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Get a rare glimpse into the minds and methods of sadistic murderers. From notorious names like Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy to lesser-known killers like “Death House Landlady” Dorothea Puente, what turns a regular person into a predator? Serial Killers is a Spotify Original. New episodes Mondays.
The Pizza Bomber Pt. 3: The Mastermind
After the fallout at the PNC Bank, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong and Bill Rothstein scrambled to cover their tracks. But the FBI was already closing in, working to reveal the mastermind behind the entire plan.
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38:2611/12/2023
The Pizza Bomber Pt. 2: The Murder
In order to deactivate the bomb, Brian’s co-conspirators set up an elaborate scavenger hunt around Erie, Pennsylvania. But as police started to follow the clues, tragedy struck.
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33:2704/12/2023
The Pizza Bomber Pt. 1: The Robbery
In August 2003, pizza delivery man Brian Wells strapped a collar bomb to his neck and chest and entered a PNC Bank demanding $250,000 in cash. He thought it was the perfect bank robbery, and that the bomb on his chest was fake. He was wrong on both counts.
Keep up with us on Instagram @serialkillerspodcast and Tiktok @serialkillerspodcast! Have a story to share? Email us at [email protected]
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37:0127/11/2023
Bloody Babs Pt. 2
After her sentencing, investigators and the American public thought the case of ‘Bloody Babs’ was finally over. But as Barbara revealed new details about her version of events, her guilt was once again put into question.
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41:2420/11/2023
Bloody Babs Pt. 1
The case of Barbara Graham has mystified people for generations. She was convicted for the murder of Mabel Monahan in 1953, but was she actually guilty? Or just in the wrong place at the wrong time?
Keep up with us on Instagram @serialkillerspodcast and Tiktok @serialkillerspodcast! Have a story to share? Email us at [email protected]
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40:1213/11/2023
Blood Magic Killer
Adolfo Constanzo may be known as the leader of The Narco Satanists cult, but equally deserving of the title was his right-hand woman, Sara Aldrete. Following Adolfo’s recruitment, Sara accompanied him everywhere – from ritual magic to murder.
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50:2306/11/2023
The Candy Lady
For Halloween, we’re presenting an urban legend about a terrifying Texas child-killer… and discussing how real-life cases echo the legend.
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29:4930/10/2023
The Abduction of Michaela Garecht
In Hayward, California, in 1988, the unthinkable happened – 9-year-old Michaela Garecht was abducted by a stranger, witnessed only by her best friend. Her mother endures decades of stalled-out investigations and false leads, until the abduction is linked to a possible serial killer.
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38:0623/10/2023
The Osage Murders Pt. 2
The true story behind Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon: Members of Osage Nation are being targeted for their high-priced oil headrights. There’s so many murders that the small local police department can’t investigate thoroughly, so the tribe turns to the newly-formed FBI to get the job done.
Keep up with us on Instagram @serialkillerspodcast and @theconspiracypod! Have a story to share? Email us at [email protected]
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35:2516/10/2023
The Osage Murders Pt. 1
The true story behind Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon: In the early twentieth century, Oklahoma’s Osage Reservation was rich in oil and spread the wealth across the tribe. But in the 1920s, it became clear that someone was killing members of the tribe. Was it a serial killer? A ploy to grab rights to the oil money? Or was it both?
Keep up with us on Instagram @serialkillerspodcast and @theconspiracypod! Have a story to share? Email us at [email protected]
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30:1409/10/2023
The Jacksonville Strangler
In the early 2000s, a serial killer attacked at least six young women around Jacksonville, Florida. Though we’re still awaiting official justice, authorities have strong suspicion around convicted murderer Paul Durousseau. Today, Vanessa analyzes how well the Strangler’s crimes line up with Durousseau’s MO.
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29:2902/10/2023
Sante Kimes Pt. 3
You may have heard of ‘boy moms’, but we promise you’ve never heard of one like Sante Kimes. In the final part of our story you’ll hear about how Kimes’ grifts grew in scale and complexity, and how the only person she trusted to carry out her deadly plans was her own son, Kenny Jr.
Keep up with us on Instagram @serialkillerspodcast and Tiktok @serialkillerspodcast! Have a story to share? Email us at [email protected]
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37:2825/09/2023
Sante Kimes Pt. 2
What would you steal if you knew you could get away with it? After years of robbery and fraud Sante Kimes moved on to steal something much more sinister than coats and cash: people’s freedom. Specifically, the freedom of service workers and undocumented immigrants who she enslaved in her homeusing terrifying threats and physical violence.
Keep up with us on Instagram @serialkillerspodcast and Tiktok @serialkillerspodcast! Have a story to share? Email us at [email protected]
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34:5118/09/2023
Sante Kimes Pt. 1
Sante Kimes grew up with very little, so after she moved in with millionaire real-estate investor Kenneth Kimes, she took advantage of all that his wealth had to offer. Enough was never enough: and once she got what she wanted, she couldn’t stop.
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38:3411/09/2023
The Railway Revenge Killer
Rudy Bladel claimed he murdered his coworkers in an act of revenge — but most of his victims were complete strangers. Vanessa examines his life and crimes to understand Bladel’s twisted logic.
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28:5404/09/2023
Harvey Miguel Robinson
Harvey Miguel Robinson committed his first murder when he was just 17. As the son of a convicted murderer and violent abuser, did he ever have a chance?
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36:2528/08/2023
Who Killed Jane Mixer?
In 1969, a 23-year-old law student at the University of Michigan was found murdered in a cemetery outside of Ann Arbor. Jane Mixer’s death was considered part of a string of violent killings known as the Michigan murders, thought to be the work of a serial killer. That changed when new evidence came to light. But more than 50 years later, doubt remains. Was the right person sent to prison?
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28:3621/08/2023
The Cleveland Torso Murders Pt. 2
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. This episode originally aired in April 2019.
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47:3014/08/2023
The Cleveland Torso Murders Pt. 1
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. This episode originally aired in April 2019.
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43:4207/08/2023
"The Molalla Forest Murderer" Dayton Leroy Rogers Pt. 2
In the 1980s, after decades of snowballing violent impulses, Dayton Leroy Rogers began murdering women and leaving their bodies in the Molalla forest in Oregon.
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34:3531/07/2023
"The Molalla Forest Murderer" Dayton Leroy Rogers Pt. 1
After a repressive religious upbringing filled with abuse from his fundamentalist father, Dayton Leroy Rogers grew into a rage-filled young man.
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34:1324/07/2023
The Axeman of New Orleans Pt. 2
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. This episode originally aired April 2020.
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45:1117/07/2023
The Axeman of New Orleans Pt. 1
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. This episode originally aired March 2020.
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45:0310/07/2023
The Monster of Florence Pt. 2
By 1985, the Monster of Florence had claimed 16 lives—but authorities were no closer to catching the killer than when they'd started their investigation, and the trail was getting colder every day.
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41:5803/07/2023
The Monster of Florence Pt. 1
One of Italy’s most notorious serial killers has never (definitively) been identified. The mysterious Monster of Florence murdered couples in their cars, beginning in 1974. The crimes were so horrific that all of Florence was on edge, and the hunt for the killer was vast. This episode originally aired February 2021.
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44:4326/06/2023
Terry Childs
In the so-called murder capital of the world, Terry Childs grew up in the shadows of infamous serial killers. Until he became one himself.
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35:1919/06/2023
Cracking the Code: The Zodiac Pt. 2
Following a string of brutal murders throughout the 1960s, the Zodiac Killer continues to write letters taunting the press and police. This episode originally aired in February 2020.
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41:3612/06/2023
Cracking the Code: The Zodiac Pt. 1
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. This episode originally aired in February 2020.
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36:3405/06/2023
“The Grim Reaper” Gregory Scarpa Pt. 2
Some hitmen must walk the line between being a family man at home and a killer at work. But Greg Scarpa wasn't your ordinary hitman. He was paid by the FBI as a Criminal Informant and was instrumental in helping them solve crimes. But some think his close relationship with his handler gave him a license to kill.
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36:0601/06/2023
“The Grim Reaper” Gregory Scarpa Pt. 1
Starting in the 1950s, Greg Scarpa killed his way up the ladder to become the Colombo family's main hitman. By the mid-1980s, his children were in on the family secret. And the only thing more surprising than the number of kills he racked up was who else was paying him.
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34:5629/05/2023
“The Jersey Shore Thrill Killer” Richard Biegenwald Pt. 2
In 1982, while Richard Biegenwald was on a killing spree along the Jersey Shore, he also groomed a young woman he lived with to be his protégé. But when she ultimately wasn't up to the task, it meant Biegenwald's secret was out. And it would lead to his downfall.
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34:0525/05/2023
“The Jersey Shore Thrill Killer” Richard Biegenwald Pt. 1
Before he was even five years old, Richard Biegenwald was diagnosed with schizophrenia. After more than a decade in institutions and reform schools, he finally got the freedom he longed for. But once out in the world, he reverted to old habits and destructive behavior.
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34:2422/05/2023
Mafia Madman: Thomas Pitera
During his twenties, he spent his free time reading books about how to kill a human being. Naturally, a job as a mafia hitman was perfect for Thomas Pitera. But when he went from a cold, calculated killer to slowly torturing his targets, it became harder for him to evade authorities.
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32:0018/05/2023
Judge Killer: Charles Harrelson
While many know his son, Oscar-nominated actor Woody Harrelson, Charles Harrelson spent most of his adult life on the wrong side of the law. As a contract killer, he successfully killed his first two targets but went to trial for both. Years later, he was back on the streets, ready to make a big payday.
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34:5715/05/2023
"The Buried Bodies Killer" Robert Garrow Pt. 2
After Robert Garrow committed his first murder, he retreated to Adirondack Park to hide in the wilderness. But the peaceful atmosphere of the woods only agitated him more, leading him to go on a gruesome murder spree in the Adirondack Mountains. And even after being caught, he still planned to continue killing.
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35:2411/05/2023
"The Buried Bodies Killer" Robert Garrow Pt. 1
He grew up without any friends and suffered severe head injuries due to abuse from his parents. As Robert Garrow got older, he turned to crimes like larceny and burglary. But eventually, he gave way to darker and more twisted impulses.
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38:4508/05/2023
The Killer Brothers Pt. 2
Hitmen need a certain level of detachment to do their job. They typically think of their victims as targets, not people. So when brothers Steve and Robert Homick were hired to kill Gerald and Vera Woodman, their inability to be cool, calm, and collected led to a series of mistakes and, ultimately, their capture.
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35:4304/05/2023
The Killer Brothers Pt. 1
There is an old saying that blood is thicker than water. But on Sept. 25, 1985, Gerald and Vera Woodman were gunned down in the parking garage of their condo — victims of a hit put on them by two of their adult sons.
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31:5401/05/2023
The Backpacker Murders Pt. 2
By the end of 1993, seven decomposed bodies had been pulled from Australia's Belanglo State Forest. The nation was terrified, and the police force was put on notice: There was a serial killer on the loose. This episode became a Parcast Instant Classic when it initially aired in November, 2020.
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47:2027/04/2023
The Backpacker Murders Pt. 1
The bodies of two missing backpackers were recovered from Australia’s Belanglo State Forest in 1992. They weren’t the last. This episode became a Parcast Instant Classic when it initially aired in November, 2020.
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42:3024/04/2023
“The National Forest Serial Killer” Gary Michael Hilton Pt. 2
Being outside with nature is where he felt most comfortable. That’s why Gary Michael Hilton targeted avid hikers in peaceful, wooded areas. But while he chose his victims carefully, he didn't give the same type of thought to getting away with his crimes.
If you’d like to take action on the climate or learn more about the topics covered in “Dark Green: Earth Crimes and Conspiracies,” visit www.spotify.com/darkgreenresources.
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32:2120/04/2023
“The National Forest Serial Killer” Gary Michael Hilton Pt. 1
Out in nature, alone with only the trees for company, Gary Michael Hilton found a peace that always eluded him in day-to-day life. Numerous run-ins with landlords, spouses, and law enforcement complicated things in the city. And in October of 2007, he went from petty thief to murderer.
If you’d like to take action on the climate or learn more about the topics covered in “Dark Green: Earth Crimes and Conspiracies,” visit www.spotify.com/darkgreenresources.
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37:2317/04/2023
“The Unicorn Killer” Ira Einhorn Pt. 2
Philadelphia’s first Earth Day celebration made him a minor celebrity. When he met 25-year-old Holly Maddux, he knew he had to be with her. They lived together for a few years before Holly started to see the real Ira Einhorn. Just days after she told others she was leaving him, she disappeared.
If you’d like to take action on the climate or learn more about the topics covered in “Dark Green: Earth Crimes and Conspiracies,” visit www.spotify.com/darkgreenresources.
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38:2613/04/2023
"The Unicorn Killer" Ira Einhorn Pt. 1
If you were in Philadelphia during the 1960s and interested in the counterculture movement, you probably saw Ira Einhorn storm the stage at the city’s very first Earth Day. While peace and love were the mainstays of his belief system, Ira didn't always practice what he preached.
If you’d like to take action on the climate or learn more about the topics covered in “Dark Green: Earth Crimes and Conspiracies,” visit www.spotify.com/darkgreenresources.
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39:1110/04/2023
"The Route 40 Killer" Steven Brian Pennell Pt. 2
By early July 1988, he had already tortured, mutilated, and killed two women. Police were stumped until they sent in one of their own undercover. And while his wife and children slept, 30-year-old Steven Brian Pennell took the bait.
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37:2006/04/2023
"The Route 40 Killer" Steven Brian Pennell Pt. 1
With fear of confrontation and anxiety about disappointing loved ones, Steven Brian Pennell pent up his rage. He'd often drive along Highway 40 in Delaware to clear his head. After killing his first hitchhiker, he realized there was only one way to satisfy his desires.
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36:3503/04/2023
“The PICU Killer” Genene Jones Pt. 2
While she was a pediatric nurse at Bexar County Hospital, Genene Jones' colleagues were alarmed by how many babies were dying during her shift. When evidence was presented to the hospital's medical director, an investigation was launched. But during that time, Jones stayed on the job, and her patients were still in danger.
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40:2630/03/2023
“The PICU Killer” Genene Jones Pt. 1
She had experienced her share of tragedy, losing her father and a brother to cancer. That's why Genene Jones went into nursing. She wanted to make a difference. And while she was very devoted to her job in the pediatric ICU, it seemed far more babies were dying during Genene's shifts than any other nurse's.
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41:3527/03/2023
“The Pennsylvania Passion Slayer" Peter Kudzinowski
His family says that a traumatic brain injury when he was 13 changed Peter Kudzinowski's behavior. But alcohol always made him aggressive. When he was 25 years old, he was found intoxicated on the street in Detroit and put in the drunk tank. He hinted at committing horrible crimes — and the police wanted to know more.
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35:0723/03/2023
Cold Cases: The Family Court Killer (with Vanessa!)
Imagine knowing who a serial killer is for years but not having enough evidence to prove it. This is what happened to police in Sydney, Australia. During the 1980s, Leonard Warwick was angry when he lost custody of his daughter after his divorce, so he targeted employees of the family court system. And the only way to stop the violence was for his ex-wife to surrender custody.
Today, Vanessa joins Carter Roy for a special crossover episode with Cold Cases.
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44:0920/03/2023