Growing Up Kohberger: The Family Behind the Killer

What happens when faith turns into fanaticism — and motherhood turns into control?  In this searing Hidden Killers commentary, Tony Brueski unpacks the disturbing psychology behind Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt, the duo whose “spiritual discipline” of children became a criminal horror show. Ruby’s journey from YouTube mom to convicted abuser isn’t just about narcissism — it’s about moral addiction. She craved righteousness the way others crave power, and Jodi knew exactly how to feed that need. Together they built a belief system where cruelty became holiness, obedience became worship, and children paid the price. Tony explores the cult-like dynamic between leader and follower, the shared delusion (folie à deux) that turned ideology into torture, and the deeper question of why authoritarian faith systems flourish online. This is the story of how conviction curdles into control — and how easily “doing good” becomes the justification for doing harm. #RubyFranke #JodiHildebrandt #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #8Passengers #TrueCrimePodcast #ReligiousAbuse #ParentingGoneWrong #CultPsychology #UtahCrime Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

It took five years, an FBI investigation, and a family’s relentless fight to finally bring Sandra Birchmore’s case to court. Now, former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell faces trial in October 2026 — charged with killing the young woman he groomed since she was twelve. In this blistering Hidden Killers exposé, Tony Brueski walks through the institutional rot that let predators in uniform operate unchecked. From the grooming that began in the Police Explorers program to the staged “suicide” scene that local authorities rubber-stamped, this is a story of corruption, complicity, and survival. Federal prosecutors say Farwell strangled Sandra when she became pregnant and planned to expose him. Local police called it suicide. It took the FBI to call it what it was — murder. Tony dissects the timeline, the cover-up, and the moral collapse of a system that protects its own before it protects victims. This case isn’t just one department’s disgrace — it’s a national warning. #SandraBirchmore #JusticeForSandra #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #TrueCrime #PoliceCorruption #MatthewFarwell #FBIInvestigation #MassachusettsCrime #CoverUp Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

A new controversy is swirling around the investigation tied to musician D4vd and the death of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. A private investigator says he found disturbing items — including writings he described as “sadistic plans” — inside a Hollywood Hills home after LAPD had already completed a warrant search. He claims police left behind evidence that could prove crucial to understanding what happened. In this episode, Tony Brueski and retired FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer take a hard look at the facts. How are search warrants handled? Could officers have legally left items behind? And what are the risks when a private investigator becomes part of the evidence chain? Coffindaffer, who’s worked hundreds of federal cases, explains why chain of custody matters, how claims like these are verified, and what happens if they turn out to be true. This is not about accusation — it’s about the process, the truth, and the fight for accountability in a case that’s already clouded by confusion. #D4vd #CelesteRivas #JenniferCoffindaffer #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #TrueCrime #HollywoodHills #LAPD #PrivateInvestigator #JusticeForCeleste Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

He looked like the guy next door — an architect, a husband, a father.  But prosecutors say Rex Heuermann was also the man behind the Gilgo Beach murders, one of the most disturbing serial-killer cases in recent memory. In this psychological deep dive, Hidden Killers host Tony Brueski takes you inside the mind of control, exploring how a man can design blueprints by day and allegedly engineer horror by night. Through the lens of behavioral science, Tony examines compartmentalization, high-functioning psychopathy, and sadistic dominance — the traits that allow someone to live a double life so convincingly it fools everyone around them. From the soundproof basement to the meticulous planning, Heuermann’s world wasn’t chaos — it was choreography. This episode unpacks how his architecture mirrored his pathology and why the façade of normalcy is often the perfect camouflage for the worst kind of predator. Because monsters don’t always hide in the dark. Sometimes they wave from the driveway. #RexHeuermann #GilgoBeach #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #TrueCrimePodcast #SerialKillerPsychology #CriminalMind #FBIProfile #LongIslandMurders #BehavioralAnalysis Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

A private investigator says he found something horrifying inside a Hollywood Hills home once searched by LAPD — a home connected to the ongoing investigation into the death of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose body was discovered inside a Tesla linked to musician D4vd. The PI, hired by the home’s landlord, claims police left behind critical evidence — including what he described as “sadistic plans” detailing harm toward Celeste. The allegations have reignited debate about police procedure, chain of custody, and whether something vital was missed. In this episode of Hidden Killers, Tony Brueski sits down with retired FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer to separate fact from speculation. Coffindaffer breaks down what a proper warrant search looks like, what the term “missed evidence” really means, and how investigators handle private citizens who suddenly step into the middle of an active case. This isn’t about guilt or accusation — it’s about accountability, evidence integrity, and whether law enforcement could have overlooked something that changes everything. #D4vd #CelesteRivas #HiddenKillers #JenniferCoffindaffer #TonyBrueski #HollywoodHills #TrueCrime #PrivateInvestigator #LAPD #JusticeForCeleste Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

Before the flashing lights and the headlines, the Kohbergers were just a quiet Pennsylvania family. Then one December night, the world changed — and so did their last name. In this Hidden Killers special, Tony Brueski explores the human cost of infamy through the story “Growing Up Kohberger.” What happens when your sibling becomes the nation’s most hated man? What happens when your last name turns radioactive overnight? Through documented accounts, psychological research, and parallel stories from other families of killers, Tony examines what experts call courtesy stigma — the inherited guilt of proximity. He explores the moral injury of love and revulsion colliding, and the silent trauma of “ambiguous loss,” where the person you love is alive but gone forever. This isn’t about the crime — it’s about the quiet aftermath. A mother trembling in court. Sisters deciding whether to change their names. A family learning to breathe again in a world that won’t forget. Because the hardest sentence isn’t always served by the guilty. Sometimes it’s carried by the ones who have to keep living under the same name. #BryanKohberger #IdahoMurders #HiddenKillers #TrueCrime #TonyBrueski #KohbergerFamily #Psychology #CourtesyStigma #CriminalPsychology #MoscowIdaho Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

A private investigator’s shocking account is raising new questions in the ongoing investigation linked to musician D4vd and the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The PI says that after LAPD executed a search warrant at a Hollywood Hills property, he entered and found what he describes as “sadistic plans” related to Celeste — items he claims were overlooked by investigators. LAPD has not commented publicly on the specifics, but the allegation has stirred public concern over evidence handling and procedural rigor. Tony Brueski speaks with retired FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer, who explains how warrant searches are supposed to work, what chain of custody means in practice, and why investigators must confirm — or refute — these types of civilian claims with caution. Could a procedural lapse have real legal consequences later? And what responsibility does law enforcement have to publicly clarify when private claims go viral? Coffindaffer lays out the stakes clearly — reminding listeners that while accusations can spread fast, only verified evidence can bring justice. #D4vd #CelesteRivas #JenniferCoffindaffer #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #LAPD #TrueCrime #HollywoodHills #PrivateInvestigator #JusticeForCeleste Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

There’s a reason the public response to Donna Adelson has felt so personal — because for millions, it is. In this unflinching episode, we break down why her courtroom statements, jailhouse calls, and carefully crafted victimhood aren’t just offensive — they’re textbook narcissistic manipulation. Donna doesn’t just represent a woman implicated in a murder-for-hire plot. She represents something far more familiar — the boss, the ex, the parent who guilted, gaslit, and rewrote your reality. The tone, the tears, the deflection — it’s all there. And this time, it didn’t work. We dive into the psychology behind why Donna’s behavior strikes such a visceral chord, and why her downfall is triggering something deeper than just true crime curiosity. This is more than justice — it’s recognition. #DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #NarcissisticAbuse #HiddenKillers #TrueCrimePodcast #CourtroomDrama #FamilyCrime #Gaslighting #TonyBrueski #JusticeServed Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

Jake Harrow Pleads Guilty: The Tragic Murder of Baby Emmanuel Harrow In one of the most haunting true crime stories in recent memory, former FBI agent and host Jennifer Coffindaffer takes us deep inside the case of Jake and Rebecca Harrow — the parents accused in the horrifying death of their infant son, Emmanuel. What began as a bizarre kidnapping claim unraveled into a dark web of abuse, lies, and judicial failure that left an entire community reeling. Jennifer recounts how Rebecca Harrow first appeared before cameras, tearfully claiming she was attacked in a parking lot while changing her baby’s diaper — a desperate plea that soon collapsed under the weight of evidence. Investigators quickly turned their attention to both parents, arresting them after search warrants revealed the truth behind their story. As Coffindaffer explains, Jake Harrow was seen cooperating with authorities, leading them through desolate foothills in search of baby Emmanuel’s remains — a chilling visual that underscored the horror of what had occurred. But the case took an even darker turn when reports surfaced of a “Perkins operation” — a covert jailhouse sting where Harrow allegedly confessed to killing Emmanuel and disposing of the body. According to investigators, his claim that he “rolled over” on the baby was a self-serving lie meant to mask years of brutal abuse. Harrow’s history of violence was not new; he had previously beaten his infant daughter so severely that she was left permanently disabled. Despite that, a judge released him — a decision Coffindaffer calls one of the most devastating judicial failures in recent memory. Now, with Harrow pleading guilty to second-degree murder and assault on a child, Coffindaffer calls for accountability — not only for the killer but for the system that allowed him to walk free. The mystery remains: where is baby Emmanuel’s body? Was he abandoned in the foothills, or discarded in a landfill like so much evidence of a system that failed him twice? #JakeHarrow #BabyEmmanuel #JenniferCoffindaffer #BreakTheCase #TrueCrime #JusticeForEmmanuel #ChildAbuseCase #MurderInvestigation #BreakingNews #TrueCrimeCommunity   Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video?  Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

Don’t let the headlines fool you — Diddy’s not walking free. He’s walking into a federal leash so tight, every step comes with surveillance, restrictions, and the constant threat of being yanked back to prison. In this episode, we break down exactly what five years of supervised release looks like for someone like Sean “Diddy” Combs. From unannounced home searches to mandatory mental health evaluations, from travel bans to random drug tests — this isn’t freedom. It’s federal purgatory. And for a man who built his identity around control, excess, and status, that’s more than punishment — it’s psychological warfare. We dig into every condition, every consequence, and why this chapter may be Diddy’s most revealing yet. #Diddy #SeanCombs #TrueCrime #FederalSupervision #ProbationReality #CelebrityCrime #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #PostPrisonLife #JusticeServed Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872