(episode unlocked from Patreon due to the increased popularity and skepticism of Programmed to Kill)

Today, I look at the concept of serial killers as laid out by the FBI, specifically in Agent John E. Douglas's book 'Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit' and Netflix series, and then I compare it to Dave McGowan's 'Programmed to Kill: the Politics of Serial Murder'. I talk about the history of the concept, specifically the FBI's revisionism in pretending they invented the study of serial killers.

Then I go into Ed Kemper (and to a lesser degree Herb Mullin) as depicted in the book and show, and the very interesting facts that get curiously left out of these popular histories. Full warning: it gets pretty weird, as we get into 'behavioral modification' experiments at Atascadero and Vacaville, and if Vacaville comes up, you know the Symbionese Liberation Army will as well.

Song:

Murder On My Mind by YNW Melly

Links:

https://centerforaninformedamerica.com/

www.patreon.com/ProgrammedToChill

https://programmed-to-chill.myshopify.com/