Latest / Slice of Crimes | Serial Crime Story & Audio Drama / No Escape: The Epilogue (The Grin Reaper)
Transcript
- 0:00Slice of Crimes is a fictionalized true crime podcast that delves into complex
- 0:05and sometimes difficult stories.
- 0:08Topics may include discussions and descriptions of violence,
- 0:12abuse, self-harm, sexual assault, suicide, and other sensitive subjects,
- 0:18as well as occasional strong language.
- 0:21Please listen with care and discretion. This podcast may not be suitable for
- 0:26all audiences, especially young listeners.
- 0:29Music.
- 1:06No escape. The epilogue. Nothing is ever exactly as it seems.
- 1:14Welcome back to Slice of Crimes. I'm KC, your resident slice sleuth,
- 1:19and today I'm pulling back the curtain on a story that's as dark as it is twisted.
- 1:25In this last episode, there's much to be uncovered. the full extent of Myers-Smith's
- 1:31depravity, the chilling implications of his suspected crimes,
- 1:34and the heartbreaking consequences for all involved. Let's dive in.
- 1:40Jenkins didn't take McAllister up on her offer to crash on the sofa in her office.
- 1:45He needed to get home, yet was in no condition to drive.
- 1:49Instead, he sets out on a long walk home, about four miles. He needs the time to contemplate.
- 1:55Sort of stumbling out the door, He is hunched as if he is carrying a thousand
- 2:00pound burden on his shoulders.
- 2:03And actually, he truly is. He must be in shock. I mean, how many devastating,
- 2:08life-shattering blows can he take?
- 2:11To anyone watching him slump out of the police station, he probably appears
- 2:15aimless and incapable of even making his way home safely.
- 2:19Yet despite his weary demeanor, his mind is working on overdrive. Jenkins is a thinker.
- 2:26He is logical and practical, exacting and relentless.
- 2:30Even at his lowest, his most downtrodden, Jenkins is precise,
- 2:35calculated, and decisive.
- 2:36And something that Jenner recognized about his twin, he could always rely on him.
- 2:42Jenkins never takes the easy way out, and he never, ever gives up.
- 2:46He won't let Jenner down. This he vows.
- 2:50By the time Jenkins reached home, his plan was fully formed.
- 2:54He would head straight to the closet, quietly, without alerting his dad,
- 2:58and finally take a look at what Jenner had discovered.
- 3:02The very same evening of Maya and Meyer's arrest, Jenkins gathered all his strength
- 3:07of mind and bravely decided to head back to the police station,
- 3:10this time getting a ride from Blake.
- 3:12He had told him he needed to pick up his car since he had walked home earlier. That was true.
- 3:18But when Blake asked what was in the metal box, he told him it was just some
- 3:22of Jenner's identification papers the cops had asked him to drop off. That was a lie.
- 3:29Blake dropped him at the curb. he had promised he would never set foot in that
- 3:33place again. And truth be told, he never has.
- 3:37Jenkins hopped out, thanking Blake for the ride and desperately trying to control
- 3:41the tremor in his hands, hoping Blake wouldn't notice.
- 3:44And even more so knowing if he dropped the box, Blake would probably never recover.
- 3:50He wasn't sure he was going to be okay anyway, but he would deal with that after he did this.
- 3:57This was the most frightening thing he had ever done, and probably the bravest,
- 4:01but he was doing it for Jenner, and he would never let his twin down in life or in death.
- 4:07His trembling became more uncontrollable with each step he took towards the
- 4:11detective's office, so he concentrated on maintaining his grip,
- 4:15and was so relieved when he arrived in front of McAllister and Ramirez realizing
- 4:20he'd managed to not drop the box.
- 4:24This. This is what Jenner found. He told me Myers had a lockbox,
- 4:29and it was bad. But he didn't say what was in it.
- 4:32He wanted to show me when Myers was out of the house.
- 4:35We were supposed to bring it to dad. We wanted him to know.
- 4:39Not get fooled by Myers or something. He easily ran dad around in circles.
- 4:44Dad just wanted all of us happy, including him.
- 4:47Anyway, to me it wasn't urgent, because I had no idea what it was.
- 4:51So our plan was, Myers goes out, we show dad, we all then go to you, the police.
- 4:59Here, please take it. And don't open it until I'm out of the room.
- 5:04Everything's in there. But I... I can't look at it again. I can't.
- 5:10I'll set it on the back shelf. We won't open it until you leave,
- 5:13but I want to ask you a few quick questions.
- 5:15Jenkins, your brother confided in you. Do you think he told anyone else?
- 5:21No he didn't even tell me what was in it just that
- 5:24it was bad i thought drugs because
- 5:27myers had been in trouble before he came here honestly i'm
- 5:31a complete mess myers could have killed me somehow i survived but it's just
- 5:36pure luck and that's hard to accept i mean do we really have such little control
- 5:42over our destiny that we have to rely on luck hey you know what luck ain't so
- 5:47bad when it's on your side.
- 5:48And sometimes there are things you can do to have a better chance at luck.
- 5:52You're doing this. It's good.
- 5:54You are doing something that is going to bring answers to a lot of people who
- 5:58have been praying for them.
- 5:59And you're helping us nail Myers. I'm assuming what's in there is a smoking gun.
- 6:03So Myers will never see daylight again unless he's looking through some metal bars.
- 6:07So look at it this way. You deserve to be lucky and you're paying it forward.
- 6:11Enough of my pseudo philosophy McAllister's gonna say I'm going soft she'd be
- 6:17wrong though now let me ask you this did Jenner know that Myers was aware he
- 6:22had seen what was in the box.
- 6:25That's the thing. He was sure he had no idea. But then, right before we went
- 6:29in, Jenner was super quiet and, looking at me so intensely, even the others
- 6:35noticed, I think. He was never that quiet.
- 6:37We were going to talk after. I think he had some uneasy feeling.
- 6:42I think that's why he wanted to go last so nobody was behind him.
- 6:45Like, specifically, Myers.
- 6:48Why wait to turn him in? Especially if he was worried for his safety.
- 6:52He really believed Myers didn't know.
- 6:55So did I. He was afraid.
- 6:58Afraid that if something went wrong, someone could get hurt.
- 7:01Or worse. After losing mom, we protected dad and each other more than ever.
- 7:07We may have seemed fanatical about keeping in contact, but that's how we were.
- 7:12Jenner wanted to make sure everything went smoothly. That Myers didn't find out or escape,
- 7:17disappear take a hostage i'm sure
- 7:21all the possibilities ran through his mind he was
- 7:23always trying to protect everyone look we were going to
- 7:26do it just without danger that's what we thought anyway got it well here we
- 7:32have it and i know even though he's locked up this is not easy to do yeah i
- 7:38haven't told dad yet i just can't it's his sister i don't know how much he can take I really don't.
- 7:44Even driving over here, I was worried Blake would somehow see what's in there.
- 7:48He couldn't handle that. I know him. He is not.
- 7:52He's in a bad place. The whole thing. It's too much for him.
- 7:57He was already living in fear daily.
- 8:00Now he has about a million more things to worry him and scare him.
- 8:05I know you were doing it for me and dad, getting really tough with us.
- 8:08And you're right. We were all lying.
- 8:11So you actually had no choice. But Blake only knows that a secret he's kept for years is coming out.
- 8:17Only Jenner and I knew what it was.
- 8:20And he didn't even know Jenner knew. Well, you figured that out from the texts, I guess.
- 8:25But it has nothing to do with Jenner's murder. So he feels violated.
- 8:30Honestly, I'm almost as worried about him as I am dad.
- 8:34Thank you, Jenkins. We'll be in touch. And we'll be breaking the news to your
- 8:37dad as soon as you think he's ready in the next day or so.
- 8:41Anything else you can think of before we confront Myers?
- 8:45Yeah. The jacket I lent Maya. My black chess club jacket.
- 8:50She gave it back to me as soon as she came out of the escape room. It felt a little wet.
- 8:57Maybe just damp. Not all over. Just like something splashed on it.
- 9:02I thought it was water. Because she'd been drinking from her bottle.
- 9:06I saw her cleaning her Crocs with that bottle too. But she was way in the corner,
- 9:11so I couldn't really tell.
- 9:13I brushed it off. But after seeing Jenner, I had a feeling it wasn't water.
- 9:18I got rid of the jacket in the mall trash bin before you got there.
- 9:22If it was blood, it was evidence. Why would you protect Maya for murdering your
- 9:27brother? I meant what I said in my interview.
- 9:29I believed 100% that Maya loved Jenner. I thought maybe she saw something,
- 9:34touched him, got scared.
- 9:36I made a million excuses for why she could have blood on her.
- 9:39None of them included that she killed him. I was afraid to say anything because
- 9:44if she saw who did it, she was in danger. That's what I figured anyway.
- 9:48I'm still having trouble believing it now, or I guess trouble accepting it.
- 9:54Jenkins turns slowly and walks out of the room. As soon as the door shuts,
- 9:59Ramirez pulls the metal lockbox off the shelf and sets it on his desk.
- 10:03McAllister pulls her chair up closer.
- 10:08Realizing Jenkins didn't give them a key, of course he didn't, it's not his box,
- 10:12she opens her top desk drawer, her junk drawer, which always seems to have just
- 10:18what she's looking for, and retrieves a hairpin, which does the trick.
- 10:23To call this a lockbox is using the term loosely.
- 10:26Might as well be a box with no lock.
- 10:29And what does that say about Myers?
- 10:31That he took so little precaution to secure the contents, which,
- 10:35as we all know, he was willing to kill over. He didn't even hide the box.
- 10:40Overconfident, infallible, bulletproof, one step ahead of everyone else.
- 10:44All of the above, he's a sociopath. She pops it open, revealing its chilling
- 10:49contents, a locket with the initials MS on the front, and a tiny photo of a
- 10:54toddler boy. Whoa, that's Myers.
- 10:57A couple thousand at least in cash, pounds that is, and the ID card of Kath Smith, Myers' mother.
- 11:04But the most damning evidence is the Polaroid, an image of Kath's mutilated
- 11:09face, the Glasgow smile carved into her skin, and the Sheffield knife lying beside her bloody head.
- 11:16McAllister briefly wonders if that's the same knife Maya plunged into Jenner's
- 11:20heart. That would mean he also used that for the facial mutilation.
- 11:24They had sealed Jenner's nostrils and mouth with duct tape so he couldn't scream
- 11:28and would eventually suffocate.
- 11:30But was he actually alive while Myers carved into his face?
- 11:36The autopsy will reveal this. She hopes she is wrong. One thing's for sure,
- 11:42this lockbox ties Myers directly to both murders.
- 11:47Detective Sarah McAllister and Detective Mike Ramirez make several phone calls
- 11:52to the Manchester Police Division.
- 11:54They confirm that Kath Smith was found with a Glasgow Smile mutilation.
- 11:59They share the preliminary information about Jenner's murder and the Glasgow smile.
- 12:05They also break the news that a UK citizen, Kath Smith's own son Myers,
- 12:10has been arrested for first-degree murder.
- 12:13The inspector who was working Kath Smith's case had opened up some cold cases
- 12:18he believed might be related.
- 12:20He had been working on this angle for weeks.
- 12:23Before hanging up, the police on both sides of the pond, as the Brits say,
- 12:27the UK and the USA, agreed to cooperate 100%. They also agreed they just might
- 12:33have found the serial killer responsible for those cold cases after all, Myers.
- 12:38Ramirez and McAllister finally enter the interrogation room,
- 12:42where they had left Myers sitting for almost two hours.
- 12:45They also welcome Myers' public defender, who will be in the room,
- 12:48and has agreed to allow them to question Myers in his presence.
- 12:52Myers has agreed to sit down with McAllister and Rodriguez, just as they had predicted he would.
- 12:58His sense of arrogance wouldn't allow him to remain outside the limelight,
- 13:03but there were no guarantees he would even speak.
- 13:06The tension is palpable as they prepare to confront him with evidence that not
- 13:11only ties him to Jenner Smith's murder,
- 13:14but also suggests he may be responsible for a string of unsolved cold cases
- 13:19in his hometown in the UK, including the murder of his own mother.
- 13:26They place the lockbox conspicuously on the table, right in front of Meyers.
- 13:32The box is filled with damning evidence, but they don't open it.
- 13:36The plan is to ignore the lockbox altogether.
- 13:39McAllister's tactic of creating an uncomfortable space around Meyers has served
- 13:44her best so far in extracting information.
- 13:47She wants to watch Meyers squirm.
- 13:50Okay, Myers, we're here with your lawyer. As promised, I don't know if you have
- 13:53an agenda, but I'll just start this conversation.
- 13:56First off, let's talk about the Glasgow smile. It isn't something I was very
- 14:00familiar with here in the U.S.
- 14:02My only point of reference was a very old cold case out of Los Angeles,
- 14:06way back in the 1940s, the Black Dahlia.
- 14:09I can only guess the significance it holds for you. I suppose it's your signature.
- 14:14The Glasgow smile isn't just some random mark. It's a signature,
- 14:18a gruesome reminder of the killer's control, a way to humiliate the victim even in death.
- 14:24And the fact that you're from the UK, it's not just a coincidence.
- 14:28You left that mark on Jenner. Just like you did your mother.
- 14:32When your mother's body was found, stuffed in a locked freezer,
- 14:36no one connected the dots to you.
- 14:38A string of murders spanning years, with victims left mutilated the same way.
- 14:43They believed her murder was part of that. And that makes sense, we think so too.
- 14:48But now we think Jenner's murder ties to your mother's murder and your mother's
- 14:52to the others. The dots are now connecting.
- 14:55I can't say I have any idea what you're going on about. My mother's missing, not dead.
- 15:00Seems if the detectives are going to ignore the lockbox, so is Myers.
- 15:04He loves a game, but it's a game that can't last.
- 15:08Music.
- 15:14Jewelry, her ID. Typical serial killer, tripping themselves up by keeping mementos.
- 15:19We knew it was you who killed Jenner.
- 15:21Now we know it's you who killed your mom.
- 15:24This box, it's a two-for-one. The prosecutor's going to love this.
- 15:27It's the motive for one murder and proof of another.
- 15:30This seems to bore Myers, who casually leans back in his chair,
- 15:34stretches his legs out, and yawns.
- 15:36Or is this part of his facade?
- 15:39His mask of indifference?
- 15:42I have to say, when you didn't mention that they had discovered her remains, I was conflicted.
- 15:47Was it an intentional lie or an omission that you needed to leave unsaid to
- 15:51protect yourself from breaking down?
- 15:53I initially decided it was a psychological defense mechanism.
- 15:57I had no reason at all to tie your mom's fate to Jenner's. You see,
- 16:01we had no details of her death, her murder.
- 16:04We just knew they had found her and were investigating.
- 16:07Your uncle Clyde shared that with us. He had no knowledge of any details either.
- 16:11The case was open, and they weren't sharing with him.
- 16:15But with that in mind, we were able to use her death by unknown cause to allude
- 16:20to you having committed murder prior to killing Jenner.
- 16:23The plan was to get you to react, and I'm telling you this because I no longer need you to react.
- 16:29I have more than enough evidence to charge you with both murders,
- 16:32even if you choose to keep your mouth shut.
- 16:34We really had no idea until a couple hours ago until this box showed up in our
- 16:39office and we opened it, revealing the horrifying and extremely incriminating
- 16:44contents, I immediately realized why you refused to admit she was dead.
- 16:49You knew her Glasgow smile mutilation would connect her death and Jenner's in
- 16:54a way that could never be considered coincidence.
- 16:56And you were right. That's how we knew it was you as soon as we saw the Polaroid.
- 17:02Myers, you killed your mother because you hated her rules.
- 17:05Rules equal control. and you could never have someone control you. You hated being.
- 17:10Music.
- 17:19Another. They were close. So you got rid of her, discarded her,
- 17:24killed her, so you could come here to prey on your uncle.
- 17:27Your uncle so vulnerable he'd lost his beloved wife and his dear sister was missing.
- 17:32Figured he'd be pretty pliable, huh? Was it going as planned?
- 17:36It seemed so. Until you noticed someone had touched your box,
- 17:39someone knew your deepest, dirtiest secret.
- 17:42You're good at reading people. A sociopath is always observing for prey,
- 17:46and I bet it didn't take long for you to figure out it was Jenner who knew.
- 17:51So when Jenner found out what you'd done, when he discovered that lockbox with
- 17:55her belongings and the grotesque Polaroid you took, you knew you had to silence him.
- 18:00But subtlety isn't your thing, so you plan a grandiose exit for Jenner,
- 18:05one complete with his love plunging a knife in his heart.
- 18:08Then you left your mark, the Glasgow smile.
- 18:11You had to mutilate him, huh? It shows a lack of discipline on your part.
- 18:16It resulted in self-sabotage. And ultimately, it proves you're not superior.
- 18:21You're average at best when it comes to murder Myers, and in my professional
- 18:25opinion, one of the less sophisticated I've encountered in my career.
- 18:31These last few words are whispered directly in Myers' ear, making the verbal
- 18:35assault feel intimate. Whispered truths.
- 18:40McAllister has sucker punched the sociopath in his most vulnerable spot. His ego.
- 18:46A laundry list of flaws. Myers is triggered.
- 18:51You can dismiss him. What? Dismiss who? Your lawyer? You requested a lawyer, Myers.
- 18:59Yes, I did. And now I'm requesting he go away.
- 19:03Go have a smoke or a coffee or a pull from your flask, whatever your vice is.
- 19:07Go and do something that is not in this room. Go!
- 19:11Unreal, right? Myers is so overinflated, his display of entitlement and self-importance
- 19:18almost seem like an act. But it's not.
- 19:21This must be what his Uncle Clyde was referring to when he described Myers'
- 19:26sense of reality as skewed.
- 19:29McAllister's monologue? Wow. She laid it all out because she knows anything she got wrong.
- 19:34Any detail or motive she mischaracterized, Myers would be compelled to correct.
- 19:39He doesn't like to be controlled. He doesn't like his own narrative being controlled, especially by her.
- 19:47She was under his skin. He really can't control his reaction.
- 19:50He needs to assert himself to prove himself more intelligent than everyone else.
- 19:58Meyer's calm demeanor cracks just slightly as the weight of McAllister's long-winded
- 20:02and, from his point of view, wildly inaccurate, a count of his purpose and actions bears down on him.
- 20:09He actually finds it absurd. She could never understand the workings of his mind.
- 20:14Instead of maintaining his silence, he leans back in his chair,
- 20:18a chilling smile creeping across his face, and begins speaking.
- 20:24You think you've got it all figured out, don't you? But you're just as blind as the rest of them.
- 20:29The smile, it's not just a mark, detective. It's art.
- 20:33It's a reminder that no matter how much you think you control your life,
- 20:37in the end, you're powerless. You don't decide your own fate.
- 20:42Who's Blind Myers? Can he not see the irony in his statement?
- 20:46As much as he tried to control his own fate by killing his mother and Jenner,
- 20:50he will not achieve his desired outcome.
- 20:53The justice system will ultimately seal his fate.
- 20:56Jenner found my box. His problem, not mine. I put him out of his misery and
- 21:01freed Meyer from his controlling grip.
- 21:03Together, we removed him. Problem solved for both of us.
- 21:07McAllister interrupts. No, Meyer's. You don't care about others. You only prey on them.
- 21:13When you noticed Jenner had a certain amount of control over Maya,
- 21:16you didn't feel bad or concerned for her. No, you felt excited for yourself.
- 21:21This meant you could control Maya and ultimately add a very personal element to Jenner's murder.
- 21:26You knew this would affect your uncle, and probably Jenkins more deeply,
- 21:30having him stabbed in the heart.
- 21:32And you had to know Maya would never be able to hold up to the scrutiny you
- 21:35all faced. She doesn't suffer psychopathy.
- 21:38She feels emotions like love and empathy. Oh, and yes, guilt.
- 21:43No, Myers, you didn't help Maya. You didn't rescue her. You destroyed her.
- 21:47I know Maya feels emotions, but you're wrong about which emotions.
- 21:50She felt elation, power, pleasure.
- 21:54I'll say this, and this is a guarantee. The only emotions Maya will be left
- 21:59with are guilt and remorse.
- 22:01As humans, we can't control that. Just like you are unable to feel guilt and
- 22:06remorse, she is unable to not feel it.
- 22:09Regret, guilt, remorse, I don't know what those are. you are right because if
- 22:12I did it would mean I did something wrong. Made a mistake.
- 22:15I don't make mistakes, detective. I hold the ultimate control in this game of life.
- 22:20Nothing tops murder. Nothing. Now get my solicitor back in here.
- 22:24I have nothing else to say.
- 22:26I've spoken against my solicitor's advice but now I'm going to listen to him.
- 22:30I've nothing further to say, detectives. Good day. I don't want to miss lunch.
- 22:36The detectives are momentarily stunned by Meyer's cold confession But McAllister doesn't waver.
- 22:42She's determined to have the final word. We'll see about that,
- 22:46Myers, because it's game over for you.
- 22:49The Greater Manchester Police, under the watchful eye of Detective Sterling,
- 22:54has reopened several cold cases.
- 22:57Three girls between the ages of 11 and 13, all found with the same Glasgow smile.
- 23:03They lived within three miles of your childhood home, An easy bike ride for a boy of 12 or 13.
- 23:10If these are Myers' kills, he will be recognized as the youngest serial killer the UK has ever seen.
- 23:17A chilling record to hold.
- 23:20And it makes you wonder just how prolific was he?
- 23:24Are there more victims yet undiscovered?
- 23:28Myers' smile fades, but his eyes remain steely, black, and dead.
- 23:34No matter the mask he wears, his eyes never vary. There's no way to disguise the absence of a soul.
- 23:41The detectives know they have him, but there's still one final step.
- 23:45His extradition to the UK.
- 23:47As Myers is led away, his chilling words linger, a haunting reminder of the
- 23:52monster they've unmasked.
- 23:54Myers, refusing to admit anything further, is extradited to the UK,
- 23:58where he is tried and sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility for
- 24:04parole only far beyond his natural life expectancy.
- 24:07He will die in prison.
- 24:10For the murders of the three girls with the Glasgow smiles, the evidence linking him was extraordinary.
- 24:18Myers pled guilty, embracing the fact that indeed he was UK's youngest serial killer.
- 24:24And he began to grant interviews almost immediately to anyone who would broadcast his story,
- 24:31Just as he was a prolific serial killer, he became a prolific self-promoter,
- 24:36always alluding to his body count being double digits, although he provided no proof.
- 24:43Prison became his forever home, and Myers was intentional in making the most of it.
- 24:49How would a sociopath most enjoy life? By controlling the narrative, of course.
- 24:55And that's what Myers lived every day doing.
- 24:58He believed himself a superior serial killer. And the more he could shock,
- 25:03disgust, and terrify the world, the better.
- 25:07He was determined to become a household name and had coined a term for himself, the Grin Reaper.
- 25:14Even his serial killer name was the best there's ever been.
- 25:18He would be sought after and serve as an inspiration for young up-and-coming
- 25:22serial killers. He wished he could start a club, but then again,
- 25:27a club full of sociopaths,
- 25:29And antisocials, how would that work? Plus, he was in prison, so yeah.
- 25:34He settled for pen pals, and that ultimately became the supply he required for
- 25:39his overblown ego to continue to grow and thrive.
- 25:43He was considered arrogant among the other inmates.
- 25:47Ridiculous, he would say. I'm not arrogant. You've got that all wrong. I'm superior.
- 25:53He had no care, no remorse, no regret.
- 25:57Any news of how his devastations continued to reverberate through his surviving
- 26:02victims, he considered a victory. And there were many victories.
- 26:06For Jenkins, the loss of his twin created an identity crisis.
- 26:11Already masking his gayness, he had struggled with identity.
- 26:15Then, with Jenner's death, he lost his identity as a brother and a twin. His other half.
- 26:23In order to pull himself back together, he would need to do the work.
- 26:28If Jenkins had learned a vital life lesson with the passing of his mother and
- 26:31his brother, it was this.
- 26:34Be yourself and always live the life you want. Life is fleeting.
- 26:40When Jenkins came out, first to his father about a month after Jenner's death,
- 26:45and then gradually to one friend, another, a teacher, a neighbor,
- 26:50until, with a sigh of relief, he dropped his charade completely.
- 26:55It was the hardest on Blake.
- 26:58Now Jenkins was openly gay, as he had long yearned to be, but Blake just couldn't.
- 27:03He wasn't emotionally prepared. Not yet.
- 27:07Jenner's death didn't push him outward. It forced him to retreat deeper undercover.
- 27:12Jenkins understood Blake's reaction was fear-based. He wished he could assist
- 27:17in his journey, but knew that what it would take for Blake to get there was
- 27:20not something he could provide for him.
- 27:22It needed to come from within Blake himself.
- 27:26Jenkins' identity was securely attached to how he envisioned himself.
- 27:31Coming out was the only way he could ever feel like himself.
- 27:35Blake's identity, in contrast, was securely attached to how others perceived him.
- 27:41And coming out was not something he could envision himself being comfortable with.
- 27:46The bottom line, Blake could no longer remain in a relationship with Jenkins.
- 27:52It was a terribly sad situation. and it left Blake adrift at a time he was already
- 27:58vulnerable and untrusting due to the murder.
- 28:02When Blake finally did head to Syracuse, it was a chance for a fresh start, a reset of sorts.
- 28:09But he lasted less than a month before tragically attempting to take his own life.
- 28:15Another example of the destruction Myers had sown spreading relentlessly like an aggressive cancer.
- 28:21Jenkins stepped right up. He would never let him implode like that.
- 28:25He committed himself to ensuring Blake would weather the storm,
- 28:30no matter how treacherous, no matter how long, even if that storm lasted a lifetime.
- 28:37Jenkins would act as his beacon of light, guiding him down a path of healing
- 28:41and self-acceptance, and as his pillar of strength, bolstering him in his weakest
- 28:47moments and building up his confidence and resilience.
- 28:52It was his hope,
- 28:55would emerge from the dark tunnel he was lost in, more settled,
- 28:58more content, more self-aware, and at peace.
- 29:03Similarly, Jenkins was there for his dad, who had suffered an unimaginable amount
- 29:07of sorrow, leaving him with a heart that physically ached with each beat.
- 29:13His father had sacrificed for him, and now he encouraged his father to cling
- 29:17to him, to draw strength from him.
- 29:20They were the last two Smiths standing, and Jenkins refused to let either of
- 29:25them get knocked down without getting back up.
- 29:28Jenkins had always been fiercely loyal and incredibly persistent and with every
- 29:33hardship he developed increased grit and fortitude.
- 29:36He may have been the quieter twin, but he was never the weaker twin and his
- 29:41strength would carry his remaining family onward through thick and thin in honor
- 29:46of his brother and his mother who had both been taken from him far too soon.
- 29:52Maya, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to life without parole Like Myers,
- 29:58prison would be her forever home Like Myers, she would eventually die in prison
- 30:04But otherwise, her experience following Jenner's murder couldn't have been more
- 30:09different than his For Maya,
- 30:12prison bars weren't adequate punishment for what she had done Once a champion
- 30:17diver with dreams of Olympic gold, she had been Jenner's girlfriend and loved him deeply.
- 30:23Jenkins was right about that. But that love, twisted to scorn by Myers' manipulation,
- 30:29turned into something unrecognizable the moment she plunged the knife into Jenner's heart.
- 30:36Unable to reconcile who she used to be with what she had done,
- 30:41Maya's mind began to unravel.
- 30:44Her descent into madness was slow at first. Small moments of doubt, flashes of confusion.
- 30:50But soon she was slipping and tumbling uncontrollably until her mind could no
- 30:55longer live inside her body.
- 30:57Every reflection of herself sent her spiraling into psychosis.
- 31:02She could not recognize herself, not her body, not her mind,
- 31:06not her soul, and the monster she saw. She could not forgive.
- 31:11Maya had no friends left. The
- 31:14people she had once called friends were the same ones tied to the murder.
- 31:18Her isolation in prison wasn't just physical. It was emotional, mental, complete.
- 31:25Though she was never outwardly violent towards others, she became her own worst enemy.
- 31:31She would scratch at her skin, clawing at the surface as if trying to dig something out of herself.
- 31:39She never felt the pain. Her mind had numbed her to it, as if it were the only mercy it could offer.
- 31:46Maya didn't want mercy. She needed punishment, something harsher than the prison
- 31:52walls, something brutal enough to make her feel the depth of her guilt.
- 31:57She wanted to suffer in a way that matched the pain she had caused.
- 32:01But no matter how much she hurt herself, no matter how much she longed for a
- 32:06punishment severe enough to atone for her sins, it never came.
- 32:11Peace was impossible for Maya. Her mind and body remained trapped in a cycle
- 32:16of guilt and self-destruction, unable to find any kind of solace.
- 32:21For Maya, prison wasn't just a place. It was a state of mind, and there was no escape.
- 32:28This has been the final episode of No Escape,
- 32:32where the dark and twisted tale of Jenner Smith's murder has unraveled,
- 32:37proving once again on Slice of Crimes, nothing is ever exactly as it seems.
- 32:44I'm Casey, your resident sliced sleuth.
- 32:48Infinite thanks for sleuthing with me every step of the way.
- 32:52Can't wait to crack another case with you sleuths super soon.
- 32:56And as always, stay curious, stay sharp, and stay safe.
- 33:01How do you feel after an episode of Slice of Crimes?
- 33:05One step closer to the truth? If you haven't cracked the case yet,
- 33:09no worries, you're not alone.
- 33:11But before you go, remember, the mystery doesn't end here.
- 33:16Enjoyed this episode? Show some love, share slice of crimes with your friends,
- 33:20family, or even that neighbor who's a little too interested in true crime.
- 33:25Oh wait, that's probably you.
- 33:27Your five-star ratings and killer reviews help keep these investigations coming,
- 33:32and I couldn't do it without you.
- 33:34Got your own theories? Burning questions? Or maybe a case you think I should
- 33:39tackle next? I'm all ears.
- 33:42Send your ideas and suggestions my way.
- 33:45The more you engage, the sharper my sleuthing gets.
- 33:48So until next time, fellow sleuths, keep your wits about you.
- 33:52Stay curious. Stay sharp.
- 33:54You never know what the next slice of crime will serve up. And trust me,
- 33:59you won't want to miss it.
- 34:01Infinite thanks for listening today and for tuning in next week.