Killer Psyche

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong examines the tragic and highly publicized case of John Thomas Sweeney, whose obsessive control and escalating violence led to the murder of actress Dominique Dunne in 1982. After a volatile and abusive relationship, Sweeney strangled Dunne outside her Los Angeles home, a crime that exposed devastating gaps in how the justice system addressed domestic violence and intimate partner abuse at the time. Candice unpacks the psychological warning signs, coercive dynamics, and entitlement-driven rage that defined Sweeney’s behavior, and why Dominique Dunne’s death became a turning point in the national conversation about accountability, stalking, and victim protection.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterNeed more Killer Psyche? With Wondery+, enjoy exclusive episodes, early access to new ones, and they’re always ad-free. Start your free trial in the Wondery App or visit wondery.app.link/TI5l5KzpDLb now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong unpacks the disturbing case of Karla Faye Tucker, a woman whose early life of addiction, sexual exploitation, and chaos culminated in a brutally sadistic double murder. High on drugs and fueled by rage, Karla and her boyfriend Danny Garrett broke into an apartment in Houston, Texas, where Karla murdered Jerry Dean with a pickax, later admitting the killing gave her sexual pleasure, before a second victim, Deborah Thornton, was also slain. But the story did not end with conviction and a death sentence. While on death row, Karla claimed to have undergone a profound religious transformation, igniting a national debate over redemption, punishment and whether genuine change is possible after unimaginable violence. Candice examines the psychological fractures, paraphilic pathology and identity disturbances that shaped Karla’s life, and why her case remains one of the most polarizing capital punishment stories in American history.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this encore episode, retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong explores the case of Dennis Rader, also known as BTK. Over 17 years, Rader tortured and murdered 10 people, while playing a game of cat and mouse with law enforcement and the media. Candice digs into how one of the most infamous killers in history, was able to mask himself as loving father, church group president, and a government worker until his arrest in 2005.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterNeed more Killer Psyche? With Wondery+, enjoy exclusive episodes, early access to new ones, and they’re always ad-free. Start your free trial in the Wondery App or visit wondery.app.link/TI5l5KzpDLb now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the second half of this two-part episode, retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong answers questions from listeners about her time in the FBI and her countless interviews with violent offenders.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the first half of this two-part episode, retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong answers questions from listeners all about the human psyche and her time as a psychiatric nurse.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.