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From Protection to Peril, the Sabrina Zunich Case- Ep. 100
In this harrowing milestone episode, Charity unpacks one of the most shocking and heartbreaking cases to ever come through the foster care system—the murder of Lisa Knoefel, a dedicated social worker and loving mother, at the hands of the teen she brought into her home to protect.
What began as an act of compassion—taking in 16-year-old Sabrina Zunich, a girl with a traumatic past and severe mental health struggles—quickly twisted into something unimaginable. Grooming. Manipulation. A secret relationship. And a murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by the one person Lisa should have been able to trust: her husband, Kevin Knoefel.
Charity walks through Sabrina’s turbulent childhood, the psychological vulnerabilities that made her a target, the disturbing evolution of her relationship with Kevin, and the brutal 178-stab murder that shook Willoughby Hills, Ohio. This episode also highlights systemic failures in foster care, the red flags that were missed, and how a teenager in crisis was weaponized by a manipulative adult to destroy the very family trying to help her.
Episode Highlights
Reflection
Lisa Knoefel spent her life protecting children. She opened her home to a teenager who desperately needed safety. And she was betrayed by the system she trusted and the man she loved.
This case is a devastating reminder:
When red flags are ignored, vulnerable people pay the highest price.
Resources & References
Daughter Gets Life in Foster Mom's Stabbing Death
Oxygen: Sabrina Zunich
State of Ohio Vs. Kevin Knoefel
$6.2 Million Awarded in Lisa Knoefel Murder Case
What You Need To Know About The Sabrina Zunich Case Ahead Of The Premiere Of 'Snapped: Behind Bars
The Tragic Murder of Lisa Knoefel
Relationship Details Revealed Between Husband, Foster Daughter
Lisa Knoefel Murder: How Did She Die? Who Killed Her?
Graphic Details of Woman’s Murder Come Out in Husband’s Trial
Man Manipulated Teenage Foster Daughter to Fatally Stab His Wife
Worth More Dead Than Alive
Sabrina Zunich Teen Killer Murders Foster Mother
'I Was Not Mentally There,' Woman Who Murdered Foster Mom at Foster Dad's Request Says in Prison Interview
40 Foster Children Statistics & Facts: 2025 Data
U.S. Foster Care Statistics 2025
What Impacts Placement Stability?
The Impact of Placement Stability on Behavioral Well-Being for Children in Foster Care
Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more.
https://www.escapepod.live
Do you have a story that you want to share with EscapePod? Or do you just want to reach out to us with your comments and thoughts?
General mail: [email protected]
Submit listener stories: [email protected]
On Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EscapePod.traumedy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escape_pod_podcast/
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By Escape PodIn this harrowing milestone episode, Charity unpacks one of the most shocking and heartbreaking cases to ever come through the foster care system—the murder of Lisa Knoefel, a dedicated social worker and loving mother, at the hands of the teen she brought into her home to protect.
What began as an act of compassion—taking in 16-year-old Sabrina Zunich, a girl with a traumatic past and severe mental health struggles—quickly twisted into something unimaginable. Grooming. Manipulation. A secret relationship. And a murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by the one person Lisa should have been able to trust: her husband, Kevin Knoefel.
Charity walks through Sabrina’s turbulent childhood, the psychological vulnerabilities that made her a target, the disturbing evolution of her relationship with Kevin, and the brutal 178-stab murder that shook Willoughby Hills, Ohio. This episode also highlights systemic failures in foster care, the red flags that were missed, and how a teenager in crisis was weaponized by a manipulative adult to destroy the very family trying to help her.
Episode Highlights
Reflection
Lisa Knoefel spent her life protecting children. She opened her home to a teenager who desperately needed safety. And she was betrayed by the system she trusted and the man she loved.
This case is a devastating reminder:
When red flags are ignored, vulnerable people pay the highest price.
Resources & References
Daughter Gets Life in Foster Mom's Stabbing Death
Oxygen: Sabrina Zunich
State of Ohio Vs. Kevin Knoefel
$6.2 Million Awarded in Lisa Knoefel Murder Case
What You Need To Know About The Sabrina Zunich Case Ahead Of The Premiere Of 'Snapped: Behind Bars
The Tragic Murder of Lisa Knoefel
Relationship Details Revealed Between Husband, Foster Daughter
Lisa Knoefel Murder: How Did She Die? Who Killed Her?
Graphic Details of Woman’s Murder Come Out in Husband’s Trial
Man Manipulated Teenage Foster Daughter to Fatally Stab His Wife
Worth More Dead Than Alive
Sabrina Zunich Teen Killer Murders Foster Mother
'I Was Not Mentally There,' Woman Who Murdered Foster Mom at Foster Dad's Request Says in Prison Interview
40 Foster Children Statistics & Facts: 2025 Data
U.S. Foster Care Statistics 2025
What Impacts Placement Stability?
The Impact of Placement Stability on Behavioral Well-Being for Children in Foster Care
Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more.
https://www.escapepod.live
Do you have a story that you want to share with EscapePod? Or do you just want to reach out to us with your comments and thoughts?
General mail: [email protected]
Submit listener stories: [email protected]
On Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EscapePod.traumedy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escape_pod_podcast/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Escape_Pod_podcast/videos
Subscribe and listen now- https://linktr.ee/escapepod57701