Mind of a Monster: The Butcher Baker
True Crime
Hosted by criminal psychologist Michelle Ward, Mind of a Monster brings you exclusive access and insight into depraved killers. Hear from history’s most notorious serial killers—with chilling audio straight from the monsters themselves.
Season 6 examines the case of the Butcher Baker, Robert Hansen. 1980s Alaska: a swirling, chaotic mix of oil workers, dancers, sex workers and old-school cops. On the seedy 4th Avenue strip in Anchorage, nicknamed the world's longest bar, women start to go missing, plucked from the street or the bars and never seen again.
In this 7-part series, Dr. Michelle Ward investigates the case of one of the US's most prolific, but not widely known, serial killers. She'll talk to survivors, criminology experts and the police on the ground, uncovering audio tapes, police reports and old newspaper articles, all to reveal the killer's identity as it happened.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Location:
United States
Genres:
True Crime
Description:
Hosted by criminal psychologist Michelle Ward, Mind of a Monster brings you exclusive access and insight into depraved killers. Hear from history’s most notorious serial killers—with chilling audio straight from the monsters themselves. Season 6 examines the case of the Butcher Baker, Robert Hansen. 1980s Alaska: a swirling, chaotic mix of oil workers, dancers, sex workers and old-school cops. On the seedy 4th Avenue strip in Anchorage, nicknamed the world's longest bar, women start to go missing, plucked from the street or the bars and never seen again. In this 7-part series, Dr. Michelle Ward investigates the case of one of the US's most prolific, but not widely known, serial killers. She'll talk to survivors, criminology experts and the police on the ground, uncovering audio tapes, police reports and old newspaper articles, all to reveal the killer's identity as it happened. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Language:
English
Episodes
S6 Ep.7: They Bleed Like Everyone Else
2/20/2024
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 her for an exclusive interview. We talk about her childhood and what led her into sex work, we hear her side of Hansen’s attack and the police’s subsequent negligence. We learn how she began to trust Glenn Flothe, and where she disappeared to. We end on the impact these events had on her life.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:49:50
S6 Ep. 6: Breaking the Unfortunate Bond
2/13/2024
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 to identify them. Dr. Michelle Ward revisits the story of Delynn Frey and tells of her family's heartache as the wait to identify her body stretches into years. Two other unidentified victims' stories take us to the present day, and the cold case investigators vow to give them back their names.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:42:47
S6 Ep.5: What Don't We Know?
2/6/2024
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 front of him, but he’s telling the same old stories. However, as the search turns and Flothe starts to build a concrete case, his key witness, 17-year-old sex worker Cindy Paulsen, disappears into the Anchorage nightlife scene. Hansen has slipped through their net countless times before. Will this be the last?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:45:14
S6 Ep.5: What Don't We Know?
2/6/2024
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 front of him, but he’s telling the same old stories. However, as the search turns and Flothe starts to build a concrete case, his key witness, 17-year-old sex worker Cindy Paulsen, disappears into the Anchorage nightlife scene. Hansen has slipped through their net countless times before. Will this be the last?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:45:14
S6 Ep.4: Your Job Is To Protect and Serve
1/30/2024
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 ever imagined. He painstakingly tracks down further survivors of the man terrorizing Anchorage, including former dancer Christy Hayes, who speaks publicly for the first time about her abduction and escape. Meanwhile, Flothe narrows in on his suspect as Detective Maxine Farrell arrives to aid the investigation.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:45:36
S6 Ep.3: Robert C. Hansen vs. The World
1/23/2024
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 Criminal Profiler Brent Turvey dive deep into the backstory of Gregg’s main suspect. What can his current life in Anchorage and his distant past in Pocahontas, Iowa, tell us about him and the likelihood that he is involved with the cases of the missing dancers?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:38:44
S6 Ep.3: Robert C. Hansen vs. The World
1/23/2024
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 Criminal Profiler Brent Turvey dive deep into the backstory of Gregg’s main suspect. What can his current life in Anchorage and his distant past in Pocahontas, Iowa, tell us about him and the likelihood that he is involved with the cases of the missing dancers?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:38:44
S6 Ep.3: Robert C. Hansen vs. The World
1/23/2024
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 Criminal Profiler Brent Turvey dive deep into the backstory of Gregg’s main suspect. What can his current life in Anchorage and his distant past in Pocahontas, Iowa, tell us about him and the likelihood that he is involved with the cases of the missing dancers?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:38:44
S6 Ep.2: There Were Stuffed Animals Everywhere
1/16/2024
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 furthest place you can go. Then a young girl, just 17, is found handcuffed and bruised running down the street. Could this be related to Detective Maxine Farrell’s missing dancers? Dr. Michelle Ward uncovers audio interviews and looks into the botched police investigation that lets the attacker slip through their fingers.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:41:04
S6 Ep.2: There Were Stuffed Animals Everywhere
1/16/2024
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 furthest place you can go. Then a young girl, just 17, is found handcuffed and bruised running down the street. Could this be related to Detective Maxine Farrell’s missing dancers? Dr. Michelle Ward uncovers audio interviews and looks into the botched police investigation that lets the attacker slip through their fingers.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:41:04
S6 Ep.2: There Were Stuffed Animals Everywhere
1/16/2024
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 furthest place you can go. Then a young girl, just 17, is found handcuffed and bruised running down the street. Could this be related to Detective Maxine Farrell’s missing dancers? Dr. Michelle Ward uncovers audio interviews and looks into the botched police investigation that lets the attacker slip through their fingers.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:41:04
S6 Ep.1: We Called Her Eklutna Annie
1/9/2024
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 off-duty cop makes a shocking discovery in the wilderness - a young woman’s body in a shallow grave. In this episode, Dr. Michelle Ward explores the underworld of Anchorage and its seedy 4th Avenue strip. She explores potential mafia connections and uncovers the dangers that dancers and sex workers face. Is there someone preying on their vulnerability?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:43:34
S6 Ep.1: We Called Her Eklutna Annie
1/9/2024
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 off-duty cop makes a shocking discovery in the wilderness - a young woman’s body in a shallow grave. In this episode, Dr. Michelle Ward explores the underworld of Anchorage and its seedy 4th Avenue strip. She explores potential mafia connections and uncovers the dangers that dancers and sex workers face. Is there someone preying on their vulnerability?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:43:34
Introducing Mind of a Monster: The Butcher Baker
1/2/2024
1980s Alaska: a swirling, chaotic mix of oil workers, dancers, sex workers and old-school cops. On the seedy 4th Avenue strip in Anchorage, nicknamed the world's longest bar, women start to go missing, plucked from the street or the bars and never seen again. In this 7-part series, Dr. Michelle Ward investigates the case of one of the US's most prolific, but not widely known, serial killers. She'll talk to survivors, criminology experts and the police on the ground, uncovering audio tapes, police reports and old newspaper articles, all to reveal the killer's identity as it happened.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:01:29
S5 Ep.6: I’ll be back, I’ll be back
7/4/2023
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 hires a new lawyer, Steven Glazer. She pleads “no contest” further sealing her fate. Aileen’s best friend Dawn stays in close contact, her constant comfort, Aileen begins writing long letters to Dawn. Aileen is on death row for eight years before there is an attempt to appeal her sentences. It fails and in 2002 she is put to death aged 45.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:43:08
S5 Ep.5: Stab Me in the Back
6/27/2023
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 but over the phone Aileen eventually agrees to confess. Dr. Michelle Ward explores, with Psychologist Dr. Tasha Jackson, the diminishing emotional state of Aileen in custody, as we hear of her hallucinations from a letter to her best friend, Dawn. In court for the murder of Richard Mallory, Aileen is faced with the ultimate betrayal by her ex-girlfriend Tyria.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:45:00
S5 Ep.4: Killer Queen
6/20/2023
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 to Aileen’s first victim. Dr. Michelle Ward speaks to the investigators about how the case unfolded. They get a name and a fingerprint, but the name is false. Turning to the fingerprint they get a match and have a suspect: Aileen Wuornos. An undercover operation in a local bar hits the jackpot and Aileen is taken into custody.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:36:50
S5 Ep.3: Damsel of Death
6/13/2023
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. Meanwhile, the police investigation runs cold, but it is only six months until Aileen’s next kill. This time, her victim is a construction worker named David Spears. She shoots him not once, but six times in the chest. Dr. Michelle Wards speaks to police investigators from the case about Aileen’s escalation to serial killer.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:44:35
S5 Ep.2: From Rags to Riches to Rags
6/6/2023
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 heads home to Michigan to see her brother, but he soon dies of cancer. Aileen is heartbroken and attempts suicide. Returning to Florida, Aileen meets the love of her life, Tyria. But Dr. Michelle Ward hears how sex work is still Aileen’s only way of making money and it leads her to her first murder, Richard Mallory in 1989.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:35:08
S5 Ep.1: Babe in the Woods
5/30/2023
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 accepting money for sexual favors. Tragically, she is raped by her grandfather’s friend and becomes pregnant, but the baby is taken away from her. Now homeless, Aileen is forced to live in the woods. Dr. Michelle Ward speaks to psychologists and Aileen’s best friend about how these early years started her spiral of chaos.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Duration:00:38:38