Mackenzie Lueck was a bright, ambitious 23-year-old University of Utah student with her entire future ahead of her. On the night she returned home from California, she made a decision that would change everything — trusting someone she believed she knew.   In this episode of Silent Motive, we take a deep, victim-centered look at Mackenzie’s life, her relationships, and the events leading up to her disappearance in June 2019. We examine the timeline from her late-night flight, the Lyft ride that dropped her off at a park in North Salt Lake, and the digital breadcrumbs that ultimately exposed a calculated and brutal crime.   This episode explores not only what happened to Mackenzie Lueck, but who she was — her dreams, her resilience, and the devastating ripple effect her murder left behind. We also break down the investigation, the suspect’s disturbing behavior, and the evidence that led authorities to the truth.   ⚠️ Listener discretion advised. This episode contains discussions of violence and sexual assault.   If you or someone you know is experiencing relationship violence or feels unsafe, help is available. 📞 National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)   🎧 Follow Silent Motive on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Instagram @silent_motive_pod

On February 13th, 2017, best friends Liberty “Libby” German and Abigail “Abby” Williams set out for an ordinary afternoon on the historic Monon High Bridge in Delphi, Indiana. What followed became one of the most heartbreaking and haunting cases in modern true crime.   In this special episode of Silent Motive, we trace Libby and Abby’s final steps, examine the chilling audio and video Libby captured on her phone, and dive into the investigation that has spanned years, suspects, missteps, and shocking updates.   With a victim-focused lens, we explore:   The girls’ lives and their friendship The timeline of February 13th The discovery and early investigative response The “Down the Hill” audio and its impact Key persons of interest and evolving leads How a quiet community became the center of a national mystery**     This episode honors Libby and Abby by ensuring their story is told with accuracy, empathy, and the weight it deserves.   🔔Subscribe to Silent Motive for more deep-dive true crime and unsolved mysteries.  📲Follow us on Instagram for BTS content: https://www.instagram.com/silent_motive_pod?igsh=YnFtMWEzZXdveDc0&utm_source=qr

Part Two of our deep dive into Rodney Alcala picks up as investigators uncover the darker, more disturbing layers of the “Dating Game Killer.” In this episode, we move beyond the early attacks and trace Alcala’s escalating violence—from his eerie charm on national television to the trail of victims linked through DNA, photography, and long-buried evidence.   We’ll explore the chilling details of his cross-country movements, the stories of the victims who were silenced, and the forensic breakthroughs that finally connected decades-old cases. As detectives untangle the web of Alcala’s crimes, a terrifying portrait emerges: a predator who hid in plain sight, manipulating everyone around him while leaving devastation in his wake.   This chapter brings emotion, empathy, and truth to the forefront—honoring the victims while revealing how close Alcala came to escaping accountability forever.   🎙️ Follow Silent Motive on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you listen. 💀 New episodes weekly — uncovering the crimes that refuse to stay buried. 📲 Follow our Instagram @silent_motive_pod and Patreon @Silent Motive for BTS content.    #TrueCrimePodcast #SilentMotive #RodneyAlcala #californiamurders #CrimeHistory #SurvivorStories #DarkPsychology #TrueCrimeCommunity

Before he smiled on national television, Rodney Alcala was already hiding something monstrous. In Part 1, Silent Motive pulls back the curtain on Alcala’s early life — from his fractured childhood and disturbing psychological profile to the brutal 1968 assault on eight-year-old Tali Shapiro that first exposed his darkness. We trace his release, his move across the country under fake names, and the beginnings of a killing spree that would stretch from Los Angeles to New York. It’s a story of charm weaponized, of victims who trusted a camera lens — and a justice system that kept giving the Devil another chance.   Trigger Warning: Graphic descriptions of sexual assault and homicide. 🎧 Follow Us Follow Silent Motive for more true-crime and dark-storytelling episodes:   📸 Instagram: @silent_motive_pod 🎥 YouTube: Silent Motive 🎙️ Patreon: patreon.com/SilentMotive 🎧 Podbean: silentmotive.podbean.com 🎵 Spotify: Silent Motive on Spotify 🍎 Apple Podcasts: Silent Motive on Apple   Stay connected for exclusive bonus content, behind-the-scenes episodes, and updates on upcoming cases. Because even in the quiet… there’s always a motive.

In December 2009, Susan Powell — a devoted mother and wife — vanished from her Utah home without a trace. What began as a missing person’s case quickly spiraled into something darker: a husband’s bizarre alibi, a father-in-law’s twisted obsession, and a tragedy that no one saw coming.   In this episode, Silent Motive dives deep into the Powell family’s tangled secrets — from Susan’s haunting final journal entry to the investigation that would uncover lies, control, and the unthinkable.   Listener discretion is advised. This episode contains discussion of domestic violence and abuse. If you or someone you know needs help, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788. You are not alone.

In April 1974, a small HiFi stereo shop in Ogden, Utah, became the site of one of the most shocking crimes in American history. What began as a simple robbery turned into hours of terror, torture, and death. The victims were bound, forced to drink Drano, and left in a scene that would haunt detectives for decades.   In this episode of Silent Motive, we uncover the brutal truth behind the HiFi Murders — from the men who planned it to the survivors who lived to tell their story. We’ll explore the twisted psychology behind the crime, the investigation that shook the Air Force community, and the haunting legacy it left behind.   🔪 Content Warning: This episode contains detailed descriptions of violence and torture that may not be suitable for all listeners.   🎙️ Follow Silent Motive on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you listen. 💀 New episodes weekly — uncovering the crimes that refuse to stay buried. 📲 Follow our Instagram @silent_motive_pod and Patreon @Silent Motive for BTS content.    #TrueCrimePodcast #SilentMotive #HiFiMurders #OgdenUtah #CrimeHistory #SurvivorStories #DarkPsychology #TrueCrimeCommunity

During the 1980s and early 1990s, America was gripped by hysteria. Talk shows, news anchors, and terrified parents believed the devil had taken root in suburban basements, daycare centers, and record stores. But how did a moral panic spiral so far out of control? In this chilling episode of Silent Motive, we dive deep into the Satanic Panic—a time when false accusations, media sensationalism, and religious fear ruined lives and fed a nationwide obsession with the occult. From the infamous McMartin Preschool trial to Geraldo Rivera’s televised witch hunts, we uncover how paranoia became power… and why the echoes of this panic still linger today. 🔥 Listener Discretion Advised: This episode contains references to child abuse allegations, religious extremism, and disturbing media events.

He seemed quiet… almost invisible. But behind closed doors, Ed Gein’s farmhouse hid horrors beyond imagination. In this episode of Silent Motive, we peel back the layers of one of America’s most disturbing true crimes — the man who inspired Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Silence of the Lambs.   From Gein’s twisted devotion to his mother to the gruesome discoveries that shocked a nation, this story explores how isolation, obsession, and madness turned a small-town man into a living nightmare.   Listen now — if you dare — to the chilling truth behind the legend of Ed Gein.

Two families. Two homes. One unshakable darkness. In this episode of Silent Motive, we uncover the chilling true stories behind The Watcher House and The Amityville Horror—where obsession, fear, and the unknown collide. From cryptic letters to whispered hauntings, these are the real-life nightmares that prove evil doesn’t always need a face… sometimes, it just needs an address.

In this episode of Silent Motive, we examine the tragic murder of Karina Vetrano, a young woman whose life was stolen while on an evening jog through Spring Creek Park in Queens, New York. What began as a routine run turned into a case that shook the city and left her community searching for answers.   We’ll retrace the timeline of events, uncover the frantic investigation, and follow the evidence that eventually led detectives to the man responsible. Along the way, we’ll explore the role of forensic science, the impact on Karina’s family, and the larger questions this case raised about safety and justice.   This is the story of a vibrant life cut short, a community torn apart, and a trial that delivered long-awaited closure.

Few cases have terrified the public - and baffled investigators - quite like the Zodiac Killer. From the late 1960s through the early 1970s, a mysterious figure stalked Northern California, leaving behind victims, cryptic letters, and coded messages that still remain unsolved.    In this debut episode of Silent Motive, we dive deep into: The Zodiac's known victims and possible additional crimes The chilling letters and ciphers sent to newspapers Suspects who came under investigation - and why none were convicted The enduring legacy of fear and fascination surrounding this case Decades later, the Zodiac Killer's identity is still unknown. Could the truth still be uncovered? 🔔Subscribe to Silent Motive for more deep-dive true crime and unsolved mysteries.  ☠️Support the show on Patreon for bonus content and ad-free episodes: http://www.patreon.com/SilentMotive 📲Follow us on Instagram for BTS content: https://www.instagram.com/silent_motive_pod?igsh=YnFtMWEzZXdveDc0&utm_source=qr