Richard Speck: Natural Born Killer

• Documentary

Episode overview

Examine the horrifying case of Richard Speck, whose brutal 1966 murders of eight student nurses in Chicago became one of the most shocking crimes in American history. The episode traces Speck’s troubled upbringing, marked by instability, violence, and escalating criminal behavior, and follows the events leading up to the night that left a city terrified and a nation stunned. Through interviews with investigators, journalists, and surviving witnesses, Biography explores how Speck gained entry to the nurses’ townhouse, the terror that unfolded inside, and the lone survivor whose courage helped identify him. The program also looks at the intense manhunt, the trial that captivated the country, and the lingering questions about Speck’s psyche and motives. Ultimately, the episode offers a sobering portrait of a man whose actions embodied senseless cruelty, and whose crimes left an indelible mark on American criminal history.