The Girl In The Box

Yea I heard about this story years ago, truly awful.

I just came in this thread to say the exact same thing and I am not coming back in here, because the story it too horrible to discuss.

I’m looking for true crime podcasts. Where are you finding them? Just starting to get into podcasts in general because I have so much down time at work.

Haven’t heard this story but I’ll have to give it a listen. Sounds horrible.

This cunt made the basic cable true crime circuit years ago...

It’s just fucking unbelievable. I can’t believe she made it out of that situation. She was in that box for most of the seven years in which she was captive.

Here’s something truly awful to mull over: the wife got full immunity for testifying against her husband, AND... wait for it: she is now a California licensed therapist!!! She now goes by the name of Janice Lashley.

The wife was also victimized. Locking her up would’ve served no purpose

R3, here you go.

By the way, Janice told police that she and her husband had kidnapped and killed another girl a year before finding and kidnapping Ms. Stan. Unfortunately, they never recovered her body, therefore charges were never filed. The missing girl has never been found.

I CANNOT believe this psychopath works as a fucking therapist. Honestly, this cunt deserves a bullet in her head after allowing and engaging her husband in the unlawful kidnapping of a girl, and the alleged murder of another.

Wrong

R6, I vehemently disagree. The wife deserved no mercy. She abused the girl horribly, and she and her husband would fuck underneath the victim, while she was suspended from the ceiling by her wrists.

She was the one who set the girl free after seven years. There was nothing stopping her from setting her free after the first seven hours of her unlawful confinement and torture.

The husband worked as a lumberjack and did other jobs. He wasn’t there all day. She could have escaped and gotten police protection immediately from her husband.

I know about Stockholm syndrome and all but Colleen was allowed to go home and visit her family for a holiday and then SHE WENT BACK! Wtf? Also, Robin William's daughter was in some shit lifetime movie about this, I guess she played Colleen.

Wow, shocking, incredible story. When I started watching I couldn’t believe she looked “normal”. How the hell did she survive that. How does the body survive in a box for years. It’s just chilling to think what can go on in someone’s fucking house while normal life ticks on outside, like the Turpins/13 children. It took one of those kids two years just to plan an escape out of their own window.

And they have nothing on Gary Heidnik, OP. Check out his story, fucking crazy, and a couple girls lived to tell though of course they were fucked up for life afterwards.

What about The Boy in the Box? Sunglasses at night cutie Corey Hart

R12, I read about Heidnik years ago, and you’re right.

Interesting side note: aside from his inability to function in a normal society, due to his various personality disorders, Heidnik was known to be very intelligent. His IQ was something like 140 or more. He was admitted into UPenn, however dropped out, and he became some sort of minister or reverend of a church he founded. The church has 5 members, however, he managed to amass half a million dollars from people throughout the years, and had it all properly stored and secured in a bank, under the church’s name, tax free!

This crime inspired an episode of Law and Order SVU.

Thanks for the link. Is there only one podcast available?

.. What’s scary is that the jury was almost convinced she was there by choice because of the love letters.

R16, the podcast linked above is called “Fatal”. They have lots of podcasts. They’re all pretty much the same. Just google “True Crime Podcasts”. See which ones get the best reviews.

Several things stood out to me about this case. Janice not being charged is upsetting. Janice claimed to LEOs in written and recorded testimony, that she and her husband had kidnapped, tortured, raped, and killed another young girl who went missing, and has never been found. As far as I can see, the only reason why Janice decided that this criminal arrangement wasn’t working out for her anymore, is because her husband had formed an attachment to his slave, thusly was treating her better, and he then decided to start torturing Janice again. Then he started mentioning that he wanted to kidnap another girl, and that when she flipes on her husband.

Janice Lashley is pure scum, and should not be allowed to work as a family therapist in any state, yet she does.

The other thing that was just incredible, was that the slave had 24 hours alone with the family. Yet she was so brain, that she never called the police.

I’m also amazed at how people were hitchhiking during that time. California had some really standout years regarding serial killers when this girl was abducted. It’s just insane that she was so naive, and thought nothing of getting into cars with strangers. She said she felt safe because there was a woman and a baby in the car. As far as I’m concerned, there are no hitchhiking “safe practices “.

I’m also amazed that this young girl withstood living in a box. It’s unbelievable.

Finally, Cameron Hooker was extremely arrogant. He actually thought he was getting off. I hope he never gets out of prison. This is the kind of guy who will get his shit together quickly, because he’s fairly intelligent and, having learned from his mistakes, will do this again. He’s been sitting in prison for decades, and no doubt has been thinking about pulling it off perfectly if he ever gets out.

This is a fascinating story (and I’m generally not a true crime fan). Thanks for sharing, OP!

But, Jesus Christ, the FATAL narrator has the most irritating nasal frau voice imaginable. So annoying.

I hadn't heard that bitch wife is now a therapist. That is just outrageous.

R19, she is. She works as a family therapist, counseling abused women. Licensed in the state of California.

"He wasn’t there all day. She could have escaped and gotten police protection immediately from her husband."

FYI "police protection" doesn't amount to much. For most people who have a psycho determined to kill you, one who probably knows where you live and who knows where your family lives, they give you a restraining order and promise to respond quickly if you see him coming. Needless to say this isn't a lot of use if the psycho sneaks up on you or moves fast when they come to murder you. Or there's the Witness Protection Program, which has its own difficulties, including giving up contact with your family and not knowing if the psycho who was once an in-law is killing and torturing those you love the best.

So if some poor girl being held prisoner went to see her family and came back to her captor, it was probably because he'd threatened to kill them all and burn the house over their corpses if she didn't come back. No, the law enforcement system can't and won't protect victims of deadly domestic violence, which doesn't necessarily make the wife innocent. I have no idea if she stayed out of terror, or if she loved having a slave.