This episode was inspired by the murder of Madalyn Murray O'Hair, the founder of the "American Atheists". In 1995, O'Hair, her second son Jon Garth Murray, and her adopted daughter Robin Murray O'Hair (daughter of O'Hair's son William J. Murray and his high school girlfriend Susan) disappeared from Austin, Texas. They were later found murdered. David Roland Waters, a convicted felon and former employee of the American Atheists, led the authorities to the bodies and received multiple life sentences for the murders.
Mitch's apartment was previously used as Beth Landau's apartment in Consumed (S3E22). The kitchen layout is a dead-giveaway.
Eosphoros means "dawn bringer" or "god of the dawn star."
There are multiple references to David Waters, the man responsible for the Murray-O'Hair murders. He sold the ransom money for gold coins, he kidnapped the family, and killed his accomplices, all of which is seen in the episode.