# How many degrees of separation between you and a serial killer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 20, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144 "2005-10-20T21:06:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/21 "2005-10-20T23:02:18Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > 1. A kid who was in my Boy Scout troop when we were kids shot and killed several people in a nationally covered workplace shooting in 2001. Linky. [Robert Wissman](http://hr.blr.com/display.cfm/id/7592) ---
**Author:** ![Siddhartha\_Vicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@Siddhartha\_Vicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siddhartha_Vicious)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/22 "2005-10-20T23:12:47Z")
My grandparents claim to have met Charles Manson several years before the “unpleasantness.” My grandfather would go on and on about how he didn’t like ol’ Chuck, about how he never trusted the guy, etc. Grandma, on the other hand, said that all she really remembered about him was that he was very short. ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/23 "2005-10-20T23:18:53Z")
Two. Someone I worked with once was a former teacher who taught a serial killer prior to his entry into the world of serial killing. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/24 "2005-10-20T23:22:09Z")
My best friend’s aunt interviewed Aileen Wuornos for a book. The same friend’s grandfather killed her grandmother and then himself. And recently her mom killed herself. None of which really applies, but still. Living in Madison, I’m sure I’ve met people who have one degree of separation from Dahmer. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/25 "2005-10-20T23:27:21Z")
My classmate/next door neighbor/buddy in law school had a five hour prison interview with the Railroad Killer, [Angel Maturino Resendez](http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/notorious/resendez/track_1.html), while doing an externship class at the Mexican Embassy. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/26 "2005-10-21T00:08:26Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > As **LifeOnWry** has posted a number of times, she met John Wayne Gacy 11 days before he was arrested. And her mother went to high school with him. > > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=4760655&highlight=Gacy#post4760655](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=4760655&highlight=Gacy#post4760655) Ooh, I forgot: my first boyfriend lived two blocks from Gacy. And he was in Gacy’s, um, demographic at the time; a teenager while Gacy was killing. Wiggins. ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/27 "2005-10-21T00:18:57Z")
David Berkowitz, the ‘Son of Sam’, was my across the street neighbor. I watched his arrest from my living room window. ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/28 "2005-10-21T00:30:25Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Lee Miglin, you may recall, was killed by Andrew Cunanan. Cunanan was a spree killer, not a serial killer. Fine line it might seem, but there are some differences. Closest I can link myself to a serial killer is four degrees, that being to the Green River Killer, Gary Ridgway, through a relative of a friend of a friend. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/29 "2005-10-21T01:02:30Z")
I was co-counsel for one in his appeal. ---
**Author:** ![raz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@raz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raz)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/30 "2005-10-21T01:05:44Z")
My cell phone used to belong to a registered sex offender, does that count? I get calls for him on a weekly basis. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/31 "2005-10-21T01:47:47Z")
The granduncle of a friend was [Charles Starkweather](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Starkweather). A girl I knew in elementary school (we also had very similar names) was murdered, along with her sister and brother by their stepfather. I had met him on numerous occassions. Maybe not serial killer material, but three in a day… And I have had more than a few clients go away for murder. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/32 "2005-10-21T02:01:44Z")
I went to high school ( and dated) [John Orr](http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/006009527X.asp) 's younger sister. I also knew their father and shopped at his store. I probably met John once or twice, but I don’t recall. In case you don’t recognize the name Orr was the fireman that was convicted of being a serial arsonist, and killing 4 people in a fire he set at a home improvement store in Pasadena, Ca. Joseph Wambaugh wrote a great book about it called Fire Lover. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/33 "2005-10-21T02:10:04Z")
Not a serial killer, but I was at school with someone who’s currently serving a gaol sentence for murder. ---
**Author:** ![CWN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bc79bd/32.png) [@CWN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CWN)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/34 "2005-10-21T03:17:43Z")
David Berkowitz, the “Son of Sam”- Was a good friend of mine during high school and afterwards- Almost all of his friends went into law enforcement and he was an auxillery with the dept He used to walk a footpost (NYPD) with a mutual friend while his killing spree was going on LtFire I guess you lived in Yonkers at the time Not something I usually admit ---
**Author:** ![CWN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bc79bd/32.png) [@CWN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CWN)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/35 "2005-10-21T03:32:19Z")
And yes I did spend alot of tme speaking with various PDs and DA’s (along with the the press showing up at my door) after the arrest ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/36 "2005-10-21T04:00:20Z")
I have to admit, I have a morbid curiosity to the phenomenon of serial killers, mass murderers, and spree killers. Odd as that might be, is it really weird that I’m sort of jealous of those with only 1 degree of separation? ---
**Author:** ![CWN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bc79bd/32.png) [@CWN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CWN)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/37 "2005-10-21T04:38:16Z")
> [@soulmurk](#): > > I have to admit, I have a morbid curiosity to the phenomenon of serial killers, mass murderers, and spree killers. > > Odd as that might be, is it really weird that I’m sort of jealous of those with only 1 degree of separation? Don’t be It was a horrible time for me, Had inspectors and DA’s calling wanting to talk for weeks and Months following- Lots of stuff that went on that never saw the light of day- I did make the national news several times that week- was not fun Once had a local news crew show up when I had a another mutal friend over,and he was eager to talk- I was adament about NOT being on camera- Guess who got shown! :smack: It went to network and I got calls from the other side of the country saying “Hey I saw you on TV!” Hope and pray my 15 minutes of fame are over forever up until 5 years ago was still getting requests from (of all places) Japan for interviews ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/38 "2005-10-21T04:46:59Z")
In two ways, two/three degrees of separation. A friend of mine stayed at the motel Cary Stayner worked in, and was apparently invited into the hot tub with him, luckily she didn’t go. I know a number of people who worked with [Joie Armstrong](http://www.yni.org/armstrong/), one of his victims. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/39 "2005-10-21T04:59:23Z")
> [@CWN](#): > > Don’t be > It was a horrible time for me, Had inspectors and DA’s calling wanting to talk for weeks and Months following- Lots of stuff that went on that never saw the light of day- > I did make the national news several times that week- was not fun > Once had a local news crew show up when I had a another mutal friend over,and he was eager to talk- I was adament about NOT being on camera- Guess who got shown! :smack: > It went to network and I got calls from the other side of the country saying “Hey I saw you on TV!” > Hope and pray my 15 minutes of fame are over forever > up until 5 years ago was still getting requests from (of all places) Japan for interviews Out of curiosity, were you shocked when you found out about him? Did you have any inkling that he was unstable or violent when you knew him. And what do you think of his self-professed religious conversion now? ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144/40 "2005-10-21T05:01:44Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > When I lived in Chicago, I did some freelance garden design. One of my clients were Lee and Marilyn Miglin. I dealt mostly with Marilyn, but I was on cordial terms with Lee; they’d hired me together. Lee Miglin, you may recall, was killed by Andrew Cunanan. … > > Also, I knew about Jeffrey Dahmer about 24 hours before his name was released to the media. His last victim was the nephew of my boss at the time, and she’d been “in the loop” on the investigation, and they notified the family members before they made an public announcements. You’re kind of a hex, aren’t you? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-degrees-of-separation-between-you-and-a-serial-killer/327144.md?page=3)