Why Descent of a Serial Killer is must-watch TV for true crime obsessives

Descent of a Serial Killer follows former FBI Agent and leading Psychological Criminologist Dr Bryanna Fox as she examines the entire course of a serial killer’s life, starting with early red flags in their childhood right up to their eventual acts of murder.

It’s a rare chance to get an in-depth overview of the lives of prolific serial killers with an expert guide – here’s everything you need to know about Descent of a Serial Killer.

Descent of a Serial Killer airdate

Descent of a Serial Killer premieres on CBS Reality on Tuesday 12th April at 10pm.

CBS Reality is available on Sky channel 146, Virgin Media channel 148, Freeview channel 67 and Freesat channel 135.

Fans will also be able to watch the programme for up to 30 days after broadcast on the CBS Catchup Channels UK player.

What is Descent of a Serial Killer about?

As shows such as Mindhunter and Criminal Minds have proved, there is an ongoing fascination about the psychology of murderers – and Descent of a Serial Killer goes in-depth into the lives of several real-life serial killers to examine what causes personal morality to decline to the point of murder.

Each episode sees leading forensic profiler and serial killer expert Dr Bryanna Fox examine the life of a new serial killer from childhood to incarceration, identifying behavioural red flags along the way and whether they could have been stopped – and whether these signs would be stopped today.

Through a mix of evidence-based profiling, first-hand accounts and VICAP (the violent criminal apprehension program database), Bryanna will explain how and why these people became serial killers, pinpointing the gradual pushing of moral boundaries along the way and linking early displays of psychopathy and criminal behaviour to the data found in crime databases today.

As the title suggests, each hour-long episode will track the descent of a serial killer – and offer chilling new insights into the minds of murderers.

Descent of a Serial Killer episodes

Descent of a Serial Killer kicks off with five episodes, each one focusing on a different serial killer - though it soon becomes clear that several of the murderers share similar red flags...

Episode 1: Gerard Schaefer

The first episode looks at Gerard Schaefer, a prolific serial killer known as the Butcher of Blind Creek who used his job as a police officer to evade detection for his crimes. Dr Bryanna Fox examines red flags such as paraphilias, animal cruelty, voyeurism and thefts, and investigates whether there were any opportunities to stop him.

Episode 2: Danny Rolling

Abusive parents are a red flag often found in serial killers. Bryanna looks at how this abuse and other flags such as voyeurism contributed to Rolling’s moral descent.

Episode 3: Eddie Mosley

Eddie Mosley evaded arrest for his murders for years, despite a prolific criminal history and frequent brushes with the law. In this episode, Bryanna examines Mosley, who continued to protest his innocence until his death despite damning evidence, and the red flags that indicated his descent into a serial killer.

Episode 4: Robert ‘Bobby’ Joe Long

Robert ‘Bobby’ Joe Long is a typical example within criminal psychology of one moment changing someone’s life forever. Bryanna investigates how head injuries and red flags such as victimisation and hypersexuality led to Long’s eight-month killing spree that claimed the lives of ten victims.

Episode 5: Oscar Bolin

In this fifth episode, Bryanna investigates the case of Oscar Bolin, who was convicted of murdering three women in Florida in the 1980s.

CBS Reality is available on:
Sky (146) / Virgin (148) / Freeview (67) / Freesat (135)

Descent of a Serial Killer starts on CBS Reality on Tuesday 12th April. For something else, visit our TV Guide our check our dedicated Documentaries hub.

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