Serial killers and the crimes that remained in the shadows for years

At 21:00 CET, the killers the world would rather forget return: October with serial killers

Darker October evenings are approaching, bringing back names permanently etched into the history of crime. Dennis Rader, Ted Bundy, Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono differed in their methods, personalities and choice of victims. One thing connected them all: for a long time, they managed to hide who they really were.

This October, Viasat True Crime returns to their stories. At 21:00 CET, darkness falls and viewers look behind the façade of normality, charm and apparent safety.

Dennis Rader: husband, father, neighbour and BTK

For years, Dennis Rader lived the life of a man few would ever suspect of serial murder. He had a family, a job and a respected position in his local community. At the same time, as BTK, he acted out violent fantasies and obsessively controlled his victims. In BTK: Confessions of a Serial Killer, Dr Katherine Ramsland, who has corresponded with Rader for more than a decade, attempts to understand the way his mind worked. It is not only a story of murder, but also a disturbing question: how long can someone hide a monstrous alter ego behind the mask of an ordinary life?

Ted Bundy: the killer people wanted to trust

Ted Bundy became one of the world’s most notorious serial killers not only because of the number of his victims. He was intelligent, articulate and capable of making an excellent first impression. That was precisely what made him so dangerous.
The Hunt for Ted Bundy tells his story through the eyes of homicide detective Bob Keppel. Rare archive footage, case documents and death row recordings reveal a man who manipulated not only his victims, but also the public perception surrounding him.

Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono: one name, two killers

In the late 1970s, Los Angeles lived in fear of the Hillside Strangler. At first, police believed they were hunting a single killer. The truth was even more disturbing.
Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono were cousins who posed as police officers to gain women’s trust. The Hillside Strangler: Devil in Disguise explores not only their crimes, but also the interrogations, manipulation and investigators’ struggle to separate truth from layer upon layer of lies.

What if a serial killer sleeps beside you?

October’s line-up is completed by Serial Killer Wives, which looks at killers through the eyes of those who knew them most intimately. Partners and spouses describe life with Stephen Griffiths, Bobby Joe Long, Joanna Dennehy and James Randall.
Perhaps the most frightening question is not what a serial killer looks like, but this: would we recognise one if they were sitting at our own dinner table?

When the clock strikes 21:00 CET, October darkness begins

Rader, Bundy, Bianchi and Buono continue to fascinate criminologists, investigators and true crime audiences because their stories reveal just how convincingly evil can imitate normality.
This October, tune in to Viasat True Crime at 21:00 CET and meet the serial killers who hid their true nature for years. Discover, too, the stories of those who lived beside them.