Episode 49: Katie Beers

The First Degree

Alexis Linkletter and Jac Vanek

Society & Culture, True Crime, News

4.5 • 10.4K Ratings

🗓️ 17 July 2019

⏱️ 76 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A 10-year-old girl goes missing from an indoor amusement park in Smithtown, New York. The family friend caring for her calls the police and dozens of officers begin searching for little Katie Beers. In the first two weeks, they don’t find her, but they do uncover stories of abuse amidst the disturbing cast of characters entrusted with her care. On episode 48, Jac, Alexis & Billy tell the tale of the race to find Katie, the chilling details of her captivity, and explore how the system left a little girl so vulnerable to a series of dangerous predators. Episode Research Sources & Credits: 'The Katie Beers Case; Mystery Surrounds Suspect and Underground Chamber', Ralph Blumenthal 'Girl, Missing for 16 Days, Is Found in Secret Room' by John T. McQuiston for The New York Times, Jan. 14, 1993. Newsday The New York Times 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Warning. This episode contains graphic content. Listen to our discretion is advised.
0:07.0	First degree. First degree. First degree. First degree. First degree. The first degree.
0:16.0	Get on the news. Get on the paper. Get on the paper.
0:21.0	These things are supposed to happen in movies not real life.
0:28.0	We don't talk to strangers, but if you're a neighbor, you're a stranger.
0:34.0	It's out of being naive. But back then, it just didn't seem as scary.
0:39.0	Now that they have to catch a predator and realizing how many pedophiles are out there.
0:44.0	But it's almost like your naive to the fact that it really could be anybody.
0:49.0	And somebody that is in your neighborhood and we just had no idea.
0:55.0	Hey guys, welcome to the first degree. The true crime podcast that you might end up on.
1:00.0	My name is Jack Vannick. I'm sitting across from Alexis Linkletter and next to Billy Jensen.
1:04.0	Billy is right next to me on the couch again. It all feels right.
1:07.0	It all feels right. But though recording at your apartment last week was really nice.
1:11.0	It was, I mean, my apartment is just the best.
1:13.0	The new rule is on weekends. When we record, we go to Jack Leans.
1:16.0	And I really appreciate you guys appeasing me. I work. You guys super late hours.
1:22.0	And they come to me as a, and I stay up really late writing outlines.
1:25.0	So they come to me as a thank you. And I so appreciate it.
1:28.0	Listen, I drive an hour and a half across the city.
1:32.0	I'm really.
1:34.0	Yes. If you look, if you look at the difference between, you know, going from Santa Monica or wherever you live over to Hollywood.
1:43.0	You might think if you're living in middle middle America, wow, it's 10 miles.
	...

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