Unlawful Acts

Unlawful Acts

Every story has two sides—the version we hear, and the version buried beneath the surface. Unlawful Acts is a weekly true crime podcast hosted by Susan Davis, offering condensed yet compelling storytelling that dives deep into some of the world’s most fascinating criminal cases. From elusive serial killers to decades-old mysteries, each episode peels back the layers to uncover the truths often left untold. But this isn’t just about the crimes—it’s about the people: the families who never stopped searching, the detectives who chased justice across years and continents, and the overlooked patterns hiding in plain sight. If you’re captivated by human behavior, drawn to detail, and short on time—but still want the full story—Unlawful Acts invites you to dig deeper and discover what they didn’t want you to know.

Episodes

The Torso Killer – Richard Cottingham

October 30, 2025 • 36 mins
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 only the torsos of his victims, Cot...
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The Chessboard Killer – Alexander Pichushkin

October 23, 2025 • 35 mins
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 vulnerable, and those who trusted him. W...
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America’s Most Evil Clown - John Wayne Gacy

October 16, 2025 • 41 mins
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 horrifying trail of over 30 murders, the...
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The Co-Ed Killer - Edmund Kemper

October 9, 2025 • 39 mins
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 brutal spree that followed his release—...
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The Butcher of Plainfield – Ed Gein

October 2, 2025 • 31 mins
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 obsession with death and his mother...
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The Shoe Fetish Killer – Jerry Brudos

September 25, 2025 • 30 mins
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 a trail of terror and death. Learn...
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The Man Who Slept with Corpses - Dennis Nilsen

September 18, 2025 • 31 mins
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 obsession with the dea...
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The Dating Game Killer – Rodney Alcala

September 11, 2025 • 32 mins
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, and countless victims whose stories ...
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The NFL Player Turned I-5 Killer – Randall Woodfield

September 4, 2025 • 33 mins
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 football player to serial predator, the mu...
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The Nation’s Kill Kit Killer – Israel Keyes

August 28, 2025 • 36 mins
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 meticulously, and left behind far more ques...
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Bind, Torture, Kill: Part 2 - Dennis Rader

August 21, 2025 • 26 mins
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 courtroom confessions to the lasting impact...
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Bind, Torture, Kill: Part 1 – Dennis Rader

August 14, 2025 • 28 mins
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 to police, and the shocking way he...
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The Meanest Man in America - Donald Henry Gaskins

August 7, 2025 • 27 mins
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 claimed to have killed more than 100 peop...
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The Internet's First Serial Killer - John Edward Robinson

July 31, 2025 • 39 mins
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, leaving a trail of missing persons acro...
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The Butcher Baker's Alaskan Hunting Games - Robert Hansen

July 24, 2025 • 31 mins
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, leaving a trail of fear that stretch...
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The Cross-Country Crimes of The Beauty Queen Killer - Christopher Wilder

July 17, 2025 • 37 mins
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, and murders that left law enforcement...
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Satanic Rituals & a City in Terror - The Chicago Ripper Crew

July 10, 2025 • 30 mins
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 investigators. We’ll uncover the gru...
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America’s Deadliest Serial Killer - Samuel Little

June 26, 2025 • 30 mins
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 over 90 murders, many of which remaine...
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Charming Neighbor, Cold-Blooded Killer - Michael Gargiulo

June 19, 2025 • 24 mins
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 of terror that finally led investi...
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The Twisted Secrets of the Toybox Killer - David Parker Ray

June 12, 2025 • 32 mins
In this disturbing episode of Unlawful Acts, we delve into the dark world of David Parker Ray, a man suspected of torturing and killing dozens of women inside a soundproof trailer he chillingly called his “Toybox.” Ray’s sadistic methods, recorded confessions, and disturbing collection of tools paint the portrait of a predator unlike any other. We’ll explore the evidence that shocked investigators, the courageous escape that brough...
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