UGLY: Heads UP in Philly!

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/12/21/....html?hpt=Sbin

According to the Philadelphia PD, they're dealing with a serial killer on the loose. I know from my own studies (got my degree in Criminal Justice as well as having worked in the field) that at any given time, there are at least 50 serial killers doing their deeds nationwide. Many are not identified by law enforcement because they tend to range over large swaths of territory and cross state lines, etc. They may stop for awhile for who knows why -- maybe arrest on non related things, but then they pick it up again. Where the cops and feds can identify a signature and a specific area they go to work in a task force. Like the Green River Killer way back when. Or the Boston Strangler even further back.

During one the CJ courses I took way back when we were talking about serial killers and profiling and how many were out there. One of the problems with profiling is that all of the profiles are built on data from the people that have been caught. It is quite possible that there is a key element in the profiles that is significantly different from those that have not been, or never will be caught. But of course since we have no way of developing profiles on those never caught we will never know will we?

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Originally Posted by mcp1810

During one the CJ courses I took way back when we were talking about serial killers and profiling and how many were out there. One of the problems with profiling is that all of the profiles are built on data from the people that have been caught. It is quite possible that there is a key element in the profiles that is significantly different from those that have not been, or never will be caught. But of course since we have no way of developing profiles on those never caught we will never know will we?

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That's probably very true, but the purpose of this thread is to alert those folks on the board that are IN or NEAR the area. I don't know how Pennsylvania runs it's ccw laws or what restrictions are in place in Philly proper, but folks have to be aware and protect themselves.

As I understand it from some much earlier reporting, all incidents happened within a very tight geographical area and a particularly bad part of town.

I don't mean to diminish the seriousness of this particular problem, but if the guy confines his activities to where he has been doing his crimes, most everyone outside that narrow area will be O.K. And, they do seem to have a pretty good idea of what he looks like. Someone will recognize him. He is toast. I don't think this will be like some of the other instances where they went on for years and even decades. At least I certainly hope not.

I lived in the area in the early 1980s and I am not surprised. If anyone remembers Gary Heidnik although I probably have his name spelled wrong, when they caught him he had imprisoned women in his home located along Rt.1 on the outer limits of Philly. I lived in that general area and and use to travel that route regularly when I would go into the city along Rt. 1. The authorities also found he had either 700 thousand dollars in a bank account or either 700 thousand dollars in cash in his home.

Reads just like an episode from the TV series so hopefully the task force will find the guy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hopyard

As I understand it from some much earlier reporting, all incidents happened within a very tight geographical area and a particularly bad part of town.

I don't mean to diminish the seriousness of this particular problem, but if the guy confines his activities to where he has been doing his crimes, most everyone outside that narrow area will be O.K. And, they do seem to have a pretty good idea of what he looks like. Someone will recognize him. He is toast. I don't think this will be like some of the other instances where they went on for years and even decades. At least I certainly hope not.

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^^^There seems to be some credence to what Hopyard says^^^^^^^^


Here is Detroits last serial killer, and info pertaining to him to support this idea.
The victims were all prostitutes, drug users, etc...




20060830: Detroit Serial Killer Arrested by Cops After 5 Years MI Detroit
Detroit police charged a suspected serial killer with the murder of at least seven prostitutes over the past five years. Police officials report that 37-year old Shelly Brooks is suspected of killing as many as 14 people in Detroit alone.

Brooks has been charged with seven counts of premeditated murder and seven counts of felony murder. If convicted, the Detroit resident faces a maximum of life in prison.

The seven alleged prostitutes who were Brooks' victims were all drug users, and were between 30- and 53-years- old.

According to the police report, all had been violently raped and then beaten to death. The bodies were found in buildings and in vacant lots throughout the city's east side.

Brooks was originally arrested on July 30 for sexual assault of a prostitute, but Detroit Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings says he is also suspected of killing seven other prostitutes. She described the murders as "very similar," but declined to provide further details.

Taken from here:::http://www.crimezzz.net/serialkiller...UTE_killer.php



Hope they find the scumbag soon, or at the very least he gets careless and one of his victims strikes back.




I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on Earth.--Steve McQueen

Many serial killers stick to a specific area or victim profile. Like the Green River Killer or the one in Philly that is the subject of the OP. But many more seem to range over huge areas. Ted Bundy was one of those. While he had a basic "victim type" it was less restricted and therefore more potentially deadly to the general populace.

I love the quote from the former Chief of Police of DC, now Police Commissioner in Philly Charles Ramsey: "We will not tolerate anyone taking vigilante action. If you see someone suspicious, call 911. We will get there. We will handle." Not sure about the local laws of Philly, but I know Ramsey was against gun ownership while in DC.

It's important for everyone, especially gun control enthusiast, to understand that the police cannot come to your house within seconds, the average time it takes for someone to break and enter. Usually takes minutes, sometimes hours.

My suggestion is: http://vimeo.com/17828284

Since 1995 (if I recall Correctly) Pennsylvania has been a shall issue State, and Philadelphia has been issuing permits ever since. I don't live in the city, but do carry when visiting there.
I was working ther in the time the change was made and had co-workers that got permits for the first time.
If you apply and are permitted under the laws of Pa. then you get your permit. Many of the women that have died would not have been unable to get a permit due to their arrest records.

I met and had drinks with a serial killer. He was dating my girlfriends best friend. I even went to a party at his apartment where apparently he had killed at least one person. Pretty freaky!

Ramon Rogers..google him.