Serial Killer News - Issue #8

Monday, February 18, 2008

RENO, NV. – Investigators have positively identified a body found in south Reno as Brianna Denison, a 19-year-old Santa Barbara City College student who was abducted from a friend's house on Jan. 20. Police now say they have used DNA found on Brianna's body to link her murder to a serial rapist, who has attacked at least two women in the area. Police also say that a pair of underwear found at the scene does not belong to Brianna and contains the DNA of the man who murdered her, along with the DNA of an unknown woman. The underwear could belong to a victim who has yet to come forward or to another murder victim, who has yet to be found. "We know who you are genetically. Eventually we will find you - in some fashion or another. You will slip up. You will come into contact with law enforcement and we'll get your DNA," Deputy Police Chief Jim Johns said at a news conference. The suspect is described as a white man, with light brown/dirty blonde hair, 5'8'' to 5' 10'' tall, with a slender to medium build. Anyone with information is asked to call the Reno Police Department tip line at 775-745-3521.

TALLAHASSEE, FL. – The Florida Supreme Court has denied an appeal by convicted serial killer Gary Ray Bowles, 46, to vacate his death sentence for the 1994 murder of Walter Jammell Hinton. "We affirm the denial of Bowles' post conviction claims and deny his petition for writ of habeas corpus," reads the judgment, which is available at Flcourts.org. Following his arrest in 1994, Bowels, nicknamed the "95 Killer," allegedly confessed to committing a total of six murders in Florida, Georgia and Maryland.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

PRESS RELEASE, Kingtractorpress.com — Missouri Serial Killer Comic Book Goes Free. Starting with issue #6, Family Bones issues will be released online for free. Last month the publisher King Tractor Press released their back catalog via the Wowio.com service. Users can download each comic book, manga, and graphic novel for free. With Family Bones #6 they've released their first unpublished comic book for free.

"This is a totally new idea in publishing," said King Tractor Press representative Claudia Nolasco. "Giving away product seems counterproductive, but it's really wonderful. Other than some samples handed out at conventions or street corners, you would never have seen something like this ten or even five years ago. What reader doesn't want as many free books as they can get?" Family Bones is the gruesome tale of Ray and Faye Copeland, told through the perspective of their visiting nephew. The writer Shawn Granger is the actual great nephew of Ray Copeland and deftly blends his own experiences with those that he gleaned from the rest of his family. Family Bones is a kind of gothic coming of age. The fish-out-of-water city boy fights to survive a summer on the family farm with a pair of serial killers. What makes it even more chilling is the fact that Ray and Faye appear to be a kind warm apple pie grandparent-type, but the pie is full of blood.

You can download Family Bones #6 (it does require that you first create a free Wowio.com user account) at: www.wowio.com/users/searchresults.asp?nPublisherId=132

All back issues of Family Bones can be found at http://www.kingtractorpress.com/. Summer 2008 King Tractor Press will release Family Bones Volume 1, collecting issues 1 through 5 into a trade paperback. Bookstores can order through Ingrams ISBN: 978-0-9787-4860-9 and comic book retailers can order directly through Diamond Distributors this coming summer.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008



BOCA RATON, FL. – The television show America's Most Wanted will bring national attention to three unsolved murders this Saturday, during an episode that is scheduled to air at 9:00 p.m. on Fox. The show will cover the December 13, 2007, murders of Nancy Bochicchio, 47, and her 7-year-old daughter – a case that John Walsh believes is connected to the March 23, 2007 murder of 52-year-old Randi Gorenberg. "This is a serial killer. He is good at what he does. It's all about the power trip, and I know that when the cases get closer and closer together, like this pattern has, the killer is on the attack. So I say to everybody, don't let your guard down. It's a game for him," Walsh told WPBF last week. For moiré information on this case, read Criminal profiler Dr. Deborah Schurman-Kauflin's recent profile of the killer.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

TRENTON, N.J. – The families of 23 victims of convicted serial killer nurse Charles Cullen have reached a confidential settlement with Cullin's former employers. According to NJ.com, the hospitals involved include Somerset Medical Center in Somerville, Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, Warren Hospital in Phillipsburg, Hunterdon Medical Center in Raritan Township and St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem, Pa. Following his arrest in 2003, Cullen, 47, pled guilty to the murder of 29 patients and the attempted murder of six others. As a result, he was sentenced to 18 life prison terms. Visit the Star-Ledger for full coverage of the Cullen case.

IPSWICH, England – The trial of suspected serial killer Steve Wright, 49, came to an end today, when a jury of nine men and three women found him guilty of murdering five prostitutes. "These appalling crimes left the community, a county and a nation in a state of profound shock," Detective Chief Superintendent Stewart Gull told a reporter with Mirror.co.uk after the verdict was read. "They left Suffolk Constabulary facing the most daunting challenge in its history. At its peak, there were more than 600 police officers and staff, both from Suffolk and other police forces, involved in the investigation into the murders." In December 2006, police arrested Wright after DNA evidence and security camera footage linked him to at least one of the Suffolk Strangler victims. Shortly thereafter, Wright was charged in four other murder cases. During his arraignment hearing at Ipswich Crown Court, Wright pled not guilty to each of the murder charges.

Friday, February 22, 2008




HOLLYWOOD – The Parents Television Council (PTC) were probably a bit dismayed this week when Nielsen Media Research announced that 8.14 million viewers had tuned in to the CBS debut of Showtime's serial killer series Dexter, which depicts the life and crimes of a fictitious serial killer. "Sunday night was a great start. It was new programming for CBS and with more than 8 million viewers, terrific promotion for Dexter and Showtime," CBS spokesman Ed Harrison told Multichannel.com. According to a press release at PTC's Web site, which quotes PTC President Tim Winter, CBS is contributing to the "culture of violence" by airing the hit series. However, within the article, they fail to provide any statistical data to back up these claims. The PTC remains adamant that CBS cancel the show and they have created a form letter people can use to complain to the media about the program. If you agree with the PTC, visit the aforementioned link. If you disagree, click here to let the PTC know what YOU think.





WICHITA, KS – A documentary film about the 1974 murder of the Otero family by BTK serial killer Dennis Rader is scheduled to premiere at the Orpheum Theatre Monday. According to Imdb.com, the film, "Feast of the Assumption: The Otero Family Murders" is about "a living victim's personal journey through one of the most unique serial killer cases in U.S. history." Tickets for the film are $15 for adults and $10 for students. Surviving family member Charlie Otero is scheduled to make an appearance at the film's debut.

Trivia:




Last Week's Question and Answer:

Q: Which serial killer told the jury at their sentencing hearing: "May your wife and children get raped, right in the ass"?

A: Aileen Carol Wuornos

Case Description:

"She has been heralded in tabloid headlines and on television talk shows as America's first female serial killer. In fact, Aileen Wuornos was neither the first nor the worst, although she did display a curiously masculine tendency to prey on strangers of the opposite sex. Suspected of at least seven murders, sentenced to die in four of the six cases…" Read the rest at Skcentral.com.

Sharon Thomas, AKA Sharlock, was the first person to send in the correct answer. Congratulations Sharon! This week Sharon asks readers:

Which serial killer held block parties for his neighbors and entertained children as "Pogo the Clown"?

The first person to send in the correct answer will have his or her name listed in next week's edition of Serial Killer News Briefs and will have the opportunity to pose the next trivia question.

Serial Killer News - Issue #7

Monday, February 11, 2008



PORTLAND, OR. – The Portland Chapter of the Parents Television Council is demanding that KOIN 6, a local CBS affiliate, cancel the television show Dexter, which depicts the life and crimes of a fictitious serial killer. In a recent post to Columbian.com, Stephanie Snow, Chapter Director of the Portland Chapter, expressed her anger about violence depicted on television. "Day after day and night after night, families of viewers are assaulted by graphic violence and explicit sexual situations," she wrote. "…Hollywood says it wants to ‘empower’ parents. If the entertainment industry really means what it says about parental control, it would give parents the ability to pick and choose channels." (Apparently Snow does not realize that no one is forcing her or anyone else to view "graphic violence.") According to Chris Sehring, general manager of KOIN 6, his station has received few complaints about Dexter. "This doesn’t really feel like it’s catching fire,” he said in an interview with Wweek.com, adding, "Have you seen the show? I think it’s very funny."

Tuesday, February 12, 2008



INDIANAPOLIS, IN. — Kenna Quinet, an associate professor at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, recently had an article, “The Missing Missing: Toward a Quantification of Serial Murder Victimization in the United States,” published in the Journal of Homicide Studies. In this article, Quinet claims that serial killers in the United States could be responsible for up to 10 times as many U.S. deaths as previously estimated. Citing the case of convicted serial killer Gary Ridgway, Quinet points out that many of the victims were transients and therefore their disappearances went unnoticed. "Their families don’t even report them as missing," Quinet said in a recent interview with Miller-mccune.com. "They’re estranged from their families, and no one follows up. These people fall between the cracks. It’s no one’s fault; it’s the transient nature of their lives, the lack of information sharing and the fact that missing-persons cases are not the most glorified police work. This is not priority police work." Quinet believes that current methods of calculating the victims of serial killers are unreliable, because they exclude people who have never been reported missing. As a result of her research, Quinet believes serial killers claim as many as 1,832 victims in the United States each year.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Mpumalanga, South Africa – Accused serial killer Lucky Mathebula, 27, made a brief appearance in Mkhuhlu magistrate’s court yesterday, where he was remanded into custody while police continue their investigation. Mathebula is accused of the rape, murder and dismemberment of a relative on December 17, 2007. Police also suspect that Mathebula is responsible for several other unsolved murders and rapes. "In the eyes of the community this man is seen as a serial rapist and killer, but we still have to conduct thorough investigations to confirm this," Mpumalanga police spokesman, Superintendent Abie Khoabane, told Sowetan.co.za. "We are calling on members of the community with information to come forward and help us build a watertight cases against him," he added.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

MOSCOW, Russia – Convicted serial killer Alexander Pichushkin received an unwelcome Valentine’s Day gift today, in the form of a rejection letter by Russia's Supreme Court, in regard to an appeal he recently filed, claiming his sentence was "harsh and unfair." In November of last year Pichushkin, dubbed by the media the "Bitsevsky maniac," was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of killing 48 people between 2001 and 2006. Prosecutors were unable to seek the death penalty because Russia imposed a moratorium on executions in 1996. Perhaps he'll have better luck if he files another appeal before Defender of the Fatherland Day.

ATLANTA, GA. – It was recently revealed that suspected serial killer Gary Michael Hilton, 61, made sure his dog would be cared for while he was in prison, by modifying his plea agreement to stipulate that his dog would be placed in a good home. According to the Associated Press, the dog's new owner is "someone close to the case," whom Hilton did not know prior to his arrest. Last month, Hilton entered a guilty plea in the murder of 24-year-old Meredith Emerson. As a result, Dawson County Superior Court Judge Bonnie Chessher Oliver sentenced Hilton to life in prison with parole eligibility in 30 years. Hilton still faces potential murder charges in both Florida and North Carolina.




Friday, February 15, 2008



BATON ROUGE, LA – The Backyard Gallery will be hosting the Aileen Wuornos Show tonight at the Violet House on 870 Violet Street. According to the hosts, Adam Tourek and Tiffany True, the purpose of the event is to showcase works of art related to the notorious female serial killer. "The show is not necessarily promoting any issues," Tourek told Lsureveille.com. "But perhaps a look at Wuornos' life will bring to mind issues that still find their way into the headlines - capital punishment, mental stability, family life, prostitution, movie deals, violence, gun control, surveillance, law enforcement." The show starts at 8 p.m.





BOCA RATON, FL. – The Broward Sheriff's Office has released a sketch of the man who robbed a woman at the Town Center Mall in August. Police believe the same man could be responsible for the December 13, 2007, murders of Nancy Bochicchio, 47, and her 7-year-old daughter – a case that John Walsh, host of the popular television show America's Most Wanted, believes is connected to the March 23, 2007 murder of 52-year-old Randi Gorenberg. "This is a serial killer. He is good at what he does. It's all about the power trip, and I know that when the cases get closer and closer together, like this pattern has, the killer is on the attack. So I say to everybody, don't let your guard down. It's a game for him," Walsh told WPBF. Criminal profiler Dr. Deborah Schurman-Kauflin recently profiled the killer for Investigation Discovery. Click here to read her analysis of the case.

Trivia:



Last Week’s Question and Answer:

Q: The "Brides in the Bath Murderer" was a moniker associated with which serial killer?

A: George Joseph Smith

Case description:

"George Joseph Smith has gone down in British criminal history as being one of the most evil men. Yet despite being described as cunning, conniving, ruthless and unattractive he managed to convince several women to 'marry' him. All of them suffered in some way for falling under his spell. Most lost their money or possessions; some paid with their lives." Read more at Shyscyberchamber.com.

Michael Moore was the first person to send in the correct answer. Congratulations Michael! This week Michael asks readers:

Which serial killer told the jury at their sentencing hearing: "May your wife and children get raped, right in the ass"?

The first person to send in the correct answer will have his or her name listed in next week’s edition of Serial Killer News Briefs and will have the opportunity to pose the next trivia question.