Psycho Killer: Shocking True Crime Stories

Simon Ford
  • 4.6 (7)
  • TRUE CRIME

Psycho Killer: The true crime podcast exposing serial killers, psychopaths, and the darkest minds. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.

  1. The Detective’s Files: True Crime Tales With Jacques Morrell – The Hillsborough Disaster & Public Order Policing

    4D AGO

    The Detective’s Files: True Crime Tales With Jacques Morrell – The Hillsborough Disaster & Public Order Policing

    On 15 April 1989, 97 Liverpool supporters were unlawfully killed during an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield. For decades, false narratives blamed the fans. In this episode of The Detective’s Files, former major crime detective Jacques Morrell reflects on public order policing in the 1980s — from riot training and football match duties to the catastrophic failures at Hillsborough. What went wrong? Could it have been prevented? And how has public order policing changed since? This is a measured, first-hand account from an officer who was there in the stands as a Nottingham Forest supporter and saw the tragedy unfold. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.

    51 min
  2. The A-Z Of Psychopaths: Zodiac – The Killer Who Wanted An Audience

    FEB 20

    The A-Z Of Psychopaths: Zodiac – The Killer Who Wanted An Audience

    The Zodiac didn’t just kill — he performed. In this episode of A-Z of Psychopaths, we examine the crimes and communications of the Zodiac Killer, whose letters, cyphers, and taunts terrorised Northern California in the late 1960s and continue to fascinate investigators and psychologists today.  Rather than focusing on suspect speculation, this episode analyses Zodiac’s behaviour through the lens of forensic psychology and criminal profiling. Using the Hare Psychopathy Checklist as a framework—while acknowledging its limitations—we explore whether Zodiac’s actions are consistent with psychopathy, narcissism, sadism, or a dangerous blend of traits driven by control and attention. We also look at the role of media amplification, the psychology of anonymous offenders, and how unresolved cases evolve into cultural mythology. This is not a hunt for answers—but an examination of what the evidence actually supports. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support. This episode includes AI-generated content.

    8 min
  3. The A-Z Of Psychopaths: Andrea Yates – When Crime, Faith & Severe Mental Illness Collide

    FEB 16

    The A-Z Of Psychopaths: Andrea Yates – When Crime, Faith & Severe Mental Illness Collide

    Content warning: This episode discusses filicide, postpartum psychosis, severe mental illness, and religious delusion. Listener discretion is strongly advised. Andrea Yates remains one of the most disturbing—and misunderstood—cases in modern criminal history. This episode does not sensationalise her crimes. Instead, it examines postpartum psychosis, religious delusion, and the profound failures that preceded the deaths of her children.  Crucially, we ask why Andrea Yates does not meet the criteria for psychopathy—and what her case teaches us about the dangers of oversimplification in true crime. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.

    7 min
  4. The A-Z Of Psychopaths: Xiong Zhijun – A Grievance-Driven Spree Killer Whose Crimes Shocked China.

    FEB 13

    The A-Z Of Psychopaths: Xiong Zhijun – A Grievance-Driven Spree Killer Whose Crimes Shocked China.

    Eight murders. One night. One man’s shocking killing spree. In January 2009, a quiet town in Hubei Province, China, became the scene of one of the country’s most shocking acts of mass violence. Xiong Zhijun — also known in court records and media reports as Xiong Zhenlin — murdered eight people in less than 15 hours, including a toddler. The killings followed a pattern of personal grievance, rejection, and rage, culminating in an attack that stunned even seasoned investigators. In this episode of The A-Z of Psychopaths, we examine: The timeline of Xiong’s spree killingsHis background and psychological stressorsWhether his actions suggest clinical psychopathy, or a grievance-fuelled violent collapseThe role of capital punishment and mental health assessment in the Chinese legal systemThis is not a story of genius or mystery — it is a study in resentment, entitlement, and catastrophic violence. Listener discretion advised. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.

    7 min
  5. The A-Z Of Psychopaths: Aileen Wuornos – The Highway Killer

    FEB 9

    The A-Z Of Psychopaths: Aileen Wuornos – The Highway Killer

    She was bad to the bone – a heartless, lying serial killer – but was Aileen Wuornos insane, too? In this episode of The A–Z of Psychopaths, we examine one of the most controversial figures in modern true crime. Aileen Wuornos was convicted of murdering seven men in Florida between 1989 and 1990 and was executed in 2002 — but debate continues over how her crimes should be understood.  Was Wuornos a psychopath in the clinical sense? Or was her violence the result of extreme trauma, abuse, and mental illness? Drawing on the Hare Psychopathy Checklist and Wuornos’s own recorded words, this episode explores psychopathy, gendered violence, media narratives, and the dangers of simplistic labels. Listener discretion advised: this episode discusses sexual violence, murder, and execution. Acknowledgements This episode includes audio clips from 'Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer', directed by Nick Broomfield and produced by Lafayette Films for Channel Four (1994).  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.

    8 min
  6. The A-Z Of Psychopaths: Dorángel Vargas – El Comegente ("The People Eater")

    FEB 6

    The A-Z Of Psychopaths: Dorángel Vargas – El Comegente ("The People Eater")

    “Eating people is like eating pears.” Dorángel Vargas—known in Venezuela as El Comegente (“The People Eater”)—is one of the most disturbing figures in modern true crime. A homeless man living beneath bridges in the Andean state of Táchira, Vargas confessed to killing and eating multiple men during the late 1990s. But this episode of The A-Z Of Psychopaths asks a question that most true crime podcasts avoid: Was Dorángel Vargas actually a psychopath? Diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, Vargas presents a serious challenge to simplistic labels. Using the Hare Psychopathy Checklist (PCL-R) as a clinical framework, this episode examines his behaviour, motives, and mental state—carefully distinguishing psychopathy from severe mental illness. This is not a sensational account of cannibalism. It is a forensic and psychological analysis of where diagnosis, responsibility, and danger intersect—and why misclassifying offenders matters.  Hosted by Simon Ford, The A-Z of Psychopaths explores one case per episode, questioning myths around serial killers, violence, and psychopathy through evidence-based analysis. Listener discretion advised. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.

    7 min
  7. The A-Z Of Psychopaths: Jack Unterweger – The Serial Killer Who Fooled Europe

    FEB 2

    The A-Z Of Psychopaths: Jack Unterweger – The Serial Killer Who Fooled Europe

    Suave, urbane, and prone to strangling women with their underwear – Jack Unterweger fooled high society. Jack Unterweger was once held up as a symbol of rehabilitation: a convicted murderer who became a celebrated writer, journalist, and cultural figure.  Released early from prison, he was embraced by politicians, intellectuals and the media — and even invited to lecture on criminal reform. Then women began to die. Again.  In this episode of The A-Z of Psychopaths, we examine how Unterweger used charm, intellect and social manipulation to deceive an entire system. We explore his crimes across Austria, Germany and the United States, and assess whether he fits the psychological profile of a psychopath — or something more unsettling still. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.

    7 min
  8. The A-Z Of Psychopaths: Ottis Toole – Confession & Credibility

    JAN 30

    The A-Z Of Psychopaths: Ottis Toole – Confession & Credibility

    Ottis Toole: the serial killer who confessed to almost everything.  Ottis Toole is remembered as one of America’s most disturbing serial killers — a drifter, arsonist, alleged cannibal, and prolific confessor who claimed responsibility for dozens of murders, including some he almost certainly did not commit. In this episode of The A-Z Of Psychopaths, Simon Ford examines the life and crimes of Ottis Toole, separating what is known from what is claimed. From his chaotic childhood and cognitive impairments to his close association with Henry Lee Lucas, Toole’s case raises an uncomfortable question at the heart of true crime: what happens when investigators want a confession more than the truth? Using the Hare Psychopathy Checklist (PCL-R) as a framework — and with appropriate caveats — this episode explores whether Toole was a psychopath, a deeply damaged man, or a useful monster in a broken criminal justice system. This is not a story about how many people he killed. It’s a story about why we believed him. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.

    9 min
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4.6
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Psycho Killer: The true crime podcast exposing serial killers, psychopaths, and the darkest minds. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.

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