Unlawful Acts

In Part 2 of our DC Snipers series, Unlawful Acts shifts deeper into the heart of Washington, D.C., as the attacks escalate and the city descends into fear. With the nation’s capital on edge, random shootings continue to strike gas stations, sidewalks, schools, and parking lots—turning everyday routines into calculated risks. Investigators scramble to connect the dots as conflicting witness accoun...

In Part 1 of our deep dive into the DC Snipers, we trace the origins of the killers long before the terror began. This episode uncovers John Allen Muhammad’s troubled past, his descent into instability, and the events that set the stage for his deadly partnership with 17-year-old Lee Boyd Malvo. We explore their early connection, the psychological grip Muhammad held over Malvo, and the twisted fat...

n this explosive episode of Unlawful Acts, we examine the chilling manifesto, secret life, and deadly crimes of Ted Kaczynski—the Harvard-educated mathematics genius who became one of America’s most infamous domestic terrorists, known to the world as The Unabomber. From a remote Montana cabin, Kaczynski mailed homemade bombs to universities, airlines, and tech leaders—killing three and injuring do...

In this icy cold episode of Unlawful Acts, we dive into the chilling world of Richard Kuklinski, the notorious contract killer known as The Iceman. For decades, Kuklinski led a double life—devoted family man at home, and ruthless assassin for the mob by night. His nickname came not only from his emotionless demeanor, but from his method of freezing bodies to obscure time of death. With over 100 su...

In the gripping conclusion of Unlawful Acts: The Fox Hollow Farm Killer, investigators close in on Herb Baumeister, unraveling a web of lies that stretches from suburban Indianapolis to the chilling discovery buried beneath his property. As authorities uncover bones scattered across the wooded estate, the horrifying scale of Baumeister’s crimes finally comes to light. Through forensic revelations,...

In this first part of a two-episode special, Unlawful Acts unearths the beginnings of one of America’s most chilling true-crime cases — the story of Herb Baumeister, the wealthy Indiana businessman who hid a horrifying secret behind the gates of his estate, Fox Hollow Farm. Beneath the surface of suburban success, Baumeister lived a double life — one of control, deception, and deadly obsession. As...

In this haunting episode of Unlawful Acts, we unravel the terrifying case of Richard Cottingham, better known as The Torso Killer—a man whose crimes shocked even the most seasoned investigators. Operating throughout the 1970s and 80s in New Jersey and New York, Cottingham targeted women in a spree of sadistic violence that included torture, mutilation, and dismemberment. Known for leaving behind o...

In this deeply unsettling episode of Unlawful Acts, we investigate the cold and calculated crimes of Alexander Pichushkin, infamously known as The Chessboard Killer. Operating in Moscow’s Bitsa Park, Pichushkin set out to murder one person for every square on a chessboard—64 victims in total. What began with a single act of revenge spiraled into a horrifying spree targeting the elderly, the vulner...

In this nightmarish episode of Unlawful Acts, we investigate the chilling double life of John Wayne Gacy—beloved community member by day, sadistic serial killer by night. Known as the “Killer Clown” for performing at children's parties as Pogo the Clown, Gacy used charm, status, and manipulation to lure young men and boys into his suburban Chicago home—never to be seen again. We retrace the horrif...

In this disturbing episode of Unlawful Acts, we delve into the terrifying mind of Edmund Kemper—one of America’s most calculating serial killers, known as the Co-Ed Killer. Towering at 6’9” with an IQ of 145, Kemper used his intelligence, charm, and sheer physical power to manipulate and murder with chilling precision. We explore his troubled childhood, his early killings at just 15, and the bruta...

On this episode of Unlawful Acts, we descend into the nightmarish world of Ed Gein—the killer and grave robber whose twisted crimes inspired horror legends like Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. From his isolated farmhouse in Plainfield, Wisconsin, Gein dug up corpses, crafted grotesque trophies, and ultimately turned to murder. Join us as we unravel the disturbing psychology of a man whose...

On this episode of Unlawful Acts, we uncover the twisted story of Jerry Brudos—the “Shoe Fetish Killer.” Behind closed doors, his obsession with women’s shoes and lingerie escalated into abduction, murder, and grotesque trophies. What began as a strange fixation turned into a string of brutal killings that shocked the nation. Join us as we expose the double life of a man whose darkest desires left...

Known as the Muswell Hill Murderer, Dennis Nilsen is one of Britain’s most chilling serial killers. Between 1978 and 1983, Nilsen lured young men into his London flats, where he carried out brutal murders — often keeping the bodies for days, sometimes longer. In this episode of Unlawful Acts, we uncover: How Nilsen evaded police for years while killing at least 15 men The disturbing details of his...

In this episode of Unlawful Acts, we expose the twisted double life of Rodney Alcala, a charming photographer who hid his identity as a ruthless predator. Alcala earned national attention when he appeared on the hit TV show The Dating Game in the middle of his murder spree, smiling on camera while living as a serial killer off-screen. Behind his charisma lay a history of manipulation, brutality, a...

In this episode of Unlawful Acts, we dive into the shocking story of Randall Woodfield, a former NFL player whose athletic promise hid a terrifying secret. Known as the I-5 Killer, Woodfield stalked and murdered women along the West Coast during the late 1970s and early 1980s, using his charm and physical prowess to gain their trust before committing brutal crimes. We explore his rise from footbal...

In this chilling episode of Unlawful Acts, we uncover the disturbing crimes of Israel Keyes, a man who turned murder into method. Keyes buried weapons and tools across the United States, creating hidden caches that allowed him to strike whenever and wherever he traveled. Outwardly a quiet father and business owner, he lived a secret double life as a predator who stalked strangers, planned meticulo...

In Part Two of Unlawful Acts’ deep dive into Dennis Rader, the “BTK Killer,” we pick up with the chilling aftermath of his crimes and the decades-long hunt to bring him to justice. We’ll examine how Rader managed to elude capture for so long, the evolving investigation that struggled to piece together his taunting clues, and the technological break that finally unmasked him. From his cold courtroo...

In this chilling episode of Unlawful Acts, we dive into the twisted mind of Dennis Rader, the man who terrorized Kansas for decades under the name “BTK”—short for Bind, Torture, Kill. Rader lived a double life: devoted family man and church leader by day, cold-blooded serial killer by night. We’ll explore his early life, the brutal murders that earned him his infamous moniker, his taunting letters...

In this episode of Unlawful Acts, we confront the violent legacy of Donald Henry Gaskins, a man whose sadistic crimes earned him the title “The Meanest Man in America.” From a troubled childhood in rural South Carolina to a lifetime of theft, assault, and murder, Gaskins left a trail of death that spanned decades. Known for his chilling confessions and unflinching pride in his brutality, he claime...

In this episode of Unlawful Acts, we expose the twisted crimes of John Edward Robinson, a seemingly ordinary Kansas businessman who became known as “The Internet’s First Serial Killer.” Using early online chat rooms and personal ads, Robinson lured vulnerable women with promises of love, jobs, or stability—only to exploit, torture, and murder them. His calculated manipulation spanned decades, leav...

In this chilling episode of Unlawful Acts, we step into the frozen wilderness of Alaska to uncover the horrifying crimes of Robert Hansen, the so-called “Butcher Baker.” By day, Hansen was a quiet family man and respected baker—but in the shadows, he kidnapped women, flew them into remote areas, and hunted them for sport. For over a decade, he used Alaska’s vast wilderness as his killing ground, l...

In this episode of Unlawful Acts, we follow the deadly trail of Christopher Wilder, a charming yet sadistic predator who earned the nickname “The Beauty Queen Killer.” In 1984, Wilder embarked on a cross-country murder spree, luring young women—often aspiring models or beauty pageant contestants—into his trap with promises of fame. What followed was a horrifying series of kidnappings, assaults, an...

In this horrifying episode of Unlawful Acts, we revisit the reign of terror unleashed by the Chicago Ripper Crew—a sadistic group of men driven by satanic rituals and unimaginable cruelty. Between 1981 and 1982, they abducted, tortured, and murdered women across the Chicago area, leaving the city gripped with fear. Led by the depraved Robin Gecht, the crew’s crimes shocked even the most seasoned i...

In this episode of Unlawful Acts, we confront the staggering crimes of Samuel Little, the man the FBI has called the most prolific serial killer in U.S. history. Over four decades, Little preyed on society’s most vulnerable—often targeting women whose disappearances went unnoticed. With a photographic memory for his victims and chillingly detailed confessions, Little claimed responsibility for ove...

In this gripping episode of Unlawful Acts, host Susan Davis unravels the chilling story of Michael Gargiulo, known as “The Boy Next Door Killer.” Outwardly charming and seemingly ordinary, Gargiulo concealed a dark obsession—methodically stalking, attacking, and murdering women who thought they could trust him. We’ll explore his calculated methods, the chilling pattern of his crimes, and the trail...