Serial Killers & Murderous Minds

Vanessa and Dr. Engels are joined by Dr. Harini Bhat from PAVE Studio's newest show "Hidden History" as they discuss the "Blood Countess" Elizabeth Bathory, a 16th and 17th-century noblewoman who used her vast wealth, noble status, and unchecked power to torture and murder hundreds of young girls within the walls of her castle. Raised amid war, public executions, and a family that weaponized cruel...

When the kidnapping of an American college student set off an international manhunt, investigators had no idea it would lead them to a ranch in Mexico hiding 15 bodies, a cauldron filled with human remains, and a cult built on ritual human sacrifice. Vanessa and Dr. Engels follow the investigation that exposed Adolfo Constanzo's horrific operation... and the dramatic final standoff that brought it...

Ever since he was a child, Adolfo Constanzo was raised to believe he was special. And by his twenties, he'd built a cult in Mexico City fueled by black magic, psychic manipulation, and blind devotion. Join Vanessa and Dr. Engels as they trace Adolfo's path from childhood rituals and revenge spells to his terrifying alliance with Mexican drug cartels, where protection spells masked cold-blooded mur...

John Blymire set out to break a curse... but what happened inside Nelson Rehmeyer's farmhouse went far beyond anything he or his young accomplices had planned. In this episode, Vanessa and Dr. Engels unpack how a mission to steal a lock of hair spiraled into a brutal murder that shocked 1920s Pennsylvania and made international headlines. As guilt consumed the killers and a trial put folk magic it...

In 1920s Pennsylvania, folk magic and Christian faith existed side by side. And for John Blymire, a man tormented by mysterious illness since childhood, the line between healing and darkness was about to disappear. In this first installment, Vanessa and Dr. Engels explore the world of Braucherei folk magic, the psychology of curses and belief, and how one man's desperation for answers led him to r...

After faking his best friend's death for an insurance payout, H.H. Holmes spun an elaborate web of lies. But as Holmes's stories unraveled, the true scope of his betrayal revealed a man who saw everyone around him as expendable. Even the people who loved him most. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Serial Killers & Murderous Minds to never miss a case! For ad-free listening and early a...

H.H. Holmes is one of America's most notorious serial killers. But before the murders, there were the scams. In this episode, Vanessa and Dr. Engels trace Holmes's dark path from a childhood fascination with death to medical school grave robbing, a mysterious building full of trapdoors, and a dangerous partnership with fellow conman Benjamin Pitezel. As the two hatch an elaborate life insurance fr...

After the suspects in Stephen Lawrence's murder walked free on a technicality, his mother Doreen refused to let the fight end there. Her relentless campaign for justice exposed deep-rooted institutional racism within London's police force, sparked a landmark public inquiry, and ultimately helped rewrite British law itself. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Serial Killers & Murderous M...

When 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence was stabbed to death at a London bus stop in 1993, it set off one of the most explosive fights for justice in British history. In this episode, Vanessa and Dr. Engels trace Stephen's life, the brutal attack that took it, and the mounting failures that turned a grieving mother into a force for change. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Serial Killers &...

In this episode, Vanessa and Dr. Engels conclude their investigation into the Jeff Davis 8, the unsolved murders of eight women in Jennings, Louisiana, and the corruption allegations that shattered public trust. As more victims are found, suspicions of a serial killer, police cover-up, and law enforcement corruption deepen, leaving families desperate for answers. If you’re new here, don’t forget t...

Vanessa and Dr. Engels dive into the chilling true story of the Jeff Davis 8, the unsolved murders of eight women in Jennings, Louisiana, and the corruption that may have helped their killer stay hidden. As vulnerable women tied to drugs, sex work, and police informant networks begin turning up dead, this true crime deep dive explores the dark links between law enforcement corruption, sex traffick...

Join Vanessa and Dr. Engels as they unravel the shocking aftermath of Elizabeth Short’s 1947 murder, exploring how the "Black Dahlia" case became one of the most infamous unsolved crimes in Los Angeles history. From the media frenzy and investigative failures to the disturbing suspects and later revelations tied to Dr. George Hodel, this true crime deep dive examines why the murder of Elizabeth Sh...

In this episode, Vanessa and Dr. Engels explore the tragic life and unsolved murder of Elizabeth Short, the aspiring actress who the press labeled as the "Black Dahlia." From her difficult childhood and Hollywood dreams to the final days before her 1947 killing, this true crime deep dive examines the mystery, media frenzy, and chilling unanswered questions behind one of Los Angeles’ most infamous...

In this gripping conclusion to our deep dive on Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, Vanessa and Dr. Engels trace his escalation from calculated bombings to deadly domestic terrorism that left three people dead and a nation in fear. As panic spreads and authorities scramble for answers, a bold and unprecedented move forces the entire country to confront the mind behind the violence. But the breakthrough...

Explore the origins of Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, in this deep dive into the psychology behind one of America’s most infamous domestic terrorists. From his troubled childhood, social isolation, and controversial Harvard psychological study to his retreat into the Montana wilderness, Vanessa and Dr. Engels examine how a math prodigy became radicalized against technology and industrial society. W...

In March 1997, as the Hale-Bopp comet passed Earth, 39 members of Heaven’s Gate were found dead in a California mansion, having participated in one of the largest mass suicides in modern U.S. history. They believed their deaths were not an end, but a transition — a deliberate “exit” from human bodies to board a spacecraft trailing the comet. In Part 2, we explore the final days of the group, the p...

In the 1970s, Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles emerged with a radical message: they were celestial beings sent to guide humanity to the “Next Level.” Over time, their small spiritual study group transformed into Heaven’s Gate — a tightly controlled community built on isolation, strict behavioral codes, and the rejection of earthly identity. In Part 1, Alexis Linkletter and Jac Vanek from The...

For years, Dr. Harold Shipman operated as a respected physician in Hyde, England, signing death certificates and comforting grieving families. But soon, disturbing patterns began to emerge. An unusually high number of elderly patients were dying under his care. Concerns from undertakers, fellow medical professionals, and eventually law enforcement sparked one of the most significant investigations...

He was a respected family doctor. A pillar of the community. A man patients trusted with their lives. But behind the calm voice and medical authority, Dr. Harold Shipman was hiding something far darker. In this episode, Vanessa and Dr. Engels explore the early life and escalating crimes of Harold Shipman, the British doctor who would later be exposed as one of the most prolific serial killers in m...

In the early 2000s, a brutal crime shocked the United Kingdom. Prosecutors argued that Kenneth Regan and his associates murdered Anil Chohan and members of his family in a calculated plot to seize control of Chohan’s successful shipping business. According to the case presented in court, the motive was clear: financial gain and the opportunity to use the company as a front for criminal enterprises...

In the 1990s, Kenneth Regan was deeply embedded in the British criminal underworld, orchestrating scams, fraud schemes, and elaborate cons across the UK. But when one of his schemes finally caught up with him and landed him behind bars, he didn’t lie low... he found opportunity. That opportunity was Anil Chohan. What began as a prison acquaintance would spiral into one of the most shocking and cal...

More than 135 years later, the identity of Jack the Ripper remains one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in true crime In Part 2, Vanessa and Dr. Engels explore the final chilling 1888 Whitechapel murders that terrorized Victorian London and their aftermath. They'll examine the most compelling suspects behind the world’s most infamous unidentified serial killer, and what kind of person could be c...

Jack the Ripper remains one of the most infamous unsolved serial killers in history. His brutal crimes shocked Victorian London and continue to grip the true crime community today. Despite numerous suspects, modern forensic attempts, and over a century of investigation, the identity of Jack the Ripper remains unknown. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Serial Killers & Murderous Minds...

In this episode of Serial Killers and Murderous Minds, Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Tristin Engels continue the chilling story of Lyda Southard as her confidence grows and her crimes escalate. With multiple husbands dead and suspicion quietly mounting, Lyda refines her methods while authorities begin connecting the dots. This episode follows her final murders, her attempt to flee justice, and the fo...

In this episode of Serial Killers and Murderous Minds, Vanessa Richardson and forensic psychologist Dr. Tristin Engels are joined by Sarah Turney and Kourtney Nichole from Crime House's new show, The Final Hours. They explore the early life of Lyda Southard, a woman trapped by poverty, rigid gender roles, and rural isolation in the early 20th century. What begins as a story of a young woman longin...