Ep 78 | Stanley Kenaga Jr. Transcript

Ep 78 | Stanley Kenaga Transcript

Before we begin this podcast, please be advised that the following episode contains language that some listeners may find offensive and inappropriate. The opinions expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not reflect the views of the podcast producers. Listener discretion is advised. In this episode of Voices of a Killer, we dive into the case of Stanley Kenaga Jr,

a man whose life spiraled into chaos after a deadly encounter in the small town of Birchtree. Stanley claims that the tragic events of that night were driven by a plan to steal $20, 000, but something went horribly wrong. What led Stanley and his brother-in-law, Joseph Proffer, to target Barbara Lynn, a 77 year old woman who was brutally murdered in her home?

Why did Stanley choose to protect Joseph, even as the situation escalated? Was this loyalty worth the price of his freedom, or was there something deeper at play? We'll explore these questions, uncovering the layers of Stanley's story and the choices that sealed his fate, in this episode of Voices of a Killer.

So Stanley, are you from Missouri as well? Yes. Born and raised? I was born in West Plains and raised right in that area. Did you have siblings? I had a sister, but I never really knew her. So you were the only child in the house? Yes. How would you describe your childhood growing up? Excuse my language, it's pretty f*cked up, honestly.

Why's that? I was m*lested when I was seven. Seven? By who? And it happened by my mom and dad had these two friends that we were living with because they were homeless and we lived with them for a year and every day after school, they'd m*lest me. Did your parents know about it? I told them, but they didn't believe me.

They told me to quit lying. Really? Yeah. My mom was addicted to c*ke and my dad was an alcoholic. Were the people staying with y'all as well, doing illegal substances? Yeah. How'd that make you feel? Your parents not believing you? Made me angry. Did that affect your schooling and all that growing up? Oh, of course.

I've got a third grade reading to writing level. I really didn't pay much attention to school. I got in trouble too much, fighting, just wouldn't pay attention in school. Besides the s*xual abuse, was there anything else like violence or anything like that? My dad used to get drunk and beat me, with anything he'd get his hands on.

Dog chains, fan blades. Ceiling fan blades. So at what point did these people leave your home? we were staying with them when I was eight years old. A year after we'd been with them for a year, we moved from their house to a place of our own. As you became an adult, did you ever run back across the people that abused you?

Yes, I did. What kind of, how'd that work? You meet up with the people that abused you later on in life. I actually found out where they lived and I shot their house up. Really? Did you get in trouble for that? No, I never got in trouble for it. I guess it's safe to say that you've shot their house up because what they did to you when you were a child?

Yeah. How old were you when you shot the house up? 20 or 21. So you were still holding onto that in your twenties? Oh yeah. Did they know it was you that shot their house up? I don't think they did. There was, I never made it known. Yeah. But it made me feel better. Was anybody with you when you did that? No.

What'd you do whenever you got out of high school? Did you start working? I never made it to high school. Never made it to high school. And how old are you? I dropped, right now how old am I? Yeah. I'm 34. So you never even made it to freshman year high school. What did you do? I dropped out in seventh grade.

What'd you do after that? I got a job working at a sawmill. Wow. Would that have been like, what, in the nineties or early thousands? I was 16. Yeah. But I also was held back three times, so I was behind everybody else that was younger than I was in school, my class. Did you get into dr*gs and alcohol as a kid?

Oh yeah, I used m*thamphetamines for my first time when I was 13. Who gave that to you? Actually, a close friend of mine. Yeah. He was older than me. He was 16, and he was doing it, so I wanted to do it too. Did you take off and start doing m*th a lot after that? I was strung out on dr*gs. Yeah. Did you work at the time?

I was selling dr*gs instead of working. That was my job, selling m*th. Yeah. Did you ever get put in jail before this? For traffic tickets and child support, yeah. Yeah. And burglary. Born into an environment of instability, where his parents were homeless and his mother struggled with addiction while his father battled alcoholism, Stanley was exposed to unthinkable harm at a young age.

Being abused at just seven years old by family friends, while his parents turned a blind eye to his pleas created a cycle of neglect and violence that would shape his outlook on life. His father's violent outbursts, beating him with objects like dog chains and saw blades, only deepened Stanley's exposure to brutality, research has shown that childhood trauma, especially abuse, can have long lasting psychological effects.

According to the CDC, individuals who experience adverse childhood experiences or ACEs like abuse are at a higher risk of developing mental health issues, substance abuse problems, and engaging in violent behavior later in life. In Stanley's case, this may explain why the unresolved anger from his childhood led him to violence.

Violent acts as an adult. The weight of his traumatic past stayed with him into adulthood, shaping his actions and sense of justice. As we delve deeper into Stanley's story, we're left asking, could early intervention have changed his path? How much of his violent behavior later in life is linked to the trauma he endured as a child?

Statistics suggests that without proper support, many victims of childhood abuse spiral into a cycle of self-destruction. Could Stanley's story have had a different outcome if someone had believed him all those years ago? As we continue to hear Stanley's story, we'll find out about his own experience as a parent, after the break. When did you have a Child? I was 16 when I had my first daughter. 16? I'm going to guess that you weren't really fit to be a parent at that time? Probably not, but I did my best. I had a full time job. I got married when I was 16 to my first wife. Yeah. Do you still have a relationship with your kid? No, I don't have a relationship with anybody. How come? I don't know. Nobody has given me their information and I don't know numbers or addresses. How does that feel when you're in prison for basically life without and you have nobody on the outside, no family, your kids don't reach out to you. What does that feel like? It sucks. Yeah. I hope and pray one day that my kids will reach out to me.

If they don't. If they were listening right now, what would you say? That I love them and I always have, and I always will. And I'm sorry for the things that I've done. Why do you think they don't reach out to you? I don't know. I think a lot of it has to do with their mother. Does their mother hate you? Yes.

I got to ask you real quick on your, the audio for your call. It says Stanley, your son, answer, pick up or something like that. Who are you referring to? Do what? My dad, before he passed away, he was the only person I talked to. He died two months ago. Okay. At just 16, Stanley became a father for the first time, but today he finds himself completely disconnected from his children with no contact information and no way to reach out.

The pain of this isolation is palpable, as Stanley reflects on how his decisions have led to a complete separation from those he loves. He admits that he has no family left. His father, the last person he spoke to, passed away just two months before this interview. His voice. He carries the burden of regret as he expresses his hope that one day his children might reach out to him, so he can tell them that he loves them and always will.

But as we hear Stanley's reflections on his own family, it brings to mind the family of Barbara Lynn, the 77 year old woman whose life he took. Does he think about the grief he caused them in the same way he contemplates his own losses? Is there room for remorse in a man who has lost everything himself?

But first, we'll discover exactly how. What happened on that fateful day, on the next episode of Voices of a Killer.

If you wanna find out what happens next, right now, you can sign up at patreon.com/voicesofakiller. There you can find bonus content, early access, ad free listening, and access to our chat community. So go to patreon.com/voicesofakiller to sign up now, your support is what keeps us passionate about bringing these stories to you.

That's a wrap on this episode of Voices of a Killer. A big shout out to Sonic Futures who handled the production, audio editing, music licensing, and promotion of this podcast. If you want to hear more episodes like this one, make sure to visit our website at voicesofakiller.com. There you can find previous episodes, transcripts, and additional information about the podcast.

Lastly, if you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving us a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you can. You get your podcasts, your feedback helps us improve and reach new listeners. Thank you for your support and we can't wait to share more stories with you in the future. Thank you for tuning in.

I'm your host, Toby, and we'll see you next time on Voices of a Killer. 

Ep 78 | Stanley Kenaga Jr Part 2

Before we begin this podcast, please be advised that the following episode contains language that some listeners may find offensive and inappropriate. The opinions expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not reflect the views of the podcast producers. Listen to discretion is advised.

Welcome back to this episode of Voices of a Killer about Stanley Kenaga Jr and the tragic death of Barbara Lynn. When we last left off, Stanley had talked about his tumultuous childhood and how perhaps this might've been a cause for what leads to us speaking to him behind bars. We now rejoin Stanley on that fateful day in 2019 on this episode of Voices of a Killer.

So who's the victim in your case? A lady named Barbara Lynn. And how'd you know her? I didn't. My brother-in-law came to me and said that he knew where there was $20, 000 at. All we had to do was break into the house and get it. Okay, so hold on. We're going to go piece by piece here. Who approached you that said that there was money in this lady's house?

My brother-in-law. Did y'all do dr*gs together? Do what? Y'all did dr*gs together? Yes. And how did he know that this lady had money in her house? I personally don't know. He told me that someone told him about it and it went from there. Yeah. So, your brother-in-law, who is Joseph Proffer, he comes to you and basically says, "I know about $20, 000 we can get from this person" was the intent to go in there and kill her and take the money or just try to break in and take the money? See, the actual, what I was told from the beginning was that there wasn't nobody home. So there was never supposed to be anybody even there when we broke in.

It's okay. So there was no intent to go in there and kill anybody. It was just to try to break in while nobody was there, take the money. whenever y'all decided to do this, what, time of day did y'all plan this? Probably about one to two o'clock in the morning. And why would a lady that not be home at that time?

Joe told me that she was gone with her son. How did he know that? He said he'd been watching the house. Wow. That's scary. Somebody watching a house like that. You know what I mean? Yeah. For somebody that's, how old was this lady? 77 years old? Yeah. So, y'all planned this at late, early morning, one or two in the morning.

Whenever y'all go together, I guess y'all drove in the same vehicle together? We actually walked. Walked, okay. Whenever you approached the house, what did you see? Was there a car in the driveway? No, there wasn't a car in the driveway. Walk immediately to the house, or did y'all walk back and forth, kind of scoping it out?

We scoped it out, and then we went into the back door. So when you approached the back door, was there lights on in the house? No. How did y'all get in? I came in the back door and went in. Whenever you went in, was there any kind of pets or dogs or anything like that barking? No. What was the first place you went when you went inside?

I went to the living room. Did y'all have a weapon with you? No. No weapons whatsoever? No. Where did your, co-defendant go? He followed with you? He was looking around in the living room with me and then we went to the bedrooms. Okay, so is this a two storey house or a one storey? One storey. Did y'all go to this bedroom together?

Actually, we went, I went down the hallway looking and he went to one bedroom and I went to go to the other bedroom and then I seen that she was in bed. When you opened the door, she's just laying there in bed? Yeah. Was she asleep or did you wake her up when you went in? She was asleep. Was she the only on in the house? Yeah. What did you think when you saw her sleeping there? That had to have been startling. It was. It honestly scared the shit out of me. In the quiet town of Birchtree, Missouri, Barbara Lynn's home became the target of this ominous plot, carried out under the cover of night.

The crime's catalyst, Stanley Kenaga's brother-in-law, Joseph Proffer. Claimed there was $20, 000 stashed in Barbara's home, urging Stanley to join him in breaking in to steal it. Stanley claims they believed the house would be empty. But when they entered the home, Stanley was confronted with the unexpected.

Barbara was there, asleep in her bed. This begs the question, what were Stanley's true motives? Was he simply caught in the web of desperation and greed? Or did something darker drive his actions? Stanley's retelling seems to suggest a sequence of events driven by fear and impulse. But can this justify what followed?

Was it simply about the money? Or was there something more beneath the surface? We need to find out what happened next after the break,

what'd you do? We took off and we left. We got back to my house and he told me that he found the money, but I had startled him before he could get it. Whenever y'all left, did she, did y'all wake her up at any point in time? No. So you guys get spooked by seeing her. Y'all hurry up and leave. She never woke up during that process.

Y'all go and kind of regroup and he's basically saying, "okay, we got to go back and I know where the money is." Yeah. On the second trip back, how long after y'all had left the first time, did you go back? Probably about 45 minutes to an hour. And did you bring weapons the second time? No. Y'all didn't bring any weapons the first or second time?

No. So did y'all go back to the back door? Yes. And where's the first place y'all went when you got back inside? I went to the hallway, the end of the hallway by the bedroom door where she was sleeping. That way, whenever she woke up, I could get him his attention so we could get out of the house before she'd seen any one of us.

So you're basically watching her door and he goes and gets the money? Yes. Was he successful at grabbing the money? No, there was no money got, except for we Hold on, so does he come back and say, "I can't find it" or something? Yeah, I didn't, get on here until, like, almost 1 PM. Whenever, does he come back out and say, "I can't find the money?"

No, actually, he started making a bunch of noise, and I, she started to wake up, so I started throwing coins. I had change in my pocket, and I started throwing coins down the hallway where he was, at him, and trying to get his attention to stop, and she came out of the bedroom, I threw her to the ground. So whenever, hold on a second.

Whenever she comes out of the bedroom, you're right there by the other side of the door, she opens it up or are you like, are you open the door and you're staring at her sleeping and then she wakes up, which one? No, I was standing in the hallway. She woke up and the door was already open and she came out in the hallway. Whenever she came out in the hallway, did she scream or say, what the hell are you doing?

No, she didn't say anything. She didn't say nothing. She, I think she had something in her hand. I don't remember what it was. But there was something in her hand and I didn't know if it was a knife, a gun, or what. So I threw her to the ground and tried to take off. And when I did, my brother-in-law ran back up the hallway and started stomping her on the head.

Why do you think he did that? I have no clue. I'm, I was in shock when it happened. So let me ask you this, does the, does your co-defendant try to claim that you did that and you're saying that he did that? No, I told the cops because I thought that I was trying to protect him, which is stupid now that I've actually thought about it, I've run the rest of my life for somebody who don't even care.

Yeah. I told him that I did it and that he didn't do it. Why would you do that? And because he was 17, he was 19, or I don't remember. He was young. I was just trying to protect him. I didn't think, I was thinking that I'd get up 10 or 15 years and I could do that with no problem and then get out and be okay.

So whenever he was, whenever he ran back up the hall and stomped on her head, did you, were you standing right there with him? I was closer to the end of the hallway and he ran past me and started stomping on her head, yeah. It doesn't sound like, how long did y'all ransack the house with that lady just in the hallway?

A couple minutes. We quickly searched the house. Didn't find nothing. So I told him that we needed to leave and we left. Did you steal anything? I found a guitar, a camera, and a lot of, the camera was worth about $2, 000 and the guitar was worth about three. Yeah. And that's all I could find that was worth anything.

And Joe, he took a computer and some random stupid stuff, which I didn't understand why he took the stupid stuff that he took, because it was pointless. There was no money value in it. Like what? Like he took a carton of cigarettes out of the freezer. Did y'all have gloves on? Yes. Needless to say, Barbara Lynn's murder was senseless.

After everything They had done, why go back? What pushed them to return to the scene? Stanley recounts that Joseph convinced him they needed to make another attempt, claiming the money was there, but he had been startled before he could retrieve it. This raises several troubling questions. What were their true motivations for returning, knowing someone was inside?

Was it desperation, greed, or something darker? Stanley insists that neither of them had weapons when they re-entered the house, but as events unfolded, Barbara awoke. Stanley claims that out of fear, he threw her to the ground, an action that would escalate into violence when Joseph reportedly ran down the hallway.

and began stomping on her. Stanley, standing in shock, says he later took the blame in an attempt to protect his younger brother-in-law, who was only 19 at the time. But why would Stanley assume responsibility for such a heinous act, especially when it would cost him his life outside of prison? As they ransacked the house after Barbara's death, they found nothing of the promised $20, 000, only trivial items, a guitar, a camera, a carton of cigarettes.

What led them to believe this woman had such a large sum of money? And how did the bond between Stanley and Joseph drive the events of that night? In the next episode of Voices of a Killer, we'll explore the answers to these haunting questions.

If you want to find out what happens next, right now, you can sign up at patreon.com/VoicesofaKiller. There you can find bonus content, early access, ad free listening, and access to our chat community. So go to patreon.com/VoicesofaKiller to sign up now. Your support is what keeps us passionate about bringing these stories to you.

That's a wrap on this episode of Voices of a Killer. A big shout out to Sonic Futures who handled the production, audio editing, music licensing, and promotion of this podcast. If you want to hear more episodes like this one, make sure to visit our website at voicesofakiller.com. There you can find previous episodes, transcripts, and additional information about the podcast.

Lastly, if you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving us a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback helps us improve and reach new listeners. Thank you for your support and we can't wait to share more stories with you in the future. Thank you for tuning in.

I'm your host, Toby, and we'll see you next time on Voices of a Killer. 

Ep 78 | Stanley Kenaga Jr Part 3

Before we begin this podcast, please be advised that the following episode contains language that some listeners may find offensive and inappropriate. The opinions expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not reflect the views of the podcast producers. Listener discretion is advised.

Welcome back to the final installment of this episode about Stanley Kenaga Jr and the tragic loss of life in the murder of Barbara Lynn. Last time, Stanley described the shocking events of the night, and now we rejoin him as he describes the immediate aftermath of what truly happened on this episode of Voices of a Killer.

I asked you about your child and stuff and you're not like some kind of violent person but why would you not stop somebody from killing a 77 year old woman? I was in shock. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Was he stomping really hard and trying to kill her? From what I could tell, yes. Was she trying to beg for him to stop or anything?

No. How long did he do that for? A couple minutes. Wow. That's a long time. Yeah. And it was, 

I still have nightmares. You do? Yeah. After that couple minutes of him doing that, what was the next step? Now she's basically passed away. Did y'all start really ransacking the house? Yeah. I, the way I, what I told him was, since that has happened, we've got to at least find the money.

So did y'all start searching around the same room that she was dead in? She was in the hallway. She was in the hallway. Did you ever, was she struggling or anything to stay alive or she was just completely out? She was just out. That must've been really creepy to be searching around her house with a lady dead like that.

It was. Did y'all find the money? No. Wow. So basically, wow. How'd you take that in there? I didn't take it too well. I broke my hand. How'd you break your hand? I punched the wall. Yeah. Did you ever ask him during, after he stomped her head, like, "why did you do that? We didn't have to do that." Or you just rode with it?

I just tried to forget it. I didn't bring it up. He didn't bring it up. How much time did he get, Joseph? He got 20 years. 20 years. Why did he get less time? 24 years. Why did he get less time? I have no clue. I wish I knew. I'm in the process of trying to appeal my case right now so I can get out one day. Has any of her family or friends come down on you?

My last court case, they had letters they wrote and that was read to me. What did the letter say? That they don't understand why we did what we did and they knew the dr*gs were involved and stuff like that and that they hoped that I did get with God. You weren't able to read it? Somebody had to read it to you?

Yeah, actually they read it in court out loud. Oh, okay. So this happened in court, not while you're in prison? Yeah. Gotcha. Whenever y'all left there with all this stuff, where's the place you went? we went directly back to my house. What was the discussion like? You know, y'all just ransacked the house, killed a 77 year old lady, and now you're back with just monetary stuff that's not worth a life.

I honestly tried to just I didn't want to think about it because it was f*cking with me already at what had just happened. And so I took it upon myself to go back to the house and set it on fire to try to make sure that There was nothing to lead back to us. So did Joseph go with you to set the fire?

No. How did you set the fire? Did you bring gas with you? What'd you do? I had gasoline and lighter fluid mixed. And did you go right back through the back door again? I actually went through the front door this time. Because when we left, we went through the front door. We left out the front door. And I left it unlocked.

So whenever you walked in, did you go and check on the lady one last time? Or did you just start throwing gas? No, I, she was in the hallway. I went, I came in the front door in the living room. I sprayed the gas mix on the couch and on the wall. And set it on fire and left. I didn't want to even, I just didn't want to look at the body again.

Whenever you set that stuff on fire, did it catch pretty quick and start burning really fast? Yes. Did the whole house burn down? The front room, the kitchen, the hallway, and one of the bedrooms burnt. But the whole house didn't burn. Did she pass away with whatever that was in her hand? Yes. What was it? I don't remember.

Okay. Do you think it was a weapon? I don't know if it was a weapon or what it was.

I went back home. Did you go to sleep that night? No, I went back home and used a bunch of m*th. How long after this fire did you, get questioned by the police or arrested? I think it was by, it happened the second. I think I got arrested the 15th. The senseless nature of this crime is truly baffling.

Joseph and Stanley were confronted by a now awake Barbara Lynn when they returned to her house and in the panic they began to brutally assault her. But why didn't Stanley stop Joseph from stomping on her? Was it shock that rendered him powerless or something deeper? A sense of obligation or protection for his younger accomplice?

Stanley later admits to covering for Joseph, taking the blame in an effort to shield him from harsher punishment. But what was his true motive for this? Did he feel responsible for leading Joseph into this situation, or was it a futile attempt to preserve a fractured bond? Stanley's decision to return to the crime scene and set the house on fire only raises more questions.

Why take such extreme measures to cover up the crime? Was it guilt, fear, or simply a desperate attempt to erase the horrifying events of that night? After setting the fire, Stanley recounts how he used m*th in an attempt to cope with the reality of what had transpired. But his troubles were far from over, as he was arrested within days of the crime.

How'd they know it was you? Because me and my brother-in-law got into an argument, and he called the law and told them that I killed somebody. Wow. Yeah. Wow. And he tried to act like it wasn't him. It was you. Yeah. So whenever he called, what was the arguing about to make him do that? Because I wouldn't go get him a her**n because I was trying to get him off of her**n.

That's why I was giving him m*th. Wow. So he gets mad and calls the police on you? Yeah. Did you know he was going to call and tell him? No. So where were you when the police showed up? I was at my house. Did they have a search warrant or they just knocked and you came to the door? They came to the house and they said that they could search the house for stolen property.

I told him they could because I didn't know there was anything still there. But apparently Joe, before he left, he put the computer in my room, in my closet. And whenever he called the cops and told them that I did it, he told them where the computer was and where I sold the guitar and the camera. I wonder if Joseph was trying to, not only because you wouldn't get him here, but also trying to, he knew that somebody was going to get caught and try to throw him off the trail so he didn't get caught, you think? I don't know what he was thinking. All I know is he told. So whenever they found all the stuff, they arrested you,

did you deny it? No, I told him that it was me because I was trying to protect Joseph. I didn't know that he was the one that told. Gotcha. If I would have known that he was the one that told, I would have told the truth. But you told him you killed her? Yes. Now I see why Joseph got the lighter end of the stick, because he called the police, so at least he, of course he didn't say, "hey I did it," but he informed them.

Do you think you would have got away with it if he wouldn't have ever called? Actually would have got away with it, because they had already said that she died from a house fire.

So they had claimed that she had died from the house fire, not from being beat? Yes. So did her body burn? Because if you, if they stomped on her head, then you'd be able to tell she must've burned or something, right? From what I've seen, when they showed me the pictures was she got burnt a little bit, but there was a lot of debris and there was ceiling that fell and fallen on her.

Gotcha. How did that make you feel looking at that picture? Actually, it bothered me. I still have nightmares and I see the pictures and I replay what Joe did and I know that's something I'm going to have to deal with the rest of my life. So how long after that did Joseph get arrested? I got arrested on the 15th and then he, then went after, he told them that after he talked to them, I got arrested and then it was a couple days later they were looking for him.

A couple days later, they picked him up. So did you tell him that you killed the lady but he was with you? Yes. Okay. So you pled, you took a plea bill. But I didn't have to tell him that. Yeah. I didn't have to tell him about Joe because they already knew that Joe was there. And they told me what I told them before I ever told them anything.

Gotcha. How did they know he was there? I have no clue. Do you have any appeals left? Actually, right now, I'm in the process of an appeal right now. Which one is it? I don't know, other than Joe telling them. After the brutal killing of 77 year old Barbara Lynn, Stanley confessed to the crime, believing he was shielding Joseph, despite the fact that Joseph had already turned him in.

Stanley admits he didn't know Joseph was the one who informed the police, providing them with crucial evidence. Such as the stolen items hidden in Stanley's home. This false sense of loyalty likely fueled Stanley's decision to take full responsibility for the murder, leading to his life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Stanley's case progressed through the legal system with little leniency. After his arrest, In contrast, the law pursued him with a strong case, especially given his confession and the evidence tying him directly to the crime scene. In contrast, Joseph received a lighter sentence, around 24 years, due to his cooperation with authorities, though both men were heavily implicated in the crime.

The court initially determined that Barbara Lynn had died in the house fire that Stanley set in an attempt to destroy evidence. However, further investigation revealed the true nature of her death. Blunt force trauma caused by the violent assault she endured. Stanley is currently in the process of an appeal, hoping to revisit the details of his case.

But what motivates someone to take such a drastic step to protect another, even in the face of overwhelming evidence? Was Stanley's loyalty worth the life sentence he received? So now you got a murder charge, and you're sitting in jail. Did they tell you're facing the death penalty? Yes. And did they say you got to take a plea to get the death penalty off the table?

Yes. And that plea was life without? Yep. How do you feel about the choice you made on that? Honestly, I just, I wish I wasn't even here, but I know even if I took the lethal injection I would still be sentenced for a long time. And the only reason why I took the life without was because my dad told me, he begged me to take it that way.

As long as he was alive, he'd still be here for me. Yeah. And we didn't expect him to die as soon as he did. Yeah. But I feel like it would, it's God's way of punishing me. You think God's punishing you? Yeah. Why wouldn't he? I deserve to be punished for the part that I had. Do you think you deserve life without parole?

No. I believe that I deserve at least 20 to 15 to 20 years. I deserve to spend in prison and do some time because of what I did do and my involvement and I didn't stop it. But I don't think that I should spend the rest of my life in prison and die here. So you love your dad, right? I do love my dad. If we could just reverse the roles, and some random person broke into your dad's house, somebody stomped his head, and then somebody lit the house on fire, do you still think they should be 15 to 20?

They deserve to go to prison, but I don't believe I don't believe that taking another person's life would be any good at it. It wouldn't be. You're Christian? Yes. You've ever heard an eye for an eye, right? Yep. You don't believe that? In a way, I do, but at the same time, it's like, They're going to have to spend a significant amount of time in prison, away from their family and everything, and prison's not easy.

As we reflect on the tragic death of Barbara Lynn and the actions of Stanley, We're left with a complicated picture of a man who was shaped by trauma, poor decisions, and loyalty to the wrong people. Stanley's life began in turmoil, facing severe childhood abuse, neglect, and violence. These early traumas undoubtedly had a profound effect on his psyche, potentially leading to the actions that followed later in life.

But were these factors alone responsible for his fateful decisions? Stanley's loyalty to his brother-in-law, Joseph Proffer, seems to have been a driving force behind his actions. The question that lingers is why Stanley chose to protect Joseph. even at the cost of his own freedom. From the moment Stanley and Joseph broke into Barbara Lynn's house, it seems clear that Joseph was the instigator.

He came to Stanley with the plan, claiming there was a large sum of money inside, and it was Joseph who initiated the deadly assault on Barbara Lynn. Yet, despite this, Stanley tried to shield Joseph, taking responsibility for the crime and providing the police with a false confession. Was this loyalty misguided, or was it rooted in a deeper desire to protect someone who didn't deserve it?

While Joseph may have received a lighter sentence, 20 to 24 years compared to Stanley's life without parole, it is clear from Stanley's words that he now regrets the choice to cover for him. Looking back, Stanley struggles with the idea that he took the fall for a man who didn't share the same sense of loyalty.

The consequences were dire, and Stanley acknowledges that while he deserves to be punished for his role, he doesn't believe life without parole is a fair sentence for his part in the crime. In the eyes of the law, however, both men were held accountable for their actions. Stanley was charged with first degree murder, burglary, and arson, while Joseph was sentenced for second degree murder.

The legal system viewed their involvement in Barbara Lynn's death as heinous, with no room for leniency. Stanley's choice to accept a plea deal to avoid the death penalty was largely influenced by his father, a figure he cherished deeply, who begged him to take the deal so they could still have time together.

Ironically, his father passed away not long after Stanley was sentenced, adding another layer of pain to his already tumultuous life. As Stanley reflects on his life, he expresses remorse and feels that God is punishing him for his actions. He grapples with his faith and the idea of justice, torn between believing in the concept of an eye for an eye, and recognizing the futility of taking another person's life in retribution.

Now in prison for life, he contemplates whether his decision to protect Joseph was worth the cost. The tragic irony is that in attempting to shield someone, Stanley lost his freedom, his family, and his future. Was it worth it? In Stanley's own words, it seems clear that it was not. After the break, I'll let Stanley have the final word, and we'll find out how he really feels about Joseph.

It's a hard life to live. Yeah, how does that make you feel knowing you're gonna probably die in prison? It sucks. It hurts. Have you ever tried to kill yourself in there? No. You ever think about it? I have thought about it. Do you see people kill themselves in there quite often? I've never seen nobody kill themselves, but from what I hear, it does happen.

Yeah. So how's your, do what? I just, I can't bring myself to do it. Yeah. Do you see a lot of overdoses in there? I haven't seen none personally. I've heard about them. Are you in protective custody? No. Do you get in fights in there? No. How do you avoid that? I just haven't had to yet. I'm sure I will at some point.

How long have you been in there? I've been in here in Jeff City for going on three months and then I did seven months in St joe. Okay. So you really haven't been in there long? No. You're probably still just getting a feel for how everything works. Yeah. Are you in a bad housing unit where it's dangerous?

No, I'm in a decent housing unit. There's not really dangerous here. Yeah. Is your co-defendant, Joseph Roffer, is he in the same prison as you? No. What would that be like if you did get in the same prison as him? I don't know. I can't say that. Do you have animosity towards him? Do what? Do you have animosity towards him?

Yes. Yeah. Stanley, I appreciate you reaching out to me. It's a pretty difficult story to listen to. A 77 year old woman. Bad stuff happens whenever people do dr*gs, and especially whenever they need more dr*gs. Definitely a problem we have in this country, but I appreciate you opening it up to me, and I hope everything works out.

Works out the way it should. Alright.

On the next episode of Voices of a Killer:

what would make you kill your best friend? He said that he was going to dr*g my wife. I asked him, "what the hell are you f*cking doing?" This is f*cking bullshit. He acted like he didn't know what to say or what to do. He kept saying he was going to make it better, he was going to change it. So he was going to try to get my wife.

You just saw red, didn't you? Yeah. You went tunnel vision and killed the guy. Yeah. I'm told I was on m*th too, smoking m*th too, which doesn't help anything. I wish I can go back and change it. I bet you do.

I want to thank Stanley for sharing his story with us today. His ability to be open and honest is what makes this podcast so special. That's a wrap on this episode of Voices of a Killer. A big shout out to Sonic Futures who handled the production, audio editing, music licensing, and promotion of this podcast.

If you want to hear more episodes like this one, make sure to visit our website at voicesofakiller.com. There you can find previous episodes, transcripts, and additional information about the podcast. Lastly, if you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving us a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Your feedback helps us improve and reach new listeners. Thank you for your support, and we can't wait to share more stories with you in the future. Thank you for tuning in. I'm your host Toby, and we'll see you next time on Voices of a Killer.