BURNS & RAFAY
May 15, 2020
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On the night of July 12, 1994, friends Sebastian Burns and Atif Rafay left the Rafay family’s Bellevue, WA home for some fun out on the town. When they returned hours later, however, what they discovered inside the house was nothing less than a massacre. Atif’s parents, along with his sister, had been brutally murdered with a baseball bat by at least one unknown assailant during a break-in.As the investigation proceeded, police began to suspect the teens might have been involved, which is something they vehemently denied. Without sufficient evidence to press charges, the RCMP intervened with a controversial tactic called Mr. Big to extract a confession. It’s illegal in the US where the crime occurred, but the suspects were both Canadian citizens who fled to their home country in the aftermath of the crime.Soon enough, the pair found themselves convicted of the crime. But in the years since, other motives and facts, combined with insufficient physical evidence, have cast doubt upon the result in this case. It seems there might have been others who wanted the family dead. So, is it possible the wrong men are in prison? Did the authorities force a false confession?Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological dissection of the controversial Burns & Rafay case in an effort to understand what really happened.
Forming Cults with Disastrous Results: The Murder of Dave Schultz
May 02, 2020
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On January 26, 1996, police in Newtown Square, PA were called to the estate of John du Pont, a wealthy heir who'd become well known for starting the Foxcatcher wrestling team in recent years. He supported the dreams of future Olympians by offering training facilities, money, and housing they would otherwise be unable to afford. But on this day, the most prominent figure in the endeavor, head coach Dave Schultz, was gunned down in cold blood by Jon du Pont, who proceeded to engage in a standoff with the authorities. Soon after, the world would learn the utopia that seemed to exist within the gates of the estate was little more than a facade. In truth, du Pont was gradually losing his mind, and as the games he played became more dangerous with each passing day, tragedy was bound to follow. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of John du Pont's descent into psychosis in an effort to understand what made him kill.
The Cookie Monster: Harrison Graham
Apr 22, 2020
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In August 1987, a local handyman named Harrison "Marty" Graham, who entertained kids with a Cookie Monster puppet, was evicted from his North Philadelphia apartment after residents repeatedly complained of a foul odor permeating the third floor of the building, a smell that seemed to originate from behind his locked door. While he complied with the order to vacate, Marty nailed the door shut and removed the handle, leaving all of his belongings inside with the promise he'd return for them. The landlord sent two of his people to the unit, instructing them to clean it out immediately. But when they arrived and peered through the keyhole, the secrets Marty had been hiding became all too real.Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the life, home, and crimes of '"The Corpse Collector" aka "The Cookie Monster", serial killer Harrison Graham.
Philadelphia Freedom: The Murder of Judy Smith
Apr 15, 2020
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On the evening of April 8, 1997, attorney Jeffrey Smith waited for his wife, Judy, to meet him at a cocktail party hosted inside the DoubleTree Hotel in Center City Philadelphia. The couple had traveled from Boston the day prior, with Jeffrey scheduled to attend a conference while Judy enjoyed some sightseeing around town. But as 6pm came and went, Jeffrey quickly realized something was wrong. Judy failed to arrive that evening, and her husband's search efforts were fruitless, so he called the police for assistance. Despite the best effort of local detectives, Judy's absence remained a mystery.Five months, later, however, a father and son hunting in the mountains outside Asheville, NC discovered the remains of what seemed to be a middle-aged woman who was stabbed to death. Soon enough, her identity is revealed through dental work, and it's apparent the mystery woman is indeed Judy Smith. But how did she end up there, and, more importantly, who killed her?Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the emotional narrative Judy Smith left in the wake of her baffling disappearance.
Missing Labels, Witness Fables & How to Turn Tables with Magic from Cables: Death at Oslo Plaza
Mar 23, 2020
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On the night of June 3, 1995, a young woman was found deceased from a gunshot wound to the forehead on the 28th floor of the Oslo Plaza hotel in Norway. As she had just checked into the facility a few days earlier with her husband, it was initially thought some type of domestic dispute ended in murder. But as authorities began to investigate, they couldn't seem to validate the existence of the woman's husband. To make matters worse, they didn't know who she was either. And once the police concluded the death was likely a suicide, the forensics conducted in the aftermath seemed to suggest the woman had never fired the gun found in her hand. Twenty-five years later, the world is still trying to unravel the mystery behind the true identities of Lois and Jennifer Fergate.Were they a real couple, perhaps even spies? Was Jennifer Fergate really murdered? Or was it all a ruse, a plan devised to cover up the shame of one person's suicide? Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating journey into the psychology of the emotional narrative rendered by the victim's actions.
Tall Tales about Blood Trails & Beta Males Gone Off the Rails: Murder at 1601
Mar 14, 2020
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*Please note: The omitted 911 call has been added. Please delete the episode and download again, if you downloaded the original version without it.*October 12, 2013. 2am. Mark Waugh, Rahul Gupta, and Taylor Gould are caught on surveillance entering the Silver Spring, MD hi-rise where Gupta and Gould share a studio on the 16th floor. They seem in good spirits returning from an alcohol-fueled night of partying celebrating Gupta's 24th birthday. There's no sign of distress, an argument, or anything similar. But within an hour, one of them will be dead, the victim of a vicious stabbing, and the survivors claim they can't remember who the assailant was. In the end, one of them would walk free, while the other got life in prison. But the question remains... What really happened that night behind closed doors?Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological investigation into the narrative surrounding the death of Mark Waugh in an attempt to uncover the truth.
Metaphorical Plans for Unused Gas Cans: Mapping the Mind of Chris Watts
Mar 06, 2020
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In August 2018, 33-year-old Chris Watts, a young father with a seemingly perfect life, found himself the subject of sensational headlines around the world when he viciously murdered his 34-year-old pregnant wife, Shanann, along with the couple’s daughters, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste. In the aftermath, Watts admitted his wrongdoing, and went to prison for life; however, one question remains: why? Why did he throw it all away?
Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating journey deep inside the criminal mind of a family annihilator, examining cognitive function, the evolutionary mechanics of thought, relationship dynamics, development of sociopathic behaviors, and more, in an effort to uncover why men kill.
How to Query a Working Theory that Eliminates Doubt about What Happened in the Alps: The Al-Hilli Murders
Feb 07, 2020
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On September 5, 2012, a British family of five on holiday in the French Alps near Lake Annecy decided to go for a scenic drive into the wilderness in search of a nice place to take a walk. Yet, before they could reach their destination, something caused them to pull over into a lay-by on the side of the road, at which point a gunman appeared and opened fire. In the end, four people were dead, including a local cyclist, and another was severely wounded. Unfortunately, the killer escaped without a trace, and the case remains unsolved to this day. So, who would want to murder this family? And why? Or, was the cyclist the intended target, and the family simply got in the way? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the crime scene and beyond in an effort to learn the truth.
Tainted Pills, Cyanide Kills & Deified Thrills Born of Emotional Ills: The Tylenol Murders
Jan 27, 2020
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On September 29, 1982, a chain of events began that rendered 7 Chicago-area residents the victims of a sadistic killer who tainted over-the-counter- medications in local pharmacies. It was an incident that not only spread confusion, fear, and paranoia far and wide, but ultimately revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry's safety standards. However, decades later, the crime remains unsolved, and the victims have received no justice. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological profile of the perpetrator in an attempt to unveil the evil face lurking in the shadows.
Genesis of a Nemesis Who Takes a Toll Similar to Burning Coal: The Sodder Children
Jan 18, 2020
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On the night of December 24, 1945, the Sodder family of Fayetteville, WV went to bed in preparation for Christmas the next morning. But as they closed their eyes, they never could have imagined the nightmare that was about to ensue. A fire would break out in the upper level of their home, which contained two bedrooms thought to have held a total of five children at the time, ranging in ages from 5 to 14. Yet, as the remaining family members escaped, and the home burned to the ground, what seemed to be the imminent death of five young people as the result of a vicious arson soon proved to offer no evidence they succumbed in the fire. Despite an endless search for truth, their parents died never knowing what happened that fateful night. Did the kids perish in the fire, or were they already gone?Join host Ryan Kraus for an examination of this enduring mystery in an effort to uncover the truth about the disappearance of the Sodder children.
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