https://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/serial-murder/serial-murder-1#ten
I agree with your statement, RK. The FBI says as much at their website above. I think the FBI no longer interacts with Miller because they're afraid somebody might react violently. I walk the fine line sometimes of whether or not to post certain info. I sometimes wonder if some of the things I post at WS are being read by the suspects. (I like to think they're sweating bullets knowing that any day they will be arrested or charged)
On my website, or here, for that matter, I don't post everything I know about
a case because I don't know if the people you report crimes to are part of the solution or part of the problem. The case I highlight on my webpage is easily solvable with info I've found out but if they release my personal info for a limelight news story to make themselves look good at my expense or in error (like they have before) instead of keeping it confidential and make me a target, what have I gained? I'll probably become the next victim (or the witness who heard the confession will be and who gave me that info will be the target) because once that info is released to the public, the suspect, being privy to that info since they are the killer) will know exactly who it is. Unless I have assurances that won't happen, I'll choose self-preservation over a case being solved. To coin a phrase from Sharktank, "and for that reason, I'm out."
I enjoy life and I believe all human life is sacred from conception to the grave and when a killer kills just one person, they become a serial killer. Not only did they kill that one person, but they killed any potential children, grandchildren and many future generations of descendants of the one they killed. Thus, they are a serial killer.
https://www.facebook.com/napolean.smith.315
If you happened to watch the most recent Hawaii 5-0 segment involving serial killing and cutting up body parts (gruesome), you'd have to wonder if those kind of shows set off long-dormant serial killers or breed new ones. One thing for certain, these cop TV shows are competing with each other to see who can recreate the most horrific crime scenes imaginable on the movie sets.
Hopefully, in this Idaho case, it is bringing positive attention to the Sharin Morningstar Keenan case and not sidelining it.
Ive spoken with several members in private , and have said several times that I FIRMLY beleive that suspects are following what is posted on this and several sites like this , and have wondered myself if we are aiding these individuals.
However that being said it also lends credence to every member here to demonstrate to whomever is viewing this webpage that the victims will NOT BE FORGOTTEN, and that even when the police are stymied, that there are good people still that will pursue these individuals until their death.
I was once interviewed by Al Jazeera America because of being a member here and formerly a Law Enforcement officer, I was asked if I thought this site helped investigations ... and I do .
Because the members here aren't privy to ANYTHING the general public isn't, the worst thing they can do is possibly give an investigator a different angle to pursue. Yes there are insiders here that can identify certain things and in some cases name names though the admins here do an outstanding job of snipping out what shouldn't be mentioned.
As a former LEO, if I felt that this site could damage an investigation the last thing I would ever do is add my 2 let alone my name to it .
In terms of cold cases this especially holds true where over time leads have proven unsuccessful , suggestions could spark a new angle.
Sure some posts are off base , most here have never been in sworn law enforcement, there are alot of what I jokingly refer to as the "Silence of the Lambs Fan club" and of course those who read a book, and now know who did it , but its up to a seasoned investigator to be able to separate conjecture and opinion from facts when reading posts here.
In terms of perpetrators keeping tabs this site lets hope they do , lets hope it keeps them awake knowing that there are those out there that will never rest till they are brought in and the only easy out for them is to turn themselves in.
AS for the TV spawning violence thing, that's still up for debate, I feel some topics have merit , like desensitizing youth to violence, but I don't believe that it in any way spawns deviant issues where the underlying impulses aren't already present .
The Nature vs Nurture thing has been done to death, and current scientific findings hold that it tends to be a product of both, in other words, a bad upbringing, or a preoccupation with death etc.. alone usually isn't the only key in the development of what we call a Serial Killer.
Recent studies have found that it takes a little of both , and hence why Serial killers despite their popularity in modern culture are actually a exceedingly rare phenomenon
By the time most serial killers start, they usually already have SOME type of criminal history, most will have a traumatic upbringing of some sort, (trauma will be determined by the individual themselves) now this doesn't mean they were ever caught for it , but that they are often already doing SOMETHING along the lines of what will become their criminal path , and often that history will reflect something similarly in their crimes.
For EX Peeping toms, often graduate, to break ins, break ins turn into breaking and entering, breaking and entering becomes, trial burglaries, those then become fetish burglaries , then now they're testing limits by breaking in while occupants are home, then masturbating while a victim sleeps .. them rape , then possibly murder etc.. and on and on .
When we investigate a break in and rape its often pertinent to look back at any peeping tom arrests in the area .
Now though lets say a kid whos turned on by possibly seeing a peeping tom on TV , may even find it sexually stimulating , .. he is a little embarrased by it, maybe masturbates to it , but keeps it from his friends, and family, that in no way means that hes going to go out and commit crimes along that path .
But take that kid, put him in a bad situation at home, he has few friends, and has alot of time to himself , where this becomes more than just a turn, on, it becomes fantasy, and give it time for his fantasy to mature ...and even worse the time to practice his craft , you may see (may is the key term) the birth of a serial criminal .
And I agree, murder ends a family tree, I sometimes wonder if we would have had the cure for AIDS, or cancer, or world peace by now, but all we can do is speculate