Ep 1. In Her Hands

In Her Hands, the first episode of I Am a Killer's second season, offers a riveting glimpse into the life of one of America's most notorious female killers, Linda Darby. The episode opens with Darby, now in her 60s, sharing what appears to be a charming anecdote about her childhood love for dogs. But as soon as she starts telling her story, we see glimpses of a darker side to her personality - one that would eventually lead to her committing a brutal murder.

The episode then takes us back to Darby's childhood, where we learn about her abusive father and neglectful mother. As a young girl, Darby was forced to take care of her younger siblings and deal with her father's violent outbursts. She quickly learned that the only way to get attention was to act out, and she began to act out in increasingly dangerous ways.

As she grew older, Darby's behavior spiraled out of control. She became involved with drugs and crime, eventually landing in prison for armed robbery. It was in prison that she met her future victim, Dennis Smith.

Smith was a prison guard at the time, and Darby convinced him to start a relationship with her. She used him as a means of getting drugs, money, and other contraband into the prison, and he naively went along with it. Eventually, Smith left his job as a prison guard and started a new life outside of the prison - but Darby wasn't ready to let him go.

In a fit of jealousy and rage, Darby lured Smith to a remote location and shot him multiple times while he was sleeping. She then fled the scene and went on the run, but was eventually apprehended and sentenced to death.

Throughout the episode, we hear from Darby's family members, friends, and former cellmates, who shed light on her troubled past and the events that led to her committing such a heinous crime. We also hear from Smith's family, who are still grappling with the loss of their loved one and the senselessness of his murder.

What sets In Her Hands apart from other true crime shows is its focus on the psychology of the killer. Rather than simply recounting the events that led up to the murder, the episode delves deep into Darby's psyche, exploring the traumas and issues that contributed to her violent behavior. It's a haunting, thought-provoking look at the intersection of mental illness, abuse, and crime, and it will leave viewers questioning their own assumptions about justice, punishment, and redemption.