ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – If you’ve ever watched a true crime documentary, you’ve probably wondered… how can an average person commit a horrible crime?

It’s that curiosity that led forensic psychologist Rachel Toles to launch The Psychology of a Murderer tour.

“I look at how do people make this decision at the end of the day. What gets them? What are the accelerants? What are the pressure points? And what are the systems that are maybe influencing their decisions?,” says Toles.

The tour is making a stop at The Harvester in Rocky Mount in May.

During the show, Toles discusses high-profile cases like the Menendez Brothers, the Columbine school shooting and Chris Watts, the man who killed his pregnant wife and two daughters.

“Chris Watts appeared on the surface to be a loving husband and father. In my opinion, he actually was a loving husband and father. He also had this other side. He was split inside,“ says Toles.

She says that “split” is often part of a pattern in these infamous cases. There’s an inner battle between good and bad.

“A lot of times, it’s a moment of… I just need to get rid of you. I need to, in the moment, get rid of the problem. It’s not like there’s a lot of thought that goes into it, there’s a snapping,” says Toles.

She says her show also provides an opportunity for audience members to do some self- reflection.

“What is it about ourselves that A, is drawn to this stuff, B is triggered by this stuff to the point where we lack empathy when it comes to be open to understanding the situation,” says Toles.

It’s that understanding that Toles says could help prevent future unspeakable crimes from happening.

“All humans are capable of these things. And so it’s a matter of knowing that you can be all of them. You can be the good husband and the husband that murders, and it’s hard for us to sit with both, but a person can do that,” says Toles.

To order tickets, click this link.

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