In this episode of Truth in the Shadows: Crime, Mystery, and Politics, we open the file on Alexander Pichushkin — the Russian serial killer known as The Chessboard Killer.

But this case is about far more than murder.

It is a story about obsession, psychological deterioration, missed warning signs, and the terrifying reality that some of the most dangerous people can appear completely ordinary.

From the childhood events that people close to him believed changed him forever… to the victims and survivors tied to Moscow’s infamous Bitsa Park… we examine how Alexander allegedly turned human lives into numbers on a chessboard.

We also explore the deeper psychological themes surrounding the case: the desire for infamy, the fear of being forgotten, the failures that allowed vulnerable people to be overlooked, and ...