Hidden in Plain Sight: The Hollywood Ripper

Hidden in Plain Sight: The Hollywood Ripper

Author: Pretty Wicked | Southern Gothic Media May 13, 2026 Duration: 53:45
In February 2001, Hollywood star Ashton Kutcher drove to a woman's house to pick her up for a date. She didn't answer the door. He looked through the window, saw what he thought was a red wine stain on the carpet, assumed she had gone out without him, and left. The next morning her roommate came home and found her body. She had been stabbed 47 times. The man who killed her had been living a block away, watching her, for months. He had introduced himself as a helpful guy who could fix her furnace. He was friendly at parties. He was, by every account, completely ordinary. He had done this before. He would do it again. And he would not be caught for another seven years. 🖤 FOLLOW PRETTY WICKED New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe so you never miss one. Instagram: @prettywickedthepodcast If you liked this episode, leaving a review means the world and helps other listeners find the show. Pretty Wicked is hosted by Megan Alda. 🖤 SOURCES & FURTHER READING Here is everything used to research this episode. 🔗 WEB SOURCES CBS News / 48 Hours - The Hollywood Ripper: How 48 Hours Helped Crack the Case https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-hollywood-ripper-how-48-hours-helped-crack-the-case-of-convicted-serial-killer-michael-gargiulo/ E! Online - The Chilling Details of the Murder of Ashley Ellerin and the Hollywood Ripper Trial https://www.eonline.com/news/1045255/a-murder-trial-years-in-the-making-3-deaths-an-alleged-serial-killer-and-the-chilling-reason-ashton-kutcher-s-knock-went-unanswered NBC News - Ashton Kutcher Testified He Was Freaking Out When Police Told Him Woman Had Been Killed https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ashton-kutcher-testified-he-was-freaking-out-when-police-told-n1011656 The Daily Beast - Hollywood Ripper Sexual-Thrill Killer Survivor Breaks Her Silence https://www.thedailybeast.com/hollywood-ripper-sexual-thrill-killer-survivor-breaks-her-silence-i-woke-up-with-someone-on-top-of-me/ The Daily Beast - Hollywood Ripper Michael Thomas Gargiulo Sentenced to Death https://www.thedailybeast.com/hollywood-ripper-michael-thomas-gargiulo-sentenced-to-death-for-slaying-2-women/ KTLA - LA Serial Killer Michael Gargiulo Convicted in Murders of Young Women https://ktla.com/news/local-news/trial-begins-in-l-a-for-alleged-serial-sexual-thrill-killer-michael-gargiulo/ Investigation Discovery - How Serial Psychosexual Thrill Killer Michael Gargiulo Got Caught https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/serial-killer/how-serial-psychosexual-thrill-killer-michael-gargiulo-got-caught/ Fox News - Hollywood Ripper Michael Gargiulo Liked to Watch Death https://www.foxnews.com/us/hollywood-ripper-michael-gargiulo-liked-watch-death-inflicting-pain-victims Chicago Sun-Times - Michael Gargiulo Trial: Prosecutor Links Illinois, California Attacks https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2019/8/7/20758568/michael-gargiulo-trial-california-illinous-murders CBS Chicago - Convicted Serial Killer Michael Gargiulo Extradited to Illinois for 1993 Murder of Tricia Pacaccio https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/serial-killer-michael-gargiulo-extradited-murder-tricia-pacaccio/ Fox 32 Chicago - Hollywood Ripper Faces Charges in 1993 Glenview Murder of Tricia Pacaccio https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/michael-gargiulo-1993-glenview-murder-tricia-pacaccio Criminal Discourse Podcast - Michael Gargiulo https://criminaldiscoursepodcast.com/michael-gargiulo/ 🎬 DOCUMENTARY & TV 48 Hours - The Boy Next Door (2011) / The Hollywood Ripper (CBS) The CBS News program that first connected Gargiulo's California murders to the 1993 killing of Tricia Pacaccio in Illinois, and whose broadcast directly prompted witnesses to come forward with information that led to new charges. Once Upon a Crime in Hollywood - Season 2 (2023/2024) Features new interviews with LAPD Homicide Detective Tom Small, the lead investigator on the Ashley Ellerin case, and other key figures. Available to stream. People Magazine Investigates - The Hollywood Ripper (Max/Discovery) In-depth documentary on the full arc of the case from the 1993 Illinois killing through the California murders and the 2019 trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a particular chill that comes from a story told well, a history half-remembered, or a crime that defies easy explanation. Macabrium is built in that space, a podcast where the past isn’t just prologue-it’s an active, whispering presence. Guided by the compelling narration of actors Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown, this series from Southern Gothic Media delves into the shadows where true crime, unsolved mysteries, and regional folklore intertwine. Each episode is a deep dive, whether it’s examining a cold case that still haunts a community, unraveling a local legend passed down for generations, or exploring a historical oddity that challenges the official record. The tone here is immersive and thoughtful, less about sensationalism and more about the lingering resonance of these narratives. You’ll find the production favors atmosphere and careful research, allowing the weight of the stories to settle. It’s for anyone who feels that pull toward the unexplained and the eerily beautiful, who understands that the most captivating tales are often those tinged with melancholy and mystery. Listening to this podcast feels like uncovering secrets; some will genuinely surprise you, while others might linger in your thoughts, prompting a second look at the history you thought you knew. New installments arrive every Tuesday to continue the exploration.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 17

Pretty Wicked
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