Joni Johnston

Clinical and forensic psychologist who studied the case

Joni Johnston (Clinical and forensic psychologist who studied the case) has appeared as a guest on 1 episode in TMT. Topics they speak about most include Paraphilia, Home invasion, New Bedford highway killings.

In their words

Positions and remarks grouped by topic, each with the exact quote and where it was said.

Paraphilia

  • Johnston concluded that for Carey, sexual gratification was specifically tied to strangulation.

    “When it comes to John Kerry, his sex is strangulation. That's what turns him on”

    20/20: The Salem Strangler (Sep 26, 2026) · Listen from 1:06:34

Joni Johnston on Paraphilia →

Home invasion

  • Johnston argued Carey claimed consensual sex only because the evidence that he was at Diskin's home was overwhelming.

    “John Kerry claimed it was consensual sex because he knew there was overwhelming evidence that he had been there”

    20/20: The Salem Strangler (Sep 26, 2026) · Listen from 58:18

Joni Johnston on Home invasion →

New Bedford highway killings

  • Johnston said the victimology of the New Bedford highway killings differed significantly from Claire Gravel's case.

    “In the New Bedford highway serial killer, the victims tend to be either involved in sex work or in drug or alcohol use. That's very different from Claire”

    20/20: The Salem Strangler (Sep 26, 2026) · Listen from 41:50

Joni Johnston on New Bedford highway killings →

Strangulation

  • Johnston argued that strangulation is an uncommon murder method that often holds specific meaning for the perpetrator.

    “Strangulation is not a common way of murdering somebody. It isn't a gun. It isn't a knife. So it often has some specific meaning to the perpetrator”

    20/20: The Salem Strangler (Sep 26, 2026) · Listen from 11:31

Joni Johnston on Strangulation →

Appearances

  • The Salem Strangler

    20/20 · Sep 26, 2026 · 1 h 27 min

    20/20 recounts the 1986 strangling of Salem State student Claire Gravel and how a similar 2007 attack and DNA led to John Carey's conviction.

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