Overview of Rewind with Karen & Georgia — “112: Galore Galore!”
This rewind episode revisits a 2018 My Favorite Murder episode and mixes old commentary with updated context, corrections, and two major true-crime stories: the murder of Rachel Hoffman, which led to Rachel’s Law, and the murder of Bonnie Lee Bakley, which became the infamous case of Robert Blake. Along the way, Karen and Georgia also share personal stories, podcast recommendations, and a few lighthearted detours, including their visit to JPL and the classic “good things” wrap-up.
Corrections and Updates
Language and accountability
- Karen revisits an earlier correction and acknowledges using the outdated term “transvestite” instead of “transgender.”
- Both hosts reflect on how language evolves and emphasize being open to correction, especially when discussing marginalized communities.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
- They revisit their discussion of Wind River and recommend the CBC podcast Missing & Murdered, hosted by Connie Walker.
- They specifically highlight:
- Who Killed Alberta Williams?
- Finding Cleo
- Later in the episode, they note major updates:
- Canada’s National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released its final report in 2019
- Connie Walker later won a Pulitzer Prize and Peabody Award for Stolen: Surviving St. Michael’s in 2023
Other updates
- They share that the JPL tour they mentioned happened thanks to a listener connection and was led by engineer Lou Gersh, who works on Europa project entry/descent/landing systems.
- They also briefly memorialize Stephen Hawking and later discuss the episode’s title and other recurring bits.
Case 1: The Murder of Rachel Hoffman
Who Rachel was
Rachel Hoffman was a bright, well-liked Florida State University graduate with plans for a master’s program in mental health counseling. She was also interested in using cooking as a way to connect with at-risk youth.
How the case unfolded
- Rachel had been caught with marijuana and was facing consequences related to a court-ordered drug program.
- Police pressured her to become a confidential informant (CI) in exchange for leniency.
- She was pushed into a dangerous undercover sting beyond her experience level, including:
- trying to arrange large drug buys
- requesting cocaine, ecstasy, and a gun
- Despite police surveillance, she lost contact with officers during the sting and was ultimately murdered by two men who had set her up.
Why the case mattered
Karen and Georgia emphasize that:
- Rachel was young, inexperienced, and untrained
- The police put her in a situation far beyond what she could handle
- The case showed how dangerous and poorly regulated CI practices can be
Impact and reforms
- Rachel’s parents fought to change the system and helped create Rachel’s Law
- The law established new guidelines for using informants, though the hosts note it was still limited
- They underline the broader problem: informants are often poor, young, and vulnerable people pushed into high-risk situations
Broader context
The episode also explores other tragic CI cases, including:
- LeBron Gaither
- Shelly Hilliard These examples reinforce the hosts’ criticism of the war on drugs and the way informant systems disproportionately harm marginalized people.
Case 2: The Murder of Bonnie Lee Bakley and Robert Blake
Bonnie Lee Bakley’s background
Bonnie Lee Bakley had a chaotic, hustling life marked by:
- multiple marriages
- fraud charges
- a career selling nude photos by mail
- a strong obsession with celebrity
She was determined to get close to fame and repeatedly reinvented herself to do it.
Her relationship with Robert Blake
- Bonnie met actor Robert Blake in 2000 at a jazz club.
- Their relationship was volatile and strange from the start.
- She also had ties to Christian Brando, and at one point both Brando and Blake believed they might be the father of her child.
- After a paternity test confirmed Blake was the father of her daughter Rose, Blake pushed for custody and marriage.
The murder
- Bonnie and Blake went to Vitello’s for dinner on May 4, 2001.
- After leaving the restaurant, Bonnie was shot in Blake’s car in the parking lot.
- Blake claimed he had gone back into the restaurant to retrieve his gun, but witnesses and evidence didn’t support his story.
- Bonnie died at the hospital.
Trial and outcome
- Blake was later acquitted criminally in 2005.
- The hosts note that his defense team aggressively attacked Bonnie’s character, using her past to distract from the murder allegations.
- In a civil trial, Blake was later found liable for Bonnie’s wrongful death.
- He eventually filed for bankruptcy and remained financially ruined.
Aftermath
- Blake’s public image collapsed.
- A later interview with Pierce Morgan is described as wild and combative.
- The hosts note that he died in 2023.
- Bonnie’s daughter Rose Lenore Blake is now an adult and lives a quiet life.
Personal Side Stories and “Good Things”
JPL and space ice cream
- The hosts gush about touring Jet Propulsion Laboratory and buying nostalgic space ice cream.
- They describe the campus and scientists as incredibly cool and impressive.
TV and movies they’re enjoying
- Georgia recommends the Norwegian crime drama Borderliner
- Karen shares excitement about the documentary Los Angeles Plays Itself, which explores how Los Angeles appears in film and TV
- Karen also mentions her recent work on Baskets and says one episode made her laugh in a way her own writing rarely does
Key Takeaways
- Confidential informant systems can be deeply exploitative and deadly, especially for young or low-level offenders.
- Bonnie Lee Bakley’s murder case shows how a victim’s flawed past can be weaponized to obscure accountability.
- Both stories reflect a recurring theme of the episode: the justice system often treats vulnerable people as disposable.
- The hosts also reinforce one of the podcast’s core values: being open to correction, learning, and updating themselves publicly.
Notable Phrases and Running Jokes
- “Altar of doubt” — Georgia’s therapist phrase about her tendency to distrust good things
- “Hire the parrot instead” — a joking nod to Robert Blake / Beretta
- “Galore galore” — the original episode title and a recurring bit in the rewind
- “Party vibes” — their running attempt to name the recurring positive segment