Dr. Insanity - Moments Before A Mass Killer Takes His Next Victim

Episode Date: January 11, 2026

This man just committed murder and mercilessly ran over 50 innocent people in a single, horrifying rampage. The race was on to catch the killer who committed this horrifying act, but he managed to flee on foot into a neighborhood. Little did he know, his every movement was being recorded—And what would follow, is the largest man-hunt this town has ever seen… Subscribe for more crime content like this.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This man just committed mass murder and mercilessly ran over 50 innocent people in a single horrifying rampage. The race was on to catch the mass killer who committed this horrifying act. The race was on to catch the mass killer who committed this horrifying act, but he managed to flee on foot into a neighborhood. Little did he know his every movement was being recorded, and what would follow is the largest manhunt this town has ever seen. Daryl Brooks had been on the wrong side of the law since he was just 17 years old. He was clearly a troubled and disturbed individual, racking up charges of domestic abuse, reckless endangerment, and was even registered as a sacks offender. But all of this seemed to culminate,

in 2021. On the grand return of the Waukesha Christmas parade following the pandemic, Daryl Brooks decided to ruin the lives of countless people as he took his anger out on the Christmas parade in a blind moment of rage. From the hour of 4 p.m., neighbors reported a violent argument coming from Daryl's house. He and his girlfriend weren't on the best of terms and would occasionally explode into fiery rows such as this one. Often it'd be about their troubled relationship, and this one ended in physical violence toward his girlfriend, and one, one, of the most violent and senseless acts Wisconsin has ever seen. 30 minutes after the argument, Daryl exited his house and sped across the familiar roads

towards the center of Waukesha. And at 4.39, he reached the main street before plowing through the barricades to the Christmas parade at 40 miles per hour. Five seconds in, he claimed his first four victims, several members of the Dancing Grannies performance group. As he continued, he pressed on the accelerator, swerving to hit as many people as possible, an 8-year-old a few seconds later. This is when police and bystanders began to react,

trying to clear the roads, warn others of the attack, and attempt to stop Daryl from driving. Thankfully, this worked to some extent, and only one more person was killed 10 seconds later. After a total of 30 seconds of the murder spree, Daryl sped out of the parade route, leaving 62 people injured behind him. Once he was out of the other side of the parade,

Daryl fled roughly half a mile from the parade before abandoning his SUV near a house on Elizabeth Street about six minutes later. From there, he fled on foot. He even tried knocking on someone's door and claiming he was homeless, asking them to call an Uber for him. He was given a jacket and a sandwich before fleeing when he noticed police searching the area. Not long after, he was captured by a security camera, which helped the cops approximate his route and track him down.

It's hard to see, but if you look closely at the top of this road, you can spot Daryl trying to inconspicuously navigate his way around walk a shot to escape the police. But given the scale of this event, the cops were dedicating all their resources to finding him. Cops set up a perimeter around where his SUV was found abandoned. Nobody was allowed in or out, meaning that if Darrell was here, they'd find him soon. Eventually, a resident spotted him hiding out in the woods, and the cops were able to narrow their search efforts considerably.

After six hours into the manhunt, the cops located him at a house in a residential area and moved in to apprehend him. This is the body cam footage of that intense arrest. With Daryl, then you'll be on your way, all right? Go ahead. Take a seat for me, Daryl. With Daryl in custody, the officers were able to begin questioning him, but quickly, they were forced to stop due to the fact the FBI wanted to take over this case. I've asked a former detective to analyze this interview,

and he was able to give a deep dive into every influential moment. Prior to the investigation, the detectives involved already knew just about everything. They knew he was driving, that he did. owned the car and that he had found the car key inside his pocket. What makes this interrogation so interesting though is that Daryl doesn't even know what he's being brought in for. Police never told him he was suspected of the parade killings. From the cops' perspective, this almost five-hour-long interrogation wasn't really to figure out if he did it, more so to see how Brooks would react. They wanted to see how much he'd lie and if he'd felt any remorse for what he'd done.

Yeah, go. All right. Yeah, no, I appreciate it. Holy shit. I only have you been out of work. Just a few months. Anything to do with the pandemic that's been hitting? Yeah, that's the reason why. Yeah, yeah, I bet.

It made me smooth off. I got stuff lined up though, so. Yeah, like, so, like what? I'm probably gonna go back. I was working at a sheet metal place, so I'm probably gonna go back there. And do you stay at your, is it your mind? You talked about your mom. Is it her address you stay at now?

Is, she owns the house. She owns the house. She doesn't stay there anymore, but she owns her home. The detectives have already found the first indication that Brooks is willing to lie. If you haven't noticed, the extreme shoulder pain Brooks complained about earlier has miraculously vanished just a few minutes into the interview. He was able to move his arm effortlessly as if the pain never existed, something that would later be used as evidence in court.

And his tendency to lie will become even more obvious, as the detectives continue to divert his attention. When you left Stephanie's, it was still day time. It was still day, right? Okay. Were there still a lot of people out? It was still people out. Okay.

It was still people out. Not a lot in that area, but it was a lot of people out. And it was people, like I said, it was people, it was older couples walking down the street. It was younger people walking down the street. People were just an event or something was going on? I don't know, but it kind of seemed like it was a lot, like it was something going on to where it was violent. How long was it between leaving Stephanie's and those cops yelling at you at the door that guy's house?

Was it dark when they yelled at him? Yeah, by the time that came, it was dark. Okay. But we had been sitting out there. We had been sitting out there for a minute, me and the guy. To find how long, uh, estimate? 20, 30 minutes maybe. We were sitting right there, just like this, just sitting on the porch.

Well, I called, call me an Uber. I called the Uber. I said, look, man, I let him know. I said, listen, I ain't trying to rob here or nothing like that. Because when I knock on the door, he kind of him's like, whoa, I'm like, look, I've got no weapons, I'm not trying to break in your house, I'm not trying to rob you. Daryl has clearly thought a lot about this alibi, since he's managing to deliver a lot of very specific details. However, the officers already have mountains of evidence against Daryl and don't believe a word he's saying.

As the interrogation continues, Daryl continues to lie until the cops have had enough. Let me ask you this Derell. So you weren't out in a walk you shot Saturday just Sunday. Yes, right. You're a part in the investigation. There's a lot of parts, right? Any investigation, there's... Investigations. What we talk? Well, this domestic abuse thing I'm telling you about, right?

You talked about being a, you know, a religious man. I can do better. Yeah. I can do better. We all could. I'm not. We all could. That's why...

That's why... He just freaking watched the game and just went home. That's the thing. What do they teach us in Christianity? Throughout that they teach us that, we're broken, right? We're sinners. You're a father. You have three children.

18. Is it 18, 14? 14 and 7? Yes, sir. God, you believe in? Absolutely. Right, and all the whole truth and nothing about the truth, right? Absolutely.

I just have concerns about those not telling me the truth. You don't have a car, so Marcus had to bring you out. You don't own a car or your mom doesn't own a car, right? So why did we find you with a car key in your pocket? It wasn't in my pocket. I don't even know where they said that was laying on the ground. The car key in Daryl's pocket is a key part of this case, as it shows that Daryl does, in fact, drive,

despite his statement to the officers. Knowing that he's quickly being backed into a corner, Daryl tries even harder to convince the officers of his innocence. But these officers had done their research, and were about to take a different angle that would hopefully guilt him into confession. It's yours. It's your car key. I'm trying to be as open and honest with you as I can be.

And I'm not calling you a terrible man. I'm not saying you were out yesterday hunt and just let me finish. But you did not walk to that house. You did not walk to that house. you did not come here in the tank you got a key in your pocket to car your mom's name go love of god mark on game day pain can hit hard and fast like the headache you get when your favorite team and your fantasy team both lose when pain comes to play call an audible with adville plus acetaminophen and get long-lasting dual-action pain relief for up to eight hours

Tackle your tough pain two ways with Advil plus acetaminopin. Advil, the official pain relief partner of the NFL. Ask your pharmacist at this product's rate for you. Always read and follow the label. For yourself, for your family, you know what happened yesterday for the people. Tell me what happened. Well, what? With the car.

With your mom's car. You're driving goofy. People call in. You drove out of her in your mom's car, the red car. You're driving a little silly, probably because you're pissed. You met up with Erica in the car at the park. She got in, you talked. And what you're telling me seems pretty consistent that there was nothing physical.

I didn't put my hands on her. But you met her in the car. Tim, what's going on, man? Asking your question. Just being you were out there driving kind of crazy. Some people said you were driving kind of crazy. Daryl is heavily on the back foot now and has very little room to wiggle out of this one. Eventually, the pressure from the detectives would cause him to cave and admit that he was

driving at the time. Now choosing to change tactics and try to garner sympathy from the detectives deflecting blame onto his girlfriend and an apparent alcohol problem. Erica, she's a sweetheart until she gets that alcohol. The alcohol's the problem. Then you are a type of fias-h-h-hick-hizzing, doing. Nothing even like her around when she's drinking. I've never been with any driver. When am I facing?

I don't have no problem talking with you guys. You got people injured that I had to go. I injure somebody. I injured somebody. The very least, yeah. The very least. People got hurt. Yeah, people had legs broken.

Danger. You wanted information from us, we're sure. I want you to watch and see what in it. Yeah, it's a good point. It's information shared. Why do you want me to see that car? Why? Because they think it's important.

Why is it important? Why is it important? Why don't you want to look? Everybody knows what was going on. There's a children right there. See those little kid right there? Yes. Emotionally? Please don't.

Don't do that? Don't do that? The most shocking part about this interview is this moment, when Daryl discovered what had actually happened to the victims. Daryl didn't once ask about the victims or if anyone had lost their lives, very likely because he had no remorse to give and was concerned only for himself. At this point, the detectives have successfully achieved the main objectives of the interview. To get Daryl to admit he was driving.

the car and to see if he had any remorse. The interrogation was exceptionally long to corroborate the strong evidence they already had and to acquire footage that would persuade a jury that Daryl had no remorse, which is why they let him lie and portray himself as a selfish, evil man as much as possible. And in that trial, Daryl would continue to paint himself in that exact light as he decided to represent himself. This would result in one of the most ridiculous and infamous court cases ever on the internet, with Daryl screaming, shouting, and even threatening his way through the trial, constantly making legal mistake after legal mistake, ruining his chances of getting away with a low sentence. So to start with, Detective J. Carpenter comes to the stand and has a lot of information to share

about their little chat in the interrogation room. You interviewed the defendant, Daryl Brooks on November 21st, 2021 at a prospect 11 o'clock p.m. Do you recall that? Objection is being caught in and in for the record. Objection is overruled. Yes, I do. It's not relevant. Yeah, it is relevant.

What observations did you make during this clip about the use of his writer? Both his arms would come out like this and move to me what a person would do when they're normally conversing. It would seem unusual to make those movements if he was in fact in as much pain as he was claiming to us he was in. Last night, we asked for states exhibit 81 to be admitted to evidence, which is the defendant's statement provided to Detective Carpenter and Detective Stern on November 21st of last year. Objection, I didn't provide any statement on the 21st. The jury will disregard the statement by Mr. Brooks. He is not testifying, therefore his statements are not evidence. My objection should be noted for the record. You may be hearing that Daryl repeatedly keeps calling objections.

His legal experience is clearly based entirely on. movies and TV. But unfortunately for him, in order for an objection to be sustained by a judge, the objection needs to have a legitimate reason. Daryl is unable to object for a legitimate reason, and as such, almost all of his objections are overruled by the judge, meaning the prosecution is able to continue. I believe that these photographs are designed to make a suggestion to the jury that Erica Patterson is a bad mom. I think that that's what the defendant is trying to do. If we go down that road, we would be forced to counter that claim by pointing out that not only does the defendant not live with the child in question.

He doesn't live with any of the other children that he has. He impregnated Erica Patterson when she was a minor in Nevada. And for doing so, he was convicted of statutory sexual seduction, pled guilty in March of 2007 to that felony offense and is a sex offender on the registry as a result. So if there's any causation that would lead to Erica Patterson being a bad mom, Mr. Brooks has a direct role in that causation. And that's the doubt of today. I'm not sure.

Because that's a lie. Let him finish. Let him finish. We're going to open the door on that. No, since he want to make a record and not be accurate, so let's be accurate on the record since you think you know so much. Once again, Mr. Brooks is being loud, disrespectful, interrupting. We can ask that question to me.

He is over the top I am elated right back. Mr. Brooks, I'm ordering you to sit down and to let the state finish. No, let's not. I'm not going to see here unless somebody be in accurate on the record and lie on the record. This is how a huge amount of this trial played out. The prosecution would make a point and Daryl would get extremely animated and try to deny it with nothing but anger and false truths. In this example, the prosecution mentioned Daryl's offender registry, to which he responded by saying that she told him she was 18, as if that excused him of all wrongdoing. But the most shocking and unprecedented moment of the trial was when the judge had to stop all court proceedings, but she felt genuinely scared of him.

So as long as the jury's out, we should probably discuss that. So that had to be, that had to be said. So that, that's not how it was said. That was how I said. You want to run the record back? Mr. Brooks. I'm the only why I got one, I got one ear that work and I heard that.

This is to benefit you so that you understand your witness has a prior record. Your Honor, when I leave the table, I'm away from the courtroom and I have to elevate my voice. So she had to elevate a record of Abel Scott. Stop talking. Oh, man. Like, I don't know who y'all be thinking y'all fooling. I set the value and turn for this document. One more interruption and you're going to be removed to the next corporal.

That's what you want to do anyway. So can you tell you sleep? Your Honor, I believe he has seven prior criminal convictions in OWI 4th from 2003. Criminal trespassed dwelling from 2006. I need to take a break. This man right now is having a stare down with me. It's very disrespectful. He pounded his fist, frankly.

The judge put up with an awful lot in this trial and gave Daryl a huge amount of leeway in order to keep everything as fair as possible. But even with all that in mind, he still managed to completely botch his legal defense even when he was acting calm and polite. Take this, for example, where he argued he wasn't being given a fair trial because he wasn't allowed to confront the state of Wisconsin itself.

Not if I'm not allowed to face my accuser, Your Honor. My accuser in this matter would be the state of Wisconsin. Surreality of your sixth amendment rights in that regard have been complied with. I'm requesting a written judge. judicial finding effect and conclusion of law on this issue for the grounds that I just stated. I'm not being awarded the chance to face my accuser, which I should be awarded that. By technicality, Daryl is correct. The Sixth Amendment does grant him the right to confront the person or persons accusing him of the crime. In this case, that being the state of Wisconsin.

But what he's asking is a physical impossibility. The state of Wisconsin is not a person nor a witness. In this case, he is being allowed to confront any witness of the crime that's involved in the trial. So his rights are all being met. He's simply grasping at straws by seemingly trying to challenge the U.S. judicial system as a whole. And Daryl's misunderstanding of the legal system was made even more clear when it came to his closing arguments. If he had chosen a lawyer to defend him, maybe he could have gotten away with slightly less charges or a lighter sentence. But instead, he gave this travesty of a statement. Good afternoon.

It's been a long day. First off, I'd just like to start by letting you guys know that it's a lot of information that you guys should be privy to, I believe. You and you alone have the power. You and you alone decide what is true from what isn't true. You should be informed that you have the power to nullify any law that you don't agree with. Daryl is not entirely correct here. Yes, the jury can nullify laws. However, this is only done when the law that has been broken is extremely.

extremely strange and the person is 100% guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. For example, Alaska has a law that states it's illegal to whisper in someone's ear while they're moose hunting. If a case like this found its way to trial, the jury could nullify that law. Daryl Brooks gave his closing statement for 50 minutes without saying very much other than attempts to debunk the evidence and acquit himself of his crimes. However, there was one point that stuck out from his closing statement that shows just how evil he truly is. It's hard to keep everything together emotionally. And honestly, I don't believe that I have any more tears left. It's been a hard year.

For the families, mostly, that opens the door to talk about a forgiveness for a little bit. With every healing process, there comes a forgiving process. It's not an easy thing for anyone. Daryl is trying to deflect the jury onto it being a tough year for victims as well as anyone who was present at the parade. But in reality, it was his crime that made this year the toughest for the victims. The jury deliberated for less than a day, and they came back with a verdict that he was guilty on all 76 counts. Daryl was ready to be sentenced, but not before the judge spoke to him directly first.

Frankly, Mr. Brooks, no one is safe from you. This community can only be safe if you are behind bars for the rest of your life. The community is not safe from your vice. violent and criminal conduct unless you are in custody. You left a path of destruction, chaos, death, injury, confusion, and panicked as you drove seven or so blocks through the Christmas parade. Never once stopping or seemingly caring about the wake of carnage that you left. Four of those blocks were turned into a scene that frankly is no different than a war zone. This court is imposing a life sentence without the possibility or eligibility for extended supervision.

One life sentence for Virginia Sorensen. One life sentence for Leanna Owen. One life sentence for Tamara Durand. One life sentence for Jane Culloch. One life sentence for Bill Hospital. And one life sentence for Jackson Sparks. Daryl Brooks was sentenced to six consecutive life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole, meaning that Daryl Brooks will spend the rest of his life behind bars.