The Escape Pod Traumedy

Digital Desire, Deadly Outcomes: The Case of Grant Amato Ep. 97

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In today’s episode, we dive into the disturbing intersection of digital obsession, parasocial relationships, online sex work, addiction, and the psychological phenomenon known as hybristophilia—the attraction to criminals. Few cases capture this toxic blend more clearly than the story of Grant Amato, a Florida man who murdered his entire family in 2019 to continue funding a fantasy relationship with a cam model.

This case is a haunting example of how unchecked obsession, entitlement, and delusion can escalate into catastrophic violence.

 

Inside This Episode

We walk through:

The Amato Family Background
  • Grant, the youngest son of Chad and Margaret Amato, grew up in a stable, financially comfortable household in Chuluota, Florida.
  • Deeply enmeshed family dynamics shaped his early life, with Grant relying heavily on his brother Cody—his closest companion and “favorite person in the world.”
  • Despite privilege and opportunity, Grant struggled to maintain employment and responsibility.

    •  

    The First Cracks
    • Grant was dismissed from his nurse anesthetist program after a heated argument stemming from a medical error.
    • He later lost a nursing job after drugging patients with propofol to make his night shifts “easier.”
    • After his arrest and job loss, Grant spiraled into isolation—turning to the internet to escape reality.

      •  

      Digital Desire: The Parasocial Obsession Begins
      • While attempting to become a Twitch streamer, Grant discovered com and became fixated on a Bulgarian cam model named Silvie.
      • He believed he was in a real romantic relationship with her.
      • Grant spent over $200,000 on Silvie—almost all of it stolen from his parents, brother, and aunt through fraud, stolen debit cards, and opened credit lines.
      • Despite the betrayal, his family refused to press charges and tried relentlessly to support him.
        • Intervention, Collapse, and Escape
        • After repeated theft, the family staged an intervention and took Grant to a treatment facility for depression and sex/internet addiction.
        • His father revealed the truth to Silvie, who cut contact with Grant.
        • Margaret smuggled Grant a phone so he could continue talking to Silvie while in treatment.
        • Less than two weeks later, he left the program, returned home, and was given a strict list of rules.
          • January 24, 2019: The Murders

          Feeling cornered and unwilling to face consequences, Grant murdered:

          • Margaret, shot in the back of the head
          • Chad, shot twice upon returning home
          • Cody, lured into the house with a text sent from their father’s phone

            • He staged the crime scene to resemble a murder-suicide and immediately used public WiFi to reconnect with Silvie using Cody’s bank account.

            Two of Cody’s coworkers requested welfare checks, leading deputies to the home.

            The Investigation
            • Grant showed no emotion during questioning and never asked about his family’s condition.
            • Provided contradictory stories and attempted to blame his father.
            • Forensic evidence—including a thumb drive connected after the murders—tied Grant to the crime.
            • The murder weapon was never found.
            • He was convicted in August 2019 and sentenced to life without parole.
              • Hybristophilia & The Women Who Love Killers

              While in prison:

              • Grant received love letters and formed new parasocial relationships.
              • He even managed to send thousands of dollars to another woman.

                • After the docuseries Control + Alt + Desire aired, another shocking relationship surfaced:

                The Victoria Goodwin Murder-For-Hire Plot
                • Victoria Goodwin, wife of Ghost Adventures star Aaron Goodwin, began writing to Grant.
                • Their pen-pal exchanges morphed into a romantic affair.
                • Using a contraband phone, they conspired to hire a hitman to kill her husband.
                • She set aside $11,515 and provided schedules, vehicle info, and details.
                • The plot was exposed when prison staff discovered Grant’s phone.
                • Victoria pled guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in April 2025.
                  • Why Does This Happen? Understanding Hybristophilia

                  We break down the psychology behind why some women fall in love with violent criminals, including:

                  • The fantasy of “fixing” or healing a dangerous man
                  • Attraction to perceived vulnerability
                  • Desire for attention or attachment
                  • Feeling safe with a partner who is incarcerated
                  • Trauma histories and dysfunctional relational patterns
                  • The role of media in glamorizing criminals (Ted Bundy, Ramirez, Dahmer, etc.)
                  • Social media fan cultures and the “fixing fantasy”
                  • Victim erasure in storytelling

                    • We also highlight well-known criminals who married in prison (Bundy, Ramirez, Tex Watson, the Menendez brothers).

                    Resources & References

                     

                    Grant Amato on Wikipedia 

                    Paramount+: CTRL+ALT+DESIRE 

                    Grant Amato's Brother Testifies | Court TV Trial Archive (2019) 

                    Man Found Guilty of Killing Family Members Sentenced to Life in Prison 

                    Grant Amato Murdered His Family for a Webcam Model He Never Met 

                    No Death Penalty in Amato Case 

                    The Grant Amato Tragedy | Crime & Justice 

                    Prosecutors in Grant Amato Murder Trial Focus on Digital Evidence 

                    Creepy Bonfire: Murder for a Fantasy: Grant Amato’s Deadly Internet Addiction 

                    'Ghost Adventures' Star Learns of Wife's Las Vegas Murder-for-Hire Arrest 

                    Victoria Goodwin Appears Before Judge 

                    Till Death Do Us Part Podcast: Aaron and Victoria Goodwin with Grant Amato 

                    Why Are Some Women Sexually Attracted to Serial Killers? 

                    12 People Who Married Serial Killers After They Were Caught 

                    I'm a Forensic Psychiatrist -  Here's Why Some Women Fall in Love with Murderers | Daily Mail Online 

                    Female Murder Victims and Victim-Offender Relationship, 2021 | Bureau of Justice Statistics 

                    Luigi Mangione's Appeal: Charismatic Killer & Public Fascination 

                    Idolized Criminals – C Magazine 

                    The Dark Side of True Crime: How Media Romanticizes Serial Killers – Paw Print 

                    Criminal Attraction: The Romanticization of Serial Killers | 

                    Media Romanticization of Serial Killers – The Oracle 

                    Idolized Criminals – C Magazine 

                    The Romanticization of Crime: Can Hot People Get Away with Anything? – The Observer 

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