The Megyn Kelly Show | Ep. 1219 - “How Deranged Serial Killer Israel Keyes Finally Got Caught”
Date: December 30, 2025
Guest: Maureen Callahan, author of American Predator

Episode Overview

In this gripping installment of Crime Week, Megyn Kelly is joined by journalist and true crime author Maureen Callahan, who details her extensive investigation into serial killer Israel Keyes. The episode explores why Keyes remains one of the least-known but most chilling figures in American criminal history. Drawing on Callahan’s book American Predator and insights from the Hulu docuseries Wild Crime: Eleven Skulls, the conversation examines Keyes’s unique modus operandi, the investigation that finally caught him, and the lingering mysteries around his crimes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why Is Israel Keyes So Unknown?

(03:48–05:17)

• The episode opens with Megyn’s surprise that Keyes is not widely known, despite his disturbing legacy.
• Maureen Callahan posits that the FBI announced his capture and sought public help, but soon “pulled this case back from public view.”
  • “I could never understand why. So I began the book with the full cooperation of the FBI... And then about halfway through, I got back from one trip to Alaska... The FBI just shut down.” (Maureen Callahan, 04:02)
• The FBI granted Callahan remarkable initial access before abruptly ending cooperation.

The Samantha Koenig Case: Keyes’s Undoing

(05:17–15:07)

• The murder of 18-year-old Samantha Koenig, abducted late at night from an Anchorage coffee kiosk, led to Keyes’s capture.
• Callahan discusses victim-blaming and assumptions made by police:
  • “Their original theory was that Samantha was in on it... so she could get the $200 that were in the till. And... so many assumptions are made about victims of violent crimes.” (Maureen Callahan, 08:20)
• Keyes stood out for his lack of a typical victim type, taking both individuals and pairs, and blending seamlessly into ordinary life.
• Alaska’s isolation and transient population created fertile ground for Keyes—and crime generally.

The Investigation and Arrest

(13:07–21:34)

• After Samantha’s abduction, her ATM card was used in multiple states, allowing FBI and local police to track Keyes.
• Dedication and skill of law enforcement, especially the Texas Rangers, was crucial in catching Keyes, despite him driving the most rented vehicle in America (“needle in a haystack”).
• During a warrantless car search (Texas being more lenient), authorities found Samantha’s ATM card, disguise, and gun—crucial evidence but still missing a body.
  • “We found a gray hoodie that appeared to be the same hoodie that the perpetrator had been wearing in the ATM videos...” (Megyn Kelly quoting investigators, 21:09)

Interrogation Tactics and FBI Missteps

(21:34–26:55)

• Multiple agencies vied for control over interrogating Keyes, motivated in part by career ambitions and media attention.
• Keyes initially wouldn’t confess; classic mind games and strategic questioning were described by Callahan.
• A federal prosecutor (not typically in an investigative role) insisted on leading the questioning, against standard protocol.
  • “That’s not a question you ever ask a suspect... It’s a tell.” (Maureen Callahan, 28:46)

The Confession and Psychological Profile

(26:56–34:13)

• Keyes eventually confessed to killing Samantha after being assured (then later demanding) the death penalty.
• His mother admitted to knowing he was a killer from his teen years—he exhibited classic psychopathic behaviors early on (torturing animals, B&E, gun running).
  • “She and her husband kicked him out of the home…he was about 14.” (Maureen Callahan, 31:16)
• The “nature versus nurture” debate is explored, with FBI profiler Roy Hazelwood saying, “we don’t know.”

The Shocking Details of the Koenig Murder

(33:26–34:13)

• Keyes killed Koenig within hours and staged a postdated ransom photo by sewing open her eyes and applying makeup after death.
  • “He took fishing wire and sewed her eyes open... then put makeup on her.” (Maureen Callahan, 33:58)

Pattern Recognition: How Investigators Connected Other Crimes

(34:14–45:14)

• Upon confession, behavior and details pointed to Keyes being a serial killer.
• Keyes later confessed to an earlier double homicide (Bill and Lorraine Currier) in Vermont.
  • Meticulous, pre-buried 'kill kits' and truly random targeting made detection almost impossible.
  • He killed the couple during a family trip, following a broken pattern—no links, no signature victim or geography.

More Victims and Cold Cases

(45:14–55:42)

• The Vermont couple’s remains were never found; the case remains officially categorised as a ‘missing persons’ despite Keyes’s confession.
• Keyes’s kill count remains a mystery. He alluded to “less than 12” victims but investigators believe there are many more.
  • “I talk to people on the case who think it was way more than that. And I definitely think it was way more than that.” (Maureen Callahan, 56:09)
• Multiple cold cases, including the Boca Raton mall murders in Florida, are discussed as likely Keyes crimes.

The Endgame: Keyes’s Suicide & Lingering Mysteries

(64:59–68:26)

• Keyes committed suicide in his cell, leaving behind 11 blood-drawn skulls and the words “We Are One”.
  • Evidence indicates authorities ignored protocols meant to protect against his suicide.
• He wrote “Belize the Nation” in blood on his cell wall, a cryptic reference interpreted as personal hate for the US government.
• The case was at one point reclassified as “domestic terrorism.”
  • “At one point, this case...was reclassified...from serial murder to domestic terrorism. And the FBI has never said why.” (Maureen Callahan, 66:54)

The FBI’s Secrecy and the Unknown Toll

(68:26–71:54)

• The FBI’s continued secrecy frustrates attempts to connect Keyes to his likely full list of victims.
• His background included survivalist, off-grid upbringing by a white supremacist cult, and connections to other notorious criminals.
• The FBI’s “Evil Minds Research Museum” at Quantico, housing serial killer artifacts and remains, is mentioned.
  • “They have the brains of serial killers...a lot of keyes, stuff like his journals, his own self-reports.” (Maureen Callahan, 71:41)

The Broader Lessons: Serial Killers in Modern America

(71:54–75:09)

• The case raises unsettling issues: Keyes had no pattern, victim type, or geography, making such predators uniquely hard to stop.
• Modern DNA forensic advances make it much harder for future serial killers to operate undetected.
  • “Cece Moore...told me she doesn’t believe you can have a serial killer in 2025 America. She’s like, we’ve gotten too good.” (Megyn Kelly, 73:49)
• Maureen cautions that such advances mostly help when victims are “cared about” by society; marginalized groups are still at higher risk and often deprioritized by law enforcement.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On FBI Secrecy:
  "Nobody had ever heard of him. Nobody knew. He'd been operating all over the United States for at least 14 years, probably more... And then they just as quickly pulled this case back from public view." – Maureen Callahan (04:02)
• On Koenig’s Abduction:
  "That moment, Maureen, she saw the face of evil, and she knew it." – Megyn Kelly (07:30)
• On Alaska as a Setting:
  "Most people don't know this, but Alaska. More people come from the lower 48 than are natives up there. And they're all people who are running away from something." – Maureen Callahan (10:50)
• On Law Enforcement’s Approach:
  "He's the most powerful person in that room. They were never gonna solve another case without him." – Maureen Callahan (12:41)
• On the Difficulty of Identifying Serial Patterns:
  "He had no victim profile. He would take anybody. And when I say take, he would abduct, rape, torture, and murder." – Maureen Callahan (38:14)
• On Kill Kits:
  "They're five gallon Home Depot buckets that he filled with cash...zip ties, guns, ammo, and Drano to accelerate human decomposition." – Maureen Callahan (37:08)
• On His Mother’s Knowledge:
  "She knew he was a killer by the way." – Maureen Callahan (31:10)
• On Law Enforcement Trauma:
  "The lead diver...has PTSD...They did [drawings of themselves] with angel wings on...holding the victim intact, bringing them up." – Maureen Callahan (45:58)
• On Keyes’s Chilling Philosophy:
  "Keys said he was asked, who is your favorite serial killer?...He said, it's the one who hasn't been caught because he knew that there was someone better at being undetected right behind him." – Maureen Callahan (72:28)
• On the Limits of Modern Forensic Science:
  "If you're a predator and you know your prey...that would be my one thing where I'd maybe push back on that." – Maureen Callahan (75:09)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Background and Secrecy around Keyes: 03:47–05:17
• Samantha Koenig Case and Capture of Keyes: 05:17–17:29
• Evidence and Arrest: 17:29–21:02
• Interrogation & Confession Strategies: 21:02–26:09
• Koenig’s Murder Details & Confession: 26:55–34:13
• Investigation Broadens, Other Crimes Connected: 34:14–45:14
• Vermont Double Homicide/Affirmation of More Victims: 36:10–56:25
• Discussion of Heuristics, Motive, Nature/Nurture: 31:53–34:13 / 52:42–55:42
• Keyes’s Suicide and Aftermath: 64:59–68:26
• FBI’s Ongoing Secrecy and Cultural Context: 68:26–71:54
• Modern Serial Killers and Forensic Advances: 71:54–75:09

Tone and Flow

The episode is conversational, fast-paced, and unflinching—mixing Maureen Callahan’s deep research with Kelly’s authentic reactions (“Oh my God,” “That is sick,” “So bizarre,” “Can you imagine?”). Both provide concrete advice (e.g., “Don’t comply. Never let them take you to a second location.” 58:42), contextualize victims’ experiences and law enforcement trauma, and explore the dark psychology of one of America’s most mysterious serial killers. The show is at turns fascinating, grim, and informative, striking just the right balance between storytelling and survivor advocacy.

Conclusion

Maureen Callahan’s work uncovers not only chilling stories but also the vulnerabilities in how crime is investigated and recognized in America. Israel Keyes serves as a reminder that true evil can hide in plain sight, defying police, systems, and public expectations. The FBI’s ongoing secrecy continues to frustrate closure for families and true crime researchers alike.

As Megyn says at the close:
“You could have gone. It could have been worse. We say nothing says Christmas like true crime.” (76:00)