Crime in the Media - The Long Island Serial Killer

Recently, Investigation Discovery has been airing a show called PEOPLE Magazine Investigates: The Long Island Serial Killer.  We're two episodes in (of I don't know how many installments) and I'm riveted. 

I remember hearing about this a while back when the body count had risen sufficiently for it to make national news.  There's a stretch of highway out there that someone or someones has made a perfect dumping ground.  It's horrific.  And my opinion is that there is more than one killer using that area to dump bodies.

My main point: There are two different sets with different MOs.  Yes, all of the bodies seem to have been involved in 'escort' work (with the exception of one that I'll come to in a moment).  But some of the bodies were strangled, wrapped in burlap, and buried, while others were dismembered and scattered.  The newer bodies seem to have been the ones wrapped in burlap.  There was some talk that the killer had evolved to the burlap and the burial, but that seems like a de-evolution to me.  Then they added in a third set of bodies down by Atlantic City, which seems to me to be a third killer.  Killed and lined up precisely above ground. 

Oh, it could be one killer, but that seems improbable.

Another thing they said was that the killer had broken with his MO because he killed a child.  This is where my theory gets a little unpalatable.  The mother of the toddler was an escort.  The little girl and her mother were both wearing similar jewelry.  My theory is that the mother took the kid with her on her appointment... gross, but not outside the realm of possibility. 

They also said the killer had broken with his MO because one of the victims was a male who had been beaten to death.  BUT, said male was a young Asian man whose body was found dressed in women's clothing.  My theory is that the killer picked up his escort thinking that he had a date with a woman, and when he discovered the truth, he beat the young man to death in a a rage.

Of course, the authorities probably already thought of all this, but they didn't put it into the series.  (They tend to leave a lot out of these shows.)  Still, my mind gets whirring and things start falling into place for me. 

They still haven't caught any of the perpetrators.  I suspect they've moved on.  If it is only one killer, perhaps he died some other way - a car accident, a heart attack, a stroke, etc.  Or perhaps he's incarcerated for some other crime. 

What do you think?  Have you watched that show? 

True Crime Friday - Homicide Hunter

I'll get into the swing of this blogging schedule.  Promise. 

Anyway, today let's talk about what has to be my favorite true crime show: Lt. Joe Kenda - Homicide Hunter. 

First off, I love Joe Kenda.  He's smart and witty and gritty, plus he's a silver fox, and the kid who plays the younger him is easy on the eyes. 

Second, I love the in-depth look into the various cases he's solved.  I love trying to figure out the whodunnit along with Joe.  I love seeing Joe get the bad guys.  And I especially loved Joe's little witticisms throughout.

If you're not familiar with the show, it's on Investigation Discovery.  It's details the various cases of a homicide detective with the Colorado Springs, CO police department.  He's solved almost 400, so there's a lot of cases to cover.  And they span Kenda's tenure with the department, so from the late 70s on.  Last week they showed his first homicide case - in 1977 - so he's been at this a while.

Unfortunately for me, I hate written a mystery based in CO long before I ever saw this show, and re-reading it a couple months ago, I discovered one of my secondary characters was exactly like Joe.  Needless to say, I'll fix that in edits.  I love Joe, but I need to differentiate my characters - so people don't think I'm a big ol' copycat. 

Have you ever seen the show?  What do you think about a true crime show that follows just one person and his cases?