The Nightmare Begins

2026-01-18

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Terry Ferguson was 21, beautiful, and shopping for a new outfit. Her boyfriend was coming back from Spring Break, and she wanted to look perfect for him. But Terry had a secret dream her mother, Frances, didn't know about—she wanted to be a model.One ordinary Sunday afternoon in a crowded Florida shopping mall, a handsome, charming man with a camera approached her. He told her she had 'the look'. That he could help her. That this was her chance. She believed him. Within hours, the police captain's daughter was dead—the first confirmed victim of serial killer Christopher Wilder, and the beg...

One ordinary Sunday afternoon in a crowded Florida shopping mall, a handsome, charming man with a camera approached her. He told her she had 'the look'. That he could help her. That this was her chance. She believed him. Within hours, the police captain's daughter was dead—the first confirmed victim of serial killer Christopher Wilder, and the beginning of one of America's most terrifying murder sprees.

In this emotionally raw opening episode, Frances shares what no mother should ever have to tell: how quickly a dream can become a nightmare, how a single moment of trust can end everything, and what it means to lose your daughter to a predator who knew exactly what to say.

Christopher Wilder wasn't what anyone expected. The Australian-born son of an American war hero, he was a wealthy Florida businessman. A race car driver. Charming, well-dressed, convincing. As he later crisscrossed America, leaving a trail of abductions and murders, hundreds of FBI agents and local police launched the biggest manhunt the country had ever seen. The nation watched in horror.

But this isn't just a story about him. It's about them—the young women whose names deserve to be remembered, whose dreams mattered, whose lives were stolen.

Catching Evil is the result of an eight-year investigation across two continents that has uncovered new victims, new murders, and new links to Wilder's decades-long killing pattern. He was every bit as cunning and manipulative as Ted Bundy. But more than that, it's a promise: to give voice to every young woman who never made it home. To honour Terry, and all the others. To make sure they are never forgotten.

This is their story. And we start with Terry.

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Hosts

Andy Byrne

Mark Llewellyn

Audio Production

Sam Blacker at The Podcast Butler - https://thepodcastbutler.com/

Artwork

Susan Armstrong

Media

Lisa at Llewellyn Communications https://llewcom.com.au/

Special thanks to Pro Podcast Studios, Sydney - propodcast.com.au

Resources

The Pretty Girl Killer by Andrew Byrne - courtesy of Penguin Random House