DEADLY DIGITAL DECEPTION: The Tragic Case of Renae Marsden – They Killed Her, But Won’t Be Charged

A young woman’s tragic death at a notorious cliffside sparks an investigation that uncovers far more than anyone expected.

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IN THIS EPISODE: After receiving a series of devastating text messages, twenty-year-old Renae Marsden drove to a seaside cliff and was never seen again. What began as a tragic suicide after receiving heartbreaking text messages from the man she loved, soon unraveled into something far more disturbing. *** She thought her past was buried — until a stranger unearthed it and turned her life into a waking nightmare. (Unmasking Giovanni) *** She left her ex to reclaim her life — but he used the internet to haunt her from the shadows. (When Your Ex Becomes Your Digital Shadow) *** In a world where predators hide behind profiles, spotting the red flags of cyberstalking might be the only thing standing between safety and surveillance. We’ll look at some way you can keep yourself from becoming a victim – or perhaps help someone who is getting dangerously close to becoming one! (Digital Predator Red Flags) *** What if the most powerful force shaping your thoughts, choices, and future… isn’t human at all? (Is AI Controlling Us?

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Lead-In
00:02:18.804 = Show Open (Coming Up In This Episode)
00:04:16.908 = The Case of Renae Marsden, Part 1
00:17:36.731 = The Case of Renae Marsden, Part 2
00:29:21.575 = Unmasking Giovanni
00:36:51.330 = The Consultant Who Couldn’t Be Stopped
00:44:02.157 = When Your Ex Becomes Your Digital Shadow
00:53:23.566 = Digital Predator Red Flags
01:01:05.486 = Are AI Systems Secretly In Control Of Us?
01:09:51.512 = Show Close, Verse, and Final Thoughts

SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…
“The Case of Renae Marsden”: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/may/20/coroner-condemns-catfisher-over-sydney-woman-renae-marsdens-suicide, https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/catfishing-renaes-parents-call-for-new-law-after-daughters-death/8b054266-dcd1-4e87-bb14-ed7896f8092e, https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/catfish-victim-told-mother-she-found-out-the-truth-inquiry-told-20200210-p53z9m.html, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10638977/Renae-Marsden-Grieving-parents-reveal-text-received-daughter-died.html, https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/tragic-final-text-to-mum-from-catfished-woman-renae-marsden/news-story/5019e2c0999a5768971b3b4ae1af6438, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUkDADMJ6o0&rco=1 | Footage of The Gap: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8pe8cm, https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p89dr9c
“Unmasking Giovanni”: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/woman-sentenced-for-cyberstalking, https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/miami-woman-sentenced-for-cyberstalking-on-facebook-and-instagram/1978996/, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/miami-student-sentenced-cyberstalking-facebook-and-instagram, https://wsvn.com/news/local/woman-sentenced-to-22-months-in-prison-for-cyberstalking
“The Consultant Who Couldn’t Be Stopped”: https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2024/07/pernicious-cyberstalker-sentenced-9-years-prison-unrelenting-harassment
“When Your Ex Becomes Your Digital Shadow”: https://icts.uct.ac.za/services-security-security-resources-general-cyber-security/thandis-story-terror-cyber-stalking-based-true-story
“Are AI Systems Secretly In Control Of Us?”: https://weirddarkness.com/are-ai-systems-secretly-in-control-of-us/
“Digital Predator Red Flags”: https://www.stjohns.edu/news-media/johnnies-blog/cyberstalking-protect-online-identity

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Originally aired: April 10, 2025

EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/DeadlyDigitalDeception