Two years before he embarked on a killing spree in Buffalo and New York City, Joseph G. Christopher’s friends and family noticed a seismic shift in his personality. The 23-year-old was beset by mood swings and paranoia. His hold on reality was unraveling. In the end, it would prove fatal.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Aug 31
The Young Hippies Who Hijacked a Plane
In 1972, two young hippies hijack a commercial airplane in a wild attempt to free a famous political activist from jail, setting off one of the strangest, most idealistic crimes of a radical era. Sources for this episode include: The Skies Belong to Us: Love and Terror in the Gol ... Show More
38m 31s
Aug 24
The Greek Robin Hood Who Kidnapped Billionaires and Escaped Prison in a Helicopter
In the craggy peaks of Greece, a modern outlaw proves that you can rob a bank, kidnap a billionaire, and still be the most beloved man in the mountains. This is the story of Vassilis Paleokostas: the 'Robin Hood' who treats his hostages like guests and uses a helicopter as his pr ... Show More
40m 36s
Aug 17
Stanley Alpert, the Kidnapping Victim Who Outsmarted his Captors
Kidnapped on his 38th birthday by criminals who think every federal prosecutor is secretly wealthy, a calm-under-pressure lawyer survives a chaotic 25-hour ordeal—part hostage crisis, part absurd comedy—by befriending his captors. Sources for this episode include: The Birthday Pa ... Show More
30m 57s
Jul 2025
SERIAL KILLER: The Happy Face Killer Pt. 1
Before he became the Happy Face Killer, Keith Jesperson was a bullied kid, an animal abuser, and a man spiraling out of control. In Part 1, we unpack the warning signs—from his violent fantasies to the moment he crossed the line and committed his first brutal murder. Killer Minds ... Show More
48m 18s
May 2025
SERIAL KILLER: "The Alaskan Attacker" Pt. 1
Joshua Wade survived a violent, unstable childhood—but instead of breaking the cycle, he became the monster he once feared. In this episode, we uncover how years of trauma and unchecked rage culminated in murder—and launched one of Alaska’s most chilling true crime stories. Kille ... Show More
46m 27s
Apr 2023
The Bathhouse Murder Pt. 1
Joe West and Oscar Lee Morris were childhood friends. They grew up together in South LA, came of age together, and soon followed one another into a life of petty crime. But in 1979, those crimes became more serious. Deadly serious. Suddenly, their friendship is tested to breaking ... Show More
40m 20s