Rom Crime

In this weeks episode Vonia covers Netflix’s smash hit Rom Com, The Kissing Booth. This movie navigates Elle Evans (Joey King) junior year of high school. She dance, dance revolutions with her best friend Lee (Joel Courtney) all while hiding her intense romance with Lee’s big brother Noah (Jacob Elordi). Suffice it to say secrets never stay secrets for long and Elle has to decide whether or not to follow the “rules” or her heart. We ❤️ this movie although we have some major issues with the “Los Angeles” of it all and for the love of Pete someone give Joey King an apple crate!

Then Averyn tells the head spinning true story of the murder of 33 year old Aliquippa teacher, Rachael DelTondo. The list of suspects is long and possible motives abound. Was it the 17 year old high school football star she may have been secretly sleeping with? Was it a corrupt police officer who found out Rachael was helping the state AG’s office investigate the Aliquippa police department? Or was it her former fiancé the “Wolf of Aliquippa” Frank Catroppa who possibly anonymously distributed a police incident report that cost Rachael her job and all her friends? 

Fire Island + The Last Call Killer = Last Call on Fire Island

In this weeks episode summer officially kicks off with Vonia’s coverage of Fire Island. This brand new Rom Com reimagines Pride and Prejudice through a group of queer friends on what turns out to be their last annual summer trip to Fire Island. Vonia and Averyn love, Love, LOVE this movie. It’s funny and raunchy and romantic and it made us so nostalgic for summer trips with great friends! If you haven’t seen it yet we highly recommend you check out this fabulous new movie streaming on Hulu.

Then Averyn tells the true crime story of shockingly unknown serial murderer, The Last Call Killer. This monster terrorized New York City’s LGBTQ+ community in the early 90s when a series of men were found dismembered, their body parts left in multiple garbage bags along the highway in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. The only clues at first were that the victims had all been last seen at popular New York City piano bars before they disappeared. The case went cold for several years before new finger print technology led police to a middle aged pediatric nurse that had been hiding in plain sight among the community all along.

Crazy Rich Asians + The murder of Nancy Gan = Crazy Rich Asians Murdered by Maid

In this weeks episode Vonia covers the decadent and deliciously gorgeous Rom Com, Crazy Rich Asians. This 2018 film was a smash hit and gave the world dreamboat of all dreamboats Henry Golding and for this alone we are forever grateful! It also features a hilarious Awkwafina who we think should be in everything!

Then Averyn tells the true story of well liked and respected Singapore socialite Nancy Gan. Nancy was murdered by her young maid Dewi Sukowati less than a week after she began working in her home. Dewi claims she snapped after six days of being verbally and physically abused by her boss Nancy and it turned out there were former employees of Madam Gan who could corroborate these claims with stories of their own abuse.

In this weeks episode Vonia covers her favorite Bromantic Comedy, I Love You Man! This film centers around an upcoming wedding but rather than focus on the future bride and groom it focuses on real estate agent Peter’s (Paul Rudd) search for a best man when he realizes that his mom is his best friend. Enter Sydney (Jason Segal) a frequenter of open houses because he likes the provided spread and the possibility of meeting a divorcée. Peter and Sydney make it through an awkward first voicemail and become the best of friends. This movie is hilarious and heartwarming and we love it!

Then Averyn tells the true story of the unsolved murder of Lindsay Buziak. Lindsay was a beloved 24 year old real estate agent at the start of her career when she received a call from a woman with a strange sounding accent looking for a million dollar home. Although weirded out by the way the woman’s accent seemed fake Lindsay agreed to show the woman and her husband a few homes. On the day of the showing two witnesses saw a couple greeting Lindsay in the driveway of 1702 De Souza Pl. at 5:30 pm. No more than ten minutes later Lindsay would be dead and the couple vanished. Clear to police that Lindsay had been lured to her death they then had to look for who would want Lindsay dead and why. Was it her boyfriend? Was it her ex boyfriend? Was it the drug cartel? Police are still searching for answers along with Lindsay’s family 14 years later.

She & He’s All That + The Murder of Maren Sanchez = She/He(s) All That No More

In this weeks episode Vonia does her first Rom Com mash up, covering 1999s She’s All That and the 2021 reboot He’s All That. The original film stars the woefully wooden Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachel Lee Cook with a premise that brings non stop cringe worthy moments but a damn good theme song. The reboot attempts to be less of a mess and in some ways succeeds but overall we are left feeling like the only lesson to be learned from these movies is high school is hard and everybody sucks.

Then Averyn tells the true story of Maren Sanchez a talented student who was murdered in the stairwell of her high school by the boy whose prom invitation she politely declined. How does something like this happen? Why does something like this happen?

In this weeks episode Vonia covers a Rom Com inspired by a trip she just took. That’s right folks we are talking Palm Springs! This movie, not to mention the city where it takes place, is the BEST! When two guests at a wedding end up trapped in a time loop together they bicker, they banter and they fall in love ❤️ Tired of reliving the same day over and over the pair decide (after a lot of scientific research) to risk it all to set themselves free.

Then Averyn tells the true crime story of the first triple homicide in Palm Springs history. In 1978 Ed and Sophia Friendly and their housekeeper Frances Williams were assassinated in their home while preparing for dinner. Investigators discovered a potential motive in a million dollar trust Sophia’s son was desperate to get his hands on. Police, certain they knew who committed these murders, crossed multiple continents in an attempt to find something other than circumstantial evidence but justice remained just beyond their reach.

In this weeks episode Vonia covers the classic Rom Com, Miss Congeniality. While certain elements of this 22 year old film don’t hold up we still love it for all it’s Sandra Bullock bad-assery and depiction of women supporting each other. This movie coverage also comes with the reveal that our very own Vonia has a history with beauty pageants ("scholarship pageants") and did in fact win Miss Congeniality all while freeing the nipple!

Then Averyn tells the true crime story of the murder of Nona Dirksmeyer. Nona was the reigning Miss Petit Jean Valley when her life was brutally and cruelly cut short just weeks before her 20 birthday. Police immediately honed in on Nona’s boyfriend, Kevin Jones, as the prime suspect as their small town demanded justice for Nona. But at Kevin’s murder trial it became clear that police hadn’t performed even the most perfunctory investigation into Nona’s murder deciding instead that it had to have been Kevin. After he was found not guilty Kevin and his family swore to find the person who had killed Nona and bring him to justice. A real investigation was done and it was discovered that Nona’s neighbor, Gary Dunn, was a convicted sexual predator who had been caught lurking around Nona’s apartment in the middle of the night in the weeks leading up to her death. Since then there have been two more trials and still no justice for Nona.

To All the Boy I Loved Before + The Dyatlov’s Pass Incident = To All the Boys (and Girls) Lost in the Dyatlov’s Pass Incident

In this weeks episode Vonia covers the utterly charming, sweet, wonderful Rom Com, To All the Boys I Loved Before! You’re hearing it here folks… this movie is why Rom Coms must exist! When the secret love letters Lara Jean keeps hidden in her bedroom get mailed out to her crushes, including her sisters ex boyfriend Josh, she and Peter (another letter recipient) embark on a fake relationship to help him make his ex girlfriend jealous and to help her avoid a horrifyingly awkward conversation with Josh. Fake feelings become real feelings and meanwhile we are having ALL the feelings 😍 

Then Averyn dives into the mystery of the Dyatlov’s Pass Incident. A mountain pass in The Ural Mountains named for the leader of a skiing expedition where all nine members of the group died mysteriously. On February 2nd, 1959 something happened that led these nine experienced hikers to cut their way out of their tent and flee shoeless into the freezing night. Some were found frozen wearing only underwear and others were found frozen missing their eyeballs and tongue. What happened that night? Was it an avalanche or maybe a secret military test gone wrong? Was it aliens (mysterious orange orbs were seen in the area) or perhaps the elusive Yeti? Officially their deaths are listed as caused by natural forces but it just doesn’t add up.

In this weeks episode Averyn and Vonia flip the script! Averyn picks the crime and Vonia has to find a Rom Com to pair with it. So we begin with story of the horrible and mysterious death of 24 year old Australian, Phoebe Handsjuk. On The night of Dec. 2 2010 Phoebe’s body was discovered in the garbage room of the luxury apartment building where she lived with her boyfriend Ant Hempel. Phoebe fell feet first down 12 flights in the garbage chute before being thrown out of the trash compactor into a trash bin. Phoebe miraculously survived this fall but died shortly after from blood loss due to her injuries. Police immediately assume suicide. The coroner rules it an accident. But her family isn’t buying it. If Phoebe got into the chute herself why aren’t there any of her finger prints on or around the garbage chute. If it was a horrible alcohol and sleeping pill induced accident why were all of Phoebe’s emails deleted before police bothered to look for evidence there. If it isn’t foul play then why did another one of Ant’s girlfriends end up dead under mysterious circumstances 8 years later?

Then Vonia covers the 80s Rom Com flop, Mannequin. This is a story about a man besotted by his own creation. When a struggling artist discovers the mannequin he made comes alive at night he quickly falls in love with her. The two save the department store where the mannequin lives from certain closure all while those around him question his sanity. This movie might not be great and it might often border on offensive in its portrayal of certain characters but it did give us one glorious gift… the Starship song ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now’ was written specifically for the movie Mannequin.

There’s Something About Mary + The murders of Mary Lou Henderson Morris and Mary McGinnis Morris = There’s Something About Mary Morris

In this weeks episode Vonia revisits raunchy Rom Com, There’s Something About Mary. This movie has more moments of laugh out loud gross out humor and we are HERE for it! Then Averyn dives into the real life mystery of the murders of Mary Morris. In October of 2000, two women both named Mary Morris who both lived in the suburbs of Houston, were found murdered in their cars in remote areas within days of each other. It’s been 22 years and neither of these cases has ever been solved. Is their shared name a coincidence or a murder for hire plot gone terribly wrong? Was one Marys murder used to cover up the other Marys murder and if so which one? 

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