Residue: A True Crime Podcast

Cries Unheard: The Donna Yaklich Story (also released as Victim of Rage) is a 1994 made-for-TV film based on the real-life case of Donna Yaklich, a Colorado woman convicted of hiring two men to kill her abusive husband, police officer Dennis Yaklich. While the film portrays Donna as a survivor of years of severe domestic violence with no safe way to escape, the true story remains the subject of debate. Supporters believe the movie accurately reflects the abuse she endured, while Dennis Yaklich's family has strongly disputed that portrayal, arguing the film presents only Donna's perspective. In this episode, we examine the real case, the evidence, the controversies, and the question that continues to divide people decades later: how closely did the movie reflect the truth?

Sources:

Cries Unheard: The Donna Yaklich Story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXo6K-K5ZH8

https://law.justia.com/cases/colorado/court-of-appeals/1991/88ca1369-0.html

Husband Killer: Donna Yaklich by Jessi Dixon

https://www.chieftain.com/story/news/2005/10/21/yaklich-s-release-draws-mixed/8984309007/

Evil Stepmother: Donna Yaklich Nanny Nightmare

https://variety.com/1994/tv/reviews/cries-unheard-the-donna-yaklich-story-1200436017/

https://murderpedia.org/female.Y/y/yaklich-donna.htm

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In this episode, we unravel the shocking true story of Tony Kiritsis
and the 1977 hostage crisis that became known as the "Dead Man's Wire"
case.

Armed with a sawed-off shotgun connected to a homemade dead man's
wire, Kiritsis held mortgage executive Richard Hall hostage for more
than 60 hours, turning a personal grievance into one of the most bizarre
standoffs in American history.

We examine the events that led to the kidnapping, the intense
negotiations that played out live on television, and the legal battle
that followed. We also compare how the story has been portrayed in the
film Dead Man's Wire and documentary Dead Man's Line, exploring
what the adaptation gets right, what they change, and how Hollywood
interpreted one of America's strangest true crime cases.

SOURCES:

Dead Man’s Line

Dead Man’s Wire

https://www.indystar.com/story/entertainment/movies/2018/01/31/tony-kiritsis-story-indys-most-insane-hostage-taker-now-movie/699747001/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=false&gca-epti=z117461u004660e1166xxv117461&gca-ft=220&gca-ds=sophi

https://thecinemaholic.com/dead-mans-wire-linda-page-indianapolis-news-now-12/

https://www.aetv.com/articles/tony-kiritsis-kidnapping-dick-hall-1977-journalists-reevaluate-live-coverage

https://ibha.indiana.edu/the-tony-kiritsis-hostage-incident-62-hours-that-forever-changed-indiana-broadcasting/

https://variety.com/2025/film/awards/gus-van-sant-dead-mans-wire-river-phoenix-1236561384/

https://indyencyclopedia.org/tony-kiritsis-case/

https://deadmansline.com/richard-hall/

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Open Water (2003) is a survival thriller inspired by the true story of Tom and Eileen Lonergan. In the film, a married couple is accidentally left behind during a scuba diving trip after the boat crew miscounts the passengers. As they drift alone in the open ocean, they face dehydration, exhaustion, and sharks while waiting for a rescue that never comes.

The real events happened in 1998, when Tom and Eileen Lonergan were accidentally abandoned during a dive at Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Their disappearance wasn't discovered for nearly two days, and despite a massive search, they were never found. Months later, some of their dive gear washed ashore, but their bodies were never recovered.

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-faZE1ZJ6Q

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-12/ocean-survival-expert-advice-qld-couple-three-days-at-sea/101848206

https://allthatsinteresting.com/tom-eileen-lonergan

Open Water

https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/9625524/The-fall-and-rise-of-Milton-Windsor-Harris

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In this episode, we uncover the true story behind When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story, the 2017 film inspired by real events. We explore who Falicia Blakely was, the circumstances that shaped her life, and how an abusive and controlling relationship influenced the choices that ultimately led to a series of tragic crimes.

Sources:

https://tubitv.com/tv-shows/200146223/s01-e09-falicia-blakely-kiesha-smith

Snapped: Season 32, episode 11

https://nappythoughts.com/falicia-blakely

https://www.oxygen.com/snapped/crime-news/atlanta-stripper-falicia-blakely-kills-robs-3-men

https://creativeloafing.com/content-171458-alleged-pimp-accused-of-ordering-killings-is-jailed

https://www.oxygen.com/snapped/crime-news/atlanta-stripper-falicia-blakely-kills-robs-3-men

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Girl in the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez is based on the true story of Abby Hernandez, a New Hampshire teenager who was abducted in 2013 while walking home from school. Held captive in a concealed shipping container for nine months, Abby endured unimaginable hardship but demonstrated extraordinary courage and resilience. It is ultimately a story of hope, perseverance, and the strength of the human spirit in the face of trauma.

Sources:

https://abcnews.com/US/kidnapping-survivor-abby-hernandez-details-life-captivity-told/story?id=57599326

https://www.oxygen.com/true-crime-buzz/how-abigail-hernandez-convinced-nathaniel-kibby-to-free-her

https://hollywoodlife.com/2022/02/26/girl-in-the-shed-abby-hernandez-lifetime-movie-interview/

Girl In the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez

https://www.kget.com/community/ricks-reviews/abigail-hernandez-tells-her-story-in-girl-in-the-shed/

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