On June 2nd 1985, San Francisco police were called to a lumberyard to apprehend a shoplifter. By the time they arrive the suspect had already fled, but the man's partner is still at the scene. The man in in possession of a gun fitted with an illegal silencer, so they arrest him. But while in custody at the station, the suspect swallows a cyanide pill he had hidden in his clothing. Authorities would soon uncover the truth; this man had been one half of a sick and twisted serial killing duo. And the other half of the pair was still on the loose.

This episode is sponsored by: HelloFresh

Original music by Ben Krejci, Nctrnm, Lee Rosevere, Kai Engel, Kevin MacLeod, Sergey Cheremisinov, Chris Zabriskie, and Daniel Birch.

In the winter of 2006, the town of Ipswich, England was left horrified as the bodies of five missing female sex workers were found by police. The discovery launched a massive manhunt that resulted in police questioning over 2,000 men. Police raced against time to find the killer, all while women continued to risk their lives, hoping they would not become another victim of Steve Wright.

This episode is sponsored by: Daily Harvest

Original music by Ben Krejci, Kai Engel, Nctrnm, Daniel Birch, Kevin MacLeod, and Sergey Cheremisinov.

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

What Makes a Killer is a series that chronicles the lives and crimes of the world’s most notorious killers. In every episode host Jennifer Nittoso will trace a killer’s origins, examine their behavior, and follow their path to bloodshed. As always, this season we’ll hear from family members, survivors, and experts to uncover what led these killers to commit their crimes.

On this season, we will cover thirteen new killers, each more sinister than the last. The identities of The Suffolk Strangler, The Angel of Death, and The Yosemite Park Killer will all be revealed

What Makes a Killer returns April 1st. New episodes released every Thursday. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you find your favorite shows.

On May 10, 2012, a blazing fire engulfed a family home in Allentown, Derby. The parents, Mick and Mairead Philpott, were able to get out alive, but there were six children trapped inside. All six perished in the tragedy . . . but it was not an accident. It came as a shock to his neighbors - but not to the authorities - that Mick Philpott was involved in orchestrating the fire in a complicated scheme for power and revenge. 

This episode is sponsored by: 

Better Help

Original music by Ben Krejci,  Kai Engel, Daniel Birch, and Lee Rosevere.

SFX by ramston, vedas, kwahmah_02, IESP, miastodzwiekow, Puniho, MAJ061785, and Almusic34.

In April 1973, in Santa Cruz California, a 24 year old man is on the run for the violent murder of his mother and her best friend. The only problem? Authorities have no idea that the crime has been committed. After three days of driving, and with no media coverage of his crime, the man makes a surprising call...to the police. And that's not the only twist, he is responsible for multiple other murders that are being investigated by the police, and he confesses to all of them in graphic detail.

This episode is sponsored by: Unjust and Unsolved, & SimpliSafe

Original music by Ben Krejci, Kai Engel, Kevin MacLeod, Sergey Cheremisinov, Chris Zabriskie, and Daniel Birch.

On August 2nd, 2012, twelve year old Tia Sharp went missing after supposedly  traveling by train to meet up with some friends for the day. She is due back home in the evening evening, but she never arrived. What followed her disappearance was one of the most publicized search campaigns in British history. But on August 10th, it all came to an abrupt end, with a twist that shocked both the public, and Tia’s family. Tia’s body, and her killer, had been right in front of the cameras the entire time.

This episode is sponsored by: Better Help, & Green Chef 

Original music by Ben Krejci, Kai Engel, Kevin MacLeod, Sergey Cheremisinov, and Daniel Birch.

On June 20, 1970, the hunt was underway for a missing 12-year-old girl named Robin Samsoe. She had last been seen with her friend talking to an older man with a camera. When the man's description was circulated, he was immediately recognized by his parole officer . . . but also recognized for having appeared on a television show - The Dating Game.

This episode is sponsored by:

Spycast Podcast 

Original music by Ben Krejci, Daniel Birch, Kevin MacLeod, Kai Engel, Nctrnm, and Lee Rosevere.

SFX by Dynamicell, alexbird, qubodup, 1Kaylin_Dickson, DBKEEBLER, MWLANDI, adamlhumphreys, klankbeeld, lawnjelly, and odditonic. 

On May 31st, 1983, Polish police were dispatched to check out a supposed robbery. A neighbor had called when he realized his pig cooker was stolen . . .but police were well aware that the accused man, Pawel Tuchlin, was guilty of things that were far more sinister. For years, the man had been stalking women around Poland and attacking them with a hammer . . . and for years, police had done nothing to apprehend him. 

This episode is sponsored by:

Something Was Wrong Podcast

Better Help

Original music by Ben Krejci,  Kai Engel, Daniel Birch, Lee Rosevere, and Nctrnm.

SFX by TypOnNegatywny, mwilkinsss, InspectorJ, harrybates01, pfranzen, CheneWessels_170017, MAJ061785, pcaeldries, daveincamas, Leafs67, bennychico11, kwahmah_02, drotzruhn, nextmaking, Glaneur-de-sons, manychefsbroth, FedeFrede, and Almusic34. Additional sfx from freesfx.co.uk. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

On November 12th, 2002 police received a call from a terrified 14 year old boy and his 11-year-old sister. They had returned home from school to find their mother, Heather Barnett, brutally murdered. Police arrive at the scene to find the victim’s children being comforted by a neighbor. Neither police nor the children realize they are being consoled by the very man who murdered their mother. And it would take another 8 years, and the discovery of another body 14 hundred miles away, to finally bring Heather Barnett’s killer to justice.

This episode is sponsored by: SimpliSafe

Check out Killer Queens for more true crime and a lot of 90's references.

Original music by Ben Krejci, Lee Rosevere, Kai Engel, Kevin MacLeod,  Scott Holmes, Sergey Cheremisinov, Chris Zabriskie, and Daniel Birch.

In February 1988, a 29-year-old John Duffy was on trial for the rape and murder of three women. He was a terrifying figure, and infamous across London. His arrest brought an end to a horrific four-year crime spree across the British capital, but he was only a half a murderous duo. Duffy refused to give up the name of his accomplice, and without any leads, the police have no choice but to wait. It would be another 15 years before the other man was found guilty for his part in the heinous crimes. Over a decade later, the imprisoned Duffy has had enough, and tells investigators he will testify against his former accomplice, and friend, David Mulcahy.

This episode is sponsored by: BetterHelp & Green Chef

Check out Real Ghost Stories Online for a daily dose of horror.

Original music by Ben Krejci, Lee Rosevere, Kai Engel, Kevin MacLeod, Sergey Cheremisinov, and Daniel Birch.