In this bone-chilling episode of The Parallax Podcast, Karisa and Willow descend into the abyss of one of Colombia’s most terrifying serial killers—Luis Alfredo Garavito, known as The Beast—and explore the haunting cultural symbol known as the Mark of the Beast.

Willow delivers a gripping, sensitive account of Garavito’s monstrous crimes, detailing how he preyed on vulnerable children across Colombia, evading capture for years while leaving a trail of unspeakable violence. With careful attention to the victims’ stories and the investigation that finally brought him to justice, she unravels the psychology of a killer whose brutality earned him a name straight out of nightmare.

Then, Karisa shifts the lens to the deeper, darker history behind the Mark of the Beast—the ancient, fear-stirring symbol of evil, damnation, and apocalyptic dread. From its origins in the Book of Revelation to its echoes in folklore, pop culture, and even conspiracy theories, she examines why this icon has endured across centuries as a universal shorthand for ultimate evil. Does society see real-world monsters through the lens of this myth? And what does that say about us?

From the gruesome truth of a serial killer’s actions to the cultural weight of a number that has terrified millions, this episode forces us to ask: Are some evils so profound they feel supernatural?

Keywords:
True crime, serial killer, Luis Alfredo Garavito, The Beast, Mark of the Beast, 666, Book of Revelation, evil symbolism, cultural history, apocalyptic lore, female hosts, Karisa and Willow, Colombian crime, psychology of evil, mythology, horror.

Listen… if you dare to face the beast within and the marks it leaves behind.