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Killer Psyche

Author: Wondery | Treefort Media

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When a shocking crime occurs, people ask “Why?” Was it about power, ego, or revenge? On Killer Psyche, retired FBI agent Candice DeLong draws on her decades of experience to reveal why these murderers and criminals committed these heinous acts. She will reveal fascinating new details about what drove these people, including cases she was close to. Candice will share specific psychological methods and profiling techniques that experts use to understand the deepest part of the most complex, fascinating, and twisted minds, from the Unabomber to Alex Murdaugh to Mary Bell.

Listen to Killer Psyche on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/killer-psyche now.

188 Episodes
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Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong examines the case of Dennis Nilsen. Between 1978 and 1983, Nilsen preyed on the homeless and gay communities of London, murdering 15 people in his home. Candice dives into Nilsen’s isolated and lonely childhood, and the intense desire for love that led him to kill.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong digs into the case of Matthew Milat. In his early teen years, Matthew harbored an unhealthy obsession with his uncle -- Ivan Milat, the notorious "Backpack Murderer" of Australia. In 2010, Matthew decided to follow in Ivan's footsteps by killing his own friend. Candice explores Matthew's descent into idolizing his murderous uncle, and how a seemingly normal teenager turned into a cold-blooded killer.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Former FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong takes a closer look at the case of Jeffrey MacDonald, a former United States Army officer convicted of murdering his pregnant wife and two young daughters. He maintains innocence to this day, blaming four mysterious "hippies" for the crimes.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong explores the case of Belinda Van Krevel. After enduring a childhood of alleged abuse – and her brother’s eventual spiral into violence and imprisonment – she orchestrated the murder of her father, whom she blamed for her brother’s downfall. Candice dives into this troubled family, and how Belinda took matters into her own hands.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong dives into the case of Stephen Griffiths. Between 2009 and 2010, Griffiths killed and cannibalized women in the West Yorkshire, England town of Bradford. His unusual weapon of choice – a crossbow – earned him the nickname “The Crossbow Cannibal.” Candice digs into the troubled mind of Griffiths, and how his fascination with death and murder manifested into the unthinkable. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
For more than 20 years, bestselling author and investigative journalist M. William Phelps has been immersed in the world of true crime. As the host of the podcast Paper Ghosts, he seeks answers in unsolved cases. And in his podcast Crossing the Line with M. William Phelps, he sheds light on stories of the missing and murdered from the past – and the present. In today’s Headlines, Phelps joins Candice to dive deeper into his investigative process, and discuss some of the headline-grabbing cases he’s been covering.Listen to Crossing the Line with M. William Phelps: http://www.crossingtheline.biz/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong walks us through the case of Nancy Brophy. Brophy was a romance novelist who murdered her husband Daniel at the culinary institute where he worked in 2018. Though it appeared that she and her husband had a good relationship and were said to be a loving couple, Brophy's elaborate plot showed signs that she had been planning his murder for years including an article she’d written entitled, “How To Kill Your Husband.” Candice explores how a seemingly happy relationship could suddenly evolve into murder.To hear more about the Nancy Brophy story, listen to Happily Never After: Dan and Nancy on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.Wondery+ subscribers can binge all episodes of Happily Never After early and ad-free right now. https://wondery.com/shows/happily-never-after/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In today’s Headlines, Candice is joined by novelist Heidi Tretheway, who was formerly a member of Brophy's writing group, and currently hosts the new Wondery limited series Happily Never After: Dan and Nancy. Together, they discuss possible reasons why Brophy committed such a horrible crime, and take a closer look at her behavior before and after the murder.To hear more about the Nancy Brophy story, listen to Happily Never After: Dan and Nancy on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.Wondery+ subscribers can binge all episodes early and ad-free right now https://wondery.com/shows/happily-never-after/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong digs into John Bunting, the ring leader of the Australian Snowtown murders. Bunting recruited acolytes to help him kill those he deemed unfit to live. Bunting considered himself a vigilante for justice, but his sadistic nature and financial crimes suggest otherwise. Candice explores the psychological factors that created the monster that led others to perpetrate the Snowtown murders.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In 2022, after the sudden death of her husband, Utah mother Kouri Richins released a children’s book about coping with grief. But shortly after the book garnered national attention, Kouri was charged with murder. Prosecutors say that she intentionally killed her own husband, but she claims she is innocent. Just a few weeks ago, Kouri’s attorneys withdrew from her case – and with her newly made public statements and previous jailhouse calls under the spotlight, there are questions now more than ever about how her case will play out in court. In today’s Headlines, Candice is joined by legal analyst Josh Ritter to discuss possible reasons why her counsel withdrew, and how Kouri’s own words could impact her case if it goes to trial. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In the second half of this two-part episode, retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong speaks with Chicago trial attorney, radio show host and legal analyst Karen Conti, who represented notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy in his final death row appeal attempts. Candice and Karen discuss what Gacy was like on a personal level and what most people do not know about Gacy, the man convicted of committing 33 murders. Karen's new book, "Killing Time with John Wayne Gacy: Defending America’s Most Evil Serial Killer on Death Row" is out now and available on Amazon. To learn more about Karen and the book, please check out www.karenconti.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
During the 1980s, women in South Florida were terrorized by a prolific serial rapist. Victims reported a man sneaking into their homes at night and assaulting them while covering their faces with a pillowcase. They called him “The Pillowcase Rapist,” and after over 40 assaults, he vanished, until over 30 years later, when a stroke of luck led police to the culprit: Robert Koehler. In today’s Headlines, Candice talks to David Schutz, a journalist at the South Florida Sun Sentinel and host of the Felonious Florida podcast, whose newest season focuses on Koehler and his crimes. Candice and David discuss Koehler’s paranoid delusions and if he was mentally the same person committing the rapes as he is more than 30 years later.Listen to Felonious Florida at: https://wondery.com/shows/felonious-florida/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong breaks down the seminal case of John Wayne Gacy. Known as the "Killer Clown," Gacy murdered thirty-three boys and young men, burying the majority of them under his house. Candice digs into Gacy's abusive childhood, a domineering father and internalized homophobia to understand how he became one of the most famous serial killers of all time.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
For over a year, Kendra Licari’s 14-year-old daughter received threatening and harmful messages from a person she believed to be another teenager. She told her mom and together, they reported the harassment to the police. Cyberbullying at its worst, the hateful messages devastated Kendra’s daughter as she didn’t know the culprit behind the messages, nor could she make them stop. After months of investigating, police found that the sender was Kendra herself. The case inspired the new Lifetime movie, "Mommy Meanest.”In today’s Headlines, Candice talks to family and marriage therapist Dr. Karyl McBride about Kendra’s possible motivations and the pathology of narcissistic family members.To read Dr. McBride’s newest book Will the Drama Ever End? visit: https://www.amazon.com/Will-Drama-Ever-End-Untangling/dp/1982198737/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong delves into the case of Paul Michael Stephani, also known as the “Weepy-Voiced Killer.” A serial murderer who terrorized women around St-Paul in the early 80s, Stephani got his moniker because he would place anonymous calls to the police and report his own crimes in a whiny, high-pitched, weepy voice. Was he looking to be found? Was his remorse real? Candice explores why this killer would confess in 911 calls, and how his strict religious upbringing influenced his penchant for murder.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The trial of "Doomsday Prophet" Chad Daybell is well underway, expected to last at least two months, with more than sixty witnesses having taken the stand so far. Daybell stands accused of murder in the deaths of his first wife, Tammy Daybell, and the two children of his second wife, Lori Vallow. Daybell is facing the death penalty. Though his first wife’s death was originally thought to be a result of natural causes, officials later ruled it suspicious. The bodies of the children, Tylee and JJ, were found in Daybell’s backyard.In today's Headlines, Candice is joined by journalist Lauren Matthias, who has been attending the trial and covering the case extensively on her podcast Hidden True Crime. Together, they will discuss the evidence presented against Daybell so far, the shocking revelations from this week's testimony, and what we can expect from the trial in the weeks to come.To listen to Hidden True Crime, visit https://redcircle.com/shows/7b88c407-520a-4279-8325-416d02cd8602. To watch on YouTube, visit https://www.youtube.com/hiddentruecrime.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong examines the case of Nathan Matthews. With the help of his girlfriend Shauna Hoare, Nathan brutally murdered his sixteen year old step-sister Becky Watts in a sexually motivated attack. Candice walks us through how Nathan's history of resentment and dangerous sexual fantasies tore his family apart, and culminated in the murder of Becky, who later became known as "The Angel of Bristol." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In January 2023, California radiologist Dharmesh Patel intentionally drove his Tesla off a cliff with his wife and two children inside after suffering a “psychotic break” and extreme delusions. Miraculously, the entire family survived. When Patel recovered from his injuries, he was charged with three counts of attempted murder. Now, with the support of psychologists and Patel’s own wife, he is being considered for a mental health diversion program rather than a criminal trial and prison time. In today’s Headlines, Candice is joined by legal analyst Josh Ritter to take a closer look at what diversion programs are, and how the program could positively or negatively impact Patel’s case. Candice and Josh weigh the pros and cons of using the judicial system to solve mental health problems.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong dives into the case of Pamela Smart, whose twisted story became a media sensation in the 90s when her husband was found dead. Pamela was accused of orchestrating his murder with the help of four teenage boys, one of whom she alledgedly seduced. Candice explores how Pamela skillfully manipulated those around her to execute her sinister plan, and examines the unraveling of her murder plot.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
After nearly two years of pretrial hearings and preparations, Karen Read’s second-degree murder trial is now underway. She is accused of hitting her boyfriend, Boston Police officer John O’Keefe with her SUV in 2022 and leaving him to die in a bitter snowstorm. She contends that John’s death was caused by a brutal beating by his own law enforcement friends, and that she is the victim of an elaborate cover-up. With two completely different theories of what happened that night being presented in court, many wonder which side will convince the jury – and how. In today’s Headlines, Candice is joined by criminal defense attorney Rachel Fiset to discuss the defense’s “third party culprit” argument, how a muddied investigation could hurt the prosecution’s chance at conviction, and what shocking evidence we can expect to see throughout the trial.For more about Rachel, visit https://zfzlaw.com/team-members/rachel-fiset/.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Comments (615)

꧁WupperElfe꧂

Candice can understand how someone stabs his brother in the heart over the last piece of meat on a plate?! 😶 Huh...

May 15th
Reply

Sean Rosenau

Hoingy Boingy Oofta Oofta. HAIL NIMROD!

Apr 30th
Reply

Sayda Pervin Nipa

⭕𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟 𝗠𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛➤➤👉https://www.justhd.online

Apr 19th
Reply

Cobra 7

Not suicide at all. He was going to bomb another place. The bomb had a mercury switch, and as he was pulling from his car he tipped it the wrong way, and it detonated. Candace is correct.

Apr 17th
Reply

Sean Rosenau

Possessed? Was the mother religious? Religious people are dangerous.

Apr 13th
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Lenora Thorium

What kind of burglar steals a marriage license?? That should have been the most enormous red flag of a clue

Mar 30th
Reply (22)

Maja Matusinović

as an ex Catholic, I WISH sex was impossible in churches...

Mar 12th
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Melissa

OMG.

Feb 20th
Reply

RACHAEL BYCE

this medical abuse is not as rare as we think ... it's just rarely caught or reported!

Jan 20th
Reply (1)

Sean Rosenau

2:35

Jan 20th
Reply

Sean Rosenau

Glad the poor girl is out. Her and her guy friend should never have been imprisoned in the first place. What happened to the mother was self-defense goddammit.

Jan 20th
Reply (1)

Sharmin Sultana

🔴💚Really Amazing ️You Can Try This💚WATCH💚ᗪOᗯᑎᒪOᗩᗪ LINK >👉https://co.fastmovies.org

Jan 18th
Reply

Lo K

The host has such a bad take on this. Poor Aileen.

Jan 8th
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Rebecca Butcher

This is the only podcast I've found about Winnie Ruth Judd. Such a fascinating case!

Jan 7th
Reply

John Doe 36 "likes them young"

How can anyone be called an "insurrectionist" when they've literally never been charged with, hence never been convicted of insurrection?

Jan 3rd
Reply (2)

Art 34

Got to get the woke ideology in there. So sick of this.

Jan 1st
Reply (2)

Zsazsa

Please turn down the dramatic background music. It's annoying AF and drowns out Candaces voice.

Dec 31st
Reply

Lenora Thorium

LSD does not *cause* mental illness. It can aggravate pre-existing mental illness, however (just like any other drug). And, contrary to what is said in this episode, negative life consequences due to "bad trips" are actually quite UNcommon. Much of the bad press concerning LSD stems from either government propaganda or urban legend. And "LSD addiction" is practically unheard of, so much so that you might say it does not exist! (See above about government propaganda.)

Dec 7th
Reply (2)

Gaploon

Too many episodes that sound like bad armchair psychologist who got info from detective shows, books, pop culture and other true crime pods. Oh and just fast Google search without looking more deeply. Show just don't sound like someone that did work on mental health field. Shame as this would have been new and interesting way to see crime.

Nov 1st
Reply

kristen chatten

if I wanted to listen to red-handed I would have

Oct 30th
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