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True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers

A NEED TO KILL—Mark Pettit

True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers

Dan Zupansky

True Crime, News Commentary, Documentary, News, Society & Culture

42.7K Ratings

🗓️ 17 November 2025

⏱️ 72 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

From two-time best-selling author and three-time Emmy-winning investigative reporter Mark Pettit comes the haunting true story of Nebraska serial killer John Joubert—a case that shocked a nation and still echoes across the true-crime world.
It was one of the most terrifying times in Nebraska's history. The year a young Air Force Airman went on a killing spree, leaving two young boys dead and a community gripped by fear. 
TV news anchorman and investigative reporter Mark Pettit managed to interview John Joubert on Death Row. In a series of exclusive, face-to-face interviews with Pettit, Joubert admits to a string of violent crimes and another killing—that sends investigators into a frenzy ending with Joubert being convicted for a third murder and ultimately executed in Nebraska’s electric chair.
Pettit had also been told by Joubert about 'death row drawings' he had created, and that were to be given to Pettit. After a contentious legal battle, a confidential source came forward providing the final piece in the twisted puzzle and a rare glimpse into the mind of a sexual sadist—still fantasizing about murder as he waited to die in the electric chair.
Now 43 years after the murders, Pettit returns with this final, updated edition—A NEED TO KILL: The Life and Crimes of John Joubert, Nebraska's Most Notorious Serial Child Killer—Mark Pettit

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

You are now listening to True Murder, the most shocking killers in true crime history,

0:12.5

and the authors that have written about them.

0:15.8

Gacy, Bundy, Dommer, the Nightstalker, BTK.

0:21.1

Every week, another fascinating author talking about the most shocking and infamous killers in true crime history.

0:27.9

True murder.

0:29.1

With your host, journalist and author, Dan Zupansky.

0:40.1

Good evening.

0:47.6

From two-time best-selling author and three-time Emmy-winning investigative reporter Mark Pettit,

0:52.6

comes the haunting true story of Nebraska serial killer John Jubert,

0:57.0

a case that shocked a nation and still echoes across the true crime world. It was one of the most terrifying times in Nebraska's history. The

1:04.0

year a young Air Force airman went on a killing spree, leaving two young boys dead and a community

1:10.6

gripped by fear.

1:13.6

TV news anchorman and investigative reporter Mark Pettit managed to interview John

1:18.6

Jubert on death row. In a series of exclusive face-to-face interviews with Pettit,

1:25.6

Jubert admits to a string of prior violent crimes and another killing.

1:30.3

That sends investigators into a frenzy, ending with Jubert being convicted for a third murder

1:37.3

and ultimately executed in Nebraska's electric chair.

1:42.3

Pettit had also been told by Joubert about death row drawings he had created, and he agreed

1:49.4

to give to Pettit.

1:52.0

After a contentious legal battle over the release of the drawings, a confidential source came

1:58.0

forward providing the final piece in the twisted puzzle and a rare

2:02.3

glimpse into the mind of a sexual sadist, still fantasizing about murder as he waited to die in

...

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