The Ten-Minute Storyteller The Phillips Head
Nov 6, 2025
A morning dog walk turns into a grisly discovery at a quiet park. A coroner’s ruling and an obsessive need to know follow. Deep dives into a troubled family history uncover a childhood trauma with a Phillips head screwdriver. A confined man’s strange path through therapy, love, release and a tragic aftermath wrap up the tale.
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Discovery That Won’t Let Go
- Will discovered a dead man half in and half out of the creek during a morning walk with his dog, Moxie.
- The police ruled it a suicide and the story faded publicly but haunted Will privately.
A Phillips Head Horror
- Bill recounts the Common family’s past atrocity: Carl Common murdered his wife with a red-handled Phillips head screwdriver.
- The killing was witnessed by their seven-year-old son, Richard, who later tried to live a normal life but carried the trauma.
When Justice Doesn’t Heal
- The story highlights how institutional responses (insanity ruling, asylum care) don't erase deep trauma in survivors.
- Rehabilitation and a new life for perpetrators can leave victims and witnesses forever marked.