TRUE CRIME TODAY +PLUS

LISTEN AD-FREE to ALL of our True Crime Podcasts!

$5.99/mo or $39.99/yr after trial

Mind Behind The Crime | The Psychology Of Killers

True Crime Today
  • 3.6 (7)
  • NEWS COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED DAILY

Welcome to Mind Behind The Crime, the authoritative podcast that grants you exclusive access to the profound insights of respected psychologists, psychotherapists, and mental health experts as they delve into the most captivating true crime stories of our time. Hosted by Tony Brueski, this enthralling series takes you on an intellectual journey through the intricate workings of the human mind and its connection to the darkest realms of criminal behavior. In each episode, the vaulted doors of the criminal psyche are unlocked, as these esteemed professionals analyze and unravel the complexities that underlie heinous acts, shedding light on the most chilling cases that have gripped the world. Prepare to be captivated, enlightened, and challenged as you venture into the realm where true crime meets the expertise of mental health professionals. Mind Behind The Crime offers a unique opportunity to understand the intricate web of the criminal mind and the essential role mental health plays in comprehending and preventing such acts. Join us on this intellectual odyssey, where true crime stories are not merely recounted, but dissected and analyzed by the sharpest minds in the field of psychology. Tune in to Mind Behind The Crime and embark on a journey of exploration and discovery, where the complexities of the human psyche are unveiled, and the enigmatic world of true crime finds its intersection with psychological expertise.

  1. HOW TO LISTEN to PREMIUM PLUS AD-FREE, ADVANCE Episodes!

    JAN 22

    HOW TO LISTEN to PREMIUM PLUS AD-FREE, ADVANCE Episodes!

    How to Get Ad-Free, Advance Content from True Crime Today and Hidden Killers Podcasts Do you want to enjoy all the content from True Crime Today and Hidden Killers podcasts without ads and before everyone else? Here’s exactly how to do it: Subscribe to True Crime Today PREMIUM PLUS on Apple Podcasts. Choose either a monthly or yearly subscription. Make sure you select True Crime Today PREMIUM PLUS—this is the channel that gives you all the ad-free and advance content. Important: If you’re hearing ads, it means you’re not on the right channel. Double-check that you’ve subscribed to True Crime Today Premium Plus. Follow the True Crime Today PREMIUM PLUS channel on Apple Podcasts. This is a separate channel where all the ad-free and early-access episodes are uploaded. Remember: Regular episodes with ads will still be available on the main channels. To get the ad-free and advance episodes, you must subscribe and follow the True Crime Today PREMIUM PLUS channel. If you’re still getting ads, head over to the True Crime Today PREMIUM PLUS channel and ensure you’re subscribed there! Enjoy your exclusive content!

    1 min
  2. Kevin Franke: Manipulated Victim or Willing Bystander? The Psychology Behind ‘Devil in the Family’ | 2025 True Crime

    JAN 4

    Kevin Franke: Manipulated Victim or Willing Bystander? The Psychology Behind ‘Devil in the Family’ | 2025 True Crime

    Was Kevin Franke a victim of psychological manipulation — or a bystander who found it easier not to look too closely? In this gripping Hidden Killers deep dive, Tony Brueski and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott analyze one of the most troubling dynamics explored in Hulu’s Devil in the Family: a father who insists he never recognized the abuse happening under his own roof. The episode begins with the psychology of Kevin’s denial. How does a spouse convince themselves that extreme parenting is “discipline” rather than danger? Shavaun Scott breaks down the mechanisms of thought-reform, coercive influence, and the slow erosion of intuition. And then the most haunting question of all: what makes a father step away from his own children for an entire year because an outside “guru” told him to? But the story doesn’t end with the collapse of the Franke family. Kevin recently announced his engagement, just six months after finalizing his divorce from Ruby — who is now serving a possible 30-year prison sentence for aggravated child abuse. The public reaction has been split: is this healing, deflection, or strategic rebranding? Tony and Shavaun examine the psychology of rapid re-partnering after trauma, the desire to rewrite personal identity, and the fine line between moving forward and bypassing accountability. We also explore Kevin’s recent support of Utah’s new “child influencer” law — a step toward protecting children exploited in monetized online content. His testimony was powerful, but does it reconcile the years he stood behind a camera while harmful parenting was broadcast to millions? This episode asks the hardest questions:  Was Kevin controlled — or complicit?  Is he rebuilding — or rebranding?  And what does accountability look like for the children who had no choice? #KevinFranke #RubyFranke #8Passengers #HiddenKillers #PsychologicalAbuse #DevilInTheFamily #ParentalAccountability #TrueCrimeAnalysis #TonyBrueski #ShavaunScott Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

    30 min
  3. Wendi Freezes, Robert Speaks: The Adelson Kids Break Silence | 2025 True Crime

    JAN 2

    Wendi Freezes, Robert Speaks: The Adelson Kids Break Silence | 2025 True Crime

    In today’s explosive Hidden Killers breakdown, we examine the testimony that has completely reshaped the Donna Adelson trial — testimony not from police, not from experts, but from Donna’s own children, whose words now carry some of the greatest weight in the courtroom. First, we turn to Wendi Adelson, whose strategy has the courtroom buzzing. While her brother Robert delivered blunt, precise answers, Wendi leaned heavily on one phrase: “I don’t remember.”  Again. And again. And again. But is this selective memory a trauma response from years of family pressure, manipulation, and emotional control?  Or is it a carefully crafted shield — a strategic fog meant to protect herself, the family, and possibly Donna? Psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins Tony Brueski to dissect Wendi’s demeanor in real time, explaining how adult children of dominant or narcissistic parents often split — one breaking free and telling the truth, the other staying entangled in loyalty, denial, or fear. Jurors watch every pause. Every hesitation. Every dodge. And Shavaun breaks down exactly what those signals mean. Then we shift to Robert Adelson, whose testimony landed like a hammer. Clinical. Direct. Brutally honest. He described Donna’s controlling tendencies, her intrusion into major life decisions, and her eerie lack of concern after Dan Markel’s murder. His words were not defensive. They were revelatory. Defense Attorney Eric Faddis joins Tony to analyze how jurors absorb testimony when it comes straight from a defendant’s own children — one distancing herself through “I don’t remember,” the other stepping into the sunlight with uncomfortable truth. Is this character evidence — or is it motive crystallized? Are we watching a family fracture, or a family finally telling the truth about its own internal gravity? This isn’t just testimony. This is the Adelson family dynamic cracked open in front of a jury — loyalty, fear, denial, resentment, and survival all colliding in real time. #DonnaAdelson #WendiAdelson #DanMarkel #AdelsonTrial #TrueCrime #CourtroomDrama #ShavaunScott #EricFaddis #FamilyDynamics #HiddenKillers Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

    35 min
  4. Kohberger's Sham Remorse Exposed: Was His Guilty Plea Just Twisted Pride? Experts Spill All! | 2025 True Crime

    12/30/2025

    Kohberger's Sham Remorse Exposed: Was His Guilty Plea Just Twisted Pride? Experts Spill All! | 2025 True Crime

    🔍 Unmask the chilling void inside Bryan Kohberger as psychotherapist Shavaun Scott and retired FBI behavior chief Robin Dreeke dissect his narcissistic psyche and "proud" courtroom confession – in this explosive recap from Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review – a look back at the biggest cases of the year. Locked in four life sentences after his July 2025 guilty plea, Kohberger's dead-eyed stare and fidgety eagerness screamed anything but regret: Experts call it grandiosity-fueled basking, a psychopath's crave for spotlight over the #Idaho4 graves he dug. From criminology obsessions morphing into vengeful stabs to lifelong isolation breeding zero empathy, we probe the wiring—childhood bullying, heroin haze, and a god-complex that botched his "perfect" escape with sheath DNA and Amazon slips. This Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski: True Crime Today fusion rips open the plea facade: No tears of sorrow, just calculated dodges from the firing squad, echoing BTK's fame chase. Scott flags red flags like violent fantasies and social shutdowns ignored at WSU; Dreeke warns of his prison power plays, where he'll manipulate for eternal infamy. Tie it to November 2025 shocks—the Goncalves' WSU lawsuit slamming overlooked creeps, plus restitution drags over $30K funds and urn costs post-November 5 hearing, fueling cries for campus safeguards. True crime fiends, this is the gut-punch autopsy: A killer's empty shell craving study sessions over soul-searching. Did his "I did it" thrill him more than terrify? Essential rewind on arrogance's deadly cost and dodged executions in the Idaho nightmare. #BryanKohberger #IdahoMurders #PsychBreakdown #GuiltyPleaPride #TrueCrime #KohbergerPsyche #Idaho4 #HiddenKillers2025 #CrimeYearInReview #WSULawsuit #TrueCrimePodcast #NarcissistKiller Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

    47 min
  5. Kohberger's Delusional Escape Plan: Psych Expert Exposes What Doomed Him! | 2025 True Crime

    12/29/2025

    Kohberger's Delusional Escape Plan: Psych Expert Exposes What Doomed Him! | 2025 True Crime

    🔍 Discover how Bryan Kohberger's twisted mind plotted a perfect getaway from the Idaho murders – only to unravel spectacularly – in this mind-bending analysis from Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review – a look back at the biggest cases of the year. Post his July 2025 guilty plea and four life sentences, psychotherapist insights peel back the layers: A criminology whiz who studied killers, yet botched basics like phone pings, Amazon traces, and that damning Ka-Bar sheath DNA left at the #Idaho4 scene. What fueled his god-complex arrogance? Childhood isolation, academic ego, and a fatal underestimation of forensic tech – all dissected in raw detail. This Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski: True Crime Today deep dive spotlights the psychotherapist's takedown: Kohberger's "invisible" stalking at WSU, delusional alibis blending into night drives, and why third-party theories were smoke screens for his crumbling facade. Relive the November 2022 frenzy – muffled screams, survivor shadows, and evidence avalanche that crushed his noose-dodging dreams. Echoing into 2025: The Goncalves' WSU lawsuit filed November 19 blasts overlooked red flags, while restitution clashes over the $30K fund and urn reimbursements rage post-November 5 hearing, demanding systemic fixes for campus creeps. True crime sleuths, this is electric: Expert probes into a killer's blind spots, from premed buys to plea panic, revealing why overconfidence writes epitaphs. Did he ever think he'd walk free? Unpack the psyche that turned student into sentenced shadow – your 2025 blueprint for spotting monsters in plain sight. #BryanKohberger #IdahoMurders #PsychBreakdown #EscapePlan #TrueCrime #KohbergerPsyche #Idaho4 #HiddenKillers2025 #CrimeYearInReview #WSULawsuit #TrueCrimePodcast #MurderMind Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

    54 min
  6. The Epstein Emails: Evidence of a System Protecting Itself — What Robin Dreeke Says Comes Next | 2025 True Crime

    12/27/2025

    The Epstein Emails: Evidence of a System Protecting Itself — What Robin Dreeke Says Comes Next | 2025 True Crime

    The Epstein case has always exposed one uncomfortable truth: powerful institutions often protect influential adults far more aggressively than they protect exploited children. In this explosive episode of Hidden Killers, Tony Brueski and former FBI Behavioral Analysis Program chief Robin Dreeke dissect the newly surfaced Epstein-related emails — not through political spin, but through the lens of psychology, behavioral analysis, and institutional dynamics. Dreeke explains how seasoned investigators would actually handle these emails: timelines, corroboration, interviews, behavioral markers, deception indicators, and triage of evidence. He breaks down why Epstein described Trump as “a dog that hasn’t barked,” how predators routinely exaggerate or manipulate their associations for leverage, and why trained agents never take a single email at face value. But the deeper story is institutional psychology. Robin and Tony analyze what happens when agencies fall into secrecy reflexes, bureaucratic fear, and reputation-protection — especially after years of public mistrust stemming from the sweetheart plea deal, the lax supervision during Epstein’s sex-offender monitoring, and the questions surrounding his jail death. The issue isn’t politics; it’s institutional self-preservation. Then the conversation widens with psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joining to explore institutional betrayal — the emotional and societal fallout when the public sees how systems failed to protect victims. From law enforcement to financial institutions to media ecosystems, the Epstein files reveal not just individual wrongdoing but systemic collapse. Shavaun breaks down why betrayal by trusted institutions causes deeper trauma than betrayal by individuals, why people defend public figures even against evidence, and what a victim-centered investigation should look like now. This episode isn’t about left or right.  It’s about truth vs. power, children vs. institutions, and the national reckoning waiting on the other side of the Epstein files. #HiddenKillers #EpsteinCase #EpsteinEmails #InstitutionalBetrayal #RobinDreeke #ShavaunScott #TonyBrueski #DOJ #FBI #CoverUpPsychology #TrueCrimeAnalysis #Accountability #PowerAndAbuse Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

    1h 13m
  7. 10 Signs Rex Heuermann’s Family Missed — FBI & Psych Experts Reveal the Truth! | 2025 True Crime

    12/27/2025

    10 Signs Rex Heuermann’s Family Missed — FBI & Psych Experts Reveal the Truth! | 2025 True Crime

    How does a family live beside an alleged serial killer for nearly three decades without realizing the monster in their own home? In this powerful episode, two top behavioral experts—retired FBI Special Agent Robin Dreeke and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott—break down the psychological blind spots, emotional dynamics, and manipulation patterns that may explain how Rex Heuermann hid a double life from those closest to him. Robin Dreeke opens the conversation with an FBI-level behavioral analysis of Asa Ellerup, Heuermann’s longtime wife. He explores the subtle traits predators often look for in partners: trust over curiosity, stability over confrontation, and a tendency to rationalize red flags instead of investigating them. Dreeke explains how “truth-default mode” and compartmentalization allow serial offenders to mask their darkest impulses while maintaining the appearance of normal family life. We analyze key moments from the Peacock documentary that reveal how Asa’s behaviors, reactions, and emotional patterns may have made her vulnerable to deception—not complicit in it. Then we shift to their daughter, Victoria, whose heartbreaking journey unfolds in real time. Shavaun Scott walks us through the psychological shock of realizing a beloved parent may be responsible for unimaginable violence. From Victoria’s “love and hate can coexist” confession to her disturbing trauma-processing artwork, we explore ambiguous loss, identity shattering, and the impossible emotional math children of accused killers must reconcile. Victoria’s shift from admiration to believing her father is “most likely guilty” is one of the most honest and devastating arcs in true-crime storytelling. This episode exposes not only how evil hides in plain sight—but how it fractures the #GilgoBeach #RexHeuermann #AsaEllerup #VictoriaHeuermann #TrueCrimeAnalysis #FBIBehavioralAnalysis #RobinDreeke #ShavaunScott #SerialKillerFamily #HiddenKillers Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

    37 min
  8. Rex Heuermann’s Wife Shows the LOCKED ROOMS He Forbade Her to Enter! | 2025 True Crime

    12/26/2025

    Rex Heuermann’s Wife Shows the LOCKED ROOMS He Forbade Her to Enter! | 2025 True Crime

    In this deeply unsettling analysis, we examine two of the most revealing pieces of footage from the Gilgo Beach case: Asa Ellerup’s tour of the rooms she was forbidden to enter for 27 years, and her emotional responses during a jail call with accused serial killer Rex Heuermann. Psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins us to break down the psychological contradictions, trauma-bond patterns, and body-language “tells” that expose the control dynamics inside this marriage. First, we explore Asa’s walkthrough of the house: a gun room behind a steel door, a locked space under the stairs she’d never seen, and the basement investigators believe may be tied to multiple murders. Even as she demonstrates the locks, she insists “nothing was off limits.” Scott explains this as classic “doublethink,” a defense mechanism where two opposing truths are held to avoid cognitive collapse. From her closed eyes during stressful moments to her insistence that investigators are “picking, picking, picking,” every movement reveals emotional conflict. Then we shift to the jail phone call. Rex casually discusses dinner while facing seven murder charges. He never proclaims innocence — a strategic silence, Scott notes — while Asa brightens just hearing his voice despite her visible physical decline. Their divorce, she argues, was “strategic,” yet the emotional attachment remains intact. We analyze Victoria Heuermann’s shifting language, normalized violence in the home, and why certain family members break free while others remain psychologically tethered. This episode digs into denial, coercive control, compartmentalization, and how predators create environments where locked rooms — literal and emotional — become part of everyday life. For anyone wanting to understand the psychological machinery behind serial offenders and their families, this is essential viewing. #RexHeuermann #AsaEllerup #GilgoBeachMurders #SerialKillerPsychology #TraumaBonding #BodyLanguageAnalysis #TrueCrimeCommunity #HiddenKillers #LockedRooms #LongIslandSerialKiller Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

    43 min
See All (640)

Shows with Subscription Benefits

TRUE CRIME TODAY +PLUS

LISTEN AD-FREE to ALL of our True Crime Podcasts!

$5.99/mo or $39.99/yr after trial

View Subscription FAQs

Ratings & Reviews

3.6
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Welcome to Mind Behind The Crime, the authoritative podcast that grants you exclusive access to the profound insights of respected psychologists, psychotherapists, and mental health experts as they delve into the most captivating true crime stories of our time. Hosted by Tony Brueski, this enthralling series takes you on an intellectual journey through the intricate workings of the human mind and its connection to the darkest realms of criminal behavior. In each episode, the vaulted doors of the criminal psyche are unlocked, as these esteemed professionals analyze and unravel the complexities that underlie heinous acts, shedding light on the most chilling cases that have gripped the world. Prepare to be captivated, enlightened, and challenged as you venture into the realm where true crime meets the expertise of mental health professionals. Mind Behind The Crime offers a unique opportunity to understand the intricate web of the criminal mind and the essential role mental health plays in comprehending and preventing such acts. Join us on this intellectual odyssey, where true crime stories are not merely recounted, but dissected and analyzed by the sharpest minds in the field of psychology. Tune in to Mind Behind The Crime and embark on a journey of exploration and discovery, where the complexities of the human psyche are unveiled, and the enigmatic world of true crime finds its intersection with psychological expertise.

Information

More From True Crime Today