True Crime

The Gilded Rage

The Gilded Rage starts with an email from Penelope “Penny” McGee, who says she was sexually assaulted as a teenager in 1981 by an entitled man who has never been held accountable. What starts as one woman’s search for justice unfolds into a sprawling investigation—through police reports, court records, and firsthand testimony—revealing a disturbing pattern of allegations surrounding the same man, missed warnings, and an investigation riddled with inconsistencies. And host Lauren Malloy and producer Aliza Rosen find something even more sinister: the same man was implicated in the mysterious 1985 death of Sherri Clark, an 18-year old freshman at the University of Colorado Boulder.

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Episode 5: Psycho Killer Nov 09, 2026

Show notes

At CU Boulder, J. had a nickname: "Psycho Killer." Under oath, he says it came from the Talking Heads song. People who knew him tell a different story. Then Sherri's brother Jason finds something he'd forgotten about for decades: a box of cassette tapes recorded by his parents' private investigator in 1985. What's on them changes everything Lauren and Aliza thought they knew about this case.

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Legal Clarifications Nov 08, 2026

Show notes

Hi Gilded Rage listeners -

We heard from J’s attorney since the series launched, and there are a few things we want to clarify.

In Episode 1, we read part of an email Penny sent us in early 2024. In it, she described what she believed was a pattern of assaults by J spanning 40 years. That was Penny’s belief, not a finding of ours. J denies that. In our investigation to date, we haven’t found any first hand accounts of allegations against him after college. We’ve added a line to Episode 1 to make that clear.

Also, on October 28th, Aliza and I were guests on Heather McDonald’s podcast Juicy Crimes. We talked about Kim Smith, who you’ll hear from in Episodes 5 and 6. What we shared is an overview of Kim’s account of what she says happened with J six weeks before Sherri died. To be clear, J maintains that his encounter with Kim was consensual and no charges were filed in that matter.

Also on Juicy Crimes, we shared a story someone told us about being with J at a bar in Newport, Rhode Island, a few summers ago. J denies touching anyone inappropriately that night. We also made a reference that conflated J’s behavior with the recently convicted serial rapists the Alexander brothers, and we retract that.

Also any reference that any other podcast host makes to Sherri’s “murder” is not our own statement and we have asked them to correct that. As of this recording, Sherri Clark’s manner of death is considered “accidental,” though the Boulder County DA’s Office recently told the Daily mail on October 19th - the 41st anniversary of Sherri’s death - that they are working on her case with the sheriff and coroner.

Thanks again for listening and we’ll be back Monday with Episode 5.

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Episode 4: The Club Nov 02, 2026

Show notes

Sherri's parents won't let her death go quietly. They sue J. for wrongful death, but getting answers under oath proves harder than they imagined. Lauren and Aliza go back to where J. grew up: a wealthy Rhode Island family, a summer house steps from the Dunes Club, and an elite prep school where senior yearbook quotes takes on a disturbing new meaning. Former classmates begin sharing stories they've kept to themselves for four decades.

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Episode 3: Sherri Oct 26, 2026

Show notes

In October 1985, a park worker outside Boulder, Colo., spots what he thinks is a mannequin in a ditch under a bridge. It's 18-year-old CU Boulder freshman Sherri Clark, who had just celebrated her birthday and was last seen leaving a sorority party with J. Hours later, J. is arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder. His account of what happened that night keeps shifting depending on who he's talking to. But within days, the case takes a turn no one expected, and Sherri's family is left with more questions than answers.

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Episode 2: The Commonwealth vs. McGee Oct 19, 2026

Show notes

Five years to the day after Andrew Savitz dies outside his Brookline home, his ex-wife Penny McGee goes on trial for involuntary manslaughter. Facing up to 20 years in prison, Penny finds herself at the center of a case that explodes far beyond the courtroom. With devastating testimony from her own daughter, private text messages, and a harrowing 911 call, a complicated portrait emerges of a marriage long fractured by power struggles, resentment, love, and mutual dependence. While the trial continues, Penny’s driven to seek justice for the man she believes is a serial predator– with a dark past about to explode.

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Episode 1: A Deeply Traumatic Incident Oct 19, 2026

Show notes

Penny McGee has sent some version of her letter to about 25 strangers — Christine Blasey Ford, Lady Gaga and anyone else who might listen. Lauren Malloy is the one who answers. Inside a famous Newport, R.I.mansion, Penny lays out the harrowing night she claims she was raped by “J.,” a member of the same exclusive beach club. Four decades later, J. buys a house a mile down the road from Penny and it triggers trauma she had tried to bury for decades. She walks into the Narragansett police station to report a rape that happened before some of the detectives were born. Then she goes looking for other women, and finds one who never got the chance to come forward. That’s because she was found dead four years after that night at the club, last seen with J. But there are no perfect victims and Penny certainly has her skeletons. And when Lauren finds out the shocking crime that Penny herself is accused of, she's in too deep to walk away.

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The Gilded Rage Trailer Oct 17, 2026

Show notes

The Gilded Rage starts with an email from Penelope “Penny” McGee, who says she was sexually assaulted as a teenager in 1981 by an entitled man who has never been held accountable. What starts as one woman’s search for justice unfolds into a sprawling investigation—through police reports, court records, and firsthand testimony—revealing a disturbing pattern of allegations surrounding the same man, missed warnings, and an investigation riddled with inconsistencies. And host Lauren Malloy and producer Aliza Rosen find something even more sinister: the same man was implicated in the mysterious 1985 death of Sherri Clark, an 18-year old freshman at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Join our Patreon for all episode and bonus content: Patreon Link

Email us directly: thegildedragepod@gmail.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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