M. Gessen

In theory, I knew that this kind of thing can happen in any family.

Anyone's first cousin could be plotting murder.

Upstanding citizens are always turning out to be secret criminals.

And I wouldn't even call Alan an upstanding citizen.

But it's one thing to know and another thing to understand.

I'm a reporter.

At some of the hardest times of my life, like when I faced a dire medical diagnosis, I put on my reporter's hat and ask everyone a lot of questions.

It has allowed me to wrap my mind around unthinkable things before.

Alan was in jail, awaiting trial.

So my project had to begin with Priscilla, who was, thankfully, alive.

What she told me was so much worse than what I thought I knew.

That's next time.

From Serial Productions and The New York Times, I'm M. Gesson, and this is The Idiot.

The Idiot was reported and written by me, M. Gessen, and produced by Daniel Guillemette with Andrei Barzemke and Lika Kramer of LibroLibro Studios.

Our editor is Julie Snyder.

Additional editing by Ira Glass and Sarah Koenig.

Research and fact-checking by Ben Phelan and Marisa Robertson-Texter.

Original score by Alison Leighton-Brown.

Additional music from Dan Powell and Marion Lozano.

The show was mixed by Phoebe Wang, with additional mixing by Katherine Anderson.