Advertise on podcast: Psycho Killer: Shocking True Crime Stories

The intelligence picture is never complete—but sometimes, what’s missing matters most. Most people think policing starts with an arrest. In reality, it starts with intelligence. In this episode of Detective’s Files, Jacques Morrell explores how surveillance, information, and instinct combine to identify suspects and prevent crime. From the chaos of paper-based systems to today’s digital databases, we examine how intelligence is gathered—and where it can go wrong. Featuring real cases and hard questions about missed signals and information sharing, this is a fascinating look at the unseen side of policing. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.

How closely are we really being watched? In this episode of Detective’s Files: True Crime Tales With Jacques Morrell, former detective Jacques joins Simon Ford to explore the hidden world of police surveillance. From Britain’s vast network of CCTV cameras to the painstaking craft of covertly following suspects, Jacques explains how surveillance works in real investigations—and why it’s far more complex than the movies suggest. They also examine the legal framework governing covert operations, the psychology of criminals who think they’re being watched, and the training officers undergo to stay invisible. Plus, Jacques shares a real-life surveillance story where patience, instinct, and a bit of clever thinking paid off. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.

In this episode of Detective’s Files, former major crime detective Jacques Morrell reflects on the reality of firearms in British policing — from the culture of knives and blunt weapons in the late 1980s to rare but devastating firearm cases. We examine:  • UK firearm homicide statistics (1980–present) • Major British gun massacres — Hungerford, White House Farm, Dunblane • The 2002 Nottingham RBS/Securicor robbery involving a machine pistol • How media myths distort public perception of gun crime • The design and history of the MAC-10 submachine gun • The evolution of UK firearms legislation • Why British society still sees guns as culturally alien. We also explore the legal history behind the UK’s 1988 Offensive Weapons Order — including the infamous “ninja weapon” bans. This is not sensationalism. It is lived experience, legal reality and forensic perspective. If you want insight grounded in operational truth, this is the podcast for you. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

A trusted family GP. A reassuring bedside manner. With a liking for lethal injections. Harold Shipman is believed to have murdered more than 200 patients, making him the most prolific serial killer in British history. He didn’t stalk strangers or lurk in the shadows — he operated in plain sight, protected by professional status, routine, and trust. In this episode of The A–Z of Psychopaths, Simon Ford examines how Shipman exploited authority, medical knowledge, and the assumptions of those around him — and why his crimes represent a catastrophic failure not just of one man, but of an entire system. This is a case that cannot be fully explored in five minutes — and one that deserves a much deeper, longer-form investigation. 🎧 Snack-sized true crime from Psycho Killer: Shocking True Crime Stories. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.

Richard Ramirez didn’t stalk victims because they were chosen. He stalked them because they were there.  Armed with no fixed pattern, no consistent victim type, and a worldview steeped in chaos, Ramirez terrorised California in the mid-1980s — breaking into homes at random, switching methods, and leaving behind scenes of extraordinary violence. In this episode of The A–Z of Psychopaths, Simon Ford examines what made Ramirez so uniquely frightening: his lack of boundaries, his thrill-seeking brutality, and the unsettling truth that chance — not planning — often decided who lived and who died. Because when a killer has no rules, everyone is at risk. 🎧 Snack-sized true crime from Psycho Killer: Shocking True Crime Stories. Acknowledgements Mike Watkiss, A Conversation with Richard Ramirez – The Night Stalker, 1993 YouTube. CBS News, Night Stalker Strikes Again, 26 August 1985, YouTube. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.

Wherever she went, death followed – but the authorities never had the evidence to convict her. Marie Besnard was accused of murdering at least a dozen people over three decades, quietly dispatching husbands, relatives, and neighbours with arsenic while maintaining the image of a respectable provincial widow.  But here’s the twist: after years of trials, scientific disputes, and forensic confusion, Besnard walked free. So was she a calculating serial poisoner — or the victim of flawed science, hysteria, and a justice system struggling to keep up with toxicology? In this episode of The A–Z Of Psychopaths, Simon Ford explores one of the most unsettling cases in French criminal history: a woman surrounded by corpses, arsenic in the soil, and doubt everywhere else. Because when murder leaves no blood, no struggle, and no witnesses, certainty can be the first casualty. 🎧 Snack-sized true crime from Psycho Killer: Shocking True Crime Stories. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.

He shot his girlfriend through a bathroom door. Discover why this grey-area case belongs in the A–Z of Psychopaths. Oscar Pistorius is not a psychopath. He doesn’t fit the classic profile. No predatory patterns. No serial victims. And yet, the combination of fear, jealousy, and fragile self-esteem made him capable of lethal violence.  In this episode of The A–Z of Psychopaths, we explore why Pistorius represents a crucial grey area — an exception that sharpens the rule — and what his case teaches us about the limits of psychopathy, and the dangers of misjudging human volatility. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.