The Psychologist Who Evaluated Joel Rifkin — What He Found

🔎 UNMARKED: The Long Island Serial Killer Investigation — This episode is part of our ongoing investigation into the serial killers who have operated on Long Island, including Rex Heuermann, Joel Rifkin, Robert Shulman, Richard Cottingham, and others. ► Watch the complete playlist: [   • UNMARKED: The Long Island Serial Killer(s)   Joel Rifkin confessed to the murders of 17 women in just three years—leaving their remains scattered across Long Island, New York City, and New Jersey. For years, no one was looking for him. In this episode, we examine the case through the lens of Dr. N.G. Berrill—one of the first psychologists to evaluate Rifkin after his arrest. Drawing on interviews, court records, and police reports, this is a reconstruction of how Rifkin operated in plain sight—and what allowed him to continue. From his early life in suburban Long Island, to the environments he exploited, to the moment a routine traffic stop ended it all, this episode breaks down the pattern behind the crimes. Because this isn’t just the story of one offender. It’s a case that exposes something larger—how vulnerable populations are overlooked, how investigations fail to connect, and how, in the 1980s and 90s, the rise of “serial killer” culture may have given offenders like Rifkin a framework to follow. Chapters: 00:00 – 03:58 | A Routine Stop Turns Into a Confession A missing license plate leads to a high-speed chase—and an immediate, chilling admission from Joel Rifkin that changes everything. 03:58 – 09:06 | The Invisible Killer Before his arrest, there’s no task force, no warnings—just a pattern of violence unfolding unnoticed across multiple jurisdictions. 09:06 – 18:26 | A Life Shaped in Isolation Adoption, instability at home, and social rejection form the early psychological landscape behind Rifkin’s growing detachment. 18:26 – 25:07 | Fantasy Becomes Identity Exposure to serial killer media and personal failure collide—turning violent ideation into something Rifkin begins to model and pursue. 25:07 – 34:40 | The Pattern No One Sees As victims disappear, gaps in communication, bias, and neglect allow the killings to escalate without connection or urgency. 34:40 – 48:58 | Recognition, Not Remorse Arrest brings not relief but attention—raising unsettling questions about notoriety, media focus, and how these crimes take shape. *** If you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself. Read it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7 For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes. Join here:   / unmarked_truecrimepodcast   If you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram: @jamesbuddyday #serialkiller #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #crimestory