The Psychology of a Manipulator; Robin Dreeke on How Stephan Sterns Groomed Trust-WEEK IN REVIEW
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
True Crime Today
3.3 • 907 Ratings
🗓️ 23 February 2025
⏱️ 14 minutes
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Summary
This is not your average news recap. With the sharp investigative lens of Tony and his guests, the show uncovers layers beneath the headlines, offering a comprehensive perspective that traditional news can often miss. From high-profile criminal trials to in-depth examinations of ongoing investigations, this podcast takes listeners on a fascinating journey through the world of true crime and current events.
Each episode navigates through multiple stories, illuminating their details with factual reporting, expert commentary, and engaging conversation. Tony and his guests discuss each case's nuances, complexities, and human elements, delivering a multi-dimensional understanding to their audience.
Whether you are a dedicated follower of true crime, or an everyday listener interested in the stories shaping our world, the "Week in Review" brings you the perfect balance of intrigue, information, and intelligent conversation. Expect thoughtful analysis, informed opinions, and thought-provoking discussions beyond the 24-hour news cycle.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is Hidden Killers Week in review. |
| 0:02.4 | I look back at the most prolific stories of the week. |
| 0:06.2 | This is Hidden Killers with Tony Brewski. |
| 0:10.9 | Murder lies and a trail of digital breadcrumbs. |
| 0:16.8 | Sometimes real life plays out like a crime thriller. |
| 0:19.3 | Except there's no Hollywood ending in the case that we're about to talk about. |
| 0:25.7 | Diving into the chilling case of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, whose disappearance led investigators down a rabbit hole of disturbing secrets. |
| 0:34.4 | At the center of it all, Stefan Stern, a man once trusted by Maddie's family, now |
| 0:39.4 | facing not just murder charges, but also a staggering 60 sex-related offenses, which were |
| 0:45.1 | uncovered in the investigation, with so much evidence, digital footprints, forensic findings, |
| 0:51.4 | and the web of deceit, or kind of left asking, what really happened to |
| 0:55.7 | Maddie and how does someone like Stearns rationalize these crimes? Joining us today, retired FBI |
| 1:01.8 | Special Agent Robin Dreek, and I'm really curious to get your thoughts on some of this, |
| 1:09.2 | since we dive into the mind here of Stefan |
| 1:12.3 | Stearns. When you look at this case, all the alleged double life of him, the way he reportedly |
| 1:18.4 | manipulated trust and hid in plain sight, what stands out to you the most from a behavioral |
| 1:23.3 | analysis perspective? And how do investigators piece together the truth when a net suspect like |
| 1:28.9 | this is basically you know a known experienced liar well luckily for investigators he didn't cover |
| 1:39.6 | his tracks very well at all i mean he i you know say this term a lot, broken brain. He literally had a |
| 1:46.1 | broken brain. Normally, this is the first case I've covered. And granted, I'm just not my typical |
| 1:51.4 | area I cover. But in the other cases that I've covered with child murders and definitely |
| 1:56.8 | pedophiles, these individuals that commit the crimes, typically from what I've seen, have escalated. |
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