Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén - The Chicago Rippers Pt. 1

Episode Date: April 4, 2022

Robin Gecht lived his public life like a model citizen. He operated his construction company, played with his kids, and went to church every Sunday. But there was a dark side he kept secret from them.... One that involved Satan, torture, and cannibalistic acts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Due to the graphic nature of this killer's crimes, listener discretion is advised. This episode includes disturbing discussions of sexual abuse, sexual assault, violence, torture, gore, cannibalism, and murder. We advise extreme caution for children under 13. On the night of June 13, 1982, Angel York ran down a poorly lit sidewalk on the streets of Chicago. Anxious, the 23-year-old sex worker looked over her shoulder to see if anyone would be was following her. Behind her, the red and blue lights of police cars flashed.
Starting point is 00:00:38 The cops were sweeping the area, which was a popular spot for Johns. Angel had taken off when she saw them arresting sex workers. Suddenly, a pair of headlights flickered behind her, and Angel feared she was about to be caught. But instead of a police car, a red van pulled up next to her. From the front seat, 28-year-old Robin Geked leaned over and offered her a ride. Angel barely hesitated. Anywhere was better than prison, or so she thought. Angel climbed into the van and was a little troubled to notice there was a second man sitting in the back.
Starting point is 00:01:13 Still, she tried to shake it off as they drove to a secluded location away from the cops. When the van stopped, things were quiet for a second. Then the chaos ensued. Robin dragged Angel into the back of the van, and the two men took turns raping and beating her. She screamed for help, but nobody came to her rescue. Finally, Robin pulled out a long, sharp knife. Angel sobbed. Sure, she was about to die.
Starting point is 00:01:42 But instead, her tormentor handed her the blade. Eyes wild with excitement, Robin told her that he would spare her life. But she had to do one thing first. Hi, I'm Greg Poulson. This is Serial Killers, a Spotify original from Parcast. Every episode, we dive into the minds and madness of serial killers. Today we'll take a look at The Chicago Rippers, a small satanic cult infamous for the brutality of their crimes.
Starting point is 00:02:18 I'm here with my co-host, Vanessa Richardson. Hi, everyone. You can find episodes of serial killers and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify. In today's episode, we'll dive into the life of Robin Gecht and learn how we convince three young men to help him act out his most sadistic fantasy. Next time, we'll follow the Rippers as the bloodshed continues, and police finally start to close in. We've got all that and more coming up. Stay with us. This episode is brought to you by ZipRecruiter.
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Starting point is 00:05:16 For centuries, societies have used the concept of the devil to guide humanity towards more righteous ways of life. In particular, Abrahamic religions depict Satan as the embodiment of evil, a prince of darkness sent to lure humans away from doing good. Depending on where you fall on the religious spectrum, the devil might be a metaphorical construct that personifies the idea of sin. Or you might interpret the stories of Satan literally. Like so much in this world, a lot depends on your specific context, your time and place.
Starting point is 00:05:48 During the tail end of the 20th century, a wave washed over North America, turning regular people into an angry mob. It seemed like everyone was afraid that Satan was taking over the world, and that he was being worshipped through horrific ritual abuse. Why did people think that? Well, partly because of stories like this one. There's not a lot of information about Robin Geck's childhood available, but we know he was born in November of 1953 in Illinois. When he was young, Robin moved out of his parents' home and went to live with his grandparents after he allegedly molested his sister.
Starting point is 00:06:24 A 1982 Chicago Tribune article also reported that Gecht may have been possibly abused. Nonetheless, this change in Robin's guardianship didn't seem to make a positive impact on his outlook. He didn't care about school, and it's possible he didn't have many friends. Robin's grandparents had no idea the darkness that was brewing inside him. As soon as he stepped into the house, he acted like everything was fine, and he quickly discovered just how good he was at manipulating his family. To Robin, figuring out exactly what his grandparents wanted to hear was like a game. It wasn't hard for him to play the part of the dutiful grandson.
Starting point is 00:07:01 Vanessa's going to take over on the psychology here and throughout the episode. Please note, Vanessa is not a licensed psychologist or a psychiatrist, but we have done a lot of research for this show. Thanks, Greg. Robin's charm and manipulation habits could suggest that he had high emotional intelligence. A 2011 study published in psychological science found that, contrary to popular belief, certain individuals with above-average emotional intelligence desire to manipulate others for personal gain. As a result, some with high emotional intelligence can use other people's emotions to their own benefit. Robin wanted his grandparents out of his business, so he calmed their concerns by acting like the perfect grandson.
Starting point is 00:07:46 The reality, however, was much darker. At some point in his adolescence, Robin became very interested in Satanism. He first came across satanic literature just before the satanic panic took hold across North America, For those not familiar with the period, it was a time when a cult-related media, like the movie The Exorcist, gained popularity, giving rise to fears of widespread satanic ritual abuse. It was normal for teenagers to enjoy these films, listen to heavy metal bands and dress in dark clothes and makeup. But generally, people were more intrigued by the aesthetics of Satanism than by any genuine beliefs. Robin Gecht, on the other hand, was attracted to the themes of domination and violence. that he found in satanic materials.
Starting point is 00:08:33 He spent hours pouring over literature about the devil's dark powers, brutal sacrificial rituals, and the intoxicating concept of having ultimate control over others. He also read about ancient torture practices, human mutilation, and other deeply violent topics. Robin wasn't just intrigued by what he read, though. He felt aroused learning about all the different ways to cause pain. And as these darker sexual fantasies developed, he decided he needed to account. explore them more. When he was 16, Robin moved out of his childhood home.
Starting point is 00:09:05 That same year, he dropped out of school and eventually began working as an electrical and construction contractor. Robin was talented, hardworking, and great with clients, and he thrived in his new field of work. From the outside looking in, it seemed like he was getting his life together. In the 1970s, he started working for a company called PDM Contractors, which was owned and operated by John Wayne Gasey. Those who knew Gacy described him as friendly and personable.
Starting point is 00:09:33 In fact, outside of his construction business, he sometimes performed as a volunteer clown. But behind his sociable demeanor, he was a monster. Throughout the 1970s, John Wayne Gacy raped, tortured, and murdered over 30 young men. Robin likely had no idea what his boss was doing in secret. But it's certainly an odd coincidence that these two serial killers came in such close proximity and that they followed similar paths. Like Gacy, Robin buckled down and built an all-American life for himself. He not only shorted up his finances working at PDM contractors, he also started a family.
Starting point is 00:10:13 In the early 70s, Robin met a waitress named Rosemary. She was a few years younger and Catholic. Given Robin's darker instincts and love of Satanism, it might seem strange that he was attracted to someone like her. But something about her sparked his interest, so he pretended to be the wholesome, Catholic man of her dreams. Robin knew exactly how to push the buttons of those around him, from picking at insecurities to stroking egos. He likely enjoyed toying with people's emotions because it allowed him to exert a measure of control over them. Rosemary just happened to be
Starting point is 00:10:46 the perfect victim for his particular brand of charm. Within a few months of dating, Robin had proposed, and he had Rosemary married in a civil ceremony at Chicago City Hall. She never suspected that her new husband preyed to a different entity. Over the next few years, Robin lived a double life. Around this time, he started his own construction company to support his wife, with whom he had three kids. To everyone in his inner circle, he seemed like a normal, charismatic, even respectable young father.
Starting point is 00:11:18 But hiding beneath the surface was a deeply disturbed man. In his attic, he painted red and black crosses, set up a shrine to Satan, and engaged in devil-worshipping rituals. As hard as Robin tried to hide this side of himself from everyone in his life, some slivers of darkness still slipped through the cracks. For a while, Rosemary didn't notice anything unusual about her husband, but after a while, some odd habits emerged. In bed, Robin was always fixated on Rosemary's breasts.
Starting point is 00:11:47 At first, it seemed like fascination, nothing out of the ordinary. But then, he allegedly asked if he could stick pins in her chest. Rosemary was alarmed, but Robin had, had a way of explaining things that made sense to her. Eventually, she apparently even agreed to let him make small cuts on her breasts. Robin quickly realized how much he loved seeing his wife rive in pain. He was finally able to experience the violence he'd been reading about, like ancient torture techniques, and that he presumably associated with satanic worship. And it was so much better in real life. It wasn't long before his desires got more vicious and bloodthirsty, but he knew he
Starting point is 00:12:26 couldn't keep experimenting with his wife. He didn't want her to see his true nature. So in the mid-1970s, Robin started dating a slew of teenage girls to keep up with his evolving sexual needs. Rosemary worked nights, so it wasn't hard to sneak them into the house without her noticing. Robin was young, handsome, and successful, so it wasn't difficult for him to convince the girls, some maybe even as young as 15, to spend time with him. And he used his predatory influence over them to act out as darkest sexual fantasies. He worked slowly, sweet-talking the girls from one lewd act to the next. He started off acting the part of the charming, gentle boyfriend.
Starting point is 00:13:09 When the girls were comfortable, he would pinch or bite them harder and even asked if he could stab them using pins or a blade. It's possible that he even tried to lacerate their nipples. It's unclear how hard Robin tried to conceal his affairs, But it seems he didn't do a very good job. Rosemary was apparently aware of her husband's infidelity and even complained to her friends about him. But for some reason, she tolerated it.
Starting point is 00:13:34 It's possible this was due to her Catholic upbringing, which might have meant divorce wasn't an option she considered. It's also possible that Rosemary believed Robin's cheating was just a phase, and that he'd grow out of it eventually. And in some ways, she was right. By 1978, 25-year-old Robin was getting bored of sticking pins, and the teenage girls he manipulated into bed. He wanted to inflict more violence, more pain.
Starting point is 00:14:00 He just wasn't sure how to go about it. But late that December, his ex-boss gave him the inspiration he needed. On December 21st, police found the first of Gacy's victims buried around his house. As the body count increased, news of the killer clown spread quickly throughout Chicago. Robin devoured the news about Gacy. He clung to every bit of information. fascinated by the depths of violence. His former boss had seemed like a normal guy with a normal life, but all the while he'd been torturing and killing people whenever he wanted.
Starting point is 00:14:34 It's possible that these acts of terror planted a seed in Robin's mind. If Gacy could turn his twisted fantasies into reality, then so could he. The wheels were in motion, and nothing was going to stop them now. Coming up, Robin recruits a group of minions. to join his satanic cult. Hi, I'm Christine Schiefer. And I'm M. Schultz. We're the hosts of Rituals, the new Spotify original from Parcast.
Starting point is 00:15:05 If you've heard our podcast and that's what we drink, you know we are no strangers to true crime and the paranormal. We're also into the occult to chat about, not to join, but, you know, to learn and educate. Every Monday on rituals, we're journeying through mystifying stories of sorcery, alchemy, Satanism, and more, and trying to determine if the dark arts of the past
Starting point is 00:15:26 impact us today. Like weather witches, who were they? Or the fountain of youth? Address, please. Don't forget about werewolf trials, M. Objection, Christine. Let's not give too much away. And instead, let's tell everyone to follow our new podcast rituals free and only on Spotify. Are you looking for support in your weight management journey? Zepbound terseptide may be able to help. Zepbound is a prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity, to help adults with obesity, or some adults with overweight who also have weight-related medical problems
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Starting point is 00:17:07 Talk to your doctor. Call 1-800-545-99 or visit Zepbounce.lily.com. Now back to the story. By the end of 1978, 25-year-old Robin Gekht was a married father living in the suburbs of Chicago, but that life of convention was just a cover for his more sadistic hobbies. Behind this sugar-coated veneer, Robin worshipped Satan and liked to mutilate women's bodies during sex. But after a while, he wasn't content to pursue those twisted desires alone, and he used his own construction company to help him find moldable mines.
Starting point is 00:17:50 At a donut shop in 1980, Robin first met Ed Spritzer, a 19-year-old with a criminal record. To Robin, it seemed like Ed didn't have anyone looking out for him, so he took the teen under his wing. Robin gave Ed construction jobs and even let him live in his family's house for a while. More importantly, it seemed he provided Ed with emotional support. It's possible the teen had never had someone believe in him before, especially not someone as charismatic and respectable as Robin. Before long, Ed worshipped the ground Robin walked on. And Ed wasn't the only lost soul that Robin managed to.
Starting point is 00:18:26 trap in his fold. Andrew Cocherales was a 17-year-old with no drive to succeed. Robin took Andrew in and let him stay at his house as well. Andrew also introduced Robin to his brother, Thomas. Even though Tommy was the elder of the two, he tended to follow his younger brother, and although Tommy never lived with Robin, he quickly fell under the same spell that his brother and Ed had. The way they saw it, Robin was their path to a bright future. In reality, Robin was using the teenagers as tools. He put them to work, helping him with freelance electrical and construction jobs. However, when he saw how eager the boys were to please him, the wheels in his head started
Starting point is 00:19:07 to turn. He wondered, what else he could get them to do? At some point during this period, Robin revealed his biggest secret to Ed, Andrew, and Tommy. He took them up to his attic, a room he'd forbidding. his wife and children from entering. But now, he'd decided it was time to let someone in. The three young men stared in awe at the painted crosses, makeshipped shrine, and satanic texts.
Starting point is 00:19:37 They'd never seen anything like it. As they took in the horrifying sight, Robin explained that he was a Satanist, and he told them they could all benefit from the devil's powers if they worked together. It's unclear how Ed, Andrew, and Tommy felt about Robin's revelation at first. Regardless, he was their leader.
Starting point is 00:19:57 He gave them work, food, and shelter. More importantly, he treated them like equals when the rest of society had cast them aside. Now, Robin was trusting them with his ultimate secret. It made the three young men feel special. Despite any misgivings they might have had about Robin's religious practices, they were willing to follow him anywhere. All three agreed to join Robin's satanic group. It seems unlikely that any of them knew the full extent of what they'd signed up for, but they learned soon enough.
Starting point is 00:20:28 Soon, the group was meeting frequently in Robin's attic to perform satanic rituals. If he'd held sway with them before, their indoctrination into his burgeoning cult bonded them even more. It seems that Robin chose the three teenagers because they were vulnerable targets. A 1993 study published in the Psychological Reports Journal found that certain factors seem to influence an individual's vulnerability and recruitment to a cult. Such characteristics include low self-confidence, emotional vulnerability, unstable financial situations, among others. By joining a group, cult devotees may suddenly have a sense of support and purpose. Panelists at the 2002 American Psychological Association Annual Convention
Starting point is 00:21:12 likened the power cult leaders have over their followers to mind control. According to experts and former cult members, cults recruit and maintain followers through psychological. techniques, but they're not using science fiction tactics like microchips. Instead, they rely on emotional manipulation, which is something Robin had excelled at for years. With Ed, Andrew, and Tommy, he likely felt like he could take his controlling games to the extreme. By May of 1981, 27-year-old Robin felt he'd spent enough time building the boys up. Now he was ready to put them to work, bringing his perverted fantasies to life. Maybe he really did want to conjure the devil.
Starting point is 00:21:57 It's unclear how he convinced his crew to help him. It's possible he told them that doing so would be a path to power and riches. It's also likely that the young men trusted him so much that he didn't need to give them a good reason. All he had to do was ask. So on a dark night in May, Robin and his crew bundled into a large red van that they usually use for their construction jobs. They set up a partition between the front seat and the empty space in the space in the house. the back, so nobody could see inside. Robin got behind the wheel and the men went hunting. After a while of cruising the streets of Chicago, Robin saw 26-year-old Linda Sutton walking down
Starting point is 00:22:36 the road. A mother of two, Linda was walking near Wrigley Field when Robin zeroed in on her. It happened in a matter of seconds. The van pulled to a stop alongside Linda, and Robin jumped out of the van. He grabbed the startled woman and dragged her into the back of the vehicle. To keep her from struggling, they cuffed her hands behind her back. She was helpless. There are different versions of what happened next, and it's unclear exactly where the crew took Linda after that. They either kept her in the back of their vehicle
Starting point is 00:23:06 or brought her into an isolated location, like one of the motel rooms they used for satanic rituals. Once they had her alone, Robin took control. He oversaw and directed the crew as they took turns sexually assaulting Linda. Robin had read and fantasized. about violent torture for years. Now he was orchestrating that pain himself, and it was better than he could have ever imagined.
Starting point is 00:23:32 As the sexual assault continued, Robin started cutting and stabbing Linda, making sure not to go too far. He wanted her alive to feel the pain. Not only did Robin drive a knife repeatedly into her chest, but he also sliced off her breasts completely with a piano wire. He then ordered the crew to perform perverse sexual acts. The details of what Linda endured are too horrific to recount, but suffice it to say that she
Starting point is 00:23:58 faced more than anyone should ever experience. After a while of abuse, sexual assault, and torture, Robin decided she'd had enough. He and his crew drove to Villa Park, a suburb west of Chicago, and left Linda in a field. Eventually, the 26-year-old succumbed to her wounds. But they weren't quite finished. Robin had more plans for his young acolytes. They brought Linda's lacerated breasts back to Robin's attic. There, he read satanic verses out loud.
Starting point is 00:24:29 As he did so, the group stood around the pieces of flesh and performed sexual and cannibalistic acts. Less than a week later on June 1, 1981, a manager at a motel in Villa Park smelled something horrible coming from the field behind the building. Thinking an animal had died, he wandered into the tall grass to look around. But instead of a raccoon or deer, he stumbled upon Linda Sutton's mutilated body.
Starting point is 00:25:00 Horrified, the manager called the police, who arrived shortly after. Detectives walked into the field to inspect the body. They were used to seeing dead bodies, but this was an especially difficult sight to see. Linda was only wearing socks, a shirt, and bloodied underwear, which was pulled down to mid-thigh. The detectives also found a bundle of cash shoved in her socks. That small detail suggested that whoever killed her was not interested in money. Linda's body was so severely mutilated that it took police several weeks to even identify her. The open wounds had made her body decomposed much faster than usual,
Starting point is 00:25:38 so investigators believe she'd been there for weeks. But the forensic examiner found that she really died a few days earlier. As disturbing as the crime was, there was little left behind to help investigators chase down the culprit. it wasn't long before they hit a dead end. And as authorities hit a wall, Robin was only picking up speed. The 27-year-old may have convinced the others that they had to take more lives if they wanted to conjure the devil. So that's just what they did. Coming up, the Ripper Crew gathers steam, leaving a trail of bodies in their wake.
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Starting point is 00:27:22 During the summer of 1981, Robin Gecht and his accomplices abducted and violently murdered two additional women, but it wasn't enough. The exact number of the group's victims is difficult to pin down, but it seems that over the next year, the crew killed approximately four more women.
Starting point is 00:27:39 Several bodies were found with similar mutilations as Linda's. However, police didn't have enough information to definitively connect the murders, so officials treated them as separate cases. While police puzzled over the string of slayings, Robin carried on with his public life as though nothing was out of the ordinary. He operated his construction company, played with his kids and went to church with Rosemary every Sunday. He hid his evil second life remarkably well,
Starting point is 00:28:06 perhaps thanks in part to his psychopathic tendencies. Speaking in 2021, psychologist Dr. Romani Dervasula explains that psychopaths can easily switch back and forth between destructive acts and normal life. It's called compartmentalization. These people have no problem separating their deviant feelings and activities from their seemingly normal life. Again, Robin was never diagnosed with any disorders, but he was able to rape, torture, and mutilate women, then turn those desires off at a moment's notice, seemingly right in time for Sunday Mass.
Starting point is 00:28:43 But no amount of church could shake Robin's thirst for blood. On May 15, 1982, he decided it was time to strike again. But this time, instead of waiting for the cover of night, he ordered Ed, Andrew, and Tommy into the van in the early morning. He was eager to hunt in the daylight. Like usual, the crew drove around town until Robin saw someone he liked. It's unclear what he looked for in his victims, but it probably made him feel powerful, the process of choosing who would live and who would suffer through his nightmare.
Starting point is 00:29:17 In the quiet suburb of Elmhurst, Robin spotted 21-year-old Lorraine Borowski, a real estate agent who was walking to work. The van slowed as it passed her, and the driver leaned over to ask if Lorraine needed a ride. Before she could respond, the back doors of the van flung open, and the crew swarmed her. When they grabbed Lorraine and tried to drag her into the car, she fought back. In the chaos, she dropped her keys and bag on the sidewalk. The struggle was so intense, even her shoes went flying off. But the crew overpowered Lorraine. After getting her inside, they drove her to one of their regular motel rooms. When they were finally alone, Rob and his crew
Starting point is 00:29:55 tortured Lorraine the same way they had Linda. After that, the crew stabbed her multiple times, watching as she bled out. It seems that Robin didn't much care whether or not Lorraine died in front of him. As long as he saw her suffer while she was alive, that was enough for him. When they were done with her, the four men brought Lorraine's body back to the van and drove her to a cemetery. There they rolled her out of the car. Then they brought her breast to the privacy of one of their shrines, where they completed their sexual and cannibalistic,
Starting point is 00:30:28 rituals. When Lorraine didn't show up for work, her friends and families started searching for her immediately, but all they found was her purse and a pair of shoes. As Lorraine's loved ones searched for answers, Robin reflected on his group's latest outing, likely relishing the memory of watching everything unfold. We explained earlier how Robin likely used psychological manipulation tactics to control the rest of his crew, but it's important to understand why he needed them. had all the resources he needed to commit these crimes on his own, from the motivation to the tools. Still, he relied on the involvement of the others. According to criminologist Edward W. Hickey, for some killers, having other people involved in committing the crimes maximizes their pleasure.
Starting point is 00:31:19 It's possible that Robin took more pleasure watching Ed, Andrew, and Tommy do his violent bidding than torturing the victims himself. He needed them to derive more pleasure from the murders. and it seems he craved that pleasure more and more. Just two weeks after snatching 21-year-old Lorraine Borowski from Elmhurst, Robin and his crew headed out to hunt for their next victim. Tommy couldn't make it that day, but that didn't stop the others. On May 29, 1982, 30-year-old Shui Mack was riding home with her brother after working at their family's restaurant.
Starting point is 00:31:54 The siblings had a heated argument, and Shui's brother forced her out of the car. Other relatives were supposedly following behind, and he told her she could get a ride with them. It was around 1.30 a.m. as Shui made her way along Barrington Road in the suburb of Hanover Park. The street was empty, which is what made it unnerving when a large red van started driving slowly behind her. After a few moments, the car pulled to a stop next to Shui, and the crew leapt out and grabbed her. They forced her into the back of the vehicle, presumably knocking her out in the process. The three men brought the woman to an empty construction site in South Barrington, where they continued to beat her, even fracturing her skull.
Starting point is 00:32:37 The attack echoed their earlier ones. In addition to cutting off her breasts, Robin stabbed several holes in Shui's abdomen. What they did after that doesn't bear repeating. Only once Robin had had his fill of Shui's suffering did they go home, leaving her mutilated body in the construction site. At this point, Robin and the others had been killing for, over a year, but he still wasn't satiated. Perhaps he really did think he could conjure the devil. Maybe that's what he told Ed, Andrew, and Tommy to keep them in his circle.
Starting point is 00:33:09 According to cult recovery therapist Rachel Bernstein, there are a few different types of cult leaders. The first type is the delusional martyr. This type of leader often has some sort of psychotic disorder with delusions and genuinely believes in their purpose. Robin had allegedly been studying satanic texts since he was an adolescent. It's clear that his twisted understanding of the occult practice struck a chord with him. However, it's also possible that Satan worshipping simply provided Robin with the perfect excuse to exercise his sadism. In this case, he would be a narcissistic cult leader. These types of leaders feel powerful by tricking their followers into doing tasks for them.
Starting point is 00:33:51 It inflates their egos. Given what we know about Robin's history of sexual sadism and manipulation, it seems more likely that he falls into the latter category. His talk of sadism was perhaps a convenient way to convince Ed, Andrew, and Tommy to join his torture fantasies, and he only grew more bloodthirsty. On June 13, 1982,
Starting point is 00:34:16 about two weeks after murdering Shui Mack, Robin was ready to go hunting again. It's unclear if Robin acted alone, but it seems likely that he brought along one of his henchmen. Robin drove the van to the north side of Chicago, an area where sex workers often hung out. But when he got close to his destination, he could see cop cars cruising around,
Starting point is 00:34:36 sweeping the area for illegal behavior. Robin was ready to leave and find somewhere quieter to hunt. But before he made his exit, he saw a 23-year-old sex worker Angel York. Angel was walking quickly, probably trying to get away from the cops. Thinking quickly, Robin pulled over and asked if she wanted a ride. Happy for the escape, Angel said yes.
Starting point is 00:34:57 Once he had her in the vets, Then, Robin drove the van away from the chaotic scene to a quieter location. But once they were parked in a secluded area, Robin dragged her into the back where his partner was waiting. Like usual, the two men took turns raping and beating Angel. But Robin wanted to prove he had total control over his victim. He handed Angel a knife and told her that he'd let her live if she mutilated herself. Sobbing, Angel did as she was told. But as soon as she started to bleed, Robin went into a frenzy.
Starting point is 00:35:32 He took the knife from her and plunged the knife deeper into her breast. After more horrific sexual acts, Robin plugged Angel's wound with a ball of duct tape, then pushed her out of the car and into an alleyway. Here again, Robin deviated from his earlier attacks. It seemed he intentionally left Angel alive and didn't take her breast home for any sort of ritual. It's possible he no longer felt the need to pretend that he killed. in the name of Satan. This was just for his own pleasure. He was getting reckless, and you know what happens to serial killers when they get reckless. Only a few minutes after Robin
Starting point is 00:36:09 drove away, a passerby spotted Angel on the ground and rushed to her side. The young woman was bleeding heavily, but still alive. They put her in a car and drove her to the hospital. Miraculously, Angel survived. After she was treated for her wounds, she spoke to the police about what had happened to her. The ordeal was so horrific and traumatizing she couldn't remember exact details, but she did remember that they took her into a big red van. It wasn't a lot to go off of, but it was more than investigators had so far. At this stage, they hadn't yet made the connection between all the bodies with mutilated breasts. They were still several steps behind Robin and his crew. This could explain why Robin had left Angel alive. It's likely that after everything
Starting point is 00:36:55 he'd gotten away with so far, he felt like he was invincible. And with no one standing in his way, that left him free to do as he pleased, which was to serve at the pleasure of Satan. Thanks again for tuning into serial killers. We'll be back soon with part two of the Chicago Rippers, where Robin's Killing Mania reaches new heights. You can find all episodes of serial killers and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify.
Starting point is 00:37:35 We'll see you next time. Have a killer week. Serial Killers is a Spotify original from Parcast. Executive producers include Max and Ron Cutler, sound design by Carrie Murphy, with production assistants by Ron Shapiro, Trent Williamson, Carly Madden, and Bruce Kitovich. This episode of Serial Killers was written by Kit Fitzgerald,
Starting point is 00:37:59 with writing assistance by Sarah Hussein, Abigail Cannon, and Joel Callan, fact-checking by Adriana Romero, and research by Brian Petrus and Chelsea Wood. Serial killers stars Greg Poulson and Vanessa Richardson. Werewolves, witches, and Arthur Conan Doyle? Oh my! Sounds like fascinating topics to discuss on our new show, rituals, Christine.
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Starting point is 00:39:16 You in? Must be 21 to enter. When I hear something spooky. Some monster, it reminded me of Bigfoot. Monsters Among Us is a weekly podcast featuring true stories of the paranormal. One of the boys started to exhibit demonic possession. Stories straight from the witnesses' mouths themselves. Something very snake-like lifted its head out of the water.
Starting point is 00:39:40 Hosted by me, your guide, Derek Hayes. Somehow I lost eight whole hours. Listen now on Spotify or wherever you get your podcast.

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