The Psychology of Serial Killers

Dr. Rachel Toles is a forensic psychologist specializing in extreme violence, serial homicide, and the cultural narratives that shape public understanding of criminal behavior. She conducts violence risk assessments, provides expert testimony, and consults on high-profile criminal cases. Her research focuses on the intersection of psychology, media representation, and societal perception of violent crime.

Dr. Toles consults across television and streaming, advising on behavioral realism, offender psychology, and character development. She works with major film and television projects, including Dick Wolf Productions, where she advises on the psychological accuracy of crime narratives, character behavior, and threat escalation. Her media credits also include HBO Max, Investigation Discovery, Peacock, Apple TV, NBCUniversal, ABC News Nightline (Impact x Hulu), Oxygen, and Sony Pictures Television. She speaks nationally and internationally on the psychology of homicide, pathways to violence, and the warning behaviors that often appear long before an act becomes visible.