Hollywood

Rose is sitting on a cold, wooden bench that feels like it was built to keep you awake. She's trying to keep her face neutral, trying to look like a person who's here for a normal reason, like jury duty or a parking ticket. anything but this. Her knee is bouncing, and she's picking at her fingernails. When her name is finally called, Rose forces herself to stand up and walk through the courtroom doors. She keeps her head down, reminding herself not to look up at the defendant. She might lose her composure, remembering things in the wrong order. She can't help herself. Rose sees the defendant sitting at the table with their attorney. The defendant looks tidy, calm, composed, almost like Rose is the one on trial, and they're the witness. Rose raises her right hand and swears to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So help her God. Now the jury needs to know how she's involved in all of this. It is a murder trial, after all. Rose has to say it out loud in front of strangers. She met a woman online and fell in love, but the woman Rose knew is nowhere to be found. Welcome to Sword and Scale Nightmares. True crime for bedtime. Where nightmare begins now. There's something people don't talk about much when it comes to stress. The way it shows up on your face. Fatigue. Dullness. Skin that just looks worn down. That's why I want to tell you about Love Indus and their Amrutini Luminosity Dew Drops. This is a daily serum that's often described as a facial in a bottle, and it's not hype. It's been featured everywhere from Vogue and Forbes to Harper's Bazaar, and it sells out regularly because people actually see the difference. The formula is built around rare ingredients you don't see every day, like Muga Silk, a prized silk from India that helps reinforce skin strength and elasticity, Silver Tips Tea for antioxidant protection, and Ashwagandha, which helps skin recover from stress and fatigue. The texture is lightweight and silky, not greasy, and it works across all skin types and tones. Each bottle even comes with copper-crusted silk cocoons for gentle exfoliation, no irritation, so your skin absorbs the serum more effectively. If your skin looks tired and you want it to look stronger, smoother, and genuinely radiant again. This is worth your attention. I've arranged the highest discount they offer, 21% off. Go to loveindus.com and use promo code SWORD at checkout. That's loveindus.com, promo code SWORD for 21% off. All right, let's continue. Rose Sedaro is 19 years old. It's March of 2006, which means dating isn't just an app in your pocket. It's a desktop computer in the family media room, or if you're lucky, in your bedroom. You probably find friends and dates on a website called MySpace, scrolling through flashing, colorful profiles, choosing and changing your top eight friends, or hanging out in a chat room. At least, that's what Rose likes to do. And she's just made a new friend named Hollywood. She's cute, has a really cool profile, and seems to have similar interests. MySpace messages turn into texts. Hollywood is a little bit older than Rose, and she's got a more exciting life. Apparently, Hollywood is a firefighter for Villa Park, a suburb of Chicago. But before this gig, she worked as a firefighter in New York City during 9-11. She even got an award for her service at Ground Zero. Texts turn into phone calls. Each time Rose's phone rings, the caller ID shows Hollywood. Rose thinks it's cute. Hollywood says her career has been stressful, as she tells Rose that she's a heavy drinker. She knows she should quit, but she can't. She reveals that years prior, she had liver cancer, and a transplant saved her life. This new liver won't last much longer, though. Not the way she's been going. And to make matters worse, her brother Danny just died recently. Hollywood says he had something serious, something called Wilson's disease. Rose doesn't seem to care about Hollywood's baggage. She's in love. And she's got an I-can-fix-her attitude. And Hollywood's life sounds bigger than Rose's life. New York. Firefighting. Station 67. and a whole world of people with nicknames, stories, and history. It sounds like a real adult life. The kind you only know from the movies or news clips and late-night conversations. Hollywood seems like someone Rose should be lucky to have. But everything about her also makes Rose feel like there's a deadline on the relationship before it's even started. A month after chatting online, they decide to meet in person at Rose's house. The relationship moves quickly from platonic to sexual. Time passes in a quick, messy way, as it tends to do when you're 19 and enamored. Hollywood calls her things like baby and pretty girl. It feels good to be wanted. In the summertime, Hollywood shows Rose the shiny 1966 Ford Mustang she just bought. She opens the spacious trunk and moves her guitar out of the way to tell Rose about the stereo equipment she plans to have installed. Rose thinks Hollywood is interesting and mysterious. But she's living like she's about to die. Like she wasn't exaggerating about her health issues. The next time the two fight, Rose's fears are confirmed. Hollywood tells Rose she got lung cancer now Dramatically Hollywood drives Rose to a surprise destination As they pull up Rose reads Funeral Home on the side Hollywood leads the way inside the building and right over to a casket. She tells Rose that this is the one she wants to be buried in, and to make sure that there's a firefighting logo inscribed on the lid. She's serious about this, and Rose doesn't know how to respond. She wants Hollywood to be telling the truth, even if it means she's really dying. The alternative, that she's lying, somehow feels worse. Later in the car, Rose watches the streetlights flicker across Hollywood's face. She thinks back over everything she knows. This woman is intense, and she's broken. and she must be telling the truth. Why would someone lie about something so serious? Hollywood reaches over, squeezes Rose's hand, and says she wants a future. She starts talking like it's already planned, like she didn't just pick out her own casket. She wants a place together and a life together. Rose believes her. And that's the problem. Let's talk about something most people don't think about until it's too late. If you drink, even occasionally, you already know how unpredictable the next morning can be. Sometimes you're fine. Sometimes you're not. That's where liqueur comes in. Liqueur makes gummies designed to help prevent hangovers by supporting your body while it processes alcohol. The formula is built around DHM, a compound derived from the Hovenia dulcis tree that helps break down acetaldehyde, the toxic byproduct responsible for a lot of hangover symptoms. They also include milk thistle and prickly pear for liver support, B vitamins and electrolytes to help with dehydration and energy loss, and ginger root to reduce nausea. It's not about masking symptoms. It's about helping your body recover faster. They're easy to take, portable, and practical, whether you're out for the night or having drinks at home. One customer summed it up perfectly. I woke up feeling like I hadn't drank the night before. I've arranged the highest discount they offer, 20% off. Go to liqueur.com, that's L-I-Q-U-R-E dot com, and use promo code S-W-O-R-D at checkout. Rose Sedaro is 19 when she meets a woman online who calls herself Hollywood. Hollywood is charismatic, intense, and larger than life. She says she's a firefighter. She's a hero who's seen things that no one else should ever see. And Rose believes all of it. It's not just the stories, it's the way Hollywood tells them. Like she's daring you to doubt her. And what are you supposed to say when someone says they've saved lives at Ground Zero? Prove it? But Rose isn't seeing what she can't see. Not yet, anyway. because the night that landed her a seat on the witness stand was a night she thought was a normal date at a bowling alley. It's Thursday night, March 15, 2007. It's been a year since this romance started. Tonight is normal and easy. They're going to dinner, then bowling. They're drinking, laughing, and talking about the future. Rose is smitten. The women meet at a restaurant and decide to leave Hollywood's car there. In this relationship, Rose drives whenever possible because Hollywood is usually over the legal limit. They pull into the bowling alley around 10. Hollywood is getting drunk fast. Rose is watching it happen, doing that thing you do when you're being fully engulfed by a toxic relationship. She's glad Hollywood is enjoying herself. The two stay out late till about 1.30 in the morning. Hollywood is plastered, and Rose drives them both back to Hollywood's place. The clock reads 3 a.m. when Rose pulls into the driveway. There's a white van further up near the garage. Rose doesn't know whose it is, and she doesn't ask. They walk inside. Silence. The roommate must not be home, because Hollywood's stumbling around isn't exactly quiet. They make their way to the back bedroom so Hollywood can get a change of clothes for Rose to sleep in. Rose spots it immediately, sitting on the bed, right out in the open. She sees a gun. It's not buried in the closet or tucked under the mattress. It's just sitting there, like it's just been used, or about to be. Rose feels her body tense up. Rose has wondered about the more mysterious aspects of Hollywood's life, but now she's getting suspicious. All of the questions and doubts she hides in the corners of her mind must have come to the forefront, and they're screaming at her. This time, Rose asks questions. Hollywood tells her not to worry and tucks the gun into the bedside table. Rose puts it out of her mind, and the two go to sleep. Morning comes fast. Hollywood is awake by eight. Rose falls back asleep for a while. When she wakes again, they're watching TV. The weirdness of the gun on the bed has already faded. Right now, things feel comforting. Domestic, even. The peace and quiet don't last long. Soon Hollywood's phone is ringing off the hook. Rose can't hear the details of the phone calls, but she sees Hollywood's face change. She hears her voice tighten. She watches her pace back and forth, stopping occasionally to peer out of the window, like she's expecting someone. No one comes. They leave around noon so Hollywood can get her car from the restaurant. Rose is still wondering what all the phone calls were about. During the drive, Hollywood tells Rose that her roommate is missing, and that her roommate's parents and her boss have been calling. Rose drops Hollywood off and goes back to her own home and routine. Later, Rose is supposed to be attending a wake, and Hollywood is invited. She calls to say she is going to be late and wants Rose to wait up for her. Rose agrees While Rose is driving home after the wake Hollywood calls again Her voice is calm and controlled She tells Rose that if she gets pulled over, she should deny knowing her. Deny having a MySpace account. Rose is confused. This is getting weird. And she can't reconcile these strange behaviors and unanswered questions with the person she knows Hollywood to be. A hero, a role model, and someone who's just had a lot of bad luck in life. Then, Hollywood calls back to apologize. She says a neighbor saw Rose's car in the driveway. Rose wonders why it would matter, but Hollywood doesn't explain. Again, she explains how Rose should deal with the police should they come knocking. She lays out a story. Rose is supposed to say, I left my car at the house because I couldn't drive, and a friend drove me home. If she gives these answers, it'll keep her from getting involved. But the question remains. Just exactly what is Hollywood involved in? Two days later, on Saturday, March 17, 2007, police want to bring Rose in for questioning. Rose repeats the script she's been given. She confirms she was with Hollywood two nights ago, whose real name is Nicole Abusharif. She leaves out the part that feels most personal. She's 19, embarrassed, and sitting in a police station doesn't feel like a safe place for a teenager to share that she's been sleeping with a 28-year-old woman she met online. But Rose isn't just Nicole's secret. She's the other woman, and she doesn't even know it. Nicole wasn't single when she started talking to Rose online under a fake name. She was fully entrenched in building a life with someone else. 32-year-old Rebecca Klein. They've been together for almost seven years. They share a life, a home. They even wear matching commitment rings. Rose shifts in her seat as she realizes the truth. Not only was she sleeping with a much older woman, but she was sleeping with a married woman, basically. She thinks that's why she's here. But the police are asking questions like they're investigating something much, much worse than infidelity. Back in Villa Park, Illinois, the missing person's story is already falling apart. 32-year-old Rebecca Klein hasn't shown up for work. Her white van isn't where it should be. Her work involves planning activities for adults with disabilities. She isn't the kind of person who would leave her clients hanging. Her boss is calling her at home. Her family is circling, and police are involved. But no one can find her anywhere. Now we're rewinding. Police talk to Rose Sodaro on Saturday, March 17th, but the day before, a detective had paid Nicole Abusharif, or Hollywood, a visit. During this visit, Nicole tells him that she and Rebecca have been together for about seven years. She describes a loving, committed, marriage-like situation. No infidelity, hardly any fighting, a relationship with no room for a third person. But a neighbor has already told police he saw Rose's car in the driveway overnight. He also saw Rebecca's white van there early that morning. Suddenly, Rose is someone that has to be accounted for, and Nicole's explanation comes out quick and polished. Rose was drunk. Rose left her car at the house. A friend drove her home. Nicole says she hadn't mentioned it before because she didn't want Rose to get in trouble for underage drinking. Then, she adds something even stranger. She claims she didn't have Rose's address or phone number. She's met with skeptical looks, of course. The detective walks to the garage where Nicole's new Mustang sits. He notices dust covering the whole car, except for a clean spot on the trunk lid, like someone had recently opened it. It's one of those trunks where you have to use a physical key to unlock it before the lid will pop up. He asks Nicole for the key. Nicole says she only has a key for the ignition and that the trunk never had a key at all. Inside the house, the weird little details keep piling up. Police try to use Nicole's laptop in the dining room, but can't get internet access. Rebecca's brother-in-law goes downstairs to reset the connection. For a moment, the laptop looks like it's working. Then, the internet drops out again. When he goes back downstairs, he sees the modem unplugged. No one can say who unplugged it, only that it's unplugged at exactly the moment police are trying to look. So back to March 17th, and the police have got Rose in their interview room. At the same time, Rebecca's mother is telling detectives that Nicole called her earlier that morning. Apparently, it was to ask if she'd heard from Rebecca. Nicole told her mother-in-law that Rebecca went to work around 6.30, but now no one could get a hold of her. Rebecca's mom gets off the phone, calls family, calls Rebecca's workplace, and finds out that she never showed up to work. She's worried, so she calls Nicole back. Nicole says she's going to drive around and look for Rebecca's work van. By the afternoon, Nicole says she's found it. According to her, it was on a street corner near their house, unlocked, with the keys in the ignition and a backpack on the seat. Rebecca's parents rush to the house, and by the time they get there, the police have already arrived, asking to search the house again for clues. At first, Nicole refuses, but eventually she gives in. First, they want to take Nicole to the bank to see if there's been any weird activity on Rebecca's accounts. Nicole, who has an excuse for everything, says she wants to stay home in case Rebecca calls. After 20 minutes of goading, the police convince her to go with them. At the house detectives make a beeline to the garage back to the Mustang and one of them removes a speaker from the rear deck so he can look into the trunk Through the opening he sees something shiny translucent and plasticky, put it that way. He moves his flashlight around inside the gap at different angles. Tape Hair The shape Of a head This is Rebecca There's no sign of forced entry to the house or the garage The missing person's story ends right here But Nicole doesn't know it yet Police aren't going to reveal to her what they've found Not quite yet Instead, he walks back inside and asks Nicole again if she has the keys to the trunk. Nicole says the locks have been changed and she doesn't have a key. Later, when investigators search the house more thoroughly, they find keys on an end table in the living room and another key in a dresser in the master bedroom. They try them all and guess what? The trunk opens. Rebecca is lying there, on her side in a fetal position, hands tied behind her back. She's got a plastic garbage bag over her head, tightly wrapped with duct tape. Inside the bag, her eyes and mouth are covered with bandanas. It looks like she's been suffocated. Four days later, when officials think they have enough evidence to convince a jury, Nicole is charged with first-degree murder. Bond is set at $1 million. And at the trial, the state doesn't hang this case on one dramatic piece of evidence. They build it up like a wall. They start with the motive. Why would Nicole want to blow up her life? Rebecca's mother testifies that the couple hardly ever fought. The only issue she's aware of is that her daughter wanted children, and Nicole did not. In fact, Rebecca wanted children so badly that she'd started purchasing toys. She'd keep them in a closet until Nicole changed her mind. Nicole's mind, though, was made up. She didn't want to be tied down to one person, even claiming in court that she and Rebecca had an open relationship. Nicole was prowling online for someone new, and more importantly, she had $375,000 in life insurance payouts coming her way if something were ever to happen to Rebecca. This is the first time Rose is hearing a lot of these details, and she's floored. Now, she can clearly see the role she was playing, a pawn in Nicole's twisted chess game. But this trial isn't over yet. Next, prosecutors describe the scene of the crime. There's no forced entry. Rebecca didn't just disappear into the night. She vanished inside her own life. She was found where only someone with access could put her. Prosecutors walk the jury through the physical evidence. The trunk that didn't have a key until they found one in the house. The dust on the Mustang all except the clean spot on the trunk lid. Fingerprints on the trunk that match Nicole's left hand. And the duct tape around Rebecca's head, which is confirmed to be from a roll found in the garage. All of these items have Nicole's fingerprints all over them. It's like she made no effort to conceal her crimes aside from simply lying, which she did so well. She didn't even think to delete her internet history. On Nicole's computer, it's clear she's been leading a double life. A computer crimes investigator testifies about the MySpace messages. Nicole admits she used MySpace, but claims she stopped because there's too many crazy people on it. Yeah. Okay. She says Rose is a friend she met on MySpace, but she can't even remember Rose's screen name. Meanwhile, the state presents MySpace messages Rose received from multiple profiles. Names like Sam, Tiff, Becky, and NYFD. And ties those messages back to IP addresses associated with Nicole. The world Rose thought she was being invited to, the one filled with firefighters and nicknames and dramatic updates, starts collapsing inward. It was not a world. It was one person behind a keyboard, building a cast of characters, directing her own fictional reality. Nicole wasn't dying of lung or liver cancer. Her brother was very much still alive, and she had never been a firefighter. In fact, she worked a normal, boring job at a security company. So, when Rose sits on that cold, wooden bench, and they call her name, she tells the truth. To her, this all felt like a trap. Nicole built a fantasy, shoved it down her throat, and involved Rose in a murder before she even realized what was happening. Rose's testimony tips the scales. Nicole admits that, yes, she's lied about a lot, but she's not a murderer. Her defense doesn't convince anyone. A jury finds Nicole Abu Sharif, or Hollywood, guilty, and a judge sentences her to 50 years in prison. She'll have to serve the entire sentence before being eligible for parole at the age of 76. Rose Sedaro doesn't hear the sentence in some cinematic courtroom moment. She hears it years later, as information passed along, like the final footnote of the worst year of her life. It should have felt like an ending, but the flashbacks still come. She sees the driveway at 3 a.m., the white van, the house, and shudders to think what was in the garage. She remembers how close she was, and how very little she understood. If you enjoyed the show, please consider joining plus at sword and scale.com slash plus. But if you can't, consider leaving us a positive review on your preferred listening platform. Sweet dreams and good night.