Most Evil

Dr. Stone considers those killers who deceive to be twice as evil. The more wicked the crime and the more premeditated the deceit, the higher they are placed on his scale. Susan Smith killed her sons by driving into a lake and letting them drown. She later claimed that someone hijacked her car and kidnapped the two boys. John List killed his entire family and went on to start a new life. Nathaniel Bar-Jonah was accused murdering a 10-year-old boy in Great Falls, Montana. He is now serving life imprisonment for molesting two other boys. Dennis Rader was the notorious "B.T.K. killer", who lived a double life, leading the police to not view him as a possible suspect until 30 years later.

Note: That was official by the time of this episode, Bar-Jonah died of a heart attack two years later.

Dr. Stone studies four serial killers. Ted Bundy raped and killed 20+ women in the 1970s throughout the U.S. Gary Ridgway killed 49 women, usually dumping their bodies in the Green River, giving him the name the "Green River Killer". Tommy Lynn Sells is convicted of one murder, but he confessed to many more. So far 11 of them were confirmed following his death sentence. John Wayne Gacy was responsible for 33 sadistic murders while maintaining the face of a model citizen.

Note:: Sells was eventually executed in 2014.

Over 90% of murders are committed by men. But what motivates the women who are driven to kill? Jean Harris murdered her ex-lover, Herman Tarnower as a fit of rage. Marybeth Tinning killed all her nine children in a span of 14 years, for attention and recognition. Gwendolyn Graham and Cathy Wood were both nurses in Grand Rapids, Michigan who worked together in killing 5 elderly patients. Aileen Wuornos was a drifter who killed 7 men by shooting them. Theresa Knorr tortured her six children, murdering two of her daughters in Auburn, California.

Note:: the original version of the episode also features an interview by Pat Brown with Jessica Schwarz, who murdered her stepson in West Palm Beach, Florida

Dr. Stone studies people who worked together in mostly murder cases. Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka killed 3 people in Ontario, while they were married. Ian Brady and Myra Hindley committed one of Britain's notorious and horrific murder cases. David Parker Ray lured women into his "Toybox" where he tortured and murdered along with his fiancée Cindy Hendy. Despite this he was never tried for a murder. Leonard Lake and Charles Ng built a bunker to execute a savage plan. They claimed the lives of at least 11 people.

Dr. Stone studies three killers with recorded psychotic symptoms to understand their atrocities. In each case, they claim they are unaware of what's real or imagined. Ed Gein killed two women, and was official to be wearing his deceased mother's clothing. Arthur Shawcross was sentenced for killing two children. Only to be released and kill 11 women. He has claimed to have had an abusive childhood which led to a possibility of psychosis issues such as hallucination. Gary Heidnik killed two women and kept four others as prisoners in his Philadelphia basement. He has been reported to have mental difficulties as he was brain-damaged at a young age by an abusive father.

Dr. Stone explores three so-called "Lust killers" to find out how their desires form and what drives them to carry out their Deadly fantasies. Jerry Brudos killed four women in his own workshop at Salem, Oregon. It is reported that he had a lethal desire for his victim's clothing. Jeffrey Dahmer drugged and killed 17 men then raped their corpses, and would save some of them later for a meal. Westley Allan Dodd molested children for years ever since he was a teenager, but eventually his sexual desires turned into something more brutal. He killed three boys in Vancouver, Washington before his capture.

Dr. Stones studies killers who are great subjects behind the science found in Criminal Activity. Charles Whitman killed both his wife and mother, and then went to the University of Texas where he shot to death 16 more people from the campus' highest tower before being gunned down. He was reported to have a brain tumor which might have been the motive behind his violent actions. Edward Gingerich claimed to be possessed by the devil, after he brutally murdered his wife. He was the first amish person ever convicted of a homicide. Harold Shipman was a respected doctor in a small town. Until the police discovered he killed hundreds of patients over the years.

Dr. Stone goes through the concept of "Up Close" which means interviewing a suspect or perpetrator of a murder, and getting into their side of the crime, by interviewing three already studied criminals: Tommy Lynn Sells, Cindy Hendy, and Nathaniel Bar-Jonah.

What happens when a jealous lover turns into an enraged killer? Dr. Stone studies killers that were motivated by jealousy. Augustine Garcia killed his former partner on her wedding day in Ridgefield, New Jersey. Samuel Collins killed his wife in Biddeford, Maine after discovering she was unfaithful throughout their ten years of marriage. Clara Harris killed her husband, after discovering he was having an affair with someone else. Andrew Cunanan believed his former partner and friend were having an affair. He drove from Minneapolis to Miami Beach while committing a killing spree, murdering 5 people.

Note:: the episode also mentions Ira Einhorn and the murder of Phil Hartman

What can explain this relentless drive, and what triggers violence in the mind of a stalker? Dr. Stone is exploring four cases of notorious stalkers. Richard Farley was fired from his company for sexually harassing a female employee. He would eventually return to the workplace killing 7 workers and injuring another four. Robert John Bardo shot and killed actress Rebecca Schaeffer at her California apartment. He has been stalking her since the first time he saw her in a film. Mark David Chapman shot and killed musician John Lennon at his apartment. He worshiped the Beatles until he turned against them based on his fanatic religious background. Gerald Atkins wanted to marry a woman he met at a Wixom, Michigan bar. When she rejected him, he believed this decision was influenced by her colleagues. He eventually shoot-up the jewelry store, killing the manager and wounding three other people.

Dr. Stone studies killers with delusional minds. Herbert Mullin killed 13 people, because of delusional thoughts of earthquakes, which in reality were only headaches due to his constant drug abuse. Diana Dial mindset shifted as she believed she was being persecuted by Nazis. Despite being diagnosed as a schizophrenic, she stopped taking her pills and her family abandoned her by sending her to a new home in Austin, Texas. When she believed her roommate is secretly poisoning her, she snapped and killed him. As Eric Beishline cocaine intake became worse as he believed he was being followed. One day he broke into the home of an elderly woman in Troy, Missouri. He suffocated her with a chloroform rag, then robbed her house. Investigators suspected him of two other killings.

Dr. Stone studies murder cases that for the most part are unsolved. The Lipstick killer was active in the Chicago area, leaving a notorious message in lipstick on one of the victims. William Heirens confessed to the three murders, but was he forced to do that? The "Black Dahlia" is one of the most notorious unsolved cases in American history. However, physician George Hodel was suspected. In 1994 James McVay, Jr. was found killed in his pickup truck at Fort Worth, Texas. His face was spray-printed blue, which left no DNA evidence. A witness said to have seen more than one car driving around McVay's truck, leaving the possibility that more than one person was involved in his murder.

Dr. Stone unearths the psychology of persuasion to learn why cult members can become active participants in evil. Jeffrey Lundgren was a member of the Community of Christ church. He started a cult alongside a close friend, Ron Luff, following the beliefs that were said in the church. But, instead of turning his fellow members into faithful followers, he turned them into murderers. Charles Manson started what is still known as California's worst killing spree, with his so-called "Family", including "Charles "Tex" Watson. Jim Jones invited many who were part of his cult known as the "Peoples Temple" to Guyana, where they all drank Flavor-aid which contained poison, and a total of 918 died. This, according to Jones, was a form of sacrifice for God.

Dr. Stone reveals the psychology behind spree killers. Martin Bryant was responsible for multiple shooting sites, killing 35 people in Tasmania. Charles Starkweather, along with his underage girlfriend Caril Ann Fugate, went-out a killing spree in Nebraska claiming 11 lives. Yusef Rahman shot and killed one person and injured three others in Riverhead, New York in a four-day spree. Seung-Hui Cho shot and killed 32 people at the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, and eventually committed suicide.

Dr. Stone profiles murderers whose need for glory and control led them to incredible evil. David Berkowitz terrorized New York City in the 70s as the "Son of Sam", killing 6 people before capture. The "Zodiac Killer" terrorized Northern California by killing five people and sending encrypted letters to the police. Terry Driver attacked two teenage Canadian girls and killed one of them. He left both taunting letters and phone calls to the police, for which he was eventually being labeled the "Abbotsford Killer". Keith Jesperson traveled across the country, becoming known as the "Smiley Face Killer" as he enjoyed playing games with the FBI.

What lies at the intersection of evil and intelligence? Dr. Stone studies killers that are considered highly intelligent compared to others. While serving in a mental institute killing his grandparents, Edmund Kemper befriended his psychologist to be released early due to good behavior. A decade later he murdered seven women and soon his own mother. H.H. Holmes was not just a serial killer but also a successful con artist. Ted Kaczynski was a highly intelligent man Who believed that technology was harmful to mankind. He decided to send letterbombs to Universities that worked on the development of computers and ended up killing three people, injuring dozens as the "Unabomber".

Dr. Stone probes the science of revenge to profile revenge killers, looking for clues that might shed light on their motives. Coy Wayne Wesbrook discovered his ex-wife with a boyfriend at a party. Being enraged at the sight, he decided to shoot up the place killing her and four others. Archie McCafferty was upset over the death of his infant son, so he decided to even it up by threatening to kill seven people.

Dr. Stone analyzes some of the 20th century's most deadly cult leaders. Shoko Asahara believed in the Apocalypse. To prove its existence, he set up a cult that was responsible for many terrorist attacks, one of which was the notorious "Tokyo subway sarin attack" in 1995. Adolfo Constanzo started a cult located in the Mexico–United States border, which was set up for both voodoo magicians and human sacrifice.

Retrace the investigation of Charles Manson and how he convinced young, middle-class men and women -Susan Atkins, Charles "Tex" Watson, Leslie Van Houten, Patricia Krenwinkel- to commit unthinkable acts of violence.

Killers' minds make irrational connections that result in horrifying acts of evil. Michael Owen Perry believed that singer Olivia Newton-John was tormenting him throughout telepathy. He eventually murdered 5 members of his family. Joseph Kallinger thought that he was on a mission from God to kill all mankind. During his trial, Colin Ferguson showed signs of persecutory delusion. Michael McDermott claimed that he was trapped in purgatory, and only can earn a soul if he kills his colleagues. However, it was later determined that he was faking a mental illness.

Liars and con artists use their intelligence to get away with murder; while deceiving their families, friends, and the public. Diane Downs blamed a hitchhiker for shooting her three children. In truth, she was the one who pulled the trigger. Michael Swango practiced a lethal brand by poisoning his patients. Randy Kraft used his charms to deceive his victims. John Edward Robinson appeared to be a devoted family man in Kansas City, Kansas, until the bodies of 8 women he murdered were eventually found. Dr. Stone visited Martha Ann Johnson in prison where she is serving a life sentence.

Driven by desires and delusions, these criminals not only kill they also consume flesh and drink blood. Armin Meiwes prowled internet chat rooms, hunting for a “dinner guest”. Delusions told Richard Chase that he must drink blood. Andrei Chikatilo's childhood fuelled a psychotic mind, making him the worst killer in the Soviet Union history. Rod Ferrell twisted fantasy of being a vampire claimed two lives.

Do women kill less than men, or does the stereotype of being the gentler sex enable them to get away with more heinous crimes? After her husband left her, Betty Broderick terrorized him for years. Then she killed him and his new wife. Dorothea Puente operated a boarding house in Sacramento, California, where she poisoned 7 residents. Judith Neelley and her husband kidnapped and killed two women for her sadistic desires. Dr. Stone met Latasha Pulliam at Dwight Correctional Center, who strangled her neighbor’s 6-year-old daughter.

Note:: the episode also mentions Blanche Taylor Moore, Juana Barraza and Kristen Gilbert

Dr. Stone explores the possibility for killers to reform and change their lives. Billy Wayne Sinclair shot down a man during a robbery. Karla Faye Tucker killed a sleeping couple with a pickaxe. Archie McCafferty sought revenge by killing three strangers. As a former gang member, Daniel Nieto unleashed violence in the streets of Los Angeles. All committed heinous crimes and all of them expressed remorse and claimed to have been changed.

Gangs lure members with promises of respect, money, and power. From armed robbery to murder, they are responsible for some of the most brutal crimes. In the 1930s, the Philadelphia poison ring was responsible for at least 15 murders. For decades Richard Kuklinski served as a mafia assassin. Ismael Cisneros was a foot soldier of MS-13 in Fairfax, Virginia. When he learned that a female friend became an informant of the police, he stabbed her to death. Ervil LeBaron headed a group of polygamist Mormons, ordering them to kill his rivals. Dr. Stone met former career gangster Joseph Salcedo to learn more about gangs.

What makes a murderer? Can malfunctions in the brain compel someone to extreme cruelty? Are killers born or are they made? Samuel Collins, Clara L. Harris, Diane Downs, David Berkowitz, Richard Chase, Edmund Kemper, Susan Atkins, Charles "Tex" Watson, Leslie Van Houten, Patricia Krenwinkel

Dr. Michael Stone uses face-to-face, one-on-one interviews to gain insight into the motives, methods, and minds of murderers. Coy Wayne Wesbrook, Ron Luff, Diana Dial, Daniel Nieto

Dr. Michael Stone examines the process involved in identifying and capturing vicious killers. Andrew Cunanan, Keith Jesperson, Black Dahlia Murderer

Three master manipulators. Each committed acts of unspeakable evil. Glenn Helzer orchestrated brutal murders in the name of God. Sylvia White killed his husband and her four-year-old stepson in Kinston, North Carolina. Over a three-year period, Dean Corll and his accomplice Elmer Wayne Henley lured multiple young men to their death.

Control freaks seek to gain power through murder. When Ronald Gene Simmons lost his command over his family he snapped and went on a rampage. To show how well he handled emergency situations, Richard Angelo would poison his patients, killing many of them. Billy Wayne Coble was a domineering father, and cold-blooded triple murderer in Waco, Texas.

Anything can set off a rage killer. Gerald Stano craved the company of women but lashed out when he felt he was being mocked. When Robert Lopez found a girlfriend in Manchester, New Hampshire, he flipped a switch between obsessive love and blind rage. Benjamin Atkins viciously strangled women who reminded him of his mother.

Stone cold killers attack without a moment's hesitation. Maksim Gelman stabbed random strangers throughout Brooklyn. Henry Lee Lucas was a necrophiliac who claimed to have killed hundreds. Joseph Paul Franklin believed his racist murders served a higher purpose.

Sexual deviants are aroused by the act of murder. Gerard John Schaefer used his position as a trusted policeman to kidnap his victims. Richard Hooten was a serial rapist who went after his neighbors in Clarksville, Indiana. After strangling them, Wayne Adam Ford severed his victims' body parts to keep them as trophies.

Fantasy killers imagine every aspect of their crime in detail. Daniel Conahan lured men into the Central Florida woods to torture them. Angela Sanford was a self-proclaimed witch who killed a man as part of a satanic ritual. Harvey Miguel Robinson stalked his victims then meticulously planned his attacks in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Deceptive killers walk among us wearing a mask of innocence. Darci Pierce tricked everyone that she was pregnant. To cover up her lies, she killed an expectant mother and stole her unborn baby. Doyle Kelley was convicted of murdering two of his wives in Joplin, Missouri. Everyone thought that Kendall Francois was a gentle giant, until police found the eight bodies he'd hidden.

Ego Maniac killers think only of themselves, and thus commit egregious crimes without remorse. Robert Ben Rhoades tortured hitchhikers in a specially designed chamber in the back of his cab. After his girlfriend get restraining order against him, Paul Devoe went on a cross-country killing spree claiming six lives. David Dowler poisoned his friends when he didn't get their attention.

The attention-seeking killer commits crimes for the spotlight it incurs. George Russell posed his victims in elaborate positions to make himself more noteworthy. Heriberto Seda jumped on the coattails of the famed Zodiac Killer. Terry Caylor claimed to have killed 27 men around San Luis Obispo, California, but only one was ever confirmed.

By their nature, killers with strong predatory instincts are preying on the most vulnerable victims. Jack Owen Spillman proved his bestiality by drinking one of his victim's blood. David Elliott Penton was the real-life bogeyman, who abducted and killed at least five children. Levi King ambushed two families and gunned down five people during a 24-hour rampage.