Link between truckers and serial killers

[Biker]

Interesting... The FBI has released a report earlier this year that links serial killers to the trucking industry. Makes sense, where being a trucker would present many opportunities to those who have the predisposition to kill.

A computer database maintained by the FBI has grown to include information on more than 500 female crime victims, most of whom were killed and their bodies discarded at truck stops, motels and other locations along popular trucking routes crisscrossing the U.S.

The database also has information on scores of truckers who've been charged with killings or rapes committed near highways or who are suspects in such crimes, officials said. Authorities said they do not have statistics on whether driving trucks ranks high on the list of occupations of known serial killers.

Hopefully, this information will be more widely disseminated to local law enforcement agencies. Could make the difference between catching the cretin or letting him commit even more crimes.

I can also see the downside to this in where I see a long road ahead to improve our image once JQ Public gets a hold of this. I can just see the internet chain email now on this one. :banghead:

I've often wondered if some type of phsycological test should be given to new drivers before they're hired. Considering many haven't a clue about trucking and the commitment it takes to make it on the road, companies could use this as a prescreen to help cut down on the number of new drivers that quit within the first few months of being on the road. Wouldn't take much to add a few more questions that would help trip up those inclined to be serial killers.

All in all an interesting read. And at the end of the day, if we were all to be a little more vigilant while we're out on the road, we could help law enforcement catch these killers as well. And that would go a LONG way to improving our image, not only with the local cops, but JQ Public as well.

 

[Bumblebike]

Interesting, indeed!

I've thought about that a bit since the Green River case out west.

During my 800,000 mile career no LEO ever searched my truck. Admittedly, that is a short time behind the wheel, but I thought it left a lot of room for mischief if a person was headed that direction anyway. On the other hand, I did refuse to allow a search of my truck on several occasions. My statement was simple:

"My company would fire me for letting anyone into my truck because of liability. If you have a good reason then you do not need my permission."

And I let silence drag out long and loud after saying that simple statement. Three times the LEO decided that there was no need and sent me on my way, although the one at the scalehouse in MD said he was convinced I had a radar detector. But I could have had someone hog-tied back in the bunk, or side boxes stuffed full of cigarettes from NC, or maybe even some legitimate Bad Stuff from South America. He never would have known, and there is the tension of freedoms in America: privacy -vs- public good. I would not mind the invasion of privacy so much if the LEO was honest, but I have dealt with two of them that were outright liars so that trust is broken for me.

Anyway, I agree that trucking companies could certainly weed out a lot of mentally unstable people with a simple questionnaire during the interview process just like the FBI does during it's recruiting process, but a test like that would have to be mandated for all companies or else those people would simply end up at other companies. There is an evil side to it, as well; Imagine it is YOU that the test rejects and you have never hurt a soul in your entire life. Now you are blacklisted.

Yep, good and bad. But the idea is certainly interesting!



:tiphat:

 

[Mike]

Much of this goes right back to the issues surrounding the hiring process that we have discussed here in the past. That "process" being that there simply hasn't been a process in decades.

That said this really says nothing about the industry unless someone wants it to say something about the industry.

The database also has information on scores of truckers who've been charged with killings or rapes committed near highways or who are suspects in such crimes, officials said. Authorities said they do not have statistics on whether driving trucks ranks high on the list of occupations of known serial killers.

That quote tell me absolutely nothing. If your compiling all this information, that is fine. But don't let it get leaked out into a freaking newspaper article until you have statistics to back up your assumption. This is why I absolutely hate the media. Let them get a sniff of something like this being investigated, especially when it has something to do with truckers, and they are going to run with it via a biased report as fast as they can.

• When you come up with the number of truckers who have murdered somebody, give it to me in a percentage of drivers in the industry. At the same time, give me the occupation of every other murderer in this time frame, and give me that percetage as well.
• And when you decide to release this "factual" report, make sure you emphasize the percentage of truckers who are not involved in things like this, rather than creating an even larger separation between truckers and the rest of the people living in the United States.

And I realize that everything I am typing here will never happen with stories in the media.

 

[Biker]

This isn't about "truckers", but rather serial killers who use trucking as a means to an end. However, you have touched on something that I feel will be bad about this study and article, and that's many will read it and assume the same thing you just did.

 

[Mike]

The study is one thing. The articles that are printed about it, will be another. If nothing else, they will use the way they title the articles to bring out the fear of truckers, simply to get more people buying and reading their paper.

 

[SilverSurfer]

Does not anyone truly see this article for what it is? Another attack on truckers through a supposition...plain and simple. There is no substantial evidence for this, and the only thing which will come from this reporting is a further destruction of how the average citizen views truckers as a whole. I can see it now...ya stop to help out someone in need and they immediately lock their doors and call 911.

Research has shown serial killers are extremely intelligent individuals. There's no questions on some application which is going to do a damn thing in stopping them. Amazing that it would even be presumed this would work. Hell, the corporates aren't looking for good drivers...they're looking for mindless zombies to do what they're told for as little pay as possible. Does anyone honestly believe corporates are going to be able to identify serial killers with a few questions on an employment application.

-ss-

 

[Biker]

I'm not saying identify killers, but rather identify trends that would tend to lead to issues down the road. It isn't difficult to determine whether or not someone's playing with a full deck after a couple of hundred questions on a psych test. I've taken them in the past. Interesting results.

 

[SilverSurfer]

Are we now suggesting to be a trucker you need to undergo a psych evaluation? With all due respect...if the training process was addressed properly, and individuals were truly shown the ropes about trucking...our industry wouldn't be in the shambles it's currently in regarding truckers. As it currently is, our gov't is allowing corporations to put anyone who can steer and gear a rig behind the wheel and call 'em truckers. This is something my brother and I have been speaking out about for many years to no avail. And to put more power into the hands of corporations to be able to decide whether an individual may have issues down the road is dangerous territory to tread. They already use DAC to destroy truckers. What do you honestly believe would happen if what you suggest is allowed?

As it's always been said by us ol' timers...ya get what ya ask for. In my early years, truckers may have been known for being many things...but we were never viewed as killers. Quite the contrary..."Knights of the Highway." I've seen this trend to allow more corporate control...one of the many reasons I'm STILL shut-down...and now it's beginning to come from the individuals among the trucker's ranks. Something's not right here.

-ss-

 

[patriciajnsn]

Truckers are under microscope because some of the women were last seen at a truckstop or getting in to a truck.One woman was murdered that was last seen at a truckstop and her killer was a truckdriver and is currently on deathrow.He turned himself in and officers found a womans breast in his pocket.He killed 4 women.There are currently 200 truckers that officials are looking at closely.

 

[SilverSurfer]

200 out of 3+ million. Yep...that surely justifies reporting an article which has a serious implication beyond that info. And to also begin the discussions of giving untethered power to corporations.

Does not this same type of problem exist in many other business sectors...as well as law enforcement? I'm sorry, but I have a problem with over-reacting to suppositions, such as this article reported, which generates unjustified reactions effecting millions of hard working truckers.

-ss-

 

[The New Yorker]

What good would a psych Eval do? If your taking a eval for a job are you gonna be honest when they ask if you ever killed/tortured a animal? Or were you abused as a child? I think not. Well I wouldn't say yea I turned a cat inside out once, Made me feel powerful. Trucking just makes it easier for some to get away with it. A killer is a killer, and if they wanna kill over and over again they'll find a way.

 

[patriciajnsn]

I hear what you're saying silver.The trucking industry is portrayed by many as one of the worst carreers out there because A few ruin it for the entire industry.But this was'nt the media blaming the industry for the killings,it was the chief of police they interviewed.You get even a selected few that kill well the entire industry is to blame.You get a few that gets tickets,causes wrecks,ect the entire industry has to suffer.I don't believe everything the media has to say unless all news channels say the same thing.I have to hear it from the source.Only 200 serial killers that are the target of their investigation and sad to say the entire industry is hated by america.There are ALOT of hard working drivers out there that are very dedicated to what they do,very courteous to others very helpful to the 4 wheelers that are on the shoulder needing help and we don't get any recognition for it.I don't know why the trucking industry is so well hated by millions. Without trucks America stops and noone seems to realize that.

 

[Mike]

The point I feel is being missed here isn't the report itself, it is how the media is going to throw in their bias and run with it to badmouth truckers. Forget what the report might actually say, watch for how the spin is made by the media to dramatize this in a negative way in order to sell papers at the expense of a truck driver's image.

 

[lunachic]

going by what I see into this any % of drivers being (serial) killers would be low.
people kill, bankers,cops,teachers the guy next door................
out of these 200 they r looking at how many gave someone a ride dropped them off only to be picked up by Bubba the salesman and he killed them.
The sad thing is these (working) girls are putting themselves into the chance of being hurt or killed, and for that matter how many drivers have they found dead who might have been killed by a lizard?

 

[The New Yorker]

The point I feel is being missed here isn't the report itself, it is how the media is going to throw in their bias and run with it to badmouth truckers. Forget what the report might actually say, watch for how the spin is made by the media to dramatize this in a negative way in order to sell papers at the expense of a truck driver's image.

Picture this Moose. As I stroke your snout and tickle your chin and rub your ears. I say I understand what your saying. I feel your frustration down to the hoof. You hate the mainstream just as I do, but as pathetic as they are do you believe that the drive by media will take this seriously, or even mention it? If they did then yes a new problem the truckers would have to fight. But the bad rep drivers have to deal with is not the random rapist or murderer. It's the driver who eats to much, smokes to much drives to much, cokes up to much, and sleeps, showers and reads to little. The problem is stereo typing. Americans love to stereo type, but I don't think ( I hope ) they are as naive as we sometimes think. Considering that, soak your hooves and tickle Rocky. And let me know if I can catch a ride on your back some time. We'll make them camels look like Nazi mice.:bounce:

 

[Mike]

If you notice, the start of this thread isn't inspired by the actual report, it is a link from the LA Times Newspaper. I constantly scan for news articles related to trucking, and seen this one before it was posted here. Since that article, there have already been multiple newspapers/news sites that have ran with this article. It's not a good thing to be getting floated out there in regards to out industry.

 

[TheHasBeen]

Back in the 70's I was going west in New Mexico and heard they had a road block set up just before the scales east of Lordsburg. As I got to the road block there was a couple of truck in front of me, they were stopping everything.

There were several police cars there, they had 3 or 4 police standing with some very mean looking rifles. As my turn came they had their rifles pointed at me setting in the cab of my truck. One policemen come towards my truck, he stopped about 2 to 4 steps from my truck. I don't remember the exact words he said, but it was something like this. "Are you running single or double?" I said single. "Is there anyone in your sleeper? "I said no." He said, "open your door, step out of your truck and go stand over there. I did as told, and noticed the all the policemen except for one still had their rifles pointed at the cab of my truck, the other one had his eyes one me with his rifle pointed towards the pavement in front of me, wow, that was quite a moment.

He found nothing in my sleeper, stepped out and said, "Thank you, you can go on now."

I found out there had been a armed bank robbery and they had a tip one of the bandits might have hijacked a 18 wheeler west bound, That sure was a strange feeling seeing those New Mexico trooper with their rifles pointed at me. That was the only time I ever had anyone look in the cab of my truck. I've often wondered, if a truck pulled up there and someone was in the sleeper of the truck with a gun pointed at the driver, what would have been the out come? Me, I just thankful I did not find out that evening.

I might add, you can never get rid of all of the bad truck drivers, there is no way to do that. I remember reading an article in an Arkansas newspaper just before the CDL come into law. The author was stupid & naive, he stated, "Thank goodness this has come about, now we will finally get rid of all the bad truck drivers and our highways will finally be safe as soon as they get this implemented and all the truck drivers tested." And one thing for sure, if a truck driver is going to be a killer, there is absolutely no way to determine that before hand, as been said, there be killers in all walks of life.



TheHasBeen

 

[Sinister]

Highway Serial Killings Initiative

FBI Tracks Highway Serial Killings

4/14/2009
The Federal Bureau of Investigation last week made public its ongoing initiative to track highway serial killings, which it says is helping to link unsolved cases and identify suspects.

In 2004, an analyst from the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation detected a crime pattern: The bodies of murdered women were being dumped along the Interstate 40 corridor in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi. These cases were referred to the FBI's Violent Criminal Apprehension Program, or ViCAP, where analysts looked at other records in the FBI database to see if there were similar patterns of highway killings elsewhere.

There were.

The FBI Page.

Pretty scary stuff.

Most of the time, we just shake our heads at other drivers more often than not because of their lack of hygiene, or the fact that the just tore up a trailer or acted obnoxious on the radio.

But let's keep in mind, that if the FBI thinks there are genuinely bad people in our industry, then it should also be of concern to every one of us. And I think we should all keep a sharp eye out if we see anything unusual. If a guy is going to strangle a lot lizard with his bare hands, just imagine what he's capable of with a 40 ton weapon in his hands.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I can think of a million jokes about lot lizards, and their declining population right now, and while I might think they are the lowest form of humanity, brutally murdering them is not the answer.

 

[2xR]

If I ever need a cop, I ain't calling this Einstein...

an analyst from the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation detected a crime pattern: The bodies of murdered women were being dumped along the Interstate 40 corridor in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi.

What a dumbass... I-40 don't go through Mississippi. Jeesh.

 

[Sinister]

HA! I didn't even notice that. Maybe when he was in W. Memphis the smell confused him.