
FBI Behavioral Analyst Breaks Down Donna Adelson’s Courtroom Narcissism
FBI Behavioral Analyst Breaks Down Donna Adelson’s Courtroom Narcissism Donna Adelson’s courtroom behavior isn’t just bizarre—it’s damning. In this eye-opening segment, former FBI Special Agent Robin Dreeke joins Tony Brueski to break down the narcissistic theatrics we’re seeing in real time as Donna attempts to control the narrative... and fails. We’re talking about fake tears, strategic fatigue, and performative eye rolls that jurors cannot ignore. Robin explains how narcissists weaponize emotion, and why Donna’s body language is exposing more than her defense ever intended. What does it mean when a woman accused of murder shows more rage at embarrassment than guilt? Why does she go blank-faced when her authority is challenged—and laser-focused when family testifies? This isn’t a trial. It’s a behavioral unraveling. And it’s being documented second by second for a jury that’s watching her every move. This segment is your backstage pass to the psychological breakdown of a woman who can’t stand being exposed—and may have just sealed her fate by trying to act through it. Exclusive expert insight only on Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski. Hashtags: #DonnaAdelson #CourtroomBehavior #FBIExpert #RobinDreeke #Narcissism #HiddenKillers #TrialAnalysis #TrueCrimeToday #BodyLanguage #JurorWatch Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
4 Syys 14min

When Mom (Donna Adelson) Lives in Your Head: Enmeshment’s Toll on Adult Life
The impact of enmeshed families doesn’t end in childhood—it follows people into every adult relationship. In this segment, Tony Brueski, Stacy, Todd, and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott explore how toxic loyalty and control spill into marriages, friendships, and self-identity. From mandatory Sunday dinners to overbearing in-laws, the conversation highlights how enmeshed families suffocate independence—even decades later. Stacy shares her own jaw-dropping story about an ex-mother-in-law who tried to control everything, from prom night to medical crises, underscoring how deeply this pattern runs. Shavaun explains how parents like Donna Adelson can live “inside” a child’s head, influencing every decision—even when physically absent. For many, the control doesn’t fade until the parent dies, leaving a strange combination of grief and freedom. Some adult children even describe it as a physical weight being lifted the day the controlling parent is buried. We explore how these dynamics breed anxiety, depression, and identity confusion. People raised in such homes often replicate the cycle, marrying partners who resemble the controlling parent, chasing the same dysfunctional approval, or reliving unresolved trauma. This discussion shows how enmeshment can feel like a cult on a micro level: unquestioned authority, alternate reality, roles assigned to each family member, and loyalty above all else. It’s a chilling framework that helps explain why certain families, like the Adelsons, cross moral and legal boundaries. Hashtags: #AdelsonTrial #DonnaAdelson #FamilyTrauma #ShavaunScott #HiddenKillers #TrueCrime #DanMarkel #EnmeshedFamilies #PsychologyOfCrime #TrueCrimeCommunity Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
4 Syys 10min

Donna Adelson's Scapegoats & Loyalty: Why Wendy Adelson Didn't Push Back
Donna Adelson's Scapegoats & Loyalty: Why Wendy Adelson Didn't Push Back Why do some kids push back against toxic parents while others surrender completely? In this segment, Tony Brueski and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott dig into how loyalty is conditioned inside enmeshed families—and why dissent is often crushed early. We explore how toddlers quickly learn not to challenge a domineering parent, fearing hysterical or angry reactions. This early conditioning often leads to adult children who never stand up to mom or dad—even when it destroys their independence. In families like the Adelsons, it creates stark roles: the golden child who exists to comfort and protect, and the scapegoat who rebels and gets cast out. The conversation also turns to Wendy Adelson. Did she ever see her mother’s control as unhealthy, or was it always disguised as “love”? Now, under the glare of testimony, has Wendy finally begun to reflect on what her family dynamic really was? Shavaun explains how fear of losing a parent’s love—or losing one’s place in the family—becomes more powerful than logic. Even when adult children suspect things aren’t right, they rationalize and keep quiet. Meanwhile, the family system thrives on control and conformity. This discussion highlights how “tight-knit” can be a dangerous illusion—and how the psychology of loyalty explains why some families will cross shocking lines of morality to protect their own. Hashtags: #AdelsonTrial #WendyAdelson #FamilyDynamics #ShavaunScott #TrueCrime #HiddenKillers #DanMarkel #DonnaAdelson #Enmeshment #TrueCrimeCommunity Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
4 Syys 12min

Bryan Kohberger’s Broken Brain: Control, Family & Obsession
Bryan Kohberger’s Broken Brain: Control, Family & Obsession The story of Bryan Kohberger isn’t just about four lives stolen in Moscow, Idaho. It’s also about a lifetime of obsessions, failures, and fractured psychology that built the man accused of those crimes. From his teenage years, Kohberger described himself as numb, detached, incapable of empathy. He filled journals and online posts with accounts of feeling unreal, seeing the world through “visual snow,” and struggling to connect with anyone. As he grew older, those feelings didn’t fade — they hardened into obsessions. Nightly “stargazing” drives were really peeping expeditions. Porn searches zeroed in on unconscious women, rape, and voyeurism. Power and control weren’t just fantasies — they became the only way his brain seemed to process intimacy. At the same time, Kohberger never cut the cord with his parents. Friends recall him referring to them, even as an adult, as “mother” and “father,” calling daily, relying on them for stability he couldn’t generate for himself. Experts say this dependence highlights fragility: a man desperate for grounding, yet incapable of independence. So what drove him? Was his criminology research an academic pursuit, or a desperate attempt to decode himself? Did his failures in relationships, in confidence, in basic human connection funnel him toward darker outlets? Psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins Tony Brueski to dissect Kohberger’s “broken brain” — the obsessions, the dependence, the fragile ego that demanded dominance but never found identity. This is a psychological autopsy of a man who could never quite find himself — and instead tried to build power by taking everything from others. Hashtags: #BryanKohberger #HiddenKillers #TrueCrime #KohbergerPsychology #MoscowMurders #Idaho4 #ShavaunScott #KohbergerBrokenBrain #TrueCrimePodcast #KohbergerFamily Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
4 Syys 25min

Moldy Cash & A One-Way Flight: Donna Adelson’s Panic Spiral
Moldy Cash & A One-Way Flight: Donna Adelson’s Panic Spiral Things just got weird. In this episode, Hidden Killers host Tony Brueski and defense attorney/former prosecutor Eric Faddis explore the strange, almost cinematic behavior prosecutors are pointing to as evidence of guilt—most notably, Donna Adelson allegedly washing stacks of moldy cash and then buying a one-way ticket to Vietnam, a non-extradition country. Is this the panic of a guilty mind—or the bizarre antics of someone deeply unprepared for the heat? Eric walks us through what prosecutors mean when they talk about consciousness of guilt, and how bizarre behavior like this can resonate with a jury even more than hard forensic evidence. Because when you’re laundering money literally, it says a lot about what you’re trying to erase. This segment dives into the psychological breakdown behind desperate actions, how they land with jurors, and whether Donna’s defense team has any path to reframe the narrative. Hashtags: #DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #MoneyLaundering #TrueCrime #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #EricFaddis #VietnamFlight #AdelsonTrial #PanicBehavior Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
4 Syys 13min

Understanding The Adelson's: Roots, Culture & Control
Understanding The Adelson's: Roots, Culture & Control Families that look “close” on the outside can actually be suffocating on the inside. In this segment, Tony Brueski is joined by psychotherapist and author Shavaun Scott, along with Stacy and Todd, to unpack the roots of enmeshed families—the kind where loyalty becomes control. We dig into cultural influences, from Jewish and Asian traditions that normalize family loyalty, to the rise of helicopter parenting. We explore how narcissistic parents turn children into extensions of themselves, expecting achievements to reflect back on them rather than fostering independence. Shavaun explains the family continuum: disengaged (hands-off), balanced (healthy independence), and enmeshed (over-involved). Where does a family like the Adelsons fit? They raised high-achieving children, but at what cost? Their careers soared, but their moral compasses cracked. This conversation looks at how enmeshment breeds anxiety, depression, and adult children who struggle with identity and boundaries. We also ask: Is there ever such a thing as a “good” enmeshed family, or is it always toxic in the long run? Hashtags: #AdelsonTrial #EnmeshedFamilies #ShavaunScott #TrueCrime #HiddenKillers #FamilyPsychology #DanMarkel #DonnaAdelson #TrueCrimeCommunity #PsychologyOfCrime Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
4 Syys 11min

Harvey Adelson Phone Records, Coded Texts, and Vietnam Attempt
Harvey Adelson Phone Records, Coded Texts, and Vietnam Attempt For years, Harvey Adelson has been the quietest figure in the sprawling Markel murder saga. While Donna, Charlie, and Wendy took center stage in the courtroom, Harvey stayed in the background—silent, still, never taking the stand. But newly highlighted evidence is pushing him out of the shadows. In this segment of Hidden Killers, Tony Brueski and retired FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer examine the case threads connecting Harvey to the conspiracy. Phone records show contact between Harvey’s phone and hitman Sigfredo Garcia weeks before Dan Markel’s murder. Was this coincidence—or a direct link? Investigators also point to Harvey’s alleged attempt to book a one-way ticket to Vietnam, suggesting flight and consciousness of guilt. Add in the Dolce Vita recording, where Harvey is present during family conversations prosecutors say were about the crime, and suddenly his “silent father” role looks a lot more active. Coffindaffer breaks down how investigators weigh circumstantial evidence against someone like Harvey. How do you prove intent in coded conversations? How do you read travel attempts through the lens of guilt? And does Harvey’s calm, almost dazed courtroom demeanor reflect ignorance—or the quiet stress of a man who knows he may be next? This is not a murder-trial case against Harvey, but the pieces point toward potential accessory charges and deeper involvement than he’s ever admitted. Silence doesn’t equal innocence, and Harvey’s silence may finally be catching up with him. Featuring: Tony Brueski & retired FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer Keywords: Harvey Adelson, Dan Markel murder, Dolce Vita recording, Vietnam ticket, Sigfredo Garcia, accessory after the fact, Donna Adelson, Charlie Adelson, Hidden Killers Hashtags: #HarveyAdelson #DanMarkel #HiddenKillers #JenniferCoffindaffer #TrueCrime #AdelsonFamily #FloridaCrime #Evidence #DolceVita #Conspiracy Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
4 Syys 13min

Donna Adelson Tried To Bribe Cell-Mate With Grand Piano & Drugs, Then She EXPOSED Donna
Donna Adelson Tried To Bribe Cell-Mate With Grand Piano & Drugs, Then She EXPOSED Donna Donna Adelson is cornered, and the cracks are showing. With the defense running out of credible witnesses, Donna must decide whether to testify—a gamble that could make or break her case. But the courtroom has already heard testimony that paints her as manipulative, arrogant, and willing to promise anything to protect herself. A jailhouse informant described Donna’s constant chatter about her case, her handwritten witness “scripts,” and even bizarre bribes—packages of snacks, a $10,000 payment via Zelle from husband Harvey, and yes, a grand piano. The informant claims Donna wanted her to blame Katherine “Kay” Magbanua for hatching the plot against Dan Markel, a narrative full of language that didn’t match Kay’s voice. Then came the character witness—Donna’s best friend—insisting she’d never heard Donna threaten anyone. But this was “coffee-friend” testimony: shallow reassurances from someone who knew the brunch version of Donna, not the backroom schemer promising money and pianos. And Harvey? His name now surfaces more often, pulled into Donna’s supposed promises and linked through Signal and Zelle. Is this just Donna’s mouth running, or was Harvey closer to the game than we thought? In this episode, we explore how Donna’s narcissism may be her downfall. From bribery attempts that sound like late-night infomercials to character witnesses who barely scratch the surface, the case against her grows more surreal by the day. And as the moment of truth approaches, one question looms: will Donna take the stand to “explain it all,” or will cross-examination shred what little credibility she has left? Hashtags: #DonnaAdelson #AdelsonTrial #DanMarkel #TrueCrime #HiddenKillers #CourtroomDrama #JusticeForDanMarkel #TrueCrimeCommunity #MurderForHire #TrueCrimeDiscussion Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
4 Syys 24min