Dr. Richard Karpf A Psychiatrist With Murder On The Mind

Tonight on Dateline Hoda Kotb focuses on a Long Island psychiatrist who allegedly spun a plot to kill various patients.  From the New York Post: Two fearful patients – whose Long Island shrink allegedly wanted to murder them, chop them up and feed their bodies to sharks – have broken their silence on the eve of a civil trial against him.

A patient of Dr. Karpf’s referred to as “Jane,” 40, said she had sex with Dr. Richard Karpf (‘Mad Doc’) in his Garden City office during their therapy sessions and fell in love with him. But he threatened to kill her when she told her mother and another doctor about the unethical relationship, she told The Post and alleged in court papers.

And “Dennis,” 43, another patient, said the psychiatrist asked him to help in his bizarre plan to shoot as many as seven people – including Jane – and feed their corpses to sharks in the waters off Long Island. Dennis’ charges also have been made in court papers.

Here are some of the facts:

  • On Dec. 26, 2002, plaintiff Dennis White, 38, a mechanic who was suffering anxiety, depression and panic attacks, visited the office of his longtime treating psychiatrist, Dr. Richard Karpf.  White claimed that Karpf seemed upset and that Karpf explained that he intended to purchase a boat and a car, but that the vehicles’ registration documents could not bear Karpf’s name.  White contended that Karpf requested assistance, and White claimed that he offered that he may have been able to assist Karpf’s purchase of a car, but that the vehicle’s registration would have to bear Karpf’s name.
  • One day later, Karpf visited White’s place of employment. White contended that Karpf revealed that he intended to acquire an illegal gun, ammunition, trash bags and an axe. White became disturbed, so he contacted the police department. The police began an undercover investigation and gave White a recording device so he could record his conversations with Karpf.   Karpf revealed that he intended to murder a patient with whom he had been having an affair.  Karpf also explained that he intended to murder and dismember other people, and he claimed that the dismembered bodies would be dumped in shark-infested waters.

Karpf who pleaded guilty to gun possession and conspiracy involving the allegations, could not be reached for comment.  He received only probation in his criminal case, partly because he never named alleged victims, prosecutors said.

During the jury’s deliberations, the parties negotiated a $365,000 settlement. 

You can read more on this story at Verdict Search and the New York Post, or watch Dateline on NBC at 10 p.m.

1 Comment

  1. U seem driven and smart. Real talk. Have u thought about researching deaths in whatever part of Mexico in whatever timeframe this jerk was there back in Med School. He talks about that stiletto the same way he talked about the gun and silencer. If be willing to be he started out much earlier, to some degree or another… Bet. Anyway, that’s not a me kinda thing to look Into or hunt down. You seem to be however. This could be your bombshell or whatever. Good luck or fu#ck it and toss this in the trash but I’d put good money on it, for what it’s worth.

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