Under the Microscope: The Hello Kitty Murder and Tragic Death of Francis Braum

We are covering 2 cases this week on our special Under the Microscope episode. First, Kendra brings us The Hello Kitty Murder case, a brutal killing of a poor woman in Hong Kong with a macabre twist that involves a Hello Kitty doll. Fan Man-Yee was subjected to the kinds of torture that no human being should ever have to face, with the only reason being that she stole $500 USD.  Jessica covers the death of Francis Braum. What begins as a night of drinking between two longtime friends ends in one of the most horrifying and surreal tragedies you’ve likely never heard of. In 2004, 21-year-old John Hutcherson drove home with the headless body of his friend, Francis Brohm, still strapped into the passenger seat beside him — and claimed he didn’t remember anything. Listen and let us know your thoughts — Was it denial, dissociation…or something more? __________ Please subscribe and rate 5 stars wherever you listen to your podcasts as you continue to enjoy Lucid Lab Podcast.  Send any suggestions, listener stories or comments to us at [email protected] __________ Sources: Inside The Hello Kitty Murder Case's Unimaginable Horrors Hello Kitty murder case - Wikipedia CBS News. (2004, August 30). DUI decapitation horror. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dui-decapitation-horror/ CBS News. (2004, September 7). Headless man's family offers mercy. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/headless-mans-family-offers-mercy/ AccessWDUN. (2004, August 30). Man decapitated in freak accident in Cobb County. https://accesswdun.com/article/2004/8/161932 Wired. (2004, August 30). Headless body in topless car. https://www.wired.com/2004/08/headless-body-in-topless-car/ WAVE 3 News. (2004, September 7). Louisville man decapitated in freak accident; charges filed. https://www.wave3.com/story/2240836/louisville-man-decapitated-in-freak-accident-charges-filed/ Reddit. (2023). I think I found the accident that inspired that scene in Hereditary [Online forum post]. r/horror. https://www.reddit.com/r/horror/comments/1fy2ppe/i_think_i_found_the_accident_that_inspired_that/ Reddit. (2020). Hereditary death based in real life? [Online forum post]. r/horror. https://www.reddit.com/r/horror/comments/gnspsf/hereditary_death_based_in_real_life/