Overview of Rewind with Karen & Georgia: “Errant Duct Tape”
Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark revisit their June 2018 episode of My Favorite Murder, looking back on its jokes, fan-cult news, and two cases: the unsolved Melbourne crimes attributed to Mr. Cruel and the murder of Girly Chew Hossencofft in New Mexico. They also share later developments and reflect on what has changed since the original episode.
Rewinding the Original Episode
The hosts revisit the episode’s loose, comic opening, including jokes about their “tight” podcasting skills, big heads, bad borrowed clothes, and true-crime TV. They also recall promoting the fan cult, which offered merchandise, community features, and previously unreleased live shows. In the present-day rewind, they note that the fan cult is still active and discuss how their show and audience have grown.
The Mr. Cruel Case
In Melbourne, Australia, an unidentified offender known as Mr. Cruel abducted and sexually assaulted girls in a series of attacks from the late 1980s into the early 1990s. The episode focuses on three known victims: an 11-year-old survivor abducted in 1987, 10-year-old Sharon Wills in 1988, and 13-year-old Nicola Lynas in 1990. The girls were held blindfolded, and the attacker took steps to hide forensic evidence. Sharon and Nicola were released alive.
In 1991, 13-year-old Carmen Chan was abducted from her family home. Her remains were found nearly a year later; she had been shot. Investigators suspected Mr. Cruel, but her case exposed problems at the crime scene: police set up their command post inside the house, potentially compromising evidence. A large investigation, Operation Spectrum, followed thousands of leads and examined tens of thousands of homes, but did not identify the offender. The investigation also prompted changes to Victorian police procedures for handling major crimes.
Mr. Cruel has never been identified, and no later crimes have been definitively linked to him. The hosts discuss similarities people have drawn between Mr. Cruel and the Golden State Killer, but say police ruled out a connection. In an update, they report that a former Victoria Police forensic physician said he had collected genetic evidence that might help identify Mr. Cruel; the episode notes that no follow-up had been reported.
The Murder of Girly Chew Hossencofft
Karen tells the story of Girly Chew Hossencofft, a Malaysian-born bank teller living in New Mexico who had separated from her husband, Diazien Hossencofft, after learning about his threats, deception, and relationships with other women. Diazien, who also used the name Armando Chavez, falsely presented himself as a doctor and claimed to have miracle treatments.
Girly disappeared in September 1999. Investigators found signs of a cleanup in her apartment and took up the full carpet for forensic testing. The case led them to Diazien and his fiancée, Linda Henning, who had denied knowing Girly but had visited her bank branch. Evidence and testimony linked both to the crime. The episode describes Diazien’s elaborate alien conspiracy claims and how he used them to draw Linda into the plot. Her mental health and possible delusions later became central to the case.
Diazien pleaded guilty and received a life sentence. Linda was convicted of murder and kidnapping and also sentenced to life. A third associate, Bill Miller, was not charged. Girly’s remains were never recovered.
The rewind includes significant legal developments: Diazien had sought to overturn his sentence, and in October 2026 Linda was released after a judge vacated her conviction, finding that she had been incompetent to stand trial and that her lawyer had failed to disclose her schizophrenia diagnosis. The episode says a new trial is expected.
Other Highlights and Recommendations
The hosts share entertainment and personal recommendations from the original episode and its rewind. These include the series Howard’s End, Safe, and Killing Eve; albums by Neko Case and Courtney Barnett; and the personal-finance podcast Her Money Matters, which later became Her Dinero Matters. They also recommend Jen Sincero’s books about confidence and money.
Karen and Georgia close by saying listeners do not need to defend the podcast against people who dislike it. They value their community while affirming that people can have different opinions about popular culture.