The Mysterious Death of Marianne Shockley

On a stormy Mother’s Day morning in 2019, a 911 call sends first responders to a secluded property in Milledgeville, Georgia. What they expect to find is a drowning victim in a hot tub. What they actually discover is a scene so bizarre that almost nothing about it makes sense. Dr. Marianne Shockley, a beloved University of Georgia professor, pioneering entomologist, and passionate advocate for the future of eating insects, is found unconscious beside a dangerously hot hot tub. Two men are with her: her boyfriend, Marcus Lillard, and their friend, Dr. Clark Heindel. Both men have a story about what happened. Neither story seems to explain the evidence. There are bloody towels, unexplained injuries, strange spiritual rituals, drugs, a delayed 911 call, and a medical examiner who ultimately determines that Marianne didn't drown at all. Then, before investigators can get all the answers, one of the two men is dead. As detectives begin piecing together the final hours of Marianne's life, Marcus's story keeps changing. Was this a tragic accident? A drug fueled night gone horribly wrong? A bizarre spiritual ritual? Or was someone hiding what really happened in that hot tub? And when the case finally reaches a courtroom, the question becomes even more complicated: can a murder be proven when almost every piece of the puzzle raises more questions than answers? This is the strange and unsettling death of Dr. Marianne Shockley. Sponsors: WHISKERGet the litter box off your mind today with 10% off a Whisker Litter-Robot at whisker.com/CREEPERS. That’s 10% off at whisker.com/CREEPERS. QUINCEFind the fall pieces you’ll reach for most at Quince. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com/creepers. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too. That’s Q-U-I-N-C-E.com/creepers. PROGRESSIVEInsurance isn’t one-size-fits-all. Visit Progressive.com and find a rate that works for you with the Name Your Price® tool. Sources: Podcast: Blood Town Season 1 The Strange Death of Professor Shockley | 48 Hours What really happened the night Marianne Shockley died? "Evil came to play," says boyfriend acquitted of her murder Marcus Lillard acquitted in strangulation death of University of Georgia professor Medical examiner ruled Shockley died from ‘manual strangulation’ | The Union-Recorder Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices