All Episodes Available on The Binge Today
New York, NY – March 2, 2026 – Sony Music Entertainment today announced the premiere of Fatal Fantasy, a new true crime podcast that details a case where a fantasy world turns into a deadly murder. Hosted by M. William Phelps, the series takes listeners deep into a fantastical live action role-playing game that quickly turns into a vehicle for tragedy. Subscribers to The Binge can listen to all episodes today.
Just weeks before Christmas 2001, renowned DNA scientist Dr. Robert Schwartz was found brutally murdered inside his secluded Virginia country home — stabbed dozens of times with a sword. As detectives begin to investigate the scene, they discover what seems to be disturbing evidence associated with witchcraft or a satanic cult. As the investigation becomes clearer, a stranger and far more unbelievable truth emerges: a group of young adults entangled in a live action role‑playing (LARP) game called The Underworld, a dark fantasy scripted by someone no one would suspect. What begins as innocent make‑believe escalates into manipulation, delusion, violence and, ultimately, murder.
Fatal Fantasy exposes the blurred lines where fantasy crosses into real‑world violence, revealing a tangled web of control, manipulation, obsession, and psychological unraveling. Guiding listeners through every disturbing turn is investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling author of close to 50 true crime books, M. William Phelps, who unravels how ordinary young adults are drawn into a lethal plot and the alarming measures some will take to get what they want. Through first time interviews with investigators from the case, friends of the victim, and exclusive years-long interviews with the killer, Phelps breaks down the complexities of parasocial, psychological-manipulating and physical relationships.
“What makes this series vitally relevant today is its fundamental look into what is a common question within true crime: Where does mental illness and psychopathy intersect when we talk about murder?” host M. William Phelps says. “This is a cautionary tale, yes, absolutely, exposing what happens when fantasy becomes reality and turns deadly—but also an intricate look inside the mind of a killer, from their own perspective.”
Fatal Fantasy is hosted and executive produced by M. William Phelps. The series is also executive produced by Jonathon Hirsch and Catherine Saint Louis for Sony Music Entertainment.
Listeners can subscribe to Fatal Fantasy The Binge today to listen to all episodes, all at once. Fatal Fantasy is also available on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. For more information on the Binge, follow @thebingetruecrime on Instagram and for all other Sony podcasts, follow @SonyPodcasts on Instagram.
The post Fatal Fantasy, New Podcast from Sony Music, Uncovers A Dark World Where Live Action Role‑Playing Bleeds into Reality appeared first on Sony Music.
