Episodios

  • Rex Heuermann’s “Hero” Moment: The Family, the Denial & the Psychology of Living With a Monster | 2025 Year in Review

    Rex Heuermann’s “Hero” Moment: The Family, the Denial & the Psychology of Living With a Monster | 2025 Year in Review
    Nov 29 2025
    As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we’re diving into one of the most disturbing intersections of true crime and psychology yet — the family of Rex Heuermann, the accused Gilgo Beach serial killer, and their shocking public defense of a man prosecutors call one of the most prolific murderers in modern history.

    In this powerful two-part special, Tony Brueski unpacks the emotional, psychological, and ethical fallout from Peacock’s new documentary The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets — including Asa Ellerup’s chilling confession that she still calls her accused killer husband her “hero.”

    Heuermann’s family — wife Asa, daughter Victoria, and son Christopher — sit down for the first time on camera, describing their life before and after the 2023 arrest that turned their world upside down. Despite overwhelming forensic evidence — including DNA links, hair fibers from family members found on victims, and a manifesto allegedly detailing murder methods — Asa insists on her husband’s innocence, calling prison visits their “first dates.”

    Tony Brueski explores how denial, trauma bonding, and cognitive dissonance shape these responses — and why victims’ families are calling the documentary “a slap in the face.” Legal experts weigh in on the $1 million payday allegedly tied to the family’s cooperation and how this could spark an expansion of New York’s Son of Sam laws to block profiting from criminal notoriety.

    Then, retired FBI Special Agent Robin Dreeke joins Tony to analyze how killers like Heuermann hide in plain sight — and how families miss the signs. Dreeke explains the “truth-default state,” why spouses detect lies only about half the time, and how suburban normalcy becomes the perfect camouflage for horror.

    The conversation delves into the terrifying psychology of compartmentalization, exploring how someone can live a double life so convincing that even their loved ones see only the mask. From Heuermann’s alleged burner phones to his meticulous planning during family trips, it’s a case study in deception — and the human mind’s desperate need to believe what feels safe.

    🎙️ Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski — 2025 Year in Review: The Crimes, The Psychology, and The Families That Shook America.

    #RexHeuermann #AsaEllerup #GilgoBeachMurders #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #RobinDreeke #TrueCrimePodcast #SerialKillerFamily #PsychologicalDenial #HouseOfSecrets #LISK #CriminalPsychology #SonOfSamLaw #YearInReview #TrueCrimeToday


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    42 m
  • The Cult of Diddy: Why Silence Protected a Predator | 2025 Year in Review

    The Cult of Diddy: Why Silence Protected a Predator | 2025 Year in Review
    Nov 28 2025
    As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we’re peeling back the layers of one of the most disturbing psychological power structures ever exposed in celebrity culture — the world of Sean “Diddy” Combs.

    In this gripping two-part special, Tony Brueski and retired FBI Behavioral Analyst Robin Dreeke dive deep into how fear, manipulation, and emotional dependency built an empire of silence around Diddy for decades.

    Why didn’t more people speak up sooner? Dreeke reveals the three psychological levers that kept Diddy’s inner circle compliant — even as the behavior around them crossed moral and legal lines. From fear-based loyalty and financial entanglement to the illusion of belonging, Dreeke dissects how coercive control can transform a celebrity brand into a psychological fortress.

    This episode doesn’t just explore the headlines — it exposes the mechanics behind them. How does a person with immense power and charisma create a reality distortion field so strong that people rationalize the unthinkable? How do those closest to the source of abuse convince themselves they’re “protected,” when in truth, they’re prisoners of influence?

    Drawing from FBI behavioral science and decades of fieldwork, Dreeke and Brueski connect Diddy’s alleged patterns to cult-style leadership psychology, trauma bonding, and the weaponization of loyalty. They break down how abusers in positions of fame exploit human nature’s deepest needs — safety, validation, and identity — to ensure silence and complicity.

    This isn’t just a celebrity scandal. It’s a case study in toxic leadership, groupthink, and the quiet, corrosive power of fear. It’s about how one man allegedly turned charisma into control — and how those around him, knowingly or not, became part of the machine that protected him.

    🎙️ Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski — 2025 Year in Review: The Cases That Exposed Power, Silence, and the Psychology of Control.

    #DiddyTrial #SeanCombs #RobinDreeke #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #TrueCrimePodcast #FBIBehavioralAnalysis #CoerciveControl #CultDynamics #CelebrityAbuse #ToxicLeadership #PowerAndControl #YearInReview #TrueCrimeToday


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    15 m
  • ​Bryan Kohberger’s Selfie of Darkness: The Trophy, the Knife, and the Mind of a Killer | 2025 Year in Review

    ​Bryan Kohberger’s Selfie of Darkness: The Trophy, the Knife, and the Mind of a Killer | 2025 Year in Review
    Nov 28 2025
    As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we’re revisiting one of the most chilling — and hauntingly bizarre — developments in the ongoing Bryan Kohberger case: the alleged “selfie of satisfaction” and the disturbing digital trail that may reveal the psychology of a killer.

    Newly surfaced evidence points to a digital footprint as unsettling as the crime itself — including an Amazon order history allegedly showing a combat knife, matching sheath, and sharpener purchased months before the Idaho student murders. And then, the image: a post-crime selfie of Kohberger, freshly showered, clean-shaven, giving a thumbs-up in a bright white shirt. Was it arrogance? A trophy? Or the hollow ritual of someone reliving what they’d just done?

    In this Hidden Killers special, Tony Brueski is joined by retired FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer and former FBI Behavioral Unit Chief Robin Dreeke to break down how both the digital evidence and the alleged photo may expose Kohberger’s deeper pathology.

    Coffindaffer unpacks the forensic side — why a knife sharpener might have been part of the prep, and how such a detail reflects a disturbing level of forethought. Dreeke dives into the behavioral side, exploring how narcissism, ritual, and the need for control manifest in offenders like Kohberger. Together, they ask the question no one wants to answer: could he have been planning for more?

    We also explore how the selfie itself might play in court — not as a smoking gun, but as a powerful psychological weapon. Could prosecutors use it to humanize the horror for jurors? Could the surviving roommates recognize it as a chilling echo of the man they may have glimpsed that night?

    From his alleged shopping habits to his eerie self-portrait, this is the story of a man who may have thought he could control every variable — except his own digital reflection.

    🎙️ Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski — 2025 Year in Review: The Crimes, the Minds, and the Evidence That Defined the Year.


    #BryanKohberger #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #JenniferCoffindaffer #RobinDreeke #TrueCrimePodcast #IdahoMurders #CriminalPsychology #KnifeEvidence #ForensicAnalysis #CourtroomDrama #YearInReview #TrueCrimeToday #JusticeForVictims


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    31 m
  • Rex Heuermann: The Suburban Monster & the System That Looked Away | 2025 Year in Review

    Rex Heuermann: The Suburban Monster & the System That Looked Away | 2025 Year in Review
    Nov 27 2025
    As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we’re revisiting one of the darkest and most complex cases in modern true crime — the alleged double life of Rex Heuermann, the accused Gilgo Beach serial killer who managed to live a picture-perfect suburban existence while allegedly committing unthinkable crimes.

    In this gripping two-part special, Tony Brueski and retired FBI Special Agent Robin Dreeke unravel how Heuermann allegedly concealed a predatory world behind the mask of a mild-mannered architect. Dreeke dissects the psychological mechanics of deception — how a man can manipulate his own family into overlooking chaos, maintain the illusion of normalcy, and exploit society’s indifference toward marginalized victims.

    How do you hide something this horrifying in plain sight?
    By preying on a culture that doesn’t look too closely.

    The conversation dives deep into the psychology of incremental abnormality — how small behavioral shifts go unnoticed until the monster is fully formed. From the quiet control of his household to the alleged targeting of sex trafficking victims society ignored, Dreeke exposes the chilling behavioral blueprint of a man who thrived in the shadows of neglect.

    Then, the focus turns to Suffolk County’s corruption problem — one that may have allowed this case to fester for over a decade. Enter James Burke, the disgraced former police chief whose own scandals — including beating a suspect over stolen porn and sex toys — helped derail the Gilgo investigation for years. With former DA Thomas Spota later indicted for obstruction and witness tampering, the question becomes unavoidable: Did law enforcement’s rot give a serial killer room to operate?

    The episode also examines Asa Ellerup’s new public comments following Netflix’s Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer. Heuermann’s ex-wife isn’t pushing conspiracy theories — but she’s asking questions. Could her husband be a fall guy for a broken system? With DNA evidence hinging on a controversial technique called whole genome sequencing, the courts now face a precedent-setting decision that could make or break the case.

    🎙️ Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski — 2025 Year in Review: The Crimes, The Corruption, and The Psychology That Defined the Year.


    #RexHeuermann #GilgoBeachMurders #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #RobinDreeke #AsaEllerup #JamesBurke #SuffolkCounty #TrueCrimePodcast #Corruption #SerialKillerCase #YearInReview #JusticeForVictims #TrueCrimeToday

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    46 m
  • Inside the Mind of Sean “Diddy” Combs: Power, Control & the Psychology of Alleged Abuse | 2025 Year in Review

    Inside the Mind of Sean “Diddy” Combs: Power, Control & the Psychology of Alleged Abuse | 2025 Year in Review
    Nov 27 2025
    As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we revisit one of the most shocking and psychologically revealing cases of the year — the federal trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, where allegations of manipulation, coercive control, and psychological abuse have redefined how power, fame, and fear intertwine.

    In this full-length special, Tony Brueski sits down with psychotherapist Shavaun Scott and retired FBI Special Agent Robin Dreeke for a two-part deep dive into the disturbing behavioral patterns emerging from the trial — and the psychology of a man accused of wielding control like a weapon.

    Shavaun Scott breaks down ten key psychological tactics allegedly used by Combs against Cassie Ventura, as detailed in testimony and filings: covert manipulation, emotional isolation, threats, intimidation, extortion through explicit material, and the gradual dismantling of personal autonomy. She explains how high-profile abusers create invisible cages — systems of dependence and fear that trap victims even under the public eye.

    Then, Robin Dreeke analyzes the case from a behavioral intelligence perspective — mapping how powerful figures maintain a dual identity: adored in public, feared in private. From the alleged use of surveillance and financial control to the orchestration of silence among inner-circle members, Dreeke exposes how a “high-functioning predator” can operate unchecked for decades.

    The discussion also explores the psychology of complicity — how enablers and bystanders become part of the abuse cycle, whether through fear, loyalty, or career survival. Both experts highlight the chilling consistency between Combs’ alleged conduct and established behavioral profiles of coercive narcissists and organized abusers.

    This is more than a celebrity scandal. It’s a clinical case study in power addiction, psychological dominance, and the systemic failures that allow fame to mask abuse.

    🎙️ Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski — 2025 Year in Review: The Cases Where Power, Psychology, and Justice Collided.


    #DiddyTrial #CassieVentura #SeanCombs #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #ShavaunScott #RobinDreeke #PsychologicalAbuse #CoerciveControl #CelebrityCrime #PowerAndControl #TrueCrimePodcast #BehavioralAnalysis #YearInReview #JusticeForSurvivors #TrueCrimeToday


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    45 m
  • Bryan Kohberger’s Amazon Cart of Death: The Knife, The Selfie & The Psychology of Control | 2025 Year in Review

    Bryan Kohberger’s Amazon Cart of Death: The Knife, The Selfie & The Psychology of Control | 2025 Year in Review
    Nov 27 2025
    As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we revisit one of the most jaw-dropping chapters in the ongoing Bryan Kohberger case — the digital trail that may have done what he allegedly couldn’t avoid in person: exposing him completely.

    Investigators say Kohberger, the Ph.D. criminology student accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, may have left behind more than DNA on a knife sheath — he may have left a shopping list. A damning set of online purchases allegedly includes a K-Bar knife, matching sheath, and sharpening tool — all conveniently ordered from Amazon.

    In this Hidden Killers breakdown, Tony Brueski teams up with retired FBI Special Agent Robin Dreeke and defense attorney Bob Motta (Defense Diaries) to dissect the chilling implications of the so-called “Amazon Evidence.”

    If true, this isn’t just forensic coincidence — it’s a psychological signature. Dreeke dives into what these purchases reveal about a possible obsessive, methodical mindset: someone fascinated by control, process, and precision. But in his precision, perhaps also arrogant — believing intellect could outsmart technology.

    Then, Motta joins Tony to examine how this alleged evidence fits into the broader defense battle. Could the prosecution argue that Kohberger’s shopping habits show premeditation? Or can the defense spin it as circumstantial — just a “collector’s curiosity” in military blades?

    And yes — that infamous thumbs-up shower selfie allegedly taken hours after the murders makes its appearance. Motta and Brueski unpack the surreal combination of vanity, detachment, and potential trophy-taking behavior. It’s the kind of moment that would be laughable, if it weren’t so horrifying.

    Together, they explore the haunting question that lingers behind every piece of evidence: Was this a one-time act of obsession, or a rehearsal for something darker?

    🎙️ Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski — 2025 Year in Review: The Crimes That Defined the Year in Evidence, Psychology, and Pure Audacity.


    #BryanKohberger #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #RobinDreeke #BobMotta #TrueCrimePodcast #AmazonEvidence #KnifeSheath #IdahoFour #CriminalPsychology #MurderTrial #CourtroomDrama #YearInReview #TrueCrimeToday #DefenseDiaries #JusticeForVictims


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    35 m
  • Donna Adelson’s Downfall: The Jailhouse Matriarch Who Tried to Outsmart Justice | 2025 Year in Review

    Donna Adelson’s Downfall: The Jailhouse Matriarch Who Tried to Outsmart Justice | 2025 Year in Review
    Nov 27 2025
    As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we’re revisiting one of the most jaw-dropping courtroom sagas of the year — the unraveling of Donna Adelson, the 75-year-old grandmother accused of orchestrating the murder-for-hire plot that took the life of Florida State law professor Dan Markel.

    In two of the year’s most explosive episodes, Tony Brueski sat down with both Defense Attorney Bob Motta (Defense Diaries) and retired FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer to break down how a once-untouchable matriarch’s arrogance and denial helped destroy her family’s last shred of credibility.

    Donna’s courtroom appearance was supposed to humanize her. Instead, it showcased the same manipulative charm and self-delusion that prosecutors say fueled her alleged role in the murder conspiracy. From the stand, she painted herself as a frail victim of “inhumane jail conditions” — right before prosecutors rolled out recorded jailhouse calls in which she and her son Charlie Adelson discuss potential escape routes and non-extradition countries.

    Oops.

    Motta dissects the strategic disaster of Donna testifying at her own bond hearing — a move that may go down as one of the biggest self-inflicted wounds in recent courtroom history. Coffindaffer takes it even deeper, exposing the psychology behind Donna’s belief that she could still talk her way out of accountability, decades after manipulating everyone around her.

    From family loyalty turned liability to delusion on display, this episode captures the full scope of Donna’s implosion — and what it means for the rest of the Adelson family heading into the next phase of legal battles.

    Will she ever take a plea? Could she flip on her daughter Wendi? Or does Donna still believe she can win the game — even when the board’s already on fire?

    🎙️ Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski — 2025 Year in Review: The Cases That Defined a Year

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    22 m
  • Concealment, Panic & A Family in Freefall — FBI Profiler Breaks Down the Anna Kepner Case

    Concealment, Panic & A Family in Freefall — FBI Profiler Breaks Down the Anna Kepner Case
    Nov 26 2025
    The death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner is not just another tragic case — it’s a collision of panic, secrecy, and a blended family imploding in real time. Found hidden under a bed on a cruise ship, wrapped and concealed, Anna’s final moments are surrounded by unanswered questions and emotionally charged reactions from nearly every member of her family.

    Tonight on Hidden Killers, I sit down with retired FBI Special Agent Robin Dreeke to cut through the noise and focus on the behavioral reality inside that small cabin. Because cases like this aren’t just about evidence — they’re about human choices under pressure.

    We look at the concealment:
    Why was Anna hidden?
    What does that typically signal in juvenile behavior?
    Where is the line between immaturity-driven panic and intentional wrongdoing?

    We examine the claim from the grandmother that the 16-year-old “doesn’t remember what happened.”
    Is that trauma? Dissociation? Avoidance?
    Or something investigators hear when the truth is too overwhelming to say out loud?

    We explore what happens when adults make catastrophic decisions — like placing teenagers with known tension in the same sleeping quarters — and how that shapes what happens next.

    And then there’s the public chaos: the stepmother pleading the Fifth, the biological mother spiraling on social media, relatives accusing each other, all while a teen girl is gone. Robin breaks down how investigators filter useful behavior from emotional theater and why public performance can sometimes be a clue in itself.

    This is the interview that strips away the speculation and digs into the actual human behavior behind the headlines.

    If you want clarity instead of noise, depth instead of rumor — you’re in the right place.

    #HiddenKillers #AnnaKepnerCase #CruiseShipInvestigation #RobinDreeke #BehaviorAnalysis #TrueCrimeBreakdown #CrimePsychology #FBIExpert #JuvenileInvestigation #FamilyChaos

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    27 m