Morbid - John Edward Robinson

Episode Date: June 21, 2021

John Edward Robinson is one of the wildest schemers you’ll probably hear about. He spent most of his early life creating fake businesses and scheming investors and co-workers out of thousands of dol...lars. Somehow he avoided long prison terms and was able to fly under the radar of his parole officers in a big way. Things started to escalate even more though when John started “helping” young mothers out. You’re going to want to hear the end of this one guys, and we’ll see you soon for part 2! As always, thank you to our sponsors: Caliper: You can try Caliper CBD risk-free for 30 days. If you don’t love it they’ll give you a full refund at TRYCALIPER.com/MORBID Upstart: Find out how Upstart can lower your monthly payments today when you go to UPSTART.com/MORBID BestFiends: Download the 5 star-rated puzzle game, Best Fiends FREE today on the App Store or Google Play.  Curology: Go to Curology.com/morbid for a free 30-day trial, just pay for shipping and handling! 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 KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Hey, weirdos, I'm Ash. And I'm Elena. And this is morbid. It is morbid. And it's morbid in the morning. Could you tell? I bet you could tell. Oh, you know what somebody said?
Starting point is 00:00:32 You know how last time I was like, Elena? That's not how the song goes. Somebody was like, oh, that's like Troy and Abed. Like it sounds like that. Like you're a little radio show. Oh my God, you're right. Yeah, and I didn't even think of that. That's very true.
Starting point is 00:00:42 I mean, that's like not what it is. But it's fine. I'm kidding. We love a Troy and Abed. Abed moment. I love community. We truly do. It's on Netflix. It's on Netflix. Do it. Oh, and shout out to my community college, brethren, because we used to think that they watched us in community college. I think they did a show about it. You used to tell me stories, and I'd be like, yeah, but I saw that on that episode. And you're like, no, no, no, I did that first. Heck yes. We're like, no, we did that.
Starting point is 00:01:11 And listen, Joel McHale, it was me. I'm saying. So shout out to you guys. You know who you are. Hell yeah. Joe and Sammy and Jeremy. Everybody. I only. know Joe and Joe Crowe is the best. Joe Crow, we love you. So yeah, I think there's really not a lot like, at least right this second going on in the true crime world. Yeah. I think everything's like still for a moment. But I did see, and I'm really excited about it, and I'm sure everybody else will be, that BuzzFeed Unsolved has a new season out. Oh man, our male counterparts. Our male counterparts, Shane and Ryan. And I truly think we're them. I really do. And I truly think that we need to like collab with them. I'm going to manifest it right here
Starting point is 00:01:52 right now. Shane, Ryan, you're invited. We're ready to do this. Let's get it. So let's do this because it would be amazing. That would be so much fun. I love BuzzFeed Unsolved. You do so much. You actually got me into it. Yeah, I love it. So I was excited to see. I think I saw both of them tweet like a couple days ago that there's a new season. So go check that out. We're not, we're promoting them just because we like them. We're not being You know, this is not an ad, I promise. But I think that's really all we gotta, we gotta go over. I think so too. This is your episode, not mine.
Starting point is 00:02:26 This is my episode, guys. What you don't. So let's do this. So today we are going to be covering the case of John Edward Robinson. Oh my God, do you know that I thought you were doing an entirely different case? And I was like, I almost went to say it with you. And then I was like, oh. You're like, oh, no.
Starting point is 00:02:48 That is not what I'm doing. Excuse me? No, I decided I actually switched up my case at the last second. Shocking. Yeah. Crazy for you. It's crazy. Because I am going to be redoing the Black Dahlia case.
Starting point is 00:03:01 So I think that's going to be happening as well in the next week or so. Cool. But I wanted to put a little more touches on it. So decided to push it. So here we are. So here we are with John Edward Robinson. And just to give you a quick little, so this is going to be a two-parter. This is a very long case.
Starting point is 00:03:18 And the first part is going to have a lot of scamming. It's going to have a lot of fraudulent activity. It's going to have a lot of theft. Okay. It's going to have a lot of adultery. It's going to have a lot of that shady shit. And then there's going to be like a little sprinkle of like, oh, is that murder? Oh, we're not sure.
Starting point is 00:03:35 We'll sprinkle. And then part two is going to be like, oh, that's murder. Like there's going to be lost. Spoiler alert. So just letting you know, like part two is going to be like, whoa, murder. And this one's going to be like, ooh, lots of shady shit. Okay.
Starting point is 00:03:48 Just so you're aware. I'm excited. So June 2,000, at least five women's bodies were found in barrels on John Edward Robinson's 16-acre property near, I don't know how to say this. So I'm going to look it up, Kansas, because I love you. La Cine, Kansas. Okay. See me?
Starting point is 00:04:09 La Cine. Not spelled that way at all, but La Cine, Kansas. And he also has to be. had a rented storage unit in Raymore, Missouri, and the bodies were found in both of those locations. So this sounds like straight up murder. That's not a sprinkle. Straight up murder.
Starting point is 00:04:24 But we're not going to get like into all these murders. It's like a dollop of murder. And these weren't his only victims. Oh. Soon an entire crazy background of just like lying, adultery, frauding, scamming, shadiness. Yucky. Being gross. Being dumb.
Starting point is 00:04:44 Just comes, being rude. Comes rushing forth like a tide. Like a typhoon. Like a tidal wave. I was going to say that next. Like a tsunami. I was going to see that next like a sci clone. So let's talk about John Edward Robinson.
Starting point is 00:05:00 Nuttl. He was born December 27th, 1943. So the day before me, but many years earlier. I knew. Let's make that clear. I knew he had happy energy. So he's a Capricorn. He was born in Cicero, Illinois, and he lived in,
Starting point is 00:05:14 you know, a nice, just a nice, regular normal home at 4-916 West 32nd Street. I'm getting the vibe that this was not a nice regular home. It was just a regular home. He was the second of five kids. He had an older brother, Henry Jr. and a younger brother Donald. He had two sisters, Joanne and Ellen. And he got along with his younger brother Donald really well. They remained close for a long, long time.
Starting point is 00:05:42 He hated Henry Jr., his older. brother. He got along with his sisters, but definitely was more close to Joanne than he was to Ellen, according to sources. All right. We've got a dynamic, everyone. We've got a dynamic. And the book that I used for a lot of this research, I used a lot of, like, I used a lot of articles, and I also happened to find a book because we know, I love a good book on a case. It's always just so helpful. It is. I love getting a good book, because that's where you get the most stuff. Yeah. That's where you're going to get like the good stuff. So this book is by John Douglas.
Starting point is 00:06:20 You might know him from the Fuba, the FBI. And it is called a true story of sex and death on the internet. Anyone you want me to be. Oh, bitch. I'm saying. I'm about to read that. So it's by John Douglas, Douglas with Stephen Singular. That's why I said Douglas.
Starting point is 00:06:42 So John Douglas with Stephen Singular, I will link it in the show notes. But, yeah, so it's a really good book, got a lot of information. You got to read it. And this involves the Internet, huh? This involves the Internet. That's always scary. So they kind of, the family kind of kept to themselves. They were quiet and chill, according to neighbors.
Starting point is 00:07:03 There was nothing like crazy happening there. Okay. His father, Henry, was a machinist for Western Electric, and he was also an alcoholic. Bummer. According to all sources, though, he was very loved by his kids. He always went to work. He always got his work done. And at least when he was sober, he was known to be a good father.
Starting point is 00:07:23 All right. There was nothing crazy. When he would drink, he would definitely throw a wrench in things. But there was nothing I could find that was like terrible abuse was happening or anything. I think it was just like traumatic having a father that would sometimes be drunk and kind of like belligerent and just like not how he was when he was so. You know, like, I feel like we all maybe know somebody. Yeah, I was going to say everybody knows at least what that probably is. It's like you're, especially as a kid, you're used to having, when you love your father and
Starting point is 00:07:53 when he's sober, he's this great father who's there. And then when he's drunk, he's not. Yeah, that's very tough. His mother, Alberta, was definitely not his favorite parent. Okay. Or any of the kid's favorite parent. Was she strict? She was very strict.
Starting point is 00:08:06 And she was the disciplinarian. Henry was not. All you said was Alberta. And like, that doesn't scream strict. But like, I felt the vibe coming. It just came to you. It did. But either way.
Starting point is 00:08:17 So it's not like they had like a great warm, fuzzy relationship, but she was just a very strict disciplinary. And I'm, you know, different time. So in 1957, he actually became an Eagle Scout, which I know we've mentioned a couple of other people where like Eagle Scouts like, what's his name? I don't, I was just trying to think of the thing that I said. You did. Oh, you sent Eagle Cubs. Eagle Cubs. The Eagles have cubs? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:08:44 Yeah. That was Josh Phillips. Yeah. Took a second. I couldn't think of his name. I kept saying Josh and then I was like, I don't know your last name. Yeah, I was like, his name is Josh. Do we give a fuck what his real name is? His name is Josh turd face. Josh asshole. But he was also an Eagle Scout. And no Eagles do not have Cubs. But this is interesting. So John Robinson here, he reportedly traveled to London with a group, like a whole
Starting point is 00:09:10 scout group and they performed a song for Queen Elizabeth the second. Well, okay then. So, and it was, he was like a young teenager and he actually became one of the first Americans to ever sing for the queen. Wow. Like it was a big deal. You know my stepmom met the queen? Really? Mm-hmm. That's so badass. I know. That's so cool. I don't know why it's so cool. I just think like the monarchy is just interesting. It's so interesting. It's bizarre as fuck, but it's interesting. Yeah, I think it's like so bizarre because we're just like, wait, what? We're like, you have a king and a queen? That's cool.
Starting point is 00:09:44 I know. It's cool. So apparently, this is very interesting. This, like, blew my mind. So apparently, he saw as a teenager doing this Eagle Scout thing, it's like a big thing where like famous, you know, celebrities came to to perform and like, it was in the 50s. So he saw Judy Garland backstage, which right? My girl, Jude.
Starting point is 00:10:06 My girl, Jude. Was she okay? I think she was already. Right, because she was about to perform after. Okay. And he went by her. And I guess he was like a very like, sassy kid. Like he was just like out to like, he was going to talk to anybody.
Starting point is 00:10:22 He was going to talk to him. He was going to talk to whoever. So he sees Judy and he says, us Americans got to stick together. Imagine being Judy Carlin in this like 10 year old box by you and says that. Which like he becomes the worst later. So that sucks. But like that's funny. Childhood of him was funny.
Starting point is 00:10:40 Well, and I guess she. she laughed and responded, you're right, and then kissed him on the cheek. Oh. Which that would have been a cool story to have if he wasn't such a dick. Yeah, I wonder. It's kind of like John Wayne Gacy meeting like, you know, like, it's, they, whenever you see these people like hobnobbing with like cool people, you're like, oh, fuck. That sucks.
Starting point is 00:10:59 I know. I wonder if Judy Garland later on was like, oh, shit. I mean, probably not. I was just going to say. She probably didn't even know his name. I was going to say it, honestly, it was way past Judy's time. Judy's time. So unfortunately, poor Judy.
Starting point is 00:11:12 Rip Judy. Rip Judy. So later that year, he went to Quigley Preparatory school. Preparatory? Preparatory. I don't know how to say it. I don't know why I couldn't say it. Is it preparatory?
Starting point is 00:11:32 Preparation H? Is that what it is? I'm just saying. Proporatory? Preparatory. Every time you. You're saying I love. Prepar-ra-ra-ra-ra-p-ra-pah-pah.
Starting point is 00:11:45 Preparatory school. There it is. Preparatory. You did. Preparatory. I just could not get that word out. I didn't know if I was saying it right. And I was like, Preparatory.
Starting point is 00:11:55 How do I say? Quigley Preparatory Seminary School in Chicago. This was like a private school. It was for only boys. And they were all going there because they all wanted to be priests. They all wanted to get prepped for that priest's life. Cemetery. Cemetery seminary.
Starting point is 00:12:10 Guys, I've only had one cup of coffee. You should take another sip. So he told... He was telling everyone he knew how psyched he was to become a priest. He was like all about that life. And he kept being like, guys, I'm going to work in the Vatican someday. Just do wait. Spoilerlerler.
Starting point is 00:12:26 He doesn't. Yeah, I felt we weren't going in that direction. I'm not going in that direction. That's a different direction. He was an okay student. Not great. Not terrible. Same.
Starting point is 00:12:36 Just guiding right through. Me as well. But he did graduate at. 17, so he did the damn thing. He spent some time doing favors as well during this whole period for local crime families to make extra money. So favors meaning like a member in Boy Meets World when Sean gets a job running to the docks for those.
Starting point is 00:12:58 You unlocked a memory in my core being that I did not know I had. That's what he was doing, Sean Hunter things. I got to get Disney Plus again. He was getting that envelope. He wasn't asking what's in that envelope, but he just brings it to the docks? Sean Hunter found himself in so many sticky situations. Do you remember when he was in a cult? Because I referenced it at least four times on this fucking podcast.
Starting point is 00:13:23 That was the best. Mr. Fene. Because when Mr. Matthews, and it's Mr. Matthews like grabs him and it's like, you can't have Sean. In that moment, I was like, Mr. Matthews is hot. Hell yeah, Alan Matthews, right? And I still to this day think Mr. Matthews is very. He's a dillth. Like he's very hot. Do you all agree? Should I add Mr. Matthews to my hall pass list? That's honestly, Mr. Matthews has always been on my list. But he always will be.
Starting point is 00:13:50 Alan. Alan. But yeah, so he did the Sean Hunter thing. He would, you know, just run, run favors. Run, man, man, man. But, you know, he was making some quick money and he, this is the beginning of him seeing, I don't have to do a lot of work. I can do some shady shit and I can make a lot of cash. Right. Not a great thing to be taught really quick. The system is fucked. But still, in 1961, he did go to Morton Jr. College in Cicero and he wanted to become an X-ray technician. That was his goal. So what he realized, like, when he started working for crime that he was like, I guess I can't be a priest. He just gave it up. Like, there's no, I didn't see anything for like, why he just all of a sudden was like, eh. Yeah. I think this is the thing. As we'll see,
Starting point is 00:14:31 he's kind of like a, I don't know why I'm making so many television references. I love it. I'm But he's kind of like an evil Tommy Haviford from Parks and Rec. He has a lot of big ideas. Okay, okay, okay. And he's going to go in a million directions, but he's not going, none of them are going to pan out. He's just throwing pasta at the wall and see him with sticks. He's just seeing if something sticks.
Starting point is 00:14:51 Okay, gotcha. But evil Tommy Haviford. Oh, yeah. I'd like to see that depicted. So he did go to school. He did want to become an x-ray tech. And he did get a job as an x-ray tech at a Chicago hospital. All righty.
Starting point is 00:15:04 So so far, it's like, okay. All right, you had a moment. The Sean Hunter moment, and that's okay. We've all had that. Sean Hunter had that moment and he's okay. He turned out fine. So in 1964, he met Nancy Joe Lynch. Nancy Joe, I love it.
Starting point is 00:15:17 Adorable, you know, pretty lady. And she's just like, hello, John, what's up? Yeah, and it's the 60s. So she probably had really cool hair. And great glasses, I bet. Yeah, and cool makeup. Yes. She probably had high boots on, you know.
Starting point is 00:15:31 Was that a thing? In a short skirt. Oh, yeah, yeah. Duh, you know. you know. She's maud. But they got married in 1964. She was pregnant with their first child very quickly. Actually, before they got married, so they got married while she was pregnant. Okay. And which is, which is fine. I said it like they got married when she was pregnant. Gandalous. And he was born, the oldest one was born John Jr. in 1965. Later, they did have a daughter Kimberly and fraternal twins
Starting point is 00:15:59 named Christopher and Christine in 1971. Cute. Adorable. And we love a fraternal twin, just saying. We do. In 1969, not long after, you know, baby came and marriage, he was arrested for stealing from his employer. So, you don't want to do that. He was on his way to like an okayness. Yeah, like, I'm going to be a dad.
Starting point is 00:16:23 We're going to be a dad. We're going to be an x-ray tech. Everything's going to be okay. I got this. And then he just slipped right back into that, I need easy money thing. He doesn't want to work for it. Hey, kids, that'll fuck you right up if you need some money. Yeah, exactly. So he stole from his employer. His employer ended up finding out. And he just begged them not to charge him. And he promised to pay back the money he stole. And they agreed. Wow. So now he's seeing that not only can he make money doing shady shit very quick, but now he can charm his way and use his charisma to get out of things even when he's been caught red-handed. That'll set a precedent. It's a bad thing. So he got another hospital job.
Starting point is 00:17:04 It's amazing how many jobs this man got with literally zero credentials. It's like a Dirty John. It truly is. It truly is. And his name is John. Yeah. He's the original, the OG Dirty John here. O.G.
Starting point is 00:17:16 Dirtz. So he got another hospital job this time doing pediatric x-rays at Children's Mercy Hospital. And he also got a job doing x-rays on adults at General Hospital. Later, this general hospital gets turned into Truman Medical Center, so people might know that I thought you were going to tell me it turned into a soap opera. It did not. He got these jobs because he produced documents saying he was a medical lab tech, a nuclear medical technologist, and a radiographic technologist.
Starting point is 00:17:48 I feel like he wasn't any of those things. He was none of those things. And weirdly, people liked him when he first started, but then they started watching him work and they were concerned because suddenly they were like, you don't know how to take or read an x-ray. Right. Which is wild. And also highly dangerous.
Starting point is 00:18:05 And they were like also, you're handling infants, babies and children. And he was like very like clumsy with them and like rough. Like he didn't know how to just like hold a baby. Yeah, because that's what you learn in school. Exactly. And they were like you are not. Because also like x-rays, you got to put them in like weird positions. Like, you know, my kids have had x-rays before.
Starting point is 00:18:25 And it's always like very jarring to watch because they have to be and move them. You know, and they're always so sweet about it. Like children's hospital in Boston, like shout out to them. because they're the best. When one of my girls was like really sick that time, they were just fucking amazing. And those x-ray texts are like the sweetest people ever. And they make it like a very chill experience. Like they're trained to do that.
Starting point is 00:18:47 Right. That's part of the whole thing. And he was not. He didn't get that true. So he didn't know how to fucking do that. And later they confirmed with the American registry of radiologic technologists that he had none of those degrees or certificates that he claimed to have. Here's the thing, though. Why don't we check that?
Starting point is 00:19:04 before we give someone a job. Thank you, because this is what happens. Hundreds of times in this case is he is given a job and no one checks. And then later on they check and they're like, oh, whoops. And it's like I remember watching here, I'm going to throw another TV reference for you. I don't know what's happening right now. I'm living in a television world today. But video killed the radio.
Starting point is 00:19:25 And I'm really bringing you back, which is fun. Well, I even know this. Sabrina the Teenage Witch, of course. The original Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I remember that there was a point where Zelda got a job at the college because she just said she had a degree from Harvard. And everybody was so impressed by that. They just gave her the job. And then they found out later that the only Zelda that had graduated from Harvard did it like 200 years ago because she's a witch.
Starting point is 00:19:49 So they were like, you're a lying sack of shit. And she was like, no, I'm not. And she was getting fired. And I was like, they would never have hired her without looking at that. But they would. But look, I'm sorry to the writers of Sabrina the Teenage Witch for doubting you all those years ago. I doubted you. Egg on my face.
Starting point is 00:20:05 That's egg on my face. Because that's, I was like, that's far too reaching. I can't believe this. You're doing this for the storyline. How dare you? I don't appreciate it. Like magic? Okay, I can accept that.
Starting point is 00:20:17 But like, talking cats, I'm here for it. Yes, absolutely. Like another realm with Drell, who is actually pen from Ben. I'm done. You've got to go. But I can't accept that they hired Zelda without checking her credentials first. They did. They definitely.
Starting point is 00:20:33 And after reading this case, yeah, they did. And then later they found out that it wasn't real. That was a real storyline. You're ridiculous. I want you all to know that. So, yeah, he didn't have any of these degrees, none of the credentials. They found this out later and they were like, well, shit. Co-workers also said that he was actively all the time trying to seduce them.
Starting point is 00:20:55 He was married with children, remember? I was just waiting for that part of the story. And he spent nights out at clubs, leaving his wife at home. all the children. This is very good fellows. Very good fellas. He was also very into BDSM, but he was into like really gnarly BDSM with like, I don't think he was super psyched about like consent or anything like that.
Starting point is 00:21:14 Yikes. So this isn't like a normal like kink kind of thing. Like I think it started out as a normal kink and then he made it weird. Yeah. But and his wife was not into it. So that's incompatibility right there. First of all, like if you're into that stuff, maybe talk about that beforehand so that you can get on the same page here. So instead of, you know, trying to work with her and trying to work
Starting point is 00:21:37 together as a couple to try to figure out some kind of middle ground, you can both get at, which like if you're not both into like the same, you know, thing, you got to come together and figure it out. You know, like come together right now. Come together right now. Yeah. Over kink. Over. Yes. That's a great shirt idea. Come together right now. Over kink. Our shirts are getting kinky lately. They're getting kinky. Our last one was about butt stuff like the devil, which I'm still waiting for anyone. That's a Patreon shirt, but I know, we need to like figure out how to make that because I want to wear it. But yeah, they're getting weird. But his wife was not into it. So he would just try to find anyone at clubs that could satisfy this fetish, which it's like, dude, just kind of work with
Starting point is 00:22:19 your right wife or get, or get separated. Yeah, exactly. You know, like there's a middle ground you can find somewhere. I think it was a little scandalous still in the 60s though to get divorced. Oh yeah, for sure. Like, there's definitely some weird stuff. But like, dude, you have children. Right. just to figure it out. Right. He was fired from the children's hospital. That's good to know. Just because he was a dumbass.
Starting point is 00:22:38 I'm glad. And he got another job. He got another job at Fountain Plaza X-ray as a lab tech and an office manager with no fucking credential. And you would think, too, that when he got fired from one job, they would also maybe call that job and see why he was fired. Yeah. And I guess shit was different in the 60s, I suppose.
Starting point is 00:22:56 Right. But his boss was Dr. Wallace Graham, who was actually the president, who, who, he was was actually President Harry Truman's doctor. Oh, fuck. So this is like a doctor. This is not just a doctor. This is a doctor. Like you got to say it like that. And he was also known though as like a very sweet person, this doctor. And he was known to be kind of knight. He was like brilliant, obviously. And yeah, a brilliant doctor. But he was very naive with like people. Too trusting. And he was very trusting. And he was easily taken advantage of. Oh, bitch. I feel this shit out of that.
Starting point is 00:23:33 You do. That's very much your vibe. But that's why I'm there to be like, mm-mm. No, no, no. Yeah. But suddenly money is starting to go missing from this medical practice as soon as he's hired. That's so shitty. Weirdly enough. It's such a weird coincidence. Yeah, I know. It's just like, very weird. Wow.
Starting point is 00:23:51 So much money, though, this was so fucking brazen that Dr. Graham couldn't even give his staff Christmas bonuses because so much was taken. Wow. They knew, so some, and they couldn't figure it out. They were trying to figure it out. They couldn't. But some of the other coworkers were noticing and seeing that it was him stealing money and using the doctor's stamps to sign checks for himself. Wow. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:24:18 That's brazen. Right? He's so brazen with these things. And he would also ask patients to pay in cash from the, and like he would just pocket it. Right. Of course. So that's how he was doing this. You know, I worked with somebody that did something.
Starting point is 00:24:31 similar to that. Are you serious? Yeah, and they had like a special thing on their phone, like some kind of app where they could swipe the card and they would get the card information. Yeah, it was a big huge scandal. That's so shady. Yeah, it was crazy. Oh my God, that's so fucked. And like our tip money would go missing and stuff like that. Like I would have like open envelopes. And I'd be like, why is this open? And like, I'd be like, oh, I know that person left me more. Like, what the hell? Oh, that's so shady. Yeah. Stealing is so fucked. It's so fucked. It's like work for your own money. And it's also just like very very. And it's also just like very very violating. Don't take mine. Like, that's a very violating scenario. You know how many shampoos I did
Starting point is 00:25:06 to get that money? Yeah, it bums me out. I wanted that three bucks. Well, he also was having tons of affairs with coworkers and also a couple of patients. He used the story, too, that his wife was terminally ill ill and had given him the blessing to have these affairs. Um, if someone said that to me, I'd be like, yeah, I'm not fukin you while your wife is still on the earth, terminally ill over there. Yeah. Maybe instead of Fook and me, you should go take care of your wife, you asshole. Who fell for that? Like a lot of people, apparently. Obviously, he was caught eventually because people were finding out.
Starting point is 00:25:39 And he tried to do the same thing by saying, I'll pay it back. Please don't charge me. But Dr. Graham was like, nope. And he called the police. Which, like, good for Dr. Graham. Yeah. Because he was pissed. He was like, you took advantage of my fucking kindness.
Starting point is 00:25:52 Right, exactly. And I couldn't give anybody Christmas gift. He was arrested for embezzling between 100,000. and up to $300,000 from that practice. Oh my God, I'm going to look up what that would be today. Right? And he was sentenced to three years probation. That's it.
Starting point is 00:26:07 Wow. Three years probation. You said 100,000. And that's like felony theft. Yeah. Yeah, that's insane. Felony theft. And this motherfucker got three years probation.
Starting point is 00:26:17 Wow. And this is another thing we're going to see. He just gets out of shit. It's like a John Wayne Gacy kind of scenario. How much is it today? Oh my God. $100,000. 1960 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $909,442.
Starting point is 00:26:34 Holy shit. So he literally basically stole a million dollars from this guy. Yeah. What the fuck? Because if you think about it, if he's like just using a stamp, he can write whatever he wants on there. Oh, yeah. And also, if he's having patients pay for procedures, procedures are expensive.
Starting point is 00:26:50 And he's just pocketing the money. That is crazy. And it says the dollar had an average inflation rate of 3.69 per year between 1960 and today producing a cumulative price increase of 809.44%. Damn. Inflation is the craziest thing ever. And he got three years probation. That's insane. For felony theft. That's crazy. Yeah. And so in 1969, he became a systems analyst for mobile oil. And let me guess he didn't have the credentials of course he did not. I don't even know what that means. They hired him with bullshit credentials and never looked into his background to see that he was on probation too. That's even terrible.
Starting point is 00:27:27 So they didn't do any of a background check because he charmed his way in. Right. And he was so nuts to me how some people can just like schmooze. He was a smooth talker and he was also an intelligent talker which can sometimes lull people into a false fucking sense of security. You can't just take that off of somebody. You got to like really look into it. But it worked and his probation officers, the Missouri Board of Probation and the Parole Board
Starting point is 00:27:53 wrote a letter saying that, quote, Robinson, quote, does not appear to be an individual who is basically inclined towards criminal activities and is motivated towards achieving middle class values. So he even had his parole people absolutely convinced that he would never do something like that again. This is not something he's like, that he is like, you know, it's not a pathology. He had a moment of weakness. And that he just wants to have some middle class values. He doesn't have delusions of grandeur. He just wants to do right now. Me stealing that like 100 to 3,000.
Starting point is 00:28:26 Yeah. It just slip up. So they were like, you know what? Good job. Like you got a job. I think everything's fine. But then oops. He was caught stealing 6,200 postage stamps from the corporation.
Starting point is 00:28:39 That's very random. Weird. And he was fired. But he was probably selling him. And somehow avoided jail time again. That's so nuts. So in 1970, they decided to move to Chicago again because Kansas was now starting to know that he was a giant fuck up because he had gone all over Kansas just fucking up.
Starting point is 00:28:55 So now he can't get a job in Kansas because everybody's like, yeah, you stole from me. We know that guy. Like you committed felony theft in our practice, you can't work here. Word around town is you'll steal millions. Yeah, there's that whole thing. And you'll fuck our entire staff. So it's like that's, I'd like my Christmas bonus. We can't have that anymore.
Starting point is 00:29:12 You can't be hired. So he moved back to Chicago. He got another job as an insurance salesman. They never looked up his record because he was so good in the interview. They were like, we like him. He was arrested once again for embezzlement of $5,585 from that insurance firm. Wow. He again only had to pay it back and avoided jail.
Starting point is 00:29:36 I also would love to know what he was doing with this money. Well, you'll see. But Kansas, at this time he's in Chicago, Kansas made him come back because they were like, oh, fucker, you're still on parole. You can't move out of state without telling us. Oh, shit. I didn't even think of that. So his probation was extended three more years because of that.
Starting point is 00:29:56 So he had to stay there. So now he's back in Kansas. And when he gets back in Kansas, he opens up his own business. A medical consulting firm called Professional Services Association Inc. No, thank you. What the fuck? And it's also just, it's a bogus thing. I'm also surprised that he was like allowed to set up some kind of corporation.
Starting point is 00:30:14 Yeah, you'd do whatever the fuck you wanted. So in 1971, he was actually, he actually did get sent back to jail for violating his parole. at one point, but it was only for a minute. Like a quick step. And once he was out, he came up with an investment scam that he was going to steal $30,000 from a retired school teacher named Evely McKnight. Evely. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:30:38 And luckily that didn't pan out. Yeah. But he had like come up with the whole. He had started to scam her. When that didn't pan out, he started creating forged letters for investments and shit, like really bold fraud that he would like, show to different businesses and be like, these businesses are going to invest in my company, so they would invest.
Starting point is 00:30:58 Wow. Yeah, and he was caught. And they probably lost a ton of money. Oh, they lost a ton of money. And he was caught and he was charged with false representations, securities fraud, and mail fraud. Wow. Six months after that, he pled out to charges of interstate securities fraud, and he was
Starting point is 00:31:15 only given probation again. And those are all, like, high class felonies. Massive charges here. and he got probation again. Like mail fraud is like a few. I'm like, what? Mail fraud, false representation, and securities fraud. Damn.
Starting point is 00:31:30 So what was he doing with all that money, you asked? Right. Thank you. What? Well, he moved his family into a very upscale home, a manchione. So did Nancy Joe know what he was doing? I have no idea. I think she just knew that he was like a scammer and was just like.
Starting point is 00:31:47 But I also think he had her convinced that he was a businessman. Probably. And he was just getting like fucked by the system. Right. So he moved into a very upscale neighborhood and a huge house in Kansas by using the money stole. That's fucked. He became a scout master for his kids, a baseball coach. He was a Sunday school teacher.
Starting point is 00:32:06 Wow. He starts like just, I'm going to be, he was, he BTK did. Like he started being like, I'm going to be a BTK. And I'm going to say like at least he was there for his kids. He was. Some. And he also like bought horses. They had stables on their property.
Starting point is 00:32:23 It's just so sad because it's like you could have, like, you could have made this for yourself. Yeah, you could have had a great life. Save your, like, he did go to college. Like, he had a skill, you know, it's like, save your own money and you could get there. And that's the thing. It's like, just work hard, man. Right. Like, because it does, how does that feel good?
Starting point is 00:32:36 And it's like he had all the opportunity given to him. Right. It's not like he wasn't given the opportunity or wasn't in a position to have, like, privilege like this. Right. He was in, he used it and abused it. and he didn't use it the right way. It's like, that sucks.
Starting point is 00:32:52 And I just don't understand. Because some people would kill to have that kind of privilege and that kind of opportunity that he had to go to college, to have all these different jobs, to, you know, to be able to schmooze his way into whatever you wanted. It sucks. It's a blessing. But I just don't understand how people look at, like, all that they've, like, amassed together, even though, like, it's not their money that paid for it.
Starting point is 00:33:11 Yeah. Like, you, I wouldn't feel good. No, I would be, like, I could never, like, put my head on a pillow at night knowing that I didn't buy the house with my money. Like, I want to work hard. I want to earn my stuff and I want to feel good about it. And he also was like the local Santa Claus during Christmas. Santa's a fraud.
Starting point is 00:33:28 Which he also looked like Santa Claus when he got older, so that's interesting. Like he's this Santa's a fraud. Yeah, like this Santa's a frog. That guy's a fraud. People knew him as a good father and a family man around town. You're right. And he worked on a committee that hired volleyball reps for games around the schools. It's very random.
Starting point is 00:33:45 He took charge of the Pleasant Valley Homeowners Association. That's where he lived. That's also very BTK-esque. Yeah, because not only that, like he took hold of it and liked BTK when he got like a little power. He became like a little dick. He's like a tyrant. And so he actually made one of his neighbors come into court because she wouldn't use woodshake
Starting point is 00:34:07 shingles to re-roof her house after it was hit by lightning. I'd also be like, you really want to take me to court? You want to step into that building with me? And apparently he did. What a fucking asshole. He's so brazen. with the shit. So then he's like, I need a new business. So he decided to create a new business called HydroGrow Inc. And it was a hydroponics, which it's like a method for growing veggies inside,
Starting point is 00:34:31 like an indoor kind of thing. He also made a huge pamphlet about it, like this huge like 70 page book about it called Fun with Home Hobby hydroponics. Well, and if you have the time to like sit down and write that, then do it. Then do it. Then actually do it. Exactly. That's the thing I just go for. it and do it the right way. Really put your, like, fucking nose to the grindstone and work that business into a real business. You sat down and... You got the foundation. Yeah, you got the plan.
Starting point is 00:34:59 He just never... That's what I'm talking about. He has, like, the plans, and he has the ambition for, like, a minute, and then he doesn't want to do any of the work. Right. He just wants the reward. Right. So in that, he wrote about how he hoped by reading this pamphlet, you would, quote,
Starting point is 00:35:16 form an acquaintance with John Robinson as a second. sensitive and stimulating human being. John Robinson's lifelong goal is hydroponics. And it's to reach, it's as far reaching as his imagination. That's what I said in the book. That would sell me to be honest. I'm going to form a long-lasting relationship with you and your hydroponics. I'd love to be your acquaintance.
Starting point is 00:35:35 He ended up using his business to swindle a friend out of $25,000 who had hoped to get this, like who had hoped to invest in this to help get health care for his actual dying wife. Awesome. But he scammed him out of $25,000. Awesome. That's great. We love to hear that. So John Robinson is literally a demon already, and he hasn't even murdered anyone yet. In 1977, he talked his way onto the board of directors of a local charity organization. No, he scammed a charity, didn't he? Yeah, and he also forged letters from this charity's executive director that were supposed to be to the mayor of Kansas City.
Starting point is 00:36:18 So he forged letters from the director to the mayor and the like and to other like leaders in the in the community and all that. And basically these letters said that he was this amazing charitable man. It was saying that, you know, he was volunteering. He was just this hero basically saying that he was amazing. He was, he should be man of the year. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And eventually, he had himself named this charity organization's man of the year. They threw, or he threw a huge awards like banquet in his own honor.
Starting point is 00:37:03 He, they, everybody thought that his wife and his kids attended thought that he had been named man of the year by like the mayor. The mayor thought this was all on the up and up. What? Yep. The fuck. Also, all I can sing in my head right now. is schoolboy Q's man of the year. Thank you.
Starting point is 00:37:20 I know you don't know that song. Thank you. I don't. And he was caught for fabricating this entire thing, fabricating the award, honoring himself with it. He had created the plaque himself. What?
Starting point is 00:37:34 The press release around this, he had made himself. What? The Kansas City Times ran a scathing story once it all came out that was entitled, Man of the Year, Ploy Backfires on
Starting point is 00:37:47 honorie. And it was honorie in quotation marks. Oh my God. So he was totally exposed. He was totally exposed. Meanwhile, Nancy, his wife, is starting to fall apart because her husband was such a fucking embarrassing piece of shit. Yeah. He keeps it. And now his children are getting like teased about this. Like his dad's an, her, their dad's an asshole. And she's probably worried that they're going to lose everything because nothing is even fucking real. No. And she's finding out that he's having affairs with people now. But the thing is his children still love him. And so even when she would finally get up the courage to, like, throw him out of the house, they would beg her to let him back in.
Starting point is 00:38:27 That's so fucked up. And so she would. And she just wanted to break up her family. I don't want to, like, break their hearts. So she was going to file for divorce in 1980, but she didn't. She stayed. And she tried to keep the family together. She tried to, like, please her kids.
Starting point is 00:38:40 She just wanted to take care of her kids. I feel so bad for her. Because I can't imagine what she was going. Like, that's such a miserable existence when you have to stay with somebody. that you don't want to be with. And that's not who you signed up for. No, you signed up for something totally different. This is not what you signed up for.
Starting point is 00:38:53 It's not who you fell in love with. You were schmused. This is when things are starting to unravel. So neighbors are starting to see that this picturesque family is kind of, it's like a Salvador dolly painting. It's starting to just like melts. Like everything's just starting to melt. And so neighbors are seeing him be a dick to his wife now.
Starting point is 00:39:15 They're starting to see him yelling. at his kids more. His horses look like they're starving because he's not actually really being an adult and feeding them. He just got the horses to look like he had horses. No, that's fucked up. That makes me really angry. And he really can't handle like adult conversations without sexually propositioning
Starting point is 00:39:35 people. And just being like painfully stupid and a dick around people. Like they were like, what is happening at this point? He's a turd and a half. And he was literally sexually propositioning. women who were married and neighbors of his. So now, like, husbands are finding out that he's doing this, because the women are going back and being like, ew, like, this guy just did this. And they're like, I'm going to fuck him up. Yeah, because it also probably made them feel like a little unsafe in their own
Starting point is 00:40:01 neighborhood. Because they're like, what the hell is this dude guy? And then that's so embarrassing for Nancy Joe, embarrassing for these children who now their dad's a fucking creep on top of this. And they're old enough to start realizing this all. This actually, he got in like a huge actual physical fight with one of the husbands at one point. I'm not shocked. So it was it so things are not looking good. So in 1979 his probation finally ended. He got a job at that point as an employee relations manager at Guy's Foods in Liberty, Missouri. It's like a warehousing kind of thing. He immediately started stealing and started what? He did? I know it's crazy. That's wild. And he also started having an affair with the secretary immediately. And he literally created a fake employee.
Starting point is 00:40:45 and had them receive a paycheck, but it was just to his own bank account. How the fuck did he get away with that? I am astounded by the lengths and the ways that he is able to steal. Also, how are you a company and you don't know who you're paying? Like, you're paying a human being that doesn't exist. Yes. How do you not realize that that person doesn't work for you? Exactly.
Starting point is 00:41:06 It's because he's the employee relations manager, so he's in charge of all that shit. Wow. Yeah. And I think there was a lot of employees in this company. That's smart. It just flew under the radar. smart in like the most fucked up way but that's cunning fucking way it's crazy um he even used the stolen money to rent an apartment outside of town
Starting point is 00:41:25 where he would bring women to to carry on his affairs i was waiting for you to say that to be honest then the secretary who he's having an affair with gets pissed yeah because she thought she was the only lay day well and she's like you need to leave your wife for me and he was like no and she was like i want it all and she was like well i want you to leave your wife and marry me and if you don't then I'm going to go to the police and tell them about you stealing from this place. That's a really good way to set up a great relationship. It's a really good way to start off. Long lasting, full of happiness. Leave your wife and marry me or I'm going to get you put in jail. Because I know that you're a fraudulent man. It's really great. Everything I've ever dreamed of. Take a long look at the man that you are trying to lock down here. Yeah. Probably not the best in the bunch. No. He's probably, he's like a bruised peach. Keep that mirror. Sister, you're better than that. Grab. another one. So he wouldn't. He was like, I'm not leaving my way. So she told. She, she like kept her promise. Good for her, because I would be scared of him. And he was fired and charged with felony theft.
Starting point is 00:42:28 He had to pay 50 grand back. At this point, though, it's like, yeah, he pays back the money every single time. But it's like, then he just steals it again. So why can't we just, like, put him in jail and then he won't have to do this anymore and you won't have to waste your time. Well, this is what's so silly and they gave him 60 days in jail. That's not a lesson. 60 days and it was more like a vacation. Like I think in the book they described it as like a shock sentence kind of like, ooh, you got put in jail. 60 days?
Starting point is 00:42:58 He doesn't give a fuck. No. He's probably like, cool, I'm away from Nancy Joe. I can't stand her. Exactly. And he got five years probation. Which he already did that. It's fine.
Starting point is 00:43:06 He literally. But he had some weird thing with his wife where like he would not leave her. Like he wasn't going to divorce her. he just, he needed to have his cake and eat it too. See, I don't even think that's weird though because guys do that shit all the time. I think it's a pride thing. No, it totally is. It's weird. It's weird to do. Absolutely. And then like, it's a have my cake and eat it too scenario. Yeah. So he's like, no, secretary, I'm not going to leave my wife for you. Like, I want you and I also want her when I go home. It's like, maybe enter in one of those polyamorous relationships.
Starting point is 00:43:38 Exactly. That's what you want. But I don't know what it was with his wife. But also, I don't think he would, I think he probably liked the whole scandal of it all, too. Yeah. He didn't want to be in like... He likes the forbidden fruit. Yeah. That's his thing. And I like he...
Starting point is 00:43:51 I think he obviously likes the thrill of doing bad shit. Because he likes the thrill of stealing. He likes the thrill of getting away with shit. He keeps doing it. So he obviously likes even when he gets caught because he's like, oh, I got away with it again. Let's see if I can do it again. I think it's one of those like, oh, I can't wait to see what happens next.
Starting point is 00:44:09 I'm getting to the point of astrology where I just want to do like everybody's chart that we cover. Like, I feel like he has some Gemini in his chart because Gemini's are like always like a little bit tempted by like the bad side of things. I could see that because he's definitely got the Capricorn like I want to make money driven. But he's not, he's definitely money driven, but like in a very different way. Yeah. Like this is well he's a he's a January Capricorn right? No, he's December 27th. He's a day before my birth bitch. Okay. Yeah. Um, he him and his wife did at one point try to make it work. They like went to counseling and stuff. But, you know, things. just kept going the way they were going. I'm just wanting to advance a hug. I know, I feel bad. So in 1984,
Starting point is 00:44:46 he decided to start two more fraudulent companies. What else are you going to do when you're on probation? The first one was Equipus. It was a consulting firm of sorts. I feel like whenever somebody says that it's a consulting form, it's just like code for like, I'm either doing something shady or like you won't understand. Right. Because there's like real consulting firms, but like no one knows what that means. I don't know what that means. But like it's legit. What am I consulting you Like if you work at a consulting firm, that's legit. Just nobody knows what that means. And you can say it and people will just go, oh, awesome.
Starting point is 00:45:21 That's kind of how I feel about like nonprofits. Yeah, like what does that mean? Yeah, like, they'll never ask more about it. Yeah, no. So it's a good way to be like shut down the conversation. If you tell me you work for a nonprofit, I'm like, that's amazing, good for you. And then I'm like, Alina, what the fuck does that mean? Like, oh, I love it.
Starting point is 00:45:36 It's like a charitable thing. Yeah, I know. But like there's so many of them and everybody works for one. but like everybody works for one. You all work for one. You all do. Good job. So the first one was Equipus.
Starting point is 00:45:47 The second one was Equatou. Equados. Equados. Equadoe. It was also, that was also like providing consulting services to like charitable ventures and like medical things, like that all that shit. He also got a duplex that he leased in another part of town. And there were rumors that he had opened it up as kind of like, like a Bordello kind of thing that catered, but was catering to like rougher sexual interests
Starting point is 00:46:17 like sediasticism, like way rougher. Okay. Like that was the place you go when you like, when the BDSM stuff isn't getting you going, like you're going here. Okay. He was also getting into like selling Coke on the side. It was really a matter of time. Yeah, he's touching all avenues.
Starting point is 00:46:33 He was also like ripping lines. Yeah, he's got his. Oh yeah, he's had to have been. Yeah. And he's definitely got his like all hands on. deck. He's just touching everything. Yeah. All the bad shit. That's honestly, all hands on deck is very Capricorn-esque, though. It's usually just not the bad shit. I want to have my hands all in like a hundred different things. But you're supposed to do them well and he's not doing that. You don't have those two things.
Starting point is 00:46:53 So, 1984, this is the year that everything's kind of like popping off for him. Also a great novel. This is when Paula Godfrey, who was 19 years old, she came on to work as a sales representative for his company. And he's like old old at this point. Yeah. And she had answered a, um, like, an ad in the paper. He's older. She was coming to work as like a sales rep, you know, like a normal job. She had graduated from Olayth, I believe it is, North High School, only like the year earlier. She was well-liked. She was very popular. She was an honors student. She was also a beautifully talented figure skater. Oh, wow. That's a lot of work. But she had had to take a little time off because she had gotten sick and it like threw her game off. So she was like, I'm going to get a job.
Starting point is 00:47:40 She was also a very talented writer and was published regularly in a literary magazine. So a very well-rounded girl. Oh, yeah. So she literally had everything going for. And he said when he hired her, he was like, okay, I'm hiring you and a few other girls. And I want you guys to go through a training program for like clerical stuff and learning how to do the office stuff, which was normal, especially back then. Yeah. And he was sending them to a training program in San Antonio.
Starting point is 00:48:08 Okay. And so he picked her up at her parents home on September 1st, 1984, to bring her to the airport. This is the last time that her parents saw her. Oh, no. Her parents didn't get a call from her that night or the following day, and they panicked. Her father, Bill Godfrey, actually flew to San Antonio to look for her. Oh. He panicked so hard.
Starting point is 00:48:31 He found out that even though they had given them hotel information, she had never checked into that hotel. No. So he went back home and he tracked down. Robinson. Right. And they had already filed a missing persons report and police had already questioned Robinson. He denied any knowledge of where she could be. So her father went to talk to him or himself and said, if I don't see my daughter in two days, I'm coming back and you're going to be fucking sorry. Yeah. Literally, like away from the police was like, I'm not even going to bring the fucking police in here. I will fuck you up. Like I will fuck you up myself. So you better produce. That's a dad.
Starting point is 00:49:05 That is a dad. immediately within like a day they received a typewritten letter with Godfrey's signature at the bottom and it said that she was thankful for Robinson's help that she was all right everything was fine and that Robinson had really given her such a good opportunity and that she was good though she didn't want to see her family she was starting a new life and her father was like nope he was like first of all in that letter there was like swearing like peppered in and she did not swear Two, she was a writer, and there was many grammatical errors and spelling errors in that. And he was like, I know my daughter, she's been fucking published in magazines.
Starting point is 00:49:46 Like, she doesn't write like that. And it was signed, Love ya, Paula. And she never would sign something like that. So the investigation ended up being terminated. Why? Because Godfrey was legal age. And they could not find any evidence that anything happened. So they just said.
Starting point is 00:50:06 that letter was like legit. They said she sent a letter. I know you're saying that it doesn't look like something she would say. But we can't say that. We can't determine that she's 19. Oh, that's so sad. So if she decided to leave you guys and never come back, we can't do anything about it. That's so terrible.
Starting point is 00:50:21 If she was like 16, that would be a different story, but she's 19. Wait, I have so many questions and I need you to keep going. Yeah. So no trace of Paula Godfrey has ever been found. So he must have forged her signature then, like gotten it and then figured out how to forge it. Yeah. Because I thought you were going to say, like, maybe he was like keeping her or something and then we were going to find her. No, she's gone.
Starting point is 00:50:47 Never been found. It's just so strange, too, that all of a sudden he just like starts up this company and then, like, how did he escalate to murder like that? That's the thing. So I think he obviously, since he wasn't into like regular BDSM. Yeah. Do you think it was an accident? to be into BDSM. It's another thing to be into like a way fucking darker style, you know, like where like I said, he wasn't interested in consent. He was more interested in the pain,
Starting point is 00:51:16 not the pleasure part of it, I think. Because I know like BDSM like walks that line of like it needs to be equal parts, you know, like that's important. Right. But like he was not into that pleasure for the other person or like there wasn't like safe words involved and stuff like that. Straight up pain. Right. So I think he was not. He was not into that. He was not into that. I think he was not into. He was not. He was not. He was. He was. He was. He He was already into inflicting pain. Okay. He was already into some bad shit. And then it just escalated.
Starting point is 00:51:42 And I think it just escalated because it wasn't being satisfied with what he was doing. And then I think he's getting these thrills from scamming. He's getting thrills from stealing. But it's not the thrill. And he's looking for more, more, more. And then he saw this as an opportunity. And he was, and he's also a fucking creep. He's probably raping people all over the place.
Starting point is 00:51:59 I was going to say. And it's like, so he's getting these thrills, but you're going to escalate. There's going to be a time where that's not enough and you need the next thing. Right. And I think he saw this as a good opportunity. So he, wow. And she was gone. So around the same year in 1984, he also joined a secret sadomasochism cult called the International Council of Masters.
Starting point is 00:52:24 This cult was actually born in London in 1921. Oh, wow. It was a bunch of straight-laced business dudes that started out. They all want to just like be a dom. but like a different kind of dom. And if you wanted to be in the club, you had to promise, one, not to talk about the club, don't talk about fight club.
Starting point is 00:52:41 And also be really into dark shit, like rape and like torture. You had to be into that shit. And they created a rape and torture dungeon and shit in their little club. And they wore purple robes and they kept sex slaves chained in white robes. His name in this club
Starting point is 00:53:02 that he joined was slave mass. and he was tasked with luring victims to the gatherings to be raped and tortured by members. That is one of the most fucked up things I've ever heard of my life. He started getting into some fucked up shit. And yeah, so how do you go from just being like your everyday scammer, I guess, and then wearing a purple robe and like being an occult? Yeah. Like what happens in life? What happens? I know we just, I know you just answered that question, but like what the actual fuck? Well, and he started at one point, like later when the internet comes, we'll see. Like, that's why the internet comes in.
Starting point is 00:53:38 Later when the internet comes. When the internet enters the chat. That's so wild. That's when he starts joining like really like sadistic shit online and starts using that to get people. So it's like he's really into this shit. And I think he's always really been into this shit. And that's why he was cheating on his wife. That's why he was getting it elsewhere.
Starting point is 00:53:59 That's why he was renting apartments to do his shit in. But then he really. realize that like consent wasn't his thing. But he's realizing that he just needs more, more, more. He sees these people as his like kindred, you know, like they're businessmen. They're like, they're like me. Yeah, you're not a fucking businessman. And also those people are fucked as well. And at one point in the mid-80s, he actually took his family on a European vacation with all the money he's stealing. And he still tried to BTK it by keeping up with the Joneses. He's trying to pretend to be a family man, even though they are seeing. Like I told you, his neighbors are seeing it
Starting point is 00:54:32 falling apart. Yeah, of course. But he's still trying to keep that whole. Desperately appearances. Yes. That whole facade going and he's starting these new businesses trying to be like, you know what? I slipped maybe a little, but like here I am. I'm back.
Starting point is 00:54:43 I'm a businessman again. It's like how many businesses can you create in a fucking lifetime? So this is when shit gets really crazy. So December 18th, the same year in 1984, there was a supervisor at the parole board that he had been working with. They got a call from a woman. And this woman worked at a local nonprofit group. I knew it was coming.
Starting point is 00:55:04 Called birthright. And this birthright place was a place where single pregnant women could find support. Oh. And this woman said that this guy named John Robinson called birthright and told her that he and like 15 other local business owners had started a nonprofit themselves. Yeah, I'm sure. They were calling it Kansas City Outreach. And they were offering a six-month program that would help pregnant single women gain job training. They were going to give them housing, food allowance.
Starting point is 00:55:33 and just like get them on their feet. This is about to get so fucked, isn't it? He said they could live in the duplex he had. That's what he was going to set them up. He's young pregnant women. The one that we now know is a dark-ass Bordello. And they would get each, they would each get money like a stipend every month. And he was asking birthright to refer some women to them so that they could start helping them.
Starting point is 00:55:55 So they started referring women to him. But he kept asking, are you ready to see how even shittier he gets? He kept asking if they were black or white. And then he would refuse any black mothers. He didn't want to help black mothers. What the fuck, dude? I mean, he doesn't want to help anyone. I mean, looking at everything he's done, you're like, is it shocking that he's also a racist piece of shit?
Starting point is 00:56:17 But to like be that upfront about it, wow. To be that way in general is so fat. That's why they called the parole board because they were like, ugh. Like they were like, this is weird. Why is he like only wanting black, like white mothers? Why are we like... Why is he straight up refusing to help black mothers? Like, this is weird.
Starting point is 00:56:35 It leaves a bad taste in our mouth. So we wanted to call and find out what's happening here. Yeah, there's something off. Because I think they started looking into it and seeing that he was also on parole. So they called the parole and we're like, what's happening here? Is he safe or not? Well, like, I'm not going to send young pregnant women to somebody on parole. I'm sorry.
Starting point is 00:56:51 I don't care what you're on parole for, no. Well, and they just thought it was weird that he was reaching out to get like young mothers because they were like, there is like a black market adopt. shit that they were worried that like they were going to start doing this kind of stuff. Probably. So while the, so they're looking into this now. Now they're starting to investigate it. But while they are doing this, he has already moved on.
Starting point is 00:57:13 He's already moving on to look for single young mothers at this place called Hope House, which was a battered women's shelter in Kansas City. This guy is a place where women would go. Yeah. And they had recently taken in a 19-year-old mother of a four-month-old girl named Tiffany. Her name was Lisa Stasi, and it was a social worker named Kathy who told her that this group of local businessmen were calling and were all about helping single mothers and referred her to Robinson. Okay.
Starting point is 00:57:44 Which I believe that social worker got in big trouble after this because, like, she didn't look into any of this. Good. I can just refer this young mother and this baby. Look into fucking stuff. He introduced himself to her as John Osborne, and he promised her a job. job in Chicago as a silk screener. He was going to get her on her feet. He was going to help her get her high school diploma, an apartment. He was going to get daycare for the baby. And so he was like, she was like, this is amazing. This is going to ruin me, isn't it? Because she had been, you know,
Starting point is 00:58:15 she had gotten married young to her, this guy named Carl. Things had not gone well when she got pregnant especially. And he had gone off to the military. And so she was kind of sent to the shelter and alone. So he actually made her and her baby stay with two other young mothers in a motel. And he also made her write down the names, addresses a number of family members. Why? And then he was like, oh, just, you know, for references and stuff. Emergency contacts or something. Yeah. And so there was one night where she showed up at her sister-in-law's house. And I think she was just going over there for a visit, like she was allowed to go over there. Yeah. And so they were talking and she kind of mentioned that she was like, I don't know, this John guy's like a little
Starting point is 00:59:02 weird, but I don't know, like he wants to help us, but I don't know if he's going to, like, kind of being like, this whole situation is getting sticky. And her sister-in-law was like, something's off here. No. She was like, I don't like this. I'm not into this. So during the, and I guess it was like a blizzard that night and John ended up calling the sister-in-law's house because he had the number. Uh-huh. And he was like, I'm coming to get her right now. And I guess the sister-in-law was like, no, it's okay, she can stay here. And he was like, no, she can't. And he showed up in a blizzard, parked down the street from the house, and then walked to get her and bring her back to the motel. If I was her sister-in-law, I would not let her leave. I would be like holding her back.
Starting point is 00:59:42 She was really upset. And she was like, but she wouldn't stay with me. Obviously you say that in the situation you can't do that. But it's like, you feel like, oh my God, I just want to reach out and grab her. And the next night, she called Lisa, called her mother-in-law, hysterical. Oh, no. And saying that John had told her that her mother-in-law was planning to take Tiffany from her. What? And that she had to sign four blank pieces of paper to, like, get control of her. Four blank pieces of paper.
Starting point is 01:00:11 And so she was like, oh, my God, like, freaking out. And her mother-in-law was like, no, like, I would never take Tiffany from you. Like, no, that is not true. Like, he's lying to you. And then she said- And don't sign that. She said, don't sign anything. And she already had.
Starting point is 01:00:25 And she had already sign it. And then she said, and the last thing that anyone heard her ever say was to her mother-in-law, and she said, I've got to go. Here they are. And then clicked off the phone. Who's they? Exactly. So everybody's like, what the fuck did she mean?
Starting point is 01:00:43 They're like, who are these people? Oh, my. That is the most ominous thing. And that poor mother-in-law to have, like, to think that she, that Tiffany, oh, my God. I know. To think that Lisa thought she was going to take Tiffany away. She's like, oh, my God, I hope you don't think that about me. And then that's the last communication you have with her.
Starting point is 01:01:01 Is you trying to be like, oh, my God, I would never take her. Don't sign that stuff. And then she's like, I already did. And then she's like, they're here. Oh, my God. And you have nothing you can do. This is reminding me of like the Colleen stand case a little bit, the girl in the box. And it's like, like, we know those.
Starting point is 01:01:17 He didn't belong to one of those like organization cult things. But you know that exists. And it's like, what if he was having her sign that blank piece of paper so that she could sign like a slave contract. Exactly. That's what people think might have, like, nobody knows what happened here. That's so ominous. But what's, this is even crazy. Like, this is the part that, like, just blows my mind. Oh my God, how? So the sister-in-law and the, and her actual, her brother-in-law and sister-in-law ended up calling the police after this. Sure. And they find out John Robinson paid the hotel bill at that hotel and checked them out. Oh, my God. And paid under his own.
Starting point is 01:01:56 own name. What a fucking dingus. So they confronted him and they were like, where is she? Like, we know she was with you and he flew into a fucking rage on them and was like, how dare you, like, how do you accuse me? I was taking care of her. I'm not like, she left. I don't know what to tell you. That's like they ended up getting letters to from Lisa that were not. Not from Lisa because one of them was like typed and her mother even said like she doesn't know to type. Right. Like she couldn't have typed that. And so, and it was all like, I'm taking Tiffany and I'm like moving away. We're going to start a new life. Well, and then do you, does anybody know what happened to Tiffany? Well, yes. So can I, is there a trigger warning involved? Okay. No,
Starting point is 01:02:40 Tiffany is alive. Because I was like, I'm going to go. Tiffany is alive today. Okay. But wait until you see what, hear what happened. So suddenly, that same night, he shows up at his own home, John Robinson, and hands his wife a baby. A baby. Just hands. Just. hands his wife a baby. Oh my. She said this baby was dirty. She smelled. She had a full diaper.
Starting point is 01:03:03 She needed food. Like clearly. And his wife cleaned her up. Oh my God. Went out and got her supplies and just cared for her. But did she ask who's fucking baby that was? At first she just took care of the baby. Of course.
Starting point is 01:03:17 She didn't even ask. She was like, I just like, I looked at this baby and I was like, I need to take care of her. Oh my God. And once she had cleaned her up, she was like, hey, who's this baby? Like what's going on here? This isn't Harry Potter. And he said, okay, so this baby came from a private adoption agency and he said, I paid $4,000 for this
Starting point is 01:03:37 baby. And he said, I did it so that Donald, his younger brother and his wife could adopt the child because they were struggling to get pregnant. Uh-huh. And he said, I take care of my little brother. Yeah, I steal babies for him. And so he said, they're flying out tomorrow and they're going to take her home. home with them. So do you think that's why he started this whole thing? Like a part of the reason.
Starting point is 01:04:01 Well, they was definitely part of it because, so they had been going through fertility treatments for years. Donald and his wife. And they desperately wanted kids, like desperately. And he had told his brother this a year earlier. This was only a year earlier that he really found out about this at like a family reunion. He had like opened up to him and said like, we're thinking about adoption, but it's like really expensive and we really want a baby. And John was like, Donald, I'm going to help you. Like, sit tight. I'm going to find a family for you. I'm going to do it. But he was making it seem like I'm going to do this on the up and up. But I'm going to help you though. Right. So he had called him and told him, hey, give me $2,500 and I'm going to find you a baby. I have like business connections.
Starting point is 01:04:44 That's a strange thing to say. Whatever. So they were just psyched. And they were ready to do that. They were like, we just want a baby. Like, and he's believed. He's not. believing his brother is going to fucking steal a baby. So he, and he's like, I'm paying. I will pay the adoption fee. Absolutely. It's like you just, they don't just give you a baby, like as a transaction. But he called him and said a baby, you know, a family has come up. A baby is available for adoption. They went crazy. They were so excited. They decorated a whole nursery. We're just ready. On January 10th, he said, come now and get this baby. And they were on it. They were there the next day. They were like, boom, we're coming. When they arrived, he had fake documents and shit. Like he had showed them documents.
Starting point is 01:05:27 Meanwhile, this poor baby's mother. Yeah. And that's the thing. So Donald and his wife are sitting there being like, this is real. Like we have documents. We have the adoption papers. Everything signed. They paid a $5,500 fee to an imaginary lawyer. To their fucking brother. There was real adoption papers. There was signatures from a lawyer and a judge on them. like, what the fuck? And I say that with air bunnies. Yeah. And he said, he was telling, so they were like, oh, you know, like, how did you find this family?
Starting point is 01:06:01 Right. And he was like, well, that's the thing. And he said, this baby's mother committed suicide. And he said, literally go fuck yourself 10 ways to Sunday. And he was like, so, you know, this baby desperately needs a home. And like, I knew you were the right home for it. So they all went to the Robinson home and they met Tiffany. They renamed her Heather Tiffany.
Starting point is 01:06:24 And because they were told her name was Tiffany. Right. Because her mother was. And she was like little enough where it was okay. She was little. She was only four months old at this point. So they renamed her Heather Tiffany. And they were so fucking happy.
Starting point is 01:06:35 They took tons of picks. And I guess there's like a picture of this gathering like because they were just so happy. They were bringing her baby home. Yeah. It's like a gotcha day. Of John Robinson holding Tiffany and like smiling like in the picture. Stop. And it's like he had just killed her mother.
Starting point is 01:06:49 What the fuck do you? had just, or he had either killed her mother, which he definitely was involved with it, or he had her help killing her mother. Yeah. What, how, where did you find this? What? Right. Right. And they believe she was probably, first of all, they don't know what happened to Lisa. So she's never been found either. She's never been found. And they believe she was probably bludgeon to death, but her body has literally never been found. Why do they think that she was bludgeoned? I think they just like put together the pieces of what happened there and there's not a lot of evidence, but they're just, just saying they think that's probably what happened.
Starting point is 01:07:24 Heather, Tiffany, found out that the person she knew as Uncle John was the man who stole her from her mother after murdering her and gave her to his brother later. She knew she was adopted, but she didn't find out until this all came out that he was a murderer in 2000. That's when she found out that she was actually one of his victim's children and that he had stolen her and given him to her too. Like obviously I think like kids sometimes have trouble like coming to terms with the fact that they're adopted obviously like that's a tough thing to go through to add that on top. Oh yeah. All of those layers. Oh yeah. To find out that you in the person that
Starting point is 01:08:07 you've been calling Uncle John murdered your mother and stole you. It kidnapped you. Yeah. And what's crazy, she grew up in a loving home with Donald and his wife. Like I guess they were wonderful parents. That's even more wild than like the people that like, steal babies like at the nursery. And I guess when this all came out, Donald and his wife were so scared. Mortified. That Heather was going to be taken from them because it wasn't legal. And I think she was only like 13 or something at the time.
Starting point is 01:08:36 Like she was young enough that they could have. And I guess they were like panicked. Like they, because they were like, we thought we legally adopted her. Like she's not our child. But then they have to sit there and prove like their intent. How do you prove intent? That's the thing. And so they did end up.
Starting point is 01:08:50 legally adopting her, luckily, because they were, like, she said, she's like, these are my parents. Yeah, like, they raised me and they did well by me. They're wonderful parents. I love them. And like, but she was like, holy shit. And then Donald's finding out that his brother murdered somebody and then stole the child to give down. And then made him pay for the child to like. And then like forged adoption papers and like made him live with this now. Well, that's the other thing. It's like you're putting that guilt on somebody else that doesn't deserve that. Like you have rocked this person's world. This is. easily one of the craziest cases you've ever told me about.
Starting point is 01:09:25 And I'm just going to, so a few days after she disappeared, I told you like a letter was sent to her family. Lisa, right? Yeah, Lisa's family. And they were typed letters. And Kathy, the sister-in-law actually received one. And because remember, like he asked for family members names, addresses, telephone. This is why he does this.
Starting point is 01:09:45 So later he can send his letters. What a piece of garbage. And her letter said, dear Kathy. Kathy, I want to thank you for all of your help. I have decided to get away from this area and trying to make a good life for me and Tiffany. I are leaving Kansas City. The people you referred me to were really nice and helped me with everything. I'm very grateful for everyone's help. I will be fine. I know what I want and I'm going after it. Again, thanks for your help and Hope House and thanks for telling me about outreach. Everyone has been so helpful. I owe you a great deal. Again, she couldn't type. That's a real long, really coherent letter to type. For someone that doesn't know how to type. And also, you didn't leave with Tiffany because Tiffany was given to John Robinson's brother. So did her family also find that out later that Tiffany was alive?
Starting point is 01:10:33 Yes. And I guess Carl, the father, ended up wanting to be a part of her life, but she didn't want to be a part of his life. Yeah. And it got like really weird and kind of messy. She did get to know Lisa's mother. So her grandmother. But her mother ended up passing away. Yeah, but her maternal grandmother and her did have a relationship.
Starting point is 01:10:53 Well, that's good. And I think she ended up getting to know, like, Kathy and the mother-in-law as well. Her birth mother's family. But it's such, I feel horrible for Heather. I feel horrible for Heather, and I feel horrible for Donald and his wife. Like, like, it's truly our, and then, like, what a situation should just put somebody into? So many people were. This guy is fucked up on literally, like, every.
Starting point is 01:11:20 imaginable level. Yeah. And what happened with Lisa Stasi is people stopped looking for her after that letter because Robinson told police she moved away with a man named Bill to Colorado. And they just stopped because if they have a letter. And again, she's of legal age. She's 19 years old. She's of legal age. She left with their daughter. As far as they were concerned, they were both gone. Right. They didn't know. And then later they find out that the baby was given to his fucking brother. But like Nancy Joe, like, I just, I got, I'm like, Nancy Joe. You know that your husband's a shady fuck and he shows up with a dirty baby. That's the, and like, I know like her first instinct was, which I'm glad it was to take care
Starting point is 01:12:01 for that baby and like get her clean and stuff. But you got to question things. Then you have to go to the police and say this is what's happening. Yeah, my husband is like a known wild scammer. He does all this shady shit and he showed up with a baby. With a filthy baby. You know, I don't want to blame. Nancy Joe, obviously.
Starting point is 01:12:18 But had she gone to the police and told them this. Maybe this would have been solved. And they could have looked for Lisa sooner. They could have at least looked into this baby and been like, who is this? Looked into the paper. Because Donald would have produced the papers and been like, these are my adoption papers. And they would have been like, these are fake as fuck. These aren't real lawyers on here.
Starting point is 01:12:37 I would assume that like they fingerprint babies. They could figure out who this baby belonged to. And then fucking John Robinson finally could have gone to jail. So it's like, I think a lot of people including parole. probation officers, parole people, family, fucking police officers, family, employers, all fucking look to the other way and just let him scoot through life
Starting point is 01:12:59 and just do this kind of shit. We're not even done yet, but if you have taken one thing away from this case, it's look into things. Just look into things. Double-check things. Don't take people's word for anything. Don't worry about overreacting. No. Overreact way more than underreact.
Starting point is 01:13:14 It's the same thing. You would rather be overdressed than. underdressed and you would rather overreact than underreact and avoid a crisis. It's like when we always say in investigations, yeah, expend the resources. If it's for not, at least you gave it your best shot. And you can sit there and say, I tried everything. Exactly. But you don't want to have to come later and say, I didn't do enough. And how the fuck is the the fact that there's more to this case? I can't even imagine what we're going to get into in part two. There's more. So that's the end of part one. Good because my head is like, it's like when you
Starting point is 01:13:45 wake up in the morning and you're hungover. Yeah, and there's, um, Heather has done, like, there's some articles about her. She had to write a book. I think she's done like, um, I think she's done some kind of radio show where she talked about it a little, but I think she's like a real badass for, yeah, for coming through it. I'm sure it's, I can't imagine that kind of. I'm not kidding, you did. World rocking situation.
Starting point is 01:14:08 Like, she must feel like, still to this day, it must be a crazy thought. And also, she's beautiful and she was so adorable. as a baby. Oh, Heather. The cutest little four-month-old I've ever seen. And when you see pictures of her, like, as a toddler and stuff growing up with Donald and his wife, like, it's clearly a very happy... It looks like a very happy home. I'm glad that Donald and his wife are like normal functioning human beings. I'm glad she had a good upbringing. Well, like, thank God, like, John Robinson didn't adopt her. Like, I mean, obviously his children had a good life. Like, he was able to provide for them and stuff. I guess. I don't know. Like, I don't know. Well, we'll have to see if like any of them
Starting point is 01:14:44 had come out at any point and said different. Because maybe it was all a facade. Yeah. And like it sounds like Donald and his wife were happy and everything. Oh, yeah. Yeah. So. Wow.
Starting point is 01:14:57 Wow. Hang tight for part two of John Robinson. Well, friends, we hope you keep listening. We hope you keep it weird. But not so weird that you literally, I'm too shook right now. That's so weird that you literally scam the entire world. The entire nation. Order someone and steal their baby and give it to your brother.
Starting point is 01:15:19 That you steal a baby ever. Yeah, I don't do that. Oh, God. Bye.

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