Podcasts > SERIALously > 200: Toxic Love Turns Deadly | The Brutal Murder of IG Influencer Alexis Sharkey

200: Toxic Love Turns Deadly | The Brutal Murder of IG Influencer Alexis Sharkey

By 10 to LIFE

The tragic story of Alexis Sharkey exposes the dark reality behind an Instagram influencer's seemingly glamorous life. Once a bright, ambitious woman, Alexis fell victim to a toxic and abusive marriage to Tom Sharkey. The podcast details her mysterious disappearance and brutal murder, all while reflecting on the heartbreaking impact on her loved ones.

As the investigation unfolds, Tom's suspicious behavior and contradictory statements raise troubling questions. The shocking conclusion leaves Alexis's family and friends devastated, ultimately denied the justice and closure they sought. This gripping episode illustrates how the carefully curated images on social media can mask profound tragedies behind the scenes.

Listen to the original

200: Toxic Love Turns Deadly | The Brutal Murder of IG Influencer Alexis Sharkey

This is a preview of the Shortform summary of the Oct 7, 2024 episode of the SERIALously

Sign up for Shortform to access the whole episode summary along with additional materials like counterarguments and context.

200: Toxic Love Turns Deadly | The Brutal Murder of IG Influencer Alexis Sharkey

1-Page Summary

Alexis Sharkey's Instagram Influencer Life

Alexis Sharkey was a 26-year-old social media influencer who had achieved success on Instagram, depicting a glamorous lifestyle. Despite her stunning looks, Sanger-Katz reports that Alexis was highly intelligent, earning a degree in biology and minors in psychology and nutrition. She worked hard to curate her online presence and market products to her followers.

Alexis's Toxic Marriage to Tom Sharkey

However, behind the scenes, Alexis's marriage to Tom Sharkey was riddled with control and abuse, according to Alexis's friends. Chelsea Turnbow recalls incidents where Tom seemed overly watchful of Alexis, and Alexis herself confided that Tom was physically and emotionally abusive, including incidents of choking. Alexis was preparing to separate from Tom due to the toxicity of their relationship.

Alexis's Mysterious Disappearance and Murder

After Thanksgiving 2020, Alexis went missing, and her naked body was found discarded on the side of the road days later. An autopsy revealed she had been strangled to death. While theories emerged about potential links to her social media career, evidence increasingly pointed to Tom as the prime suspect due to his history of abuse.

The Heartbreaking Impact on Loved Ones

Alexis's close friends and mother were devastated by her tragic death. They struggled to cope with her sudden absence and were further traumatized by Tom's uncooperative behavior, including initially refusing to release Alexis's remains for a proper funeral.

Tom's Suspicious Behavior After the Murder

Tom provided contradictory accounts to police about Alexis's disappearance, planted suspicion on others, and ultimately fled before being traced by U.S. Marshals who attempted to arrest him. In a final tragic turn, Tom died by suicide when Marshals moved to apprehend him, denying Alexis's loved ones the justice and closure they sought.

1-Page Summary

Additional Materials

Clarifications

  • Alexis Sharkey, a social media influencer, gained popularity on Instagram for showcasing a luxurious lifestyle. She was known for her intelligence, holding a degree in biology and minors in psychology and nutrition. Alexis worked diligently to cultivate her online presence and promote products to her followers, contributing to her success as an influencer.
  • The timeline leading to Alexis Sharkey's disappearance and murder began with her going missing after Thanksgiving 2020. Her body was found days later, revealing she had been strangled to death. Suspicion grew around her husband, Tom Sharkey, due to his history of abuse, leading to him becoming the prime suspect in the case. Tom's suspicious behavior, contradictory statements to the police, and eventual suicide complicated the investigation and denied closure to Alexis's loved ones.
  • Tom's contradictory behavior and flight mentioned in the text are related to his actions following Alexis Sharkey's disappearance and murder. After inconsistencies in his statements to the police and attempts to shift suspicion onto others, Tom fled when authorities tried to arrest him, leading to his eventual suicide. These actions raised suspicions about his involvement in Alexis's death and added complexity to the investigation.
  • Tom's suicide occurred as U.S. Marshals moved to arrest him in connection with Alexis Sharkey's murder. His death prevented authorities from formally charging him and left unanswered questions about his role in Alexis's tragic demise. The abrupt mention in the text reflects the sudden and unexpected nature of his suicide, which added another layer of complexity to an already devastating situation.

Get access to the context and additional materials

So you can understand the full picture and form your own opinion.
Get access for free
200: Toxic Love Turns Deadly | The Brutal Murder of IG Influencer Alexis Sharkey

Alexis Sharkey's personal and professional background

Alexis Sharkey was a 26-year-old with a burgeoning Instagram presence when she became a topic of public intrigue. Here, we explore her life, both personal and professional.

Alexis was a successful 26-year-old Instagram influencer and businesswoman with a degree in biology, psychology, and nutrition.

By 2020, Alexis had established a successful Instagram profile that depicted a life of glamour, including stays at luxurious hotels, outings with friends, and snippets of her life with pets on a separate account dedicated to her cats. Despite a failed engagement before she began her rise on Instagram and a decision against attending med school after graduating from college, she forged a path for herself in the digital world.

Alexis was known for her looks—tall, slender, with long red hair—and intelligence. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in biology and double minored in psychology and nutrition, showcasing her academic prowess by staying in the top 2% of her class grade-wise throughout college. She was seen as possessing a strong work ethic, evidenced by her detailed and organized approach to her online career.

Alexis was known for her stunning looks, intelligence, and strong work ethic, and she appeared to have it all on her social media.

Her Instagram showed a woman of stunning beauty and flawless appearance who took great photos and created engaging content. Beyond the image, Alexis worked hard as an Instagram influencer, not only in engaging with her audience but also in marketing products, a testament to her resilience and work ethic.

Alexis was not fond of being called an "influencer" and saw herself more as a businesswoman who generated content and marketed products.

Despite her success in influencing, Alexis eschewed the term "influencer" and considered herself a businesswoman. She focused her attention on content creation and partnership with brands to market their products. This detail-oriented and highly organized nature ...

Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary

Registered users get access to the Full Podcast Summary and Additional Materials. It’s easy and free!
Start your free trial today

Alexis Sharkey's personal and professional background

Additional Materials

Clarifications

  • Alexis Sharkey gained public attention due to her active presence on Instagram, where she showcased a glamorous lifestyle. Her mysterious death in late 2020 further intensified public interest and speculation surrounding her life and the circumstances of her passing. The sudden and tragic nature of her death, coupled with the details of her personal and professional life, led to widespread media coverage and public intrigue. The investigation into her death and the subsequent developments in the case continued to fuel public curiosity and discussions about Alexis Sharkey.
  • Alexis Sharkey excelled academically, graduating summa cum laude with a degree in biology and double minoring in psychology and nutrition. Her academic success was highlighted by consistently ranking in the top 2% of her class. On Instagram, Alexis showcased a glamorous lifestyle, featuring luxurious hotels, outings with friends, and her pets, which contributed to her growing popularity on the platform. Her rise on Instagram was marked by her detailed and organized approach to content creation and engaging with her audience, showcasing both her beauty and intelligence.
  • Alexis Sharkey preferred to be seen as a businesswoman rather than an influencer. She focused on creating content and collaborating with brands to market products, emphasizing her role in generating revenue and building a brand. This distinction highlights her approach as more business-oriented and strategic, rather than solely focused on social media influence and personal branding. Alexis's perspective show ...

Counterarguments

  • The perception of success on social media can be subjective and may not reflect an individual's overall life satisfaction or mental health.
  • The portrayal of a flawless appearance and lifestyle on social media often involves a curated selection of moments, which may not represent the full reality of a person's life.
  • Self-identification as a businesswoman rather than an influencer does not change the nature of the work in content creation and product marketing, which is central to b ...

Get access to the context and additional materials

So you can understand the full picture and form your own opinion.
Get access for free
200: Toxic Love Turns Deadly | The Brutal Murder of IG Influencer Alexis Sharkey

Alexis's toxic and controlling relationship with her husband Tom

Alexis's relationship with her husband Tom Sharkey was fraught with control and abuse, culminating in a separation that never fully came to pass.

Alexis's friends noticed concerning signs of control and anger in Tom's behavior towards Alexis.

Alexis's friends perceived worrying patterns in Tom's demeanor. Chelsea Turnbow, a friend of Alexis, recalls instances that unveiled Tom's undue watchfulness. She recounts how during a gathering, Tom pulled her aside and commented on her close relationship with Alexis, a behavior that had its roots in Tom's habit of monitoring the duo closely. In another incident, Chelsea and Alexis, sharing a laugh in the bathroom, turned to find Tom ominously standing at the doorway, watching them. His eyes were described as lacking warmth, creating an uneasy atmosphere.

These experiences collectively portray Tom's tendencies toward possessive and suspicious behavior, raising red flags among Alexis's social circle regarding the health of her marriage.

Alexis confided in her friends that Tom was physically and emotionally abusive towards her, including incidents of choking and violence.

The marriage between Alexis and Tom escalated quickly, and they wed just six months after their engagement. Soon, however, Alexis confided in her circle that Tom's behavior had taken a darker turn, including actual physical violence. On one occasion, Alexis admitted to a friend that Tom was mean to her physically, a euphemism for deeper, more dire issues within their union.

Moreover, documents suggest a history of Tom's unstable behavior, as his own family had sought restrictions on his parental rights due to suicidal thoughts and anger. Additionally, Tom persecuted his ex by disseminating private photos to her employer, further exemplifying traits of vindictiveness and a desire to dominate.

Alexis’s behavioral changes became noticeable, marked by her reticence, the absence of makeup, swollen eyes, and an uncharacteristic subduedness at a birthday party—a sharp departure from her usual self. Her strategic social planning, which aimed to minimize time alone with ...

Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary

Registered users get access to the Full Podcast Summary and Additional Materials. It’s easy and free!
Start your free trial today

Alexis's toxic and controlling relationship with her husband Tom

Additional Materials

Actionables

  • You can create a personal safety plan if you're experiencing similar relationship issues, which includes identifying a trusted friend or family member to confide in, memorizing important phone numbers, and establishing a 'safe word' or signal to indicate you need help.
    • Having a safety plan in place is crucial for anyone in a potentially dangerous situation. For example, you might arrange a code with a friend that, when texted, means they should call you immediately or check in on you. Additionally, keeping a small bag with essentials hidden but accessible in case you need to leave quickly can be part of your plan.
  • Develop a habit of journaling your experiences and feelings to maintain a clear record of events and emotional shifts, which can be useful for personal reflection or legal purposes.
    • Journaling can serve as a powerful tool to track changes in your behavior or feelings that might be due to external influences. For instance, if you notice you're becoming more withdrawn or your mood is consistently low after interactions with a specific person, this could be a sign to reevaluate that relationship.
  • Engage in financial literac ...

Get access to the context and additional materials

So you can understand the full picture and form your own opinion.
Get access for free
200: Toxic Love Turns Deadly | The Brutal Murder of IG Influencer Alexis Sharkey

The investigation and theories around Alexis's disappearance and murder

Alexis went missing after Thanksgiving 2020, and her body was found a few days later, naked and discarded on the side of the road.

The mysterious case of Alexis Robinault opens with her disappearance after Thanksgiving 2020. Tragically, she was found naked in a ditch by a sanitation worker who saw her feet protruding from some bushes, just three miles from the apartment she shared with her husband, Tom. Initially thought to potentially be an overdose due to the lack of visible injuries, friends and Alexis's mother, Stacey Robinault, strongly felt it was murder, a belief confirmed by the subsequent autopsy results.

The autopsy revealed that Alexis had been strangled to death, indicating a very personal and violent crime.

The autopsy pointed to strangulation, a method of killing typically associated with a personal vendetta against the victim, dispelling the overdose theory. Strangulation often signifies a deep hatred, and it is usually committed by someone close to the victim. This brutal act against Alexis shifted the direction of the investigation towards those in her personal life, including her husband, Tom.

Theories about Alexis's death ranged from her social media influencer status attracting a stalker to speculation about her involvement with Monet, a company described as an MLM setup. Rumors suggested that disgruntlement within her Monet downline regarding financial disparities could have led to deadly consequences. Additionally, other influencers grossly used her photos in ads for Monet after her death, attracting skepticism and criticism.

However, the evidence increasingly pointed to Alexis's husband Tom as the prime suspect, given his history of abuse and suspicious behavior after Alexis's death.

Suspicions surrounding Tom grew after he reported his wife missing and conveyed strange anecdotes, like seeing ...

Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary

Registered users get access to the Full Podcast Summary and Additional Materials. It’s easy and free!
Start your free trial today

The investigation and theories around Alexis's disappearance and murder

Additional Materials

Actionables

  • You can enhance your personal safety by sharing your live location with trusted contacts whenever you're traveling alone, especially during holidays or late hours. This proactive measure ensures that someone you trust always knows where you are, which can be crucial in emergencies. For example, use a location-sharing feature on your smartphone to keep a family member or close friend updated about your whereabouts in real-time.
  • Develop a basic understanding of behavioral red flags in relationships by researching online resources or attending a webinar on the subject. This knowledge can help you identify potentially abusive patterns in your own relationships or those of friends and family. For instance, you might learn about the warning signs of coercive control or emotional manipulation, which could prompt you to seek help or support someone close to you.
  • Create a simple digital safety plan for your online presence, particular ...

Get access to the context and additional materials

So you can understand the full picture and form your own opinion.
Get access for free
200: Toxic Love Turns Deadly | The Brutal Murder of IG Influencer Alexis Sharkey

The emotional impact on Alexis's friends and family

The loss of Alexis has left a profound and lasting emotional impact on her friends and family. Their inability to reconcile with her sudden absence has caused them deep heartache.

Alexis's close-knit group of friends were devastated by her loss and struggled to cope with the tragedy.

Alexis was dearly loved by her friends, who described her as the backbone of their group. Chelsea Turnbow reflected on the unbreakable bond she shared with Alexis, emphasizing the deep understanding and caring nature that characterized Alexis's personality. After Alexis's passing, Chelsea and the rest of the friend group felt torn apart, struggling with the pain and the void left by her departure.

Turnbow recounts feeling a chilling premonition the night of Alexis's disappearance, a voice urging her to "find my body," which led her to the dreadful realization that Alexis might have been harmed.

Alexis's mother, Stacey Robinault, was deeply heartbroken and fought to ensure Alexis's body was properly laid to rest and her memory honored.

The tragedy also deeply affected Stacey Robinault, Alexis's mother, who spoke of her profound heartbreak. The loss was particularly harrowing due to her imagining the potential horror of Alexis's final moments. Stacey had been looking forward to providing Alexis with a funeral in Pennsylvania, her home state, but faced obstacles because of her daughter's husband, Tom.

Tom's uncooperative and callous behavior after Alexis's death only compounded the family's grief. Despite initially indicating he would release Alexis's remains, he failed to follow through, which prevented the family from planning a funeral and saying their goodbyes. For two weeks, Alexis's body remained in the morgue, with Stacey desperately attempting to gain next-of-kin status for its release.

Alexis's family and friends were further devastated by Tom's uncooperative and callo ...

Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary

Registered users get access to the Full Podcast Summary and Additional Materials. It’s easy and free!
Start your free trial today

The emotional impact on Alexis's friends and family

Additional Materials

Clarifications

  • Tom was Alexis's husband. After Alexis's death, Tom's behavior was described as uncooperative and callous by Alexis's family and friends. He did not release Alexis's remains promptly, causing distress to her loved ones. Additionally, Tom prevented access to Alexis's personal belongings, intensifying the grief experienced by her family and friends.
  • Stacey faced obstacles in laying Alexis to rest due to her daughter's husband, Tom, who initially agreed to release Alexis's remains but failed to follow through. This lack of cooperation prevented the family from planning a funeral and saying their goodbyes, as Alexis's body remained in the morgue for two weeks. Stacey struggled to gain next-of-kin status for the release of Alexis's remains, prolonging the family's anguish and preventing closure. Tom's uncooperative and callous behavior, including refusing to release Alexis's personal belongings, added to the family's distress and hindered their ability to mourn properly.
  • Pennsylvania holds significance as Alexis's home state because it is where she had strong familial ties and connections. For many individuals, their home state represents a place of roots, memories, and a sense of belonging. In times of lo ...

Get access to the context and additional materials

So you can understand the full picture and form your own opinion.
Get access for free
200: Toxic Love Turns Deadly | The Brutal Murder of IG Influencer Alexis Sharkey

Tom's suspicious and uncooperative behavior after Alexis's death

The behavior of Tom following the death of his wife Alexis has raised numerous suspicions linked to the investigation of her mysterious disappearance and subsequent death.

Tom initially claimed Alexis had run away and was not cooperative with the police investigation.

Despite not reporting Alexis missing himself—her friends did—Tom’s reaction to her disappearance was deemed odd, as he failed to notice or report his wife not returning home. After Alexis's body was found, his behavior further provoked suspicion; he did not report her missing and his reaction to the situation raised red flags. His Facebook post, perceived as insincere, focused on defending his character instead of focusing on Alexis's murder.

Contrary to his statement to the press claiming cooperation with police, officials affirmed that Tom was uncooperative and provided disprovable statements. He further misled the police about the state of their marriage and was inconsistent about whether they fought on the night she left. Tom's claim of Alexis running away was contrary to her habits and met with deep suspicion, as Alexis communicated regularly with her friends.

Tom's evasive behavior is further evidenced by his attempts to divert attention from himself during interviews. He made an array of suggestions regarding Alexis's potential death causes, such as an overdose, suicide, or a traffic accident, before the autopsy results. He also pointed fingers at others as suspects, causing the police to engage in time-consuming, fruitless investigations.

Tom provided contradictory accounts and planted suspicion on other people to deflect from himself as the prime suspect.

Tom's behavior post-discovery of Alexis's body was uncooperative, marked by false claims of assisting deputies with casting doubt on different individuals, evading police questioning, inconsistent stories about the night Alexis went missing, and even deleting his Instagram posts, potentially removing evidence. He attempted to paint himself as the sorrowful husband, providing stories to police that led nowhere and were seen as deflecting tactics.

Tom fled Houston shortly after Alexis's body was found and refused to return for police interrogations, leading to a warr ...

Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary

Registered users get access to the Full Podcast Summary and Additional Materials. It’s easy and free!
Start your free trial today

Tom's suspicious and uncooperative behavior after Alexis's death

Additional Materials

Clarifications

  • Tom's suspicious behaviors included failing to report his wife missing, providing inconsistent statements to the police, deflecting attention by suggesting various causes of death, fleeing the area after Alexis's body was found, and refusing to cooperate with authorities, leading to a warrant for his arrest.
  • Tom's contradictory statements and actions revolve around his inconsistent behavior and responses following his wife's death. He provided misleading information to authorities, attempted to shift blame onto others, and displayed evasive conduct during police inquiries. These contradictions, along with his sudden departure and subsequent suicide, added layers of complexity to the investigation into his involvement in his wife's demise.
  • A warrant is a legal document issued by a judge that authorizes law enforcement to take a specific action, like making an arrest or conducting a search. Police interrogations involve questioning individuals, often suspects, to gather information related ...

Get access to the context and additional materials

So you can understand the full picture and form your own opinion.
Get access for free

Create Summaries for anything on the web

Download the Shortform Chrome extension for your browser

Shortform Extension CTA