FBI Special Killer Agent | Mark Putnam / Susan Daniels Smith Case Analysis 

Anyone watch these videos while going to sleep? very relaxing.

"It's like they don't know what the word 'special' means." Really love how integrate your comments! Thanks, Dr. Grande!

This story is a reminder that sometimes one mistake (affair) can derail a person’s entire life and erase years spent building a career. However, he could have gotten away with it but his shame spoke louder, which is what makes this case so interesting. Excellent analysis Dr. Grande, thank you.❤️

I think his feeling of guilt and remorse was overpowering, hence the reason he confessed

This is genuinely an unusual case, and one I've never heard of before. Thank you, Dr. Grande.

Perfect timing when you finish a Dr. Grande video, and he posts a new one. You continue to feed our addictions to your channel. Thanks for the incredibly informative and entertaining case studies!

If Susan is an example of how members of the Hatfield, or McCoy family acted, I can see why their blood-feud was so violent, and lasted so long.

When you spoke about them all being special agents I chuckled lol. I love your humor

I dont know how Dr Grande doesn't crack himself up with these jokes 😂

I'm actually awake to be able to watch a Dr. Grande video! And I'm on spring break...or two days! 🤣 Passed all my midterms and back to work. Just like Dr Grande! Thanks for the video and your dedication to your audience ❤️

Lol. You gotta love Dr. Grande's passive aggressive tone and comments. The highlight of my day.

For such a Special FBI Agent, Mark violated a basic ground rule- NEVER put yourself in a comprising situation. Because now Special Agent , you now run the risk of being exposed to blackmail. I guess he skipped that chapter.

I got a huge kick out of your comments on FBI "special agents" So true. I had the misfortune of knowing FBI "special agent" Ted Gunderson quite well and concluded the most "special" quality he possessed was extreme narcissism.

Very fascinating case! I had to laugh when you said "They would respond by saying something like, 'Yeah, I'm really broken up about it.' " (loved the open smile with that one) 😅 Your content is phenomenal, Dr. Grande!

Having insomnia has it's perks. I am pleasantly surprised and impressed by Dr. Grande's incredible work ethic. 🍀🍀🍀🍀

1:14 'In the FBI everybody is "Special"; Ther are no regular agents'! Dr. Grande...your tongue-in-cheek humour is second to none. Thank you ❤️🤣

"He's an extra-special agent." Hilarious! I dated an FBI Special Agent briefly, and I still laugh about the experience. The DEA agent was much more fun!

"An extra special agent." 😂 Love your content, Dr. Grande! I always know I'm going to learn something when I'm watching your videos, even if I'm already familiar with the subject matter. :) We appreciate you!

"That must be the 'special' logic for special agents." 😂 I'm only speculating on how 'special' this humorous quote is!! Thanks for the giggle & have a wonderful Sunday, Dr. Grande! 🌵 😊

The term "Special Agent" was explained shortly after the FBI got involved in the production of "Silence Of The Lambs". It has to do with specialization of various divisions-Counter Terrorism, Organized Crime, Serial Offenders, Forensic Analysis (the focus of Silence Of The Lambs, Mind Hunter, and Criminal Minds), Cyber Crimes (which are divided into things like wire fraud and child porn), etc.

When I got hooked on these videos I was worried about running out of videos. Looks like that isn’t an issue. Love that work ethic!

Another takeaway from this story: If your last name is Smith, don't ever name your daughter Susan.🤔

Dr.G, your sarcasm is killer and special agent bit is comical!

Dr. Grande "Prior to the homicide, he lived life by the rules." = some of the best dry humor online for sure!😅

He made a huge mistake but ultimately took responsibility for his actions.

The first question that comes to mind is why he told Susan that he was returning to Kentucky to tie up some loose ends on a crime. This would have been before people had cell phones. He could have dipped in and back out of there without her knowing. Something tells me he wanted to hook up while he was in town. You can only play with fire so many times before you get burned. All things considered, Mark was only a good guy on the surface. He certainly didn't possess the good judgment needed to be an FBI agent. If he is knocking boots with a known drug addict, what else is he doing? We may only know about the affair because of how it ended. He may have been doing other shenanigans and never got caught. He had the right charisma to hide it. Yes the sentence was fair, and its cool that his wife stood by him. Not many women would have been as forgiving.

Fascinating case. Having such small local offices doesn't allow for much ongoing supervision and oversight of young and inexperienced employees.

Everyone gets a ribbon, there are no losers at the FBI

I love your humour, the perfect amount of sarcasm and genuineness

I always wondered what was so special about them - so…. nothing? That’s the funniest thing you’ve ever said Dr Grande.

I first knew about this case from the movie with Emilia Clarke. Really left me thinking weather Mark's version was true or of he was more violent than he would recognize. Thanks for bringing this case!

Don't stick your pen in crazy ink

It is impossible to know what happened, but I can imagine Mark was concerned he would be busted after the body was found. He could have killed his affair partner after finding out she was pregnant and her refusing to give up the child.

That was a brilliant analysis as always. Thank you Dr Grande, for the great content and humour, you upload daily, it never fails to make my day. Thank you once again Dr Grande, you are the best.

"Special Logic..of Special Agents..." absolute GOLD Doc! 😂😂

Stories like this, of people we could easily know, bother me. Seems to me that it's a huge line to cross to murder another person. I have to wonder if there's some defect in that person that was concealed? Can we just never know who is capable of killing a person? Unfortunately, with the police I believe there are many killers on the force. When they do it, however, they are often protected by the police system. What kind of impact does this killing have on that person, long term? Are they likely to repeat the behavior? Should they be considered dangerous once they've killed someone unjustifiably? I worry about my granddaughters. What if they meet up with someone who has this propensity that is well hidden?

I think the "special" in "special agent" is a reference to them each being specialized to investigate certain types of crimes. Plus, it makes them feel special, which is always nice.

“He solved his own murder case”. 😳👌

Spot on assessment of this person People like this don’t deserve to breathe the same air as the moral majority with a conscience

Thank you. You are a special therapist and I appreciate your take on this case!

So very many killers seem to be police/law enforcement or wannabes. I sometimes wonder if the desire to enlist should be a disqualifying factor.

Sadly one would have to become an FBI agent and live in that state to only get 16 years after murdering a pregnant woman..... And I find it disgusting and appalling that POS got out of prison after 10 years.. There are people out there who have gotten 20-30 years (non-violent crimes) and did not murder anyone much less somebody who is pregnant. So sickeningly gross.

Ah, just realised that Dr. Grande is in reality a stand-up comedian, actually more of a sit-down one, who moonlights as a Dr./RU-vid creator. So glad I finally figured this out!

My memory from reading about this case long ago is that he aggressively tried to lock down the plea before the body was discovered to keep the sentance in the manslaughter rather than murder sentance range. Death by strangulation is murder, due to the time this route takes. It can't be passed off as accidental force like too strong blow to the head. I think his attorneys were successful here.

Less honorable, more pragmatic. As a fed, he would know forensic technology and the leaps it was making at the time. He got out ahead of it, surrendered on his own terms, and retained control over the situation the entire time. Smart, not honorable.

Wow! They took 'special' to a whole new level. Can you analyze those who enjoy and are possibly slightly overly addicted to some sometimes bizarre and or gory/violent true crime drama stories? I'm only speculating but I might know someone who is ! 😉 Nice work Dr. Grande !!

What about Susan's baby? Its a crime to kill an unborn child. Did he ever get charged with killing a baby supposedly his? This truly is a rare & special case. 😉

I don’t believe someone can strangle someone else by accident . I think he genuinely regrets but the killed her in a desperate will to erase his affair and its consequences, the baby. I think he felt trapped and take the wrong decision and regrets it. Tragic !

The case of the missing Skelton brothers would make for great speculative analysis. Or maybe the 1984 kidnapping of Jody Plauche by Jeffery Doucett? In any case please keep up the great work as always Doc.

I was shocked by this Case! An FBI Agent??!! Rest In Peace Susan 💔🙏💔🙏💔🙏💐💐

Dear Dr Grande, your analyses are unfailingly special! Thank you for sharing this intriguing case and for your delightful humour 😀

I love your videos, Dr. Grande! Thank you for your precise analysis and your comments.

This is quite the intrlguing case! I fully agree with the excitement seeking aspect completely. As I watch trials, I notice if the accused tells an unbelievable story and think if you lie, you could say anything so there would be absolutely no reason to tell a ridiculously unbelievable story. You would say the most believable story because again you could say anything. I put alot of weight into that. In this case i find Mark pretty credible. He had the advantage here and he knew it and he also knew exactly how they operated. He could have given nearly any scenario and negotiated the same deal. This is why I believe him. I think his wife stayed with him for the same reason. At least he was homest. Thanks for another great video!

It is amazing a person can do 10 years for murder,,,but there are people in for life for drug charges. Or for any charge less than murder.

Dr. Grande, I love your humor, I do. The way you talk about the FBI and the word “special” is so cool and funny. Love your channel.

What a "special" analysis! Thank you doctor for making my morning with you sharp wit.

Thank you for a "Special" video. Special adds to the intimidation factor. Having experienced 1 interrogation by an FBI Agent I can assure you it was terrifying "special" chat. (no I am not a criminal-just refused to violate HIPPA laws for a veteran,)

"How to Repair Heating and Cooling Systems": Heating systems do just that, they heat things. When a man and a woman find one another attractive "things begin to heat up" before they "cool down." The cooling down side is often supported by marriage or living arrangements that provide distance and sociability. Mark didn't understand how heating and cooling are related until he went to prison. The heat generated in that parked car in rural Kentucky would require a decade of cooling down in Federal prison. This is the lesson that Death tried to teach Mark, but the lesson came with a high price tag, higher than a college education's tuition: the murder of Susan Smith. It doesn't matter whether you call it manslaughter or murder, we know that Susan Smith died in and because of his very busy hands. Necrology reveals how justice is always served. It's not the government that "wanted Mark," it was Death. Death had a lesson to teach him while in prison, as I have said. Death needed Mark behind bars so that he could understand how heating and cooling actually work. Today Mark is wiser as he waits for yet another meeting with Death. Let us all hope that Mark's reunion with Death will be as enjoyable as Death's lessons were while behind bars. Death thoroughly enjoyed this story. Thank you for reading and for living, at least a bit longer.

Grande’s assessment makes sense. Thanks for an interesting subject and analysis, Grande. I appreciate it.

Always interesting. I remember this as story. I love living in Kentucky. Thank you. Peace,💕🇺🇲

Dr Grande its so good to listen to your analysis so early in the morning they give a fresh start .My favourite Dr could you pls give an analyses about the situation of the Princess Of Monaco

Too lenient. He STRANGLED HER!!! Even if she attacked him, he didn't need to choke her out to get her off of him. He got off easy.

Binge watching Dr. Grande, and thumbs up to all of them!

An extra-Special Agent. 😄You did it again. Dr Grande. A very interesting analysis, delivered impeccably as ever.

YOU ARE AMAZING! JUST IN TIME!

Maybe sometime later you can do an episode on FBI Agent John Connally who became friends with mobsters when he was suppose to be taking them off the street.

Dear Dr. Grande you make my Sunday more sunny. 🌻🌻

My favorite channel! You're SO good at what you do and I feel privileged to be a subscriber 🥰

Aloha🌺 I spent several years in a relationship with a 'special' agent. Some may join such professions for altruistic reasons, others for darker motives, like dominance, control and a need to punish, or as Dr. Grande mentioned, thrill seeking. What makes any underlying darker motive or personality trait worse is the constant exposure to criminality and the dark side and horror of humanity. This agent did actually have special training as a forensic examiner, so he spent a massive amount of time viewing detailed and disturbing evidence of various crimes. As Dr. Grande touched upon, the emotional rush and submergence into the direct, physical and mental involvement in dealing with a crime can trigger and feed a number of unhealthy impulses, desires and thoughts, sometimes actions. Also, when someone 'becomes' the law, they may begin to believe they are not bound by the law, whether momentarily or incrementally. I had to carefully extricate myself from the relationship as he seemed to struggle with differentiating me from the criminals, replete with elaborate false accusations and an incessant need to control 'out of his deep love, ' after all, he would know the dangers lurking around that he needed to 'protect' me from (himself included?) (narcissism, perhaps?). I think careers like the FBI can both attract and feed into corrupt tendencies in a person. It takes high integrity, emotional stability, self awareness and critical thinking (with an occasional evil detox regimen) to succeed in certain careers without becoming part of the problem they set out to solve.

Good evening doc

Dr. Grande has a special, intelligent sense of humor. :)

I lived in the cell next to Mark for five years of his sentence, at the Federal Medical Center in Rochester, MN. One time, while watching tv with him in the room, there was a program wherein a criminal disposed of a body using a wood chipper. Mark remarked, in a low voice, "I sure could have used one of those." Those of us that heard the remark took it to mean as a means of getting rid of Susan Smith's body. Other than that one remark, Mark was a decent enough guy, although initially many inmates were leery of him, due to his status as an FBI agent. He attended classes, worked in the HVAC shop to become accredited in HVAC repair, and was active in the chapel. I enjoyed his company because he was one of the more cultured, educated and intelligent inmates.

Also, The Hatfields and McCoys is an incredible series!

Thanks again dr g ❤️😋

Interesting case. I had heard about this but didn't know these details. Thank you Dr. Grande

Bonjour, cher Docteur! However horrific cases you analyse i try not to miss one single of them. Not because they are gripping, even though very sad. The pinnacle of all is your analysis of them. Just brilliant! Never have a question to ask on the subject. Merci infiniment et bonne chance! 👍👏

I don't normally compliment law enforcement and I'm not even sure if this is a compliment, I think this was just a smart dude who made a bad mistake, horrible mistake, and he just didn't want to look over his shoulder for the rest of his life. I'm 42 and I realize how much life I have left he was out of jail at 41 and lived his life and didn't get in trouble again. I think this man just had a conscience. Whether he murdered her or whether it was an accident I think he just felt horrible. And he knew one day somebody would find that body and he doesn't want to be a 90-year-old man sitting in jail. I'm sorry about his actions but it's nice to see that people still accept consequences

Thank you for bringing up the fact we do not know for sure what happened, or Susan's side of the story. It is entirely possible he saw her as a wild card, and wanted to "shut her up" as she could've ended his career and "ruined" his family at any time. People claim self defense OFTEN when they don't want to use the "insanity excuse" and in this case, it's very clear that was not the case. I do find you a little biased towards believing the best in him, when in all technicality, he started out in this affair, as the one in the position of power. The one with money, the one with weapons and training, and the one who could fund her addiction, to get sex and thrills out of her in return. I don't think this is a "oh, poor Mark. Got involved with the crazy sl*t and she ruined his life" kinda situation. He'd moved to another state, there is NO way she could've known he would be back in town, without HIM telling her he would be. Probably hoping for some last thrills before cutting her out of the picture. This also ties in with the excitement seeking. He got to "play badass" and murder the "crazy woman who wasn't worth the space she took up always. Just good for the using of her body" (eh, can you tell I don't feel much sympathy for him?) It does not seem like she was some obsessed woman who was so in love with him. He was PRETTY surely continuing to fund her drug habit, for his own "cheap thrills, oooh I'm a bad boy" kinda feelings he likely wanted. It definitely seems like they were into each other and bonded over the "wrongness" of it all. I am glad he came forward, and "did the right thing" at some point. And, I mean... most people (who don't have a huge urge to kill, but did it "situationally") would live their entire life fearing the body being found, and have had anxiety about it for years. In that case, it's possible he just wanted the "nightmare to be over". Perhaps there would have been more to tie him to the crime if her body was discovered. OR it is possible people in law enforcement already knew he was responsible, and wanted him to be able to "admit to it gracefully and do the right thing". It's hard to trust the cops +FBI when it comes to a case involving one of their own doing the crime-- it's plausible had more evidence than they let forth... maybe they even already did know the location of her body, but were "looking out for one of their own", so that he could come out looking the best as is possible (given the situation). It seems a little too random to come forward out of nowhere, and law enforcement are fairly notorious for protecting their kind, and wanting their departments to look as respectable as possible. Perhaps they had more evidence, or even knew the location, and pitched it to him as the "best option for everyone involved".

Thanks Dc Grande for your video many many blessings to you too 🙏🏻😘✌️❤️

I especially enjoyed this post! Thank you for your work, Dr Grande. You certainly do have a delightfully ‘dry’ style… most enjoyable.😎

I've seen true crime coverage of this story. I think this agent was bored in a small town office and just didn't have the foresight to think about what an unstable, equally bored, local person might do. The show I saw said she bragged at local bars about being a CI, so there was nothing confidential about what they were doing. He probably figured he could have sex with her and once he left town, he could just forget about her. Who knows if she was even really pregnant. I recently saw two other true crime shows where the guy kills the "pregnant" girlfriend so that she "doesn't ruin his life" ... only to find out they were never pregnant at all. For women who think getting pregnant is the way to "keep the man" ... too many times, it's just a way to get murdered.

Yeah that's right I've always maintained a special Agent is way better than a ordinary Agent . Yes it's hard to get your head around but yeah special Agent is the wat to go. It's good to know that all the ordinary Agents are special Agents at least we are all on a level special Agent playing field.

Excellent video! Mike Putnam was an "Extra Special" Agent, solving the murder case! That was hilarious! Funny the ego trips people get into when they betray others, Mrs. Smith betrayed her husband and had an affair, yet during the experience thought she was in some sort of "True Crime" series, the mystery, the mystique. It is truly sad. Loved this video! I hope you have a good Sunday, Dr. Grande! Cheers!

Brilliant analysis as always, Dr Grande.

I think justice was served. I bet the thought of the murder was was eating at Mark. Mark seems like a stand up guy, took responsibility for his own actions.

I was just about to watch/listen to the story of Jessica Chambers, but I want to wait for your analysis … no pressure 😂 ☮️💟🌵

Thank you for the upload. It was a nice way to relax ☕

Excellent video, as usual!

Could you please analyze the case surrounding Ian Bush, who murdered retired judge Alban Garon, his wife Raymonde, and their neighbour Marie-Claire Beniskos in 2007 in Ottawa?

here we go!

Love your dry humor! And your videos!

I loved the phrase :"...that must be special part of special agent..." 🤣👍

The you only part of that seems highly suspicious is the “ I just found out that my mistress is pregnant, but I had no problem with it and assumed that my wife would even want to adopt my love child” BS! This has been enough motive for thousands of men to kill their lovers (it’s almost like these men don’t realize how sex works). But this man is different… he assumed that she would be happy to relinquish rights to the child… seeing as she was fit to sleep with, but in no case mother a child 🙄) and accepts her pregnancy so whole heartedly that he just KNOWS his cheated angel wife will as well! Without even asking! Then Is taken aback that she reacted poorly! 😱 And as an FBI agent… didn’t know what excessive force was! He clearly thought she was capable of killing him with her bare hands! OOPS! Yah… okay !👌Please! He was preemptively saving his own a$$. IMO

Usually when a suspect that’s keenly aware of law enforcement practices quickly confesses even though the prosecution has very little to go on, it’s because they don’t want them digging deeper and finding more bodies. I don’t buy someone being such a “fine upstanding citizen” and just snapping and strangling his pregnant girlfriend to death over an argument about the pregnancy. He could have easily lied, moved, used his job connections to cover his tracks as far as his wife went, but instead he strangled her and most importantly dumped her in a mine shaft? He’s fishy, to say the least.

Very SPECIAL video Dr. Grande!!!!

Todd so perfect and articulate thorough analysis of this case

A case that I’d love to hear you cover: The murder of a young woman named Robin by a Tufts professor, as told in the Teresa Carpenter book Missing Beauty. A very twisted tale, and lots of unanswered questions still.

1:12 I'm actually glad Dr. Grande brought that up. I too thought that "special agent" was some kind of self esteem thing being that I'd heard it in news numerous times over the years. I could be wrong but I believe it's just simply a 4 criteria technical term denoting that someone carries a firearm, has arrest powers, and both investigates and handles both minor and major federal crimes. To me one thing is certain I wouldn't want to aggravate or make that kind of crowd upset being that like it or not they have occasionally had problems over the years.

Great analysis Dr.Grande.

Extra special analysis doc , happy Sunday❤️🤘🏻!