True Crime’s Area 51 Podcast

Jim Kitlas retells his harrowing journey from murder suspect and San Quentin inmate to free man and advocate for transitional housing in California.

The phrase “there’s a lot to unpack” is the perfect summation of a complex situation. That’s certainly true when it comes to Jim Kitlas’ story.

Kitlas, who is profiled in the WildBlue Press book “Where Murder Lies: Death and Deception in West Hollywood”, by Burl Barer and Frank C. Girardot, Jr., tells how he was sent to Tinseltown as a homeless teenager, got involved with a low level Russian mobster, and was tried for 2004 murder of a school teacher found strangled in a West Hollywood apartment.

During his incarceration, Kitlas ultimately experienced significant personal growth and rehabilitation. He spent much of his time in San Quentin, where he engaged in extensive programming, including trauma transformation workshops and courses on criminal thinking and healthy relationships.

In Episode 1 of the True Crime Area 51, he tells the beginning of that story.

This is a video of a Sheriff's Press Conference in San Marino California on Jan. 6. 2025 following a house fire and the discovery of a dead woman identified as Dr. Irene Gaw-Lai.