Killer Psyche

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong explores the disturbing case of Lori Vallow Daybell, the Idaho mother whose apocalyptic religious beliefs concealed the murders of her own two children. For months, nine-year-old JJ Vallow and seventeen-year-old Tylee Ryan were missing, and Lori offered the world nothing but shifting stories and eerie calm. Behind her, an inner circle of relatives, self-styled prophets, and her new husband had convinced each other that the people closest to them were consumed by evil spirits, and that removing them was salvation, not murder. But beneath the couple's Rexburg property, the truth was buried in shallow graves. Candice examines how doomsday theology, love bombing, and a trail of sudden deaths built the psychological architecture for one of the decade's most chilling family crimes, and why, even after conviction, the full scope of what ""Doomsday Mom"" believed still unsettles investigators. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. 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 stunning legal turn in the case of Luigi Mangione, the man who admitted to shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Manhattan sidewalk in December 2024. After 21 months of pleading not guilty in every courtroom, Mangione stood before a federal judge and confessed -- with no deal, no agreement, and no promises from prosecutors seeking life in prison. Candice is joined by former Los Angeles prosecutor and legal analyst Josh Ritter to unpack why a defendant would plead guilty to everything and get nothing in return, whether New York's double jeopardy laws can shut down a separate state murder trial, and what this case reveals about a country increasingly willing to celebrate an admitted killer as a folk hero. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. 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 revisits the case of Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker, through the eyes of the man who cracked it. While Los Angeles dominated the headlines, it was a San Francisco homicide inspector named Frank Falzon who first put a name to one of history's most feared serial killers. Candice sits down with Falzon to trace the unlikely chain of evidence -- a stolen bracelet, a borrowed car, a reluctant informant -- that led investigators straight to Richard Ramirez, and to hear firsthand what it was like to come face to face with the Night Stalker himself. Frank Falzon's memoir, San Francisco Homicide Inspector 5-Henry-7, is available at: https://www.amazon.com/San-Francisco-Homicide-Inspector-5-Henry-7/dp/B0B72QWXLK Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. 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 terrifying case of Richard Ramirez, the serial killer and sexual predator who turned the summer of 1985 into a season of fear across Southern California. Striking seemingly at random, Ramirez slipped into homes after dark, attacking men, women, and children with a brutality that left investigators struggling to find a pattern -- or predict where he would strike next. As the body count grew, so did the panic, until a crucial forensic clue and an extraordinary public manhunt finally brought the Night Stalker's reign of terror to an end. Candice examines the psychology behind Ramirez's escalating violence, the chaotic investigation that raced to stop him, and how one killer transformed the most intimate place imaginable -- the home -- into a source of fear for millions. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Introducing Audible True Crime, a dedicated podcast feed where we bring you the best podcasts in true crime, with episodes dropping every single week. Find your next bingeable series about unsolved murders, cold cases, scams and mysteries. This is the cream of the crop of Audible podcasts, featuring award-winning series and soon-to-be favorites. Stop pestering your friends or searching “best true crime podcast” on Google. Up first, Guru: The Dark Side of Enlightenment : A search for spiritual guidance leads a group of strangers to seek direction from a self-help guru. And not just any guru. James Arthur Ray is an Oprah endorsed motivational speaker and entrepreneur whose unorthodox methods that blend self-improvement and economic advice have won him praise and a growing following. He’s fast becoming a self-help superstar. But Ray’s increasingly extreme methods push his followers to their limits. What are they seeking? What does he offer? And what happens when it all goes too far, and people die? Listen to Audible True Crime wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes on Audible True Crime early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible App or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts. Listen now: link.pscrb.fm/6438e/fdaudibletruecrimeron-93b44 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 disturbing case of Herb Baumeister, the Indianapolis thrift store owner whose sprawling Fox Hollow Farm concealed the remains of at least eleven men. For years, gay men were vanishing from the same cluster of downtown bars, drawn away by a well-dressed stranger who called himself Brian Smart and promised a night at his place in the country. But behind the locked gates of an eighteen-acre estate, that same man -- a husband, father, and successful businessman -- was living a secret life that his family never suspected and that investigators couldn't crack until the farm itself gave them the answer. Candice examines how a lifetime of concealment built the psychological architecture for one of Indiana's darkest crimes, and why, three decades later, the woods are still giving up the dead. 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 disturbing case of David and Catherine Birnie, the Australian couple who terrorized Perth over five weeks in 1986, abducting, raping, and murdering five women before a survivor's extraordinary courage brought them down. Candice examines how David's history of violent sexual sadism and Catherine's lifelong terror of being left behind made them not just compatible, but catastrophic -- a partnership that turned shared damage into a killing spree that shook Australia to its core. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. 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 disturbing case of Gary Ridgway, known as the Green River Killer. Beginning in the summer of 1982, young women began vanishing from a stretch of highway south of Seattle -- and for nearly two decades, the man responsible kept painting trucks, attending church, and living what looked like an unremarkable suburban life. What investigators eventually uncovered was a killer unlike any other: not a criminal mastermind, but a painfully ordinary man whose greatest weapon was the fact that no one looked twice at him. Candice examines how a deeply troubled childhood, a consuming hatred of the women he couldn't stop seeking out, and an almost inhuman capacity for compartmentalization allowed one man to commit 49 confirmed murders -- and nearly get away with all of them. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. 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 unravels the disturbing disappearance of 50-year-old mother of five, Jennifer Dulos. After dropping off her children at school one morning in 2019 and failing to pick them back up, Jennifer was reported missing. But soon enough, evidence would reveal a horrifying truth: Jennifer was murdered. And authorities would soon discover that her estranged husband, Fotis Dulos, and his girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, were the suspects behind the sinister conspiracy. Candice explores how an inflated sense of self and narcissitic injury contributed to Fotis Dulos' escalating rage, and examines how partnership -- and possible coercive control -- entangled Michelle Troconis in an unthinkable plot. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. 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 horrifying case of Jeffrey Dahmer, one of America's most infamous serial killers. Between 1978 and 1991, young men and boys began disappearing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, many from vulnerable communities whose disappearances drew little attention. When police finally uncovered the truth inside Dahmer's apartment, they found evidence of unimaginable brutality that shocked the nation. By the time he was arrested, 17 victims had been murdered. Candice explores how Dahmer's compulsive fantasies, profound emotional isolation, and escalating need for control evolved into increasingly gruesome crimes, and how missed opportunities by law enforcement allowed one of history's most notorious killers to evade capture for years. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

After a stunning reversal, in May, 2026, Alex Murdaugh was granted a new trial for the murders of his wife and son, after the South Carolina appeals court ruled that the actions of a former County Clerk had unfairly impacted his trial. In this encore episode, Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong revisits her conversation with Wall Street Journal national affairs reporter and New York Times bestselling author Valerie Bauerlein in which they discuss the whirlwind case of Alex Murdaugh. In 2023, Alex – a respected attorney and patriarch of the ultra-powerful Murdaugh family dynasty – was convicted of murder in the deaths of his wife, Maggie, and his son, Paul. Candice and Valerie discuss what it was like to be in the courtroom, what Valerie learned about Alex and the Murdaugh family’s influence in South Carolina’s lowcountry, and how her reporting and exclusive access came together in her book, The Devil at his Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty. Valerie also, correctly, predicted in this episode that Murdaugh would likely get a new trial. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. 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 infamous case of Albert DeSalvo, the man who confessed to being the Boston Strangler. In the early 1960s, a wave of fear swept through Boston as women were found murdered in their homes, many of them sexually assaulted and strangled. As the body count grew, investigators struggled to determine whether a single killer was responsible or if multiple predators were operating at once. When DeSalvo emerged as a suspect, his detailed confessions seemed to provide long-awaited answers, but questions about his true role in the murders would persist for decades. Candice examines how DeSalvo’s troubled childhood, compulsive criminal behavior, and escalating violence may have shaped one of the most notorious criminal cases in American history, and why the mystery surrounding the Boston Strangler continues to challenge investigators and criminologists to this day. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. 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 disturbing case of John Edward Robinson, known as the internet's first serial killer. For nearly two decades, women across the Midwest answered his ads, responded to his messages, and accepted his promises of jobs, shelter, and a better life – and then vanished without a trace. What investigators eventually uncovered was a killer unlike any other: a charming, calculating con man who recognized the internet's potential as a hunting ground before law enforcement even knew to look there. Candice examines how a lifetime of fraud, fabrication, and an insatiable need for control evolved into something far darker, and how a devoted husband, father, and churchgoer managed to lead a secret second life as a predator for nearly twenty years. 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 shocking case of Pam Hupp, a Missouri woman whose web of lies, manipulation, and greed would unravel over the course of several years. What began as the tragic murder of Betsy Faria in 2011 appeared to be a seemingly open and shut case, leading investigators to focus on Betsy’s husband. But as new evidence emerged, the investigation took a startling turn, revealing a trail of deception that extended far beyond a single crime. As authorities dug deeper, they uncovered suspicious deaths, fraudulent schemes, and a pattern of calculated behavior that pointed back to Hupp. Candice examines how Hupp’s relentless pursuit of financial gain, talent for manipulation, and apparent lack of remorse allowed her to evade suspicion for years, and how a determined search for the truth ultimately exposed one of the most disturbing criminal cases in recent memory. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. 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 disturbing case of Oscar Pistorius, the South African Olympic sprinter known worldwide as the ""Blade Runner."" On Valentine's Day 2013, Pistorius fired four shots through a locked bathroom door in his Pretoria home and killed his girlfriend, model and advocate Reeva Steenkamp. What investigators uncovered behind the world's most celebrated story of perseverance was a pattern of recklessness, rage, and control that had been hiding in plain sight for years. Candice examines how a childhood defined by loss, a family philosophy of denial, and a deeply conditioned relationship between fear and firearms converged to bring one of sport's greatest icons to one of its most shocking falls from grace. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. 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 disturbing case of Kouri Richins, the Utah real estate agent who poisoned her husband Eric with a lethal dose of fentanyl. In the spring of 2022, Eric Richins was found dead in his home in the mountains of Kamas, Utah -- and within months, his wife was giving interviews, appearing on morning television, and publishing a picture book about grief. But what investigators uncovered beneath that carefully constructed image was something far darker. Candice examines how a childhood marked by absent parents, financial chaos, and a lifelong need for external validation set the stage for a murder disguised as mourning. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. 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 disturbing case of Sid Vicious and the unsolved murder of Nancy Spungen. On the morning of October 12th, 1978, Nancy was found stabbed to death on the bathroom floor of Room 100 at New York City's legendary Chelsea Hotel — and the only suspect was the man she loved. Candice examines how two profoundly damaged people, bound together by trauma, addiction, and a relationship built on destruction, collided in a way that left one of punk rock's greatest mysteries permanently unsolved. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. 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 chilling case of Joanna Dennehy, a brutal serial killer inspired by the film Kill Bill. Over just ten days in the spring of 2013, three men were stabbed to death in quiet English towns, and no one could believe what they were seeing -- because the killer was a woman who hunted for sport. Candice examines how Dennehy used charm, manipulation, and a rare appetite for violence to murder for pleasure across a single brutal week -- and how one survivor's ability to identify her tattoo finally brought her killing spree to an end. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. 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 stunning guilty plea of Rex Heuermann, the Long Island architect known as the Gilgo Beach Serial Killer. For more than fifteen years, the murders of at least eight women dumped along a desolate stretch of Ocean Parkway went unsolved — one of the most haunting cold cases in American history. Candice walks through the investigative breakthroughs that finally brought Heuermann to justice, then is joined by legal analyst Josh Ritter to break down the terms of his plea agreement, including an unprecedented requirement to cooperate with the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. 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 disturbing case of Michael Gargiulo, known as the Hollywood Ripper. For more than a decade, women in the suburbs of Chicago and the Hollywood Hills were being murdered in their own homes, and no one saw it coming -- because the killer was never a stranger. He was the boy next door, the friendly repairman, the neighbor who waved from across the street. Candice examines how Gargiulo used proximity, access, and an unsettling gift for blending in to evade justice for fifteen years -- and how one survivor's refusal to give up changed everything. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .