The Human Equation

Serial killers, self-reliance, and everything in between

Joni E Johnston Psy.D.

What Kind of Son Kills His Dad?

It's rare for a child to kill a parent, no matter what has happened between them. When he does, it's likely to be for one of three reasons.

How Much Influence Can One Person Have?

No one outside of a cult understands what it's like to be in one. Perhaps this woman's story can change that.

Some People Don't Believe a Loved One Committed Suicide

Few things are harder to accept than a loved one's suicide. But when an unexpected death carries the stain of suicide and the smell of murder, it can be a double whammy.

Cheerleaders, College Students and Call Girls

Of the 65 percent of serial killers' victims who are women, 76 percent are sex workers. But is that who they are or what they've done?

How Killers Find Their Targets, and Why They Often Get Away with It

Why do so many predators target the homeless, sex workers, or others on the margins of society? Looking at the most vulnerable victims may say something about all of us.

Think You Couldn't Be Duped By a Con Artist? Think Again

The Netflix documentary "The Tinder Swindler" has captivated audiences with its boldness, manipulation, and deception.

A frustrated man.

Wrongful Convictions, Memory, and Eyewitness Testimony

A number of wrongful convictions have suggested we view eyewitness memory with a healthy dose of skepticism. But is it our memory that's the problem?

Did You Know a Crime Victim May Have Saved Your Life?

What would you do if the worst tragedy imaginable happened to you? I'd love to think I'd be half as brave as these people were.

What If a Serial Killer Murdered Your Grandma?

It can be all to easy to attribute the death of an older person to natural causes. Sometimes, frighteningly so.

Linking Serial Killers, Mass Murderers, and Child Abusers

Think domestic violence can never touch your life? Neither did nightclub goers, church worshippers, or serial killer victims.

When the Child You've Raised Is a Batterer

We don't usually think about the family who raised a domestic violence perpetrator. What should we do if we do?

Should It Matter if a Perpetrator Was Once a Victim?

Why would a grown woman burn her father alive? She says it was payback for sexual abuse. But even if that's true, should it matter?

Precious Commodities

Most of us think of life insurance as a way to protect our children from an uncertain future. But what if it's a way to use our child to finance our own?

The Psychology of "Copycat Killers"

People often discuss copycat killers after a mass shooting or serial murder. But if the media inspires murder, why aren't true crime fans more violent?

A Real-World View of Incompetence to Stand Trial

Accused murderer Lori Vallow has been found incompetent to stand trial and sent to treatment. Is she faking it? Will she ever stand trial? Here's a forensic psychologist's take.

Lori Vallow Daybell

Lori Vallow Found Incompetent to Stand Trial

Just as Lori Vallow is finally facing murder charges, a psychologist says she is not competent to stand trial. But is she really similar to other incompetent defendants?

The Case of Accused French Serial Killer Nordahl Lelandais

Serial killers have a lot in common in how they think and what they do. Here's what we're learning from a recent case in France.

Would You Want a Teenage Killer Locked Up for Life?

Should teen killers be given a break because of their developing brains or should the facts of the crime guide the punishment? The Supreme Court has spoken.

Dying of Old Age—or Murder?

Just because a senior citizen dies doesn't mean it's "natural." Here's how family members spotted a homicide-in-disguise.

Predators Who Pretend to Be Victims

If you don't think there's such a thing as a wolf in sheep's clothing, check out these predators masquerading as victims.

The Right to Life

In January 2021, 18 American children were killed in a murder-suicide. Here's why.

Serial Killer vs. Serial Killers

Covid-19 has been called a serial killer, but what happens when a medical serial killer meets a real-life one?

The Volga Maniac Has Been Arrested

In 2011 and 2012, a Russian serial killer murdered over 20 elderly women along the Volga River. Now that he's been caught, what can we learn from his confession?

The Deaths of Meg Purk and Natalie Jones

Does a victim's history of depression make it more likely that a murder will be staged as a suicide?

When 'Suicide' Is Really Murder

What would you do if you thought someone you loved had been murdered but their killer had staged it to look like a suicide—and was getting away with it?

One Is a Tragedy, Two Is Suspicious, and Three Is Murder

In 2019, Nancy Moronez was found guilty of murdering three infants over 30 years ago. All three deaths were initially attributed to SIDs. How could this happen?

Dark Connections

Sexual predators targeting children on the internet are all too common. But internet murderers are much more diverse than you might think—and so are their victims.

Hell on Wheels

Cars have long been used as weapons. But a recently arrested alleged serial murderer used his car to kill. Is he the first?

My Cult Made Me Do It

The ability to tell the difference between religious fanaticism and mental illness may determine a defendant's valid insanity plea or the death penalty.

Extreme Beliefs or Religious Delusions?

Where is the line between delusions and extreme religious beliefs? The answer to that question may help investigators solve the mystery of three dead adults and two missing children.

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