Actor Daniel Wozniak had no money, a wedding he could not afford, and a plan that would shock California. Instead of working to fix his problems, he chose murder. His first victim was 26-year-old Army veteran Sam Herr, a friend who trusted him and had more than $60,000 in savings. Wozniak lured Sam to a theater, shot him twice, and began staging a twisted cover-up.

To make Sam look like a killer on the run, Wozniak tricked 23-year-old Julie Kibuishi into visiting Sam’s apartment. He murdered her and staged the scene to look like a jealous rage killing. Then he put on his costume, walked on stage, and performed in a musical as if nothing had happened.

But the illusion fell apart fast. Police traced ATM withdrawals to a teenager who exposed Wozniak’s scheme. Confronted with overwhelming evidence, he confessed. Jurors took only one hour to convict him.

Was this the desperate act of a man cornered by debt, or the performance of a cold-blooded killer who valued applause more than human life?

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