Summary
Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.
In January 2008, police and fire departments responded to a house fire in Sioux City, Iowa, where the bodies of eight-year-old Alicia Suey and ten-year-old Kendra Suey were discovered. Their stepfather, Lawrence Harris Sr., who went by Larry, told authorities the young girls died during a ritual or spell that had gone wrong. Investigators soon uncovered that Larry, who suffered from bipolar disorder and had stopped taking his medication, was deeply immersed in Satanism and pagan texts, including the Satanic Bible. The prosecution argued that Larry staged the fire and killed the girls as an act of revenge against his wife, Marla, because he suspected her of infidelity.
The trial featured intense legal battles over whether evidence concerning Satanism and occult texts should be admitted or excluded from the jury. While the defense contended that Larry was legally insane and experiencing a dissociative trance due to his mental illness and an unperformed spell, forensic evidence revealed that Alicia had been strangled with a cloth belt, and both victims suffered severe trauma and cuts. Ultimately, the jury rejected the mental health and spell-gone-wrong defenses, finding Larry guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in January 2009. He was subsequently sentenced to two consecutive life sentences in prison.
- Larry Harris Sr. called authorities to report a house fire and claimed his stepdaughters died during a ritual gone wrong. 4:07
- Medical examiners determined that Kendra died from asphyxiation and Alicia died from strangulation with a cloth belt. 27:44
- Prosecutors presented evidence that Larry owned a spellbook containing passages from the Satanic Bible matching the victims' injuries. 26:43
- The defense attempted to block the mention of Satanic and pagan terms to avoid prejudicing the jury against Larry. 37:51
- A jury found Larry Harris Sr. guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, and he received two life sentences.
Chapters
- 0:00
- 1:48Podcast Intro and Patreon Shout‑outs
The hosts open the episode, give a brief ad, and thank Patreon supporters before diving into the case.
- 4:03Case Overview: Lawrence Harris, Sr. Murders
Mike and Mike introduce the 2008 murders of two step‑daughter girls in Iowa and outline the key facts.
- 10:41Family Dynamics and Rising Tensions
They explore the couple’s domestic life, religious differences, and Larry’s mental health issues leading up to the murders.
- 25:15The Night of the Fire and the Investigation
The narrative details the 4:19 PM call, the fire, the discovery of the girls’ bodies, and initial police findings.
- 39:33Trial Proceedings and Legal Strategies
They cover pre‑trial motions, the mental‑health defense, and the prosecution’s use of religious evidence.
- 44:01Evidence of Satanic Rituals and the Spellbook
The hosts review the ritual items found, Larry’s spellbook, and the alleged connection to the Satanic Bible.
- 51:51Verdict and Aftermath
The episode concludes with the outcome of the trial, sentencing, and the lasting impact on the family and community.
- 1:00:38Forensic Evidence of the Murders
The hosts discuss DNA, fingerprints, and physical evidence linking Larry Harris to the killings of Alicia and Kendra.
- 1:02:35Defense’s Dissociative Spell Argument
The defense claims Larry used a spell to enter a dissociative trance, attempting to justify his actions as not knowing right from wrong.
- 1:03:06Larry’s Mental Health History
Hosts review Larry’s childhood trauma, psychiatric hospitalizations, and medication struggles that underpin the insanity defense.
- 1:04:16Family Dynamics and Suspicion of Infidelity
They discuss Marla’s role, alleged affair, and how perceived betrayal may have fueled Larry’s motive for revenge.
Highlights
- 4:07
A Reported Fire And A Bizarre Claimstory
In January 2008, Larry Harris Sr. called the police about a house fire and claimed his two stepdaughters died during a ritual that went bad.
- 14:12
Escalating Occult Behavior At Homeinsight
Larry brought red, white, and black candles into the home, drew a sigil of Baphomet in crayon, and used a kitchen knife to draw his own blood.
- 25:35
First Responders Encounter Occult Explanationsdata
First responders found Larry outside with blood on his hands, claiming he cast a spell that went wrong and resulted in the deaths of the girls.
- 37:51
Debating The Relevance Of Satanic Textsdebate
The defense fought to exclude references to Satanism and the Satanic Bible from the trial, arguing they would cause unfair prejudice.
- 49:38
Psychiatric Evaluation And Feigned Illnessinsight
A defense expert testified that Larry's responses on a psychiatric test were atypical of mental illness and consistent with someone feigning a disorder.
- 53:25
Recreating The Basement Spellstrategy
In a recorded police interview, Larry demonstrated how he walked around the basement, lit candles, rang a bell, and chanted a spell.
- 1:00:38
Forensic Evidence Implicates The Stepfatherdata
Forensic experts testified that victim DNA was found on Larry's hands, shoes, and a 12-inch knife, countering his spell-gone-wrong narrative.
Quotes
“Inside, authorities found the bodies of his eight- and 10-year-old stepdaughter.”
Unnamed speaker · 4:12 “He would play with and read to the children, take them to the park, and walk them to school.”
Unnamed speaker · 7:48 “Marla thought Larry was casting love spells, which apparently Wiccans use to do good.”
Unnamed speaker · 13:07 “In December 2007, about two weeks before the murders, Larry told Marla he could hurt her in the worst possible way without even touching her.”
Unnamed speaker · 24:39 “Prosecutors also wrote that authorities who searched the home found candles, a ritual knife that allegedly had DNA from one of the children on it, the sigil of Baphomet, bells, and an amulet with an inverted pentagram.”
Unnamed speaker · 44:01 “A criminologist testified that Alicia's DNA was found in several samples taken from Larry's hands and on the tip of a 12 inch knife”
Unnamed speaker · 1:00:38 “He used drugs, experienced hallucinations and heard voices.”
Unnamed speaker · 1:03:06 “In closing arguments, the prosecution emphasized that Larry faked his mental illness to avoid conviction.”
Unnamed speaker · 1:06:42 “The defense tried to argue that Larry was legally insane at the time of the murders due to a history of mental illness and being off his medication.”
Unnamed speaker · 1:07:27 “He would tuck them in. They, they loved him. It seems to make what happened that much more strange.”
Unnamed speaker · 1:04:50
Sponsored segments
- DraftKings Casino 0:00–1:08
- Quince 16:35–17:54
- Saffron Volkswagen 17:56–18:31
About this episode
In this episode, Mike and Gibby examine the heartbreaking murders of 10-year-old Kendra Suing and 8-year-old Alysha Suing, who were killed by their stepfather, Lawrence "Larry" Harris Sr., in Sioux City, Iowa, in January 2008. Harris claimed the girls died after a magical ritual "went bad," but investigators uncovered evidence pointing to a calculated double murder motivated by revenge against his wife. The case explores mental illness, occult beliefs, and the difficult distinction between genuine psychiatric illness and criminal responsibility. You can help support the show at patreon.com/truecrimeallthetime Visit the show's website at truecrimeallthetime.com for contact, merchandise, and donation information An Emash Digital production See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcript
10,835 words · 5 speakers
Topics
- Sioux City
- Oro Grande, California
Page updated · transcript and summary are machine-generated