Haven't posted on here in a long while but this case is of particular interest because it is happening only a few hours from where I live and I have family in towns/areas that have been mentioned. I work for a newspaper in a town that is probably a little smaller than Chillicothe and not near as industrial. Our drug pipeline is 77 from Cleveland. Same types of problems with unemployment, homelessness and drugs. We do not have visible prostitution going on. Far too small a town for that. But we have had some interesting cases of sex rings from Cleveland/Columbus. Right across the river in WV there is some crazy stuff going on.
Here is my observation though. I think instead of thinking of the traditional serial killer type - a man who stalks pros, perhaps a trucker? - the more likely scenario is the code of conduct amongst drug dealers and their mules or "snitches". We have had a lot of young women, some originally from around here, who have hooked up with these smugglers, and have been busted carrying their drugs for them. They are the fall gal in most cases.
Chillicothe, Portsmouth, Pike County, Ross County, Highland County, Kentucky, Huntington, WV - all these places are on the drug pipeline down 23. Look at Marion, Ohio. Look at Columbus. Heroin deaths, shootings ... every single day. A drug dealer is not going to think twice about taking out a woman he deems as a threat of some sort. I'm sure there are quite a few hands in this. In some cases, the women may have been romantic with the perps. I'm sure the whole pipeline is connected in this. But it's not a serial killer. Unless you consider drugs a serial killer. I think I read an article referring to that very idea and that's what I believe is going on.
Another thought I had, and I haven't read enough details to know what the tox tests said, but are these women somehow guinea pigs for new drugs? Try it out on a bunch of pros or drug addicts "no one will miss" before sending it out on the street. Instead of looking for an unknown bogeyman, maybe the authorities and politicians of these drug-addled small Ohio towns need to see that drugs are the real problem.
Just my opinion. Thanks for letting me chime in. Thoughts to all the families affected.