Ted Bundy… David Berkowitz… John Wayne Gacy… Jeffrey Dahmer…

Gary Ridgway… Charles Manson… Andrew Cunanan…

FBI - www.fbi.gov

These are all familiar names linked to the phrase, “serial killer.” According to the FBI, “Serial killings are rare, probably less than one percent of all murders. They do, however, receive a lot of attention in the news and on screen—and much of the information out there is wrong. Yet, the public, the media, and even sometimes law enforcement professionals who have limited experience with serial murder, often believe what they read and hear. And this misinformation can hinder investigations.”

The FBI says – as for serial killer myths, our group of experts had this to say about a few of them:

1) Serial killers are not all dysfunctional loners: some have had wives and kids and full-time jobs and have been very active in their community or church or both.

2) Serial killers are not all white males: the racial diversification of serial killers generally mirrors the overall U.S. population.

3) Serial killers do not want to get caught: over time, as they kill without being discovered, they get careless during their crimes.

So much for the stereotypes!

Check out the publication at the bottom of the FBI’s website, an in-depth information entitled “Serial Murder: Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives for Investigators – serial killers are much different in real life.”