Killer Minds: Serial Killers & True Crime Murders

Happy New Year! As we look ahead to 2026, we’re excited to bring you even more fascinating cases and gripping investigations. More importantly, we'd like to thank you for listening, and making 2025 an unforgettable year, your support and curiosity keep us coming back week after week. Please enjoy our Best of 2025 selection, The Night Stalker! Killer Minds will be back next week with a brand new episode. Richard Ramirez believed Satan protected him, but he couldn't outrun justice forever. In Part 2, we explore "The Night Stalker’s" gruesome 1985 killing spree, the chilling trail of clues left in his wake, and the courageous community that ended his reign of terror in an unforgettable showdown. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Killer Minds to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Murder True Crime Stories, Crime House Daily and Crimes and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy New Year! As we look ahead to 2026, we’re excited to bring you even more fascinating cases and gripping investigations. More importantly, we'd like to thank you for listening, and making 2025 an unforgettable year, your support and curiosity keep us coming back week after week. Please enjoy our Best of 2025 selection, The Night Stalker! Killer Minds will be back next week with a brand new episode.Richard Ramirez, "The Night Stalker," wasn't born a killer, but his path was paved with trauma, violence, and a dark obsession. In Part 1, we explore Ramirez’s disturbing childhood in El Paso, his fascination with Satanism, and the twisted influences that turned him into one of California’s most feared serial killers. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Killer Minds to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Murder True Crime Stories, Crime House Daily and Crimes and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The conclusion of the Jim Jones story follows his unraveling as defections, scandals, and mounting scrutiny push the cult leader to flee the U.S. and establish the isolated Jonestown settlement—where his paranoia, drug-fueled delusions, and absolute control escalate to catastrophic levels. As Congressman Leo Ryan attempts to investigate, Jones’s fears explode into violence, culminating in the airstrip ambush and the mass poisoning that claimed over 900 lives, including more than 300 children. Vanessa Richardson guides listeners through the harrowing final days of Jonestown, while Dr. Tristin Engels explores the psychology behind Jones’s descent into lethal fanaticism and the chilling mechanisms that allowed a community’s trust to become a weapon of mass destruction. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Killer Minds to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Murder True Crime Stories, Crime House Daily and Crimes and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Engels joins Vanessa in this episode of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes for a Crime House crossover!  Dozens of young men, all found drowned. A single eerie clue near every crime scene: a painted smiley face. Uncover the dark origins of the Smiley Face Killers theory — a decades-long investigation that suggests a nationwide ring of serial murderers might still be active. Follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen: https://play.megaphone.fm/wm1aoandqx-axn1ncatcaq To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the first part of this two-episode deep dive, Killer Minds traces the rise of Jim Jones—from a lonely, attention-seeking child in Indiana to a charismatic preacher who built the Peoples Temple and laid the groundwork for one of history’s most infamous cults. Vanessa Richardson recounts how Jones blended social justice messaging with manipulation, staged miracles, and psychological control to amass thousands of devoted followers, while Dr. Tristin Engels analyzes the early signs of his megalomania, obsession with power, and growing paranoia. By exploring his childhood influences, calculated use of religion, and escalating tactics of fear and loyalty-testing, this episode examines how Jones transformed himself into a leader capable of unimaginable darkness. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Killer Minds to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Murder True Crime Stories, Crime House Daily and Crimes and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Christmas Eve 2008, the Ortega family gathered at their home in Covina, California, for their annual holiday celebration. Laughter, food, and music filled the night—until a man dressed as Santa Claus knocked on their door. In Part 2 of The Santa Claus Massacre, Carter Roy reveals the shocking and tragic events that unfolded that night, when 45-year-old Bruce Pardo—Sylvia Ortega’s embittered ex-husband—turned holiday cheer into unimaginable horror. What began as a festive family gathering ended in one of California’s deadliest crimes. This episode traces Bruce’s meticulously planned attack, the inferno that followed, and the chilling aftermath that left investigators searching for answers—and a surviving family struggling to rebuild their lives. But out of the ashes, hope emerged: a story of survival, resilience, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.Listen to Murder: True Crime Stories wherever you listen to podcasts: https://play.megaphone.fm/zooymjyirj-p1yeorxgirwOn Christmas Eve 2008, the Ortega family gathered at their home in Covina, California, for their annual holiday celebration. Laughter, food, and music filled the night—until a man dressed as Santa Claus knocked on their door. In Part 2 of The Santa Claus Massacre, Carter Roy reveals the shocking and tragic events that unfolded that night, when 45-year-old Bruce Pardo—Sylvia Ortega’s embittered ex-husband—turned holiday cheer into unimaginable horror. What began as a festive family gathering ended in one of California’s deadliest crimes. This episode traces Bruce’s meticulously planned attack, the inferno that followed, and the chilling aftermath that left investigators searching for answers—and a surviving family struggling to rebuild their lives. But out of the ashes, hope emerged: a story of survival, resilience, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.Listen to Murder: True Crime Stories wherever you listen to podcasts: https://play.megaphone.fm/zooymjyirj-p1yeorxgirw To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year — but for Bruce Pardo, the holidays brought something far darker. After losing his marriage, his family, and even his dog, Bruce’s bitterness turned deadly. In this first part of our Christmas Crime Special, we meet the Ortega family — a loving, tight-knit clan from Covina, California. When Sylvia Ortega met Bruce, she believed she’d finally found her happily ever after. But behind Bruce’s charming smile was a trail of deceit, neglect, and violence stretching back decades. As Carter Roy guides us through the Ortegas’ story, we uncover how one man’s obsession and thirst for revenge set the stage for one of the most horrifying crimes in Christmas history.Listen to Murder: True Crime Stories wherever you listen to podcasts: https://play.megaphone.fm/zooymjyirj-p1yeorxgirw To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By the late 1970s, John Wayne Gacy seemed untouchable — a pillar of his community who charmed neighbors and entertained children. But when police began closing in, the façade cracked, revealing one of the most horrific crime scenes in history.In this conclusion, hosts Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Tristin Engels follow investigators as they uncover Gacy’s terrifying secrets: 33 victims buried in his home and beyond. Through psychological insight and gripping storytelling, Killer Minds examines how Gacy’s ego, delusion, and cruelty finally brought him down — and what his case reveals about the darkest corners of the human mind. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Killer Minds to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Murder True Crime Stories, Crime House Daily and Crimes and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before he became one of America’s most notorious serial killers, John Wayne Gacy was a respected businessman, community volunteer, and beloved party clown in suburban Chicago. But behind the makeup of “Pogo the Clown” hid a deeply disturbed man shaped by abuse, trauma, and rage.In this first episode, host Vanessa Richardson and criminal psychologist Dr. Tristin Engels trace Gacy’s early life — from a violent childhood and secret compulsions to the first crimes that exposed his monstrous double life. Beneath the surface of normalcy, a predator was taking shape. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Killer Minds to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Murder True Crime Stories, Crime House Daily and Crimes and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After shooting cyclist Mo Wilson in cold blood, Kaitlin Armstrong vanished. Using her sister’s passport, she fled the U.S. for Costa Rica — changing her name, dyeing her hair, and even getting plastic surgery to hide from authorities. But as investigators closed in, Kaitlin’s confidence became her downfall.In Part 2, Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Tristin Engels follow Armstrong’s desperate escape across borders, her stunning capture in a Costa Rican hostel, and her shocking attempt to flee custody before trial. Through psychological analysis, they explore the fragile ego and delusional self-assurance that led Kaitlin to believe she could outsmart everyone — even after committing an unforgivable crime. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Killer Minds to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Murder True Crime Stories, Crime House Daily and Crimes and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Austin-based yoga instructor Kaitlin Armstrong met elite cyclist Colin Strickland, their relationship seemed passionate and driven by shared ambition. But behind the calm surface, jealousy simmered. When Colin reconnected with rising cycling star Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson, Kaitlin’s insecurity spiraled into obsession — and ultimately, murder.In Part 1, Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Tristin Engels unravel how Kaitlin’s deep-seated anxiety and fear of abandonment evolved into dangerous control. Through psychological insight and chilling detail, the hosts trace Kaitlin’s unraveling — from her unstable upbringing and toxic romance to the moment her jealousy exploded into violence. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Killer Minds to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Murder True Crime Stories, Crime House Daily and Crimes and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The holiday of gratitude turns to horror once again.In this second installment, Killer Minds explores two shocking cases: a deadly family feud in Oakland that ends with a Thanksgiving Day hostage crisis and triple homicide, and the terrifying story of Joel Michael Guy Jr., who meticulously plotted to kill and dismember his parents for their life insurance.Through these cases, hosts Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Tristin Engels, joined by Murder: True Crimes Stories host Carter Roy, unravel what drives ordinary people to commit the unthinkable — when love, loyalty, and bloodlines collide. Listen to Murder: True Crime Stories wherever you listen to podcasts: https://play.megaphone.fm/zooymjyirj-p1yeorxgirw Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Don’t miss out on all things Killer Minds! Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thanksgiving is meant for gratitude — but sometimes, it brings out the darkest parts of the human mind. In this chilling special, the Killer Minds team, joined by Murder: True Crime Stories host Carter Roy, examines two Thanksgiving tragedies: the 2009 Merhige family massacre, when a Florida man opened fire on his relatives after years of mental decline and resentment, and the gruesome murder of Bill Nelson by his wife, Omaima, whose fairytale romance turned into one of California’s most shocking crimes. A study of obsession, rage, and the deadly side of family gatherings. Listen to Murder: True Crime Stories wherever you listen to podcasts: https://play.megaphone.fm/zooymjyirj-p1yeorxgirw Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Don’t miss out on all things Killer Minds! Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For more than 30 years, Dennis Rader terrorized Wichita, Kansas — living a double life as a devoted husband, church leader, and Scoutmaster by day, and a sadistic killer by night. As he taunted police and played a deadly game of cat and mouse, Rader’s arrogance would ultimately become his undoing. In this shocking conclusion, Vanessa and Dr. Engels break down the psychology of a man driven by control, secrecy, and a need for fame — and the digital mistake that finally ended his reign as the BTK Killer. Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Don’t miss out on all things Killer Minds! Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before he was known as the BTK Killer, Dennis Rader was a quiet Midwestern boy with a dark imagination. Behind his polite smile and churchgoing charm, Dennis harbored fantasies of control, torture, and death. In this first episode, Killer Minds hosts Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Tristin Engels uncover how Rader’s early experiences — from childhood humiliation to secret obsessions — shaped one of the most chilling serial killers in American history. A disturbing look into how a seemingly ordinary man became a master of deception and murder. Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Don’t miss out on all things Killer Minds! Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After Melissa James’s body is found, Craig Titus and Kelly Ryan insist they’re innocent — until the lies start to crumble. As detectives chase the couple across state lines, a twisted story of vanity, manipulation, and violence emerges. From bodybuilding fame to life behind bars, Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Tristin Engels dissect how ambition, arrogance, and desire turned this once-golden couple into killers. What happens when obsession with perfection becomes a fatal flaw? Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Don’t miss out on all things Killer Minds! Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At the height of their fame, bodybuilding power couple Craig Titus and Kelly Ryan were unstoppable — sculpted bodies, magazine covers, and a fitness empire built on success and control. But beneath the surface of their glamorous life was a world of drugs, jealousy, and rage.When their trusted assistant, Melissa James, is found burned beyond recognition in the trunk of Kelly’s car, police unravel a story of obsession and betrayal that shocks the fitness world. Fame built their empire. Greed and violence destroyed it. Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Don’t miss out on all things Killer Minds! Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For years, Charles Cullen slipped through the cracks — fired, rehired, and free to kill again. Hospitals ignored the warning signs. Administrators covered their tracks. And hundreds of patients paid the price. But when a fellow nurse befriends Charles, she becomes the key to his downfall. In this shocking conclusion, Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Tristin Engels reveal how Cullen’s arrogance, obsession, and chilling lack of remorse turned hospitals into his hunting grounds — and how one woman’s courage finally stopped him. Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Don’t miss out on all things Killer Minds! Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He was trusted to save lives — but used his nursing uniform to hide pure evil. When Charles Cullen entered the medical field, he wasn’t looking to heal patients. He was looking for revenge. Over the course of 16 years, he quietly poisoned hospital patients across New Jersey and Pennsylvania, becoming one of the most prolific serial killers in American history.In this first episode, Killer Minds hosts Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Tristin Engels trace how Cullen’s childhood trauma, obsession with control, and thirst for vengeance led him to play God — one lethal injection at a time. Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Don’t miss out on all things Killer Minds! Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scott Falater claimed he was asleep when he killed his wife, but the court wasn't so sure. In Part 2, we follow the high-stakes trial that pitted science against suspicion, unpacking expert testimony, haunting sleep studies, and a final plea that left the jury wondering if a man could be both grieving… and guilty. Killer Minds is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Don’t miss out on all things Killer Minds! Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices