The true story behind the ITV series, A Confession 'The gripping allure of long-form podcasts, such as Serial' Observer On the evening of Saturday, 19 March 2011, D.S. Stephen Fulcher receives a life-changing call that thrusts him into a race against the clock to save missing 22-year-old Sian O'Callaghan, who was last seen at a nightclub in Swindon. Steve knows from experience that he has a small window of time to find Sian alive, but his hopes are quickly dashed when his investigation leads him to Christopher Halliwell, a cabbie with sick obsessions. Following the investigation as it develops hour-by-hour, Steve's gripping inside story of the cat-and-mouse situation that ensues shows how he hunted down Halliwell - his number-one suspect - which led him to the discovery of Sian's body and another victim, Becky Godden-Edwards, who had been missing since 2002. The murders shocked the nation and Halliwell become one of the most hated men in Britain. Since then, he has been linked to several murders and disappearances, and has been called 'sick in the head' by an ex-cellmate for his unrelenting hatred of women. Catching a Serial Killer is a thrilling, devastating and absorbing look at a real-life murder case and potentially one of the UK's most prolific serial killers.

There are two parts to every crime story: how they did it and why they got caught.This book is about the second part, and how it changes the way we catch serial killers. No two stories about the capture of a serial killer are the same. Sometimes, the killers make crucial mistakes; other times, investigators get lucky. And the process of profiling, hunting, and apprehending these predators has changed radically over time, particularly in the field of criminal forensics, which has exploded in the last ten to 15 years. Laser ablation, video spectral analysis, cyber-sleuthing, and even DNA-based genetic genealogy are now crucial tools in solving murders, including the recent capture of the so-called Golden State Killer. This book in the new Profiles in Crime series tells the history of forensics through the “capture stories” of some of the most notorious serial killers, going back almost a century. The killers include: Rodney Alcala, a serial rapist and murderer sometimes called “Dating Game killer” for his appearance on that TV show. No one knows the exact number of his victims. Takahiro Shiraishi, the suicide killer from Zama, Japan, who dismembered nine victims and stored their bodies in his refrigerator. Aileen Wuornos, one of the rare female serial killers. She shot seven men in Florida and was turned in by an accomplice. Jeffrey Dahmer, the “Milwaukee Cannibal,” and Bobby Joe Long, both identified by survivors Ted Bundy and David Berkowitz (“Son of Sam”), who both made mistakes Ludwig Tessnow, who killed several children in Germany, and was caught through new methods in forensic investigation that could distinguish human from animal blood

"When I interrogate a serial killer I dive into the blackness of his soul. I am familiar with his feelings of emptiness, loneliness, depression, death, omnipotence and fear. I dive deeply to get a grip on his torment..." A profiler who wants to understand the mind of the serial killer must have been prepared by life experiences before he or she can dare to venture into the abyss. A person who has led a protected life will not survive.

On September 1, 1997, Ronald Lougheed’s body was discovered in a wooded area in Windsor, Ontario. He had been shot in the head with a single .22 caliber bullet. Initially, the police had few leads, but things started to come together when a local salvage yard operator informed them of a 1979 White Buick Riviera with traces of blood inside. The blood matched Lougheed’s. After arresting and interrogating the vehicle’s owner, Ken Legace, a member of Windsor’s West End Gang, police narrowed down their list of suspects to two: Wayne Joseph “Wahoo” Ross and William Murdoch Mackenzie, both members of the West End Gang. Now to prove their guilt. To do so, they needed someone who could infiltrate the West End Gang; someone whom the gang members would trust, who came from their home region of northern New Brunswick. Enter Josh Ouellette, a.k.a. Ti-Luc Landry: an undercover officer with the Bathurst Police Force. A veteran of many undercover operations throughout eastern Canada and a native of the same region as the crew of the alleged killer(s), Josh was the perfect man for the job. But catching Lougheed’s murderer would still be a difficult and perilous task every step of the way. Written from a vivid, first-person perspective, Josh details each stage of the operation, including the anguish and fear he experienced as he attempted to infiltrate the gang and bring Ronald Lougheed’s killer to justice. What emerges is a true crime story of the highest caliber that will keep you riveted right up to the last page.

The true stories of how professional profilers help catch serial killers.

Tracking serial killers is a difficult job, but the men and women who do it help put brutal murderers in jail. As readers explore gripping main text, detailed photographs, and informative fact boxes and sidebars, they discover how the methods used to track serial killers have changed throughout history. They also discover the importance of science and technology in this line of work. Readers interested in pursuing a career in this kind of crime scene investigation are presented with valuable information to help them begin preparing now for such a challenging career path.