Fourth of July Parade Shooter Pleads Guilty
My new Audible series, "Into the Madness," reveals how Bobby Crimo tried to turn his crime into a conspiracy theory.
This week brings an update related to my new Audible series, Into the Madness, which uses the story of the Highland Park, Illinois, mass shooting to examine the lure and dangers of conspiracy thinking.
In an unexpected turn, Robert “Bobby” Crimo III pleaded guilty yesterday — just as opening arguments in his trial were set to begin. Crimo killed seven people and injured 49 when he opened fire on a Fourth of July parade from a rooftop in suburban Chicago in 2022. He now faces a life sentence, as Illinois has abolished the death penalty.
The case quickly became fuel for online conspiracy theories, including one about FBI involvement — an idea Crimo himself helped engineer. Before the attack, he created an Alternate Reality Game (ARG) featuring cryptic videos and a self-published book of numbers that appeared to be a cipher. While in jail awaiting trial, Crimo communicated with an Indiana woman who became the final player in his game. She recorded over 48 hours of phone calls with him and later released a video in which Crimo claimed the shooting was a “false flag” operation orchestrated by the FBI.
Into the Madness investigates how Crimo sought to turn his crime into a conspiracy theory and what that reveals about the state of American society today. The series examines the rise of nihilistic violence, the role of technology in fostering extremism, and how America is slipping deeper into conspiracy thinking. If you missed it, I wrote more about the series and what attracted me to the story in a recent newsletter.
With Crimo’s guilty plea, prosecutors will no longer have to present their evidence in open court. Into the Madness uncovers the full story behind the shooting, delving into Crimo’s confession and his apparent motive — to transform his crime into a game designed to sow a conspiracy theory.
Last Chance: Request a Listener Code for Into the Madness
Into the Madness is now available on Audible. You can also start a free 30-day trial at Audible.
Due to high demand, I had previously closed the request form for free listening codes. If you submitted a request, you should have received your code by email.
I have just five codes left to share, so I’ve reopened the form for a limited time. If you’d like one, submit your request now — I’ll distribute them on a first-come, first-served basis.