It was a brutally cold evening in January 2011 when Ellen Rae Greenberg, a 27-year-old teacher in Philadelphia, was found dead in her apartment—stabbed 20 times. A knife still jutted from her chest. Her fiancé, Sam Goldberg, told police he discovered her body after kicking down the locked door. Her lifeless form was slumped in … Read more
When 14-year-old Evan Miller beat a man to death with a baseball bat and set his house on fire, the brutality stunned a nation. But what followed ignited a national debate: Should children who commit violent crimes be locked up forever—or do they deserve a second chance? That very question reached the highest court in … Read more
When legendary FBI profiler John Douglas fell into a coma in 1983 from a near-fatal bout of viral encephalitis, many wondered if his groundbreaking career in criminal profiling had reached its end. But two years later, a terrifying double murder in South Carolina called him back into the darkness—and into one of the most psychologically … Read more
Introduction In the 1980s, the United States witnessed a surge of fear and paranoia, encapsulated in what became known as the “Satanic Panic.” At the heart of this hysteria was the McMartin Preschool case, a legal saga that not only became the most expensive trial in American history but also a cautionary tale about the … Read more
In the intricate world of forensic science, where meticulous analysis meets the pursuit of justice, diversity has often been an overlooked element. Antoinette T. Campbell, a seasoned forensic scientist based in Philadelphia, recognized this disparity and embarked on a mission to transform the landscape. Her journey from a curious chemistry student to a beacon of … Read more
Kidnappings grip public attention for all the wrong reasons. Names like Jaycee Dugard, Elizabeth Smart, and Colleen Stan bring to mind nightmarish images of control, fear, and escape. But behind the stories lies a question that demands understanding: Why do some people hold others captive? This dark behavior is not always rooted in insanity. Instead, … Read more
When Spc. Enrique Roman-Martinez vanished in May 2020, the events that followed would shock a nation. A bright 21-year-old paratrooper from Chino, California, Enrique was found dead—his severed head washed ashore on a North Carolina beach. To this day, his murder remains a mystery. The story raises more questions than answers. How could a soldier … Read more
Sheila LaBarre called herself an “avenging angel,” claiming God sent her to punish pedophiles. But behind the religious fervor was a brutal murderer who lured men into her New Hampshire farmhouse, tortured them, and ultimately killed them. On June 20, 2008, a jury saw through her divine delusions and convicted her of two first-degree murders. … Read more
James E. Amos wasn’t just one of the FBI’s first Black agents—he was a pioneer who helped shape the future of American law enforcement. His remarkable career spanned over three decades, taking him from the White House to the front lines of the most dangerous investigations of his time. As the first Black agent to … Read more
Few names in forensic psychology carry as much weight as Ann Wolbert Burgess. A trailblazing forensic nurse and one of the FBI’s earliest collaborators in criminal profiling, Burgess brought something the Behavioral Science Unit (BSU) desperately needed—a deeper understanding of serial killers through the eyes of their victims. Before the world knew what a “Mindhunter” … Read more