Profiler Africa: Serial Arsonist Justin Caruso – Fires, Fatalities & the Hero Syndrome

This week on Profiler Africa, South Africa's leading forensic psychologist Gerard Labuschagne unpacks one of Pretoria’s most disturbing serial murder cases — the case of Themba Vilakazi, known as the Railway Killer.Between July and November 2005, three males — including an 11-year-old schoolboy — were brutally murdered along Pretoria’s railway lines and near the zoo. Victims were stabbed in the chest or neck, often left partially unclothed, and abandoned near the rail corridor. Years later, a 2012 rape case finally linked Vilakazi to the murders through DNA.In this episode:• The Crimes: How three murders in just months terrorised Pretoria.• The Modus Operandi: Vilakazi’s pattern of targeting strangers and leaving bodies exposed.• The Satanist Defence: Why he claimed voices from the “underworld” ordered the killings, and how the court exposed it as malingering.• The DNA Link: How a later rape arrest cracked open the cold cases.• Sentencing: Why experts testified he was a serial murderer who could never be rehabilitated.This is a chilling story of delusion, manipulation, and cold-blooded violence — and a reminder of how DNA and persistence finally caught the Railway Killer.📩 Questions or sponsorships: [email protected]🌍 Website: plotshift.co.za

Gérard Labuschagne and Paul Vivare joined by world-renowned arson investigator Ed Nordskog to dissect the chilling case of Justin Caruso, a serial arsonist whose crimes spanned three US states.Caruso’s fires weren’t random. He staged them to look accidental, inserted himself into investigations, and sought recognition as a “hero.” One blaze killed a 74-year-old man in Mesa, Arizona; another nearly claimed the life of an elderly woman just a week later.Nordskog, who personally analysed the case, explains how investigators uncovered Caruso’s evolving M.O. andexposed the psychology driving his crimes. Gérard provides forensic insight into Hero Syndrome, fire-setter psychology, and why arson cases remain among the most complex to prosecute.In this episode:🔥The fatal Mesa fire and its investigation.🔥How fires in Arizona, Texas, and Massachusetts were linked.🔥The psychology of fire-setters and Hero Syndrome.🔥Why this case became the IAAI’s International Case of the Year.📩 Questions, comments, or sponsorships: [email protected]🌍More: plotshift.co.zaFor more information on guest Ed Nordskog visit: www.arsonprofiler.com

In January 2003, Cape Town was rocked by one of the most brutal mass murders in South African history. Inside a massage parlour called Sizzlers, ten men were bound, tortured, and executed. Nine died. One man — Quinton Taylor — miraculously survived.This was the Sizzlers Massacre: a crime of staggering cruelty, officially recognised as a hate crime against the queer community. The killers, Adam Woest and Trevor Theys, claimed it was a robbery gone wrong — but the evidence revealed something far darker.In this gripping episode of Profiler Africa, host Paul Llewellyn is joined by South Africa’s leading true crime voice, Nicole Engelbrecht — author of Sizzlers: The Hate Crime That Tore Sea Point Apart. Through Nicole’s meticulous research and rare survivor testimony from Quinton Taylor, we revisit that night, unpack the leader–follower dynamic behind the violence, and confront the uncomfortable questions the case still raises — especially as one of the killers now seeks parole.🎧 Listen Now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts📚 Read the Book: Sizzlers: The Hate Crime That Tore Sea Point Apart by Nicole Engelbrecht🎙 Nicole’s Podcast: True Crime South Africa — available wherever you get your podcasts🔗 Support Profiler AfricaPatreon: patreon.com/profilerafricaBuy Me a Coffee: coff.ee/profiler📲 Connect with UsInstagram, Facebook & X: @ProfilerAfricaEmail: [email protected]💡 Don’t miss an episode — follow & subscribe now, and remember… trust nobody.

This week on Profiler Africa, Paul Viv and Dr. Gerard Labuschagne sit down with Nicole Engelbrecht – South Africa’s leading true crime voice, creator of the chart-topping True Crime South Africa podcast, and author of multiple acclaimed books.In Part 1 of this exclusive two-part interview, Nicole opens up about leaving corporate life to build a victim-first media platform, her journey as an author, and the ethics of telling stories of tragedy.The discussion shifts to one of South Africa’s most haunting school attacks – the Morné Harmse “Samurai Sword” case – and his controversial release on parole. Nicole shares her in-depth research from Samurai Sword Murder, while Gerard unpacks the failures of risk assessment in South Africa’s parole system.In this episode:Nicole’s journey into true crime and victim-focused storytellingThe parole controversy surrounding Morné HarmseSystemic challenges in South Africa’s parole and justice systemHow the Sizzlers Massacre shaped Nicole’s advocacy🎧 Part 2 next week: A deep dive into the Sizzlers Massacre.For questions or sponsorships: [email protected]: plotshift.co.za

This week on Profiler Africa, forensic psychologist Gerard Labuschagne sits down with Peter Collins, a globally recognized operational forensic psychiatrist who’s spent over 30 years on the frontline of violent crime investigations.Collins isn’t a “profiler”—he’s a psychiatrist who’s shaped how police understand, manage, and investigate high-risk offenders. From hostage negotiations and threat assessments to developing tools like ViCLAS for linking violent crimes, Collins has worked with agencies across North America, Europe, and beyond, including the FBI, Interpol, and Europol.In this episode:Forensic Psychiatry in Action – How psychiatry supports investigations, policing, and public safety.Threat Assessment & Hostage Negotiation – Lessons from decades with Toronto Police’s Emergency Task Force.Linkage Systems – The creation of ViCLAS and its role in connecting violent crimes.Global Perspective – Collaborating with elite law enforcement worldwide.Beyond Profiling – Why understanding behavior runs deeper than just “profiling.”With multiple national honors and a forthcoming Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Homicide Investigators Association, Peter Collins brings unmatched expertise to this conversation.🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms☕ Support the show: coff.ee/profiler | patreon.com/profilerafrica📩 Questions or sponsorships: [email protected]🌍 More: plotshiftcrime.co.za#ProfilerAfrica #PeterCollins #ForensicPsychiatry #ThreatAssessment #HostageNegotiation #ViCLAS #TrueCrime #ViolentCrimeInvestigation

This week, forensic psychologist Gerard Labuschagne takes us inside one of South Africa’s most disturbing — yet largely ignored — serial murder cases.Between 2007 and 2009, 16 women and a child were raped, strangled and dumped in the bushveld around Westonaria and Lenasia. Most victims were unidentified. Many were unemployed, vulnerable, and invisible to the public eye. But not to their killer — Madumetja Jack Mogale.In this episode:From con-man prophet to convicted killer, this is the story of The Westonaria Strangler — a case that should have shaken the nation.🎧Subscribe & follow Profiler Africa📬 Contact: [email protected]🌍 Website: plotshift.co.za

For years, Profiler Africa has warned that cracks were forming inside South Africa’s law enforcement system. This week, those cracks turned into a full-blown fracture.Explosive allegations by KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi — pointing to a criminal syndicate operating within the SAPS — have forced the President’s hand, sidelined the Police Minister, and plunged the country into chaos.In this episode, we strip away the headlines and ask:What does this mean for the average citizen?How do corrupt systems rot from within?And what happens when the institution meant to protect you is part of the threat?Then:Gerard Labuschagne takes your questions in a no-holds-barred Q&A — on crime, unsolved cases, and what it's really like inside the mind of a killer.This isn’t just news. It’s a reckoning.——🎧 Follow Profiler Africa on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & more💸 Support the show: coff.ee/profiler | patreon.com/profilerafrica📩 Contact: [email protected]🌍 More: plotshiftcrime.co.za#ProfilerAfrica #SAPS #PoliceCorruption #SouthAfricaCrisis #NhlanhlaMkhwanazi #GerardLabuschagne #StateCapture #TrueCrimeSA #ForensicPsychology #SouthAfricanPoliticsAsk ChatGPT

This week on Profiler Africa, South Africa's leading forensic psychologist Gerard Labuschagne takes us inside a shocking event that rocked an affluent Johannesburg suburb: the 2011 Rosebank Police Station shooting. More than just a lone disgruntled employee, this case exposes the dangerous cracks within law enforcement and the chilling reality of workplace violence.We delve into:The Perpetrator & The Spark: Who was Kekana, the admin clerk whose dismissal triggered this tragedy, and what was the seemingly minor fraud that set it all in motion?Ignored Warnings: The explicit threats made to Captain Neelavathie NAIDU and other officers before the shooting – and why these critical warning signs were dismissed.Systemic Failure: Kekana's troubling access to firearms, the lack of proactive threat management within SAPS, and how internal dynamics contributed to the disaster.Explosive Allegations: We also include a critical current affairs segment unpacking recent, high-level corruption claims by a provincial police commissioner, revealing how powerful criminal syndicates may control elements within Parliament, police, and the judiciary.Lessons NOT Learned: Why, even after this horrific incident, crucial changes to police protocol and employee safety never materialized.Also this week: Don't miss the next episode of our documentary series South African Serial – covering the infamous case of Donovan Moodley and the kidnap and murder of Leigh Matthews. This episode will be live for all viewers on Thursday, July 10th at 8 AM SAST.🌟 Support Profiler AfricaIf you value our independent work, please consider supporting the show. Your contributions help us continue to bring you these in-depth investigations:Buy us a Coffee: coff.ee/profilerJoin our Patreon: patreon.com/profilerafrica📩 Got questions, ideas, or sponsorship inquiries?Email us directly: [email protected]🎧 Follow Profiler AfricaFind us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.Visit our website: plotshift.co.za

This week on Profiler Africa, South Africa's leading forensic psychologist Gerard Labuschagne takes us inside a shocking event that rocked an affluent Johannesburg suburb: the 2011 Rosebank Police Station shooting. More than just a lone disgruntled employee, this case exposes the dangerous cracks within law enforcement and the chilling reality of workplace violence.We delve into:The Perpetrator & The Spark: Who was Kekana, the admin clerk whose dismissal triggered this tragedy, and what was the seemingly minor fraud that set it all in motion?Ignored Warnings: The explicit threats made to Captain Neelavathie NAIDU and other officers before the shooting – and why these critical warning signs were dismissed.Systemic Failure: Kekana's troubling access to firearms, the lack of proactive threat management within SAPS, and how internal dynamics contributed to the disaster.Explosive Allegations: We also include a critical current affairs segment unpacking recent, high-level corruption claims by a provincial police commissioner, revealing how powerful criminal syndicates may control elements within Parliament, police, and the judiciary.Lessons NOT Learned: Why, even after this horrific incident, crucial changes to police protocol and employee safety never materialized.Also this week: Don't miss the next episode of our documentary series South African Serial – covering the infamous case of Donovan Moodley and the kidnap and murder of Leigh Matthews. This episode will be live for all viewers on Thursday, July 10th at 8 AM SAST.🌟 Support Profiler AfricaIf you value our independent work, please consider supporting the show. Your contributions help us continue to bring you these in-depth investigations:Buy us a Coffee: coff.ee/profilerJoin our Patreon: patreon.com/profilerafrica📩 Got questions, ideas, or sponsorship inquiries?Email us directly: [email protected]🎧 Follow Profiler AfricaFind us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.Visit our website: plotshift.co.za

This week on Profiler Africa, forensic psychologist Gérard Labuschagne uncovers the terrifying world of muti murders — killings where body parts are harvested for traditional medicine. These aren’t random acts of violence. They’re deliberate, driven by belief, greed, and an underground economy that thrives in the shadows.We dive into:What muti murder really means — and why it’s not just “ritual”A shocking case of a mother who killed her own childHow investigators navigate cultural taboos, community silence, and legal blind spotsWhy justice rarely comes for the victimsRecorded live on YouTube | 1 JulyHosted by Paul Llewellyn & Gerard LabuschagneSupport the show:🔗 Patreon.com/profilerafrica💌 Questions? Email: [email protected] Profiler AfricaSpotify | Apple | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook🌍 More at: plotshiftcrime.co.za