Jess McHugh (Host/Narrator)

We have to talk about this Instagram post for a second.

We have to talk about this Instagram post for a second.

Hey, I'm just recording here because I'm in the car outside the English department and I just got this letter. which was sent to me by Sarah Cavanaugh. Okay. October 12th, 2024. Dear Jake, thank you for sending me the articles and book that you've written. You have a distinct style when posing questions that really makes one think about the messages between the lines.

Hey, I'm just recording here because I'm in the car outside the English department and I just got this letter. which was sent to me by Sarah Cavanaugh. Okay. October 12th, 2024. Dear Jake, thank you for sending me the articles and book that you've written. You have a distinct style when posing questions that really makes one think about the messages between the lines.

Jess and I have spoken twice and emailed several times to talk about my actions and the consequences. It is important to me that you know, I know and knew several months before my arrest that what I was doing was wrong. I could not have imagined the laws I was breaking, but know now that I was always guilty. What is your opinion about my crime?

Jess and I have spoken twice and emailed several times to talk about my actions and the consequences. It is important to me that you know, I know and knew several months before my arrest that what I was doing was wrong. I could not have imagined the laws I was breaking, but know now that I was always guilty. What is your opinion about my crime?

I ask this because no matter who we are, we bring biases and I'd like to know what you are bringing to the conversation. Also, I have not always thought about others before myself and will always be deliberately sensitive to other people for the rest of my life. I'm looking forward to meeting you, even if it's virtually. Sincerely, Sarah.

I ask this because no matter who we are, we bring biases and I'd like to know what you are bringing to the conversation. Also, I have not always thought about others before myself and will always be deliberately sensitive to other people for the rest of my life. I'm looking forward to meeting you, even if it's virtually. Sincerely, Sarah.

This letter that I just read you, it's written on lined paper, the kind I used in grade school, and the penmanship is flawless. When I read it for the first time, I was in my car outside my classroom at the university where I teach, and I found myself just sitting there, reading and rereading this letter. "'What is your opinion about my crime?' she asked. Now that was interesting to me.

This letter that I just read you, it's written on lined paper, the kind I used in grade school, and the penmanship is flawless. When I read it for the first time, I was in my car outside my classroom at the university where I teach, and I found myself just sitting there, reading and rereading this letter. "'What is your opinion about my crime?' she asked. Now that was interesting to me.

It was almost like right from the jump, this woman, Sarah Kavanaugh, had flipped the script, like she was interviewing me." And then there was this line. I'd like to know what you were bringing to the conversation. Funny, because we weren't even having a conversation yet. But looking back, I understand now that the conversation had already started.

It was almost like right from the jump, this woman, Sarah Kavanaugh, had flipped the script, like she was interviewing me." And then there was this line. I'd like to know what you were bringing to the conversation. Funny, because we weren't even having a conversation yet. But looking back, I understand now that the conversation had already started.

And she was already sussing me out, tuning in to me. And Sarah, she's really, really good at that. I know that now. Months before I got that letter, I got a call from my friend, Jess McHugh. She's my co-host this season. Jess is a journalist and an author. In fact, you may have noticed in Sarah's letter, she makes a reference to Jess. And that's because Jess is the one who found this story.

And she was already sussing me out, tuning in to me. And Sarah, she's really, really good at that. I know that now. Months before I got that letter, I got a call from my friend, Jess McHugh. She's my co-host this season. Jess is a journalist and an author. In fact, you may have noticed in Sarah's letter, she makes a reference to Jess. And that's because Jess is the one who found this story.

There's so much that we've learned since we first started talking to Sarah. So much else that she's told us. And we've spent the last eight months trying to figure out how much of her story is true. And what, if anything, we could trust. Because this story is all about trust.

There's so much that we've learned since we first started talking to Sarah. So much else that she's told us. And we've spent the last eight months trying to figure out how much of her story is true. And what, if anything, we could trust. Because this story is all about trust.

And I'm Jess McHugh.

And I'm Jess McHugh.

Part of the ethos of this retreat was you didn't brag about the past. You focused on now. And you exercised a lot. The whole point of this retreat was actually strength building. The vets built a platform that became their outdoor gym. They lifted weights here, did squats, deadlifts, power cleans. And apparently, they were also carrying giant slabs of rock up a mountain.

Part of the ethos of this retreat was you didn't brag about the past. You focused on now. And you exercised a lot. The whole point of this retreat was actually strength building. The vets built a platform that became their outdoor gym. They lifted weights here, did squats, deadlifts, power cleans. And apparently, they were also carrying giant slabs of rock up a mountain.