Seems the focus is always on the dumbest criminals but some victims were just plain dumb. No way to sugar coat it. Not trying to victim shame but...

The one that got me was the girl who wanted to be a model and answered an ad to go out to a remote place in the woods for a photo shoot with a stranger.

There is no way in her mind she could have thought that was going to end well. Going alone at that.

This is one of those uncomfortable subjects that is bound to be unpopular. I know the case you're referring to - Kimberly Pandelios. Unfortunately UM (or any true crime show) is littered with people who made a poor decision that resulted in their death. A case that always stuck with me since it originally aired was Matthew Chase. He was the young man who went out late at night because he had forgot to cash his work cheque and didn't want to wait until the next day. Ultimately he was robbed, abducted and murdered.

Jerry Diner

The victims of the two women who claimed to throw money off the bridge. Jeez, find a new belief system. It's impossible to have sympathy for anyone who could be so stupid.

Anyone who went to those scammers who claimed to pull "ligaments" from patients' bodies, when in fact they were just palming pieces of chicken innards.

Anyone who believes in therapeutic touch.

As much as I hate saying it, Lisa Bishop comes to mind. Sailing off on a ship like that with someone you barely know into a part of the world not exactly known for being safe? I get the sense of adventure bit, but it's tough to rationalize that short of her running off and having a full-blown affair with Florian Bourch.
The story she wanted to write could have been done in safer, better ways.

As much as I hate saying it, Lisa Bishop comes to mind. Sailing off on a ship like that with someone you barely know into a part of the world not exactly known for being safe? I get the sense of adventure bit, but it's tough to rationalize that short of her running off and having a full-blown affair with Florian Bourch.
The story she wanted to write could have been done in safer, better ways.

Yes a prime example! That had red flags all over it!

David Ortiz continuing to drink that questionable smoothie made by Elizabeth Ortiz had be dumbfounded as well. If you taste something and it burns your mouth why would you proceed to chug it down?

Lol, yes, good old "he's got Jonathan!" Elizabeth Ortiz. Unfortunately their son apparently didn't fall far from his piece of work mother's tree.
Gilbert continuing to drink that shake wasn't smart, but that was probably as much "maybe the second drink will taste better" as anything. He certainly couldn't anticipate that his wife was trying to kill him.

Lisa Bishop was naive ... to put it nicely.

That Ortiz segment summarizes nice decent guys mistakenly getting involved with damaged women. She was unhappy about the level of money he made. Was unhappy he wasn't a muscular, buff guy. You can tell he was trying to hopelessly please her and then the cherry on top is she did such physiological damage he has to endure assaults from his own son later on. Just angering and sad.

This is one of those uncomfortable subjects that is bound to be unpopular. I know the case you're referring to - Kimberly Pandelios. Unfortunately UM (or any true crime show) is littered with people who made a poor decision that resulted in their death. A case that always stuck with me since it originally aired was Matthew Chase. He was the young man who went out late at night because he had forgot to cash his work cheque and didn't want to wait until the next day. Ultimately he was robbed, abducted and murdered.

Poor kid. Theresa Dahl was interviewed on a podcast a couple years ago and made the comment that she, her brother and Matt were young, naive 22-year-olds from Oregon who didn't take into consideration how truly dangerous LA can be. As such, Matt thought going two blocks to the ATM never would have resulted in what happened. Not dumb. Just naive.

If we want to talk truly dumb (sort of) victims, look no further than John Homan. I understand Marie Hilley was a master manipulator but for him to buy the story of her being her own twin sister, "Robbie" who was now "Teri" and then ask her to move in with him (WTF?) and help get her Robbie's old job (WTF again) and not think twice about it? His neighbors and coworkers all knew immediately that this was the same woman but he couldn't figure it out. Dumb. :crazy:

Dumb & naive are in the same category for me. Yeah I remember Marie Hilley. He was definitely a rube. The only thing to question is whenever the relationship made him that way or he was just not bright to begin with.

Another one is the couple who was selling the expensive computer and met up with a potential buyer and ended up being robbed and beaten. The woman died. I felt sorry for them but at the same time it just didn't seem smart to sell something that way.

I have never been big on selling anything or buying anything on craigslist or even fb market because I don't like dealing with strangers and money. If I can't order it in a store or buy it online I am usually not interested.

Watching UM for so many decades on repeat really makes me cautious of a lot of situations. Like literally if someone is making every turn I make for too long I will turn off somewhere to make sure they don't follow me home.

I watch too much television I guess.

Dorothy Wacker???

She lets a stranger who knocks on the door use a phone because a car she couldn't see had broken down. Then she can't tell whether a stranger has left and gets conked on the head on a sneak attack.

Naturally, the entire attack is suspicious.

I was going to question whether the Wackers lived on a main road where people who had trouble would resort to going to the Wacker house to use a phone to call for help. I thought they lived on a dead end street off another "main" road.

Both the computer theft / murder case and the Wackers fall under that "naive" category. If your home had already been robbed twice, I'd think you'd be cautious about strangers. Then again they were old people, the world was different in the 90's and it sounds like they lived in the middle of nowhere. There's no way I'm loading a 30k computer into someone's truck before I get paid. It's unfortunate that the man's gf had to die because of this.

The magic rock and fertility statue people.

I don’t feel comfortable mocking crime victims but I’m good mocking them.

Poor kid. Theresa Dahl was interviewed on a podcast a couple years ago and made the comment that she, her brother and Matt were young, naive 22-year-olds from Oregon who didn't take into consideration how truly dangerous LA can be. As such, Matt thought going two blocks to the ATM never would have resulted in what happened. Not dumb. Just naive.

If we want to talk truly dumb (sort of) victims, look no further than John Homan. I understand Marie Hilley was a master manipulator but for him to buy the story of her being her own twin sister, "Robbie" who was now "Teri" and then ask her to move in with him (WTF?) and help get her Robbie's old job (WTF again) and not think twice about it? His neighbors and coworkers all knew immediately that this was the same woman but he couldn't figure it out. Dumb. :crazy:

marie Hilley, what a classic segment. the sister scam was ridiculous.

marie Hilley, what a classic segment. the sister scam was ridiculous.

I'd love to know how that whole conversation of moving in together started.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought my sister told you we were twins. Too bad she's dead. Hey, let's move in together!"

Huh? :confused:

I'd love to know how that whole conversation of moving in together started.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought my sister told you we were twins. Too bad she's dead. Hey, let's move in together!"

Huh? :confused:

yeah that was bizarre. I wonder what Marie was thinking when he let her move in (as her sister). was she so psycho that she was just happy that he bought her story? or did she ever stop and think, wow this guy is weird for letting me move in? IIRC weren't they like dating again?

I'd love to know how that whole conversation of moving in together started.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought my sister told you we were twins. Too bad she's dead. Hey, let's move in together!"

Huh? :confused:

I feel bad for the guy as he was later murdered, but this always struck me as odd. I know we all grieve in different ways but...:confused:

He was later murdered? I think you have your facts mixed up, but can you explain?

I'd love to know how that whole conversation of moving in together started.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought my sister told you we were twins. Too bad she's dead. Hey, let's move in together!"

Huh? :confused:

Hilarious!

You have to watch the made for TV movie starring Judith Light called Wife, Mother, Murderer.

Its so bad its good very campy. Judith gave a great over the top performance.

Marie was a trip! Its on YouTube.

He was later murdered? I think you have your facts mixed up, but can you explain?

John Homan (Marie Hilley's second husband and the one she married under both aliases she used later when posing as twin sisters), was shot and killed while working at a motel a couple of years after Marie's death.

Ok thanks. I didn't know that.

Hilarious!

You have to watch the made for TV movie starring Judith Light called Wife, Mother, Murderer.

Its so bad its good very campy. Judith gave a great over the top performance.

Marie was a trip! Its on YouTube.

I've seen bits and pieces on YouTube but never watched it all the way through. Maybe I should.

I guess it's probably pointless to ask this since she was a sociopath, but I wonder what the point was of Marie inventing a twin sister in the first place. She had already successfully fled and had been in hiding for two years at this point. The whole twin charade does nothing but draw more attention to yourself.

Also, and UM never mentions this, but when Marie escaped prison, she went back to her hometown in Alabama where she grew up. Her intention was to meet up with a girl she went to elementary school with...someone she had not talked to in 38 years. Had she not died from hypothermia, we're talking another extremely awkward conversation here...

"Hey. I haven't seen you in nearly 40 years but I was wondering if I could move in with you while I'm hiding from the police."

when Marie escaped prison, she went back to her hometown in Alabama where she grew up. Her intention was to meet up with a girl she went to elementary school with...someone she had not talked to in 38 years.

My guess is she was going to steal her identity, like the "Chameleon Killer," Elaine Parent.

Kind of funny to me, but the allagash four, or 3 I guess now that one of them admitted it was fake. they claim to be victims, but if there is any type of sincerity on their part I feel that they are being exploited by the UFO craze. apparently Jim Weiner had a seizure that triggered his alleged memory of that night. according to chuck Rak, the guy who broke loose from the group, they were also doing afghan temple ball that night.

Kind of funny to me, but the allagash four, or 3 I guess now that one of them admitted it was fake. they claim to be victims, but if there is any type of sincerity on their part I feel that they are being exploited by the UFO craze. apparently Jim Weiner had a seizure that triggered his alleged memory of that night. according to chuck Rak, the guy who broke loose from the group, they were also doing afghan temple ball that night.

I was today years old when I learned what afghan temple ball was.

😂

Another one is the couple who was selling the expensive computer and met up with a potential buyer and ended up being robbed and beaten. The woman died. I felt sorry for them but at the same time it just didn't seem smart to sell something that way.

I have never been big on selling anything or buying anything on craigslist or even fb market because I don't like dealing with strangers and money. If I can't order it in a store or buy it online I am usually not interested.

Watching UM for so many decades on repeat really makes me cautious of a lot of situations. Like literally if someone is making every turn I make for too long I will turn off somewhere to make sure they don't follow me home.

I watch too much television I guess.

Frankly there are a lot of people who don't have the money to live that way though. I went thorough years as a broke college student buying all my furniture and whatnot second hand from people I met online, I saved what was at the time a lot of money to me. And unfortunately many people live like that their entire life. A good second hand market is a benefit to many people and the environment to boot.

The thing is not being stupid about it and knowing when to say no. I once had someone who was supposed to show at like 4 PM when it was light out but then never messaged or replied and about 7 after I gave up the guy finally messaged back and wanted to meet after dark. Whole thing felt off, I told him since he did not reply I had let someone else buy it.

Kind of funny to me, but the allagash four, or 3 I guess now that one of them admitted it was fake. they claim to be victims, but if there is any type of sincerity on their part I feel that they are being exploited by the UFO craze. apparently Jim Weiner had a seizure that triggered his alleged memory of that night. according to chuck Rak, the guy who broke loose from the group, they were also doing afghan temple ball that night.

I've often wondered more about the one that broke from the group, if he decided it would be easier to pretend it never happened and tell the world that to convince himself.

There's one guy in the Twentieth Century Motor Cars segment who I am convinced had some kind of sexual relationship with "Liz Carmichael" before the secret was revealed.

Anyone and everyone who believed in psychics.

Anyone and everyone who believed in psychics.

Omg. I misread that as physics.

There's one guy in the Twentieth Century Motor Cars segment who I am convinced had some kind of sexual relationship with "Liz Carmichael" before the secret was revealed.

The "Dale" was not only a stupid car name, but the proposed specs and design were clearly impossible up front. Can't feel too bad for the people who invested in that one out of greed.

That dimwit in the above mentioned Liz Carmichael segment who said something along the lines of "If Liz walked back through the door tomorrow and wanted to resurrect the Dale project, I'd be right on board!"

I know that's probably not his exact words, but how thick can a person be! :rolleyes:

The "Dale" was not only a stupid car name, but the proposed specs and design were clearly impossible up front. Can't feel too bad for the people who invested in that one out of greed.

Oh my the Dale is one of my favorite segments. It's almost hilarious how many people Liz took.

That dimwit in the above mentioned Liz Carmichael segment who said something along the lines of "If Liz walked back through the door tomorrow and wanted to resurrect the Dale project, I'd be right on board!"

I know that's probably not his exact words, but how thick can a person be! :rolleyes:

Two gem quotes:
"There was even talk (that) if the company should fold, there was a group of us that wanted to get together and continue with the car."
"If she were to walk in this room and say let's go again, I'd go right with her."

Poor kid. Theresa Dahl was interviewed on a podcast a couple years ago and made the comment that she, her brother and Matt were young, naive 22-year-olds from Oregon who didn't take into consideration how truly dangerous LA can be. As such, Matt thought going two blocks to the ATM never would have resulted in what happened. Not dumb. Just naive.

If we want to talk truly dumb (sort of) victims, look no further than John Homan. I understand Marie Hilley was a master manipulator but for him to buy the story of her being her own twin sister, "Robbie" who was now "Teri" and then ask her to move in with him (WTF?) and help get her Robbie's old job (WTF again) and not think twice about it? His neighbors and coworkers all knew immediately that this was the same woman but he couldn't figure it out. Dumb. :crazy:

I understand that in his grief, he bought the story of her being the twin. However, as much as he loved her, even finding out she was a suspected murderer, he uprooted his life to be with her. Later dying in something unrelated that if he stayed up in NH, he may still be alive today.

He seemed like such a naive soul. Does anything think Marie might have eventually killed him as well?

He was later murdered? I think you have your facts mixed up, but can you explain?

He died in an unrelated incident at a hotel he worked at in Alabama after he moved down there to be close to her in prison.

I understand that in his grief, he bought the story of her being the twin. However, as much as he loved her, even finding out she was a suspected murderer, he uprooted his life to be with her. Later dying in something unrelated that if he stayed up in NH, he may still be alive today.

He seemed like such a naive soul. Does anything think Marie might have eventually killed him as well?

If she had killed him as "Terri," she wouldn't have gotten any insurance money out of him because they weren't married.

If she had killed him as "Robbie," she still would have had probably no chance of getting any insurance money because she got married under an alias. I'm assuming getting married under a fake name makes the marriage void, but someone will have to correct me if I'm wrong. And wouldn't she have needed to provide an actual birth certificate? Whatever the case, killing your first alias of brain cancer and now posing as her twin sister makes absolutely no sense.

If this whole saga were a fictional story, I don't think anyone would buy it as a believable movie because it's just so crazy.

I think she would have killed him regardless.

Stopping alone at a secluded rest stop, especially a woman, is never a good idea. The woman who did this after being at a carnival on her way home had poor judgment. She's pregnant, just drive to a gas station and pick up the same drink in a more populated area. I will say this though, in a perfect world she should be able to do this just fine. But there are bad dudes out there. But she gets raped and left for dead, nearly stabbed to death.

Another one would be Angela Hammond. She is a few blocks away from where Rob is. Just drive there. Why call in an empty parking lot around midnight? Scary movies give birth to that sort of thing.

Maybe some people think Adam Emery is a victim, I don't. But if you do, that was a horrible decision to chase down a car you think hit you (it wasn't that car) and then jump on the hood to stop the guy from driving away. Alaina, his wife, was probably even more stupid giving him the knife in the first place.

Two gem quotes:
"There was even talk (that) if the company should fold, there was a group of us that wanted to get together and continue with the car."
"If she were to walk in this room and say let's go again, I'd go right with her."

Even though the car didn't even exist... even though she lied about who she really was... even though she was arrested and brought to court... yeah, let's continue with the car!