Knife Freak

Murder In The Rain

True Crime

4.2 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 10 February 2026

⏱️ 51 minutes

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Summary

This episode started as an anthology. Three seemingly connected cases told together. Then I got into this case and realized, as usual, there was much more there than it seemed. Shellie Szabo was just a teenager when she was murdered. In her young years, she had been trafficked into sex work, had lost a child, and was struggling to get her life back on track. Her killer was caught, but was justice served? And did he learn his lesson? You probably already know the answers to those questions… Oregon Journal Nov 28 1978 Murdered prostitute "needed help" - The Daily Astorian Nov 29 1978- Prostitute's mother tells of death - East Oregonian May 14 1973 - Circuit Court - Shellie R. Szabo (1959-1978) - Find a Grave Memorial - Oregon Journal May 11 1979 Prostitute murder jury hears of night of terror - Been Verified- Dennis Dean Kersting - State v. Kersting :: 1981 :: Oregon Court of Appeals Decisions - Oregon Journal Nov 27 1978- Clues Hunted in Woman's Murder - Oregon Journal Dec 11 1978- Police Probe Death of Woman Found Nude in West Linn Park - State v. Kersting :: 1982 :: Oregon Supreme Court Decisions - The Oregonian Nov 27 1978- Stab-victim's body found near railyard - The Daily Astorian Nov 27 1978- Body Discovered - The Oregon Daily Journal June 26 1969- 5 indicted - The Oregonian Jan 27 1979- Man indicted for murder - The Oregonian Dec 8 1978- Second prostitute slain in 11 days - Sandy man pleads guilty to sexually abusing homeless woman | Clackamas County - Convicted killer nicknamed 'Lurch' sexually abused homeless Portland woman - State v. Kersting :: 1982 :: Oregon Supreme Court Decisions - The Oregon Daily Journal June 16 1969- Five Indicted - The Oregon Daily Journal July 24 1969- 2 Men Sentenced - The Oregonian Jan 27 1979- Man indicted for murder - The Oregonian Jan 30 1979- Man Denies Murder Guilt - Oregon Journal Jan 30 1979- Murder tiral set March 21 - The Oregonian May 9 1979- Prosecutor ties victim to defendant in murder - Oregon Journal May 16 1979 - On trial for murder Defendant admits prostitute was in his truck - Oregon Journal- Kersting guilty of killing prostitute Our Sponsors: * Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Transcript

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0:00.0	The
0:07.0	The This episode started as an anthology. Three seemingly connected cases told together.
0:34.2	Then I got into the case and realized, as usual, there was much more there than it seemed.
0:40.0	Shelly Sabo was just a teenager when she was murdered. In her young years, she had been trafficked into
0:45.5	sex work, had lost a child, and was struggling to get her life back on track. Her killer was
0:50.8	caught, but was justice served? And did he learn his lesson?
0:57.3	You probably already know the answers to those questions.
0:59.0	Unlikely.
1:01.6	Unlikely?
1:04.6	Well, yeah, yeah, yeah.
1:09.0	Laslo Sabo was born in Hungary back in 1935. In 1963, and now located in Dayton, Washington, he wed
1:13.7	weddarl Louise Holly Wilder. At some point, the couple moved to and lived in Idaho. In May of
1:19.9	1973, 10 years and four children later, the couple divorced. Darrell was granted full custody,
1:26.3	and the paper felt it was necessary to share
1:28.2	not only were they getting a divorce, but she would be receiving $250 a month in child support.
1:33.9	And for the record, there were multiple reports that said they had four children and also five
1:38.7	children, so between four and five. One of those children was Shelly Renee Zabbo. Of all of the children, Darrell said
1:46.7	Shelley was the only one who ever caused any trouble. Hoping a change in scenery would help
1:51.6	Shelly, Darrell and the rest of the kids moved to Portland in 1975. They may have spent some
1:56.7	time in Hermiston on their way, as that was where Shelley raised a grand champion lamb
2:01.5	for her 4-H. In Portland, the change didn't have the hoped-for effect on Shelley's behavior,
2:08.0	and soon she ran back to Meridian, Ohio, where she stayed with her older sister Sue.
	...

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