STORIES by Lea Thau

Summer of Strangers: Franky Carrillo: Life

August 20, 2026·34 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Franky Carrillo was 16 when he received a double life sentence for a crime he had nothing to do with. This is his story. It's one of the most beloved Strangers stories of all time, and it will be the first of three episodes about Franky Carrillo's life, including a brand new one.If you want to see pictures that go with today’s story, check out these free posts on Substack and Patreon, where you can also get our free newsletter. Or you can follow us on Instagram and Facebook, or write to us at stories@leathau.com.&nbsp;We welcome all your feedback, and if you like what we do, please spread the word and give us a good rating wherever you’re listening.&nbsp;Since this story aired, Franky has finished his degree&nbsp;in sociology from Loyola Marymount University, and he has become a leading voice for the wrongfully convicted, serving as Chief Policy Advisor for the Los Angeles Innocence Project and sitting on the boards of organizations including Death Penalty Focus and the Anti-Recidivism Coalition. Franky has also served on the Los Angeles County Probation Oversight Commission. After the first two stories about Franky aired on Strangers, his case gained wider public attention when he was featured as one of eight exonerees profiled in the Netflix docuseriesThe Innocence Files. You can find him on instagram.This week, our Summer of Strangers is curated by Glynn Washington of Snap Judgment and Spooked. Glynn picked Franky’s story among his other favorite Strangers stories, which have aired in adapted versions on Snap. They&nbsp;include A Father’s Story – Then &amp; Now, Henry &amp; Jane, Falling Slowly, Terry’s Treasure, and Man on Fire. To unlock all those episodes and 90 more, become a paying subscriber on Patreon<

Podzilla Summary coming soon

Sign up to get notified when the full AI-powered summary is ready.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.

Listen to This Episode

Get summaries like this every morning.

Free AI-powered recaps of STORIES by Lea Thau and your other favorite podcasts, delivered to your inbox.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.