Digest

This podcast episode is a live recording from the hosts' early tour in Albany, New York. The episode begins with introductions and announcements, including upcoming tour dates. The hosts then share a fun fact about the New York State Capitol, highlighting its historical significance and inclusion on the haunted history trail of New York. They delve into the haunted history of the Capitol, recounting various incidents of death and paranormal activity. The episode then shifts to ghost stories about Fort William Henry, a historical site near Lake George, known for its tragic history and numerous reports of paranormal activity. The second half of the episode focuses on the chilling true crime story of Christopher Porco, who attacked his parents with an axe in their Bethlehem, New York home. The hosts detail the investigation, the evidence, and the shocking details of the crime. They explore the timeline of Chris Porco's movements on the night of the attack, tracking his Jeep through surveillance footage and toll booth records. They discuss the evidence suggesting he used a spare key to enter the house and deactivated the alarm system using the master code. The episode also examines the mud stain on Chris's car, which matched the mud stain in the surveillance footage, and the conflicting testimonies of Joan Porco, the mother, who initially nodded to police but later claimed Chris was not her attacker. The hosts delve into Chris Porco's defense, which focused on circumstantial evidence and a fingerprint found on the phone box that didn't belong to the family. They also discuss the prosecution's case, which presented Chris as a troubled individual motivated by his parents' money. The episode reveals Chris's past deceptions, including stolen laptops and forged documents, and his financial motives, which led to tension and conflict with his parents. The hosts also explore Peter Porco's suspicions about his son's behavior and Chris's history of academic dishonesty. The episode concludes with the trial, the jury's verdict, and Chris Porco's sentence of 50 years to life in prison.

Outlines

00:00:00

Introduction and Announcements

The podcast host, M. Schultz, announces that this week's episode will be a live recording from their early tour in Albany. They also promote their upcoming tour dates in Newark and Sleepy Hollow.

00:02:18

Live Show Introduction and Haunted History of the New York State Capitol

The podcast hosts, M. Schultz and Christine, introduce their live show in Albany, thanking the audience for their support and making a few announcements about photography and phone usage. M. Schultz shares a fun fact about the New York State Capitol, highlighting its historical significance, construction details, and its inclusion on the haunted history trail of New York. They then delve into the haunted history of the New York State Capitol, recounting various incidents of death and paranormal activity, including a worker falling from scaffolding, a fire that destroyed valuable documents, and the ghost of Abraham Lincoln.

00:28:18

Ghosts of Fort William Henry

M. Schultz shares ghost stories about Fort William Henry, a historical site near Lake George, known for its tragic history and numerous reports of paranormal activity.

00:46:16

The Christopher Porco Murder Case

M. Schultz recounts the chilling true crime story of Christopher Porco, who attacked his parents with an axe in their Bethlehem, New York home. The story details the investigation, the evidence, and the shocking details of the crime.

00:59:17

Chris Porco's Movements and the Key

The episode delves into the timeline of Chris Porco's movements on the night of the attack. Investigators tracked his Jeep through surveillance footage and toll booth records, suggesting he drove from the university to his parents' house. They believe he used a spare key hidden under a planter to enter the house. The alarm keypad was smashed, but the alarm company's data revealed it was deactivated using the master code.

01:01:30

The Alarm Code, Phone Lines, and Matching the Jeep

The alarm company's data showed that the alarm was deactivated using the master code, despite the keypad being smashed. This suggests someone knew the code and intentionally smashed the keypad to make it look like a forced entry. The phone lines were cut at 4:54 am, and the yellow Jeep was spotted re-entering the throughway heading west at 5:12 am. The yellow Jeep spotted heading towards campus had decals on the back that matched Chris's car. Additionally, a mud stain on the side of the car in the surveillance footage matched the mud stain on Chris's car. The prosecutor claimed this was more accurate than a fingerprint match, but the narrator expressed skepticism.

01:03:46

Chris Porco's Arrest, Joan Porco's Testimony, and the Defense

Almost a year after the attack, Chris Porco was charged with the murder of his father and attempted murder of his mother. He admitted to being in the Jeep in the first surveillance video but claimed he was just moving it. However, a neighbor spotted his Jeep in the driveway around 4 am, contradicting his alibi. Joan Porco, the mother, woke up from her coma and claimed Chris was not her attacker, contradicting her previous head nods to police. Chris Porco's family and friends rallied to support him, insisting on his innocence. His defense team found a fingerprint on the phone box that didn't belong to the family, suggesting another person was involved. However, all the evidence against Chris was circumstantial, and they couldn't find any direct evidence linking him to the crime scene.

01:07:25

The Prosecution's Case, Chris Porco's Character, and Past Deceptions

The prosecution remained unconvinced by Chris's alibi and continued to investigate. They argued that Chris, a beloved son, would never harm his parents. The prosecution countered by presenting evidence of Chris's past behavior, including stolen laptops and forged documents. The prosecution revealed that Chris had stolen laptops from his parents and staged a break-in two years prior. He had also lied about his family's wealth and financial status to impress his friends. Additionally, Chris had forged his father's signature to obtain a car loan and a $31,000 loan, leading to tension and conflict with his parents.

01:13:30

Peter Porco's Suspicions, Chris Porco's Troubled Past, and the Trial

Peter Porco, the father, had expressed concerns about his son's behavior to a coworker, suggesting he might be a sociopath. Chris had a history of academic dishonesty, forging transcripts to be re-admitted to school. Emails between Chris and his mother revealed their anger over his academic failures and his lies. The prosecution presented Chris as a broken and desperate individual, motivated by his parents' money. The trial was moved to Orange County due to intense media coverage in Albany. Joan Porco continued to insist on Chris's innocence, despite her own testimony contradicting her previous actions. After six hours of deliberation, the jury found Chris guilty of second-degree murder and attempted murder.

01:17:06

Chris Porco's Sentence and the Jurors' Statement

Chris Porco was sentenced to 50 years to life on each count, totaling a minimum of 50 years in prison. He is currently incarcerated at Clinton Correctional Facility in Danimora, New York. The jurors publicly stated that Joan Porco's nod was not what convinced them of Chris's guilt, but rather the evidence presented during the trial.

Keywords

Q&A

• What is the main topic of this podcast episode?

  This episode features a live recording from the podcast's early tour in Albany, New York. The hosts share ghost stories about the New York State Capitol and Fort William Henry, and also recount the true crime story of Christopher Porco.

• What are some of the ghost stories shared about the New York State Capitol?

  The New York State Capitol is said to be haunted by the ghosts of a worker who fell from scaffolding, a night guard who died in a fire, and Abraham Lincoln, whose body was transported through the building on a train.

• What are some of the paranormal experiences reported at Fort William Henry?

  Fort William Henry is said to be haunted by the ghosts of Native American chief Tauke, Alexis, soldiers who died in the massacre, and a wounded soldier who moans in pain.

• What are the key details of the Christopher Porco murder case?

  Christopher Porco attacked his parents with an axe in their home in Bethlehem, New York. The investigation revealed that he had left campus the night of the attack, despite his alibi. He was eventually convicted of the crime.

• What evidence was used to track Chris Porco's movements on the night of the attack?

  Surveillance footage, toll booth records, and a neighbor's testimony all pointed to Chris Porco's presence near his parents' house on the night of the attack.

• How did Chris Porco gain access to his parents' house?

  Chris Porco used a spare key hidden under a planter to enter his parents' house.

• Why was the alarm keypad smashed?

  The alarm keypad was smashed to make it look like a forced entry, but the alarm company's data revealed that the alarm was deactivated using the master code.

• What was Joan Porco's testimony during the trial?

  Joan Porco claimed that Chris was not her attacker and that she had no memory of the attack. This contradicted her previous head nods to police, which had been interpreted as indicating Chris's involvement.

• What was the prosecution's main argument against Chris Porco?

  The prosecution argued that Chris Porco was motivated by his parents' money and that he had a history of deception and financial problems.

• What was Chris Porco's sentence?

  Chris Porco was sentenced to 50 years to life on each count of second-degree murder and attempted murder, totaling a minimum of 50 years in prison.

• What did the jurors say about Joan Porco's nod?

  The jurors publicly stated that Joan Porco's nod was not what convinced them of Chris's guilt, but rather the evidence presented during the trial.

Show Notes