A Minnesota journalist breaks down the cold case that has beguiled a community and haunted his family for generations. At 3:30 a.m. on April 11, 1933, neighbors and firefighters arrived at the farmhouse of Albin and Alvira Johnson to find a smoldering heap where a seemingly happy home once stood. Beneath the ruins, investigators found the bodies of Alvira and her seven children, but Albin's remains were nowhere to be seen. The authorities determined that Alvira and the children were dead before the fire, and fingers immediately pointed to Albin. Hundreds of searchers, including the illustrious Pinkerton Agency, combed the area and even crossed into Canada in pursuit of Johnson, who was indicted in absentia for murder. But he was never found, dead or alive. What happened to the Johnson family and what part, if any, Albin played in the tragedy remain a mystery . . .

At 3:30 a.m. on April 11, 1933, neighbors and firefighters arrived at the farmhouse of Albin and Alvira Johnson to find a smoldering heap where a seemingly happy home once stood. Beneath the ruins, investigators found the bodies of Alvira and her seven children, but Albin's remains were nowhere to be seen. The authorities determined that Alvira and the children were dead before the fire, and fingers immediately pointed to Albin. Hundreds of searchers, including the illustrious Pinkerton Agency, combed the area and even crossed into Canada in pursuit of Johnson, who was indicted in absentia for murder. But he was never found, dead or alive. What happened to the Johnson family and what part, if any, Albin played in the tragedy remain a mystery. Twin Cities journalist Brian Johnson tells the story that has beguiled the community for generations.

A fully illustrated, innovative look at the killing sprees of twenty-five notorious killers * The idea of the wandering murderer, leaving a trail of mutilated bodies in his wake, has long fascinated followers of true crime. By charting the geography of the killer’s actions, Mapping the Trail of a Serial Killer takes an innovative geographical approach to exploring the killing sprees of twenty-five notorious murderers from the early-twentieth century right up to the present day. With specially commissioned maps pinpointing each killer’s actions, and archival photographs, this book reveals patterns of behavior and provides fascinating insight into the minds behind some of the world’s most shocking crimes. Most of the cases examined are from recent decades, and include the Beltway sniper attacks in Washington, D.C., as well as those of: Ted Bundy—Murdered and sexually assaulted at least thirty-five young women across America beginning in 1973. Executed in 1989. David Berkowitz “Son of Sam”—Confessed to killing six people and wounding seven in the course of eight shootings that held New York City in terror between 1976 and 1977. Peter Sutcliffe—Dubbed the Yorkshire Ripper, this English killer was convicted in 1981 for murdering thirteen women. Andrei Chikatilo—Convicted of the murders of fifty-two women and children, mostly in southern Russia, between 1978 and 1990.

This title explores the story of Andrew Cunanan, who murdered five men, including world-famous fashion designer Gianni Versace, before taking his own life. The book discusses the national manhunt for Cunanan, police investigations, and conspiracy theories about the killer's unknown motives. Features include a glossary, a timeline, references, websites, source notes, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

The Axman of New Orleans specialized in killing grocers of Italian descent in the 1910s, apparently to promote jazz music. Dorothea Puente was a little old landlady who murdered her tenants, but kept cashing their government checks. The Manson Family terrorized California in the 1960s, as did the Hillside Stranglers a decade later. Twelve serial murder cases, occurring in eight decades between the 1890s and 1990s, had one thing in common: significant presence of the mass media. This book examines these specific cases of serial murder, and the way the media became involved in the investigations and trials of each. Gibson argues that the American media plays a multidimensional and integral role in serial killings and their investigation—and that this role is not generally a positive one. Serial murder cases motivate the media in unfortunate ways, and the result is that even typically respectable media organizations can be involved in such things as document theft, or in interfering with the capture of serial murderers on the run. This link between multiple murderers and mass communication is not accidental or coincidental; rather, the relationship between the press and serial killers is one of extraordinary importance to both parties. Gibson examines the role of the media in serial murder cases; the body of knowledge on serial murder as seen through the lens of mass communication; the effectiveness of law enforcement responses to serial murderers and how they might be improved if the mass communication influence was better understood; the magnitude of the serial murder problem; and the interaction between the media, the killers, and serial murder investigations. Specific examples and numerous quotes are provided throughout to illustrate this strange and detrimental relationship between media and serial murderers.

Chasing Evil tells the story of the evolution of modern fugitive investigations within the United States Marshals Service and the pursuit of notorious criminals Andrew Phillip Cunanan, Rafael Resendez-Ramirez (The Railway Killer), the Texas Seven, and John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo, better known as the Beltway Snipers. It describes outstanding investigative effort, new technologies, camaraderie, partnerships, tragic and brutal murders, and the enthusiasm, emotion, and passion during these intense investigations. Chasing Evil takes you through high-profile investigations for a serial killer, spree killers, escaped inmates, domestic terrorists, cop killers, and desperate criminals. It describes the progression of America’s oldest federal law enforcement agency into the most successful and respected fugitive investigative organization in the world. Recognized historically as part of the lore of the Old West, the U. S. Marshals Service has played a critical role in the outcome of some of the most important investigations in the past forty years. Since 1979, the U. S. Marshals Service has partnered with local, state, federal, and international agencies to bring the most violent and dangerous fugitives to justice. The cases intersect with communities from San Diego, where spree killer Andrew Cunanan was raised, to our nation’s capital, where the Beltway Snipers created fear and chaos during a three-week period in October of 2002. The murderous path of the Railway Killer across six states and into Mexico, over 13 years, is examined and detailed. After escaping from a Texas prison, the Texas Seven killed Irving Police Officer Aubrey Hawkins on Christmas Eve before leading law enforcement on a month-long chase which ended in the mountains of Colorado. Although separate investigations, these men had several traits in common. Each one of them was dangerous, violent, and evil.