Ex-FBI Profiler: Potential Michigan Serial Killer Likely Left Forensic Evidence
A former FBI profiler suggests that a suspected serial killer in Lansing, Michigan, may have left behind significant forensic evidence due to the outdoor nature of the crimes against homeless victims.
A potential serial killer operating in Lansing, Michigan, may have left behind valuable forensic evidence, according to a former FBI profiler. Mary Ellen O'Toole stated on "The Big Weekend Show" that the offender likely did not thoroughly clean outdoor crime scenes where homeless individuals were targeted.
O'Toole explained that the outdoor locations of the killings, which occurred between October 2025 and September 2026 along the Lansing River Trail near Michigan State University, present a high risk for offenders. She suggested that these are unlikely to be quick homicides and that the perpetrator would have had to leave the area without meticulously cleaning up.
"And I can almost tell you for sure that this offender is not cleaning up his crime scenes," O'Toole said. "So he's probably leaving behind some very valuable evidence for investigators to analyze."
Authorities are investigating whether five deaths in Lansing are connected. A suspect has been arrested in connection with the stabbing death of one victim, but investigators have not yet linked this individual to the other four deaths. The victims were all discovered near the Lansing River Trail.
O'Toole emphasized that investigators must examine unsolved homicides in the surrounding area and potentially in other states to determine the full scope of the offender's actions. She noted that serial killers can travel and that investigators will look for what she termed "practice murders," which are earlier crimes committed as the offender develops their methods.
"They'll look at other homicides both in Michigan and in the surrounding areas because we know from other cases serial killers can travel around, so they want to be able to understand the breadth and the extent of the damage that one person could do," O'Toole said.
Michigan State University has increased its security as a result of the ongoing investigation. Police are continuing to gather evidence and analyze crime scenes in hopes of confirming whether a serial killer is responsible for the deaths.