Howard Stern listened to ‘serial killer’s confession’ for 17 minutes live on air
Howard Stern picked up the phone to an alleged serial killer whilst on his radio show, not knowing where the conversation was going to lead. The chilling discussion saw the ‘serial killer’ confess to his crimes as the celebrity and his crew tried to understand his behavior. Radio show hosts talk to an array of […]
Howard Stern picked up the phone to an alleged serial killer whilst on his radio show, not knowing where the conversation was going to lead. The chilling discussion saw the ‘serial killer’ confess to his crimes as the celebrity and his crew tried to understand his behavior.
Radio show hosts talk to an array of guests, most of the time they are a celebrity or a film star promoting their next feature. It could be a music icon plugging a new record, or joining the program for a fun chat with the host. But once in a blue moon strange things take place, and that happened to none other Howard Stern, who ended up talking to an alleged serial killer for 17 minutes live on air. Despite the conversation taking back in 1997, the audio is just as disturbing almost 30 years later.
Howard stern never expected a ‘serial killer’ to phone in
Cast your mind back to 1997, on August 17, when Howard Stern was conducting his radio show as usual – until ‘serial killer’ Clay called up.
He appeared on the live show and confessed to his supposed crimes, but at the time, the crew thought it was an elaborate prank or Russell Ellwood. Ellwood was a suspected serial killer for the deaths of women in New Orleans, Louisiana.
However, it’s never been confirmed Ellwood was behind the calls. He was arrested in March 1998 and died in Angola State Prison in 2014.
Despite the chilling audio, there has never been enough evidence – or anyone who has come forward – to confirm the true identity.
The eerie conversation circulates on social media, and it’s believed the FBI did open an investigation. But nothing appears to have come from it. It returns into the fold of trends on the Internet and does the round regularly. Last May, it overtook TikTok and has been discussed on Reddit several times.
Bone-chilling conversation saw the ‘criminal brag’ about his unsolved murders
The live call on the Howard Stern show began with the ‘serial killer’ claiming to have killed 12 sex workers. Howard is known for not shying away from controversy, so decided to continue with the conversation.
Howard was running the show with co-host Robin Quivers at the time, ‘Clay’ – as he called himself – phone in. He alleged the first murder happened when was only 16 years old, and received a sense of power from the horrific ordeal.
Stern then pressed him for details, asking Clay if he ‘knew’ what was going to happen, with the caller admitting he planned it all out. He claimed he sent ‘clues’ to baffle people – presumably the cops – but it went under the radar.
Later, Howard Stern asks the ‘serial killer’ if, after all his crimes, he would eventually take his own life. Studies have shown some do after their horrendous crimes, although it’s just 6.2%. But Clay simply replied he wouldn’t because he’d miss the next Batman movie.
Throughout the ordeal, the host attempted to coax information out of the caller, in an attempt to get something that would incriminate him.
The FBI even got involved
The following day, the FBI reportedly approached the radio show for a copy of the conversation. It’s been said the Bureau wanted the call as evidence to determine if it was a case.
However, nothing else came out of the investigation, either showing there wasn’t enough to go on to lead to anything, or they believed it was a hoax.
But there were some deaths that do add up after the chilling call.
Throughout the 1990s, at least 24 sex workers in the city were killed. The horrendous crimes at the time were called the Storyville Slayer by the press. Internet sleuths have since believed the ‘serial killer’ who called up Howard Stern may have been convicted murderer Russell Ellwood.
He was the first suspect on cops’ radar after he was found “engaging in a lewd act near the area” of where two bodies were found. It was in the same location as Delores Mack and Cheryl Lewis’ last whereabouts.
‘Clay’ also told Stern he was Caucasian, and told the host the initial suspect of his ‘own crimes’ was a black police officer. This creepy detail also appears to match up the reports from 1995. The initial Storyville Slayer suspect was named as Victor Gant, a black cop in New Orleans. He had first been named as a suspect in the murders of Sharon Robinson and Karen Iverster. But, he was never charged officially and not linked later on in the investigation.
Ellwood was later sentenced to life imprisonment in 1999, without the benefit of parole, probation or suspension. He was sentenced over the murder of Lewis. However, charges relating to Mack’s death were reportedly dropped as he provided an alibi which meant he wasn’t in Louisiana at the time of the crime.
The true identity of the caller has never been uncovered.