming from. And that's when
he reached the window and he saw that the house next door to them was engulfed in flames. So he grabbed the phone. He
called 911 to report the fire and he told the dispatcher, "Terry King and his two boys are in that fire. I know
they're home because their cars in the driveway." >> Oh, that'd be horrifying. >> Yeah. So he gave directions on how to
reach what was a pretty isolated rural road and he was told that firefighters were on their way. Now David Jordan was
the firefighter who first arrived on the scene. He was actually off duty at that
point but he heard the call come through on the police scanner and just like literally went right to it.
>> By the time he reached the house, the fire had already burned through most of
the roof. >> Wow. And from over the roar of the fire and the snapping of wood, he could hear
Ed Harris yelling to tell him that the King family was still inside the house. So he knew he couldn't wait for the
other firefighters to get there. So he went around to the back of the house where the fire hadn't reached yet, and
he kicked down the back door. But as soon as he did that, a massive cloud of like toxic black smoke just came
billowing out into the backyard. >> Oh, damn. So, he knew there was no way he was going to be able to get inside to
see anything or be able to get inside and breathe without any equipment. So, he decided to uh prepare the building by
cutting off the power and clearing a path for the onduty firefighters to get there.
>> Mhm. >> So, when the fire crew arrived a short time later, they moved slowly through
the house, crawling on the floor from one room to the next, but they didn't see any signs of victims or survivors.
Firefighter Marcus Williams had just about used up the air in his oxygen tank and he was actually turning to make his
way out of the house when he got radioed from another firefighter in another part
of the house that they had found a body. The room was completely dark and obviously clouded by smoke. So,
firefighter Brandon Beecher was kind of just like feeling his way around what he
thought was the living room and he was padding along the sofa when his hand suddenly touched something resting on
the edge. >> Oh man. So he moved the beam of his flashlight onto the edge of the couch
and immediately jerked his hand away when he realized what he was touching was a human foot.
Now once the fire was fully extinguished and the room had been cleared of all the
smoke, he and the other firefighters were able to take in the full picture. The homeowner, 40-year-old Terry King,
was sitting in an armchair in a very relaxed position, his legs propped up on the adjacent couch, hands folded across
his chest, and a coffee cup sitting on the arm of the chair. And even though he was covered in soot and scarred by the
fire at that point, they were surprised, firefighters, by how serene and peaceful
he looked. It looked like he had just fallen asleep right there and was like completely unaware.
>> Spooky though. >> Super spooky. But when they moved around to the other side of his body, the right
side of his face told a very different story. There was a fist-sized hole in the right side of his forehead, and
there were streaks of blood dried down his face. >> Holy [ __ ] >> Yeah. So, as they scoured the scene, it
was very clear that this was the home of a family. There was children's toys on various rooms, floors, and there were
Christmas decorations that had been laid out, but not put up yet. Oh man, that's
that would that part would really get me. >> That like juxtaposition. >> Yeah, it's when people were right in the
middle of doing something or intending to do something and something like this happens. It like it's a weird feeling.
>> So, given what they've been told by the 911 dispatcher, investigators expected
to find two more victims in the house, but they couldn't locate Terry's two sons, 13-year-old Derek and 12-year-old
Alex. So they theorized that if the boys had been in the fire when the house broke out, maybe they fled the scene in
search of safety. >> Yeah. >> The case obviously was immediately labeled a homicide because of the way
that Terry was found and now the potential kidnapping. >> So detectives were dispatched to the
scene and roadblocks were set up in the county to search for Derek and Alex. Now
>> the initial theory was that Terry was asleep when his killer snuck into the house, attacked him with some kind of
large object, probably a baseball bat. >> Mhm. And investigators actually believed
that Terry never saw his attacker and that once he was dead, the killer obviously set the fire and left the
scene. Fire investigators quickly determined that an accelerant had been used to set the fire, which meant that
it had spread very quickly and burned very hot. >> Yeah. >> So, while investigators were working at
the scene, one of the deputies was approached by a man who said he heard about the fire on his police scanner and
he actually thought he knew the people who lived in the house. like he was like, "Oh, I know these people." He was
later identified as Ricky Shavas and he was taken in to talk to Sergeant Tony Bane at a command station across the
street. So Ricky introduced himself to Bane as a friend of Terry's and he seemed in that moment very anxious to
know if Terry was inside the house or not or if he had died in the fire. >> Mhm.
>> It was obviously still very early in the investigation. Like they're still working this scene actively right now.
>> So Sergeant Bane was very tight-lipped. He wasn't going to give out any information, but from his perspective,
Ricky Shavas seemed very eager to learn the fate of his friend, which you can understand.
>> Yeah. >> But he also even offered to make the identification if there was a body,
>> which is a little weird. >> Yeah. I mean, I would at least be like, "Wow." >> Yeah.
>> It was just not something that >> this sergeant ran into all the time. So, Sergeant Bane was obviously still
reluctant, like I said, to provide any information, but Ricky's rapidfire questions continued, and he eventually
just straight up asked the sergeant, "Do you think the boys killed him?" >> Like referring to his 12 and 13year-old
sons. >> Okay. Yeah. No. >> Yeah. So, the question weird question, it's a weird question. So, the investigators
like super caught off guard now because all they knew at that point was that the
boys weren't in the house. >> Yeah. why would this dude just show up saying he heard this on the police
scanner and start asking like wild questions like this? So, and he basically asked him as much. He was
like, "What are you talking about?" >> Yeah. And Ricky responded, "Well, Terry was an abusive father." And he went on
to explain that a few days earlier the boys had run away from home and come to him for help.
>> Oh. So Ricky's interest in the fire paired with the way that Terry was found was
all highly unusual and especially to Sergeant Bane. So in his police report, he actually made note of Ricky's
presence. >> Okay. >> He said, "I found it odd that Chavis had not inquired about the condition or
whereabouts of the boys given the circumstances." Hm. >> Cuz he's not even asking where they are.
He's just like >> he say just did they kill him? >> That's it. Yeah. >> Yeah. Like where are they?
>> And he's not he's asking if Terry's died, but he's not asking if the boys died. They're all right.
>> All a little strange. And he was really smart to add that all in his police report.
>> Yeah. >> And so he writes that down and he reiterated to Ricky that it was still
very early. He wasn't giving any comments, but he was like, I I'll take your information, thanks, and I'll call
you when we know something. So later that day, lead investigator John Sanderson immediately went to the crime
scene after he was assigned the case to see what he was dealing with. >> He hadn't been there very long when one
of the deputies let him know that the boy's grandfather, Jimmy Walker, had arrived and he wanted to talk to
somebody in charge. >> Yeah. >> Sitting down with Sanderson, Jimmy Walker explained that he was actually
the boy's stepgrandfather. Uh his wife, Linda, was their maternal grandmother and her daughter, Kelly, was their
mother. >> Okay. So Jimmy said he hadn't seen the boys in a few weeks and explained that a
week earlier, like Ricky had said, they had run away for about a week. He said they were missing all last week until
Terry found them in Pace. Ricky called last night to tell us they were back home with Terry.
>> Okay, >> Ricky's coming up again. >> This is the first time that Sanderson though hears about Ricky, but definitely
obviously not the last time his name would come up in the investigation. So Jimmy told the detective that Ricky was
Terry's good friend who for the last couple of months had been helping out Terry with the boys, watching them on
nights where Terry was working. Jimmy said he was really worried about the boys, you know, with Terry abusing them
and all like what yeah is happening here. It's just very interesting that everybody's
kind of saying this like yeah just like so >> well matter of factly like just being
like well you know he was racism like everybody should know that and it's like what
>> why did nobody call the >> guys what's going on here >> and it's like if all of these adults
know that these boys are being abused >> exactly like why are no phone calls being made
>> so Sanderson was like what is the extent of the abuse here cuz like that's I just
read that in some of the other notes like what is this about But Jimmy couldn't really come up with any kind of
detailed description. He just said that according to Ricky, Terry was planning to have a long session with the boys the
previous night in what he referred to as the therapy room where he would just make the boys sit and stare at the wall
for hours. >> What? >> But the grandfather heard that from Ricky. So, >> okay. >> Weird. And it also struck uh
investigator Sanderson or Detective Sanderson as strange that Jimmy even knew about the fire so quickly in the
investigation. No one had been notified yet. >> Yeah. >> The medical examiner hadn't even started
the autopsy or identified the body. Like none of none of that had happened yet. >> So, and the other thing was nobody had
even notified that the family that the boys were missing. >> Yeah. Like this is all very willy-nilly.
It's very strange. So Jimmy explained that Ricky had called him and told him about the fire, which he Ricky had heard
over his scanner. And Jimmy said that Ricky told him he'd been at the scene and some of the firefighters let him
into the house to see the body, which had not happened. >> What? Detective Sanderson obviously knew
that was a flatout lie, but he was like, "Why is Ricky Why is this guy Ricky lying to this grandfather about
something so consequential? Like, what the [ __ ] is going on here? >> What the [ __ ] is happen?" Meanwhile,
they're like, "We thought we were coming to a house fire." >> Yeah. >> And this just opened up a [ __ ] whole
realm of [ __ ] >> Exactly. >> Like, damn. So, the more Detective Sanderson looked into the background of
the King family, the more chaos and misinformation that swirled around between the family in those early hours
made sense to him. Like a lot of people in rural Cantonment, Florida, Terry's life and the life of his family hadn't
really been an easy one. And in recent years, the family had fractured and didn't really communicate very well with
each other. So, it made it difficult to get a very accurate picture of their day-to-day home life because you call
one person and they're saying one thing. You call another person and they don't really talk to them, but they have this
information from this time period. It's >> all kind of a mess. >> But, as best as Detective Sanderson
could tell, Terry King had met Derek and Alex's mother, Kelly, while he was visiting his father in 1986. And he was
immediately drawn to Kelly. They started dating. Things turned serious very quickly. In a short time, they'd moved
in together. And about a year into that, Kelly found out she was pregnant. On May
4th, 1988, she gave birth to their son, Derek. And a year later, Alex followed. Unfortunately, the things that had made
them very compatible as a couple, like their quiet personalities, very laid-back attitudes, didn't really serve
them well when it came to parenting, and they struggled into transitioning into their new roles as parents. Kelly
especially was very easily overwhelmed by her new responsibilities and she kind of just like checked out mentally and
emotionally a lot of the time which then left all of the parenting and money earning to Terry who also quickly burned
out from exhaustion because it was all on him. >> Mhm. >> According to authors uh Katherine Mico
and Molly Barrows, we're going to link their book in the show notes. As Terry quote settled into the role of a family
man, Kelly grew more restless. >> Like they're growing apart here. Yeah, this is not great.
>> Their relationship had also started when Kelly was 17. So, she never really knew
life outside of like her parents telling her what to do and now becoming a mother
herself. >> She's a kid herself. >> She had no time to find herself. >> So, when the stress of family life got
to be too much or if she was in a especially depressed mood because she did struggle with depression, she would
just dip out for days at a time and just kind of go missing >> only to return with like a half-hearted
apology. And every time Terry would take her back. Then in 1991, she came home from one of her disappearances and
announced to Terry that she was pregnant with twins. Hoping to keep her happy and making make
her want to stay, Terry said he forgave her and he wanted to help her raise the twins like they were his own, which they
were not. Wow. So, it seemed to actually work out for a bit. But a few years later, Kelly's restlessness returned and
she decided that she really just didn't want to be a mom. her desire was not there. Which like after having four
kids, it's a little late to decide. >> I was going to say I know people will get mad, but
>> you can get mad all you want. >> You can't decide four kids in that you don't feel like being a mom anymore.
Like you know, people would dead be mom. >> Yeah. Like that's that's an [ __ ] move.
>> It is like you know. So it was 1994. She couldn't handle the stress and the pressure of the parenthood anymore and
she moved out which left Terry with all four kids, two of which were not his own
children. But he was like, "Okay, like I'll I'll try to figure this out." >> That's [ __ ] crazy.
>> Yeah, that's wild. >> And they didn't have like he even when she was around, a lot of stuff was on
him and like money earning was all on him. >> And now you don't have anybody else
around. So it's like it's awful. >> Oh boy. >> Now, for most of his adult life, Terry
King had managed to scrape by with what he earned from pretty lowpaying jobs. And it had, like I was just saying, been
hard enough to keep their heads above water when Kelly was at her best. But now she was completely gone and he was
responsible for everyone and things were looking bleak. >> He did his best to try to keep up with
the responsibilities of parenting and bills, but it didn't take long before he was falling behind on payments. He
didn't have a valid driver's license at the time, so he was waking up early every morning to catch a ride to work um
which was in Mobile, Alabama, so a little further away. He worked long hours as a day laborer and during that
time he would just leave the kids with different family members who were willing to help.
>> Yeah. >> But before long the financial problems got really bad and he started writing
bad checks to get food at the grocery store. >> Oh man. >> Which is really sad. >> Which like to get food at the grocery
store. >> Yeah. Like that's sad. >> Yeah. Eventually that caught up with him and he got arrested for passing bad
checks, which I do feel like I this might be insane to say, but it's like if you get caught writing bad checks to the
grocery store, there should be some kind of program that helps you cuz like cuz you're trying to get food,
>> right? Like that's a basic feels like that. Yeah, >> that's just a different >> I don't know if there is something that
>> Yeah, I have no idea. It just feels it's a it's got a different, you know, >> Yeah. It's not like you're like stealing
jewelry, >> you know what I mean? Deal baby formula. It's like heartbreaking. >> They're not doing it for the thrill of
it. Like that's, you know, >> so at that time the family was broken up for a long period. Terry kept the twin
boys because he didn't have anybody else to give them to. Derek went to live with
Kelly's mother and Alex went to stay with Kelly's father because nobody really had enough resources to take care
of all of them at once. Kelly's parents wanted to help and they did their best to pitch in with what
they could do, but they weren't a long-term solution because they just didn't have everything to care for small
children. It's it's a lot. >> You need a lot of [ __ ] >> So, when it became clear to Terry that
it was going to take a lot longer to get his life back on track, he made the impossible decision to place all four
boys in the foster care system, >> which is just heartbreaking. >> Yeah. So, because they were still really
little, the twins were quickly placed with a foster family and they got adopted not long after. Oh,
>> that's good. >> Yeah. Derek stayed in the foster home with his brother Alex for a few months
before he eventually got placed by himself with a family of Frank and Nancy Lei. They had worked with the state for
years and it sounds like they were pretty good people. Unfortunately, Alex had the hardest time with the transition
and like the frequent disruptions cuz I'm pretty sure he's like four at this point, like four or five.
>> But this is like breaking my heart for these kids. It's horrible. This was a really tough one to get through, but for
some reason it was difficult to get him placed with a foster family. So, he was just in the care of the state,
>> which I don't exactly know what the I I don't know if you just like bounce around from family to family because you
can't get permanently placed. >> Breaks my heart. >> It's awful. >> So, at first, Terry and Kelly tried to
keep in contact with Derek. Kelly appeared again and they tried to keep in contact with Derek, but eventually the
foster parents, Nancy and Frank, told them that their calls were upsetting and confusing to Derek.
>> Well, yeah. >> Which you can understand. >> Like she's trying to create a stable
environment. >> And it's like you're you can't kind of be there in like that kid at that age, a
four-year-old isn't going to understand. Like why can't I talk to my parents? I think Alex was like around four or
five and Dererick was around like five or six. >> Those are babies. >> Babies. So, the sudden disappearance of
both of his parents without any explanation obviously took a very serious toll on him and it took a toll
on his relationship with his foster family >> at school, which was really the only
constant in his life. He was very focused. He was very well behaved. >> Just shocking.
>> It really is. But when he got home, it seemed like he became another person. He
got more and more defiant as he was growing up. He rejected any attempts at warmth or family intimacy by the lace,
which obviously just put a greater strain on the relationship. But it's not his fault.
>> No. >> And it's not theirs. They're It seems like everybody's trying. >> Everyone's trying their best with what
they have. >> But as he got older, his behavior got worse and eventually included vandalism,
destruction of property, and setting small fires. >> Really bad. Now, I don't know how much
like therapy was involved in this back then because this is like the early 90s, so I don't know.
>> But while Derek struggled to adjust to his life with his new family, Alex went
through his own very traumatic period. After several unsuccessful attempts to place him with a foster family, Terry
eventually regained custody and Alex moved in with his father. Again, >> this is just like a lot.
>> It's a lot of bouncing around and they're very young. number one thing that kids need is stability. Yeah. When
they're when they're little babies. >> Stability is so important. >> Yeah. >> So since he'd placed the boys in foster
care, all Terry wanted was to get them back. So this was a step in the right direction. At least he felt.
>> Mhm. >> But now he faced a new problem. What to do with Alex while he was at work. Alex
had just started kindergarten and was at only at school for a small portion of the day cuz some kindergartens are only
like a few hours. usually when they start that's like >> so that left a few hours in the day
where somebody needed to watch him and Terry just didn't have anybody who could. So at a loss for what to do
>> a lot of people deal with that. >> Oh, so many people deal with that have dealt with that situation.
>> So at a loss for what to do, he pulled him out of school and just started bringing him to work every day.
>> So now he's just not going to school. >> Yeah. So, in the years that followed,
which I don't, this might sound so dumb, but do you have to complete kindergarten
or can you just go right to first grade? It's not universally required in the US.
>> Yeah, I thought >> in half the states it's mandatory. Most other states require school entry by age
five or six. >> Yeah. So, kindergarten so you can homeschool technically or >> Yeah, makes sense. It's not
>> I think it's just recommended. It's recommended, but there Florida's like compulsory attendance laws kick in at
six, which is first grade. It's apparently optional in Massachusetts. >> Is it really?
>> Yeah. >> Interesting. >> All right. Well, there's that. So, he didn't he didn't end up going to
kindergarten. He just kind of like went to work with Terry. >> Yeah. >> In the years that followed, they moved
around a lot around Florida a lot. They lived in a a travel trailer, so they just kind of went wherever there was
work. So, again, not very stable. No. By 2001 though, Terry had finally started to get his feet under him a little bit
and thanks to a close friend, he managed to find a more stable housing situation,
renting a small house in Cantonement and eventually managing to hold down a stable job. So, he was really he was
really trying. >> Yeah. He's working hard to like be the father. >> Yeah. And he he also wants to earn Derek
back. >> Yeah. >> Because now that the twins were adopted, he wasn't going to earn those two back.
This is one of those things you would like you hope people do this before they introduce children into their lives.
Like that's the ideal. Like you should try to be as stable as humanly possible before you
>> create another human being to take care of. But obviously things happen and that
can happen in a different way. >> And it's like but a lot of people once they get the kids they don't put in any
work to become that you know like they don't want to be better. They don't make any effort to be better. At the very
least, it sounds like Terry was making an effort to be a good, stable father. >> Exactly. So, at that point, he's he's
got a job. He's got a place to live. Like, he's he's doing all right. And he made the acquaintance of a man named
Ricky Chavis. I don't know if you recognize the name. I do. Ricky offered Terry the use of his garage to work on
his car. And over the course of a few years, they became better friends. So, when Ricky offered to watch Alex while
Terry had to work, Terry was like, "Oh my god, thanks, man." like I really appreciate that. And he's desperate.
>> Yeah. >> So, at the lay house, things had not improved with time. Dererick's behavior
continued to be a problem as he got older. And as he got older, the problem only got bigger. By the time he was 13,
his stealing and destructive behavior had become more than Frank and Nancy could handle. And one afternoon in the
early summer of 2001, after Derek was caught sniffing lighter fluid on the school bus.
>> Holy [ __ ] >> Yeah, it's intense. I didn't even know that that was a thing. >> A literal baby.
child. >> Nancy called Terry to explain what was going on and she laid out all the ways
they had tried to help him and how just nothing had been successful. So, she was
seeking his permission to enroll Derrick in a military academy. Terry refused to
give permission and instead obviously jumped at the opportunity to regain custody of his other son, which
I get. >> I totally understand. >> That's your kid. Like, >> like my outside perspective is like he
seems to need I some structure. I don't know if the military academy is the way to go, but like again, I don't know a
lot about that. And I can see why they were like, he needs some structure and like this is bad and if we don't nip
this, it's going to get even worse. And then I understand Terry being like, I I'll just take him like I'll take him
back. Like don't give him away again. You know, >> I'm not saying either way is the right
way. I'm just saying you can understand the emotions involved. >> Exactly. So, neither Frank or Nancy had ever
thought much of Terry as a father, and they really didn't think he was going to be able to continue to provide a decent,
stable home environment for Derek. They actually tried to seek out other housing
options, including sending him back to his mother. >> I don't know what the situation was
there. I don't know if maybe she >> Hey, maybe she had >> had done some work. I don't I don't
know. It didn't work out. It took several weeks of arguing and confusion, but by early September, Terry managed to
convince them that he was the best option. >> Okay. So, >> he probably showed that he was doing the
work. >> I I think he did. So, for Derek, the transition from the Lays back to his
father was just another traumatic experience. >> It's yo-yoing everywhere. >> Yeah. You know, and I'm sure again, I
don't know what this feels like personally. I was very lucky that way. But I imagine as a kid, you're feeling
like >> you're not wanted anywhere. >> Yeah. >> So, you just keep getting passed to the
next person or getting passed back and then passed back that way. I'm sure >> the kid is only going to internalize
that that way of like they're not going to see the >> like you about it that's like, oh, well,
you know, this is they're not stable, so they're trying to provide me with this.
Like, no, they're going to be like, you just don't want me. Yeah. >> And this person doesn't want me either.
>> Yeah. It's really sad. Like I can't imagine. >> And also I can't imagine like going to
live with people that weren't your family. >> That's a I can't imagine how hard that
was. >> I was lucky enough like when my mom couldn't take care of me anymore, I got
placed with family. I can't imagine being placed outside of that. >> That's a thing like that's that's a
whole different thing that nobody can understand unless they've been through it, I imagine.
>> And you have to remember he's 13 now. He's lived with this family >> for a long time
>> for over 10 years like or at least close to 10 years. At that point, it's like
>> that's his family >> regardless of how it's going. That's his family. >> And he's lived with them longer than he
lived with his own father. >> Yeah. >> Like that's you got to take that into account
>> and a big chunk of his developmental time. >> Absolutely. Like formative years.
>> But so things didn't go well because things were handled very poorly in my opinion.
>> That's my opinion. That's my opinion. And again, I'm not like blaming anybody.
I'm just saying like the whole situation is [ __ ] wild. >> We're looking at it from a bird's eye
view. Obviously, I'm I go back all the time and say like, "Oh, damn. I I wish I made a better decision there." So, I'm
not judging anybody >> and we're being like super careful because we just don't want to be,
>> but we're just looking at it from all angles. That's all. >> And obviously, this is a very delicate
situation. So Frank and Nancy held off on telling Derek until a few weeks before he was to move back home, which
just didn't give him enough time to adjust to the idea. >> Ah, yeah. But >> but you can also understand with you on
that opinion. >> Yeah, I think it's wrong. I I don't think it was the right decision, but at
the same time, I can understand them maybe being like, if we tell him too soon, will he run away? Will we
>> like will things get even worse? Like it's an impossible >> and like we've already made this
decision. So what if he doesn't want this and then we have to go back. But I just think of it as like
>> personally like as a parent like one of my children I have to give them ample
notice for fun things like she doesn't like being having something thrown on her at the last second. Even if it is
like this exciting awesome aquarium like go to the zoo or something. She wants time to take it in and to sit with it
and prepare for it. Well that's the thing that some kids are like that. >> Yeah. And I don't obviously I don't know
how Derek was, but you just don't know. >> I mean, he's already struggling for me.
>> Yeah, I imagine >> the like like all the different transitions in his life. So you're
>> So needing time to absorb some information might be something that would be beneficial to him. But again,
there's so much going on right now. >> Who knows what >> that it also maybe it didn't matter
either way. Like maybe both ways it wouldn't have been ideal, you know? >> Yeah. Exactly. Well, as a result of him
not really having enough time to get ready to acclimate himself to this idea, when the time came for Terry to go pick
up Derek and bring him home, quote unquote, Derek felt like he was being ripped away from his family before he
was ready. >> Yeah. Uh, as they point out in their book, uh, that we will link in the show
notes. Mico and Barrow said although they'd had difficult times, the Lays were the only family he ever had known
and he was losing them. >> Mhm. and he was being returned to what had to have felt like a total stranger.
It had been almost 7 years since he'd seen his father and brother. >> Yeah, this just doesn't feel like a good
idea. No, >> like I know I'm not saying he shouldn't be allowed to be with his parent like
his biological parents. >> I think it should have been and this again is just my opinion. I think it's
got to be a slow transition. I was going to say there needed to be more. >> Yeah. I think you spend like an hour
over there. You get lunch. >> Yeah. >> You bring them to lunch. You bring him to the movies
>> and you start building this trust and this relationship and this bond and then
you spend a weekend and see how you two react with each other. >> You are not a typical
>> parent and child now because you have not had that time to fully bond like a parent and child who are in the same
home all the time do. So it's like you need time to see if you work, right? >> Cuz I mean the sad fact is some parents
and children don't work. >> Don't work. Let me tell you. I know it's like it seems like it should be the way
that like you should always want the parent and the child, the biological parent and child to be together.
Sometimes that isn't the best. No, it's not. >> It's just facts. Like it's I mean we
have we have lots of >> That's why the system is very broken. >> Yeah. Like that we have lots of evidence
to see that that's not always the best thing is having a parent and child together. My therapist
>> and I'm not saying that's the situation here. I'm just saying when you're when
you're going into something like this, I think it's good to give it some time and
really like see if this works for both parent and child. >> I had a therapist tell me once that you
don't always get the parent you're supposed to. >> And I believe that. >> And I fully believe that.
>> Like I fully believe that. >> Like some children and parents, like you just said, are just not good matchups.
And you see these I mean you see these situations where like stepparents come in and just become everything that that
child needs and didn't even realize they needed >> and like the biological parent couldn't
or would >> and it's like so sometimes it isn't the biological parent that killed it.
>> Sometimes it's not. >> Yeah. Or these like adoptive or foster parents like become everything that
these children needed or wanted. >> Yeah. And then that's got to be tough because when you're a foster parent,
like you don't always get the option to adopt. You don't always know how long you're going to be able to be that
person's that child's steady >> person, an adult in their life. Like that's loving foster parents are
>> the like gems of world. >> I couldn't even I would love to be able to foster a [ __ ] puppy and I couldn't
do it cuz I'd end up adopting all the puppies. So I can't imagine babies. >> It's so weird and children. This topic
is coming up a lot lately. I feel like I feel like we've talked about this a lot
lately and it's something I do think about like in the future. Yeah. I just like
>> I was like teetering on the system of like maybe ending up there and maybe not.
>> So, it would be cool to give back, but I don't know. I don't know if I could do
it, >> but I give foster parents a [ __ ] ton of credit. >> Yeah. >> So, for Detective John Sanderson,
learning the backstory of the King family and the years of dysfunction that had led up to this fire and everything
else going on was very useful. >> Yeah. Good to know. Yeah, it definitely provided insight into potential
suspects, but his immediate concern was finding Derek and Alex because they're still missing. And unfortunately, family
history really didn't provide any leads to where they could be. So, on the afternoon of November 26th, Detective
Sanderson and several deputies just made calls to various family members and immediate family to inform them of
Terry's death. Obviously, Terry's mother, Joyce, and his brother, Greg, took the news very hard, of course. And
they couldn't imagine who would have wanted Terry dead. As far as his mother, Joyce, know sorry, Terry tried to be a
good dad and he worked really hard to support his kids. She never knew him to be a drinker. She never knew him as a
drug user. And she said even though he had a few run-ins with the police in the past, those incidents came from a place
of desperation to feed his family. >> Yeah. just like turning to to unsavory methods to get things for his family
that >> literally provide. >> Right. >> So, they told the police that the only person they really even knew Terry to
associate with outside of their family was his friend Ricky. >> Okay. >> So, as Detective Sanderson was sorting
through what he had learned, he couldn't help but notice that one name just kept
coming up. Ricky Chavis. An hour later, he was sitting across the desk in his office from Ricky at the Escambia
Sheriff's Office. Ricky confirmed what Sanderson had already heard from everybody else. He and Terry had been
good friends. They'd gone back a few years. And Ricky said he went out of his way to support Terry and the boys in any
way that he could. He said, "I really care about those boys." Terry was abusing them. A lot of it psychological.
Okay, >> so Ricky explained that since Derek had been placed back home in September,
which like they had just gotten placed back home, the boys struggled to adjust. Just a few weeks earlier, they'd both
run away from home and Ricky found them in Pace, Florida a week before the fire.
>> When it came to where the boys might be now, Ricky said they may be back up back
out in the woods. And he said since they had been found, quote, "Neither boy wanted to be with Terry. There was a
hard friction between them. You really need to talk to Deputy Reggie Jernigan. He knows what's been going on with the
Kings. >> Okay. So, from Sanderson's perspective, there was just something off about this
guy. >> I love when they have a gut, >> a hunch. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. He claimed to be Terry King's
closest friend and somebody who cared very deeply about this family, but at the same time, he's sitting here saying,
"Terry's an abusive father, but he's one of my closest friends and I love his kids."
Then there was also the matter of Ricky Shavas having lied to Jimmy Walker about
going into the house and seeing the body, which Ricky claimed was just a misunderstanding.
>> What? Because remember, >> how do you create a misunderstanding about that? >> I have no idea. But remember, he
literally told their stepgrandfather that he gone and seen the body. Like, you don't just accidentally say that.
>> No. >> So, he was like, a misunderstanding. Okay. But what struck Detective Sanderson most was the way that Ricky
kept steering the conversation back to the supposed abuse. According to Ricky, the abuse was almost
entirely psychological. He said, "Alex told me once that on the weekends they go through therapy and they can't talk.
Terry makes them stare at each other for hours." And he said when Terry was at work, the boys were told to stay inside
and lock the doors. He said they couldn't talk to nobody until Terry picked them up and took them to work
with him, which like making them stare at the walls for hours is that's probably abusive. Like in my opinion, I
mean to me that's kind of psychological abuse. >> That's very abusive. >> But like when you're not home and you
tell like they're like >> doors and don't answer it for anyone. >> I think that's just good parenting.
>> Yeah. >> Like if you're not going to be there. >> Yeah, that's I would say >> that's pretty standard. Like when I got
I left at home when I was that age, it was like Yeah, don't open the door for anybody. It would be worse worse if he
was like, "Unlock the door and welcome strangers in." Like that would be bad. That's not good parenting.
>> Yeah. >> But saying, "Lock the door and don't talk to anyone until I get here."
>> Sounds pretty careful. >> Yeah. >> Don't talk to anyone. You can't trust anyone out here on these streets.
>> So, like Jimmy Walker, Ricky seemed very determined to convey to the detective
that Terry was abusive, but he seemed unable to describe the abuse in any way that really made sense.
>> Yeah. Alex's uh supposed description of the therapy was very strange, but nothing Sanderson heard sounded like
straight up abuse. And remember, this was like 25 years ago. >> Yeah. So to them, they're like, "What?"
>> So like staring at the wall sounds abusive to us now. I think it just sounded kind of weird to them back then.
>> Yeah. Exactly. >> And then like we were just saying, for a single parent to require their kids to
stay inside while they were home alone just sounded reasonable to him. >> Like I'm like, "Are you is there
something else here?" >> Yeah. So he was like, "Uh, am I missing something?" >> Okay, I think that's pretty normal. So
something on the detective's face must have showed what he was thinking because as Ricky pressed on, things clearly
started to get more dire. He said, "I never saw any physical abuse between Terry and the boys, but Alex did tell me
his dad hit him before." >> Oh, so now we're we're getting more intense. Okay. >> Yeah. So obviously that gets Detective
Sanderson's attention, of course. >> And Ricky continued on explaining. He said, "You know, Alex didn't like his
dad, and Dererick told me he wished his dad was dead." >> I don't know what happened to Terry, how
he died, I mean, but if it was a homicide, those boys had something to do with it.
>> Wow. >> Wow. >> Just dropped that bomb out of absolutely nowhere. >> And after sitting here being like, I'm
super close with this family. I love those boys. I do anything so much. Do anything for them. Love Terry.
>> He is an abusive prick, though. And if somebody killed him, he deserved it. And
it was probably his kids. How do you get from A to B there? >> I have no idea. >> That detective was probably like,
>> what? >> Okay. What the [ __ ] >> What the actual [ __ ] >> Damn. >> And that is where we're going to break
for part one. Because with that bombshell, honey. Whoa. Wow. So, yeah, that's where we're going to leave.
>> [ __ ] >> Break for part one. Part two will go over when the boys are eventually found
because I'll tell you that they are. Mhm. >> We'll go a little deeper into who exactly Mr. Ricky is.
>> Yeah, Ricky is giving me vibes. >> You know what? I'm just going to let you know cuz I think you already do.
>> He's unsaavory. >> Yeah, I would think he was unsavory. >> He's an unsavory character.
>> He's come off as unsavory. >> I'd like to physically fight him. >> I know this. I when I look I I didn't
look up like details about this case. I because I like you to tell me the story,
especially if I don't know it. >> Yeah, same. But I looked up pictures because I was like, "Why does this sound
so familiar?" And I know I remember bits and bits and pieces about this. Like the
fire I knew and I didn't know any of these details or anything, but as soon as I saw the pictures, I was like, "Oh,
I remember these." >> It's also I should have noted it at the top and I'm glad you decided what you
did. It happened right after 9/11. So now all of that news obviously was like all over the place and this kind of
trickled into the media while the boys were missing and then >> in part two we'll talk about what comes
out and that's when it really broke into like mainstream media. >> Yeah. Okay, that makes sense then.
>> Yeah. >> So a very interesting case. >> Oh, I don't like Ricky. I'm going to be
quite honest with you. You shouldn't. >> Okay, good. >> Cuz I I really don't like him.
>> Yeah. No, >> something's off. >> Hate him. >> Yeah. >> Um but we'll end this on a fun fact. Oh
yes, I have a fun fact. >> Tell us. >> Um, so this is this is a actual fun fact.
>> Yeah, it should be. >> McCauley Kulkin's middle name is McCauley Kulkin. So his name is Maui
McCauley Kulkin Kulkin. And he legally changed it. Um, and he said he literally changed it for that joke.
>> I'm obsessed. >> Just for the joke. >> Maui McCauley Kulkin Kulkin. >> And I think that's awesome.
>> How do you even yell that? >> Like that's awesome. He did it as an adult. So, nobody's probably yelling his
his middle name. >> If I was his mom, I would. >> I mean, somebody has to be up for that.
>> His wife should just Brenda yell it. >> That's so funny. >> Um, yeah. I was I had seen like a I saw
a very interesting interview with him. I think it's a mythical kitchen, >> it's called. Um, it's a good like they
sit down and they just like eat food and talk. >> I'm obsessed with that. And he was like,
it was a good interview with McCaulay Coke and and okay, >> he talks about Brenda and like how he
wants to be like such a different kind of parent than his, you know, like he goes into that whole thing about how he
wants to be like this amazing dad to his >> That's how millennial coded. We all just
want to be different parents. >> And that like Brenda like, you know, made him a better person. It's like a
very sweet interview and I just I was like, "Oh my god, I love them now." >> I love that a lot. London Tipton.
>> London. Brenda Song. >> There you the Prindle. I think of Brenda song every single time I shift gears in
my car. >> There's an episode you would not you have no idea what I'm saying. And if
you're if you're an older millennial like Helena and you didn't watch Sweet Life of Zach and Cody, there's an
episode where Mr. Tipton, who like uh is like the manager of the hotel, teaches her how to drive
>> and he's like, "What is this called?" And he's talking about like the gear shift and she's like, "The Prindle."
>> The Prindle. >> Like park reverse drive. >> Oh, I mean valid. >> Yeah, the Prindle.
>> I think that's valid. >> So that's what I call it now. I remember Brenda was in some like Disney Channel
original movies that I actually did watch. >> Oh, she was um she was like a a warrior.
>> I get a clue with Lindsay Lohan. >> Holy [ __ ] You just literally unlocked something in my brain.
>> She was in a really good one that I can't think of the name. >> I know. I was thinking that, too.
>> It was like a warrior one. >> Wendy Woo, Homecoming Warrior. >> Oh my god. >> Wendy Woo Homecoming Warrior. That did
slap. Yep. I remember Get a Clue and I think Yeah, >> I forgot that she was in Get a Clue.
>> Yeah, she really killed it. >> But she's also in the Social Network. >> I forgot that too. She was in The Social
Network. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. She really killed it. >> She's a queen. I love her.
>> This is now just us talking about Brenda Song, but that's okay with me. >> These are fun facts as well. The the
movies that Brenda was in. >> These are all fun facts. >> All right, guys. Well, with all that
being said, we hope you keep listening and we hope you keep it weird. But not so weird that given the option,
you don't change your middle name to your first and last name legally. >> Yeah, I'm obsessed. Do that.
>> Mine, what would it Ash Ashkell Kell? >> Yeah, I like that. >> And you be Elena.
>> Elena Art. Yeah, >> white. >> I love it. >> Be a lot. >> White. It would be a lot. I think it's
great. Bye. Bye. Bye.

When firefighters discovered the body of forty-year-old Terry King inside the charred remains of his Cantonment, Florida home in November 2001, they assumed the man had been asleep when the fire broke out and died as a result. Upon further inspection, investigators found that King hadn’t died as a result of the fire, but from severe blunt force trauma to his head. And even more alarming than that was the fact that King’s two boys, thirteen-year-old Derek and twelve-year-old Alex, were missing. Having occurred immediately in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Terry King’s murder could have easily been one of many tragedies lost in the fog of national trauma and grief; however, when King’s killers were arrested and identified in the days that followed, the story was so shocking, and the motive so heartbreaking, that it managed to break through the wall-to-wall coverage of the attacks.

References

Associated Press. 2002. "Convicted molester denies urging boys to kill dad." Miami Herald , February 1: 33. —. 2002. "Convicted child molester accused of writing love letter to boy in jail." Miami Herald, April 4: 363. —. 2001. "Grandmother: Boys couldn't have killed dad." Miami Herald, November 29: 438. Canedy, Dana. 2002. "Judge throws out brothers' murder conviction." New York Times, October 18. —. 2002. "Reject sympathy, jury is told in boys' trial." New York Times, September 6. CBS News. 2002. Man gets 30 years in killer boys case. November 7. Accessed December 9, 2025. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/man-gets-30-years-in-killer-boys-case/. Clark, Lesley. 2001. "Boys accused of bluedgeoning father, setting home on fire." Miami Herald, December 4: 1. Gomez, Alan. 2002. "Boys take stand against friend." Pensacola News Journal, August 28: 1. —. 2002. "Chavis judge denies request for acquittal." Pensacola News Journal, August 29: 1. Graybiel, Ginny. 2002. "Slaying suspect vows he could hurt no one." Pensacola News Journal, August 4: 1. Kaczor, Bill. 2002. "Sons change story, still to be tried for murder." Miami Herald, August 25: 970. Keith Morrison. 2009. Second chances. September 7. Accessed December 6, 2025. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna32664652. 2003. American Justice: Blood Brothers. Performed by Bill Kurtis. Midico, Kathryn, and Mollye Barrows. 2004. A Perversion of Justice: A Southern Tragedy of Murder, Lies, and Innocence Betrayed. New York, NY: Avon . New York Times. 2002. "Boy, 13, testifies he and brother didn't kill their father." New York Times, September 5. Scandlen, Monica. 2002. "Testimonies quiet, simple." Pensacola News Journal, August 28: 1.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Listener Tale Theme Music licensed from https://www.purple-planet.com Main Theme: Matti Paalanen — Trick or Treat — Provided by Jamendo Ad Music: Title: Artist: BlueJay Studio — Spooky Waltz — Provided by Jamendo

Brief Summary

Terry King's murder leads to a complex investigation involving his sons and friend Ricky Chavis, revealing family dysfunction and abuse.

Key points

Morbid Podcast Introduction. Ash and Elena introduce their podcast, Morbid, focusing on scary and motivational tales.
GMO Del Toro's Frankenstein. Elena shares her thoughts on Guillermo Del Toro's adaptation of Frankenstein, calling it beautiful and mind-blowing.
The Tragic Fire Incident. The story unfolds of a tragic fire that engulfs the King family home, leading to a homicide investigation.
The Investigation Begins. Detective Sanderson learns about Ricky and the troubling situation with Terry's boys.
Terry's Struggles. Terry King faces overwhelming challenges after Kelly leaves, leading to heartbreaking decisions.
Derek's Troubling Behavior. Derek's destructive behavior escalates, prompting his foster parents to seek help.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I think I would spend the rest of my life with that monster.

Discussion about the character of Frankenstein.

5:28WatchDec 29, 2025

Tension

75/ 100High tension

More from Morbid | Podcast

Solve the Crime

Read a real case one clue at a time, then see how your call held up against the investigators.