The Smiley Face Of Death. Serial Killers Among Us Or False Theory? (Trees And Things)

Steve Urkel: Re: There's The Rub

Thu, 1 May 2008 22:56:25 EST

Yeah, it looks like trying to fit the facts with a pre-accepted hypothesis.

JimmyHavok: Re: There's The Rub

Thu, 1 May 2008 21:14:46 EST

It's pretty easy to tell if someone has died of drowning (water in the lungs), and a dunking won't remove the traces of bruising such as would happen in a waterboarding...it might even bring them out. So the theory that the drowning obscures traces o

MayorBob: Lonely little comment, all by itself in the world.

Thu, 1 May 2008 18:54:19 EST

It's all right. Because, after all, had I not screwed up the link in the first place we wouldn't have an exiled comment.

1fastdog: picked the wrong button...

Thu, 1 May 2008 18:35:13 EST

Rewired the link earlier, Mayor, and thought I replied to this comment to tell ya so. But no, my button clicking led me astray and now that comment sits all by itself, looking wildly out of place and mostly incoherent in its lonely orbit....

PenitenziAgite: Re: Patterns and connections

Thu, 1 May 2008 17:52:52 EST

Not that I could find. But, as with all things human, I'm sure this phenomenon is evolving.

Steve Urkel: Re: There's The Rub

Thu, 1 May 2008 16:44:36 EST

Good points. They've suggested throwing the bodies in the water has obscured what the killers have done to the victims. Which to me is another indicator of how shaky this is.

Steve Urkel: Re: Patterns and connections

Thu, 1 May 2008 16:36:43 EST

There've been a number of pairs of closely associated killers. But a multi-state group?

1fastdog: Fixed!

Thu, 1 May 2008 14:00:44 EST

I'll have port shot at sunrise for that :-)

uncarved block: There's The Rub

Thu, 1 May 2008 09:23:10 EST

The problem on the other side is that serial killers (in general) hope to use the lack of communication among local law enforcement to continue their runs, unless they're as outrageous as someone like The Hillside Strangler(s) and the DC Snipers come to mind.

I believe the Manson family is a little mischaracterized as 'serial killers', more along the lines of 'killing sprees

Steve Urkel: Patterns and connections

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:43:01 EST

Once you start looking for patterns, it can be easy to find them where they don't really exist (even something as improbable as "Sinsiniwa" can still be a coincidence). Obviously a lot depends on evidence the investigators claim to have but haven't release

stevetherobot: Re: The Smiley Face Of Death. Serial Killers Amon

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:04:38 EST

Thanks for all the links MB. I've linked to this from my column on

MayorBob: Right you are.

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:58:32 EST

I know I had given thought to writing up a story about the failed piece of gender equity legislation with McCain's part in it. Anyhow here's the proper link -- killing as many as 40 victims th

logan: Main Link is Wrong

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:48:20 EST

The main link (killing as many as 40 victims thus far) is a link to a story about John McCain opposing "a Senate bill that seeks equal pay for women because it would lead to more law

MayorBob: As a serial killer, Helder was a bust.

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:50:21 EST

Come on, the only thing he ever did was blow pipe and nail bombs up and grievously wound about six people. In the National Serial Killer League, it's all about confirmed (and alleged) kills. In baseball terms, Helder was a career doubles hitter while Gac

pO157: Ban the Smiley Face!

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:43:27 EST

As noted in my editorial comment, this is not the first alleged maniac (or group of maniacs) to use the smiley face as their symbol of death. Luke Helder is another one, in recent memory