Introducing: Something About Cari

3 min

•Nov 25, 20255 months ago

Summary

This episode introduces 'Something About Carrie,' a new Dateline podcast investigating a Midwest love story that spiraled into stalking, arson, and murder. The case centers on Carrie, whose obsessive harassment through thousands of daily text messages, false accusations, and violent acts terrorized her ex-lover's family and innocent bystanders over years.

Insights

Obsessive behavior and harassment can escalate from digital communication to physical violence and arson, affecting innocent third parties
False accusations and framing can complicate criminal investigations and misdirect law enforcement resources
Domestic-related violence cases often involve prolonged psychological torment before reaching critical criminal thresholds
Stalking behavior is underestimated in severity by victims until it manifests in extreme criminal acts

Trends

True crime podcast focus on psychological manipulation and obsessive behavior patternsMidwest crime narratives gaining prominence in mainstream true crime mediaDigital harassment escalation as precursor to violent crimeMulti-year criminal campaigns involving coordinated harassment and false reporting

Topics

Stalking and harassmentObsessive behaviorArson and property crimeMurder investigationFalse accusations and framingDomestic violence escalationText message harassmentCriminal psychologyLaw enforcement investigationVictim impact and trauma

Companies

Apple Podcasts

Distribution platform for Dateline Premium subscription service offering early episode access

Spotify

Distribution platform for Dateline Premium subscription service offering early episode access

NBC Dateline

Producer and distributor of the 'Something About Carrie' podcast series

People

Keith Morrison

Host and narrator of the 'Something About Carrie' podcast from Dateline

Nancy Renny

Mother of Carrie; victim's family member whose daughter disappeared and engaged in harassment campaign

Carrie

Central subject of the podcast; woman who engaged in multi-year stalking, harassment, arson, and murder

Quotes

"It's hell. It's just frustration and just helplessness."

Nancy Renny•Early in episode

"50, 60 a day. A day? Yeah, all day long."

Unidentified•Mid-episode

"Stalking is very, very jarring on the nerves."

Unidentified•Mid-episode

"In our line of work, we're never surprised by what people can do."

Unidentified investigator•Late episode

"I was blown away. Absolutely blown away."

Unidentified•Late episode

Full Transcript

Imagine, if you can, the torment, the confusion. Her brilliant daughter vanished without warning, without a word. I didn't know how to start looking for her. So what is that like? It's hell. It's just frustration and just helplessness. But the disappearance of Nancy Renny's daughter Carrie was quite unlike any other. because Carrie hadn't exactly vanished, but retreated beyond the shadows to release rage in torrents of text messages to wound her worried family and terrorize that man. How would you do? 50, 60 a day. A day? Yeah, all day long. Was their brief fling so terrible? Why all that hate? Why deadly attacks on an imagined rival? 911, do you need police, fire, or medics? I just walked into my house and there was smoke rolling out of it. Angry, vengeful, tireless Carrie. And it just went on and on and on for years. I'm in one house, the address of your emergency. Oh yeah, I've been shot. And innocent people caught in the middle were blamed even framed The detective just kept yelling at me there something you need to tell us and I didn know anything Our latest podcast takes us to America's Midwest, to a blooming love story. She walks in, I see her, we meet eyes, and just for a moment I kind of stop, and I go, well, hello. A love story that withered fast. Stalking is very, very jarring on the nerves. Beyond diabolical, beyond the macabre, beyond the arson, to murder. It sounds like you're in the middle of a horror movie or something. Yeah. In our line of work, we're never surprised by what people can do. I was blown away. Absolutely blown away. I'm Keith Morrison, and this is Something About Carrie, an all-new podcast from Dateline. Beginning Tuesday, December 2nd, you can listen to the latest episodes completely free. Or to begin listening now, subscribe to Dateline Premium on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or DatelinePremium.com. Subscribers get early access to new episodes and can listen to all Dateline podcasts ad-free.