Women and Crime

Ep 390: A woman’s stay at a Costa Rica AirBnB ended in her murder. But whether the company holds any responsibility for her death is still in question.

This is the Carla Stefaniak story.

In November 2018, Carla Stefaniak flew to Costa Rica with her sister-in-law April Burton to celebrate her 29th birthday. Born in Venezuela and raised in South Florida, Carla was warm, adventurous and constantly in touch with her enormous extended family. When April flew home early, Carla booked one more night through Airbnb at Villa Buena Vista, an upscale gated condominium complex just outside San José — close to the airport, well reviewed, and staffed with on-site security. Then a storm rolled in, the power went out, and a FaceTime call ended abruptly at 9 p.m. Megan and Amy walk through Carla's final known hours, the account given by the overnight security guard, and the search mounted by police, volunteers and Carla's own relatives who flew down to look for her. Along the way they explore how Costa Rica's courts work, including why there are no jury trials in Costa Rica and what that means for a case like this. The second half turns to the civil side: the negligent hiring lawsuit filed in Florida, the limits of Airbnb liability when a platform merely connects travelers with hosts, and what this case should change about solo female travel safety.

Sources for Today's Episode:

CBS News

ABC News

The Washington Post

Tampa Bay 28 WFTS

Costa Rica Star News

FOX 13 Tampa

Miami Herald

Credits:

Written and Hosted by Amy Shlosberg and Meghan Sacks

Produced by James Varga

Audio Editor, Jose Alfonzo

Script Editor, Abagail Belcastro

Music by Dessert Media

Get Even More Women&Crime Episodes:

Patreon - Ad-free shows starting at $2 a month, or upgrade for $5 a month to get a new extra episode every month, as well as exclusive virtual HappyHours with Meg & Amy. Check-out other tiers for perks such as lectures, true crime book club, and more! Visit our Patreon page for more info: https://www.patreon.com/womenandcrime/

Apple Subscriptions - Exclusive episodes and ad-free regular stories are now available through Apple's podcast app for only $4.99 a month, or save with an annual membership.

YouTube Memberships - Exclusive episode available on YouTube for only $4.99 a month. https://www.youtube.com/@WomenandCrime/membership/

Help is Available:

If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation, or a victim of domestic, or other violence, there are many organizations that can offer support or help you in your specific situation.

For direct links to these organizations please visit https://womenandcrimepodcast.com/resources/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep 389: Women & Crime: Reconsidered is where we revisit our episode catalog and bring new insights, behind the scenes or updates.

Brand new episodes are STILL every Tuesday!

Original Airdate: 07/19/22

A young woman’s repeated cries for help begging for protection against a predator go unanswered by so many who were sworn to protect, resulting in a tragedy that could have been avoided at every turn.

This is the Tiana Notice story.

Sources for Today's Episode:

An episode of Deadline: Crime with Tamron Hall

The Washington Times

True Crime Daily

Courant.com

Credits:

Written and Hosted by Amy Shlosberg and Meghan Sacks

Produced & Edited by James Varga

Music by Dessert Media

Help is Available:

If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation, or a victim of domestic, or other violence, there are many organizations that can offer support or help you in your specific situation.

For direct links to these organizations please visit https://womenandcrimepodcast.com/resources/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep 388: On their honeymoon in Australia, newlywed Tina Watson died minutes into her first ocean dive — and almost immediately, questions emerged about how she ended up on the seafloor alone
This is the Tina Watson story

On their honeymoon in Australia, newlywed Tina Watson died minutes into her first ocean dive, sparking immediate questions about how she ended up on the seafloor alone. This episode explores the tragic story of Tina Thomas and Gabe Watson, whose relationship was marked by family tension and Gabe’s controlling behavior regarding scuba diving. Despite Tina’s limited experience and heart condition, the couple embarked on a week-long trip to the Great Barrier Reef, targeting the wreck of the SS Yungala, a site recommended only for experienced divers.

Sources for Today's Episode:

Casefile Podcast, Episode 51

Medium

Tuscaloosa News;

ABC

CBS News

NBC News

BBC News

The Guardian

7News.com

Credits:

Written and Hosted by Amy Shlosberg and Meghan Sacks

Produced by James Varga

Audio Editor, Jose Alfonzo

Script Editor, Abagail Belcastro

Music by Dessert Media

Get Even More Women&Crime Episodes:

Patreon - Ad-free shows starting at $2 a month, or upgrade for $5 a month to get a new extra episode every month, as well as exclusive virtual HappyHours with Meg & Amy. Check-out other tiers for perks such as lectures, true crime book club, and more! Visit our Patreon page for more info: https://www.patreon.com/womenandcrime/

Apple Subscriptions - Exclusive episodes and ad-free regular stories are now available through Apple's podcast app for only $4.99 a month, or save with an annual membership.

YouTube Memberships - Exclusive episode available on YouTube for only $4.99 a month. https://www.youtube.com/@WomenandCrime/membership/

Help is Available:

If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation, or a victim of domestic, or other violence, there are many organizations that can offer support or help you in your specific situation.

For direct links to these organizations please visit https://womenandcrimepodcast.com/resources/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep 387: Women & Crime: Reconsidered is where we revisit our episode catalog and bring new insights, behind the scenes or updates.

Brand new episodes are STILL every Tuesday!

Original Airdate: 07/12/22

For 23 years, the unsolved murder of this women was thought to be the result of a burglary gone wrong. The case would remain cold until 2009 when DNA evidence pointed to someone in very close proximity to the investigation.
Sherri Rasmussen story.

Sources for Today's Episode:

https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2012/07/lapd-lazurus-murder-mystery-killer

people.com

Associated Press

The Atlantic

LA times

Credits:

Written and Hosted by Amy Shlosberg and Meghan Sacks

Produced & Edited by James Varga

Music by Dessert Media

Help is Available:

If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation, or a victim of domestic, or other violence, there are many organizations that can offer support or help you in your specific situation.

For direct links to these organizations please visit https://womenandcrimepodcast.com/resources/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep 386: Dr Sacks and Dr Shlosberg review the case with covered back in July 2023 (episode 137) and review the new developments, including her botched execution.

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Credits:

Written and Hosted by Amy Shlosberg and Meghan Sacks

Produced by James Varga

Music by Dessert Media

Get Even More Women&Crime Episodes:

Patreon - Ad-free shows starting at $2 a month, or upgrade for $5 a month to get a new extra episode every month, as well as exclusive virtual HappyHours with Meg & Amy. Check-out other tiers for perks such as lectures, true crime book club, and more! Visit our Patreon page for more info: https://www.patreon.com/womenandcrime/

Apple Subscriptions - Exclusive episodes and ad-free regular stories are now available through Apple's podcast app for only $4.99 a month, or save with an annual membership.

YouTube Memberships - Exclusive episode available on YouTube for only $4.99 a month. https://www.youtube.com/@WomenandCrime/membership/

Help is Available:

If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation, or a victim of domestic, or other violence, there are many organizations that can offer support or help you in your specific situation.

For direct links to these organizations please visit https://womenandcrimepodcast.com/resources/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices