[00:00:00] Speaker A: Rake the twisted, admired the outlandish, and are enamored by the unusual. You're in the right place. True crime, the supernatural, the unexplained. Now you're speaking our language. If you agree, join us as we dive into the darker side. You know, because it's more fun over here. Welcome to Total Conundrum.
[00:00:48] Speaker B: Warning, someone.
[00:01:00] Speaker A: Hey there, conundrum crew. Welcome back to Total Conundrum. I'm Jeremy.
[00:01:05] Speaker B: And I'm Tracy. Today, get ready to delve into the eerie and mischievous world of the evil Hans twins. Spoiler alert, it's not your typical tea party.
[00:01:19] Speaker A: Oh, those evil Hans. Always up to some shenanigans. But before we uncover their dark secrets, hit that like and subscribe button on YouTube. And if you're jamming out on Spotify or Apple, give us a five star rating. We crave your love. And don't forget to tell us in the comments how much you adore us.
[00:01:39] Speaker B: Absolutely, Jeremy. And before we get into the mischief of the Hans twins, let's give a big shout out to our podcast pals at Hans cast and studio sinister. We've traded trailers with them this week, so check out their shows and show them the love and support that you show us. Courtney from Haunts has been on our show a couple of times now. We were blessed to be on Farah's show for a live Halloween spooktacular. Farrah just rebooted her show, and it's now called Studio Sinister, and it goes live on New Year's Eve. How exciting.
[00:02:17] Speaker A: Exciting.
Oh, those guys are always up to some spooky fun. Now, Tracy, spill the beans on the evil Han twins. What's the deal?
[00:02:28] Speaker B: The evil Hans, they're like the mischievous siblings that you never wanted. Stealing, sibling competition, and even a murder for hire plot.
[00:02:39] Speaker A: Sounds like my family.
[00:02:42] Speaker B: They definitely are not following the examples given to us on the leave it.
[00:02:47] Speaker A: To Beaver show stealing and murder plots. I'm intrigued, listeners. If you have a favorite mischievous twin story, true crime or paranormal story, share it with us on social media or drop us an email at
[email protected] your tales might just make it to the next episode.
[00:03:09] Speaker B: So true. Now get ready to enter the twisted world of the evil Han twins. It's like a roller coaster ride that'll. Have you seen double double vision?
[00:03:25] Speaker A: We'll be back after these messages.
[00:03:29] Speaker C: As the moonlight pierces through the dark, paranormal enthusiast and best friends Farah and Courtney venture deep into the woods armed with flashlights and a sense of adventure.
[00:03:39] Speaker D: Farrah, are you sure this is a good idea. Sure, I'm sure. We're paranormal investigators. We're not scared of any ghosts.
[00:03:49] Speaker B: What was that?
[00:03:50] Speaker D: Probably some animals. My God, my flashlight is going out.
[00:03:55] Speaker C: Following the chilling sounds, the two stumble upon an abandoned and haunted building, its dark silhouette looming over them.
[00:04:02] Speaker B: Look, there it is.
[00:04:04] Speaker D: The abandoned radio station. It's supposed to be mad haunted. Let's be careful. We don't know what's inside.
[00:04:13] Speaker B: Wow, look at this place.
[00:04:15] Speaker C: A long growl is heard coming from behind the girls. They turn around slowly, and to their surprise, a zombie is standing in front of them, dressed to the nines, wearing a 70s bell bottom, hot pink and purple leisure suit.
[00:04:27] Speaker D: Who are you?
[00:04:28] Speaker E: Pasty looking females?
[00:04:29] Speaker C: And what the heck are you doing in here?
[00:04:31] Speaker D: Who are you calling pasty? Nice suit. Did you raid Barry Manilow's wardrobe or did John Travolta have a yard sale?
[00:04:39] Speaker B: Sorry about that.
[00:04:40] Speaker D: We didn't mean any harm. We're just curious about this.
[00:04:43] Speaker C: Curious, huh?
[00:04:45] Speaker E: Well, come with me. I got something to show you.
[00:04:47] Speaker C: And as they wander deeper into the building, they uncover vintage studio equipment covered in dust and decay.
[00:04:53] Speaker D: Farrah, you were looking for a new place to set up your podcast, right?
[00:04:56] Speaker B: And this is it.
[00:04:58] Speaker A: Whoa. Whoa, there. Sweet.
[00:05:00] Speaker D: No, no, don't worry. We'll make it worth your while. We love the strange and unexplained phenomena. True crime, macabre and sinister. And hey, you'd be a great touch to the show. Maybe be an announcer for us as well.
[00:05:15] Speaker C: That does sound stellar.
[00:05:16] Speaker B: I'm in.
[00:05:17] Speaker A: A few minutes later, 12 seconds later.
[00:05:20] Speaker D: Three weeks later many months later okay, we're rolling. Welcome to studio Sinister podcast, where we explore stories that haunt us all, and.
[00:05:30] Speaker E: Then we'll go make a fresh kill to celebrate.
[00:05:32] Speaker D: Don.
[00:05:33] Speaker A: Just kidding.
[00:05:35] Speaker C: Join Farah, Courtney, and don the zombie on the first, 10th, and 20th of every month for some rad, chilling stories. And if you piss your pants, that's your problem. Come embrace the haunt. See you soon, sinister seekers.
[00:05:51] Speaker B: Hey, Jeremy, how are you?
[00:05:53] Speaker A: Hey, Tracy. Good.
[00:05:55] Speaker B: Well, if you haven't noticed, if the video is working, that is, we had some complications with. Was it wrinkles video?
[00:06:05] Speaker A: Yeah, with wrinkles 22, I think it was.
[00:06:08] Speaker B: Yeah, we bought these nice little expensive Osbot AI cameras, and Jeremy's expensive imac won't work with it for some reason, so we had to switch over.
[00:06:24] Speaker A: I have Mr. IMac imaxed.
[00:06:28] Speaker B: Imaxed? Yes.
[00:06:29] Speaker A: I have every USB C port used, so unfortunately, it's just not giving me the bandwidth to control the camera.
[00:06:37] Speaker B: Yes. So we switched over to using his iPhone last time, and then we had the frame rates or something didn't line up. So we did a recording earlier today. So if you see we're still wearing the same clothes, we're not just not showering or anything.
[00:06:58] Speaker A: Doubling.
[00:06:59] Speaker B: It's a double recording day, so we still have on our merch.
[00:07:04] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:07:05] Speaker B: And Jeremy, where's your hat?
[00:07:06] Speaker A: I don't know.
[00:07:09] Speaker B: You took it off. There you go.
We also ordered our coffee cup.
That light is really bright on there. There we go.
And we have bags and stuff for the kitties and all of that good stuff. And if you guys are interested in any, it's on bonfire.com store.
Total conundrum. I missed that last time.
[00:07:40] Speaker A: Oh, boy.
[00:07:43] Speaker B: And if you use the code tcp ten, you'll get 10% off.
[00:07:49] Speaker A: Nice.
[00:07:49] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:07:50] Speaker A: Wicked cool.
[00:07:51] Speaker B: But other than that, I don't think we have any other news for today.
[00:07:57] Speaker A: I don't think so either. I mean, we're just really not good at news.
[00:08:01] Speaker B: We're not. We've been so busy with the holidays, and right now this episode is going to come out after the fact. But tomorrow is New Year's and we're so boring. We have nothing planned.
[00:08:13] Speaker A: Oh, we'll probably be working.
[00:08:15] Speaker B: Probably working. I know. We'll make it to New Year's, so we're always up late.
[00:08:22] Speaker A: Let's hope so.
[00:08:23] Speaker B: It'll be the one time that we actually go to bed before midnight.
[00:08:28] Speaker A: Right?
[00:08:29] Speaker B: Well, should we just dive in?
[00:08:32] Speaker A: Let's get it going.
[00:08:33] Speaker B: All right.
Let's go.
So, on April 4, 1974, Sonny and Gina Han came into the world just five minutes apart in Itchington, South Korea.
[00:08:50] Speaker A: I'm really itching.
[00:08:55] Speaker B: From day one. People treated them differently because Sunny, being the firstborn, was considered the boss twin. In korean culture, it meant Gina, being the younger twin, had to listen to Sunny. Their mom, Boo Kim Han, always favored sunny because she was the older twin.
[00:09:16] Speaker A: Oh, boo hoo hoo.
[00:09:18] Speaker B: Yes. That's not fair. I mean, five minutes apart.
[00:09:24] Speaker A: What was her mom's name again?
[00:09:26] Speaker B: Boo.
[00:09:27] Speaker A: Boo. Boo.
[00:09:28] Speaker B: Yes.
So this didn't sit well with Gina, who didn't like being seen as less important, which I can understand.
Even when their parents split up, things didn't get easier. For three years, Gina lived with her dad, and Sonny lived with their mom. But somehow the sisters remained super connected. According to Boo Kim, if one twin got sick and went to the hospital, the other would end up there, too, dealing with some other kind of health issue. After their parents split, the girls ended up living with their mom. And at eleven years old, the Han twins moved to the US with their mom, Bu Kim. First, they stayed in Seattle, where Bu Kim left them with relatives for about a year. Then they moved to Orange county, starting junior high school. Things took a turn for the worse. Boo Kim, a single mom, worked long hours at the casino, and she really got into gambling. She would disappear for days, leaving the twins alone without food. They were on their own in a new place, scared and having to fend for themselves.
Growing up fast, the Hans twins, just twelve years old, found themselves in a foreign land without knowing the language. With no support, they stuck together and depended on each other. Boot camp realized she couldn't provide for Sonny and Gina, so she reached out to a distant relative, the Norrises, 140 miles away in Campo, California. James Norris said that she asked to borrow money, but instead they offered to take in the girls. Sonny and Gina loved their new adopted family and embraced their new way of life. James recalled their first Christmas with the girls, realizing that they hadn't experienced Christmas in the traditional sense before.
When they couldn't open their presents before the actual day, they got quite upset. Not understanding why they had to wait. On Christmas morning, the twins eagerly tore into their gifts. They made sure Santa treated them equally, wanting to see what each other got and ensuring they received similar amounts. It was a special holiday for the Han twins.
[00:11:57] Speaker A: Everything is a contest.
[00:11:59] Speaker B: It is a contest with them, and we will definitely get into it.
[00:12:04] Speaker A: Oh, boy.
[00:12:05] Speaker B: They're very, very competitive.
[00:12:07] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:12:08] Speaker B: So it was a special holiday for the Han twins, experiencing the joy of Christmas in a new and loving family.
The girls attended Mount Empire High School, where they dedicated themselves to excelling academically.
This period marked a positive phase in their relationship, filled with support and stability.
Armed with a large korean English dictionary, they immersed themselves in learning English and thrived, earning straight a's. However, the intense study sessions led to the evolution of their closeness into a spirited sibling rivalry. And never say that word, right?
[00:12:55] Speaker A: Bump. Fists.
[00:12:56] Speaker B: Oh, yes.
Gina, feeling the need to outperform sunny, turned their academic success into a friendly competition. If one got an a, the other aimed for an a plus. Their friends and family noted that this rivalry.
Rivalry, rivalry, rivalry.
Their friends and family noted that this rivalry paid off, with both girls consistently at the top of their class, excelling in every aspect of their studies.
Eventually, they achieved the status of co valedictorians, a well deserved recognition for their identical minds and abilities.
According to James, while there was a bit of healthy competition between them, it was all part of their shared journey towards excellence. The Hans sisters seemingly had it all. Academic success, a close bond, and each other. James emphasized their strong connection. Despite occasional rivalries over age and grades, this period represented the best time of their lives. Yet it couldn't last. Beneath the surface of their seemingly perfect lives, jealousy and envy began to fester between the.
[00:14:34] Speaker A: Common.
[00:14:35] Speaker B: It's a common, it's brewing.
Sunny and Gina, the identical twins, had distant personalities.
Sunny was the outgoing and charismatic twin, making friends easily, while Gina, the darker twin, tended to be more reserved. Sonny was the first to have a boyfriend and a job, always stepping into new experiences. Gina, on the other hand, observed, then followed suit. As graduation approached, the looming separation weighed heavily on the sisters. Gina seemed unprepared for life after high school, and the pace was overwhelming. The impending distance fueled a volatile relationship, leading to physical fights between the two. Despite their struggles, James admired the girls for their top notch behavior, style and composure. The Han twins, once struggling immigrants in the care of distant relatives, had transformed into young women. With the world at their fingertips, however, this period of success and growth was about to face challenges that would test the strength of their bond.
[00:15:53] Speaker A: Shit's getting real.
[00:15:55] Speaker B: Yes, it is. You can feel the drum roll.
[00:15:59] Speaker A: You can feel the tension in the air.
[00:16:03] Speaker B: After high school, the twins embarked on different paths. Gina chose to join the air force, while Sunny secured a scholarship to the University of Laverne. Sunny had a stronger desire for college, aiming to experience it even if she was uncertain about her future career. Armed with a college scholarship, Sunny was determined to prove that she could thrive independently. Initially, she excelled in her studies, staying focused on a determined path. The sisters were now facing separate journeys, each navigating her own way throughout life. Gina's military journey hit a roadblock as she struggled with the challenges of military life. Eventually not completing basic training, she was feeling trapped. She resorted to a simple yet deceptive tactic, one of many to come. This was the era of the don't ask, don't tell, a policy that allowed gay, lesbian and bisexual military members to serve if they kept their sexual orientation private, Gina claimed she was gay. To secure a general discharge and an exit from the air force. The repercussions of her lie were not what she was expecting. Frightened by the consequences, Gina turned to Charlene Mitchell, a stable adult figure from their high school days and a small town neighbor. Mitchell intervened, speaking to Gina's commander and the air Force let her go without any repercussions. They just kind of caved and went with it. But, I mean, she could have gotten herself in a lot of trouble.
A lot of trouble.
Reflecting on the sisters, Mitchell remarked to the Los Angeles Times. They seemed to lack practical sense. They didn't seem to know how to cope with things. The incident highlighted the challenges the sisters faced in adapting to life's demands. Returning home to southern California, Gina grappled with the feelings of failure and the absence of her mother and her twin sister for support. James had reservations about Gina's readiness for life after high school, sensing the challenges that she faced, especially without Sunny by her side, the struggles of the identical twins, who haven't fully individualized, can be very traumatic when they attempt to separate. Haunted by Sunny's success at college, Gina resolved to stand on her own and secured a job, following in her mother's footsteps as a casino blackjack dealer. Joining the Barona resort and casino in Lakeside, Gina faced obstacles. The casino allowed off duty employees to play at the tables. And one night, while waiting for her co workers to finish, she decided to try her luck. Gina's tips that she earned that night vanished as she played her first hands of blackjack. In frustration, she withdrew $300, the maximum amount allowed, but that too quickly disappeared. Upset by the losses, Gina waited until the bank opened the next morning and withdrew her entire savings, around $4,000, only to lose it all. The incident marked a troubling turn in her life.
So you and I both worked at casinos.
There's a reason that you should not be allowed to gamble at the casino that you work at. People are just going to blow it all. Yeah.
[00:20:00] Speaker A: Yes. Why would they care?
[00:20:01] Speaker B: Well, they don't. But I'm glad the casinos that we worked at had that rule that you couldn't do that, not only for the sanity of you not being able to just cash your check right there and go to the tables. But could you imagine? I guess you didn't work in blackjack. I did, but I couldn't imagine taking my fellow coworkers entire checks from them the day they get them. That would be heartbreaking.
[00:20:30] Speaker A: Yeah, I guess I didn't have a problem with gambling.
[00:20:33] Speaker B: I didn't either.
[00:20:34] Speaker A: You have to go home. I was out of that. Yes, gone.
[00:20:39] Speaker B: Yes, definitely gone.
So James asked her again, don't you want to go to college? And she said, for right now, this is what I want to do. Can't pull all of your money away. That's crazy.
And this was really her downfall. She developed a gambling addiction. Like her mother, Boo Cam, Gina gambled all her money away, and debt took control of her life. Gina's gambling problem was pretty bad, and she would drop thousands of dollars at a time. As Gina's debts and problems mounted, she started getting more and more desperate. One night, a despondent Gina took a handful of sleeping pills and washed them down with a bottle of liquor. James got a call from the emergency room down at Grosmont hospital in La Mesa, la Mesa that Gina had tried to commit suicide. He thinks it was more of a cry out, for she had not taken enough to kill herself. When he went down to the hospital to pick up Gina, one of the first things he did was ask her why she had done this, and she told him that she just felt like everything was coming down on top of her. Nobody wanted to help her, and she was on her own, and she couldn't handle it anymore. Despite the support of her family, Gina found herself unable to control her gambling habit, sinking deeper and deeper into debt with each passing day. In a desperate attempt to cover her losses, she turned to petty crimes. Gina's actions took a darker turn as she resorted, stealing money from friends and forging checks. When these sources of funds all dried up, she even betrayed the trust of those that had taken her in as a child, James, her adopted father, discovered that she had broken into his safe, pilfered his business checks, credit cards, and personal checks, and began cashing them. In total, Gina managed to siphon approximately $20,000 from his business account and around 15,000 from his personal accounts.
Yeah, not cool, Gina. Not cool at all. James, once supportive and understanding, now found himself consumed by anger. Well, hell, yeah. If somebody took $35,000 from me, I'd be pretty damn angry, too.
[00:23:19] Speaker A: I think most people would.
[00:23:21] Speaker B: Yeah.
The girl they had welcomed into their home and helped raised had betrayed their trust in the most profound way. As Gina's life spiraled out of control, her twin, Sonny, seemed to be thriving at college.
Projecting an image of prosperity, she drove an expensive car, dressed in expensive name brand clothing, and enjoyed a lifestyle that raised eyebrows among her friends, who wondered about the source of her newfound wealth. However, Sunny harbored a dark secret. She was just as skilled as a thief as her twin sister, Gina. Contrary to what her sister may have believed, and despite the facade of success, Sunny's life after high school was far from idyllic. As a college student without wealthy parents, Sunny struggled to keep up with her more affluent peers. The pressure to conform to the lifestyle of her well off classmates in Los Angeles took its toll. And Sunny, determined to maintain appearances, resorted to unconventional means. Facing financial challenges, Sunny began working as an exotic dancer in Pananoma, an area known for its high crime rates. Trying to conceal this part of her life, she managed to keep it a secret for a while. However, suspicions among her friends started to rise as she struggled to balance her dual life. Her grades slipped, leading to the loss of her scholarship. Sunny attributed the academic decline to a breakup with her boyfriend. Although she attempted to resume her studies at a community college, she couldn't reclaim her former academic success, eventually dropping out and claiming to work as a receptionist. The facade finally crumbled when Sonny was arrested for petty theft. She had stolen from a friend, justifying her actions by considering the friend's wealth, assuming that she wouldn't mind. So basically, she thought just because her friend was rich, she wouldn't mind if she stole her credit card and used it.
[00:25:37] Speaker A: That makes sense.
[00:25:38] Speaker B: Great logic.
Sonny was fined and placed on three years probation as a consequence of her actions. In a shocking twist, both sisters found themselves entangled in criminal activities, sharing an eerily similar path. Despite their differences, Gina, too, encountered legal trouble and was arrested for the theft. After stealing a significant amount of money from close friends turning her in, they exposed her actions, leading to a sentence of ten days in jail and three years probation.
Not long after Gina's legal woes, Sonny faced her own set of challenges. Relationship troubles with her boyfriend and slipping grades contributed to her downfall, causing her to lose her scholarship, drop out of school within a year and a half, the promising teens who once stood at the pinnacle of their class now found themselves at rock bottom. James, who had witnessed their journey and struggles, believed that in their pursuit of life experiences, the twins attempted to grasp too much too quickly. Lacking coping skills for real life challenges. Haunted by their past neglect, the sisters were merely trying to find their way. And once again, just like in their childhood, the twins knew they could only rely on each other.
So I'm sorry. There is no excuse for what they did. No, and he's saying because of what they experienced.
Well, I grew up very poor. You grew up very poor. And we didn't feel that our friends that had more money than us needed to provide for us. It was just that they needed to be taught right from wrong. I mean, everybody knows know right from wrong. You don't take from others to better yourself.
[00:27:48] Speaker A: Some people are just crazy.
[00:27:51] Speaker B: So when Gina skipped out on her probation in San Diego, Sunny extended an olive branch by offering her refuge in Orange County. Sunny moved into a new apartment in placentia. Is that how you say it? California?
[00:28:09] Speaker A: Don't know. Can't see your notes.
[00:28:11] Speaker B: Placentia. P-L-A-C-E-N-T-I-A sounds good. Okay. Well, you lived there for a little bit, so I thought maybe it's Orange County. I don't know how far that was from where you lived, but down south. Okay. And after them being apart for four years, the Hans sisters were finally reunited for the first time since high school. However, living together as adults stirred up the demons from the past. Gina struggled with comparing her life to Sunny's, feeling hurt and wondering why she couldn't have the same success.
This jealousy led Gina to stake her claim on her twin's lush lifestyle, regardless of Sunny's feelings. With a pattern of stealing already ingrained, Gina's actions strained the relationship as she took Sonny's clothes, money, and even her bmw without permission. Furious at her sister's behavior, Sunny demanded that her identical twin respect her family position as the eldest, asserting her authority. The relationship turned volatile, leading to fights that escalated to the point where neighbors had to call the police to intervene. Right. The reunion of the Hans sisters, once anticipated with hope, had now become a horrible clash of conflicting personalities. Living together as adults had pushed the Han sisters to the boiling point. And it all came to a head one afternoon when they finally drew blood. Gina, while staying with Sonny, disappeared for a few days with Sonny's bmw. When she returned, Sunny erupted in a fit of anger, leading to a physical fight between the twins. The altercation escalated, with both sisters landing blows.
But as in the past, Sunny emerged victorious. In the midst of the scuffle, Sunny threw a phone at Gina, hitting her in the face and breaking her nose.
Bloodied and bruised, Gina had been beaten and humiliated by her elder twin. This violent incident marked a turning point in the relationship.
After Sunny broke Gina's nose, it changed everything between the twins. Gina, nursing her injuries, vowed to settle the score for good. When the police arrived and found Gina with a broken nose, they questioned her about Sonny. Seizing the moment, Gina turned the tables on her elder twin. She informed the police that Sunny was on probation for credit card theft. The authorities took Sonny into custody, and she was sentenced to three days in jail. Gina's revelation about Sonny's probation and her subsequent arrest were acts of revenge for all of the years of having to defer to her elder twin. This, for Gina, was payback time. As Sunny sat in jail for the next 72 hours, she seethed with anger. Her younger twin had finally gotten the better of her. But Gina was just getting started. While Sonny was incarcerated, Gina had access to her car, credit cards and id, and she took full advantage of the situation.
Gina went on a shopping spree, enjoying three days of total freedom at her twins'expense. For Gina, it was a delightful period of indulgence. But there would be hell to pay when Sunny returned.
[00:32:03] Speaker A: Everybody was kung fu fighting.
[00:32:08] Speaker B: Everybody was fast as lightning.
Upon her homecoming, Sunny discovered that her sister had been using her credit card and driving her car. Furious, she promptly threw Gina out of the apartment. Sonny wasted no time settling the score with Gina. She contacted the police and pressed charges. And this marked the worst trouble Gina had been in. Gina was arrested for theft and skipping out on her probation, receiving a sentence of six months behind bars. The behavior of the Hans twins was bizarre, yet oddly symmetrical. One twin engaged in stealing, then the other followed suit. One twin went to the police to report on the other, and the cycle continued.
[00:33:00] Speaker A: Monkey see, monkey do.
[00:33:02] Speaker B: Yep, the back and forth between these twins was escalating with no end in sight. Incarcerated for the second time in her young life, Gina boiled with fury toward her twin sister for turning her into the police. Gina's rage began to intensify, blaming Sonny for everything from her incarceration to all of the problems she faced in her solitude behind bars, Gina reached a breaking point and decided to put an end to the sibling competition. For once, Gina came up with the realization that Sunny was the obstacle preventing her from being successful and standing in the way of her life. Fueled by desperation, she hatched a chilling plan to kill her sister and assume her identity.
That's a little extreme.
[00:33:57] Speaker A: Getting a little deep here, people.
[00:34:00] Speaker B: During the work furlough, Gina managed to escape from jail and sought refuge at an El Cajun crash pad. Not exactly sure if that's a town name in California, maybe.
[00:34:16] Speaker A: I don't know.
[00:34:17] Speaker B: Tried to. Look. I wasn't sure if it was slang or a town name. I couldn't figure it out. I'm assuming it's a town name, but just wanted to clarify.
So this crash pad was run by two sisters named Nikki and Rita. Consumed by desire for revenge against Sonny, Gina was determined to carry out her sinister plan.
[00:34:42] Speaker A: We'll be back after these messages.
[00:34:52] Speaker E: Everybody loves a good ghost story. From the renowned haunting of the Amityville horror house to the lesser known curse of the Basano vase, legends of the ghostly Anne macabre have been fascinating and frightening us for centuries. But have you ever wondered if there's any truth behind the lore?
Over the last eight years that I've spent as a paranormal researcher, I have constantly asked one important question.
Is this a hoax, or could it truly be a haunt?
I'm Courtney Hayes, host of the podcast Haunts, where every week, I dissect another ghostly legend in an effort to find the truth that lies within.
Listen to haunts for free on your favorite podcasting app and help me to unveil the unknown.
[00:35:50] Speaker B: At the crash pad, Gina encountered a local kid named Archie Bryant, who, like many others, sought a safe haven.
Growing up in the tumultuous environment of San Diego during the 1980s crack epidemic, Archie faced a challenging upbringing. His biological father coached him to lie during social services inspections, and later, his stepfather stole the money that he earned from selling candy in the neighborhood. As a child, Archie even recalled waking up with the intense headaches from accidentally inhaling crack overnight in the motel where they temporarily lived. What a horrible, horrible life and experience. You're just in a hotel room with your parental figure, and you're waking up because you're getting contact eyes from their crack. That's crazy.
Despite the challenges, Archie managed to stay in school and excel at athletics, occasionally relying on his fist to navigate the streets. His closest friend was a 15 year old laotian American named Jonathan Yoshi. I'm going to butcher this.
Sayarath. S-A-Y-A-R-A-T-H. Sayarath. And their bond resembled that of brothers more than friends. While staying at Nikki and Rita's crash pad, Archie noticed a new blue mustang in the neighborhood. Curious, he inquired about its owner and was introduced to Gina, a beautiful korean american woman six years his senior.
She was also crashing at the house after her latest brush with the law. However, Archie didn't feel a romantic attraction to Gina. He found her intriguing, with a hint of craziness. Just a hint? I think there's a whole lot of craziness going on it.
Despite her valley girl accent, there was a charm about her that drew him in.
[00:38:01] Speaker A: Like, totally, totally.
[00:38:04] Speaker B: The two began to hang out, and during one encounter, Archie showed Gina a small wound on his foot from accidentally shooting himself.
[00:38:16] Speaker A: Dumb redneck.
[00:38:18] Speaker B: The revelation sparked an idea in Gina's mind. Archie had access to guns. She asked him to find her one. For self defense, Archie reached out to a female cousin living in a rough neighborhood who owned a two shot deringer. Do you know what that is?
[00:38:38] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:38:39] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:38:39] Speaker A: Widow gun.
[00:38:40] Speaker B: Little gun. Like a handgun?
[00:38:42] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:38:43] Speaker B: It's a compact pistol that resembles a prop. So I guess I wrote the story a while ago, so I forgot about.
[00:38:50] Speaker A: That part of it, but compact pistol.
[00:38:52] Speaker B: That it says it resembles a prop. Like a prop gun. So it must be one that they use in movie sets and stuff.
[00:39:00] Speaker A: I just thought it was a small one that you'd stick into your purse.
[00:39:05] Speaker B: Well, it does say it's a compact pistol, so I'll have to google it.
[00:39:10] Speaker A: Yeah, we'll have to Google.
[00:39:11] Speaker B: I'm curious to see what it. Actually, I've never heard of that gun before.
Gina agreed to pay $60 for it, with Archie pocketing $10 as a finder's fee. Not long after, on November 6, 1996, Archie and Yoshi found themselves running late for school. They approached Gina, asking for a ride, and she seized the opportunity.
Instead of going to school, she suggested that they join her on an hour long drive to Irvine. She explained the need to pick up a few things from her sister's place. Intrigued and enticed by the offer of $100, the boys agreed. Archie eagerly took the front seat of the blue mustang while Yoshi sat in the backseat. Little did they know, they were unknowingly drawn into a murder scheme. As they drove, Gina casually spoke about asian gangsters assaulting her in Irvine, creating a narrative that served as a pretext for receiving her belongings. Feeling protective, Archie became more involved. Gina exploited his protective instincts, asking if he had ever knocked somebody out. Upon reaching Irvine, they purchased duct tape, twine gloves and a potato from a grocery store, using the threat of the asian gangs as justification.
What do you need a potato for?
How's a potato going to help you if an asian gang comes and attacks you?
[00:40:49] Speaker A: I don't know. Maybe. Screw fram.
[00:40:53] Speaker B: Trusting Gina, the trio proceeded to San Hoquin Marsh for target practice. Archie fired a shot out of the mustang's window with the potato muffling the sound.
[00:41:06] Speaker A: Oh, that's what they use.
[00:41:08] Speaker B: Yeah. They then headed to Sunny's apartment in San Marco.
Gina, unable to obtain an extra key from the leasing office, convinced the boys to enter the apartment for $100. She emphasized the presence of asian gangsters, fueling their fear. Gina suggested that Archie take the gun, but he felt uneasy about the need for a weapon. Gina raised the stakes, proposing the idea of killing her sister. Archie just plain out refused. Frustrated, Gina turned to Yoshi, who also declined. Angry, Gina snapped, hitting the steering wheel in frustration, Archie and Yoshi exchanged worried glances, realizing the situation was escalating. Concerned for their safety, Archie took out the gun as a ploy to scare Sonny without causing any harm. Gina misinterpreted this, thinking Archie was willing to fulfill her murderous request. The trio bought magazines and Gina instructed the boys to pose as salespeople at Sunny's door. Intending to threaten and tie her up. Archie knocked on the door, but Helen, one of Sonny's roommates, declined the magazines. Gina insisted on a second check, and despite Helen's refusal, the boys forced their way into the apartment. Archie pointed the gun at Helen's left temple, instructing her to be quiet and to sit on the ground. Believing Helen to be Gina's twin sister and assuming no one else was home, he reassured the sobbing victim that she would be fine if she just remained silent. Following Gina's instructions, Yoshi tied up Helen's hands with plastic twine and placed duct tape over her mouth. Meanwhile, Sunny, in the midst of a shower, heard the commotion from another room and dialed 911 on her cell phone. At 03:22 p.m.. A call comes in to Orange county dispatch. The caller states that there is a person in her house raping her roommate. Dispatch asks her how many people are there in the house? And she states that she does not know. Fearing the worst, dispatch immediately puts Orange county patrol officers on high alert. Dispatch reiterates that there is only one roommate in the house. And you believe she is being raped? Sunny replied, yes, and she says, hurry, hurry, hurry. Dispatch repeats to her, you were in your room and you heard what? Then the phone goes dead. Archie instructed Yoshi to watch Helen while he inspected the other rooms. As he entered the bathroom, he saw the cell phone in Sonny's hand. Placing the gun against her head, he asked her if she called the police. Sonny lied and said no. He placed the gun down and began bounding and gagging her as well. He asked Yoshi to hand over more tape as he started wrapping her entire head. She pleaded with him to leave her nose unwrapped so she could breathe. But at this point, Helen managed to get her hands loose from the twine and dashed for the door.
I should shoot you for that, Archie warned Helen. Yoshi tied her up again, and they were acting like hardened criminals. But they were scared witless. Everything I did that night I learned from tv and the movies, Archie said. The terrified women were moved into the bathtub and sat head to head, rocking themselves back and forth in the other room, Archie started rummaging through the belongings in search of Gina's things. Gina anxiously lingered in the carport, her nerves on edge. Yoshi hurried out to assure her that it was okay to enter. But suddenly the surroundings were bathed with the alternating hues of red and blue lights.
From her car, Gina observed the chaotic spectacle. As I sat in the driver's seat in the parking lot, I witnessed an officer approaching my car. Instantly, unease washed over me. I feared the police were coming for me. Yoshi discreetly returned to the car, taking a seat. As the police officer approached. In a moment of panic, Gina composed a fake expression of concern and asked, is there something wrong, officer? He asked for her identity. Gina identified herself as Sonny. Meanwhile, inside, Archie remained oblivious to the police presence just outside the door. The 16 year old quickly grabbed a few items, including a pager and $60 in cash. Hearing the approaching police, he started untying the women in the bathtub, instructing them to claim it had all been a massive joke. I mean, come on, I come in here waving a gun, I duct tape your whole entire head and ha, let's just pretend this was all a joke. Do you really think they're going to fall for that? He sprinted towards the front door, but it was too late. Police officers with guns drawn ordered him to freeze. When the former track star saw the cop's guns pointed at him, he quickly turned, slammed the front door and started running towards the back, yelling, shoot me now because I'm going to run. As he scrambled, Archie tossed the small 22 caliber gun into the laundry hamper, concealing it beneath the women's clothing.
Before he could escape, a detective on the scene tackled him. Later, during the police search of the premises, they discovered the weapon with the safety off. This convinced some of the force that they had planned a murder. If we hadn't shown up so quickly, there would be two dead bodies, said David Tran, then a 26 year old rookie. It was a shocking realization for a community regarded as extremely safe. Officer Tran comforted the two women, observing that they were shaking uncontrollably. Gina, in the meantime, instructed Yoshi to wait inside the mustang. Exiting the car, she headed directly towards the crime scene. Instead of leaving the scene, she later recounted, I followed the same officer around the building. Upon reaching the apartment, the police officers aimed their guns at the closed door. The victims had informed the police that there was more than one assailant. It wasn't until the officers instructed her to leave the scene that she returned back to her car. As she and Yoshi drove away from the complex, she looked up in the rear view mirror and she saw her sister coming out of the apartment, trying to take the tape out of her hair. I had a lot of mixed emotions going through me at the time and a lot of conflicting emotions.
However, any guilt she felt began to rapidly diminish as the pair now sped south towards the mexican border. Back at the San Marco apartment home, a police officer who had recently witnessed someone eerily resembling the victim walking back to the blue mustang realized that something was amiss. While the investigation was unfolding police in Elkhagen informed their counterparts in Irvine that a confidential informant had overheard a recently escaped korean american woman sharing her desire to kill her twin sister with another inmate. Archie, during his interrogation, confirmed to the police that Gina had discussed the idea of murdering her sister. In less than an hour after Archie's arrest, Gina utilized Sonny's driver's license as identification to withdraw $5,000 from Sonny's bank account in Laguna Beach, California. Later that day, Gina pawned some belongings for gold. Additionally, she completed a credit application at a San Juan Nissan dealer intending to lease or buy a 300 ZX sports car. Flash although she presented her sister's identification to the salesman, the paperwork for the transaction could not be completed. That night, Gina, accompanied by Yoshi, departed to return the blue mustang to the rental agency from which she obtained it after her escape. Upon their arrival, officers from the San Diego Police Department were already waiting for her there. Gina was apprehended and maintained her assertion that they had mistaken her for her sister. During a swift search of the car, a bullet casing matching the caliber used in the deringer was discovered. It had fallen onto the floor mat when Archie had discharged the shot from the window with the potato silencer. During the search of Gina's getaway car, they also find Sonny's driver's license, passport and $4,000 in cash. In the trunk of the getaway car, officers find cleaning supplies, rope and trash bags. They also found a store receipt for plastic bags, rope and cleaning fluid. As the shocking details of the alleged murder plot unfold, Sonny Hahn is left devastated, grappling with the unthinkable actions attributed to her twin sister, Gina. Despite Gina's arrest and subsequent meetings behind bars, where Gina claimed innocence and accused the police of lying to Sonny, her emotions were in turmoil. In a tearful reunion between the sisters, Gina's claims of innocence seem to have an impact on Sonny. A reporter sensing the change questions Sunny as she enters the courtroom asking if she now believes her twin sister is innocent. Sunny responds affirmatively, stating, right, however, right.
[00:52:21] Speaker A: Round, baby, right round.
[00:52:25] Speaker B: I feel like I'm a top spinning right round with these two.
However, Sunny's newfound belief in Gina's innocence doesn't absolve her from all the legal process. Despite her reluctance, she understands that cooperating with the district attorney is not optional. The decision to take the stand against her twin, Gina, weighs heavily on Sonny. The courtroom awaits, and the uncertainty surrounding Sonny's testimony adds another layer of complexity to this already wrought situation.
On October 30, 1997, at the Orange county courthouse. Sunny, positioned as the star witness for the prosecution, commenced her testimony on the first day by recounting the shared history of her and Gina, detailing their upbringing, migration to America, and the challenges that they had as children. Expressing love for her sister. Sunny's unexpected support for Gina surprised the court, indicating a deep bond that seemed to defy the gravity of the charges. Despite the shocking nature of allegations against Gina, Sonny appeared to be in a state of denial. She stood right next to her twin, stating that she was innocent. Sunny's first day on the witness stand showcased a composed, well presented demeanor. However, a stark transformation occurred on the second day of Sunny's testimony. She appeared to be disheartened. She was disheveled. She had on no makeup. Her hair was unkept. She had on kind of an unusual outfit the day before. She was very put together makeup, and her outfit was very ironed and was very professional. And as Sonny took the witness stand again, she made a starting admission that left the courtroom in disbelief.
As stated by Sonny, what I did was I went to the drugstore and bought three boxes of sleeping pills. Following this revelation, Sonny collapsed in the witness stand, prompting an immediate halt to the proceedings. Recognizing the severity of the situation, the judge summoned an ambulance, and Sunny was swiftly transported from the courthouse on a stretcher. The unexpected turn of events added a new layer of complexity to an already intense trial. Paramedics rushed Sunny to the ICU, where the doctors successfully revived her after she had taken an overdose of sleeping pills, succumbing to the intense pressure of the situation following her recovery, Sunny returned to testify a week later. Many observers noted that Gina's defense team seemed to have benefited from Sonny's testimony, leading friends and family to believe that Gina might be found innocent.
James expressed his conviction, stating, it was a victimless crime. Nobody got hurt, nothing happened. Gina would never, ever try to kill her sister, ever. And I will swear to it to this day that that girl would never had pulled the trigger. Despite this optimism, the ultimate decision rested with the jury, leaving everyone uncertain about the trial's outcome. On November 20, 1997, at the Orange county courthouse, after 10 hours of deliberation spread across three days, the trial jury finally reaches a verdict. Despite Gina's apparent confidence that she wouldn't be convicted or face a lengthy sentence, the jury found her guilty on all charges, along with her two teenage accomplices. Contrary to Sonny's pleas for leniency, expressing more concern for her sister's well being than seeing her punished, Judge Eileen Moore remains unimpressed. She sentences Gina to a maximum of 26 years to life, deeming her as a menace to both her family and society. As Gina serves her time in jail, Sonny Hahn catapults to stardom. Fueled by the notoriety of her infamous twin, Sunny becomes a celebrity post trial, making numerous tv appearances, hiring a manager and even entertaining the possibility of a $2 million film deal, although it never materializes. However, shortly afterwards, sunny retreats from the public eye. Her whereabouts remain unknown. The case is particularly captivating because it is an exception for the one twin to turn against the other. Typically, twins share an uncommon loyalty and an exceptional bond. Something fractured between these sisters. Yeah, thank definitely.
While some initially tried to frame it as a good twin versus evil twin scenario, it might be more accurate to describe it as if one twin with a darker side and the other with fewer apparent issues, yet both having their share of problems. They have their share of a lot of problems.
[00:58:24] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:58:25] Speaker B: James reflects the tragedy of this whole thing is that you have two very beautiful, young, bright ladies who care about each other a lot and will probably never be with each other again. And that's a big tragedy.
[00:58:40] Speaker A: Honestly. Probably a good thing because with how.
[00:58:44] Speaker B: Volatile the relationship was.
[00:58:46] Speaker A: Yeah. Either the other one's going to try it on the other sister or the other sister is going to do it again.
[00:58:54] Speaker B: Or on an innocent, a completely person outside of the relationship, a boyfriend or a friend or something bad was going to happen.
[00:59:04] Speaker A: Seems like the feud is always between them, too.
[00:59:06] Speaker B: Yes. Chance of somebody getting caught in the crosshairs.
[00:59:10] Speaker A: Yeah, probably bad.
[00:59:13] Speaker B: So Gina Hahn served her prison term in the central California women's facility in Chauchilla with a fixed release date in 2018. She was released in May that year. Per NBC News, the state board of Parole recommended the release of Gina Hahn, now 43, after a hearing on October 31 in Orange county. Under California law, the decision included a 120 day review period so Governor Jerry Brown can decide whether to approve or reject the parole recommendation. The Orange county district attorney's office, in a letter Monday asked Brown to reject the parole recommendation, saying that Gina Hahn failed to address her alleged mental disorder and still poses a risk to society. Deputy District Attorney Nikki Chambers said Gina Hahn, as an example of her plans for parole, gave the board letters from a man with whom she is corresponding. Her pen pals from abroad and across the country had offered her money, jobs and lodging, including a man from Britain who gave her money after corresponding for a year, the prosecutor said. The fact remains that she is still flexing the manipulation muscles that she used when she recruited the two young men to murder her sister, and they appear to be as keen as they were in 1996, Gina Hahn maintained that she never intended to kill her sister. With Gina receiving parole in 2018, the script has been flipped. Mother Boo Kim now only keeps in touch with Gina, not Sonny. Boo Kim recently bragged that Gina, the new golden child, received an engineering degree and was working in the San Francisco Bay area. In February 2020, 45 year old Sonny was once again arrested by Buena park police officers, this time outside a donut shop along the notorious 1 mile stretch of Beach Boulevard. The sister's relationship ultimately takes on a vampiric quality. When one is strong, the other decays or disappears, as though the two physical doubles are incapable of coexisting. Sunny is not impossible to track down, but Kim hasn't seemed to look for her. When asked about Sunny's whereabouts, the mother of two pauses for a long time and then she finally responds, I think Sonny's dead. That was the only thing her mother had to cold. Very cold.
Very, very cold. But that's my story.
[01:02:21] Speaker A: That's an awesome one, baby.
[01:02:23] Speaker B: So nobody was murdered this time?
[01:02:25] Speaker A: Yeah, just attempted.
[01:02:27] Speaker B: Just attempted. There was no disgusting, horrible, graphic details.
I tried to keep it lighter for you.
[01:02:37] Speaker A: Good.
That's wonderful.
[01:02:39] Speaker B: I mean, it was still twisted as hell.
[01:02:41] Speaker A: Yeah, it was twisted as hell.
[01:02:44] Speaker B: I tried to go a little bit better for you.
[01:02:48] Speaker A: I liked it.
[01:02:49] Speaker B: All right, well, it's almost New Year's on our side, so we'll wish you all a happy new year.
[01:02:58] Speaker A: Happy New Year.
[01:02:59] Speaker B: This will post after that, though. But Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah and all the things. But don't forget to, like, subscribe, give us a five star rating, or just give us a rating. Tell us what you think. Send us your stories. Order some merch if you're interested.
Yeah, that pretty much wraps it all up.
[01:03:24] Speaker A: It's a wrap, people.
[01:03:25] Speaker B: It's a wrap. We love you. Goodbye.
[01:03:28] Speaker A: Love you. Bye.
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