RELATED: Read the federal indictiment.
She married young, divorced twice, had several scrapes with the law, and, it appears, enjoyed to hit the bottle and hit it hard at times.
"When you look into her background, she's had a troubled life, a really troubled life, one thing after another thing, after another thing," Temple Professor and former President of the American Psychological Association, Dr. Frank Farley of Temple University, said.
Dr. Farley can only speculate on LaRose's mindset, but her past suggests she may have been searching for a purpose.
"Getting involved in a group or an ideal or a movement can have an amazing effect on people's lives," Dr. Farley said.
LaRose is scheduled for arraignment next week as she is charged with trying to assassinate a Swedish artist for his depiction of the prophet Muhammad.
According to the federal indictment, LaRose called herself 'Jihad Jane' in online postings.
"That's rather unusual behavior. It's like branding and it works. She now has a brand. Jihad Jane…so maybe there are some other motives to think about, more of the thrill seeking, the excitement thinking," Farley said.
LaRose's ex-boyfriend Kurt Gorman and others close to her are baffled; none of them had even a hint of LaRose's radical beliefs.
But Farley says in the age of the internet, it's much easier for people to live a double life.
"In an earlier time, pre-internet, you might meet with people, physically, who might have a certain belief you are attracted to, and so that's harder to keep secret," Farley said.
LaRose's arraignment is scheduled for next Thursday. She remains at the Federal Detention Center without bail.
