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Kenia Monge and Lydia Tillman
17 Plays14 days ago
Nylene drags us through the horrific crimes of Travis Forbes, including the tragic death of Kenia Monge and amazing escape of Lydia Tillman.
Enter the Nightmare for show notes, transcripts, sources, and more!
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:29
Speaker
Welcome to Nim and Nyleen's Nightmare Cottage, where we explore history, mysteries, and other tales of the macabre. I'm Nim. And I'm Nyleen. Let the nightmare begin.
Grocery Mishap and Nostalgia
00:00:47
Speaker
disturbing and mature content to follow into the nightmare if you dare
00:00:55
Speaker
you never gonna get it yeah give me one second because my husband's trying to pick your groceries right now it's a grocery that my husband because his wife put it in really late and was too busy trying to take care of everyone else that she how dare you dude because it takes two hours right so you have to wait i understand well i can do it after but you know what mean don't know i would do delivery i prefer delivery impossible because if it's it's not it's not delivery it's to sh short 90 people's thinking the thing did you know what i went to recently Cece's. Cece's. I haven't been in forever. i have Yeah, I haven't been in literal decades. But I was like, you know, like Basha had little bit of hard day and he was like, you know, just kind of feeling
Arcade Memories and Movie Prices
00:01:44
Speaker
a little down. I was like, dude, you know what? And this pizza, some pasta, it'll be in heaven. Like just some...
00:01:50
Speaker
like noodles he'll be a dude he he was like this place is he said why haven't we ever been here before like straight up I was like didn't know you could say sentences like that was crazy that's great so now if I'm gonna take him on an adventure I know where we're going too much CC's all the way Is it like, i I remember it used to almost be, I don't want to say cool, but like, cause I grew up in a small town ish. it was one of the few places to hang out, but like there was like little arcades and like, what's it like now? No, no. I will say like, I feel like it depends on the area. Right. And so I don't even know if CCs are, are all over the place or if it's like, how would you describe it? Like, I mean,
00:02:35
Speaker
I'm pretty sure that's a chain. Like, that's like gonna have to look that up, but I feel that's national chain. Yeah, but like a South chain? Is it like a Southeast? Is it like a... You know what I mean? I'm gonna look it up right now. Let's find out.
00:02:47
Speaker
A national chain with heavy concentration in Southern U.S. founded in Plano. Don't forget to take your anti-anxiety medication. Founded in Texas in 1985, the company has grown to over locations across to plus states.
00:03:03
Speaker
with primary focus expanding its buffet style pizza, pasta, salad, dessert, and oh, and dessert concept. Anyways, so it is primarily the South, but it's 30 plus states.
00:03:16
Speaker
Okay, so it started it in Texas and then moved around. Yeah. Got it. But it wasn't quite arcadey when I went and when I was younger. And then now, I mean, it does still have a little arcade section, but I don't know. We never really played in
Cats as Solace and Humor
00:03:28
Speaker
it in the ones we went to. Like, we would go and all meet there and stuff for, like, fundraisers and stuff. And just, you know, when we were able to because it was cheap to eat. Was our kids ever a thing for you and as a kid? Like, was there ever like a place that had a machine you played a lot or? Yeah, ever I mean, i think it was, but like never like a i never like in the traditional arcade style, nothing like kind of what I see now in the like.
00:03:54
Speaker
I was never allowed to go into those because I would always have to be with my parents. And so it had to be somewhere where my parents could find something they could do for however amount of time um because they were very... um Yeah, we definitely weren't allowed to go without parents, but we also, like, it was it was kind of expensive. Yeah. Or at least I perceived it as expensive. Yeah, because you have to pay for the games, yeah. Right, right. So we didn't really ever, like, it was super, super rare, but... but There was the dollar theater in town had um Adam's family pinball. Oh. And I played the shit out of that. You know what?
00:04:30
Speaker
I used to play the games in the movie theaters is what I used to do. So the movies are really cheap because, you know, we would. um all get in for, you know, um a showing in the day and then a showing in the afternoon. And we would spend the whole day there bouncing between theaters. And it was great. But we would play in the arcades there, too. And that's where a lot of our money would go because those definitely were not free. They were yeah very expensive.
00:04:56
Speaker
But I mean, we would like buy drinks and food all day long. So, I mean, they were getting their money's worth either way. Yeah, back when we thought it was expensive that drinks were $3. Oh, yeah.
00:05:07
Speaker
I miss a $3 drink. I think of like popcorns like $10 for a small one I haven't actually gone to a movie theater and like gotten stuff there like a long, long time. So i don't even know what it's like anymore. And I'm afraid. I'm afraid to find it out. Does that make me old? Am I an old lady?
00:05:26
Speaker
If you can relate to this, it's time to go put your knee brace on, go soak in the tub, and take your your medications for the night.
00:05:39
Speaker
So how are you? How's life? How's things? How are you doing? Eh. I don't know, man. Life feels kind of heavy. Yes. Things just feel so heavy lately. It really... i don't know if it's the time of the year or... No, it's definitely the world. The climate. yeah yeah Yeah. Climate.
00:05:59
Speaker
Yeah. That's a polite way of saying Yeah. And we won't get into it or anything, but but the but the world seems like it's, I don't know. And it's, it's, don't know.
00:06:12
Speaker
i definitely, I feel like I'm kind of down these days
Therapeutic Cats and Parenting Reflections
00:06:15
Speaker
with that. But I still have my colony of cats that make me feel like my life is a cozy game. Oh my gosh. The cats that are now totally getting crazy and having turf wars. Like she has a full, full on what did Monkey call it?
00:06:33
Speaker
A feline civil war. Feline civil war. And I thought he was exaggerating, but I heard it today and that was crazy. Okay. So the thing is, is like, There's these two OG of like boy cats that I'm pretty sure are responsible for all of the kittens in the neighborhood. This is a tune in for the real cat wives. Oh, Jesus. This is is what my life is because I am an old woman, apparently, who follows the drama of the cats outside my house.
00:07:03
Speaker
Listen, free entertainment. Things are expensive right now, guys. There was at one point that the at the peak of this, there was like eight cats in my backyard, like chilling on the deck, just chilling on the back deck, like coexisting. Looking like a Renaissance painting. Yes.
00:07:20
Speaker
Yes. I have a very, very blurry photo that I took from inside my house because if I opened the back door. Oh, yeah. They'd all like scatter. They'd scatter. Instantly. Actually, not all of them scatter. If I'm like chill enough in my movements and like, you know, they'll tolerate my presence for a couple minutes if I don't get off the deck.
00:07:39
Speaker
Oh, I can hear again. This keeps happening where it's like being, um what's it called? Flash banged. Is that the right word? I don't know. or is that? That sounds st dirty. It does. i mean, i know I mean, I'm talking about like in the games.
00:07:55
Speaker
When I go. I thought it was the tapping. No. It took me a second. yeah The things we find normal and and abnormal. And I'm not even hearing that. It's not even registering for me.
00:08:11
Speaker
I'm going to say it right now. But if you hear the tippity-tapping of tippity-taps, that is my... It's ASMR. It's my my wonderful husband. No. About 20 feet away in a different room, but no separating doors, playing Overwatch with a mechanical keyboard. So, sorry.
00:08:33
Speaker
It's the monkey in the other room outside the caravan trying to get in That's what I meant. Just wrap, tap, tapping on the roof, trying to tear it apart. Just find one little spot to just rip it open like a can of sardines.
00:08:51
Speaker
Cut out all my shit. I'm going to leave that. Or you could leave both. They're both poetry in their own way. How are you? Man, how are you? man Honestly, like, I feel like things have been turning a corner, especially with, you know, if we're going to speak of animal civil wars, you know, I have my own at home with the, gosh, the whole the whole tribe that make me question my decisions very often. We all question your decisions. I know, but look at them. They're so cute fluffy. know. I love them all. They're all very great. I love picking sushi. Like, it guys, okay.
00:09:28
Speaker
Listen, I'm speaking to you people who don't have a cat.
Child's Learning and Parental Responsibilities
00:09:32
Speaker
I don't care if you think you're not a cat person. i need you to find a cat that is like a tolerant, sweet cat. Like make sure you know that person and and their trust, their cat.
00:09:43
Speaker
And just pick that cat up and just put your face in his stomach and just just live there for a moment. It's like.
00:09:54
Speaker
It's like the world is okay for just a minute. Okay? Yeah. It's just... So I was always just a dog person. Like, I was one of those people who was not into cats at all. Like, I was kind of more or less anti-cat. Yeah. um Like, I didn't hate cats, but i i would have I never wanted one. Same.
00:10:12
Speaker
and Actually, I'm a liar. I always wanted a cat. I don't know why i say that. When I moved in with Monkey, he came with a cat. A cat that ended up being the love of my life. oh And we actually bonded. i was ah i I had to stay home sick from work and I was reading a book.
00:10:31
Speaker
on the couch and he crawled up on my chest in between me and the book and then we were friends and besties for the rest of his life and we should say his name his name is Kage yes sweet baby it's good to remember him because he was the best
00:10:53
Speaker
so anyways in the nightmare cottage with the evil flying monkeys outside What is it? Fly away, my pretties.
00:11:06
Speaker
Fly, my pretties. Fly, my pretties. Fly. Oh, yeah. So anyways, yeah, definitely a cat person now because of that guy. Yeah. Yeah. And it is therapeutic. It is actually like there's... If they accept you, that is. Well, yeah. Otherwise, it's stressful. ah the being The feeling of being chosen by a cat is...
00:11:28
Speaker
Unparalleled. Dogs are amazing and sweet and wonderful. It is a different flavor for sure. Yes, it is. Because there's like a different level of trust with cats. I feel like you really have to earn it.
00:11:40
Speaker
Like lately, Sushi, she's been, i think she just feels at home now. Finally. Oh, yay. Yes. And so, but I'm thinking she's starting to feel at home because now I'm like hearing her more often, like doing her like pit pats all around the house and just like. If you're hearing her move, it's because she wants you to hear her move. I'm seeing her during the daytime. I'm in another room and I can hear her playing with like wires and like, stop it. And you can just hear like the distant, yeah like she's just been very um vocal and visible lately, which is great. So she feels comfortable, you know, but it also means that she has decided that nothing is allowed to stay on the counter or table of any kind. And when you have a four-year-old, you know, that's not possible because
00:12:31
Speaker
um But she doesn't care. She wants it on the floor. And then Fern says, oh, yum, some new toy on the floor to eat. And then she eats it. And you're like, hey, no, stop that. And then she runs away and drags it all over the couch. So you hope that it's not something messy.
00:12:47
Speaker
So I've taken to covering my cushions. I never understood why parents did that. i always thought it was like such a silly thing because I'm like, it's just going to get dirty. Just let it get dirty. Clean it off. You're fine. No, fuck that. All right. Excuse my language, but fuck that completely because my child...
00:13:07
Speaker
Guys, over the past few days, i have met some feral children and i am learning that my child is ah trap baby. And that is, wait, hmm, phrasing.
00:13:21
Speaker
So he is a baby that is so good and so sweet and so nice and caring and empathetic and Just helpful. The kind that tricks you into thinking that you can have another one because this one was so easy. Yes.
00:13:36
Speaker
But I will not do that. hopefulp It's a trap. Yes. Yes. so But I have realized that my child is very, very good.
00:13:46
Speaker
And I am not used to feral children. And they're always so sticky. They're always so sticky. Just I mean, that's generally a question I, as a childless heathen, always ask about all all kids. life I know he smells really sweet. I smell that. I'm like, you smell like sugar is coming out of your pores.
00:14:11
Speaker
And I don't feel like I give him that much sugar. It's because he's so sweet. Oh, my goodness. You're the reason. What? Probably slipping him candy. I'm not.
00:14:22
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, I do it Halloween, but I'm supposed to. It's my job. Oh, no, I think we're being hunted. Oh, nope. It's my own shadow. guys. I know how light works.
00:14:36
Speaker
That's another thing my child just learned about shadows, which has really helped because they taught him about shadows at school. And so now he understands that the shadows in his room aren't monsters. I was having trouble getting that across to him and explaining to him that the shadow he was seeing is just a reflection of something. well Is that when you had the conversation about the moon and its shadows? That's so great. I love that. I'm so excited about teaching him about space he's asking such like crazy questions i'm like he's four and but it's amazing yeah that's been really great but um
00:15:08
Speaker
Yeah, we're coming up on everything due season for me at least.
Kenya Monier's Disappearance
00:15:14
Speaker
I don't know if the rest of the population is feeling it, not to get too crazy on here, but like this is everything due season every year for me.
00:15:22
Speaker
Everything. Like I got to get that registration done. I got to do the taxes. Yeah. um Just everything. earth Yeah. If you're in a position in a company, probably a fiscal year end situation that you have to prove something for. Yeah. yep Reviews and all that fun stuff. So guys, this was a hard one to do. going to be honest with you.
00:15:47
Speaker
So I really, really hope you like it.
00:15:53
Speaker
Chaos Steven. Proving it again. Are you ready? i am ready. Or am I? don't know. I don't know. You've got me kind of worried about this one. I'm sorry. Yeah. So like, I feel like I just feel like with this one, it, it started, it, it really was like an iceberg. Like it started with such a, like just a tip, you know, and then it like escalated so much.
00:16:18
Speaker
It's just kind of crazy, but okay, here we go. so Our story begins with Kenya Monier. She was born in 1992 in Honduras. Her mother was 15 at the time and their life was rough.
00:16:32
Speaker
Soon after her birth, her mother, only 16 at the time, moved to the U.S., leaving her behind in Honduras with her grandmother raising her. Her mother eventually married a man in the U.S. and had two kids.
00:16:45
Speaker
It wasn't until 10 years later that Kenya's mother confessed to her husband that this whole time she had a child back home in Honduras and that she had finally saved enough money to bring her to the U.S. to live with them.
00:16:59
Speaker
So in 2004, Kenya was 11 years old when her mom finally brings her to the U.S. Yes. I couldn't imagine like one night, let alone like 10 years of not seeing your kid. like Not seeing your mom and the rest of your family already being gone? Yeah. And I mean, in all fairness, her mom was 15. Like she probably just was not capable of raising a child at that time. And It might have honestly been taboo for her to have gotten pregnant. And that's probably why she left because there was not going to be a good life for her there after that, you know?
00:17:35
Speaker
So she integrated with the rest of the family really well. Once she got to the U S her stepfather quickly, he takes on the role of her father. Like he's like, no, like it. And they have like a really great relationship. Like it's like,
00:17:50
Speaker
It's beneficial. Yes, it's good. Everyone's really happy and everyone's comfortable with the situation. So Kenya, you know, she's thriving here. She eventually graduates high school. She moves out and she decides to go to college for radio broadcasting.
00:18:06
Speaker
So 19 year old Kenya is off at college, but she still talks to her parents regularly throughout the day. She has a good relationship with them. And on April 1st of 2011, Kenya lets her parents know that she's going out with her friends to a hookah bar and coming back home for the night after they go to the hookah bar.
00:18:24
Speaker
But as, you know, teenagers do, she's actually planning to go to a club with her friends. And unfortunately for the girls, the bouncer that they knew was not working that night and they were underage, so they
Night Out and Last Sighting
00:18:39
Speaker
couldn't drink. So they weren't able to get into that club as they ah had originally planned.
00:18:43
Speaker
That is always how that show goes. Yep. Every time. So they actually ended up sneaking into another club nearby with some fake IDs that they had.
00:18:54
Speaker
It was called the 24K Lounge. I checked. It's not still in business. So I'm stop you. like Media. Yeah. TV led me to believe that fake IDs were very, very, very prominent.
00:19:09
Speaker
i know. I never seen one. I'd never... No, the only time I've ever seen one was when I worked in business where I had to check IDs for things. Really? and And it was like over the 20 years of dealing with that, it was just a couple of times. Yeah.
00:19:25
Speaker
And it wasn't all that serious because it was just checking ID for a credit card. And I said, sorry, man, else you got? You know, so it wasn't ever anything like crucial. But like.
00:19:37
Speaker
Yeah, I never knew anybody who had a fake ID. Yeah. like Like, it was not, like, nobody was offering anybody anything. I mean, I wasn't cool enough for those Yeah, it was like I feel like, like weren't in, like, big cities where, and plus, we had the underage clubs here, at least.
00:19:52
Speaker
I feel like underage clubs were a big thing. That is true. Because we had, like, MTV, VH1, like, whole vibe that ended up bringing clubbing to, like, our generation. Sorry, I didn't mean to completely derail that. Continue. um So they decided to sneak into this nearby club, the 24K Lounge, and they got in without any problems.
00:20:12
Speaker
So Kenny and her friends, they had met some guys at the bar, which is interesting because I saw an article that said she had a boyfriend, but... That doesn't, I mean. Yeah, but they had started dancing and drinking with them.
00:20:24
Speaker
And sometime after midnight, Kenya starts to get too rowdy. And she's clearly very intoxicated. So after some kind of altercation at the bar, i don't, maybe she was just drunk or loud or picking fights with people. I don't know. I couldn't really find...
00:20:41
Speaker
Very much stuff on this. But she ends up being kicked out onto the street. She has no jacket, no wallet, no phone. And she's walking down the streets of downtown Denver. What year are we in about here? 2011. 2011. Okay, okay, okay. Downtown Denver, Colorado. She's intoxicated.
00:21:02
Speaker
Underage. No phone. No money of any kind to get herself home. Great. Yeah. So good time. Oh, and not only that, in all fairness, didn't grow up here. Like she's been in this area maybe for eight years of her life so far.
00:21:16
Speaker
i mean, formative years, but yeah still. So question here. This really got me to think like about being underage and the dumb things that I used to try to
Wild Nights and Youthful Tales
00:21:28
Speaker
do. What was your worst night out? Like, what were you underage? Were you of Yeah.
00:21:33
Speaker
i I feel like we all had one. So no shame, guys. Yeah. So I actually have been shockingly lucky and i't I didn't really have many underage shenanigans. I found my wildness when I was of age. yeah And even then, like I did have, i would probably say that my hardest night out, or at least the the aftermath of, was a friend of ours, our mutual friend of ours. um She had her bachelorette party. um I was maid of honor. And we had the benefit of the fact that we were we were belly dancers at the time. And our dance troupe were these
00:22:10
Speaker
wild party girls so i had remember that was that was quite a party that was the first one i ever went to yeah yeah this this bachelorette party these girls these girls so we had a party bus with you poles in it for dancing right because you're on bus so you need to hold on to something uh and then oh yeah that's what it's for to hold on to something in the party bus you're just told so you can hold on yep not fall over We had a chest full of like jello shots and there was like all sorts of liquor and stuff. And we. God, jello shots are so dangerous. but That's how I got two of my tattoos.
00:22:45
Speaker
Jello shots. That's what that was. That was the last time I got actually drunk. Like since then, like I've had maybe just like one or two drinks. Like this was. like a Oh my God, it was almost a decade ago now. but like Wow, way to age you yourself. I know, right? but ah Guys, we're we're timeless. Don't worry about it. Age is nothing but a number.
00:23:05
Speaker
On top of that horrible, horrible hangover that lasted ah the hangover way too long. that's That's why I don't drink anymore is that hangover was so bad. Aside from the hangover, me and the bride-to-be were dancing while the bus was moving on that pole.
00:23:25
Speaker
And swung around and like smashed our faces into each other. And we both had like welts and marks like on our forehead. Oh, my gosh. And how drunk were you guys already?
00:23:38
Speaker
oh this was the end of the night. gosh. We were gone. we were very gone. Did you guys get kicked off the bus? No, no, because we rented it for the whole time. It was ours. But it was it was on the way back to drop everybody else off back at my house. Yeah. Because we started at my house. Oh, no. Well, at least you were on your way home. Yeah, we were on the way home and that.
00:23:57
Speaker
Anyway, so yeah, it left a mark and the hangover was horrible. And that is why i do not drink like that ever anymore. Again, the end.
00:24:08
Speaker
That's crazy. What about you? um Sorry, mom, if you're listening. So mom, mom was actually here that night for everybody to come home. So she already knew that story. Oh, gosh. Sorry, mom, for that night.
00:24:25
Speaker
No, mine was actually my 21st birthday. But it's funny because I used to like i used to drink before i was 21, obviously. like I mean, not saying it was a good thing, but you know we tried to like keep it in the house and be safe and not do anything crazy. But my 21st birthday, we decided to go all out and we went to downtown and I had entirely too many drinks. This is the first time I'd ever been to like a fancy bar club whatever with music and everyone's vibing like I I usually went to like pool bars and stuff like that and because that's what you can get into before you're 21 yeah exactly yeah so but yeah funny enough uh
00:25:13
Speaker
Got really trashed. And I remember the Long Island iced tea was what put me over the edge. They do that. Yeah. That was the last drink of the night. I almost made it to two o'clock and then all my friends decided to go get pizza.
00:25:29
Speaker
And so we went to this pizza place. And as I'm walking up the stairs, I started getting the spins and I was like, oh, no, not inside this pizza place. Oh, no. And then i was able to like, because there was a line to get in the bathroom, I was able to like get to the front and just open the door and like went and peed in the bath bathroom, like in the toilet. I made it. I made it, guys. I have a special power where I can like get there, get there on time. There was a time when I couldn't, but it's it's a special power I have. That's a really, that's a very useful. Yeah. Like I can hold it until I have a receptacle.
00:26:00
Speaker
But anyways, I'm not, I don't have a problem. I promise. But yes. So I got kind of like kicked out of there, obviously. Like they weren't really, we were like, they didn't tell me to leave, but they were like, eh, you know, like you okay. And i was like, yep, I'm leaving. They were like, good.
00:26:16
Speaker
Have a good day. do you need some water? And I was like, no, I'm okay. And so i called my boyfriend at the time, but i he couldn't come with us because he was underage. So he couldn't get into any of the places. Like they wouldn't even let you into these places if you were underage.
00:26:31
Speaker
And so I'm wandering around downtown, which we never do. I have lost my friends and and my family. I've lost everyone. My phone is dying. My Nokia, my little Nokia brick is dying. And I'm just walking around downtown trying to call him very drunk. And i remember i eventually ended up sitting on a corner and I got very sick and kind of
00:27:04
Speaker
was in and out of consciousness. I could hear people around me. I could smell myself. It was bad It was really bad. And somehow my boyfriend at the time had been circling around all downtown and he found me on the corner and picked me up, put me in my car because he was driving my car.
00:27:26
Speaker
And took me home. And I did not wake up until i think it was 5 p.m. the next day um to a million and a half missed calls and messages. And everyone was freaking the F out.
00:27:42
Speaker
It was really bad. It was really bad. But I was fine. that could have ended very differently as I'm about to get into. Oh, no. Okay. Well, I don't want to know, but keep going.
00:27:55
Speaker
Sorry, guys. So um back to kena i do feel like this goes for everyone.
Search Intensifies and Travis's Suspicions
00:28:05
Speaker
If you're going out with someone, make sure you both make it home. And if they leave with someone, make sure to have them like turn on their location.
00:28:14
Speaker
Like there's so many ways to be smart about this kind of thing, especially now that technology is what it is. have a designated sober person or someone just to wrangle the masses. I'm really lucky my husband doesn't like to drink or anything.
00:28:29
Speaker
It helps. But yeah, so back to Kenya. Her friends don't learn until the next morning that she didn't make it home. They call around and after not being able to find her, they decide to call her parents.
00:28:42
Speaker
Maria Monier Lee and Tony Lee haven't heard from her either, which is pretty abnormal. Kenya's friends are hesitant to tell them where they really went since they're all underage.
00:28:53
Speaker
But after some coaxing, they tell them they went to a bar and they all got really drunk. And then they lost Kenya at some point. They lost her. They lost her. Like she's their keys. Yes.
00:29:05
Speaker
So they give Kenya's dad her phone and wallet and Tony starts digging through everything to see he can try to figure out where she is, what happened. Maybe she went home with someone.
00:29:16
Speaker
In going through her phone, Tony finds a message from someone named Travis. And the message says, quote, Hey, this is Travis, the guy who gave you a ride last night.
00:29:30
Speaker
White creepy van. Smiley face. White and creepy. Right. riy face Did you get home okay? Tony tries calling the number over 30 times in 24 hours. He identified himself as somebody with a white creepy van. Right.
00:29:46
Speaker
In a message.
00:29:49
Speaker
Okay, continue. So her dad is calling this guy, right, over and over, 30 times. He's leaving messages. The guy isn't responding. um So he decides he's going to go to the police.
00:30:01
Speaker
But as he feared, since she's 19, she's moved out, she's legally an adult, there's no evidence pointing to foul play necessarily. So there is a 72-hour hold on her before, like, she can be reported as missing.
00:30:16
Speaker
So Tony doesn't really accept that. And he gets back to trying to contact the person behind the name Travis and his daughter's phone. So he's like, look, OK, you're not going to take this as an investigation. Fine, I'll keep it going, but I'll be back, you know, and he gets on with it, which is amazing. Like, that's kind of why I wanted to mention, like.
00:30:35
Speaker
This guy really accepted her as his daughter and he is doing everything he can to find her. Yeah. So which I think is really amazing. After a full day of dodging his calls, Travis finally answers and recounts to Tony what happened that night.
00:30:51
Speaker
Travis states that he saw Kenya walking by herself outside of the club and i asked her if she might need some help. She got in his van and she asked him if he could take her to her car.
00:31:03
Speaker
Travis said that he noticed she was really intoxicated, so he asked Kenya where she lived and offered to just drive her home instead. Kenya agrees to this, but asked Travis to stop at a gas station first so that she can get a pack of cigarettes. Sigh.
00:31:18
Speaker
so He pulls into a Conoco station and she gets out and goes inside, realizing that she doesn't have any money. She gets upset, walks out. Travis said then she started chatting up a guy who was outside smoking, bums a cigarette from him. And after waiting a bit, Travis states that he got kind of impatient and he asked her if she was still wanting a ride home.
00:31:41
Speaker
To which Kenya apparently responded that she was going to stay at the gas station with this guy now and just talk a little bit longer because he's got the cigarettes, right? Sure. So don't worry about me. I'll find my way home.
00:31:53
Speaker
What do you think about that? Like that situation, like if if you were in that situation, someone you picked up was doing this. Um. In the off case that you helped somebody randomly on the street.
00:32:10
Speaker
If somebody I was helping was intoxicated and they have decided to shift their plans, I definitely think it would be situational in the vibes of the moment. Yeah. But like, I would think that if I felt there was any concern from, for that person's wellbeing, if like there was any kind of a power dynamic between the two people, yeah it depends on the situation. um But if I was concerned in any way, I would probably call like,
00:32:39
Speaker
Yeah. Especially if they're like really intoxicated and I feel like they might be in danger. Yes. Because it's it's better than them ending up, you know. On a milk carton. On a milk carton or, you know, maybe they end it behind the wheel and they hurt somebody or whatever. You know, like i would I would at that point feel at least mildly responsible, I think. Yeah. No, I feel that.
00:33:04
Speaker
But yeah, like I get it, though. Like she's not his responsibility. he just met her and he has stuff to do but she's obviously vulnerable. i don't know. I would at least like I think I would try to push her to let me take her home. But hindsight is twenty twenty I would say that's the thing. I wouldn't.
00:33:24
Speaker
deigned to assume I could do anything that wasn't creepy to get her to let me take her home if she had already made the decision that she was done with my company. Yeah. But I was still concerned. That's why call Especially a man to a woman. i could see where that could be alarming. Right. So like I get scared if a man is just walking behind me. Or at the, you know, at the very least, I might like see what the clerk inside, if if they seem like they could maybe keep an eye on the situation or so. I would, I would yeah take a partner as they say.
00:33:52
Speaker
Did you say that you were seeing something and you were saying something? Are you making fun of me for using cliche words? No, I wasn't. Now I am. a All right.
00:34:04
Speaker
So after this conversation with Travis, Kenya's dad goes back to the police with this information as evidence of foul play. He's like, listen, like this guy left my daughter at a gas station and she went off with some guy like...
00:34:19
Speaker
Obviously, she's not okay. Let's maybe check in on this, right? But again, they remind him that since Kenya is an adult, if she wants to wander off with a strange man for two days, she can.
00:34:35
Speaker
And they can't go looking for her for 72 hours unless there's compelling evidence of foul play. So, you know. I know. Is that just for the sake of respecting somebody's privacy? Yes. Like, like I get it. Privacy and resources and all of it. Like they have to put priorities where, where they know for sure. Right. They'll, they could be useful. So, but again,
00:35:01
Speaker
Tony's determined to keep investigating until the police will do something because
Confrontation with Travis
00:35:06
Speaker
he's awesome. So he calls Travis back and he starts drilling him through every second of the night to get as much information as he can from him.
00:35:14
Speaker
And there comes a point in the conversation where Travis offers to just meet Tony at the gas station where he left her so that maybe he can show Tony everything in detail.
00:35:25
Speaker
You know, so he can see firsthand. That sounds sinister. What his daughter experienced. And you know what? Tony agrees, but he feels that something may be a little off. Yeah.
00:35:36
Speaker
Weird. um So Tony grabs his personal firearm and he lets Maria, Kenya's mom, know that he's going to meet Travis at the gas station. ah Maria tries to convince him not to go. Yeah.
00:35:49
Speaker
But he wants to know what happened to his daughter and knows this. And he can't go to the police because they already said they won't do anything. Exactly. That's so fucked. That's so fucked. Yes. I feel like at that point, though, God, ooh, the man. Yeah, I can understand not feeling like you could, though. Yeah, and see, this is like this is where I empathize because it's like he's not trying to escalate the situation, but he's trying to protect himself just in case the situation gets out of hand. But, I mean, kudos to him for keeping the investigation going and being persistent.
00:36:20
Speaker
I can appreciate that. That's what I appreciate about him. That's what you appreciate about him. So when Tony gets to the gas station, the police are already there waiting for him.
00:36:33
Speaker
His wife, being concerned that he's meeting some stranger at a gas station to talk about their missing daughter and has gun, has decided to call the police and let them know this situation. kind of glad she did. I agree. i Would you have done the same? I think I might have done same.
00:36:50
Speaker
yeah I don't know, man. Yes. No, I would have if I could not have convinced him. Actually, i probably would have called his dad. But, you know, I also think that I would have been able to convince him. Yeah.
00:37:01
Speaker
That's because we're married at reasonable men. Yes. You hear that? We have the only two reasonable ones. The only ones. yeah Well, I wouldn't I wouldn't call yours. You're right. He's not. But he gets away with it because he makes sweet faces and does nice things. And he's he's like a little puppy, like a golden retriever.
00:37:22
Speaker
He is very golden retriever. should probably take that. I don't know that he would appreciate any of that. I've told him that he's a golden retriever. He knows. Anyways. So the police tell Tony to stay in his car, leave his gun put away and out of reach while they go and talk to Travis.
00:37:39
Speaker
Travis is in front of the gas station talking with police officers and Tony's parked around the corner from them. From where Tony is parked, he can see a white van parked in the back of the gas station.
00:37:50
Speaker
He remembers that message from Travis mentioned a quote, creepy white van. And he's like, this is in fact, creepy white and van. So he takes this opportunity to slip back there and check out that van.
00:38:06
Speaker
And he says as he got closer to the van, he smelled oh an overwhelming stench of bleach. Like the van had been doused in bleach.
00:38:19
Speaker
Tony goes and gets one of the officers standing on the sidelines and tells them what he discovered in the back of the gas station. The cop goes to check it out and smells the bleach as well. He scans his flashlight through the windows and notes that the truck is a mess on the inside from what they can see.
00:38:34
Speaker
There's garbage everywhere in the cab of the van, but the back windows are blacked out, so they can't really see into the back. The cop notices that the truck has expired tags, though, so he uses that as a reason to ask Travis to open the van.
00:38:50
Speaker
Travis complies. He opens it up. And as they open it, they see a very clean, empty van. Like the whole back is clean, has brand new carpet, smells like bleach. Everything's been wiped down.
00:39:05
Speaker
But the front, just garbage piled everywhere. But they don't see anything out of the ordinary beyond this. So police claim they still will not file a missing persons report until 72 hours. Are you fucking kidding me?
00:39:20
Speaker
Tony, being the persistent concerned parent that he is, asks the police if he can just have a quick conversation with Travis, unarmed, just one-on-one, cops there around the corner if they need him, asks Travis if he's okay with this.
00:39:34
Speaker
So they agree, and Tony walks to the back of the gas station to converse with Travis. He says the conversation feels odd. Travis is very apologetic and almost to tears at one point, but he seems outwardly calm and collected.
00:39:48
Speaker
He says he feels so guilty that he didn't follow through and taking her home. And he really hopes that they find her. But, you know, he's told them everything he knows. And at the end of the conversation, Travis reaches out to shake Tony's hand.
00:40:02
Speaker
As Tony shakes Travis's hand, he noticed that Travis is very shaky. So outwardly, he seems really calm, but internally, he's like shitting his britches, you know?
00:40:13
Speaker
So finally, the day has come. The 72-hour hold passes, and there's still no sign of Kenya.
Travis's Alibi and Police Struggle
00:40:22
Speaker
Tony is finally able to file the missing persons report, and the police bring Travis into the station for a real interview.
00:40:28
Speaker
They go over his story again, and it stays the same as before. He reports that after he left Kenya at the gas station, it was around 1 a.m. and he went home to his girlfriend's house.
00:40:39
Speaker
Travis says the next morning he went to work at 830 a.m. One problem with this, both of those statements were really easily disproven. His phone records showed that he went to the city of Keensburg in Colorado. think This ended up being something like 40 minutes away from where he said that he was at his girlfriend's house. Quite the discrepancy. ah But his girlfriend confirms his alibi anyways. Of course does. How convenient. The gas station that he supposedly left Kenya at was closed at the time that Kenya was supposed to have been buying cigarettes and chatting up other customers to leave with.
00:41:15
Speaker
Yeah, quite a weird discrepancy. Not a great look. Investigators also contacted the bakery where he worked at. Debbie's Bakery and Cafe, and they said that Travis did not show up to work at 830 a.m. that day, but that he had been acting a little bit odd recently.
00:41:32
Speaker
The bakery owners pull the camera footage from investigators, and what they find is pretty scary. Oh, no. Yeah. By the way, so a little levity to this.
00:41:42
Speaker
One news source had him listed as a granola bar salesman. So I had to dig into that more because i was like, that is a very specific title. A very specific one thing to sell. Yeah. So he sold homemade gluten free granola bars.
00:41:59
Speaker
So it seems like this was like a rented space in a workshop that he used to make his own stuff. Sounds like health is very important to this guy. Yeah. so I feel like that would make a difference in how hard people would question you and the things that you do in that space. to Just keep that in mind when I tell you what's on the camera footage. Okay.
00:42:17
Speaker
On the night at April 2nd, Travis comes into the bakery at 7.30 p.m. And he's wearing yellow washing up gloves. He has a massive white cooler on a cart.
00:42:31
Speaker
And the cooler has black duct tape all along the seams. Oh, no. And a few pieces holding the lid shut. He wheels the cart into the walk-in freezer, grabs a bottle of bleach from the corner, and turns the camera off and leaves the building. oh my god So it seems he left the cooler in there overnight as the next day he would follow anybody who went into the freezer.
00:42:51
Speaker
Neighbors of the bakery said they noted some odd burning smells from the bakery and saw Travis burning something in a bucket around that time. But they searched the bakery high and low and they weren't able to find the cooler or any additional evidence.
00:43:05
Speaker
He states that the cooler was empty and that he just uses it for deliveries of his product. He just put it there to keep it chilled for the next batch. He says he spilled bleach, which is why he turned off the camera to change. And, you know, unfortunately, they didn't have any physical evidence to hold him on. So they had to let him go.
00:43:25
Speaker
That is ridiculous. So as police continue to investigate, they look into Travis's background. Just now. They see that he had so just a few previous convictions.
00:43:35
Speaker
So at 17, he broke into 16 Fort Collins, Colorado homes. Jesus. And he stole $15,000 in cash and a bunch of women's underwear.
00:43:46
Speaker
Yes. So he was on probation for this. And then he was arrested for criminal harassment. In 1998 and possession of a knife in 1999, he apparently violated probation like 43 times.
00:44:02
Speaker
Most of them were just like curfew violations. But yet he was still allowed to roam free and they just extended his probation some more and added some more community service.
00:44:14
Speaker
In 2004, he got caught throwing rocks at women who were jogging in the Highlands Ranch area and he got arrested. Just throwing rocks at women. Yeah.
00:44:25
Speaker
Great. Yeah. He pleads guilty to harassment and is put in jail for a month. So all this to say this guy is he's all red flags, but like he just doesn't do enough to like he doesn't come across as a murderer. Yeah, it's just everything he does. He's able to plead out to nuisance charges. And so all that's ever on his record is all these little nuisance charges.
00:44:47
Speaker
So he's manipulative. Maybe. So investigators decided to pick him up again, question him on his past criminal history and its connection to recent behaviors.
00:44:58
Speaker
But they cannot find Travis and learn that he has skipped town. Shocking. Dun, dun, du dun. Dun, dun, dun. So look, I've tried to find a reason why he was so hateful to women and I couldn't find anything.
00:45:14
Speaker
Not that it would make this better, right? and Like no obvious broken home or like. Yeah, none of that. i don't know. Maybe he was hungry from just eating granola bars or maybe he was targeting women that he read, like that he met on his routes or something. Maybe he just needed some gluten.
00:45:30
Speaker
They didn't get any new leads until May 6th in Austin, Texas. So Travis is arrested for borrowing borrowrowing his ex-girlfriend's SUV and fleeing to Austin with it.
00:45:43
Speaker
The Austin police contact the Denver Police Department to let them know they have him in custody. And the investigators take this opportunity to fly from Denver, Colorado to Austin, Texas to interview Travis Moore on Kenya's case and start the process to get him extradited back to Colorado.
00:46:00
Speaker
So they get him back and miraculously, the owner of the stolen car, his ex-girlfriend, drops the charges. So they have to let him go. So again, they don't have anything to hold him on.
00:46:15
Speaker
They can question him, but then they have to release him. So they can't really do anything about it. So he goes free.
Lydia's Survival and Investigation
00:46:24
Speaker
Fast forward to July 2011.
00:46:28
Speaker
Lydia Tillman goes to a 4th of July firework show in Denver, Colorado. Afterwards, she walks home alone. oh Unbeknownst to her, she's being followed. A man follows her to her door and muscles his way in He closes the door behind him and he sexually assaults her and viciously beats her.
00:46:48
Speaker
The man strangled Lydia, stomped on her head multiple times, shattered her jaw. She loses consciousness. Man then pours bleach all over her body and sets her apartment on fire.
00:47:03
Speaker
But Lydia wakes up and she realizes her apartment is on fire. Her only way out is through a second story window. Oh my God. So she jumps out and somehow she survives a fall.
00:47:16
Speaker
But she suffers a stroke among her other injuries. And she was in a coma for five weeks after Let me tell you, I wanted to do so much more on Lydia because there was so much about her that helped solve so much and like how hard she fought to like live and survive after that beating.
00:47:38
Speaker
is insane but there just was not time to do all of them so sorry so detectives were zeroing in on travis in the case of lydia tillman but they didn't have enough evidence to bring him in yet again right so they started to follow him around and on july 10th officers followed travis to a club they watched as he walked up to a woman outside the club and started talking to her When the couple started to walk off, officers decided it was best to just stop him and question him now to keep this lady from possibly becoming the next victim. sure
00:48:14
Speaker
So Travis refused to identify himself when the police you know pulled him aside and kept giving police false name. So Travis was arrested for lying to police about his identity. And at this time, they were able to swap him from for DNA because he refused to tell them who he was. oh Yes. So this actually ended up being pretty amazing because they were able to get a hit for the DNA and it came back as a match to the DNA that was under the fingernails of Lydia Tillman. Wow.
00:48:48
Speaker
Who was still in a coma, but he was booked for the sexual assault and attempted murder of Lydia Tillman at that time. So it was really great because they finally had a reason to hold him. Wasn't the original murder, but it was another attempt, right?
00:49:00
Speaker
So when Travis realizes that these charges might actually stick, he decides to strike a deal with law enforcement. So detectives ask him if there's any more victims.
00:49:11
Speaker
Forbes replies, quote, when everything comes to light, it's going to be horrific, horrendous. The detective asks, because there's more victims out there we don't know about, it's just a matter of time before they come up.
00:49:26
Speaker
And the report says Forbes nodded yes. Why would you say that to the police if you're not? I don't. I think he's trying to like pull as much as he can out of them to like give him a plea deal because he knows he's cooked.
00:49:41
Speaker
So he's trying to sweeten the pot as much as he can. i feel like that's such an admission of guilt at that point. I mean, he already knows he's fucked. For lack the better term. Once he realizes that they're not going to give him much more, he tells a detective.
00:49:55
Speaker
Quote, there's only one. And it happened a long, long time ago. So on August eighteenth Travis agrees to tell police where Kenya Monier's body is buried and that he will confess to her murder.
Confession and Conclusion
00:50:06
Speaker
In exchange, he doesn't want to be charged as a sexual offender in the case of Lydia Tillman because that would be a bad time for him in prison. Travis also agrees to tell them what happened to Kenya in exchange for them taking the death penalty off the table.
00:50:22
Speaker
Oh, wow. Yeah. So Travis says that on the night Kenya went missing, him and a friend see her walking alone outside the club. They try to help her get a cab home, but that involves money, which she doesn't have.
00:50:35
Speaker
So he decides to give her a ride himself. She gets in the back of the van and is very obviously intoxicated and passes out. Travis drops off his friend and he realizes that Kenya has fallen asleep in the back.
00:50:47
Speaker
He takes this as an opportunity to be a POS. Of course. And sexually assault her. But Kenya wakes up and starts to fight him. So he covered her mouth with one hand and strangled her with the other.
00:51:02
Speaker
He dumped her on the side of the road. Five months after Kenya went missing, she's finally unearthed in Keensburg, Colorado, off of the highway in a shallow grave in a field under some trees about 40 miles from Denver.
00:51:15
Speaker
He wanted to bury her next to water or trees. Some were peaceful, he said, where he would want to be buried. He also said that he left his credit card inside the hole on purpose, not to get caught or brag. He just felt like if her body was found that he should be caught.
00:51:31
Speaker
This was never corroborated, though. Like, I didn't see anything reporting that they found the credit card. But at that point, they already knew it was him. So i don't know if they would mention that. Right. Yeah. What is odd is that the medical report for Kenya after she was found reports that there doesn't seem to have been any sexual trauma.
00:51:50
Speaker
So I'm not sure if he lied about that just to like kind of make things more intense or i don't know. um But it does seem that he lies a lot. So, yeah, I don't know. But, you know, it could just be that her body was too decomposed to tell.
00:52:05
Speaker
But September 26, 2011, Travis Forbes pleads guilty to murdering Kenya Meunier. He was also charged for the attempted murder of Lydia Tillman. He received life in prison with an additional 48 years to be served consecutively with no potential for parole.
00:52:22
Speaker
Good. And that is the story of the murder of Kenya Monnier and the attempted murder of Lydia Tillman.
00:52:32
Speaker
As horrible as that is, you want to know what my favorite part was? Right. The fact that the horrible piece of shit got punished for his crime. Right? So nice that finally someone gets punished for doing shitty shit. Apparently that's a thing of the past. Yeah.
00:52:50
Speaker
Wow, that was bleak. Yes. I'm sorry. I know that was a lot.
00:52:58
Speaker
yeah You're like, that was, that was a lot. Um, man. But yeah, it's just so amazing that guy though. Like the, the dad, like he just really was such an advocate to try to find her. Like, even though he knew that she was dead, um, he would tell like the other siblings and the mother like, no, she's going to be found. Like, even when he found out that she had died, um and that they found her grave, like he made sure to keep them away from the media and let them know privately for first so that they could know.
00:53:30
Speaker
even though the media had leaked it before letting them know. So, yeah. Ain't that a bitch.
00:53:43
Speaker
So do you have any nightmare film? I do. You actually recommended a book to me. You sent me a link for a book that is called Scream With Me, Horror Films in the Rise of oh American Feminism from 1968 to 1980 by Eleanor Johnson. And you sent it to me. i bought it immediately. And that was months ago. And I just listened to it. And i just read it. And it's...
00:54:10
Speaker
Great. I think it's something, it's it's kind of important. I think it it kind of looks at It looks at a lot of the modern history of domestic horror, but domestic abuse in real life. yeah And then reproductive horror, but reproductive rights in real life. yes Women's rights, horror, women's rights in real life. And how it mirrored you know the times like when the Equal Rights Amendment was going through. And that was in the 70s when we had things like Rosemary's Baby. yeah. sounds amazing. I'm glad you actually enjoyed it. What is it called again? It's called Scream With Me. Scream With Me. By Eleanor Johnson. remember the cover was really pretty. Yeah. and
00:54:51
Speaker
And it's like, it's a good, like, yeah, it's it's pop nonfiction, sure. But it's it like, it's a really digestible view of... women's right through the lens of horror and it's and it'll give you several things to watch if you haven't I had seen a lot of the the classic movies she talks about and the only one I hadn't seen was the original Stepford Wives which now I still need to watch that and I'd seen the new one I haven't seen either actually that might be an interesting watch for us yeah yeah I have seen the Nicole Kidman version I have not seen the original so and i actually haven't read the book either and it sounds like I should so yeah but yeah scream with me
00:55:28
Speaker
And then we watched Weapons. Weapons! That was so good, so guys. oh Yes, that that movie had been recommended to me a million times. I didn't know a damn thing about it going into it.
00:55:41
Speaker
Yeah, I just wanted to know that it looked really creepy, but like spoilers, like just fast forward a little bit if you don't want spoilers. I think it was just such a good take witches and magic and the way that works and ties and just I appreciate the kids weren't hard horrored out completely.
00:56:05
Speaker
forward out. Yes. Sorry. Completely. That the kids weren't like... They weren't creepy kids. They weren't gruesome. don't know. Kids are already creepy. Like... There were some creepy kid moments. I don't want to spoil it. and i really realize Yeah, no spoilers. Yeah, but...
00:56:23
Speaker
I would actually, if anybody like watches that and wants to talk to us about it, nightmarecottage at gmail.com. Seriously, we love to talk about movies and stuff. So guess yeah, so yeah, that's great. I agree. Weapons is a great nightmare fuel. Very much recommend.
00:56:42
Speaker
usually We usually tend to go dark with our palate cleansers, right? But I thought I'd go a little more cozy, little more playful. Okay. before asked me if I had any like family lore or whatever. Yeah. So I wanted to kind of pull something from your Nyleen's lore. oh God. of Did you have like a favorite toy or game or hobby or something when you were growing up? Yes.
00:57:04
Speaker
So my favorite toy was my Simon Says. Do you know what that is I know what that is. Boop, boop, beep, boop. I think it was just Simon. i think it was called. I thought it was Simon says like it was like a little machine with the colors. Yeah. With the colors.
00:57:23
Speaker
Oh, my God. That thing was my favorite. And I can still smell the old electronic smell. That that melting plastic battery smell. ah But I got so good at it. And it was something that really helped me focus and learn pattern recognition. And i feel like i feel like it helped me a lot through my life. But I loved that thing. I used to take it everywhere. And my parents got so sick of it. But I think what was great and what I really appreciated about it was that but what you appreciate it No matter the situation, I could play it. So if it was dark outside or in the room, it didn't matter because it lights up and it makes sound. And so I know which buttons to press.
00:58:05
Speaker
And if it was really loud in the room, which it very often was, because I grew up in a very Hispanic family where um there was a salsa music playing every every weekend and most nights that, you know, you weren't having to wake up early the next day.
00:58:20
Speaker
So, you know, you had to be able to play something that you didn't necessarily have to listen to. So the colors were really helpful for that. nice so It was just, it was great. What about you? Did you have one?
00:58:31
Speaker
I did not have a Simon. like a... ah Oh. um I mean, there's a few highlights over the years. Like, I remember very, very early on I had a Sesame Street cookie counter. It was like a little...
00:58:45
Speaker
This was like the very, very early 80s, but it was a little digital screen with a little cookie and you would just like count how many. And it was very, very little. I could not have even been three. Like it was so cute. Yeah. But I remember that. And then um I had a little stuffed elephant that was pink and have a little button on him with a little twisty thing that had different little like I love you's and things like that. and His name was Popo.
00:59:08
Speaker
Popo. I had a stuffed orangutan named Cece that's still in storage right now. I think Popo might be too. I'm not sure. um Let's see. those are Those are the ones, like those are very early.
00:59:20
Speaker
Nothing is standing out from later, I don't think. But yeah, so those were some of those. I love that. No, that's great. Awesome. All right. Well, I think we did it. Was that nightmarish enough for you? I think that was. Thank you so much for joining us tonight, guys.
00:59:37
Speaker
And we will see you next time. Sweet dreams. Bye. If you have topic requests, book or movie recommendations, or just want to say hi, email us at nightmare cottage at gmail.com or visit our website at nightmare cottage.com.
00:59:53
Speaker
Sweet dreams.
01:00:11
Speaker
by Bye bye!