Introducing: State of Mind

There’s something different about Texas. But how do you define it without resorting to cliches about cowboys and oilmen? At Texas Monthly, we think the answer is through stories — stories like the ones we’ve been telling for almost 50 years. On State of Mind, you’ll hear those stories from our talented writers and from a wide array of other Texans. Each of them is a window into the experience of life here. Join us each week for a new story about life in the Lone Star State, from the Texas Monthly team behind “Boomtown,” “One by Willie,” and “Tom Brown’s Body.”

Om Podcasten

Erik Maund had it all. A wife and kids, a mansion by the Austin Country Club golf course, and an executive position with his family’s car dealership. But in March 2020, a message from a stranger put everything at risk. Someone knew Erik had an affair with an escort, and wanted money to keep quiet. Erik didn’t pay the money, though. He didn’t go to the cops, either. Instead, he paid Charlie Sheen’s former bodyguard and a couple of special ops-trained security contractors to confront the blackmailer. Things didn’t go according to plan.In “The Problem with Erik,” host Katy Vine and producer Ana Worrel tell the twisted story of what came next: a perfect storm of secrets, mistaken identities, and tragic miscommunications that left two people dead.From the Texas Monthly team behind “Tom Brown’s Body,” “Stephenville,” and "Shane and Sally" comes the latest true story of crime and justice in the Lone Star State.For more Texas Monthly productions, visit texasmonthly.com/podcasts