Let me preface this by saying, I know NOTHING about serial killers. However, I have a case near and dear to my heart about a 19 year old missing girl. She went missing 40 day ago, it's been reported and is being "Worked." I say that lightly, because I'm not sure they are doing much. However, 21 years ago, in the same town, a girl the same height, and build went missing as well. Apparently they both "walked off" to never be seen again. One 21 years ago, and one 40 days ago. Of course there are other ideas what could have happened to both, but it's a very small town. Is it possible 21 years could go by between these 2 incidents and them be linked? I mean, if the person responsible was in their 20's then, they'd be in their 40's now. Thanks for any and all help given.
Well I know it's a few years since you posted, but one thing is to see if the people are of similar height, age, hair/eye color, etc... type of person they target, the victimology.
Next, you want to see if these two people were trusting to anyone that was seen living there and talking to BOTH individuals 21yrs apart. Usually, a person who repeats in the same location isn't traveling too far if they can get away with it easily due to lax police efforts of investigation to neighbors who don't pay attention when something bad happens (ie - minding their business).
Third, if they are connected, that means a gap in the timeline of someone having a life interruption for 21yrs. Either having been away in prison to a life-changing circumstance that caused this. BTK stopped for all that time before he came out of the woodwork to send a letter decades later because he started having children. Serial murders tend to have this happen which is why it can explain how some just go "cold" in a case out of nowhere. So look at anyone who could be like that.
Fourth, check the missing person database of nearby towns of the last 25yrs. If it's connected, there is probably other connected cases as well. Often the most organized killers tend to cover their tracks so well that they are difficult to pin down, especially if they have military training. This seems to be a theme in a lot of serial killers history.
Fifth, if you live near there still, retrace the steps by literally going to where it happened in person and look at what was going on the day this first happened 21yrs ago. Check the weather, the events of the area, how well the police was at investigating such crimes, and comb over everything. Then you compile a solid timeline for the victim. Then you walk the time they were last seen to went they were found. You do this again with the second victim case that took 21yrs later.
Often doing that, you'll start to see a pattern slowly emerge. Patterns are the biggest key in any cold case situation especially when newer cases are linked to them as evidence emerges.
And lastly... feel free to ask me anything, any tips, any way to really deep dive search for things, etc... I'm here to help if you need it.
