Throughout his shocking rampage that left dozens of people injured or dead, the newly dubbed “Vampire of Düsseldorf” Peter Kürten grew more and more confident — even writing into a local paper with the location of a victim’s body. But his confidence would be his undoing.

Unfulfilled by bestiality, a young Peter Kürten turned to murder — and discovered his body’s reaction to the sight of blood. As his dark desires festered, he embraced sadism in all its forms. And in 1929, a gruesome killing spree earned him a chilling moniker.

When British heiresses Dora and Claire Williamson reached out to Linda Hazzard, she might have thought draining their bank accounts would be easy enough. But she didn't count on the sisters’ resilience, or the might of one formidable governess...

Parcast Network is spinning a web of new shows and special programming to celebrate our favorite season. Follow us into the darkest depths of history, mystery, and the human mind — starting with this episode of Crime Countdown! Hosts Ash and Alaina are ranking the top 10 haunted crime scenes, including an Irish castle with a deadly trap door and the home of a ghostly bride.

If you enjoy this episode, search Crime Countdown to find more passionate takes on top-ten rankings. Listen free on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

In the early 1900s, Linda Hazzard marketed herself as a doctor, and claimed that she could cure any ailment with her special starvation regimens. Except, instead of curing her patients, she was killing them.

After spending years in and out of prison, Charles “The Serpent” Sobhraj was determined to make something of himself. To do that, he needed money — only now, he knew better than to leave behind any witnesses.

Growing up in Vietnam, India and France in the 1940s and ‘50s, Charles Sobhraj never truly fit in anywhere — not even with his family. When they turned their backs on him for good, he became a con man smuggling cars, escaping debts, stealing from tourists… and breaking out of prisons around the world.

In the 1980s, “Satanic Panic” was a mass hysteria that consumed communities and ruined lives—all over things that never even happened. In this new five-part series, we’re examining the origins of the panic, tracing back through the decades to see how the fear of Satan’s influence in society swept across North America.

In the 1980s, “Satanic Panic” was a mass hysteria that consumed communities and ruined lives—all over things that never even happened. In this new five-part series, we’re examining the origins of the panic, tracing back through the decades to see how the fear of Satan’s influence in society swept across North America.

In the fall of 1977, Los Angeles was on high alert, so 43-year-old Angelo Buono Jr. and 26-year-old Kenny Bianchi knew they had to play it safe. But as their death toll grew even higher, their relationship began to crumble.

Can you meet the love of your life doing a socially distanced podcast in your living room? There’s only one way to find out! Every Wednesday on Blind Dating, host Tara Michelle introduces one hopeful single to two strangers in a voice-only virtual hangout. They’ll chat, flirt, and make the case for why they deserve a second date. But once a match is made and the cameras are turned on, will the new connection be strong enough to last?

Enjoy the first episode of Blind Dating, then follow Blind Dating free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

These killer cousins terrorized Los Angeles in the late ‘70s. Despite very different upbringings, Angelo Buono Jr. and Kenny Bianchi both formed sadistic attitudes toward women that led to them cruising the streets of Hollywood, posing as undercover cops, patrolling for victims.

After their first brutal murder, Suzan and Michael Carson fled San Francisco, intent on continuing their quest to rid the world of witches.

They set out to murder witches in the early 1980s, moving up and down the coast of the Pacific Northwest. Suzan Carson believed she was destined to rid the world of evil… All she needed was a willing follower to wield the knife.

On the outside, Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo appeared to be a perfect couple—but they held a dark secret: Paul’s sadistic aggressions were seemingly unstoppable, spurred on by Karla’s compliance. The secrets—and the bodies—piled up.

When Paul Bernardo met his bride-to-be Karla Homolka in October 1987, he had already raped his first victim. But Paul's sadistic sexual appetite only seemed to deepen Karla's desire for him. And when his sick interest turned toward her 15-year-old sister, Karla let one thing guide her next move: her unrelenting need to please him.

By torturing and killing his fellow inmate, Robert Maudsley won his escape from Broadmoor Mental Hospital. But when confronted with more pedophiles at Wakefield Prison, he knew he couldn't stay there. Unfortunately, no one was listening to him. And the only thing that had ever gotten him attention was killing...

Abused by his parents from a young age, Robert Maudsley spent his childhood bouncing around orphanages and foster homes before running away in 1969. He spent years living on the streets of London, where he met a man with a dark secret… and decided that man couldn’t live.

In 1959, Eric Cooke committed his first murder in the sleepy city of Perth, Australia. And, having gotten away with the crime, it seemed nothing would slow down his bloody rampage.

Born in 1931 to a caring mother and alcoholic father, Eric Edgar Cooke had a turbulent home life. His string of break-ins and petty thefts were met with sympathetic authorities who gave Cooke second and third chances… But their leniency was cast aside in favor of more violence.

While Joseph Swango’s patients died at alarming rates, few people seemed capable of connecting the mysterious deaths with the doctor-in-training. The alarm bells only rang once he began poisoning his colleagues…

As a teenager in the ‘70s, Joseph Swango had an intense fascination with the macabre, even keeping a scrapbook full of newspaper clippings about murder and car crashes. As he got older, he realized that one career in particular would give him daily contact with death: medicine.

In the late ‘80s, Aileen trolled the highways outside of Daytona, Florida looking for johns. But these days, she was interested in more than sex work. Her johns had always treated her as disposable. Now, armed with a .22 caliber handgun, she was ready to return the favor.

More abused than loved, Aileen Wuornos suffered through her childhood in 1960s Michigan. She became a sex worker and petty thief, eventually hitchhiking to Florida—where the work that made her an outcast led to the murder that made her infamous.

For decades, it seemed like Charlie Brandt's first murder was a shocking, unexplainable anomoly—something he would never repeat. But in 2004, another violent crime would make headlines, and unearth secrets no one ever saw coming.

In January 1971, 13-year-old Charlie Brandt retrieved his father's gun and committed a shocking murder, saying it was like he “was sort of programmed to do it.” After 17 months in a mental health facility, he was free, and everything returned to normal… Or so it seemed.

By the early 1980s, Watts had stabbed three women to death. As police closed in on him, setting up tails and even bringing him in for questioning—but unable to detain him—he fled to Texas, where he disappeared into the city then known as “The Murder Capital of the U.S.”

Unable to contain his dark fantasies and suppressed rage, Coral Eugene Watts targeted women in Michigan and Texas starting in 1974, and continuing for nearly a decade. His crime sprees were a reign of terror that for him, brought a perverse kind of relief.

Still desperate to ignite a race war in the United States, Joseph Paul Franklin sought more prominent targets, hoping to draw attention to his cause. But he also found satisfaction in impulsive, isolated murders. When it seemed no one would ever catch him, he got careless.

He studied Mein Kampf. Changed his name. And joined white supremacist groups across the country. Fueled by hateful rhetoric and armed with guerilla warfare tactics, Joseph Paul Franklin set out to ignite a nationwide race war—right in the midst of the Civil Rights movement.

In 1977, Cottingham was married with three kids, two secret girlfriends, and an itch for abusing sex workers. As the years wore on, he developed increasingly bizarre torture rituals, and his crimes escalated in both body count and brutality.

He had an idyllic childhood in the 1940s and ‘50s, but as Richard Francis Cottingham grew, he began having dark, dehumanizing sexual fantasies about women. When he started working in New York City, he took those violent, twisted dreams and made them a reality.

In 1979, Lawrence Bittaker and Roy Norris sexually assaulted and murdered five teenage girls. For months, authorities were at a loss to explain the disappearances of their victims, but eventually, Norris and Bittaker got reckless, and the crimes of the Toolbox Killers were revealed to the world.

They each lived lonely lives, bouncing from jail to jail until a chance meeting in California brought them together in 1978. Bittaker and Norris began a sadistic friendship which evolved into a twisted partnership—one that would eventually claim the lives of five teenage girls.

At a young age, Moses Sithole was abandoned by his mother, forcing him to go in and out of a traumatic foster care system. As an adult in the ‘90s, he began enacting his revenge on women in a rampage that had South Africa terrified.

In the early ‘70s, a teenaged Dugan had an encounter with one of the most notorious serial killers in the U.S.—a killer whose infamy Dugan would soon match, with a murder spree throughout Chicago’s rural suburbs.

In his youth, Walter Ellis was prone to fits of physical violence. But as he grew older, he took on the role of a gentle and unsuspecting neighbor. Over the course of 20 years, it was this persona that allowed the man known as the Milwaukee North Side Strangler to avoid the detection of local police, who were facing a series of eerily similar murders.

Growing up in the California town of Solvang, Thor Nis Christiansen was the quiet son of Danish immigrants. As he grew older, Thor began harboring dark, disturbing fantasies about women. Before his 20th birthday, he would strike for the first time—and it wouldn't be the last...

He endured extreme childhood abuse, served in the Marines, and was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia. Between 1986 and 1996, Andrew Urdiales turned his anger into murder, taking the lives of eight women.

He spent his life trying to escape jails, mental hospitals, and his urge to kill. From 1961 to 1982, Charles Ray Hatcher murdered at least four people, but he claims to have killed as many as 16 in Missouri, California, and Illinois.

Sent to a reform school for the remainder of his childhood, Jesse Pomeroy, and his distraught mother, had one shared goal in mind: early release. After only 17 months away, they'd got their wish. And by 1874, Jesse was free to continue his attacks—and this time, he was ready to kill.

Born in 1859 with a cleft palate, Jesse Pomeroy's father looked upon his son as weak, and brutally abused him throughout his childhood. Tormented at home and at school, Jesse began to entertain violent fantasies about torturing prisoners. By the time he was 12, simply fantasizing wasn't enough—and the “Boy Torturer of Boston” emerged...

He claimed to be Sweden's first serial killer. Throughout the 1990s, Sture Bergwall made shocking confessions to dozens of brutal murders across Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. But his final confession was the most surprising of them all.

Growing up as one of the few black kids in Warwick, Rhode Island was not easy. By the time Craig Price transitioned from child to teen, the years of racism and bullying had already made a huge impact on his developing psyche. By the time he was 13-years-old in 1986, his anger had reached a boiling point.

In 1942, Marcel Petiot's fake escape network, Fly-Tox, was operating at full steam. He took his victim's payment, and instead of helping them start new lives in South America, he murdered them and stored the bodies in his basement. But his scheme couldn't escape the attention of the Nazis for long.

Since childhood, Marcel Petiot flaunted a disregard for the rules. As a doctor, he used his charm and influence to enrich his family and get away with his first murder. But when WWII reached Paris, a deadly new scheme began to brew...

His first murder in 1944 had gone exactly as planned: the body had dissolved in acid, and he was sure no one would ever find out what he had done. So, with that in mind, John George Haigh set about repeating the process again, and again—always chasing the next big score.

Born in the United Kingdom at the beginning of the 20th century, John George Haigh rebelled against his hyper-religious upbringing and opted for a life of crime. He didn't see the point in earning an honest living when he could con others out of theirs. But Haigh soon realized that he needed a way to swindle people and make sure they stayed silent.

As his living conditions deteriorated in the late 2000's, so did Anthony Sowell’s state of mind. Investigators were horrified when they finally searched his Cleveland home and found the corpses of his victims decaying in nearly every room.

Plagued by addiction, Anthony Sowell killed 11 women between May 2007 and September of 2009. As his abuse became worse, so did his living conditions. Eventually Sowell was almost a total recluse, kept company only by the rotting bodies he kept in his home.

By 1984, after a lifetime spent breaking the law and facing few consequences, John Edward Robinson had finally crossed the line into cold-blooded murder. Having gotten away with it before, he decided that nothing was stopping him from doing it again, and again...

As a child growing up in Illinois in the 1940s and ‘50s, John Edward Robinson was obsessed with figures from the criminal underworld. When he was grown and married, he began conning his way into jobs he wasn't qualified for. It wasn't long before his scheming ways took a decidedly dark turn...

In the late 1960s, Donald Henry Gaskins found himself consumed by a ravenous rage. He began stalking the highways of South Carolina, searching for victims. Eventually, he became so violent that even a maximum security prison couldn't stop him from killing.

Between 1953 and 1982, Donald Henry “Pee Wee” Gaskins murdered at least 14 people, and claimed to have killed over 100. Gaskins began his crime spree early, and went from a young burglar and car thief in South Carolina to one of the most brutal serial murderers in U.S. history.

In 1989, Danny Rolling had already gotten away with a shocking triple murder. As he tried to stay ahead of the Shreveport cops, he made his way to Gainesville, where he set about terrorizing the University of Florida Campus as the “Gainesville Ripper.”

It's likely that an abusive, loveless upbringing in the 1960s and ‘70s shaped Danny Rolling’s troubling violent sexual fantasies. After a young life of petty crime in Louisiana and Georgia, one incident set Danny off.

We are thrilled to bring you a brand new episode of Serial Killers today and for the foreseeable future. We thank you for your patience during this unprecedented time.

For more than a decade, Randy Steven Kraft preyed upon vulnerable young Californian men—torturing, dismembering, and murdering dozens. His killings were made all the worse by the blasé approach authorities took to his case.

We are thrilled to bring you a brand new episode of Serial Killers today and for the foreseeable future. We thank you for your patience during this unprecedented time.

From 1972 to 1983, the gay community of Southern California was plagued by a vicious killer. His name was Randy Steven Kraft, and he would later become known for the morbid murder "scorecard" that he kept beneath his car rug.

If you enjoy the true stories told in Serial Killers, check out this episode from our series Female Criminals: Between 1998 and 2006, Juana Barraza became a deceitful serial killer. Because police believed the murderer to be a man, Juana continued her deadly crimes without fear. By the time she was caught, she was suspected of claiming up to 48 victims.

If you enjoy the true stories told in Serial Killers, check out this episode from our series Female Criminals: From 1999 to 2006, as many as 48 elderly women were murdered in Mexico City. The woman at the center of this: a Lucha Libre wrestler turned infamous serial killer—Juana Barraza.

By the 1990s, he had spent twenty years murdering dozens of women across the United States. Decades after his crimes, Samuel Little was finally brought to justice—and soon revealed to have one of the highest victim counts of all time.

In 2018, he was serving a life sentence for the murders of three women in California—when he confessed to another. Then, another and another. Soon, Samuel Little had confessed to 93 murders across the U.S. over a period of 30 years.

After a 7-month hiatus between 1918 and 1919, the Axeman jumped back into his killing spree. City officials tried to track down the mysterious killer, but their hunt led to nothing but dead ends and wrongful convictions. To this day, the Axeman's true identity remains unknown.

While the U.S. was wrapped up in the final days of World War I, New Orleans was facing an enemy right in their own backyard. In the early 20th century, a wave of fear rolled through Crescent City as a mysterious man began axing people in the dead of night while they were fast asleep.

Due to the unfortunate spread of COVID-19, Parcast has decided to halt recording for the time-being. This is a precautionary measure taken to ensure the safety of our hosts and staff. In the meantime, we're excited to share one of our classic episodes that we know you'll enjoy!

In 1996, Yates was honorably discharged from active duty in the U.S. Army, but would resume serving his country by enlisting in the National Guard two years later. Few people in the Spokane, Washington metropolitan area would suspect this decorated veteran and family man could be capable of such heartless destruction.

Due to the unfortunate spread of COVID-19, Parcast has decided to halt recording for the time-being. This is a precautionary measure taken to ensure the safety of our hosts and staff. In the meantime, we're excited to share one of our classic episodes that we know you'll enjoy!

He lived a seemingly normal life. A father of five children and army veteran, Robert Lee Yates, was well regarded in the Spokane, Washington community. All of that changed when he went on a murder spree, killing 17 women between 1975 and 1998 in the back of his van.

As Joseph James DeAngelo's crimes escalated from robbery to murder during the 1980s, he terrified the state of California. Despite the best efforts of authorities, he eluded capture for decades. But he couldn't run forever.

His crimes earned him the moniker of the “Visalia Ransacker” and the “East Area Rapist.” But Joseph James DeAngelo would become most notorious for his final nickname, the “Golden State Killer.” Between 1974 and 1986, DeAngelo committed untold atrocities, all while leading a seemingly average life as a husband and small town cop.

He was a freight hopper who rode the rails of the western United States for over a decade. Robert Joseph Silvera Jr. was responsible for more than 30 slayings in that time, most of his victims being fellow transients—earning him the nickname, “The Boxcar Killer.”

In the mid-1980s, serial killer Henry Lee Lucas confessed to nearly 600 murders. While most of those confessions were subsequently disproven, his case led to larger questions about United States interrogation methods.

In many ways, Jerry Brudos wasn't in it for the kill—he was in it for the body. Between 1968 and 1969, he dressed his victims up and posed them, like living dolls. After killing them, he continued to defile and manipulate the bodies, keeping trophies for himself.

He developed an obsession with women's clothing from a young age—a fetish which would eventually turn violent. As a teenager, Jerry Brudos started attacking young women… just to steal their shoes. But when footwear wasn't enough to satiate his desires, Brudos graduated from thief to kidnapper. And eventually, murderer.

Following the string of brutal murders throughout the 1960s, the masked man known as the Zodiac Killer continued to write letters to the press and police, taunting them for their inability to catch him. Fifty years later, there is still no confirmed suspect as to the identity of the murderer.

In the summer of 1969, newspapers in San Francisco began receiving coded letters from a man who would come to identify himself as "the Zodiac." The killer confessed to a string of brutal murders and would go on to terrorize the Bay area into the early 1970s.

On the last Sunday of every month, Parcast Rewind replays a classic episode of Serial Killers that you might have missed!

After meeting at Alpine Manor in Michigan, nurses’ aides Gwen Graham and Cathy Wood began a romantic relationship that eventually earned them the nickname “The Lethal Lovers.” Motivated by dark erotophonophilia, Graham and Wood’s dangerous “pranks” soon escalated to what they dubbed “The Murder Game.”

Between 1891 and 1895, H.H. Holmes embarked on a vicious killing spree across the United States, terrorizing an entire nation in the process. No one knows exactly how many murders he committed. He confessed to twenty-seven, but only nine were confirmed.

He was the master of the infamous “Murder Mansion,” and often cited as America’s first serial killer. H.H. Holmes began his career as a con artist in Chicago, taking advantage of anyone he could between 1886 and 1894—all the while hiding his darkest motives.

In 1974, Ted Bundy embarked on a murderous roadtrip across America committing dozens of murders from Colorado to as far as Florida. But after two prison escapes, and multiple trials, Bundy was far from finished. In 1979, he captivated the entire country by representing himself in the first televised murder trial in U.S. history.

He’s one of the most notorious serial killers of the 20th century, murdering dozens of young women on a bloody rampage across America that spanned four years. But Ted Bundy’s metamorhposis as a killer began during childhood—long before his first murder.

In the late 1800s, Dr. Thomas Neill Cream was the go-to doctor for Chicago's Red Light District. The women, who grew to trust, admire, and even fall in love with Dr. Cream, would soon become victims of his quiet-but-deadly poisonings.

In 1984, Bobby Joe Long terrorized Tampa—sexually assaulting and murdering women with alarming frequency. But one 17-year-old girl escaped his clutches, living to see him brought to justice.

On the last Sunday of every month, Parcast Rewind replays a classic episode of Serial Killers that you might have missed!

He was known as the “Butcher of Plainfield.” Ed Gein’s gruesome killings would go on to inspire horror movies such as Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Silence of the Lambs.

Bobby Joe Long was responsible for the murder of at least 9 Tampa women. Born in 1953, his early life was milestoned by several serious head injuries including a motorcycle accident which would leave him forever changed.

From 1926-1928, Earle Nelson would roam across North America strangling unsuspecting land ladies. By the end of his rampage, he will kill at least 22 people, a record that would not be broken for another 50 years.

Reputed to have abnormally long arms and unusually large hands, Earle Leonard Nelson roamed the United States and Canada, strangling unsuspecting landladies in their own homes during the 1920s.

Here’s one of our listeners’ most requested episodes of 2019: In 1996, Yates was honorably discharged from active duty in the U.S. Army, but would resume serving his country by enlisting in the National Guard two years later. Few people in the Spokane, Washington metropolitan area would suspect this decorated veteran and family man could be capable of such heartless destruction.

Here’s one of our listeners’ most requested episodes of 2019: He lived a seemingly normal life. A father of five children and army veteran, Robert Lee Yates, was well regarded in the Spokane, Washington community. All of that changed when he went on a murder spree, killing 17 women between 1975 and 1998 in the back of his van.

While on probation after an early release from prison in March of 1990, Jeffrey Dahmer continued his wave of sadistic violence. A chance event would finally lead to his arrest, and a media spectacle would bring Dahmer to the masses.

It was a murderous rampage that could have possibly been prevented. Although Jeffrey Dahmer failed numerous times to turn his life around, his multi-year killing spree also went ignored by his family, neighbors, sentencing judges, and court-appointed therapists.

He was one of the most infamous serial killers of the 20th century, murdering 17 young men between 1978 and 1991 through a variety of cruel and unusual methods. But how did Jeffrey Dahmer, one of the era's most monstrous killers, get his start?

You know the name, but do you know the whole story? Jeffrey Dahmer: one of history’s most notorious serial killers, and our most requested episode, is now the subject of an exclusive SERIAL KILLERS 3-part special event. To show our appreciation for our loyal listeners, we’re taking a deep dive into Dahmer’s life and crimes to understand where his behavior went off the rails—and why he continues to fascinate us. All 3 episodes will be available on December 23rd across all of Parcast’s true-crime related feeds!

At least 10 people lost their lives at the hands of David Joseph Carpenter between 1979 and 1981. His infamous attacks at popular hiking spots in the San Francisco area and earned him the nickname, "The Trailside Killer."

Archibald Hall carried out his murderous rampage across the U.K. in 1977 and 1978, killing five people in search of notoriety and wealth. As his clients would soon find out, their affable butler was not all he seemed.

Obsessed with breaking into the upper crust of society, Archibald Hall would go to any lengths to do so. Between 1977 and 1978, Hall killed five people across the United Kingdom. Each victim was killed a different way, but he knew all of them personally.

On Christmas Eve 1885, Austin, Texas was again the site of multiple, grisly slayings. Only this time, the victims were not African-American women. They were prominent white women. Did the Annihilator Killer change his M.O. or were there now two serial killers loose in the streets of Austin?

In 1884, Austin, Texas was shaken to its core when one of America's first serial killers committed a series of gruesome murders in its streets. The killer targeted African American women who worked as servants in the city's wealthier areas.

Between 2007 and 2016, Elizabeth Wettlaufer killed elderly residents of the long-term care home where she worked as a night nurse. By the time of her capture, she was one of the most prolific killers in Canadian history.

Born in Canada in 1967, Elizabeth Wettlaufer struggled to accept her sexuality due to her deeply religious and conservative parents. As the years went on, the frustration and guilt of hiding her identity began to build, until eventually, she snapped.

In early 1994, Dana Sue Gray went on a month-long rampage that claimed the lives of several elderly ladies of Canyon Lake, California. Mixing murder with greed, she would go on extravagant shopping sprees using the credit cards of her victims.

Growing up in Southern California in the 50s and 60s, Dana Sue Gray developed a troubling childhood petulance, which would ultimately evolve into a homicidal greed. Explore the circumstances leading up to her first murder, and the terror she inflicted on the gated community of Canyon Lake.

1977 proved to be a turning point for 27-year-old Richard Chase. Killing dogs and rabbits for their blood just wasn’t enough anymore. Only people would suffice, and a half-dozen of his neighbors would soon fall prey to his vampiric appetite.

He was a strange child—messy, disorganized and prone to random outbursts. As Richard Chase neared his 20s, things got worse… much worse. He convinced himself he needed to drink blood to stay alive.

In 1946, British ex-pilot Neville Heath had lost everything. His wife left him and he had been dismissed from the airforce. He reacted to his string of failures by spiraling downward. He began suffering from blackouts, and started to become violent. Sadly, two young women would eventually fall victim to his uncontrollable rage.

Born on June 6th, 1917, Neville Heath would grow up to be one of the most devious killers England had ever known. He developed a talent for deception early on, and used his looks and charm to fraudulently climb the social ladder. But eventually his lies started catching up with him, and he showed the world his inner dark side.

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In the early 1970s, Jack Unterweger was sentenced to an Austrian prison for life after he murdered a young woman. While in prison, he transformed himself into a well-respected author. With Austria’s elite convinced that he was rehabilitated, he was released. But Jack wasn’t rehabilitated, he was simply buying his time to kill again.

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In the early 1970s, Jack Unterweger was sentenced to an Austrian prison for life after he murdered a young woman. While in prison, he transformed himself into a well-respected author. With Austria’s elite convinced that he was rehabilitated, he was released. But Jack wasn’t rehabilitated, he was simply buying his time to kill again.

With the start of the 1980s, British serial killer Dennis Nilsen was just hitting his stride. His twisted desire for companionship had spiraled out of control, launching him on a prolific killing spree that ended in the murder of a dozen young men and boys in just two years. But as Nilsen struggled to find room for his rotting lovers in the cramped space of his London flat, he would resort to desperate, gruesome measures that would put investigators hot on his trail.

A hot meal, a stiff drink, or simple companionship. These are the tools Dennis Nilsen would use to lure victims back to his apartment in the late 70s and early 80s. Driven by loneliness, he keep the corpses of his victims, and even sit them down across the dinner table as he ate. Nilsen would claim at least a dozen victims this way, making him one of the most prolific killers in the UK.

Parcasters - This week on The Dark Side Of, we take on the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley! Search for The Dark Side Of on Spotify today!

Five years into her killing spree, a team of financial detectives started to catch wind of Anna Marie Hahn’s dealings. With at least five confirmed victims by 1937, she showed no signs of stopping. Upon her arrest, police would discover a large cache of arsenic and various poisons.

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In 1932, at the age of 26, Anna Marie Hahn came up with a morbid get rich quick scheme...murder. The German native would offer her services as a live-in caretaker for elderly men in Cincinnati, and used her expertise in poisons to get rid of her clients while claiming their life insurance.

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By 1986, David Parker Ray was 46 years old, and had been abducting, raping, torturing, and killing women throughout the American Southwest for over 30 years. He would continue his reign of terror well into 1999, when one of his final victims would defy the odds and escape his torture, in horrific and dramatic fashion.

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Born on November 1st, 1939, David Parker Ray would grow up to be one of the most sadistic serial killers the world has ever seen. He started abducting, sexually assaulting, and killing women when he was only 15 years old, and he continued his crimes for decades, leaving bodies all throughout the New Mexico desert.

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In the summer of 1969, newspapers in Northern California began receiving coded letters from a person who would come to identify themselves as "The Zodiac." The author of the letters taunted the police by giving clues related to a series of unsolved murders, but did the cryptic messages truly come from the mind of the killer?

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At first, many gay men in 1970s San Francisco were dazzled by a handsome young artist who drew their caricatures on cocktail napkins. But as time went on, and the bodies started piling up, word spread. Avoid the Doodler at all costs.

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Ronald Dominique didn't feel any remorse as he dumped his twenty-third victim in the Louisiana swamp in 2006. Instead, he only felt sorry for himself. He made the long drive back to his mobile home and did the only thing that made him feel better. He plotted another murder.

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He never caught a break growing up. He was mercilessly bullied, and no romantic prospects ever gave him a chance. In 1997, Ronald Dominique decided to take matters into his own hands. He would take what he wanted, no matter who got in his way.

Parcasters - How do you delegitimize a queen? Ensnare her in a diamond heist, of course! Tune in to GONE this week to hear about the plot to steal Marie Antoinette's diamond necklace. Listen to GONE on Spotify or wherever you get your Parcast Originals!

Just before he strangled a victim, Joel Rifkin could hear laughter ringing in his ears. The sounds of his high school bullies had never really left him and that residual shame stuck with Joel as he cruised Manhattan for over two years, murdering at least 17 women by 1991.

Parcasters - This week on The Dark Side Of we dig into the trial of Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, and the media frenzy that followed. You might think you know the story, but the truth is much darker! Available now on Spotify or wherever you listen to Parcast!

When relentless high school bullies started dunking Joel’s head in urine-filled toilets, and throwing eggs at him after class, he needed a way to regain control. And unfortunately for 17 women around the Long Island area in 1989, he found a drastic outlet for his aggressions.

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In the early 90s, vulnerable women around Vancouver were disappearing at an alarming rate, but the authorities had yet to recognize the crisis, or even admit that there was a likely killer on the loose. Meanwhile, “Willie” Pickton’s nefarious reputation continued to grow in his hometown.

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This Canadian grew up on a pig farm in the 1970s, so slaughtering livestock became second nature. His pig meat was the most sought-after in the county... until the meat started arriving dark, blackened and stringy.

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After his candy store closed in 1968, Dean Corll needed a new way to bring in young victims from the greater Houston area. So, he recruited two teenage boys to lure their friends to his apartment, where he would drug and kill them.

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In 1962 he took over the family candy shop outside of Houston and was only too happy to give away treats to the children who would come 'round after school. Of course, nobody suspected that the local Candyman, Dean Arnold Corll, was also abducting said children, killing them, and burying them under the shed.

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After successfully murdering four women in Eastern Michigan without a whiff of suspicion in 1969, John Norman Collins began to believe he would never be caught. He grew increasingly brash, returning to crime scenes and toying with police.

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By 1967, he seemed to be a well-adjusted college student in Ann Arbor, Michigan. But the real reason for John Norman Collins' confidence lay far from the local college campus. Rather, in an abandoned farmhouse deep in the woods, where he could visit his victims again and again, admiring his handiwork.

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By 1996, he settled down in a small village in Ukraine with his girlfriend, and was a loving father-in-law to her children. But the voices in Anatoly Onoprienko’s head would not let him rest. His ruthless, random violence launched the largest manhunt in Ukranian history--and even then, police could not put an end to the killer they called The Terminator.

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He wanted to be remembered. He had spent a life cast aside and forgotten by his parents, siblings and peers. He hated the world that seemed so eager to forget him. So in 1989 Anatoly Onoprienko began killing whole families at random, seeking notoriety and revenge. And thanks to the fall of the USSR, this former Soviet was able to operate for years, as evidence of his crimes were swept under the rug.

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Eliot Ness went to the grave in 1957 without ever convicting the Cleveland Torso Murderer. Decades later, his family would reveal a secret suspect hidden within his notes, that was too well-connected to be accused publicly.

Parcasters - In the mood for more mystery? You won’t want to miss the case of the disappearing genius, Physicist Ettore Majorana this week on Unexplained Mysteries. Available Thursday at parcast.com/unexplained

When a torso washed up on the banks of the Cuyahoga River in 1937, the police initially assumed a crime of passion. But when the next torso was found, they knew they had a serial murderer on their hands. Nicknamed the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run, a notorious killer stalked the slums of Cleveland, killing vagrants he thought no one would miss.

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In early 2009, when Christine Ross set out on her morning walk in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the last thing she expected was to stumble across human remains. But within a matter of hours, the abandoned work site near her house had been turned into one of the most expansive crime scenes in history.

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In this special crossover episode with Sami from Female Criminals, we find out that Amelia Dyer’s desire to murder babies was about more than the money. In the mid-1880s, Dyer was enjoying it so much, she left her home, her family, and even faked her own death to continue killing England's unwanted infants.

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Cunning, smart, ruthless, Amelia Dyer began a baby-farming business in 19th century England. Poverty-stricken mothers placed their children in her care trusting that she would find them loving homes. Instead, she pocketed the money, starved and strangled the babies before throwing them in the Thames river.

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It seemed as though no one would be able to save Sanford from his uncle. Sanford had lived with him in Wineville, California from 1928-1929, only to now have to stay quiet about his uncle holding two young boys captive in his chicken coop. When Sanford's sister Jessie showed up on the chicken farm looking for answers, Sanford worried that she, too, would never leave the ranch alive.

Hostage! Check out Parcast's other Podcast Hostage now! Thank you Carter and Irma for joining today's episode.

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This Serial Killers and Hostage crossover covers Gordon Stewart Northcott, who held his nephew captive and forced him to participate in the murder of at least three boys. Northcott would restrain his victims in a chicken coop before eventually murdering them. The small town of Wineville, California changed its name in 1930 to disassociate from the killings.

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In 1996, he was honorably discharged from active duty in the U.S. Army. Yates would resume serving his country by enlisting in the National Guard two years later. Few people in the Spokane, Washington metropolitan area would suspect this decorated veteran and family man could be capable of such heartless destruction.

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He lived a seemingly normal life. A father of five children and army veteran, Robert Lee Yates, was well regarded in the Spokane, Washington community. All of that changed when he went on a murder spree, killing 17 women between 1975 and 1998 in the back of his van.

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Sent to his first mental institution at the age of 17, Fritz Haarmann had a troubled childhood full of trauma. He went on to murder close to 30 people between 1918 and 1924. His massive killing spree left a lasting legacy on both his hometown and the entire country of Germany.

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He didn't just love to kill his victims; Fritz Haarmann liked to bite into their Adam's apples and tear out their throats. His "love bites" earned him the nickname The Werewolf of Hanover, Germany. From 1918-1924, Fritz murdered as many as 50 children before police finally realized that the Werewolf was one of their own.

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After suffering multiple miscarriages, she begins to see her children less as a blessing and more of a burden. Mary Ann Cotton’s severe struggles with PTSD and postpartum depression caused her to disconnect from her own thoughts and commit unthinkable crimes around England during the 1850s and 60s. Many of the people closest to her did not survive the wrath of her anger.

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She was determined to pull herself out of poverty, but the path towards financial freedom meant murdering her three husbands, 13 children, and family friends, who dared to stand in her way. This 19th century killer became known as Britain's Black Widow Killer, and the first female serial killer in England.

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In the summer of 2005, innocent people were being gunned down in the streets of Phoenix, Arizona with no suspects, no witnesses, and no plausible motives. Dale Hausner and Sam Dieteman were ruthless murderers killing anyone they saw fit. The pair lived for the chaos, creating a game out of murdering innocent bystanders.

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In an instant, Dale Hauser's family was gone. He was left broken, isolated, and enraged. In 2005, his anger would boil over. He would begin stalking the streets of Phoenix, looking to create random chaos, and steal the lives of others as quickly as his own children had been taken.

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Working as a photographer, he obsessively documented his crimes. Naso’s journals included more than 250 detailed descriptions of assaults, accompanied by thousands of photographs of his victim. He strangled at least six women to death between 1977 and 1994.

A routine home inspection in 2010 uncovers heinous crimes committed by Joseph Naso. Dating back to the late 1970s, Naso was responsible for deaths in California, Nevada and possibly one of the most famous unsolved murder sprees in New York State history.

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Many of the details surrounding the murder of 16 women in Long Island remain a mystery, the only connection is that the women all used Craigslist. Investigations have yielded no concrete suspects. Only 35 miles from Manhattan, a serial killer remains at large.

If you enjoyed this episode, give us a nice review, it really helps new listeners find the podcast!

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Ten bodies were found on Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach in Long Island in 2010 all linked to one person. The killer primarily targeted sex workers who charged about $200 an hour via Craigslist. The Long Island Serial Killer’s murders go as far back as 1982, yet he still hasn’t been caught.

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Edmund Kemper despised his mother so much, he tried to destroy everything she had ever loved. As Edmund began to express his hatred, the trail of bodies he left in his wake between 1964 and 1973 would earn him the name of the Co-Ed Killer.

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Verbally abused and psychologically tortured by his mother, young Edmund Kemper's mind turned towards vicious daydreams and perverted nightmares. Before he even reached adulthood in California, Kemper showed the world how truly violent he could be. The Co-Ed Killer went on to murder ten people between 1964 and 1973.

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Can detective Stuart Clifton find enough evidence to lock up the serial killer known as the, “Angel of Death” away for life? Or will Beverley Allitt’s mental illness affect the verdict in the UK?

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A sweet and loving pediatric nurse was secretly torturing and murdering children at a England hospital in in the early 1990s. We’ll explore Beverley Allitt’s turbulent childhood, mental illness and what caused her turn into such a violent monster.

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A man hungry for murder, and other things… The Cannibal Kid invites you to his famous BBQ, but this isn’t your standard Fourth of July celebration. Scheduled around the satanic calendar, human flesh will be on the menu.

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He was either one of the most prolific killers of all time, or a compliant interviewee taken advantage of by the police to clear their cold case files. Which story will you believe?

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A chance meeting with child killer Gary Marcoux inspired Olson Jr. to commit his own string of murders. What measures would law enforcement have to take to identify and locate the victims of his crimes?

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After his release from prison, Olson Jr. would go on a vicious killing spree and ultimately be convicted of eleven murders. Why would somebody who didn’t have a violent past suddenly turn into a monster?

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What if you picked out a book at the library and found a taunting note to police from a serial killer? As the BTK Killer, he loved when the media gave him attention. But his need for attention would also be his downfall and eventually lead to his capture.

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By all accounts, he was a loving family man, Scoutmaster, and church leader. None of his family members or colleagues ever suspected that he was also a sadistic killer. His M.O. was simple. He would bind, torture, and kill his victims. And that’s how Dennis Rader got his nickname.

Fred and Rose each came from abusive homes and each showed signs of being abusive as they became adults. But together, they would start a new life and collectively be responsible for nine murders over a span of decades.

Fred and Rose each came from abusive homes and each showed signs of being abusive as they became adults. But together, they would start a new life and collectively be responsible for nine murders over a span of decades.

From the years 1969 to 1981, a serial killer known as the Yorkshire Ripper freely roamed the streets of Yorkshire, England. Police were so determined to find him, they interviewed over 250,000 people. Sutcliffe had been brought in for questioning on nine separate occasions and each time he walked out a free man. How would they eventually catch him?

Serial killer Peter Sutcliffe claimed he was directed by voices of God to kill innocent women. Naturally, he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the charges that he slaughtered over a dozen women. Was his psychosis real or did he develop a deep hatred of women in childhood?

This is a crossover special with the hosts of Serial Killers and Female Criminals. Listen to part 2 after this episode on the Female Criminals feed right now! Dorothea Puente didn’t set out to become Sacramento, California’s most notorious female serial killer. But she did have a criminal streak that grew more sinister, culminating in the deaths of almost a dozen residents of the boarding house she ran. How was she able to evade detection from family members and social workers? And how did she get away with her first murder? Listen to part 2 now on the Female Criminals feed. Part 2 will not be on the Serial Killers feed. Thanks!

From summer of 1976 through summer of 1977, David Berkowitz went on a year long killing spree that terrorized the New York City boroughs of Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. Young women with dark hair were being targeted and anybody near them was in harms way. Find out how David Berkowitz got his nickname “Son of Sam” and how he was ultimately caught by police.

Plagued by the voices of monsters and demons since adolescence, serial killer David Berkowitz set over a thousand small fires throughout his youth and early adulthood. But his later involvement in devil worship and the occult, paired with his deep hatred for women, ultimately led him down the gruesome path to murder.

Like many serial killers, Maury Travis became over-confident. In the summer of 2002, after reading a story in the newspaper about one of his victims, he mailed a letter to the local newspaper offering them information on the location of another. He was careful not to leave any fingerprints or DNA evidence before mailing it, so how did they track him down?

There was no evidence in Maury Travis’ childhood of arson or animal abuse, often seen as early warning signs for serial killers. And he didn’t appear to have been a victim of abuse from either of his parents. So what made this seemingly normal kid turn into a man who would rape, torture and murder as many as twenty women?

Amy Archer-Gilligan owned and operated a home for elderly residents in Windsor, Connecticut, but fell deeply into debt. Over time, she developed a deadly business model - stealing money from residents, then poisoning them - ultimately killing more than two dozen victims over a two-year span.

Amy Archer-Gilligan opened a nursing home in Connecticut in 1907. By portraying herself as a kind and religious woman, she was able to recruit new residents. She was beloved in her neighborhood which is exactly why nobody suspected that she was a cold, calculated killer.

In the summer of 1980, Carol Bundy helped Douglas Clark sexually assault a young girl and murder over a half-dozen women. Her extreme desire to please Clark evolved into a murderous partnership, and finally a killer in her own right.

After years of abuse as a child at the hands of her parents, Carol Bundy suffered through the same fate as an adult at the hands of various boyfriends. When she met Douglas Clark, she thought things would be different. But he had dark sexual fantasies and she would do anything to stay with him. Even kill.

Luis Alfredo Garavito raped, tortured, and killed well over 100 children. Find out how he lured away his victims and avoided detection from authorities before eventually being apprehended and tried.

Luis Garavito was born in Colombia in 1957 to an abusive, alcoholic father and a time of civil unrest. At the age of sixteen, Garavito was kicked out of the house. This sparked a transient lifestyle and murder spree during which Garavito raped, tortured, and murdered over one hundred victims.

The stress of losing four children mysteriously in their sleep ended the marriage between Kathleen Folbigg and her husband Craig. While cleaning out her belongings, Craig stumbled across something alarming. Was it enough to prove that his children were murdered?

Kathleen Folbigg was born in Australia on June 14, 1967. As a child, she grew up in a foster home and only discovered as a teenager that her birth mother was murdered by her father. We examine the relationship between Kathleen's difficult childhood, her early marriage to Craig Folbigg, and the mysterious deaths of her first three children.

Henry Lee Lucas served only 10 years for killing his abusive mother. After being released early due to overcrowding, he longed for a sense of family and befriended fellow murderer Ottis Toole. Lucas moved in with Toole and his family. Once together,they spent most of their time together, working as roofers, and killing innocent victims. Or did they?

Henry Lee Lucas, is one of history’s greatest liars. After his arrest in the 1980s, Lucas claimed to have murdered over 3,000 people across the U.S. His numerous confessions lead to his moniker, the “Confession Killer.” So what led Lucas to confess to so many different murders? And how many of these supposed crimes did he actually commit?

Carl Panzram didn't start out a murderer. He started with smaller crimes like robbery and arson and quickly worked his way up to more violent crimes. But most kids with his background grow up to not be serial killers. What happened to Carl Panzram that pushed him from regular felon to violent serial killer?

Even as a child, Carl Panzram often found himself in trouble. He spent his teenage years either homeless, on the run, or imprisoned. From robbing former president Taft to setting churches and jails on fire, Panzram was always on the hunt for trouble. But what made the mischievous teenager turn into a serial killer?

After his girlfriend Maria was murdered by gang members, Pedro Rodrigues Filho made it his mission to avenge her death, and kill as many criminals as possible. In popular culture, this kind of vigilantism is celebrated, in real life it leaves a brutal path of bodies in the wake of a man who appointed himself judge, jury, and executioner. In this episode, we explore the life of “Killer Petey” and his blood soaked search for justice.

After being admitted to Bridgewater State Hospital, Albert DeSalvo began confiding in other patients, bragging about his crimes and admitting he was the Boston Strangler. But was that a lie for attention? Or was DeSalvo truly the killer behind the crimes of the Boston Strangler?

There’s a special sense of security within our own homes. But from 1962 to 1964, Albert DeSalvo took advantage of this trust. He swayed women into letting him through the front door, only to leave them as victims of “The Boston Strangler.”

After luring in victims using a false sense of security, Patrick Wayne Kearney earned his title as “The Trash Bag Killer” by murdering a confirmed 21 young men and leaving their remains in trash bags along Southern California freeways during the 1970's. But when he targeted 19-year-old Tony Stewart, everything changed.

Patrick Wayne Kearney was born in Los Angeles, California in 1939. As a child, he was tormented relentlessly by schoolmates, and found happiness in slaughtering animals. We examine how he transitioned from a bullied child to a violent killer who left dozens of men in garbage bags alongside California freeways.

Many people innocently dream of having super powers. But Ahmad Suradji’s dreams led him to become a murderous “Sorcerer from Hell” who killed 42 women in his quest to become invincible. We explore Suradji’s path to killing, including a disturbing dream that inspired him to kill women and drink their saliva.

In 1986, Ahmad Suradji had dreamed of becoming a mystic healer in his community. But this dream also led him to believe he could become invincible… by murdering young women and slurping their saliva. We dive deep into the life of Ahmad Suradji, and examine how he pursued his gruesome dreams to become the Sorcerer from Hell.

During his 25-year medical career, Harold Shipman rose to be a respectable family doctor who treated his patients with outstanding care. But behind closed doors, he operated as Dr. Death, and injected his victims with deadly doses of diamorphine. We look into how this man, who may have killed more than 200 people, managed to get away with it for so long.

What happens when a doctor, someone we should trust, becomes a killer? Harold Shipman, later known as Dr. Death, terrorized Britain for 25 years, killing over 200 of his patients. We look into Shipman’s life to learn how someone who went through years of medical training could become a killer hidden in plain sight.

Elizabeth Bathory was a cruel, widowed noblewoman who earned the title “The Blood Countess” from the rumors she bathed in the blood of her victims. We continue to dive deep into her torture and murder of young servants, as well as investigate the many accomplices who only helped her fulfill her lust for blood.

In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, young peasant girls who went to the Castle Cachtice were being led to death at the hands of the Blood Countess. Although much of her life is shrouded in mystery, it’s no secret that Elizabeth Bathory was a sadist responsible for dozens, perhaps hundreds of murders. Her position as one of the most blood-thirsty, notorious killers of all time has influenced stories for centuries, including the classic Dracula.

After murdering two women, robbing graves, and decorating his home with human body parts, Ed Gein found himself arrested and in the media’s spotlight. We look into his trial, institutionalization, and the public’s fascination with him… a fascination that still lives on today.

We explore the twisted mind of Ed Gein, whose gruesome killings inspired horror movies Pyscho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Silence of the Lambs. Gein was known for years as the local handyman in Plainfield, until it was uncovered in 1957 that he killed two women and robbed the graves of multiple other women.

After a childhood filled with abuse, poverty, and shame, Jane Toppan (born Honora Kelley), left her foster home and pursued nursing. To many, she seemed like a loving nurse who cared deeply for her patients. But for years, she used her nursing skills to experiment with medicines...and kill the people who trusted her the most.

We continue to look into the conflicted identity of John Wayne Gacy, who terrorized Chicago in the 1970s. Known as the “Killer Clown,” Gacy tortured and then murdered at least 33 teenage boys. But for many years, he appeared to be an outstanding member of his community...all while hiding his victims’ bodies underneath his house.

John Wayne Gacy, or the “Killer Clown,” was named the worst serial killer in the United States after he murdered 33 teenage boys in the 1970s. Gacy lived a contradicting life as a celebrated community member, who then used his reputation to pursue secret, violent interests. We look into Gacy’s crimes and how the abuse from his father and his own feelings of alienation created a killer.

Ian Brady & Myra Hindley shared a deep, dark passion for murder that led to the death of multiple children in England from 1963 to 1965. Their horrific actions made them two of the most infamous serial killers in modern history. In part two of the Moors Murders, Greg and Vanessa explore the couple’s crimes and their ultimate demise.

When Myra Hindley, an ambitious, yet violent, young woman met Ian Brady, an unemotional man with a twisted mind, their deepening love became a source of tragedy. From 1963 to 1965, the duo acted on their dark desires by murdering children in England. Greg and Vanessa explore the bone-chilling dynamics of serial killer couples like Ian and Myra.

After William Bonin took the life of his first victim, his killings only escalated in frequency and violence. In part 2, Greg and Vanessa dive into Bonin’s need for validation, and how the loneliness resulting from his traumatic childhood likely led him to invite multiple accomplices along on his killing spree. After the rape, torture, and murder of at least 21 men and boys, William Bonin’s accomplices became the key to his capture and conviction.

William Bonin drove California’s freeways, picking up hitchhiking men and boys and driving them to their deaths. As a child, he was abused by almost everyone he met--family, classmates and authority figures - leading to complete desensitization. Greg and Vanessa discuss Bonin’s hunger for power and addiction to torture, rape, and murder.

Andrei Chikatilo killed with increasing frequency over twelve years. Greg and Vanessa explain how the Soviet system of criminal profiling allowed a monster like Chikatilo to evade the police, even as his killing became more frequent, and more gruesome. They examine how a psychiatrist helped crack the case, Chikatilo’s attempt to plea insanity, and the horror of tracking down a killer who’s victim profile is “anyone they can get their hands on”.

One of the most prolific serial killers ever to live, Andrei Chikatilo murdered 53 people between 1978 and 1990. Greg and Vanessa examine how Chikatilo was molded by the horrors of World War II in Ukraine and then the Soviet Union. Driven by his impotence, he could only be satisfied by killing women and children.

He was never caught. So why did Jack the Ripper stop killing? In the finale, Greg, Vanessa, Carter, and Wenndy follow the years-long search for Jack the Ripper, ranging from bloodhound trials to DNA testing. Then our hosts discuss Jack’s last victims, his pop culture influence, and a few major suspects; finally pinpointing the person they believe was Jack the Ripper.

One of the first serial killers to write letters to the authorities, Jack the Ripper’s mail was memorable, to say the least. Our resident Ripperologists examine Jack’s odd correspondence and determine which letters were fakes and which were truly penned by the Ripper. They also examine the “Double Event” murders and how sensational journalism and media coverage influences active killers.

He's the world's most famous killer. But how could a series of crimes committed in a few weeks in 1888 still be so famous nearly 130 years after the fact? In the first episode of this special series, Unsolved Murders Hosts Carter and Wenndy join Serial Killers hosts Greg and Vanessa to explore the most infamous anonymous killer the world has ever known: Jack the Ripper.

In the case of the Lethal Lovers, Gwen Graham was charged with five murders, and Cathy Wood charged as her accomplice. But was that truly their relationship, or was Cathy blackmailing Gwen to use her as a scapegoat? Greg and Vanessa piece through the lies to discover who was really culpable in the Alpine Manor killings- Gwen Graham, Cathy Wood, or both women?

After meeting at Alpine Manor in Michigan, nurses’ aides Gwen Graham and Cathy Wood began a romantic relationship that eventually earned them the nickname “The Lethal Lovers.” Motivated by dark erotophonophilia, Graham and Wood’s dangerous “pranks” soon escalated to what they dubbed “The Murder Game”.

Bible John left gruesomely specific crime scenes. This week, Greg and Vanessa scrutinize this killer’s disturbing methods for any semblance of meaning. Were the kills sadistic, predatory, or spurred by rage at encountering an “unclean” menstruating woman? And how, despite the fact that the Glasgow police interviewed over 20,000 people, did Bible John evade capture?

Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom was meant to be a place for people to dance and enjoy themselves. Instead, Bible John, one of Scotland’s most infamous serial killers, used the dance hall as a hunting ground. Vanessa and Greg investigate the motives of this mysterious murderer who may have used the Bible as justification to target menstruating woman.

Charles Cullen was one of the deadliest serial killers in American history. As a nurse, he went from hospital to hospital, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. Greg and Vanessa investigate how the New Jersey hospitals that employed the killer nurse ignored evidence of his murders. Yet despite the mounting deaths, the one person capable of bringing Cullen to justice was his only friend.

Nurses are trained to save lives. But this nurse killed. Charles Cullen overdosed his elderly patients on digoxin and insulin, passing off over 40 deaths as natural before authorities finally got involved. Greg and Vanessa examine how Cullen’s depression, feelings of victimhood and drug abuse led him to abuse drugs on others.

A fire rages at black widow Belle Gunness's murder farm, where her many victims lie buried below her hog pen. After deputies find a headless woman's body in the ashes, authorities believe that Belle was murdered by her jealous farmhand. But Greg and Vanessa think that’s exactly what Belle wanted them to believe. Why would a serial killer fake her own death? And what would drive her to do so? Greg and Vanessa investigate.

Norwegian immigrant Belle Gunness was one of America's deadliest black widows. Suitors answering her personal ads seeking romance found themselves at the wrong end of Belle's meat cleaver. Join Greg and Vanessa as they investigate the motives behind Belle's prolific murders. Was early-life trauma to blame? Or did simple greed drive Belle to kill?

What makes someone evil? And how evil is Gary Ridgway, serial killer and necrophiliac? Greg and Vanessa discuss Ridgway’s sex addiction, how he lured his victims, and the great lengths he went to in order to evade the police for nearly twenty years.

Struggling with a low IQ, Gary Ridgway always wanted to be the best at just one thing. That one thing turned out to be serial murder. The most prolific American serial killer, Ridgway claims to have killed almost eighty women. Greg and Vanessa discuss the formative events and possible Oedipal complex behind the Green River Killer.

Behind the cheerful demeanor of a sweet southern grandma, lurked a vicious killer. Nannie Doss poisoned her husbands, killed her children, and even went after her own mother. This week, Greg explores Nannie’s use of the lonely hearts columns to find victims, and Vanessa examines how social conformity and societal norms helped this killer fly under the radar for so long.

“The Giggling Granny”, Nannie Doss’ home cooked meals were served with a side of poison. Was she suffering from Munchausen-by-Proxy, or did she just feel trapped by mid-20th century society? Greg and Vanessa examine how a troubled childhood, brain damage, and an abusive husband led this killer to snap and go after everyone who was closest to her.

Lonnie Franklin Jr. offered rides to Los Angeles women, only to kill them, photograph them, and leave their bodies to be found like trash on the street. “The Grim Sleeper” had a deep-seated need to degrade women, ending at least ten lives before new breaks in forensic technology helped the police to catch him. Greg and Vanessa discuss Franklin’s change in MO, his police interrogation, and the remaining task of identifying the unknown women in his Polaroids. Join us after the episode for an exclusive interview with Hart Hanson, creator of the TV series BONES. We’ll talk about his new crime novel, The Driver.

He targeted and killed multiple women in the 1980’s; then mysteriously disappeared. Fourteen years later, he started killing again. Why would he stop? And why, after so long, would he come back? Greg and Vanessa examine what made “The Grim Sleeper” different from other serial killers operating in the area at the same time, as well as the psychology behind his “trophies.”

A lust killer who dreamed to be known as an outlaw, Paul John Knowles sought infamy. He was so desperate to be remembered; he recorded his own confession to multiple murders while still a free man, and shared the tapes with his lawyer. Knowles killed indiscriminately, occasionally allowing writers to live—so they could chronicle his story. This week, Greg and Vanessa follow Knowles’ cross-country murder spree to its shoot-out conclusion.

He had no pattern. No victim type. No consistent MO. And he killed across the country. Nicknamed the “Casanova Killer” for his good looks, Paul John Knowles confounded the police. Greg and Vanessa dig into Knowles troubled childhood and disrespect for authority, then try to unpack a confusing man who described himself as both Jonathan Livingston Seagull and Bonnie and Clyde.

“The Boogey Man”, AKA Albert Fish, attacked over 100 children, many of them unidentified. A traumatic childhood created a twisted old man, tormented by religious delusions and sick sexual fantasies. Greg and Vanessa explore the kidnapping and murder of Grace Budd, which led to Fish’s downfall, his shocking confessions, and his eventual execution.

Albert Fish preyed on young children in the early 1900s, molesting, murdering, and even cannibalizing them. He wasn’t caught until the 1930s, when three of his most horrifying crimes came to light. This week, Greg and Vanessa discuss Fish’s tumultuous childhood, his paraphilic disorders, and two of his most infamous victims.

Every Monday we take a psychological and entertaining approach to provide a rare glimpse into the mind, methods and madness of the most notorious serial killers. Serial Killers officially debuts Monday February 27th. Here is a sneak peek.