Mind of a Monster: The Hollywood Ripper

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Across the 2000s, under the shimmering lights of Hollywood, a murderer lay in wait. Watching, waiting and stalking his young and beautiful female neighbors, Michael Gargiulo bided his time until his opportune moment arrived – while they were sleeping. Breaking into their safe havens - their homes - he butchered his victims and then moved to a new location in tinsel town to find his next target.  

Across six episodes, criminal psychologist Dr. Michelle Ward talks with friends and acquaintances o

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Episodes

47:21

The Trial | Ep.6

Michael Gargiulo’s final victim bravely fights him off, leading to his eventual arrest. A media frenzy takes place as the serial killer takes the stand. With multiple powerful witness testimonies, shocking evidence and the death penalty on the table,

42:14

Maria | Ep.5

Another woman is found murdered, and this time Michael has gone even further with his brutality. In the wake of the investigation, there is a break in the case. Clear patterns are emerging and link multiple overkill murders of young women to the poss

44:49

The Hunt | Ep.4

Detectives continue to work on finding Ashley Ellerin’s killer and finally their attentions turn to her neighbor, Mike the furnace guy. Police try to track Michael down, but it proves very difficult rather quickly. Dr. Michelle Ward digs into Michael

41:45

Ashley | Ep.3

22-year-old Ashley Ellerin is found brutally murdered in her apartment by her roommate. The scene is closed off and police search for any evidence that identifies her killer. Detectives don’t know yet that it’s Mike the Furnace Guy and they open the

41:31

Mike the Furnace Guy | Ep.2

A teenage girl has been murdered in Gargiulo’s hometown on her front doorstep and when police look to question him after an unusual encounter with the victim’s parents, Michael has escaped to Los Angeles. Working as a bouncer and aspiring actor, Mich

36:55

Michael Gargiulo | Ep.1

Season nine of Mind of a Monster begins in Hollywood in 2019. A woman is testifying about how she fought off Michael Gargiulo as he brutally stabbed her while she was in bed. Her bravery led to the unmasking of a serial killer who stands trial for he

39:34

S8 Ep.6: 11 Skulls

When he realizes that his demands are not going to be met, incarcerated serial killer Israel Keyes pulls off one final power play. To identify other victims Keyes murdered, frustrated investigators must try and piece together remaining clues. Do his

43:55

S8 Ep.5: Confessions

After getting caught using the victim’s bank card, Israel Keyes admits to killing local girl Samantha Koenig and disposing of her body in a frozen lake. When he gives a horrific blow-by-blow description of how he did it, investigators realize they ha

41:24

S8 Ep.4: Samantha

In Anchorage, Alaska, 18-year-old Samantha Koenig is abducted while working at a coffee stand, sending panic through the city.  Police initially struggle to find a solid lead – until the kidnapper delivers a ransom note.  Following the trail down to

44:08

S8 Ep.3: Hunting Grounds

In the remote mountains of north-west Washington, Israel Keyes splits his time between taking care of his young family and hunting for victims. When he travels to visit family members in other states, The Cross-Country Killer discovers fresh hunting

40:50

S8 Ep.2: A Double Life

After an isolated childhood in the woods, Israel Keyes realises he’s a psychopath – with an urge to rape and kill. When he distances himself from his ultra religious family, he finds a new home in the Army – where his survivalist skillset is apprecia

43:29

S8 Ep.1: Israel Keyes   

Season eight of Mind of a Monster begins in the wild and remote city of Anchorage, Alaska where Israel Keyes is being questioned about the abduction of a young woman. Unearthing information from his childhood, we find he was reared in the woods learn

44:10

S7 Ep.6: The Trial

Kristen Gilbert’s reign of terror has ended but the trials have just begun.  She is tried for the bomb threats, tried for the murder of multiple patients and in a unique and shocking turn of events, faces the death penalty – a capital punishment that

44:58

S7 Ep.5: Confession

The heat is on Kristen Gilbert and the investigation is gathering damning intel on the unusual rise of deaths on Ward C.  Instead of her taking herself away from the line of fire, her behavior reaches a shocking new level and goes in a direction that

39:08

S7 Ep.4: The Investigation

Kristen’s colleagues come forward with their concerns over the suspicious deaths on Ward C, and an investigation gets underway. Kristen quickly catches wind that something is up, but rather than staying under the radar, her behavior becomes increasin

41:34

S7 Ep.3: Ward C

On Ward C, Kristen Gilbert’s victim count is rising, and her secret affair is intensifying.  Stocks of her regularly used killing weapon, the drug epinephrine, are decreasing rapidly, and Kristen’s colleagues are becoming suspicious.  The world of me

46:05

S7 Ep.2: The Angel of Death

Kristen Gilbert has had her first taste in what it’s like to harm someone in her care.  Her thirst grows when the newlywed mom gets her first nursing job at the Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in Massachusetts.  It's a hospital filled with vulnerabl

38:56

S7 Ep.1: Kristen Gilbert 

Season seven of Mind of a Monster begins in the picturesque town of Groton, Massachusetts where Kristen Gilbert is raised.  From an early age, Kristen begins to spin concerning and elaborate lies to garner attention. In her young adulthood, an admira

49:50

S6 Ep.7: They Bleed Like Everyone Else

We bring the series to a close with a special episode dedicated to the story of Cindy Paulson, the 17-year-old sex worker who turned the entire Hansen case around. In 40 years, Cindy has never spoken in public about her experience. Now we fly to meet

42:47

S6 Ep. 6: Breaking the Unfortunate Bond

Robert Hansen meets with the prosecution, and the true extent of his crimes becomes apparent, surprising even his defense lawyers. But he doesn't remember any of his victims' names. What follows is the painstaking recovery of bodies and the attempts

45:14

S6 Ep.5: What Don't We Know?

On a fall day in 1983, the police tear apart Robert Hansen’s home in search of evidence connecting him to the murders of two dancers, but all they’ve found is a few flight maps. In an interview room across town, Sergeant Glenn Flothe has his man in f

45:36

S6 Ep.4: Your Job Is To Protect and Serve

In 1983, another woman’s body is found in the sand banks of the Knik River. The police can no longer deny there is a serial killer at work. Detective Glenn Flothe takes on the case at the Alaska State Troopers and realizes it is much bigger than he e

38:44

S6 Ep.3: Robert C. Hansen vs. The World

Superiors at the Anchorage Police Department shrug off sex worker Cindy Paulson’s accusations of rape and kidnapping. Still, Patrol Cop Gregg Baker thinks he knows who is responsible and will not let it lie. In this episode, Dr. Michelle Ward and Cri

41:04

S6 Ep.2: There Were Stuffed Animals Everywhere

Years pass, and more young women disappear from Anchorage’s notorious 4th Avenue strip. Dr. Michelle Ward delves into their unsettled backstories and learns that Anchorage may not be a safe place, but when you want to run away, Alaska is about the fu

43:34

S6 Ep.1: We Called Her Eklutna Annie

Dr. Michelle Ward takes us to 1980s Alaska, into the swirl and chaos of the pipeline oil boom. For months, Detective Maxine Farrell’s been troubled by the list of missing dancers on her desk, but her superiors don’t want to know about it. Then, an of

43:08

S5 Ep.6: I’ll be back, I’ll be back

Aileen is found guilty of the murder of her first victim. Despite her protestations of self-defence and numerous assessments deeming her mentally incompetent, she is sentenced to death. For the remaining five murders, she fires her legal team and hir

45:00

S5 Ep.5: Stab Me in the Back

Aileen Wuornos has been captured, her killing spree at an end, but her arrest is only on an outstanding warrant. Police need evidence to prove her guilt and they persuade Tyria, Aileen’s girlfriend, to elicit a confession. It’s a delicate operation b

36:50

S5 Ep.4: Killer Queen

Aileen Wuornos has now killed five men, stealing their cars and possessions in the process. Her next victim is an ex-cop and determined police manage to retrace his steps. Their breakthrough comes from a pawn shop where they find two items belonging

44:35

S5 Ep.3: Damsel of Death

Police are investigating the murder of Richard Mallory. He’s been shot dead by Aileen Wuornos who he solicited for sex work, but Mallory himself has a violent past. Aileen confides in her girlfriend Tyria about the murder, who is initially shocked. M

35:08

S5 Ep.2: From Rags to Riches to Rags

Aileen Wuornos has hitchhiked to sunny Florida, making money through sex work along the highways before meeting a millionaire yacht club president, whom she marries in 1976. But her chance at happiness is short lived and the marriage is annulled. She

38:38

S5 Ep.1: Babe in the Woods

Season 5 of Mind of a Monster begins in Rochester, Michigan. Aileen Wuornos is just a child when she is abandoned by her parents and left with a grandfather who physically abuses her. Aileen is bullied at school and is just 14 when she begins accepti

44:51

S4 Ep.6: The Trial

Jeffrey Dahmer’s reign of terror finally ends after claiming 17 lives and attacking and drugging countless more. As the case goes to trial, could his insanity defense actually work? 

Hosted by criminal psychologist Michelle Ward, the Mind of a Monst

34:32

S4 Ep.5: Body Parts

Dr. Michelle Ward tracks his latest victim, Tracy Edwards, as he manages to escape Dahmer’s clutches. This time, law enforcement finally takes notice, and when they enter his apartment, they make a macabre discovery -- a human head in the fridge.   

40:10

S4 Ep.4: House of Horrors

It’s 1991 and Jeffrey Dahmer's depravity has descended to a new low. Tired of his victims dying so quickly, he attempts to create human zombies. Dr. Michelle Ward investigates as Dahmer’s apartment transforms into a Dantean epicenter of pain, devianc

29:10

S4 Ep.3: Dahmer and the Chocolate Factory

After a nine-year gap between his first and second kills, Jeffrey Dahmer now murders men and boys at speed. Dr. Walsh tracks Dahmer’s progression as a serial killer and investigates how a near miss almost stops his killing spree in its tracks.

Hoste

35:27

S4 Ep.2: A Serial Killer is Born

Dr. Michelle Ward discusses how Dahmer flunks college and enlists in the army, before finally moving in with his grandmother in Milwaukee. The prevailing story of this period is that he resists his violent urges for nine years -- but is this the trut

35:55

S4 Ep.1: First Kill

We begin in the picturesque town of Bath, Ohio, where a troubled teenager is developing some disturbing interests. Speaking to experts and witnesses, Dr Michelle Ward investigates the pivotal moment that saw Jeffrey Dahmer shift from class jokester t

31:00

S3 Ep.6: Conversations With A Killer

In our season finale, with Bundy executed, Dr. Michelle Ward explores the cutting-edge technology that finally put Gary Ridgway behind bars, and finds out what it’s like to be face-to-face with the one of the most prolific serial killers of all time.

32:24

S3 Ep.5: The Killing Continues

Dr. Michelle Ward takes us back to Ted Bundy’s escape where he carried out the frenzied Chi Omega murders. She talks to the Florida Sheriff who took the bite out of Bundy’s campaign of killing for good, and picks apart the decline of the Green River

31:32

S3 Ep.4: The Survivors Speak

In this episode, Gary Ridgway has escaped the clutches of police not once, but twice, and is feeling invincible. He has now killed at least 40 women and there’s no sign of him stopping. But a key witness comes forward to confess to having escaped the

28:45

S3 Ep.3: Murder in the Media

Dr. Michelle Ward is on the trail of The Green River Killer.  As the disappearances and bodies pile up, the public is gripped by fear. The story is all over the news, but investigators are out of ideas and desperate for a break in the case. What happ

31:09

S3 Ep.2: A Different Kind of Killer

In this episode, Ted Bundy is in captivity, but makes a final frenzied attempt to evade justice. Dr. Michelle Ward follows the case of the The Green River Killer as it continues to unfold over almost two decades. How did another evil killer not just

33:01

S3 Ep.1: One Serial Killer Follows Another

In this season, criminal psychologist Dr. Michelle Ward takes us to Washington State in the 1970s to investigate two of the most prolific serial killers in US history – Ted Bundy and the so-called Green River Killer, Gary Ridgway. Both use deception

32:21

S2 Ep.6: Killers on Trial

In the season finale, all three killers face the justice system. Dr. Michelle Ward guides us through legal proceedings and the circus of the courtroom – from Bianchi turning against Buono, to Richard Ramirez’s satanic theatrics. Will the killers be c

29:05

S2 Ep.5: The Satanic Murders

The shocking revelation about Kenneth Bianchi’s mental state is put under the microscope. Does he really have Multiple Personality Disorder? Or is he just faking it? Dr. Michelle Ward interrogates the evidence and tracks the arrest of Angelo Buono. 

33:27

S2 Ep.4: Catch Me If You Can

In this episode, Dr. Michelle Ward takes us beat by beat as the murders and disappearances continue, the net finally closes in on Kenneth Bianchi, and a journalist picks up the hunt for the second Hillside Strangler. We also flashforward to 1985 as S

31:21

S2 Ep.3: No One’s Safe

In this episode, we follow the story of Kimberly Martin, a teenager who moves to LA to make a life for herself but crosses paths with the Hillside Stranglers. Meanwhile, 800 miles away in El Paso, Texas, 17-year-old Richard Ramirez obsesses over seri

28:36

S2 Ep.2: The Serial Killings Begin

It’s 1977 and women and girls around Hollywood are found murdered and displayed naked, with signs of strangulation. Dr. Michelle Ward follows the trail with former LAPD detective Bob Grogan and delves into Kenneth Bianchi’s and Angelo Buono’s psyches

35:32

S2 Ep.1: Making a Killing in Hollywood

It’s the stuff of nightmares. Women and girls start disappearing, then are found murdered, naked and brutalized. A shadowy intruder breaks into homes, leaving satanic signs and murdering and raping everyone inside. Yet from 1977 to 1985 this was a re

35:37

S1 Ep.6: Seeking Justice

Season 2 coming soon.

With the killers captured, the cases go to trial. The stakes are high as both Herbert Mullin and Edmund Kemper attempt to plead insanity. Will they succeed? In the season finale, Dr Michelle Ward details the ultimate fates of t

32:33

S1 Ep.5: Hunting the Co-Ed Killer

It’s April 1973 and an early morning phone call triggers a chain of events that both shock and appall the Santa Cruz community. Criminal psychologist Dr Michelle Ward follows as law enforcement investigate a horrific crime scene and finally catch the

31:04

S1 Ep.4: Catching a Serial Killer

In this episode, the net finally closes in on murderer Herbert Mullin. But with body parts still being discovered, Dr Michelle Ward details how elation turns to despair as law enforcement realize there must be a second serial killer operating in Sant

38:46

S1 Ep.3: The Bodies Pile Up

Criminal psychologist Dr Michelle Ward takes us beat by beat as the killings and disappearances escalate and Santa Cruz becomes the focus of the national media. Students are warned not to hitchhike. But with families massacred in their own homes, is

34:56

S1 Ep.2: Investigating Murder

Criminal psychologist Dr Michelle Ward tracks the early stages of the investigation. As detectives identify human remains discovered on a mountain near Santa Cruz, a young student disappears, and a series of seemingly random killings dumbfound law en

33:11

S1 Ep.1: The Killings Begin

From 1972 to 1973 twenty-one individuals were brutally murdered as the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office dealt with not one, but two serial killers: Ed Kemper and Herbert Mullin. World-renowned criminal psychologist Dr Michelle Ward takes us back to Santa