Woody Overton revisits the terrifying crimes of the Hillside Stranglers, cousins Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono, who abducted, sexually assaulted and murdered ten young women and girls in Los Angeles during the late 1970s. Their victims were left on hillsides, and the investigation eventually unraveled after Bianchi committed two additional murders in Washington. Woody examines how the killers were caught, their sentences and the victims whose lives were taken.
The episode also explores the 1931 tax-evasion conviction of Al Capone, a forensic breakthrough in the 2002 D.C. sniper investigation, and the brutal history of execution by hanging, drawing and quartering.
Woody then turns to the controversial case of Christa Pike, a Tennessee death-row inmate who survived a failed lethal-injection attempt. He discusses the reported medical complications, confusion surrounding emergency calls from the prison, and the legal questions raised by the state's decision to suspend further executions. Throughout the episode, Woody returns to the suffering of Pike's victim, Colleen Slemmer, and the importance of remembering victims when discussing capital punishment.
True Crime Time For, Woody Overton, Real Life Real Crime, October 17 2026, Hillside Stranglers, Kenneth Bianchi, Angelo Buono, Yolanda Washington, Los Angeles serial killers, Al Capone, tax evasion, D.C. sniper attacks, Beltway snipers, Lee Boyd Malvo, John Allen Muhammad, Christa Pike, Colleen Slemmer, Tennessee death penalty, botched execution, lethal injection, prison emergency response, capital punishment, hanging drawing and quartering, true crime
- The Hillside Stranglers and the murder of Yolanda Washington
- Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono's serial murders in Los Angeles
- Bianchi's arrest in Washington and the convictions that followed
- Al Capone's 1931 tax-evasion conviction
- Fingerprint evidence in the D.C. Beltway sniper investigation
- Assassination of Israeli minister Rehavam Ze'evi
- The historical punishment of hanging, drawing and quartering
- Christa Pike's reported failed lethal-injection execution
- Emergency-response confusion and 911 calls from the Tennessee prison
- Colleen Slemmer's murder and the debate over capital punishment
The Hillside Stranglers case highlights the devastating consequences of serial violence and the unequal attention victims sometimes receive. Woody examines how the murders of vulnerable women initially drew less public attention and how the investigation ultimately connected two killers operating across state lines.
Christa Pike's case raises serious questions about execution procedures and emergency preparedness. The episode describes a reported failed execution, delays and confusion involving emergency responders, and the resulting debate over whether another execution attempt would be legally permissible.
The victims must remain central to the conversation. While execution procedures and prisoners' rights generate controversy, Woody emphasizes the suffering of Colleen Slemmer and her loved ones, reminding listeners that the original crime should never be forgotten.
Never give up, never surrender.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code RLRC for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com
* Check out Vinted: https://www.vinted.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
