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.

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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.

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