A 2018 killing in Silicon Valley in which a man said he was driven by delusions of becoming part of the wealthy “1 percent” is being re-examined in a new Investigation Discovery true-crime series.
Francis Wolke, 32, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 26 years to life for the December 2018 slaying of 62-year-old Kathy Anderson in her home in San Mateo County. Court testimony and interviews featured in the first episode of The Tech Bro Murders describe Wolke as an aspiring tech entrepreneur who told investigators he had heard voices instructing him to kill in order to “join up” with the top 1 percent of wealth holders.
Prosecutors and retired investigators appearing in the series say Wolke broke into Anderson’s house, ate food in the kitchen and later found her in bed. San Mateo County Deputy District Attorney Tricia Povah told the show's producer that Wolke’s defense investigator reported he began hearing voices that said, "don't bitch out, time to join up," and that he understood the command to mean he needed to kill in order to become part of the 1 percent. Retired Palo Alto Police Detective Sandra Brown said the voices told Wolke he had to kill and consume flesh to reach that goal.
Anderson’s ex-partner, Daniel Baggett, arrived unexpectedly at the house the night of the killing and encountered Wolke coming out of a bedroom, according to his account in the documentary. Baggett said he had been unable to reach Anderson that evening, noticed signs that something was amiss, entered the home and then confronted Wolke. He said he grabbed a kitchen knife, detained Wolke and called 911. Investigators later cleared Baggett of involvement in the killing.
Wolke pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity at trial. The jury rejected that defense and found him guilty of first-degree murder. The trial testimony and verdict are among the events revisited in The Tech Bro Murders, a six-part series that explores violent cases tied to the technology boom in the Bay Area.
Series producers say the show aims to probe darker elements of Silicon Valley in cases dating to the early days of the tech surge. The program is guided by Brown, the retired Palo Alto detective who worked on high-profile local investigations. Investigation Discovery’s schedule lists the premiere for Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 10 p.m. Eastern, with episodes to be made available for streaming on HBO Max.
Court records and interviews documented a pattern of instability in Wolke’s time in the Bay Area. Friends and former housemates described him as intelligent but increasingly isolated and paranoid. He was reportedly asked to leave a shared incubator house before the killing after his behavior alarmed others; he briefly returned to his hometown of Cincinnati before coming back to California days later and, according to police, ended up at Anderson’s home seeking food and shelter.
The case drew attention in the region for its connection to the persona of the so-called "tech bro" and for the role mental illness played in the defendant's statements and behavior. At trial, jurors weighed conflicting accounts of Wolke’s mental state, including his reported auditory hallucinations and the prosecution’s assertion that the killing was intentional and premeditated.
Investigative series such as The Tech Bro Murders combine archival footage, courtroom materials and new interviews with law enforcement, prosecutors and people connected to the cases. Producers say the program seeks to place individual crimes within broader cultural and social contexts, including how aspirations associated with Silicon Valley intersect with isolation, substance use and mental-health crises.
Anderson's family members and Baggett are among those heard in the documentary describing the impact of the killing. Baggett broke into tears on camera and told producers he was "just glad" he could prevent Wolke from leaving the house, saying he believed Anderson would have wanted him to do so.
Wolke remains incarcerated under his sentence. The episode recounting the Anderson killing and Wolke's trial is the first installment of the new series, which will air weekly on Investigation Discovery and be available to stream on HBO Max.