Is there a guidebook for serial killers?

[Isgrimnur]

One of the stories I've seen bubbling up on a regular basis is the multiple bodies and parts that they're finding at a beach in Long Island. The latest news coming forward is that the eight bodies found (so far) are the work of at least three separate killers:

The skeletal remains of at least eight murder victims found on a remote stretch of New York beach are the work of three and possibly four separate killers, prosecutors said today.

"It is clear that the area in and around Gilgo Beach has been used to discard human remains for some period of time," Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said. "As distasteful and disturbing as that is, there is no evidence that all of these remains are the work of a single killer."

*Gruesome details spoilered - Isg.

Spoiler:

DNA tests on the bones found along a 3.5 miles stretch of Long Island beaches have determined that a skull and hands belonged to prostitute Jessica Taylor. The rest of her body was found 30 miles away in Manorville, N.Y., in 2003.

A woman's head, hands and right foot were found to be a match for an unidentified woman whose torso was also found in Manorville in 2000.
...
The first set of four human remains found wrapped or draped in burlap are believed to be the work of one killer who dumped the bodies by the sandy roadside after killing the victims elsewhere. Those victims were all prostitutes and the discovery of their bodies triggered the first alarms that a serial killer was loose.

Four more bodies were later unearthed, including the remains of an infant. The child has been determined to have been a girl. And one of the bodies was found to have been an Asian man in his late teens or early 20s, Spota said.

Spota said that the four bodies covered in burlap are unrelated to the other four remains, and that at least three suspects killed the eight identified so far. Police have never discounted the theory that the remains were the work of more than one killer.

So one wonders, as one would, what sort of network, forum, or guidebook is resulting in the circulation of this particular stretch of beach as the ideal place to dispose of a number of inconvenient remains?

[Kraken]

Don't criminals commonly network through prisons? I'm not aware that they have guilds outside of that.

[Remus West]

The Mafia?

[Smoove_B]

Well, if they all attended a convention with The Corinthian, I'm sure the problem has already been taken care of.

I've had numerous discussions with a former boss (and now good friend) regarding the disposal of a body. We agree the best place is probably a septic tank.

[LordMortis]

I've had numerous discussions with a former boss (and now good friend) regarding the disposal of a body. We agree the best place is probably a septic tank.

But TV told me it's a pig farm.

I'm thinking on a farm below combine/till level.

[GreenGoo]

It's more of a mentoring program than a guidebook or formal instruction.

[theohall]

One of the stories I've seen bubbling up on a regular basis is the multiple bodies and parts that they're finding at a beach in Long Island. The latest news coming forward is that the eight bodies found (so far) are the work of at least three separate killers:

The skeletal remains of at least eight murder victims found on a remote stretch of New York beach are the work of three and possibly four separate killers, prosecutors said today.

"It is clear that the area in and around Gilgo Beach has been used to discard human remains for some period of time," Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said. "As distasteful and disturbing as that is, there is no evidence that all of these remains are the work of a single killer."

*Gruesome details spoilered - Isg.

Spoiler:

DNA tests on the bones found along a 3.5 miles stretch of Long Island beaches have determined that a skull and hands belonged to prostitute Jessica Taylor. The rest of her body was found 30 miles away in Manorville, N.Y., in 2003.

A woman's head, hands and right foot were found to be a match for an unidentified woman whose torso was also found in Manorville in 2000.
...
The first set of four human remains found wrapped or draped in burlap are believed to be the work of one killer who dumped the bodies by the sandy roadside after killing the victims elsewhere. Those victims were all prostitutes and the discovery of their bodies triggered the first alarms that a serial killer was loose.

Four more bodies were later unearthed, including the remains of an infant. The child has been determined to have been a girl. And one of the bodies was found to have been an Asian man in his late teens or early 20s, Spota said.

Spota said that the four bodies covered in burlap are unrelated to the other four remains, and that at least three suspects killed the eight identified so far. Police have never discounted the theory that the remains were the work of more than one killer.

So one wonders, as one would, what sort of network, forum, or guidebook is resulting in the circulation of this particular stretch of beach as the ideal place to dispose of a number of inconvenient remains?

Time to ask the obvious... If this is such a popular place to dump bodies, wouldn't it behoove some type of authority to put some sort of covert surveillance in place?? Just sayin'.

[silverjon]

Well, it was a good place to dump bodies. Now that bodies have been found there, kinda not so much.

Think about it.

[Kasey Chang]

Probably coincidence.

[Defiant]

If television has taught me anything, it's that serial killers are rare enough that they almost never work within the same city/location, unless they're corresponding through newspaper classifieds, or the budget isn't large enough to justify more than one location.

[silverjon]

More than one killer does not mean more than one serial killer. Authorities have said "at least three suspects", which could turn out to mean up to five, or that two bodies are from a double murder, etc. The infant is, sadly, most likely to have been left there by a parent.

If someplace looks like it might be a good place to hide something (not necessarily a body), more than one person is likely to think of it independently. We're either just not that innovative as a species, or as individuals, we are.

(Septic tank has been done in one of Kathy Reichs' books. It was gross.)

[dbt1949]

Maybe I'll write one.

[stessier]

Maybe I'll write one.

Wouldn't it be more of a leaflet rather than a book?

Kill someone.
Don't get caught.
Repeat.

[Paingod]

There's really a whole lot more to it than three steps.

Spoiler:

You've got to choose the right victims and methods - you don't want them to get away and give the police a sketch of you, or leave behind evidence of who you are "I'm spending the night with this guy Jim I met today. His number is 555-7153" ... and more.

Plan ahead.

- Don't be lazy; you shouldn't create a pattern within 10 miles of your own home.
- Drive a common and inconspicuous car; no decals, mods, bright colors, or antiques.
- Never use your real name, age, job, etc.
- Will you need gas to get home? Maybe you should fill up a couple 5 gallon containers at a third area and pay with cash.
- Is your trunk already completely lined with plastic?
- Have you used a fine tooth comb to remove excess loose hair that might otherwise fall out and leave DNA evidence?

Don't get caught.

- Don't ever tell anyone under any circumstances.
- Don't keep any souvenirs for any reason.
- Dispose of all clothing and items used as soon as inconspicuously possible, completely incinerated if you can.
- Don't keep journals or logs.
- Never leave taunting notes.
- Did your victim scratch or grab you? Could your skin, hair, or blood still be there?
- Don't get carried away; don't succumb to the tendancy to escalate the crimes for an increasingly large or frequent thrill.

The cops have found me! Lots of criminals get careless when they think the cops can't catch them.

- What evidence do they have if you've already destroyed it all?
- Adhere to your rules like the bible.
- Never talk to the police; always remain silent and ask for a lawyer (see my signature).

And no - I'm not a killer. It just takes a little common sense to see where things can go wrong.

[Chaosraven]

Everything I Ever Needed To Know I Learned From Dexter Morgan

[dbt1949]

Maybe I'll write one.

Wouldn't it be more of a leaflet rather than a book?

Kill someone.
Don't get caught.
Repeat.

I'm going to sue you for copyright infringement!

[Archinerd]

Well, it was a good place to dump bodies. Now that bodies have been found there, kinda not so much.

Think about it.

These killers must have had pretty terrible child hoods. If they had played Hide n' Go Seek growing up they would have known that even the best hiding space is bad when you try to cram too many people into it.

[hepcat]

I've had numerous discussions with a former boss (and now good friend) regarding the disposal of a body. We agree the best place is probably a septic tank.

Jeebus, where did you guys work? Murder Inc.?

And no - I'm not a killer. It just takes a little common sense to see where things can go wrong.

and...well...you know...thinking like a serial killer.

[Isgrimnur]

I used to freak people out because I'd be considering breach points into our call center and how to block avenues of escape after playing Rainbow Six for way too many hours.

[Freezer-TPF-]

"Have you ever planned the perfect murder?" can be a great first-date icebreaker.

[LawBeefaroni]

The Mafia?

My thinking as well. Even if they all weren't mafia/organized crime killings, it's not inconceivable that a mafia hitman could also be a serial killer. The two...um...pursuits...are mutually beneficial.


Or maybe a murder network.

[rshetts2]

There's really a whole lot more to it than three steps.

Spoiler:

You've got to choose the right victims and methods - you don't want them to get away and give the police a sketch of you, or leave behind evidence of who you are "I'm spending the night with this guy Jim I met today. His number is 555-7153" ... and more.

Plan ahead.

- Don't be lazy; you shouldn't create a pattern within 10 miles of your own home.
- Drive a common and inconspicuous car; no decals, mods, bright colors, or antiques.
- Never use your real name, age, job, etc.
- Will you need gas to get home? Maybe you should fill up a couple 5 gallon containers at a third area and pay with cash.
- Is your trunk already completely lined with plastic?
- Have you used a fine tooth comb to remove excess loose hair that might otherwise fall out and leave DNA evidence?

Don't get caught.

- Don't ever tell anyone under any circumstances.
- Don't keep any souvenirs for any reason.
- Dispose of all clothing and items used as soon as inconspicuously possible, completely incinerated if you can.
- Don't keep journals or logs.
- Never leave taunting notes.
- Did your victim scratch or grab you? Could your skin, hair, or blood still be there?
- Don't get carried away; don't succumb to the tendancy to escalate the crimes for an increasingly large or frequent thrill.

The cops have found me! Lots of criminals get careless when they think the cops can't catch them.

- What evidence do they have if you've already destroyed it all?
- Adhere to your rules like the bible.
- Never talk to the police; always remain silent and ask for a lawyer (see my signature).
- Establish plausible deniability and deny everything

And no - I'm not a killer. It just takes a little common sense to see where things can go wrong.

ftfy

[Freezer-TPF-]

The Mafia?

My thinking as well. Even if they all weren't mafia/organized crime killings, it's not inconceivable that a mafia hitman could also be a serial killer. The two...um...pursuits...are mutually beneficial.


Or maybe a murder network.

Murder crowdsourcing?

[hepcat]

"Have you ever planned the perfect murder?" can be a great first-date icebreaker.

That goes up there with "ever dream you have claws?" and the ever popular, "according to my extensive research over the last few years, you enjoy...".

[Newcastle]

My first thought was mafia also, but since it is a barren stretch of woods from all indications....I wouldnt be surprised if the killers saw that as a perfect disposal sight...as evidenced by the bodies. I might have to google earth this place to see what cities and locales are near it, and say if the killers came from NY is this the closest "remote" site to the city? Or are there potentially other remote parks.

I havent been following the story exclusively, but have read an article here adn there since it's popped up though. Freaky stuff.

[DarkVulgar]

This stretch of road is dead late at night and during the winter.

[Lagom Lite]

Suddenly, American foreign policy makes sense to me.

Am I banned now?

[JSHAW]

To answer the question - Is there a guidebook for serial killers?

I believe it's all on-the-job training.

Seriously, I think what seperates the rookes from the pro's is how long they go before they are caught.

[silverjon]

The Mafia?

My thinking as well. Even if they all weren't mafia/organized crime killings, it's not inconceivable that a mafia hitman could also be a serial killer. The two...um...pursuits...are mutually beneficial.

"Lack of attention from law enforcement was partly due to Kuklinski's ever changing methods." The ritualistic nature of serial killing usually goes against the criminal mandate of not getting caught. Pattern recognition. Also, odds of a serial killer fixating on the type of victim that mafia would actually want them to hit are pretty slim. Kuklinski was an outlier among outliers, so to speak.

[Isgrimnur]

Gilgo Beach murders: Suspect in Long Island serial killings in custody, officials say

A New York City architect has been arrested in connection with the Gilgo Beach murders, a series of killings of mostly young women that confounded investigators on Long Island for more than a decade, police said Friday.

Rex Heuermann, 59, was arrested Thursday evening at his Manhattan office and was expected to be arraigned Friday afternoon, said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison.

[Isgrimnur]

CNN

The case was broken open thanks to cell phone data, credit card bills and DNA testing, which ultimately led them to arrest Heuermann, 59, authorities said.

Heuermann was charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder in each of the three killings – Melissa Barthelemy in 2009, and Megan Waterman and Amber Costello in 2010 – according to the indictment.
...
Authorities said once Heuermann was identified in early 2022 as a suspect, they watched him and his family and got DNA samples from items that were thrown away.

During the initial examination of one of the victims’ skeletal remains and materials discovered in the grave, the Suffolk County Crime Laboratory recovered a male hair from the “bottom of the burlap” the killer used to wrap her body, according to the bail application.

A surveillance team later gathered a swab of Heuermann’s DNA from leftover crust in a pizza box he threw in the trash, the district attorney said.

[Smoove_B]

Yikes:

Police recovered more than 200 guns from the home of Gilgo Beach serial murder suspect Rex Heuermann, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison told Fox News on Monday. “He had an arsenal in a vault that he had downstairs,” Harrison said. Heuermann is said to be an avid duck hunter and had permits for a whopping 92 firearms, but it’s unclear whether all of the recovered weapons were obtained legally. His home was searched Sunday as he’s being investigated for the killing of at least three women over a decade ago, whose remains were found alongside several other bodies in marshes near Gilgo Beach in New York.

[em2nought]

Yikes:

Police recovered more than 200 guns from the home of Gilgo Beach serial murder suspect Rex Heuermann

I'm sure there are quite a few people with that number of firearms or more, but without those evil intentions. I think I've owned around fifty firearms over the years, but I had an unfortunate financial setback.

[Isgrimnur]

Those boat accidents can be costly.

[em2nought]

Those boat accidents can be costly.

Hole in the water and all that...

[dbt1949]

Didn't Addams Family have serial killer trading cards?

[Kasey Chang]

https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Ser ... 0816061963

[Isgrimnur]

Gilgo Beach murder victim 'Jane Doe Seven' identified 27 years after she went missing

Karen Vergata, 34, was identified using DNA genetic genealogy, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced in a news briefing Friday.
...
Human remains of Jane Doe Seven were located in Davis Park on Fire Island in 1996. DNA later linked these remains to another set of remains located April 11, 2011, along Ocean Parkway, in Nassau County, according to a Suffolk County police timeline of the case.

Tierney said Friday that Vergata went missing Feb. 14, 1996. She had lived in Manhattan and was believed to be working as an escort. No missing persons complaint was filed at time of her disappearance, he said.

[Isgrimnur]

Don't bury your victims at the house

Remains recovered from the central Indiana estate of a presumed serial killer have been identified as those of a man reported missing in 1993, a coroner said Thursday. The remains recovered in 1996 at the Fox Hollow Farm estate of Herbert Baumeister were found to match Manuel Resendez, who was 34 when he disappeared, Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison said.
...
Approximately 10,000 charred bones and bone fragments have been found at Baumeister's 18-acre estate in Westfield, about 16 miles north of Indianapolis, Jellison has said.

Baumeister was 49 when he killed himself in Canada in July 1996 as investigators sought to question him about the remains discovered at Fox Hollow Farm.

Investigators believed Baumeister, a married father of three who frequented gay bars, lured men to his home and killed them. By 1999, authorities had linked him to the disappearance of at least 16 men since 1980, including several whose bodies were found dumped in shallow streams in rural central Indiana and western Ohio.
...
WTTV reported the case began in June 1996 when Baumeister's 15-year-old son discovered a human skull about 60 yards away from the home.

The investigation began while Baumeister and his wife of 24 years were in the middle of divorces proceedings, WTTV reported. The day after their son found the bones, Baumeister's wife was granted an emergency protective order and custody to keep him away from her and the three children.

At the time, Baumeister explained away the discovery, saying it was part of his late father's medical practice, the station reported.

Three days after the boy discovered the remains, more remains were found by Hamilton County firefighters, perplexing investigators, the station reported.

[em2nought]

After many episodes of cop shows, I'm pretty sure you aren't supposed to keep your victims in a chest freezer either.