Blayne Alexander

Hi everyone, it's Blayne Alexander and I am so glad to be here today with Josh Mankiewicz to talk about his episode, Deadly Mirage. If you haven't seen it, it's the episode right below this one on your Dateline podcast feed. So make sure to go there, listen to it, or of course you can stream it on Peacock and then come right back here. So just a quick recap.

Hi everyone, it's Blayne Alexander and I am so glad to be here today with Josh Mankiewicz to talk about his episode, Deadly Mirage. If you haven't seen it, it's the episode right below this one on your Dateline podcast feed. So make sure to go there, listen to it, or of course you can stream it on Peacock and then come right back here. So just a quick recap.

In 2014, when Rob Limone was found dead at the rail yard where he worked, investigators wondered if it was a burglary gone wrong until they learned more about Rob's open marriage and close-knit group of friends who called themselves the Wolfpack.

In 2014, when Rob Limone was found dead at the rail yard where he worked, investigators wondered if it was a burglary gone wrong until they learned more about Rob's open marriage and close-knit group of friends who called themselves the Wolfpack.

Detectives eventually zeroed in on Rob's wife, Sabrina, and her lover, a young firefighter by the name of Jonathan Hearn, and arrested them for Rob's murder. Hearn quickly confessed and agreed to testify against Sabrina in exchange for a reduced prison sentence. Sabrina denied everything but was convicted in 2017. She is currently serving a prison sentence of 25 years to life.

Detectives eventually zeroed in on Rob's wife, Sabrina, and her lover, a young firefighter by the name of Jonathan Hearn, and arrested them for Rob's murder. Hearn quickly confessed and agreed to testify against Sabrina in exchange for a reduced prison sentence. Sabrina denied everything but was convicted in 2017. She is currently serving a prison sentence of 25 years to life.

Later on, we'll play you an extra clip from Jonathan's testimony at Sabrina's trial. But for now, Josh, let's talk Dateline. There's so much to talk about in this episode. I actually want to start with the location, Silver Lakes. You know, they called it the happiest place in the high desert, but that was actually the very first character that we kind of met in this story, right?

Later on, we'll play you an extra clip from Jonathan's testimony at Sabrina's trial. But for now, Josh, let's talk Dateline. There's so much to talk about in this episode. I actually want to start with the location, Silver Lakes. You know, they called it the happiest place in the high desert, but that was actually the very first character that we kind of met in this story, right?

Before we knew anybody's names, we knew the name of this location. Had you ever been to Silver Lakes before this report?

Before we knew anybody's names, we knew the name of this location. Had you ever been to Silver Lakes before this report?

I'm curious, if you pick this story up and plopped it in another city, like a larger city, Atlanta, New York, do you think that it would have had the same kind of ring? Do you think that this would have played out anywhere else but this community?

I'm curious, if you pick this story up and plopped it in another city, like a larger city, Atlanta, New York, do you think that it would have had the same kind of ring? Do you think that this would have played out anywhere else but this community?

It's kind of a thread through this entire episode, people going out of their way to almost kind of create this facade of this perfect kind of place.

It's kind of a thread through this entire episode, people going out of their way to almost kind of create this facade of this perfect kind of place.

So I really like this question that you asked, Jason, if Rob might have gotten involved with the wrong person or perhaps involved in a bad situation. And he says, yes, you never really know anyone, even in a picture perfect place like Silver Lakes.

So I really like this question that you asked, Jason, if Rob might have gotten involved with the wrong person or perhaps involved in a bad situation. And he says, yes, you never really know anyone, even in a picture perfect place like Silver Lakes.

But there was even the notion of Sabrina talking about permission, right? Like what she had permission to do. It's almost like it's fine. It's right. It's sanctioned if it's within this group because we all share this belief. But if you go outside, then you're stepping over the line.

But there was even the notion of Sabrina talking about permission, right? Like what she had permission to do. It's almost like it's fine. It's right. It's sanctioned if it's within this group because we all share this belief. But if you go outside, then you're stepping over the line.

And at least for a long time, that appeared to be working. What was it like in that interview room when you were interviewing Kelly and Jason, when you actually asked them, okay, break this down for me. I don't understand. Who was with who? How did this work? What was that like?

And at least for a long time, that appeared to be working. What was it like in that interview room when you were interviewing Kelly and Jason, when you actually asked them, okay, break this down for me. I don't understand. Who was with who? How did this work? What was that like?