DC area serial killer is finally identified

With crime shows like “CSI” and “Forensic Files” exploding in popularity comes the inevitable fear that these shows are essentially teaching people how to be better criminals. Nothing demonstrates that fear better than the suspect in the most recent string of homicides in the Largo area.

The suspected serial killer, who murdered two mothers and their daughters over the past year, informally studied forensic science in order to learn exactly what to do. He cleaned up his crime scenes, removing hair and other DNA samples, and changed his modus operandi (method of killing), which is extremely unusual for serial killers.

The result: FBI profilers, the best in the industry, were convinced the two scenes were unrelated.

The man suspected of perpetrating these crimes is in jail on federal drug and weapons charges. He has not yet been charged, but police have evidence that connects him to the 2009 killings of Karen and Karissa Lofton as well as Delores and Ebony DeWitt. He is also being investigated in connection to the 2008 killing of a Bowie woman. Police believe he may also have been involved in killings as far away as Florida and Texas.

Prince George’s County Police Chief Roberto L. Hylton claims that the case “is going to be a case study for many law enforcement agencies in the future,” according to the Washington Post.

Hylton also praised the efforts of the lead investigators on the Largo killings, Detectives Bernard Nelson and Anthony Schartner, whose presentation of the evidence to superiors took over four hours. Police believe the man began with lesser crimes such as burglary and then escalated to residential robberies and later to homicide.