Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén - “The Suitcase Killer” Steven Zelich Pt. 1

Episode Date: February 22, 2021

Once a police officer who loved the authority and respect his position brought him, Steven Zelich's life took a turn in the late ‘90s when the power went to his head. His quest for the thrill of control led him to the world of BDSM… and eventually, murder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Due to the graphic nature of this killer's crimes, listener discretion is advised. This episode includes discussions of murder and sexual violence that some people may find offensive. We advise extreme caution for children under 13. Cottage Grove, Oregon. 17-year-old Jenny Games stared at her computer screen, scrolling through a sea of online profiles. Although it was a typical 2010 evening, the dating site she scoured through was anything but. None of these men used their bios to tout their fitness regimes or brag about how well-read they were. The patrons of this website, collarme.com, had different things in mind.

Users logged on to discuss ball gags, whips, chains, and bondage. They were all looking for others who shared an interest in BDSM. Jenny knew she shouldn't be on the site. She was still underage, but that was part of the thrill. She had experienced so much hurt in her life, being shuffled from one foster family to another. There was something cathartic about seeing pain in a new way, twisting it into pleasure, conquering it. As she sifted through screen names and pictures, she suddenly saw notification, a private message. She opened it to find a greeting from a man who went by the handle, Mr. Handcuffs.

An older guy, almost 50, not her usual type. He propositioned her with a very specific request. He was looking for a slave, someone to dominate. Reading his message, Jenny couldn't help but feel intrigued. She wondered what it would be like to break free from her responsibilities and put her life in someone else's hands. Almost without thinking, Jenny responded. Maybe he wasn't her type, but perhaps that was just what she needed.

But Mr. Handcuffs was the last thing Jenny needed in her. life and sending him a message was a deadly mistake. 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're looking at Steven Selich, also known as the Milwaukee suitcase murderer. 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 or wherever you listen to podcasts. Today, we'll discuss Steven Zelich's career as a Milwaukee police officer and how he used

his position of authority to stalk and terrorize women. And we'll see how his obsession with BDSM turned deadly. Next time, we'll discuss how Stephen's murderous behavior finally caught the attention of the authorities and detail the grisly evidence that puts Stephen behind bars. We've got all that coming up, stay with us. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Bonnie and Clyde, the lonely hearts killers, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

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Some people spend their whole lives looking for that feeling of complete authority, and they'll do anything to get it. And it seems a troubling truth that the very people who seek out this kind of power are usually the last ones who should have it within their grasp. Because so often, the people who seek dominance over other people do so with nefarious intent. And when they're finally handed their ultimate desire, when they have someone else supplicated at their feet, the possibilities are end up. endless and sometimes they're deadly. Tracing the desire for this kind of power can be difficult, especially in today's story. But it seems likely that a father's career played at least an early role in his desire for control. Very little is known about Stephen Zellich's early years.

Born in October, 1961, Stephen grew up in the south side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His father, George, was a sergeant with the Milwaukee Police Department, And it seems likely that George's profession influenced Steve's own career path. After high school, he enrolled in Marquette University, where he studied business. However, in 1982, Stephen transferred to the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Once there, he changed his major to something a little more familiar, criminal justice. In 1984, while still taking college classes, Stephen decided to follow in his father's footsteps. At 23, he applied to become an officer at the Mequan Police Department, about 15 miles north of Milwaukee.

While it's possible Stephen made the career choice to please his father, it's also possible he thought being a cop was the best way to contribute to society. On his application, he wrote that he was motivated by a sincere desire to help people. Then again, perhaps he was drawn to a job he thought would hand him power and control. Stephen spent five years with the Mechuan PD and devoted himself to his role on the force. His hard work and dedication to the job showed. His supervisors respected him and his colleagues described him as a great officer. What's more, the community embraced him.

One local resident even sent a letter to the department praising Stephen for being a kind and respectful officer, calling him a true asset. Stephen, that appeared, had found his calling in life. Bolstered by his good reviews, Stephen looked for ways to advance his career and move on from Mequan. In 1989, he applied for a job at the West Dallas Police Department in Milwaukee County, and was hired as a patrol officer. Stephen's new job gave him the chance to serve a community of 60,000 people, about three times larger than the city of Mequan.

Once there, he told supervisors that he was eager for the opportunity to distinguish himself at a bigger department. But once Stephen found himself in a larger pond, he quickly discovered that it was much more difficult to maintain his exalted status. Not long after starting at the West Alice PD, Stephen faced criticism from his superiors for his lack of initiative. Apparently, his arrest record was too low, and he didn't issue as many citations as his colleagues. It's unclear if Stevens started slacking off once he got to West Alice, or if he simply failed to live up to the new department's standards, Regardless, these disciplinary actions seem to have a negative effect on Stephen. As he flailed on the job, he began to lash out. Vanessa is going to take over on the psychology here and throughout the episode.

As a note, Vanessa is not a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, but she has done a lot of research for this show. Thanks, Greg. According to behavior researchers Nathaniel J. Fast and Serena Chen, people in positions of power who don't feel personally competent are more likely to lash out against other people. In a 2009 study published in psychological science, Fasten Chen wrote,

Power increases the degree to which individuals feel that they need to be competent, both in order to hold on to their power and to fulfill the demands and expectations that come with it. The same study also suggested that, quote, power holders who perceive themselves as lacking incompetence feel especially threatened. This defensive state may in turn lead them to become aggressive. Unfortunately, Stephen's response to negative feedback seems to fit this pattern,

and the repeated reprimands likely affected Stephen's ego. According to his personnel file, he reacted to the criticism with rash, careless behavior, insubordination, and untruthfulness, and this behavior had immediate and destructive consequences. One of the ways Stephen acted out was by driving recklessly while on the job, Between 1993 and 1995, Stephen got into multiple crashes in his squad car. On one occasion, he failed to report an accident to his superiors, and when he was found out, he received a one-day suspension.

But failing to report a car accident paled in comparison to his other negligence. A few years after his suspension, Stephen received a call involving domestic violence, and his response violated state law. According to the state of Wisconsin, Stephen was required to place the primary aggressor of the incident under arrest. Instead, he let both parties go free. Stephen's actions had devastating consequences. Later that night, another 911 call came from the same residence. However, the reason for the call wasn't domestic violence.

This time, the woman had attempted suicide and was rushed to hospital. Needless to say, this turn of events reflected, poorly on Stephen and highlighted his earlier in action. In the face of mounting criticism for his poor judgment, Stephen seemed to tire of carrying out his police officer duties at all. He was disciplined for taking long, unscheduled breaks and ignoring other officers' calls for help. During one shift, he disregarded as many as five calls asking for immediate backup.

It seems Stephen had better things to do. He started paying visits to gentlemen's club. while on duty. He claimed he was just doing business checks, but in reality he was sipping sodas and watching the show, and he would be there for hours. Stephen was floundering. It seems that the lack of admiration and respect he perhaps felt due made Stephen feel as if he wasn't in control. Despite having a job that should have given him authority, he increasingly felt powerless, and his frustration at that situation manifested manifested in ugly ways.

Before long, Stephen was something of a problem at the gentleman's clubs. He fixated on several dancers and bartenders, harassing them for dates. His aggressive behavior, even after repeated rejections, forced a few of the dancers to file complaints to the West Alice Police Department. The club's owner claimed that it was the first time in the club's 40-year history that dancers had reacted so strongly to a specific customer. The protest didn't stop Stephen. If anything, they fed into his growing obsession.

As the 1990s came to a close, Stephen began to stalk some of the dancers who'd rejected him. He performed traffic stops on them as they left the club, using the encounters as an excuse to run their license plates and obtain their names, addresses, and phone numbers. One woman was so frightened by Stephen's attention that she moved several times to hide. However, he managed to find her every time. Records later showed that Stephen ran her license plate number at least ten times between 1999 and 2000. And when he found her, he called her at her house and sent her birthday and holiday cards. The woman was terrified. But because Stephen was a police officer, she didn't know who to call for help.

Unfortunately, it seems that Stevens' colleagues at the West Alice PD didn't know how bad his behavior had become. By the year 2000, 38-year-old Stephen was an alarming presence in the lives of dozens of women in the Milwaukee area. But even these victims had yet to realize the extent of his depravity. You see, this was only the beginning of Stephen's downward spiral. For years, he lacked meaningful connections to colleagues, and now he likely felt rejected by the women he stalked. A growing sense of isolation started to overcome him. With each passing day, the isolation fed into darker, more violent fantasies in Stephen's mind. And before long, he decided it was time to bring these desires to life.

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Milwaukee area for over 15 years. And what was once a promising career had devolved into the antithesis of professionalism. Stephen caused car accidents and ignored backup requests from colleagues. And even though he received suspensions for those infractions, his superiors were wholly unaware of his more disturbing conduct. Nobody in law enforcement seemed to know that Stephen was harassing and stalking women while on the job. And as he continued to get away with his campaign, pain of abuse, his behavior only got worse. In May of 2001, 39-year-old Stephen met a woman at a bar in Milwaukee while he was off-duty. We don't know her name, but we'll call her Janine.

Now, the specifics of the story are a little muddled, but it's possible that Janine was an exotic dancer or a sex worker. We can guess that because she allegedly agreed to go home with Stephen and perform a private dance for him in exchange for $300. Once they got to Stephen's place, he gave Janine a $125 advance. Then he directed her to the bedroom and stood in the doorway. She didn't realize it, but he had blocked her only path out. Janine began her performance while Stephen watched.

At one point she turned her back to Stephen, and while her gaze was averted, she heard the clinking sound of metal handcuffs. When Janine turned around, she didn't see any handcuffs in Stephen's hand, and she thought maybe he'd slip them into his pocket. As her suspicions rose, she asked Stephen what he planned to do with them. Apparently, he didn't like being questioned.

Stephen charged toward Janine and wrapped his hands around her neck, throttling her. She cried and begged for her life. Stephen listened to her pleas with a sinister. Grim and asked if she would have sex with him. Desperate and afraid for her life, Janine told Stephen that she would do whatever he wanted. Shaking, she asked him to wait so that she could get condoms from her purse. After retrieving the condoms, she asked for a drink of water.

While Stephen made his way to the kitchen, Janine dropped the condom and fled the apartment. Neighbors reported hearing a woman crying for help and banging on nearby doors, dressed only in her underwear. Concerned, some of them called the police. At about 3.40 a.m., officers found Janine wandering the street with a bruised knee and a cut on her leg. She explained what happened about how Stephen attacked her, tried to rape her. She was thorough in her recount, even mentioning the handcuffs and dropped condom.

She said that if she hadn't gotten away, she thought he probably would have killed her. But when she was done telling her story, instead of arresting her, In requesting Stephen, the police arrested Janine. It turned out she had open warrants for a traffic violation and for sex work in Winnebago County. While processing her, they found the $125 that Stephen had given to her. When they went to speak to him, Stephen told police Janine had stolen the money from his wallet, so the officers returned the money to him. The next morning, Stephen went into the station for questioning.

He denied the accusation of rape, but claimed that he did agree to consensual sex. However, according to him, a fight broke out over the money he claimed it was stolen. And although he admitted to putting his hands around Janine's neck, he said it was just an angry impulse following the theft. But investigators were skeptical of Stephen's defense, especially when they noticed how evasive he acted under questioning. When they asked about the condom Janine mentioned, Stephen denied its existence entirely. But the cops had found the condom right where Janine said she dropped it.

When the interrogator told Stephen, he began to sweat, barely able to stammer out an excuse. It was becoming clear to West Dallas police officials that one of their own was hiding something. Janine and Stephen were telling two different stories, and now Stevens was the one that didn't add up. In the wake of this incident, Stephen received a 20-day suspension. At the same time, the West Dallas Police Department quietly launched an internal investigation into Stephen's behavior with women. But whether he knew about the investigation or not, Stephen showed no signs of changing his predatory behavior. Instead, he doubled down on it. In June of 2001, while he was still under investigation, Stephen ran into a woman he'd known a few years earlier.

As the two caught up, she mentioned that she had just started a new job at a hair salon. For Stephen, this was an open invitation, and over the next few weeks, he began to show up at the salon every single day, just to see her. As he had done with the dancers from the club, Stephen pestered the woman for a date. She turned him down, telling him she had a boyfriend and a child. But her rejections meant nothing to Stephen. Not only did he keep asking her out, he made it impossible for her to avoid him. And once his suspension was over, Stephen used the weight of him. of his uniform to intimidate the object of his obsession.

He parked his cruiser in front of the salon exit, making it impossible for her to not talk to him when she left. Even the stylist co-workers noticed Stephen's obsession. Once, he tried to sneak into the salon through the fire escape. Luckily, the salon owner caught him climbing up the stairs and turned him away. On another occasion, Stephen popped up unexpectedly at the salon entrance, startling another hairdresser. When she told him he'd scared her, he told her that he was, quote, supposed to scare people. But Stephen didn't limit his obsessive stalking to just the

stylist. Around July of 2001, he confronted a 19-year-old college student who was parked illegally. He chastised her for the parking job, then asked her to accompany him to dinner and a movie. Frightened, she turned him down, saying that she was too young for her. him, but 39-year-old Stephen replied that as long as she was 18, it was okay. She wasn't convinced. Both the college student and the stylist reported Stevens' behavior to the West Dallas Police Department. The investigator looking after Stevens' case noted the striking similarity between the

concerns raised by the women. They noted that the women Stephen fixated on were, quote, fearful of retribution. Over the course of the internal investigation, one of his superiors asked Stephen if he thought it was proper to be asking women out while on duty. Stephen tried to waive the question off. He insisted that his behavior was, quote, very casual. He never badgered women, he said, and was a perfect gentleman. But his glib attitude did little to sway his supervisors, and as allegations continued to mount, the department threatened to terminate Stephen if he didn't turn his behavior around.

But rather than change anything about himself, Stephen decided to free himself from their oversight entirely. In August of 2001, 39-year-old Stephen Selich resigned from the force. In his resignation letter, Stephen implied that he was leaving the force out of fear that the department would file criminal charges against him for the assault on Janine in his apartment if he didn't cooperate. In the end, no charges were filed against Stephen for that incident, though not in exchange for Stephen's resignation. Unsurprisingly, Janine refused to cooperate with the police investigation

after she'd been targeted and arrested herself, so the matter was dropped. Unfortunately, the failure to prosecute Stephen made it all the more likely that he would continue his bad behavior. Dr. Stanton E. Samanow is a clinical psychologist who's studied criminal behavior for more than 50 years. In a 2016 article, Dr. Samanow observed, As an offender gets away with more and more crimes,

he becomes emboldened and develops a sense of invulnerability. Then he may take greater chances. By the summer of 2001, Stephen Zellich had settled into a pattern of abusing women, and having suffered virtually no consequences, he saw no reason to stop. After his resignation, Stephen's career in law enforcement was finished. He worked as a salesman, selling cell phone contracts and legal services online. A year later, in 2002, his father, George, passed away, and Stephen inherited about $250,000. With his newfound wealth, Stephen pursued several business ventures related to real estate, mortgage lending, and title insurance.

But instead of bringing Stephen's success, they only brought him. more trouble. He fell into massive debt and was sued by several creditors. One of his business partners even accused him of embezzlement. Within a few years, Stephen's financial situation was worse off than before his inheritance windfall. Now in his 40s, Stephen had little to boast about in his professional or personal life. He'd spent the last decade driving women away with predatory behavior and alienated business

partners and colleagues with irresponsible and unscrupulous practices. He wasn't married, had no girlfriend, and few friends. Neighbors who noticed him remarked that he mostly kept to himself. As he became more and more isolated, Stephen turned to a different outlet to meet new people, the Internet. But he wasn't just looking for a human connection. His favorite websites weren't run-of-the-mill chat rooms or dating sites. Stephen's favorite websites centered around BDSM, those that explored erotic practices involving bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadomasochism.

It seems he was looking for new ways to reassert the power he lost when he turned in his badge and gun, ways that would also feed into his sexual gratification. As he became more familiar with cyberspace, Stevens started to hone this new method of targeting women, one that allowed him to prey on those most vulnerable, those he could easily manipulate. Stephen Zellich had found the perfect hunting grounds, and his obsessive stalking would have deadly consequences. Coming up, Stephen Zellich makes his move.

Now back to the story. In the early 2000s, ex-police officer Stephen Zellich was living a quiet private life. His abuse of behavior and tendency to stalk women on the job forced his resignation from the West Alice Police Department. And in the ensuing years, Stephen retreated further into isolation. But though he lacked real-world human connection, he fostered digital ones on the Internet. Stephen had at last discovered a place

where he could pester and pursue women without getting in trouble, the Internet. And as he dove further and further into cyberspace, he realized he could indulge his most private and secret desires. He particularly enjoyed fantasizing about dominating and humiliating others, holding total power over them. He satisfied this fetish by joining several BDSM social networking sites. In 2004, 43-year-old Stephen created a profile on the website bondage.com. For this particular profile, he brought up one of his secret desires.

He wanted a relationship with a woman who was willing to fully submit to him. In his words, he wanted a 24-7 slave for absolute ownership. His profile boldly claimed that, quote, there is nothing better than a slave, tied tight, gagged, blindfolded, and hooded. It's not clear whether Stephen managed to find anyone willing to fulfill his slave request at this time. But he did spark a connection with one woman on the side, who shared his interest in BDSM sex play. Her name was Jamie Bates.

Jamie was around 25 when she and Stephen first began chatting. She liked his company so much that she eventually agreed to meet in person. So Stephen drove from Milwaukee to her home in Michigan for a weekend-long tryst. But despite the passion and fun that they shared, by the end of the weekend, both decided against pursuing a romantic relationship. Instead, they should just be platonic friends. However, that friendship eventually evolved into something a little more. In 2006, Jamie and her children moved into Stephen's West Alice home.

It's unclear exactly how or why they decided to become roommates, but the situation seemed ideal. At first, according to Jamie, Stephen was kind to her children and their pets. He frequently sent her flowers and accompanied her on various social outy. Jamie didn't catch any hint that something might be wrong until she'd been living under Stephen's roof for nearly a year. In the summer of 2007, she discovered bondage equipment and a large dog cage in the home's basement. In an interview with Fox 6, Jamie said she never asked about what she saw, but Stephen reportedly admitted to her later that he had once used it to cage a woman for 24 hours a day,

only letting her out to use the bathroom, and that he did it for seven years. Jamie couldn't believe what Stephen was telling her, but what she knew of his interests gave her pause. There was a chance that the story was true. Then again, it might have just been Stephen being hyperbolic about his BDSM fantasies. Regardless, Jamie was alarmed.

Though she enjoyed BDSM play herself, the thought of a woman living in a cage was much more extreme than she was comfortable with. Suddenly, she had second thoughts about living with him. About a month later, in August of 2007, Jamie waited until Stephen was at work, then secretly rented a U-Haul. That day, she and her children moved out of Stephen's home

and away from his darkening interests. For his part, Stephen didn't seem bothered by Jamie's sudden disappearance. If anything, the empty home left him free to return to his online head. habits. As far as we can tell, he was determined to find his slave, someone to dominate and overpower. And for the next few years, he continued to haunt BDSM websites searching for The One. Finally, around 2009 or 2010, Stephen found someone he believed fit the bill. Her name was

Jenny Gomes. Jenny was a 17-year-old high school student in Cottage Grove, Oregon. Those who knew her described Jenny as friendly, bubbly, and outgoing. But what many didn't realize was that Jenny's positive demeanor was little more than a mask, and inside, she was struggling. Jenny didn't have an easy childhood. She'd been in foster care since the age of five, and at 15, Jenny got pregnant. Then two years after her son was born, she was forced to give full custody to the boy's father.

She didn't have a stable home life or a support network to help her through her challenges. Instead, like millions of teenagers in the 2000s, Jenny turned to social media to seek out connection and validation. One site she frequented was a BDSM page called CallerMe.com, and it was there that she reportedly encountered Stephen Zelich in late 2010. Using the handle, Mr. Handcuffs, Stephen reached out to Jenny, and they began to exchanging messages. Stephen discussed his desire to be a slave master, and his search for a woman who would become his slave. But during this initial connection,

the chatting didn't progress to anything serious. For about six months, the pair messaged back and forth, and then they stopped. We don't know exactly why they stopped speaking. According to her foster mother, Jenny was trying to turn her life around. In 2011, Jenny graduated with honors from Al-Kennedy alternative high school and was granted a two-year scholarship to Lane Community College in Eugene.

She wanted to earn her degree and become a social worker. Her dream was to help other kids in the foster care system. In an essay, she described how she wanted to make a difference in the world. But despite these ambitions, something interrupted Jenny's studies. And in 2012, 18-year-old Jenny renewed her correspondence with Stephen on collarme.com. There aren't any clues as to why Jenny wanted to reignite the relationship. Maybe she was struggling in school or feeling lost. Perhaps she just needed someone to talk to.

Whatever the reason, Stephen jumped out the opportunity to reconnect. And after two years of silence, they picked up right where they left off. In their exchanges, Stephen reminded Jenny of his earlier proposal. He wanted a slave to come live with him. and perhaps Jenny found the idea appealing. Maybe she felt adrift and wanted someone else to take charge of her life. Whatever her reasons, Jenny accepted Stephen's invitation to come visit him in Milwaukee. In August of 2012, she quit college and told her friend she was leaving the state to live with a family member.

She even deleted all her social media pages. Jenny packed everything she owned into a suitcase and boarded a plane to Milwaukee's Mitchell Airport. where Stephen was waiting to pick her up. According to Stephen, Jenny believed he was going to take her to his apartment in Milwaukee to come live with him forever. But Stephen had another plan in mind. Instead, he drove her about half an hour south to a hotel outside of Kenosha, Wisconsin. Once they were checked in, Stephen opened a bag he'd brought with him.

Inside were sex toys, a ball gag, a blindfold, some rope, and a pair of silver handcuffs. The two spent that night enacting Stephen's bondage fantasies. With Jenny handcuffed to the bed, Stephen had the power he always craved. However, he committed a cardinal sin when it came to BDSM play. He failed to establish any rules, nor did he establish a safe word to keep things under control. For anyone familiar with BDSM play, this is a troubling red flag. Experts often underlined the importance of establishing healthy boundaries and rules, prior to engaging in such activity.

Psychologist Dr. Liz Powell has devoted their career to educating the public about relationships and healthy sex practices. They discuss the line between BDSM and abuse, stating that the BDSM community is not immune from abusers or abusive dynamics. One of the biggest distinguishing features between BDSM and abuse is the consent, communication, respect, and planning involved in BDSM. But Stephen deviated from these guidelines. He didn't seem to believe they needed any limits.

And for two days, Stephen controlled Jenny how he saw fit. On Sunday morning, they were set to check out. However, Stephen wanted to get one more session in before they left. And for this bit of fun, Stephen wanted to incorporate something different into their play. He wanted to use rope to control Jenny's breathing. Erotic asphyxiation or breathplay is one of the riskiest sexual activities. Stephen likely knew this, but couldn't resist its dark allure. After Jenny was naked, Stephen cuffed her hands behind her back, blindfolded her, and placed a ball gag in her mouth.

While she was naked, he stayed fully clothed. Apparently he wasn't interested in intercourse. For him, all the pleasure came from inflicting pain and human. When Stephen had the teenager where he wanted her, he wrapped a rope around her neck and began to pull. And he didn't stop. He tightened the rope more and more until finally Jenny went limp. It's not clear when exactly Stephen made the decision to kill Jenny, or if he held murderous desires before she died.

But he did put himself in a position of power over her. He orchestrated every step of their BDSM session. So even if Jenny's death wasn't part of his plan, the control was his to lose. And it's possible that's just how he wanted it. Most individuals in the BDSM community advocate for safe and respectful sex practices. However, some researchers have found evidence that predators have exploited BDSM, using it as a cover to hide non-consensual harm. In a 2020 study published in the journal Violence Against Women,

criminologist Elizabeth Yardley reviewed 44 cases of murder, manslaughter, and homicide over an 18-year period. The study focused on cases in which women were killed during violent sex acts. Yardley's results suggested that BDSM, quote, has enabled abusers to justify and excuse fatal violence against women using formal sex equality and women's liberation against them. It's a disturbing pattern that was repeated at that Kenosha hotel. Jenny had agreed to participate in Stephen's fantasy, but she had no idea just how far it would go.

She thought she was going to embark on a new life with him. It's possible she even hoped he would make her problems go away. She believed he would take care of her. Sadly, she misjudged him. Jenny put her life in Stephen's hands, and he eagerly ended it, all so he could fulfill his darkest fantasies of control and domination. But as he slowly drained the life out of 19-year-old Jenny Games, a more powerful urge awakened inside of him, one that needed to be satisfied again. But in order to satiate that desire, he needed to do one thing first. He had a body, to dispose of.

Thanks again for tuning into serial killers. We'll be back soon with part two of Stephen Zelich's story. We'll talk more about the aftermath of Stephen's deadly encounter with Jenny Games and how he immediately went to work searching for another victim. You can find more episodes of serial killers and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify. 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 Michael Motion, with production assistants by Ron Shapiro, Carly Madden, and Joshua Kern. This episode of Serial Killers was written by Christina Pammy's, with writing assistance by Joe Gera and Joel Callan. Fact-checking by Haley Milliken and research by Brian Petrus and Chelsea Wood.

Serial Killers stars Greg Poulson and Vanessa Richard. Hi, it's Vanessa again. Before you go, don't forget to check out the new Parcast Limited Series Criminal Couples. From apocalyptic cult leaders to bank robbing bandits to married mafiosos. These couples give new meaning to Till Death Do Us Part. Enjoy two part episodes every Monday starting February 1st. Follow criminal couples free and exclusively on Spotify. A beloved 75-year-old man washing up getting ready for bed. is brutally beaten and killed. Despite an exhaustive investigation,

the killer avoids arrest and then strikes again. I'm Global News crime reporter Nancy Hicks. You might listen to a lot of true crime podcasts this year, but they're not crime beat. Search for and follow the award-winning podcast Crime Beat on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and wherever you find your favorite podcasts. Do you want to 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 snakelight lifted its head out of the water. Hosted by me, your guide, Derek Hayes. Somehow I lost eight whole hours.

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