PATREON ONLY PODCAST EPISODE: JOHN'S THOUGHTS ON STACEY WONDRA
Added 2024-02-01 19:30:32 +0000 UTCLauren here. Dr John and I DID record an unedited convo the night John interviewed the suspect in the Missing Michael Vaughan case--Stacey Wondra. Many have been asking us. While we hoped to go live that night, we never had the opportunity until it was quite late, but we did record a conversation at our dinner table before heading to bed, and I asked John some questions.
For those who missed the interview The interview we are discussing is HERE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/tonight-patreon-97271780?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
We were both exhausted by the time we recorded this, so please understand this is pretty raw and just hours after John finished the 2-hour interview. We also have additional thoughts since that night, and I ended up interviewing Stacey the next evening as well, per requests for me to do so. It was a difficult interview for me, and you can find it on YouTube. I was also specifically asked to go over Stacey's timeline again and again. He remains a main suspect in the case.
John and I care a lot about this case, and about Monkey Vaughan. Many of you supported Monkey's Miracle in December 2022, and I traveled to Fruitland Idaho to give gifts to children in Fruitland on behalf of Monkey and his family: https://www.patreon.com/posts/monkeys-miracle-76293024?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
Other Patreon episodes about Monkey:
Please revisit John's heartfelt essay he wrote when it comes to Monkey: https://www.patreon.com/posts/heartbreak-at-of-62000003?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
We support Fruitland Police and hope they will have answers for the Vaughan family soon.
Please leave John any additional questions in commments and we'd be glad to do a follow-up soon!
Comments
I wondered this myself. A "nervous tick?"
Rena Dwelle
2025-01-22 22:09:56 +0000 UTCYa know...I listened to Lauren's interview and heard "brake fluid," but when I listed to John's interview, Stacey said "power steering fluid" 😳 There are SO many odd/interesting things about his story
Rena Dwelle
2025-01-22 22:08:42 +0000 UTCAlso-Uber driver??!!??!!
Shellie
2024-03-26 00:36:28 +0000 UTCThere were so many issues that stuck out to me in the interview, but I will say this… back in my college days my car also leaked power steering fluid and I only put it in when I needed (and heard the whine) it because I couldn’t always gauge the leak and didn’t want to waste it-so that aspect of the story kinda rings true to me. I think that did happen. But something else did too in the same time period. I think that is why he was so detailed about it.
Shellie
2024-03-25 23:00:18 +0000 UTCI would like to say that, I have many years of experience working in group homes. The students that I had were in there for a wide variety of reasons. Some were in there due to self harm. The only common denominator as to why they were there was because whatever their behavior whatever the situation, their parents felt like they couldn't handle it on their own and they were seeking this outside help.
Jennie Anderson
2024-03-05 22:50:51 +0000 UTCThere is something that I do not understand. If Michael's dad was out of the room and was unaware that he (Monkey/Michael) had left the house, why do we know that the child had left to find someone to play with?
Jennie Anderson
2024-03-05 21:43:57 +0000 UTCOh, also… the elephant in the room… what was with his constant spitting, etc? Not only was it disgusting to listen to, I wondered what it said about him that he had no shame doing that on a live video interview.
MC
2024-02-26 21:47:57 +0000 UTCAlso, I’m so impressed by Dr John and even more so after watching the interview he did. It was like getting a little preview of how good he is at what he does. Between him and Lauren, what an absolute dynamic duo with great skill sets to bring together.
MC
2024-02-26 21:45:45 +0000 UTCI joined Patreon specifically for this! I would love to hear Lauren’s and Dr John’s thoughts now after both interviews. Will you be sharing a follow up? What stuck out to me is his refusal to truly address the issue with his adoptive sisters - super suspicious. Plus he would not directly answer why he was in a group home and why did he have to keep moving around to different group homes. And what does he even mean by “group home”? Foster care? Mental facility? Juvenile detention?
MC
2024-02-26 21:44:19 +0000 UTCLove the “behind the scenes” access. This is why I will never give up my Patreon membership. Great episode!
Katie Marlowe
2024-02-19 18:36:47 +0000 UTCMy IQ has gone up since listening to you both. 😉😁
Katie Marlowe
2024-02-19 18:11:06 +0000 UTCFascinating follow up conversation!!!
north wildlings
2024-02-15 19:55:11 +0000 UTCI remember the very early HTC podcasts being conversations at your dinner table. 😉
Katie Marlowe
2024-02-11 00:33:34 +0000 UTCReally enjoyed hearing y’all’s thoughts! I didn’t know much about this case but I watched the interview then did a deep dive into everything. I noticed when Stacy is asked why Sarah said God told her Stacy did it, he always replies “God doesn’t lie” . Does Dr. John think this has significance? He says this in almost every interview he does!!
Juliana
2024-02-10 20:06:04 +0000 UTCI am thinking could they have run him over as an accident? Also about IQ - most tests are designed for verbal testing. If a kid has verbal difficulties his test would be horrible and then as they gain verbal abilities, the test results could shoot up. My kids test results have changed by 20 points in 5 years. He is autistic. About wife and Brandon going places all the time - I guess they wanted to spend time together without Stacey there.
Līga Vasara-Brakmane
2024-02-08 19:17:11 +0000 UTCIf they're 'waiting for someone to turn...' didn't his wife already try that? It doesn't seem like they have any loyalty to one another. If she knew anything real, wouldn't she have already said?
Stella Dawn
2024-02-06 05:41:24 +0000 UTCFor the record, I'm not violent in any way... but i do love shooting things! (I grew up on a farm and we would target practice with empty cans and bottles). It's fun to try and hit a target. I love going to a shooting range, or shooting cans in the forest. All I'm saying is that isn't inherently violent. Obviously, it's some kind of problem if you can't stop yourself from illegally owning firearms. But idk I read him as being believable when he was saying he's not presently a violent person and he wouldn't hit a woman etc. My brother had many diagnoses as a child like ODD and IED. He would smash things and punch walls, even as a teenager. He's completely normal now; so i would say there is such a thing as growing out of some of those behaviors, especially as the prefrontal cortex develops.
Stella Dawn
2024-02-06 04:54:44 +0000 UTCIt is weird that he absolutely tried to clear Adrian, the person who was out of his eyesight for most of the hours. But he did not try to protect the 2 people he was hanging out with that day.
Evelyn
2024-02-05 15:51:39 +0000 UTCFirst I would like to say I am from that area of Idaho I still have family down there. So when he was describing where he went and how long it took I knew exactly where it was. I watched Dr John’s interview and the second interview Lauren had with him. Then this morning I listened to these thoughts. My problem with both interviews was his reasons for admitting that he’d done this horrific crime. Also I had a problem with him not wanting to talk about his relationship with his sisters yet he always talked about the group homes. So my takeaway from that was they’re the reason he was sent to the group homes and did not want to talk about what horrible thing he did to get sent to the group home. I was completely shocked when I saw these interviews because I thought the police had arrested these four for Monkeys disappearance. I and many people that was following this thought the same. I will start reminding people it’s still open and sharing Monkeys picture again on facebook.
ta2dgrams
2024-02-04 21:15:46 +0000 UTCI agree, that 'filled out' comment that he repeated twice was incredibly unsettling. I didn't know about the timeline change so to me that was the most upsetting part of the whole interview. That is just not how people describe children.
Lindsay
2024-02-04 01:50:11 +0000 UTCHi Lauren and Dr John. I would really like you to investigate the murder of transgender teen Brianna Ghey. Her murderers, 15 at the time of her murder last year, were convicted and sentenced on Feb 2nd. The dynamic between the murderers seems fascinating. I think John’s insights into this would be fascinating. Even so I urge other Hidden Gems to familiarise yourselves with the tragic murder of Brianna.
Rosie Burns
2024-02-03 15:10:06 +0000 UTCPS.. Lauren, I love your quirky sense of humor!! 🙃😝…I know the cases don’t allow us to see it as much as your playful side would like to be heard. 😚
Angela M
2024-02-03 14:28:31 +0000 UTCWell…”enjoyed”….i hope you know what I mean. APPRECIATED to the highest degree 🥰
Angela M
2024-02-03 14:22:27 +0000 UTCThank you. I enjoyed seeing how Dr John works, AND this follow up.
Angela M
2024-02-03 14:21:31 +0000 UTCThank you both for sharing! I had one other thought about him talking about the boy he saw. It bothered me so much because I too was thinking it was so weird! If I were a detective I would try to see if I could track down that “boy” and collaborate his story because I thought what if he did something and then he looked around to see if anyone saw what he did and that’s why he noticed that boy? Also if it were true maybe that boy saw something. I also thought it was strange that he described where he parked to put the brake fluid in. I would have to go back and listen but he said by a marsh or something like that. He used a descriptive word and I thought it was strange. If I stopped to put in fluid in my car, I probably wouldn’t have noticed any of those things. I would just be annoyed! Anyways, I would check that place. I hope so much law enforcement can figure this out!
Christine
2024-02-03 13:32:20 +0000 UTCBaffled. Classic chaff and redirect. Sharing garbage information trying to distract the public from the real issues at hand. Best thing to do with a man like that is to allow them to do your job for you. They are gonna hang themselves if you give them enough rope (pardon the crude expression).
Colleen Canning
2024-02-03 08:55:16 +0000 UTCFor a person with such a low IQ , he is quite articulate. His memory of his own diagnosisies from the past & his use of language does not reflect such a below average intelligence.
Ruthann
2024-02-03 02:05:15 +0000 UTCI would like to hear that too, because I noticed Stacy answered/acted and revealed different things to her than he did Dr. John.
Emily M.
2024-02-03 00:09:11 +0000 UTCThis is extremely interesting! Dr. John got SO much more from the interview than I took from it, but it all makes so much sense!
Emily M.
2024-02-03 00:08:06 +0000 UTCThank you both!!!! ❤️❤️
Kathleen Liakos
2024-02-02 16:18:47 +0000 UTCThank you, Lauren and Dr. John. I have never heard the term "impression management", but it seems to fit this situation. There always seems to be a form of this, and to me, it feels no different than a cover-up - a term that is at least as old as Watergate. Thank you for trying to critique his timeline and his PR campaign, if that is what it is.
Robin Murray
2024-02-02 15:51:07 +0000 UTCThanks for talking through the interview. If you did one after Lauren’s interview I would love to hear that also. You both are so thoughtful and give such great insight. Thanks for all you do for the cases you cover
Angela Pedersen
2024-02-02 06:07:11 +0000 UTCAlmost like an afterthought-it really shocked me.
Janet
2024-02-02 05:30:24 +0000 UTCRemember when he said he cries for Michael every night???!!
Janet
2024-02-02 05:00:31 +0000 UTCDr John, I'm curious about how IQ and fetal alcohol syndrome might play a role in the reliability of Stacey's statements, his memory, the changing timelines, or unintentionally getting the facts wrong. Trying to remember something when you don't have a good memory of the days events in the first place is very different than lying to try to cover guilt. I would love to hear you both talk more about this. Thank you for the interesting coverage of this case.
Jessica
2024-02-02 04:57:13 +0000 UTCWonderful! You guys are so dedicated. I appreciate your staying up EVEN LATER to give us this follow up right after that initial interview. I, too, wonder about his motivation for doing these interviews. I didn't know he had talked to Dr. John about "doing another interview tomorrow", just as he did you, Lauren. Maybe he believes that if he just stays calm and keeps repeating his story over and over in that fairly monotone voice, you'll eventually say, "Well, clearly this guy has given us all the information there is to know about that night, so there's no point in continuing to question him". Perhaps saying, "Let's do it all again tomorrow" is his attempt to prove he can go on like this for an endless number of hours and remain unflappable, but everyone else will eventually give up and say, "Okay, there's nothing left to talk about".
Karen Rose
2024-02-02 04:07:25 +0000 UTCI can only imagine how exhausted you were. I was exhausted after just listening to both of the interviews. I appreciate all your hard work. My heart is with Monkey and his family.
Monica
2024-02-02 02:09:16 +0000 UTCI loved watching this and contrasting Lauren’s interview …there were so many contradictions between the two. Would love to hear “behind the scenes” thoughts after Saturday’s show as well. As far as getting a peek into Dr. John’s world, we’ve been giving medical treatment to a lot of inmates at my workplace recently (we always do, it just seems like we have an unusually high volume right now) and the thought went through my head with one today “I need Dr. John to interview this guy because something is definitely not right here!”
Life_w_Lora
2024-02-02 01:35:00 +0000 UTCI grabbed my iPad as soon as I got home to see if anything new from your channel was posted. I watched the interview that Lauren had done. I had a bad feeling about his story. The only thing he seemed to have clarity on was that they had taken Adrain to his moms house. If he is guilty of this crime. He may in his heart want all the credit. I appreciate y’all so much for sharing this. John you take as much time as you need to process and mentally rebound. I know y’all probably like to stick to a schedule. But life has so many twists and turns with traveling, sickness and the loss of a loved one. We gems will always be here. I am so proud of the work you both do! ❤️
Carolyn Wright
2024-02-02 01:29:19 +0000 UTCI’ve seen Stacy on other YouTube channels, and he’s changed his time line on them too. People were calling him a liar and a murderer. I think he’s a very strange guy and obviously not well physically. I’m hoping that more evidence is found.
BlondeGranny
2024-02-02 01:24:47 +0000 UTCLots I hadn’t caught on to, thanks for sharing! I hadn’t even considered the other kid he saw just being a way for him to essentially admit he saw Monkey then without actually saying so… regardless of if that kid existed or not, the way he described him was hugely concerning to me! “More developed and filled out” talking about a 9 year old kid?! Seriously I hope CPS talks to every kid he’s had contact with. Way to gather info on those issues indirectly; Dr. John is talented at what he does!
Celia Polman
2024-02-02 01:19:26 +0000 UTCSorry - hit the wrong key and it sent while I was editing. Could defendants claim that Monkey knocked at the parent's house looking for friends before Stacey lived there?
Nancy L Peterson
2024-02-01 23:59:09 +0000 UTCGreat discussion. Regarding trace evidence in the house, didn't the house belong to parents before they moved in? If the police found a hair inside the house, could defendantts claim that Monkey knocked at the parentwas never at the parent's house?
Nancy L Peterson
2024-02-01 23:57:29 +0000 UTCJust another bit of info. Stacey’s fb has no posts now. When John’s interview was done it had posts of before and after when Monkey went missing.
Kay Louise
2024-02-01 23:53:47 +0000 UTCSpot on ….
Liz Johnson
2024-02-01 23:51:06 +0000 UTCAfterthought, I completely understand how exhausting this can be. Mentally focusing on so much. It blew me away when he wanted to do another interview the next day. Scary he is out there and saying he can go anywhere in Idaho. I will be extra careful when traveling in that state. I have ties to Montana also, just scary.
Kay Louise
2024-02-01 23:46:35 +0000 UTCDr. John and Lauren I think your interviews were great. I understood exactly what and why you were doing what you were doing. It bothered me about him being obsessed with guns and killing. He is banned from having them yet he continues having them. The thing about love of kids was sickening, my gut just twisted. I agree with Dr. John get CPS out to any kids he’s been around. I noticed he changed times and thought, Wow that’s huge. The kid he saw was the opposite of Monkey. Older and darker, dark hair etc.. He went on talking about his physique. The fact Sarah and he couldn’t have kids and she goes to hospital with pain the day/night before Monkey went missing? The whole story about the friends and sex with Adrian/Brandon? Just bizarre and couldn’t remember the sex of Adrian’s child? Yet saw a kid down the street and on and on. He wants attention. I speculate on the story about his adoption? I live very close to where his adopted Mother and Father supposedly had a restaurant. Just so much inconsistency. I think they need to watch him and keep an eye on him. Monkey is somewhere I pray he is found. Brandon’s Mother property is huge and they need to keep an eye on the Adrian and Brandon too. Thank you for doing this because any slip or information is important.
Kay Louise
2024-02-01 23:36:42 +0000 UTCThis is what I hoped to hear after Dr. John’s interview with Stacey. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! There were so many inconsistencies with Stacey’s comments. Crazy. And something critical had to have happened when he dropped his chew. So many excuses around that moment.
ShaRee
2024-02-01 23:22:20 +0000 UTCI remember now. You are right. I will check. Thank you.
Dr. Vonda Kaye
2024-02-01 23:22:04 +0000 UTCI check my email and all the notifications are in there for book club- if you’ve joined bookclub - then you get sent an invite to the zoom discussion. Do you get the emails?
Tad Auty
2024-02-01 23:21:21 +0000 UTCWell now I know why Dr John makes the big bucks! Thanks for explaining why you asked what you did. The whole power steering fluid line of questioning absolutely escaped me. I can also understand how exhausting interviewing people like this could be! I do wonder how you both feel now that you’ve had a couple of days to process it all.
Pppmomof3
2024-02-01 22:37:13 +0000 UTCI just appreciate you both so much. This happened just 20 miles from where I live and hits home. Your dedication to this case is very appreciated 🩷
Stacie
2024-02-01 22:33:18 +0000 UTCI’m wondering if they took Monkey at the time he said he stopped for the steering fluid- but then went to Brandon’s mums house? To do “laundry” I wonder if the crime occurred there? They would still have dna on them when they went back to their house (but he would possibly think there would be no dna in his house if they never took the child there) Of course this is ignoring the confessions - but were those real? I know I’ve lived near people similar to these and they can lie for absolutely no reason like it’s a habit. Or for drama. Or for a bad cover story. Or to talk themselves up. Maybe they buried clothes or some other evidence in the yard but later (when Stacey was in jail I think ) Adrian dug those up and moved them? Hence he has to say “no eventhough I wasn’t with Adrian I’ll vouch for him - I won’t throw him under the bus cos he has dirt on me and will return the favour “ I’m glad John did the interview and realllly appreciate this conversation. And I can’t even imagine the mental energy it takes- even with training and experience - to both be conversational while listening to responses and having ideas on them but having to just continue chatting and steering the conversation and process anddd question etc. I have to listen to the recording like 3 times to be able to take it all in. Ps Did he say that Sarah was sleeping with Adrian/brandon “behind his back”. I suggest that couldddd be a sign. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is a cuckhold. Sarah’s sexual aggression and he is maybe not into adult relationships. Put that together and you get a guy who is fine with his wife having lovers and gets off on the contradictions feelings of being aroused, ashamed, and sad about it. But they get power too- cos they’re the nice tolerant ever tolerant husband. However/ that’s all supposed to be in the open - he’s supposed to be there or know. If Sarah was sneaking off “behind his back” that would explain him asking her to tell the lover to leave. Just an idea anyways- I definitely didn’t get the vibe that he was particularly a romantic. Not with all that wind! Sorry- had to say it!
Tad Auty
2024-02-01 21:36:49 +0000 UTCI was wondering that too… if he’s able to hear this convo…
Domsmom725
2024-02-01 21:35:31 +0000 UTCI cannot believe he did this interview with you. If he is innocent this didn’t prove it. If he is guilty what is his motivation?
Tamara Wakeman Sukohl
2024-02-01 21:32:34 +0000 UTCIf the neighbours did something you'd hope they'd throw them under the bus unless there was some benefit? Money? Weird. Considering how Stacey and Sarah were willing to say "he's a felon and he has a gun!" (Sarah re Stacy) It makes me think it wasn't the neighbors.
Julie Port
2024-02-01 21:19:36 +0000 UTCyou are part of the book club and the link is available to you.
Lauren and John Matthias
2024-02-01 21:16:57 +0000 UTCWow.. LOVE the candidness of this episode. THANK YOU for letting us in to a “behind the scenes” convo.. feels like I’m in your living room with you guys (not in a creepy way lol) part of the conversation! Would love more of these! 👏
Domsmom725
2024-02-01 21:05:50 +0000 UTC😳
Laura Biddle
2024-02-01 21:05:35 +0000 UTCSeriously - this was fascinating.
Laura Biddle
2024-02-01 21:03:50 +0000 UTCHe was about as optimistic as Eeyore.
Laura Biddle
2024-02-01 21:02:40 +0000 UTCWas he calling foster care a group home? We cannot assume that he knows the definition of what a group home even is. “I lived in a home and there were other people = group home.”
Laura Biddle
2024-02-01 21:01:23 +0000 UTCThis is great. Love hearing the discussion. That guy set off my radar. Also he look like a FAS with the eyes so far apart.
Laura Biddle
2024-02-01 20:58:07 +0000 UTCI'm curious if he's joined as a member of your Patreon?
Julie Port
2024-02-01 20:44:13 +0000 UTCI thought old members regardless of level would be grandfathered into book club? Did I mishear or misunderstand? I bought the book.
Dr. Vonda Kaye
2024-02-01 20:37:58 +0000 UTCStacey did want to act like a tough guy . Truthfully , full of himself .. in a false sense. He said “ he’s optimistic, funny… etc… I didn’t see any of those things . He said there was another kid . Dr. John , you think it was a way to distract your line of questioning? Yes, he was extremely detailed regarding the other kid , standing in the background.
Renée Price
2024-02-01 20:32:22 +0000 UTCAs far as the guns, would cultural factors going into the importance of guns in his life? I don’t think it’s unusual for the area, so I’m curious what you think.
Valorie Dodart
2024-02-01 20:14:45 +0000 UTCI have been dying to hear this! Thank you for your awesome work
Shelley Grigsby-Maxey
2024-02-01 19:32:52 +0000 UTC
