Overview of MFM Minisode 473
This minisode of My Favorite Murder (hosts Karen and Georgia) is a short listener-mail episode featuring multiple true-crime‑adjacent and human-interest stories sent in by listeners. It opens and closes with sponsor reads and the usual MFM sign-offs (SSDGM / "stay sexy and don't get murdered"). Stories range from a close call with John Wayne Gacy to neighborhood violence, a mob-linked banjo, a misplaced therapy journal with an alarming worst-case entry, a tearful pregnancy-announcement anecdote, and a heartwarming “reverse kidnapping” dog adoption.
Key stories
1) “My dad was almost John Wayne Gacy’s first murder victim” (Kristen Murphy)
- Kristen recounts her father Jeff’s 1972 hitchhiking experience: he accepted a ride to a Cheech & Chong concert, the driver made a sexual advance, Jeff demanded he stop the car and escaped.
- Years later, when John Wayne Gacy’s photo circulated, Jeff recognized him as the man who picked him up — the timing matched Gacy’s first murder (September 1972).
- Hosts mention recent reading about Gacy and recommend books like Postmortem by Courtney Lund O’Neill and Boys Under the House.
2) San Francisco neighborhood attacked by hired criminals
- Listener describes growing up near Golden Gate Park; at ~15 her brother discovered a deliberate garage fire and called 911, preventing larger damage.
- Several violent incidents followed: a drive-by shooting (no injuries), a Molotov cocktail thrown at another house, and repeated swatting.
- Investigation suggested a neighbor (recently imprisoned for fraud) hired men who had a list of addresses — parents collected 911 recordings and involved a lawyer to stop the swatting.
3) Mafia Banjo — a 1928 Bacon & Day with mob lore (Gavin & Anna)
- A professional four‑string banjo player/restorer tells of a 1928 high-end banjo engraved “Sammy Musmano.”
- Research turned up photos linking Sammy to Chicago performance circuits; the owner claimed Sammy played for and taught Al Capone to play banjo — hosts are amused/skeptical but intrigued.
- The sender celebrates the storytelling value of instruments and suggests more “instrument history” stories/podcasts.
4) Therapy journal lost at a hockey arena (sister’s worst-case scenario diary)
- A listener explains her sister’s therapy method of writing “worst-case scenario” diary entries (a therapeutic tool).
- At a Vancouver Canucks game the sister lost a journal containing a detailed, all-caps hypothetical plan for a terrorist attack at that stadium — with maps and her full name on it.
- Panic ensued, they left the game; fortunately the sister wasn’t banned and the journal apparently went unread. Story was later vetoed from a wedding speech.
5) Pregnancy announcement by gifting whiskey (emotional moment)
- A teacher/listener and her husband announced their pregnancy by giving each family member a curated whiskey bottle; her father loved the idea of being called “Pappy” (inspired by an MFM episode about Pappy Van Winkle).
- Hosts get emotional; the story underscores community and gratitude toward the show for support through life events.
6) Reverse kidnapping — adopting Dimitri the greyhound
- A family fostered a greyhound (Dimitri) for a quarantine period; months later the rescue listed him as “adopted.”
- The family kept him (never returned), gave him eight happy years; they view it as fate / a rescue blessing rather than a crime.
Notable quotes & recurring lines
- SSDGM (Stay sexy, don’t get murdered) — frequent sign-off.
- Humorous lines used by readers/hosts: “stay sexy and don’t burn the house down,” and playful reactions to mob/banjo lore.
- Hosts express curiosity, skepticism, and empathy across stories — mixing true‑crime framing with listener support.
References mentioned
- Postmortem by Courtney Lund O’Neill (book about the photo that helped catch Gacy).
- Boys Under the House (another Gacy-related book mentioned).
- Cheech & Chong concert (1970s cultural context).
- Common MFM sponsor mentions: Premier Protein, Adobe Acrobat, Public Investing, PennyMac, CVS (interspersed throughout the minisode).
Main takeaways
- The minisode offers a mix of narrowly avoided violence, family resilience, odd historical artifacts, mental-health coping methods gone slightly awry, and warm life announcements — the full MFM blend of dark and human moments.
- Short but emotionally varied: listeners should expect quick, punchy stories rather than a single deep-dive.
Recommended for listeners who:
- Like short, listener-driven episodes rather than long investigations.
- Enjoy true-crime-adjacent personal stories and local lore.
- Want a mix of unsettling near-miss tales and uplifting/heartfelt anecdotes.
Actionable / fun ideas from the episode
- If you collect instruments or inherit one, research its history — instruments can carry surprising stories.
- Consider therapy journaling (worst-case-scenario exercises were discussed as a coping tool) — but keep privacy in mind in public spaces.
- Check and maintain smoke/garage security and be aware of local neighborhood safety — the swatting/arson story is a reminder of taking threats seriously.
Credits: hosts Karen and Georgia read listener emails; episode includes production credits and standard sponsor reads.