In 1995, 15-year-old Elyse Pahler disappeared from her home in Arroyo Grande, California. For months, police brushed her off as a runaway. Her family begged for answers. Rumours spread. Tips went nowhere. And meanwhile, the truth was sitting in the eucalyptus grove just a quarter mile from her house.

This episode dives into the disturbing case of Elyse Pahler, a story twisted by Satanic Panic headlines, Slayer lyrics, and courtroom theatrics, but at its core, it’s about a bright, ambitious teenager who trusted the wrong people. Three local boys, obsessed with violence, drugs, and a fantasy of satanic “power,” lured Elyse out one summer night with promises of drugs and friendship. What followed was an unthinkable murder that rocked their quiet community to its foundation.

We’ll walk through Elyse’s life, her disappearance, the boys’ bizarre motivations, the shocking confessions, the trials, the lawsuits against Slayer, and the emotional aftermath her family is still navigating almost 30 years later. Including recent updates: the 2025 parole releases of two of her killers, and the upcoming parole hearing for the third.

This is one of those cases people think they know — but behind the sensationalism is a real girl who deserved so much more.

Listener discretion is strongly advised.

Sources:

https://morbidology.com/the-satanic-sacrifice-of-elyse-pahler/

https://www.timbercreektalon.com/2021/10/horror-hotspot-the-murder-of-elyse-pahler/

https://religion.fandom.com/wiki/Elyse_Pahler

https://people.com/satanic-ritual-murder-death-metal-elyse-pahler-royce-casey-prison-release-11801921

In the Name of Satan by Wensley Clarkson (highly recommended but difficult in parts)

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