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Sneak peek: The Pretender

March 26, 2015 / 04:01

This episode covers the tragic case of the Longo family murders, the investigation led by Trish Miller, and the subsequent capture of suspect Christian Longo. Key discussions include the discovery of the bodies of Zachary and Satie Longo, the search efforts in Baldwart, and the connection between Michael Finkele and Longo.

Trish Miller, the lead investigator, describes the initial report of a child found in the bay on December 19, 2001. The investigation revealed a second child, leading to a community filled with confusion and fear as they searched for answers.

The bodies of the children's mother, Mary Jane Longo, and their sister, Madison Longo, were later discovered, raising suspicions about their father, Chris Longo. He fled to Cancun, Mexico, shortly after the murders.

Michael Finkele, a writer for the New York Times magazine, shares his personal connection to the case, revealing that Longo pretended to be him while in Mexico. Finkele recounts a chilling encounter with Longo, who remained calm and composed during their conversation.

The episode examines the impact of the murders on the small town of Baldwart and the relentless pursuit of justice for the Longo children.

TLDR

The episode details the Longo family murders and the investigation led by Trish Miller, focusing on suspect Christian Longo's capture.

Episode

4:01
00:00:03
[Music] There was nothing that was important to her as much as those kids. Those kids
00:00:29
were her world. But the last time we got together, I noticed she wasn't the sister I
00:00:37
knew. You thought she was in danger? I knew she was. It started on December 19th, 2001.
00:00:53
Um, we got a report of a child in the bay. My first thought was that he had wandered away from someone's house and
00:01:01
had fallen in the water and drowned. My name is Trish Miller and I'm the lead investigator. We did a neighborhood
00:01:09
canvas of that area. We knocked on every door. Every child in the 2,000 person town of
00:01:16
Baldwart was checked upon. No one was found missing. It was a complete mystery. We thought that maybe there was a car
00:01:23
accident and that a vehicle had gone in the water. and we would find the rest of the
00:01:31
family. A sheriff's office dive team was sent to investigate the waters where the body
00:01:39
was found and they discovered a second child. This was a little girl and she was waited
00:01:47
down in the water uh with the rock. The feeling in town was of confusion, grief and of fear. Nobody knew if a
00:01:57
killer was living amongst them. Identifications were made. I know ABC. The boy was named Zachary Michael Longo.
00:02:07
He was a few months shy of his fifth birthday. The young girl was named Satie Anne Longo. She was 3 and 1/2 years
00:02:16
old. About a week after the first body was found, the bodies of Mary Jane Longo and Madison Longo were found at the
00:02:24
bottom of a bay. [Music] Once we found Mary Jane and Madison, we knew that our focal suspect was going to
00:02:32
be Chris Longo. The whole family's dead. And he's nowhere to be found. It was discovered that Christian Longo
00:02:42
had caught a plane to Cancun, Mexico. My name is Michael Finkele. I was a writer
00:02:47
for the New York Times magazine. I had a personal connection because I learned that while Christian Longo was in
00:02:54
Mexico, he was pretending to be a writer for the New York Times. In fact, he was
00:02:59
pretending to be me. Thank you for seeing me, Mr. Long. Call me Chris. So, why me? I followed your
00:03:11
whole career. I guess I felt like I knew you. I want to tell you my side of this.
00:03:16
Only you. Maybe at this point it doesn't matter. The truth always matters. It always seems to matter to you.
00:03:25
[Music] I just looked him straight in the eye and I said, you know, Chris, did did you
00:03:30
do what you're accused of doing? And he was as always completely unruffled, never portrayed a moment
00:03:39
of micro panic, nothing. And looked at me and said, "Uh, I think you know." And just like gave me a little wink.
00:03:50
[Music]

Badges

This episode stands out for the following:

  • 90
    Most heartbreaking
  • 80
    Most shocking
  • 80
    Biggest twist
  • 75
    Most intense

Episode Highlights

  • The Mystery Unfolds
    The investigation begins after two children are found dead, sparking fear in the community.
    “It was a complete mystery.”
    @ 01m 18s
    March 26, 2015
  • A Family's Tragedy
    The bodies of Mary Jane and Madison Longo are discovered, deepening the investigation.
    “Once we found Mary Jane and Madison, we knew our focal suspect was going to be Chris Longo.”
    @ 02m 27s
    March 26, 2015
  • The Pretender
    Christian Longo, the main suspect, was found to be impersonating a writer in Mexico.
    “He was pretending to be me.”
    @ 02m 56s
    March 26, 2015

Episode Quotes

  • The truth always matters.
    Sneak peek: The Pretender
  • I think you know.
    Sneak peek: The Pretender

Key Moments

  • Investigation Begins00:53
  • Community Fear01:51
  • Suspect Identified02:25
  • Chilling Interview03:26

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown