Killer Minds: Serial Killers & True Crime Murders

Killer Minds: Serial Killers & True Crime Murders

"Killer Minds" takes you deep into the psychology of history’s most chilling murderers—from infamous serial killers to ruthless cult leaders, deadly exes, and terrifying spree killers. Every Monday and Thursday, hosts Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Tristin Engels, a clinical and forensic psychologist, blend gripping true crime storytelling with expert psychological analysis to uncover what drives people to kill. From the calculated minds of serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Bundy to crimes of passion and cold-blooded murders, "Killer Minds" goes beyond the headlines to explore the twisted psychology behind the crimes. What fuels their darkness? How do their minds work? And most hauntingly—could they have been stopped? "Killer Minds" is a Crime House Studios original. New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday. Follow "Killer Minds" wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us at @KillerMinds on social media.

Episodes

SERIAL KILLER: The Death House Landlady Pt. 2

January 8, 2026 • 48 mins
In the shocking conclusion to the Dorothea Puente story, Killer Minds uncovers how a seemingly warm, grandmotherly caretaker manipulated an entire community while murdering the vulnerable people she vowed to protect. As Dorothea’s fraud escalates into calculated killings, Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Tristin Engels trace her descent into a chilling cycle of deception, exploitation, and control. From forging letters to grieving famili...
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SERIAL KILLER: The Death House Landlady Pt. 1

January 5, 2026 • 57 mins
Before she became one of America’s most notorious female serial killers, Dorothea Puente was a master of reinvention — a woman who survived a traumatic childhood, escaped into elaborate lies, and learned to weaponize trust. In Part 1, Killer Minds traces Dorothea’s tumultuous early life, from abuse, abandonment, and shapeshifting identities to the scams, marriages, and manipulations that set the stage for her deadly crimes. Vanessa...
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Crime House Best of 2025 - MISSING: The Martin Family from Clues with Morgan Absher and Kaelyn Moore

January 3, 2026 • 71 mins
Happy New Year! This year across Crime House, we released over 600 episodes. While we are proud of all of them, one episode rose above the rest and was voted on as Crime House’s Best Episode of 2025. It’s the case of the missing Martin Family, from Clues with Morgan Absher and Kaelyn Moore.  This episode takes us back to December 1958. The Martin Family was as picture-perfect as they come during the holidays: Santa suits, candy c...
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BEST OF 2025: The Night Stalker Pt. 2

January 1, 2026 • 41 mins
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 S...
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BEST OF 2025: The Night Stalker Pt. 1

December 29, 2025 • 50 mins
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...
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CULT MASSACRE: Jim Jones Pt. 2

December 25, 2025 • 58 mins
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 ...
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The Smiley Face Killers with Dr. Tristin Engels | Crime House Crossover | From Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes

December 24, 2025 • 52 mins
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 o...
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CULT MASSACRE: Jim Jones Pt. 1

December 22, 2025 • 51 mins
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,...
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HOLIDAY SPECIAL: The Santa Claus Massacre Pt. 2

December 18, 2025 • 39 mins
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 u...
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HOLIDAY SPECIAL: The Santa Claus Massacre Pt. 1

December 15, 2025 • 40 mins
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 afte...
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SERIAL KILLER: John Wayne Gacy Pt. 2

December 11, 2025 • 58 mins
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 psychologi...
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SERIAL KILLER: John Wayne Gacy Pt. 1

December 8, 2025 • 64 mins
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 co...
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CYCLE OF JEALOUSY: Kaitlin Armstrong Pt. 2

December 4, 2025 • 46 mins
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 i...
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CYCLE OF JEALOUSY: Kaitlin Armstrong Pt. 1

December 1, 2025 • 53 mins
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 a...
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HOLIDAY SPECIAL: Thanksgiving Murders Pt. 2 with Carter Roy

November 27, 2025 • 58 mins
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 ...
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HOLIDAY SPECIAL: Thanksgiving Murders Pt. 1 with Carter Roy

November 24, 2025 • 58 mins
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, wh...
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SERIAL KILLER: "BTK" Pt. 2

November 20, 2025 • 52 mins
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...
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SERIAL KILLER: "BTK" Pt. 1

November 17, 2025 • 51 mins
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 A...
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The Bodybuilder Love Triangle Pt. 2

November 13, 2025 • 48 mins
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 obs...
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The Bodybuilder Love Triangle Pt. 1

November 10, 2025 • 55 mins
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 th...
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