Series

It Takes a Killer

2016 · 1 season · 104 episodes · Ended · Oxygen

Crime, Documentary, Drama

TMDB 7.0 · 6 votes

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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.

Episodes

  • S01E01The Craigslist Killer2016-08-07

    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.

  • S01E02Chandra Levy2016-08-07

    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

  • S01E03Jodi Arias2016-08-14

    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.

  • S01E04A Treacherous Triangle2016-08-14

    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.

  • S01E05Phil Spector2016-08-21

    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.

  • S01E06Deaths In The Family2016-08-21

    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.

  • S01E07Bind, Torture, Kill2016-08-28

    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.

  • S01E08The Ghost Of Baton Rouge2016-08-28

    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.

  • S01E09Stephanie Lazarus2016-09-04

    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.

  • S01E10The Casanova Killer2016-09-04

    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.

  • S01E11The Green River Killer22m

    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.

  • S01E12A Wife Goes Missing22m

    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?

  • S01E13Stalker Strikes22m

    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.

  • S01E14The Mutilator of Baton Rouge22m

    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.

  • S01E15The Vampire Teens22m

    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.

  • S01E16The Preacher, His Mistress and Murder22m

    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.

  • S01E17The Sadist of San Luis Obispo22m

    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.

  • S01E18The Bladerunner22m

    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?

  • S01E19The Gainesville Ripper22m

    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.

  • S01E20The Con Artist Killer22m

    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.

  • S01E21A Woman Scorned2016-10-14

    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?

  • S01E22The Fast Food Killer2016-10-14

    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.

  • S01E23Murder for Millions2016-10-15

    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.

  • S01E24Author of Death2016-10-15

    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.

  • S01E25A Son Snaps2016-10-15

    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.

  • S01E26Trailer Park Tragedy2016-10-1522m

    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.

  • S01E27A Fugitive and a Killer2016-10-1522m

    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.

  • S01E28The Happy Face Killer2016-10-1522m

    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.

  • S01E29Partners in Evil2016-10-1522m

    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.

  • S01E30The Venomous Veterinarian22m

    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.

  • S01E31In Search of a Kill22m

    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.

  • S01E32Terror on the Strip22m

    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.

  • S01E33Master Bob22m

    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.

  • S01E34The House of Horrors22m

    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.

  • S01E35A Wolf in Woman's Clothing22m

    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.

  • S01E36Murderous Miranda22m

    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.

  • S01E37The Slavemaster22m

    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.

  • S01E38An Opportunity to Kill22m

    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.

  • S01E39A Treacherous Triangle22m

    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.

  • S01E40Doctor Death22m

    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.

  • S01E41The Jigsaw Man22m

    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.

  • S01E42Fit to Kill22m

    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.

  • S01E43Redneck Retribution22m

    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.

  • S01E44Seduced to Death22m

    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.

  • S01E45The Toy Box22m

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

  • S01E46The Acid Lady22m

    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.

  • S01E47Killer Cabbie22m

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

  • S01E48A Random Rampage22m

    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.

  • S01E49The Devil Next Door22m

    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.

  • S01E50Enforcer of Death22m

    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.

  • S01E51The Keyes to Murder22m

    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."

  • S01E52If the Walls Could Talk22m

    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.

  • S01E53Homicide in the High Desert22m

    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.

  • S01E54Bonded in Murder22m

    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.

  • S01E55Of Vengeance and Murder22m

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

  • S01E56The Honeybee Killer22m

    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.

  • S01E57The Bad Son22m

    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.

  • S01E58Killer Rabbi22m

    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.

  • S01E59Murderous Ambition22m

    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.

  • S01E60Spoiled, Rotten, & Ruthless22m

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

  • S01E61A Split Personality19m

    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

  • S01E62The Poughkeepsie Predator22m

    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.

  • S01E63What Happened to Jana22m

    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.

  • S01E64The Grimm Sleeper22m

    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.

  • S01E65Dreaming of Murder22m

    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.

  • S01E66Bodyparts in My Pocket22m

    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.

  • S01E67Menace to Society22m

    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.

  • S01E68The Burial He Wanted22m

    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.

  • S01E69The Green Widow22m

    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.

  • S01E70The Snitch Who Kills22m

    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.

  • S01E71Blood Thicker Than Marriage22m

    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.

  • S01E72Too Late to Say Sorry22m

    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.

  • S01E73Mad Maksim22m

    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.

  • S01E74he Clear Lake Murders22m

    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.

  • S01E75Cheat, Kill, Deny22m

    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.

  • S01E76Brothers in Arms22m

    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

  • S01E77Down in Flames22m

    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.

  • S01E78They'll Never Find Her Body22m

    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.

  • S01E79Mother Knows Death22m

    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.

  • S01E80Rage and Anger22m

    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.

  • S01E81A Preference for Poison22m

    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.

  • S01E82Mrs. Wrong22m

    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.

  • S01E83Blood on the Chef's Apron22m

    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.

  • S01E84Process of Elimination22m

    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.

  • S01E85Of Disbelief and Death22m

    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.

  • S01E86Lethal Payback22m

    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.

  • S01E87The Son of Sam22m

    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.

  • S01E88A Coldblooded Cover Up22m

    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.

  • S01E89An 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.

  • S01E90Six 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.

  • S01E91Fatal 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.

  • S01E92Killer 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.

  • S01E93Rhode 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.

  • S01E94Cleveland 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?

  • S01E95New Orleans Massacre22m

    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.

  • S01E96The Missing Pendant22m

    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.

  • S01E97The Informant22m

    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.

  • S01E98Bayou Strangler22m

    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.

  • S01E99Cold Storage Killer22m

    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.

  • S01E100Nameless in New Jersey22m

    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.

  • S01E101Targeted Teacher22m

    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.

  • S01E102Lone Star Killer22m

    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.

  • S01E103Missing in Minnesota22m

    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.

  • S01E104A Killer Hand22m

    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.

Cast