What would you do if someone you knew turned out to be a serial killer? In the 1970s, Steve Fishman was an intern at his local newspaper, when one day he hitched a ride back from Boston with Robert Carr III, better known as “Red.” Red seemed trustworthy enough, but he was hiding a secret: by the time he had picked up Steve, he had already killed three people—and all of his prior victims were hitchhikers themselves. This narrow brush with death is only the beginning of Steve’s relationship with Red. When Red is eventually arrested by the police and confesses to a slew of gruesome murders, Steve sees the journalistic opportunity of a lifetime. It’s exactly the career break that Steve has been looking for—but is it too good to be true? Featuring exclusive interviews and never-before-heard tape, Steve goes inside a serial killer’s mind. He examines not only the details of Red’s crimes, but turns the scrutiny on his own coverage to ask: did he get the story right? And if not, what can he do now to set the record straight? Subscribe now to unlock all shows on The Binge and you'll be the first to access Smoke Screen: My Friend, the Serial Killer as soon as it drops on June 1st. An Orbit Media & Sony Music Entertainment production in association with Rhyme Media. Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.