In the last 18 months, around 15 bodies have been found in waterways all over Chicago. As the numbers keep stacking up, people are starting to wonder if a serial killer is on the loose. All of these murders have been of young men. However, one of these bodies is confirmed to be a suicide, not a product of a possible serial killer in Chicago. Although suicide by drowning is unpopular and generally unlikely, it does happen occasionally. However, the others have indeed been linked to foul play.
Survivor of Possible Serial Killer
A possible survivor of these attacks, Shallie Griffin, shared his experience with WGN Radio. He talked about how he was walking in a very dark street when a mysterious man started walking aggressively toward him.
Griffin was walking to his car after a party. He could have been perceived as drunk, but he was in fact sober. Griffin was aware of the previous killings and of the fact that he was only two and a half blocks from a waterway in either direction. While the man was getting closer, Griffin turned to face him, ready to fight. As soon as he turns, the man walked in the other direction, walking away. This incident occurred in the dead of night, and there were barely any streetlights.
If this was the perceived possible serial killer, Griffin should count himself very lucky. Griffin did say he contacted the police but that they brushed him off as an inconvenience.
Private Investigation Into Possible Serial Killings
Private investigator Jordan Scherer has been looking into the alleged killings. He did note that one of them was a suicide with a note to confirm.
However, the others are considered to have been a result of foul play. Scherer stated that he believes to know more than the police at this time.
He mentioned an unnamed media outlet that was misleading people to believe that these were all “unrelated” and not the result of foul play. However, the officers investigating the deaths have reported they do not feel the deaths are connected.
Warning About Possible Serial Killings
He also said that people should be on the lookout for this possible serial killer. Adding that people should not be looking for something like a big person in an alley. In fact, Scherer says everyone should be looking for “intelligent” and “insidious” people.
These serial killings are the work of someone methodical and smart. All the believed victims have been young intoxicated men late at night and on their own. Individuals should travel in groups if they are going out at night. The victims of the said possible serial killer are all aged between 21 and 25. Some examples of the believed victims are as follows.
Krzysztof Szubert
A twenty-one-year-old Polish businessman. He was reported missing on December 3 and his body was found only days later on December 7. It was recovered in Lake Michigan. Medical examiners found he was intoxicated at the time of death. At the time, his death was ruled accidental.
Peter Salvino
Peter Salvino was a twenty-five-year-old doctoral student at Northwestern. He disappeared on December 17 after a party in Lincoln Park. His body was discovered in Diversey Harbor three days after he was reported missing. Like before, he was intoxicated at the time of death and his death was ruled accidental.
Serial Killers in Chicago
There have been a few well-known serial killers in Chicago. One of the most famous ones being H.H. Holmes. Born Herman Mudgett, changing his name after moving to the city. It is believed he started killing people to steal their property. He built himself an intricate house with secret doors, passages, traps, and soundproof rooms. Today, it is known as the “Murder Castle.”
In the 1970s, John Wayne Gacy assaulted and murdered 33 men and boys. One of Gacy’s former employees was part of a serial killing gang known as The Ripper Crew.
A few other serial killers are Andre Crawford, Joseph Miller, Frank Deluca, Patricia Columbo, and the Chicago Strangler. This is why it is not hard for people to assume a new serial killer has popped up.
Stay Conscious of Your Surroundings
Several more people have been found similarly as they were intoxicated and drowned. It’s important that if someone happens to fall into this target demographic, they stay in a group if they are intoxicated late at night or just stay home for the time being. Although it is not explicit that all of these deaths are murders, people should still try to be on the lookout for suspicious activity, especially near waterways.
It should be noted the believed serial killer has been supposedly around since the 1990s, according to social media and the men from New York. However, this killer is said to leave a smiley face near where the bodies are disposed of or where they are discovered. There have been no reports of officers finding this symbol anywhere during their investigation into the deaths.
Written by Malachi Brown
Sources:
WGN: Possible encounter with potential Chicago serial killer
WGN: Is there a serial killer in Chicago?
NBC Chicago: Chicago-area drownings propel serial-killer theories on social media. Here’s what we uncovered
Discover Walks: Who are the scariest Chicago serial killers
Featured Image Courtesy of Yuxuan Wang – Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Image Courtesy of Jobs For Felons Club – Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
