It Takes a Killer poster
    TV Series

    It Takes a Killer

    IMDb7.1/10
    2016 - 2016
    Ended
    Seasons: 1
    Episodes: 104

    Some of the world’s most notorious murders are the subject of “It Takes a Killer,” which investigates the crimes from the perspective of the killers, trying to get inside their minds and determine their motives. Leading homicide investigators and experts from such agencies as the FBI and Scotland Yard take a look at the evidence pulled from crime scenes and profile the killer’s behavior to try to piece together the details of each murder, explaining when, why and how each criminal committed the crime. For the wannabe detectives watching the show, the experts also reveal how the crime was solved — which often requires authorities to think like a killer.

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    Seasons & Episodes

    1. The Craigslist Killer

    Three women who advertised erotic services on Craiglist are assaulted, on of them is killed; surveillance video and witness reports match a man who no one would ever suspect to be a killer.

    8/7/2016

    2. Chandra Levy

    When government intern Chandra Levy goes missing, detectives discover she may have been having an affair with a senator; a man in jail claims he has information

    8/7/2016

    3. Jodi Arias

    When a deadly sniper terrorizes the DC area for weeks, frantic police put out an APB for a white van, but the FBI has a theory that there might be more than one sniper, and they're not driving a white van.

    8/14/2016

    4. A Treacherous Triangle

    When a young man is brutally murdered in his home, the only suspect with a motive is his ex-girlfriend, who claims she hasn't seen the victim for months; detectives uncover evidence, and phone messages that tell a different story.

    8/14/2016

    5. Phil Spector

    When an aspiring actress is found dead in the home of a legendary music producer, he claims it was suicide. But as detectives piece together the crime scene, study the pattern of blood splatter, and the position of the weapon, they zero in on their suspect and a history of bizarre behavior.

    8/21/2016

    6. Deaths In The Family

    When three members of the same family die of mysterious causes, police being to suspect they have been poisoned. Detectives exhume bodies and confirm the presence of antifreeze, but who is the poisoner, and why? The secret almost dies when a fourth family member is poisoned, but survives.

    8/21/2016

    7. Bind, Torture, Kill

    A killer terrorizes Wichita, Kansas, preying on random people and families, tying them up, and strangling them. But then the killer goes quiet. When he resurfaces decades later, police find a way to lure him to reveal his identity - and it's a man no one suspected.

    8/28/2016

    8. The Ghost Of Baton Rouge

    When a series of women are murdered in Baton Rouge, police draw a profile and begin DNA testing a segment of the city's population - white men. But when one victim survives, she tells detectives they're on the wrong trail. The killer isn't white.

    8/28/2016

    9. Stephanie Lazarus

    When a newly married woman is killed at home, police believe it's a robbery gone wrong. But 20 years later, an LAPD officer opens the cold case file and sees the crime in a new way. The murder was staged to look like a robbery and the killer could actually be a cop - from the same department.

    9/4/2016

    10. The Casanova Killer

    When four women are killed at different times in different states after going home from a bar with a handsome young man dressed like a cowboy, detectives don't realize the murders are linked together. When they do, their killer is on the run and the manhunt is on.

    9/4/2016

    11. The Green River Killer

    Over 20 years four-dozen women are murdered in Washington State, many of them prostitutes, and five of the victims are found in the Green River. The notorious killer evades identification for decades, despite being arrested twice.

    22 min

    12. A Wife Goes Missing

    When a mother of two is reported missing, five days after her disappearance, her husband becomes the chief suspect. But is his affair with the nanny enough of a motive to kill? And where is the body?

    22 min

    13. Stalker Strikes

    When a law school student is strangled to death in her bed, detectives discover that someone had been secretly watching her for months. Not only did he videotape her through her second story window, but she knew him extremely well.

    22 min

    14. The Mutilator of Baton Rouge

    A geeky clerk turned prolific serial killer flies under the radar for years, piling up bodies as cops investigate another serial murderer operating in the region.

    22 min

    15. The Vampire Teens

    A group of high school outcasts are on the run through the Southeastern United States after their leader commits a savage double homicide. Cops finally catch the thrill-seeking teens, only to find out they're a makeshift vampire cult.

    22 min

    16. The Preacher, His Mistress and Murder

    A minister, his wife, and a mysterious suicide. When a wife and mother overdoses in a small Texas town, almost no one suspects foul play.

    22 min

    17. The Sadist of San Luis Obispo

    A sexual predator on early release from prison turns the quiet town of San Luis Obispo into a hunting ground, preying on young, unsuspecting, college age women.

    22 min

    18. The Bladerunner

    An Olympic hero shoots his girlfriend at his home in the middle of the night. Has he mistaken her for an intruder or is it all part of a precisely calculated plot to get away with murder?

    22 min

    19. The Gainesville Ripper

    An evil ex-con on the run for attempted murder sets up camp in Gainesville, Florida. But, he's not satisfied just hiding out. This seasoned killer's blood lust cannot be controlled.

    22 min

    20. The Con Artist Killer

    Mother and son crisscross the United States, pulling off every scam and con imaginable. But when these criminal masterminds graduate to multiple homicides, they're finally caught by the long arms of the law.

    22 min

    21. A Woman Scorned

    A promising young attorney is shot and killed in a jealous rage by an obsessed, on-again off-again girlfriend. But can she convince the jury that she's the victim and get away with murder?

    10/14/2016

    22. The Fast Food Killer

    A short order cook with aspirations of country stardom falls on hard times. With his dreams crushed, he returns to what he knows best - stick ups - only this time his armed robberies result in a ruthless spree of killing fast food workers.

    10/14/2016

    23. Murder for Millions

    A millionaire inventor rolls the dice with a much younger fiancee. But he'll soon find out that she and her secret boyfriend have played him for his money and the price of this game is his life.

    10/15/2016

    24. Author of Death

    Out on parole, an ex-con turned published author goes on a 24-hour killing spree. But when he unknowingly leaves one of his victims alive to identify him, cops who launch a multi state manhunt and bring him to justice.

    10/15/2016

    25. A Son Snaps

    After years of abuse, a high school valedictorian snaps, viciously stabbing his mother in the family's garage. He almost gets away with her savage murder, except for a couple small inconsistencies in his alibi that reveal his true plans.

    10/15/2016

    26. Trailer Park Tragedy

    A bizarre lover's triangle turns lethal and a mother of two suddenly disappears. Cops investigate the missing person's case but soon discover it's the coldest murders committed by two jilted ex-lovers.

    10/15/201622 min

    27. A Fugitive and a Killer

    When one bodybuilder wants what another bodybuilder has, the end result is a murder-for-hire. The muscle-bound mastermind goes on the lam for nearly a decade only to resurface half a world away.

    10/15/201622 min

    28. The Happy Face Killer

    A long-haul trucker with a lust for killing crisscrosses the country looking for his next victim. Police don't connect any of this serial murderer's crimes until he slips up and takes out someone from his inner circle.

    10/15/201622 min

    29. Partners in Evil

    Two ex-marines join forces for one sole nefarious purpose - to abduct women and keep them a sex slaves. This evil duo carries out their "operation" with military precision, unafraid to kill innocent civilians along the way.

    10/15/201622 min

    30. The Venomous Veterinarian

    The disappearance of a decorated military man stumps law enforcement and shocks a central Texas community. But once investigators did into his home life, they uncover a vicious murder plot involving his veterinarian wife.

    22 min

    31. In Search of a Kill

    A drug abuser out on a joy ride kidnaps then kills an innocent coed in Oregon. Investigators spend months attempting to solve what they believe is a missing person's until the perpetrator strikes again 1400 miles away.

    22 min

    32. Terror on the Strip

    A serial killer with a history of serial rape terrorizes Tampa, Florida's red light district, targeting women of night at random. This killer gets away with murder for months, only to be brought to justice by the one victim he let go.

    22 min

    33. Master Bob

    A Michigan town in disbelief after a well-respected real estate entrepreneur becomes the prime suspect in his wife's murder. The investigation into the homicide uncovers a sordid tale of double lives.

    22 min

    34. The House of Horrors

    A former army medic devises a sick plan to kidnap women, impregnate them and keep them in his basement as part of a personal baby farm. When the plans turn to actions, women experience the hell of a veritable house of horrors.

    22 min

    35. A Wolf in Woman's Clothing

    The murder of a millionaire doctor's wife sets off a massive manhunt throughout New England. Law enforcement quickly locates the suspected killer only to find out he has a history of not only violence but also cross-dressing.

    22 min

    36. Murderous Miranda

    An unemployed teen mom and her new husband concoct a plan to kill an innocent man they meet on Craigslist. The end result is a vicious stabbing that sends shock waves through a small Pennsylvania community.

    22 min

    37. The Slavemaster

    A father, husband and businessman by day transforms into a sadomasochistic by night. This veteran con-man lures unsuspecting women with a web of lies and empty promises only to trap them in a world of sex slavery and murder.

    22 min

    38. An Opportunity to Kill

    A wayward ex-marine drifts through central Oregon, off everyone's radar. He's homeless and forgotten about, committing petty crimes here and there, until one day he spots Amyjane and gets the urge to kill.

    22 min

    39. A Treacherous Triangle

    Two prominent doctors, two towns apart, entangled in a passionate rivalry for the same woman's affections. When one loses, he exacts the ultimate revenge, hiring a friend to take out the opposition.

    22 min

    40. Doctor Death

    For more than a decade, a genius doctor with a homicidal hobby gets away with murder at hospitals across two continents. Cops race against incredible odds to track him down just before he takes his next job and kills...again.

    22 min

    41. The Jigsaw Man

    Terror strikes London, England as severed body parts start showing up at random locations across the countryside. Police must piece together the human jigsaw puzzle in order to track down the perpetrator.

    22 min

    42. Fit to Kill

    A beautiful brunette is killed and left inside a burned out luxury car in the high desert. At first, it seems as though the perpetrators have gotten away with murder.

    22 min

    43. Redneck Retribution

    A scorned mistress exacts the ultimate revenge, hiring a group of derelicts to kill the wife of her lover. When the heat comes, she plays the victim and denies any involvement.

    22 min

    44. Seduced to Death

    An evil seductress targets two Georgia police, bleeding them dry, then killing them for their life insurance benefits. This black widow gets away with murder for years before law enforcement untangles her web of seduction.

    22 min

    45. The Toy Box

    state employee wreaks havoc on Southwestern New Mexico, abducting women then keep them captive in his homemade torture chamber, the toy box.

    22 min

    46. The Acid Lady

    A loving father vanishes without a trace in central California, setting off a feverish missing person's investigation. Cops follow the trail of clues and discover that their missing person isn't missing at all.

    22 min

    47. Killer Cabbie

    A serial killer lays siege to Jacksonville, Florida, strangling young African-American women to death then callously discarding of their bodies.

    22 min

    48. A Random Rampage

    A wayward son from a lawless home goes on a 24-hour shooting spree, killing five people from two separate families in two different states.

    22 min

    49. The Devil Next Door

    When a friendly woman without an enemy in the world is savagely murdered inside her rural Louisiana home, cops suspect her killer is an ex-lover.

    22 min

    50. Enforcer of Death

    A British landlord offers free rent to a female "enforcer" if she'll take care of his troublesome tenants. The only problem is she ends up murdering a tenant and the landlord himself.

    22 min

    51. The Keyes to Murder

    A self-taught serial killer crisscrosses the country at random, targeting victims of opportunity and murdering them with stashed weapons and tools he calls "kill kits."

    22 min

    52. If the Walls Could Talk

    The mysterious disappearance of a surgeon's wife sparks a feverish homicide investigation, which quickly goes cold. It takes law enforcement 15 years before they can gather enough circumstantial evidence to bring her killer to justice.

    22 min

    53. Homicide in the High Desert

    When the soon-to-be ex-wife of a prominent investment banker dies inside her home, it initially appears as though she suffered an accidental fall. Yet law enforcement discovers it was no accident but an act of rage by a desperate man.

    22 min

    54. Bonded in Murder

    A street preacher and his teenage protégé run an Internet scam to rob unsuspecting men, steal their identities, then dump their dead bodies in the woods. The scheme works multiple times until one of the marks escapes.

    22 min

    55. Of Vengeance and Murder

    A destitute criminal terrorizes central Florida, robbing middles aged men, executing them and disposing of their dead bodies in random wooded areas.

    22 min

    56. The Honeybee Killer

    A mentally unstable man goes on a two-hour shooting spree, killing one man and wounding two others. Cops have no suspects in that homicide, until the shooter resurfaces to rob a tanning salon.A mentally unstable man goes on a two-hour shooting spree, killing one man and wounding two others. Cops have no suspects in that homicide, until the shooter resurfaces to rob a tanning salon.

    22 min

    57. The Bad Son

    A gunman attempts to take out an entire family one by one as they enter their house. It takes law enforcement nearly two years to crack the code behind the murders only to find out they were masterminded by someone too close for comfort.

    22 min

    58. Killer Rabbi

    When a rabbi's wife is murdered inside the family's New Jersey home, it looks like a robbery gone wrong. After years of chasing down leads, police catch a break, in the form of a co-conspirator.

    22 min

    59. Murderous Ambition

    When a husband and his pregnant wife are shot leaving a child birthing class, police are lead to believe it's a random act of violence. But after weeks of eliminating false suspects, cops lock in on the real perpetrator.

    22 min

    60. Spoiled, Rotten, & Ruthless

    After three members of an affluent family are mowed down inside their home, law enforcement locks in on a primary person of interest.

    22 min

    61. A Split Personality

    When a woman is gunned down in the parking lot of her therapist's office building, it looks like a random act of violence. But security footage and eyewitnesses quickly reveal that the murder is part of a larger scheme. Stars

    19 min

    62. The Poughkeepsie Predator

    A serial killer lays siege to upstate New York, targeting women of the night, one by one. Law enforcement investigates the cases for nearly two years, until they find out the perpetrator has been living amongst their dead bodies.

    22 min

    63. What Happened to Jana

    The search for an adored local businesswoman who vanished without a trace quickly morphs into a homicide investigation after police discover microscopic evidence inside the woman's home and car.

    22 min

    64. The Grimm Sleeper

    A merciless killer terrorizes South Los Angeles during the 1980s then appears to go dormant for 14 years only to resurface in the most hideous way possible.

    22 min

    65. Dreaming of Murder

    A woman's clairvoyant dream leads cops in coastal Florida to the body of a dead woman hidden in the bushes on a pristine beach.

    22 min

    66. Bodyparts in My Pocket

    A serial killer crisscrosses the state of California, leaving a trail of dead bodies in random location. Law enforcement cant catching the dangerous sociopath, until he show us at a police station with a victim's body part in his pocket.

    22 min

    67. Menace to Society

    A serial predator targets men at gay bars, leaving a trail of dead bodies along the southeastern United States. Cops struggle to play catch up, until the perpetrator leaves behind a key piece of evidence at a crime scene.

    22 min

    68. The Burial He Wanted

    The disappearance of a wealthy retiree in South Florida quickly turns from a missing person's case to a full blown homicide investigation focused around an unexpected perpetrator and her convoluted plan to get away with murder.

    22 min

    69. The Green Widow

    The murder of a man inside his suburban Los Angeles home sets off a chain reaction of murder, conspiracy, and furious cover ups, which ultimately point back to a mastermind who's in it for the money.

    22 min

    70. The Snitch Who Kills

    Law enforcement investigates a series of unsolved murders in the state of Colorado over the course of a year, only to realize all the seemingly isolated incidents all point back to a single FBI informant.

    22 min

    71. Blood Thicker Than Marriage

    Cops investigate the apparent carjacking of a husband and wife in East Los Angeles, California only to discover that the ambush was a ruse, carried out by cousins, to kill the husband for insurance money.

    22 min

    72. Too Late to Say Sorry

    A triple homicide in small town Maine rocks a community and destroys a family. It doesn't take police long to piece together the elements of the crime, and its ruthless cover-up, which point back to a perpetrator close to home.

    22 min

    73. Mad Maksim

    A disgruntled man snaps and goes on killing spree, terrorizing the entire borough of Brooklyn, New York. Cops track the killer's trail of victims for more than 24 hours before they finally hunt him down across the city.

    22 min

    74. he Clear Lake Murders

    Four young adults are gunned down inside an affluent home in a quiet suburb of Houston, Texas. Police investigate the quadruple homicide for three years before arriving at a coldblooded killer with a convoluted motive.

    22 min

    75. Cheat, Kill, Deny

    A central California community is rocked when a pregnant wife vanishes without a trace on Christmas Eve. After months of tireless investigation, and conversations with a critical informant, cops make two grisly discoveries.

    22 min

    76. Brothers in Arms

    A bloodbath inside a Beverly Hills, California mansion sparks a high publicized investigation. After months working the case, law enforcement uncovers the secrets of a family so deep in turmoil that a coldblooded murder plot was

    22 min

    77. Down in Flames

    The discovery of a burned body on the side of the road in Dallas kick starts a furious race to find a killer. With surveillance footage and a string of eyewitnesses, it takes local police less than 72 hours to identify the perpetrator.

    22 min

    78. They'll Never Find Her Body

    A dedicated mother disappears from suburban Los Angeles, leaving behind three kids and a husband she planned to divorce. Law enforcement quickly determines she's been the victim of a homicide.

    22 min

    79. Mother Knows Death

    A homicide at the intersection of a teenage daughter and her boyfriend who can't get out from underneath a mother's overbearing eye. Once cops unravel the twisted web of lies, they uncover the shocking truth behind a murder plot.

    22 min

    80. Rage and Anger

    The random murder of a woman in Central Montana sends law enforcement on the hunt for a killer. Using a network of informants and good old fashioned methods the authorities track down the mentally unstable man behind the motiveless crime.

    22 min

    81. A Preference for Poison

    When a Southern California high school teacher suddenly dies, it appears his death was due to natural causes. But once law enforcement starts looking into his widow, they uncover her treacherous past and preference for using poison to kill.

    22 min

    82. Mrs. Wrong

    A heartbroken millionaire marries a much younger woman who turns out to be Mrs. Wrong. The end result is a shotgun blast to the stomach and a lethal dose of poison.

    22 min

    83. Blood on the Chef's Apron

    When a chef's wife goes missing from Southern California, it initially appears she may have voluntarily walked away from the life she knew. Yet, after months of investigation, detectives uncover she was the victim of a ruthless homicide.

    22 min

    84. Process of Elimination

    A vicious custody battle ends when one of the parents vanishes without a trace. Law enforcement investigates the usual suspects only to uncover a seemingly premeditated murder and a sickening attempt to cover it up.

    22 min

    85. Of Disbelief and Death

    A controversial family of atheists walks away from their life's work without warning. When law enforcement stops investigating the disappearances, an intrepid journalist picks up the torch and hunts down a mastermind hell-bent on revenge.

    22 min

    86. Lethal Payback

    Cops in suburban Fort Worth, Texas investigate a brutal killing at a construction site. After months of interviews, extensive forensic analysis, and a massive process of elimination, homicide detectives finally track down a suspect.

    22 min

    87. The Son of Sam

    A deranged man, with an unforgettable nickname, terrorizes New York City in the late 1970s, leaving a trail of dead and wounded in his wake. This killer operates with impunity for nearly 13 months until a parking ticket lead to his capture.

    22 min

    88. A Coldblooded Cover Up

    Police in rural Minnesota investigate the murder of a missing woman whose body was dumped next to an abandoned farmhouse. After a year of investigation, and with the help of some unlikely informants, they narrow down the suspect pool.

    22 min

    89. An Axe to Grind

    A husband and wife are savagely attacked by an axe wielding murderer. When the wife survives, but loses her memory of the attack, police must rely on the evidence to see if her pre amnesia identification of the killer proves true.

    90. Six Degrees of Serial Murder

    A transient turned serial killer uses Louisiana's capital city as his private hunting, leaving a trail of dead women over a three-year span. Cops struggle to stop him, until he leaves a survivor and brings him to justice.

    91. Fatal Secrets

    The mystery of a soccer mom moonlighting as an escort who disappears from Western Colorado. It takes homicide detectives nearly seven years to unravel a horrific cover up perpetrated by a suspect they'd identified from the outset.

    92. Killer Handyman

    The brutal murder of a recent widower inside his North Dakota home. Law enforcement quickly uncover evidence that reveals the homicide is part of a desperate plan from a person almost too close for suspicion.

    93. Rhode Island Ripper

    Women in a working-class Rhode Island town begin mysteriously disappearing. Cops investigate and discover the dark obsession of a serial killer nobody suspected.

    94. Cleveland Killer

    A damaged man turns Cleveland, Ohio into a hunting ground as part of a twisted plot to exact revenge on the women who hurt him. After 10 months of terror, can cops bring him to justice?

    95. New Orleans Massacre

    A merciless triple homicide in New Orleans, Louisiana leaves law enforcement with puzzling clues. But as they piece together the mystery, they quickly realize there's way more to the murders than a robbery gone wrong.

    22 min

    96. The Missing Pendant

    The murder of a grandmother in the suburbs of Cincinnati sends a small-town police department into a furious hunt for a killer. It takes nearly a year until a piece of jewelry as unique as a fingerprint brings the murderer to justice.

    22 min

    97. The Informant

    In Southern California, law enforcement hunt for a serial killer who is targeting elderly women within a few mile radius. After weeks of searching, a survivor comes forward with a description that blows the case wide open.

    22 min

    98. Bayou Strangler

    A serial predator terrorizes Southeastern Louisiana strangling men to death and disposing of their bodies like trash. This deranged killer gets away with murder for nearly a decade until a potential victim escapes his clutches.

    22 min

    99. Cold Storage Killer

    Police follow the trail of a young Californian woman who vanishes without a trace. Authorities work the missing person investigation for years until a random encounter turns them onto a chilling discovery and an even colder criminal.

    22 min

    100. Nameless in New Jersey

    The discovery of a Jane Doe underneath a New Jersey bridge kick starts an intensive investigation to figure out who she is and how she died.

    22 min

    101. Targeted Teacher

    The murder of a respected college professor sends shock waves through suburban Richmond, Virginia. Cops investigate the homicide nonstop until evidence reveals a cold-blooded killer's premeditated plot.

    22 min

    102. Lone Star Killer

    A church-going mother with no known enemies suddenly disappears from Northeastern Texas. As cops investigate the missing persons case they uncover a serial predator from the shadows and rush to stop him before he kills again.

    22 min

    103. Missing in Minnesota

    The clock is ticking as police in northern Minnesota rush to rescue a kidnapped college student. It takes NASA technology for law enforcement to uncover the identity of the abductor, who turns out to be a serial predator.

    22 min

    104. A Killer Hand

    The slaying of a casino worker in Las Vegas, Nevada sends panic through Sin City. When cops investigate beyond the bright lights of the strip, they uncover a murder conspiracy that is months in the making.

    22 min