Advertise on podcast: Mind of a Monster: The Cross-Country Killer

Season eight of Mind of a Monster begins in the wild and remote city of Anchorage, Alaska where Israel Keyes is being questioned about the abduction of a young woman. Unearthing information from his childhood, we find he was reared in the woods learning survivalist skills that primed him for his future killings. Showing early signs of disturbing  behavior, Israel hones his skills and attempts his first kill as a young man.   Speaking to childhood friends and detectives, Dr. Michelle Ward investigates the pivotal moment that saw Israel Keyes shift from troubled child to killer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After an isolated childhood in the woods, Israel Keyes realises he’s a psychopath – with an urge to rape and kill. When he distances himself from his ultra religious family, he finds a new home in the Army – where his survivalist skillset is appreciated. But his uncontrolled sadism leads to a series of violent encounters that almost get him caught, and he realizes he must set boundaries for himself – and plan a more covert method of killing.   Dr. Michelle Ward explores how Israel Keyes separates his life into two parallel personalities – the regular family guy and the sadistic serial killer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the remote mountains of north-west Washington, Israel Keyes splits his time between taking care of his young family and hunting for victims. When he travels to visit family members in other states, The Cross-Country Killer discovers fresh hunting grounds and develops new methods of killing in secret. Increasingly emboldened, his murder spree culminates in a horrendous attack on a suburban couple.   Speaking with witnesses and detectives, Dr. Michelle Ward investigates how Keyes perfects his MO – and then deviates from it in search of sustaining the adrenaline high.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Anchorage, Alaska, 18-year-old Samantha Koenig is abducted while working at a coffee stand, sending panic through the city.  Police initially struggle to find a solid lead – until the kidnapper delivers a ransom note.  Following the trail down to Texas, FBI agents finally catch up with the suspect – a man called Israel Keyes.  But he claims to know nothing about the girl’s disappearance.  Speaking with witnesses and detectives, Dr. Michelle Ward explores the search for Samantha – and investigates how this crime differs from the typical Israel Keyes MO.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After getting caught using the victim’s bank card, Israel Keyes admits to killing local girl Samantha Koenig and disposing of her body in a frozen lake. When he gives a horrific blow-by-blow description of how he did it, investigators realize they have caught a very experienced serial killer. But Keyes won’t reveal any more victims unless they meet his impossible demands.   Speaking with detectives and experts, Dr. Michelle Ward investigates how this master of discretion abandoned his rules and ended up getting caught. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When he realizes that his demands are not going to be met, incarcerated serial killer Israel Keyes pulls off one final power play. To identify other victims Keyes murdered, frustrated investigators must try and piece together remaining clues. Do his paintings of skulls mean anything, or is he having the last laugh? The investigation into his secret crimes continues to this day.   Speaking with journalists and detectives, Dr. Michelle Ward looks into potential victims of The Cross-Country Killer – and explores new information discovered in 2024.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2000s Anchorage, Alaska: a beautiful city with vast wilderness and a sparse, spread-out population. It's the perfect hiding ground for a deadly predator to remain off the radar. In its midst is Israel Keyes - a family man and construction worker who doubles up as a master murderer, covering his tracks with precision. His family doesn’t think twice when he leaves for long road trips, during which he methodically plans and carries out incredibly brutal murders with victims selected at random. In this 6-part series, hear through recorded interviews how one of the US's most prolific, but not widely known, serial killers, perceived himself and how he committed some of the horrific killings he is responsible for. Criminal psychologist Dr. Michelle Ward investigates through talking with friends and colleagues of Israel Keyes, investigators and detectives from the case, all to uncover the dark world of The Cross-Country Killer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season seven of Mind of a Monster begins in the picturesque town of Groton, Massachusetts where Kristen Gilbert is raised.  From an early age, Kristen begins to spin concerning and elaborate lies to garner attention. In her young adulthood, an admirable path into healthcare is chosen by Kristen but during her training years, she begins to practice power over those in her care starting with a young disabled boy and takes advantage of his vulnerable state.     Speaking to experts and detectives, Dr. Michelle Ward investigates the pivotal moment that saw Kristen Gilbert shift from troubled child to dangerous young woman.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kristen Gilbert has had her first taste in what it’s like to harm someone in her care.  Her thirst grows when the newlywed mom gets her first nursing job at the Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in Massachusetts.  It's a hospital filled with vulnerable patients giving her the opportunity to test the limits of her medical power of controlling life and death with access to all sorts of powerful chemicals.  Dr. Michelle Ward explores how Kristen Gilbert commits her first kills to gain attention from her colleagues and secret lover, who are unaware that she is responsible for the patient’s death. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Ward C, Kristen Gilbert’s victim count is rising, and her secret affair is intensifying.  Stocks of her regularly used killing weapon, the drug epinephrine, are decreasing rapidly, and Kristen’s colleagues are becoming suspicious.  The world of medical murderers is still new ground and allows Kristen to operate under the radar of most people, but she’s beginning to slip up.  Speaking with colleagues, witnesses and detectives, Dr. Ward investigates how her escalating behavior is increasing her kills and why healthcare murderers are so difficult to identify.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kristen’s colleagues come forward with their concerns over the suspicious deaths on Ward C, and an investigation gets underway. Kristen quickly catches wind that something is up, but rather than staying under the radar, her behavior becomes increasingly erratic and altogether frightening. But it’s in a phone call to her lover that everything changes.  Dr. Michelle Ward discusses Kristen’s reaction to the investigation with psychologists, as well as detectives, prosecutors and other witnesses on the scene to learn more about how authorities finally start to explore these mysterious deaths on Ward C. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The heat is on Kristen Gilbert and the investigation is gathering damning intel on the unusual rise of deaths on Ward C.  Instead of her taking herself away from the line of fire, her behavior reaches a shocking new level and goes in a direction that no one could have expected.  Speaking with detectives, colleagues and experts, Dr. Michelle Ward investigates how Kirsten draws on a lifetime of learned behaviors to avoid capture. When the net begins to close in, Kristen goes on the attack.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kristen Gilbert’s reign of terror has ended but the trials have just begun.  She is tried for the bomb threats, tried for the murder of multiple patients and in a unique and shocking turn of events, faces the death penalty – a capital punishment that had not been administered in Massachusetts for 50 years.  Damning testimonies are heard and the eyes of the victim’s families watch on hoping that they receive justice for their deceased loved ones.    Speaking with the prosecutor, journalists, detectives, experts, witnesses and the victims' families, Dr. Michelle Ward uncovers Kristen Gilbert’s fate.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1990s Northampton, Massachusetts: a picturesque city known for being home to one of the largest Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in the US. It's the last place anyone would imagine a serial killer to walk the hallways, but the very person responsible for keeping these war heroes alive, their nurse, is secretly killing them.  In this 6-part series, Dr. Michelle Ward investigates the case of one of the US's most prolific, but not widely known, serial killers. She'll talk to families of the victims, colleagues of the perpetrator, criminology experts and detectives from the case, uncovering testimonies and confessions, trial transcripts and news reports, all to reveal who was responsible for the rise in deaths on Ward C. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On September 23rd, Dr. Michelle Ward returns for another season, and this time she's covering serial killer Kristen Gilbert. From 1989 to 1995, nurse Kristen Gilbert claimed the lives of 4 patients. Across six episodes, criminal psychologist Dr. Michelle Ward consults with detectives, victim’s families, and witnesses to investigate her life and crimes on Ward C. Episode 1 releases September 23rd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.