Florida State shooting suspect’s background revealed as motive remains a mystery
More details are emerging Friday about Florida State University shooting suspect Phoenix Ikner as law enforcement are trying to piece together what motivated the 20-year-old student to allegedly open fire at his school, killing two and wounding six.
Ikner was shot and wounded by responding officers Thursday afternoon after he refused to comply with commands, according to Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell. Police also said his mother is a sheriff’s deputy with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and that they believe Ikner shot the victims using his mother’s former service handgun, which she had kept for personal use after the force upgraded to new weapons.
Months before the shooting, Ikner was quoted in an FSU student newspaper article about anti-Trump protests at the school and was identified as a political science major, according to WFLA.
“These people are usually pretty entertaining, usually not for good reasons. I think it’s a little too late, he’s [Trump] already going to be inaugurated on Jan. 20 and there’s not really much you can do unless you outright revolt, and I don’t think anyone wants that,” Ikner was quoted by the station as saying.
FSU SHOOTER IDENTIFIED, USED SHERIFF DEPUTY MOM’S WEAPON IN KILLING: POLICE
The article was later updated to say “An earlier version of this article included a quote from the gunman in the April 17 shooting at FSU and was removed at the decision of our editors to maintain ethical journalistic standards and avoid amplifying the voice of an individual responsible for violence.”
Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil also said Ikner “has been steeped in the Leon County Sheriff’s Office family, engaged in a number of training programs that we have,” according to The Associated Press. “So it’s not a surprise to us that he had access to weapons.”
Ikner was a long-standing member of the sheriff’s office’s youth advisory council, he continued.
On its website, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office said its Youth Advisory Council “provides Leon County’s young people with an active role in addressing youth issues.”
“It is the undertaking of the YAC to advise the Sheriff, reach out to Leon County teens, inform them of existing opportunities, and listen to suggestions on what the Sheriff’s Office can do to improve its youth-oriented efforts,” the website said, noting that the group is tasked with identifying and discussing “issues youth are facing … in our county.”
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY SHOOTING SUSPECT: WHO IS PHOENIX IKNER?
Five people who were wounded in the mass shooting were struck by gunfire, while a sixth was hurt while trying to run away, Revell said in a statement Thursday night. They were all in fair condition, a spokesperson for Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare said.
As of Thursday night, Ikner was in the hospital with “serious but non-life-threatening injuries,” according to Revell.
Aidan Stickney, a 21-year-old studying business management, told the AP he was running late to class on Thursday when he said he saw a man get out of a car with a shotgun and aim at another man in a white polo shirt.
The gun jammed, Stickney said, and the shooter rushed back to his car and emerged with a handgun, opening fire on a woman. Stickney ran, warning others as he called 911.
“I got lucky today. I really did. I really, really did,” he said.
PHOTOS: FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY SHOOTING STUNS CAMPUS
The suspect’s mother, Jessica Ikner, has been an officer for over 18 years and authorities said she has done a “tremendous job” in her position.
“Her service to this community has been exceptional,” McNeil said at a press conference. “Unfortunately, her son had access to one of her weapons and that was one of the weapons that was found at the scene. And we are continuing that investigation into how that weapon was used.”
The two people who were killed were not FSU students, according to authorities, who believe that the suspect acted alone.
FSU has canceled all classes through Friday and said athletic events in Tallahassee were canceled through the weekend.
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University President Richard McCullough issued a statement on X, calling Thursday’s shooting “a tragic and senseless act of violence.”
Criminal past of radical activist defending teen murder suspect comes to light
FIRST ON FOX: A spokesperson for the family of the 17-year-old boy accused of stabbing Frisco, Texas, track star Austin Metcalf to death has a long history of supporting defunding the police as well as close ties to former Squad Rep. Cori Bush.
Minister Dominique Alexander, a Dallas-based defund the police activist and social justice leader, has been in the headlines in recent days as he and his organization, Next Generation Action Network (NGAN), have been rallying in defense of the family of 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony, the teenager who is accused of fatally stabbing Metcalf, and Anthony himself.
“The Next Generation Action Network is currently working with the Anthony family to get the bond processed and will keep the community updated regarding his release,” NGAN posted on X earlier this week after the bond was reduced from $1 million to $250,000. “We want to sincerely thank everyone for the overwhelming support you have shown. This is just the beginning of a long legal journey, and we will continue to stand strong in defense of Karmelo’s rights.”
Alexander hosted a press conference on Thursday and slammed the father of the victim for being a “disrespect to the dignity of his son” after he showed up to the press conference that he was “not invited” to, according to Alexander.
TEEN SUSPECT FREE ON BOND AFTER ALLEGEDLY STABBING TEXAS TRACK STAR AUSTIN METCALF TO DEATH
“That was disrespectful and just shows you all the character,” he continued. “He was not invited. He knows that it’s inappropriate to be near this family, but he did it. So, I say to people, actions speak louder than words.”
Alexander’s comments immediately went viral Thursday across social media, which led to online sleuths resurfacing his long criminal record, which has been documented in multiple local reports dating back over a decade. A Fox News Digital review also exposes his longtime support for defunding the police and his ties to the former “Squad” House Democrat and defund-the-police activist Cori Bush, who was defeated last year during her Democratic primary.
Alexander’s X and Facebook accounts reveal that he and NGAN played a pivotal role in helping mobilize on behalf of Bush’s winning campaigns in 2020 and 2022. In 2020, Bush praised Alexander and his group for their “perseverance & dedication” and said their “[commitment] to the work” is “unmatched.”
“Thanks to Minister [Dominique Alexander] & @NextGenAction for your tireless work & bravery,” Bush said in 2019.
In a 2021 post, Alexander said it was “truly an honor” to join Bush as she was sworn into Congress. The post included a photo of Alexander accompanied by Bush, who was holding NGAN’s Shirley Chisholm Award that she received from the organization in 2020.
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In another 2021 post, Alexander posted a photo of him and Bush from 2020 while they were campaigning together, saying, “Last year, I had the honor of seeing history in the making by seeing this beautiful black queen [Cori Bush] elected to Congress.”
“I am so proud of her as an actual frontline protester. We saw her yesterday sacrifice for millions facing eviction in America, our Movement Congresswoman,” he continued. “Happy Election Anniversary, Congresswoman Cori Bush.”
Alexander and his organization would go on to post dozens of pro-Bush posts during her tenure in Congress, including saying that the group was “excited to stand with [Rep. Cori Bush] and over 300 organizations nationwide to demand reparations in America” in a 2023 post.
ACCUSED AUSTIN METCALF KILLER WON’T FACE DEATH PENALTY OR LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE: DA
“Thank you for your service to our community and our country. The attacks that you are currently experiencing is baseless. In the people support, making sure you are okay and safe to serve,” NGAN said in a 2024 post. “We live in a country that does not want to address white supremacy.”
When Bush lost her Democratic primary last year, NGAN railed against AIPAC and called for the Supreme Court case, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, to be “overturned” after the group’s super PAC spent millions to defeat Bush.
While Alexander’s ties to Bush have not been widely reported, his criminal history went viral on social media as conservatives ripped him as a “career criminal” and resurfaced local reports about his criminal past, including being indicted on a felony family violence charge in Dallas, according to NBC 5 DFW.
The outlet reported in 2019 that an arrest warrant affidavit stated that Alexander’s longtime partner, Keyaira Saunders, had reported to police that Alexander had shoved her and tried to strangle her.
Saunders later declined to pursue charges and slammed the Dallas police for their handling of the case, according to the outlet.
Alexander also served two days in jail after pleading guilty to a felony theft case in 2021, Dallas Express reported.
“After four years of this hanging over my head, I decided to avoid a jury trial in a Trump County that wouldn’t have given me a fair shot at all,” Alexander posted on Facebook around the time of his guilty plea.
In 2016, Alexander was sentenced to two years in prison for repeatedly violating his probation, Fox 10 Phoenix reported.
Another local report from 2009 details how Alexander was arrested for allegedly causing serious head injuries to his then-girlfriend’s two-year-old son while he was babysitting him. Alexander initially told police and his then-girlfriend that the young boy had fallen off the couch while he was in the other room, but the doctor dismissed his claim amid an examination of the young boy in the intensive care unit, according to the Dallas Observer.
“The severity of his injuries is not consistent with rolling off the couch,” the investigating officer reported the doctor saying. “The injuries are acute and likely occurred around the time that [his girlfriend’s son] started to have symptoms (like being unresponsive.) Without more adequate history of trauma, complainant’s injuries are more consistent with abusive head trauma and child physical abuse.”
The Dallas Observer continued by reporting that Alexander had admitted shaking the child and that the judge had charged him with a first-degree felony.
“Not long after he was arrested for injury to a child causing severe bodily harm, he got into trouble for forging a check, leading police on a high-speed chase, stealing a car and falsely claiming that a car was stolen,” the Dallas Observer added. “Alexander brought a couple of character witnesses, but one had only recently met him and the other didn’t know Alexander was on probation.”
In addition to his criminal record, Alexander’s social media profiles are littered with pro-defunding the police and supportive posts of notorious antisemite Louis Farrakhan.
“We can defund Education; We can defund social services; we can defund Recreation centers & libraries. ‘WE CAN DEFUND THE POLICE.’ End of story – Fund Our Communities,” Alexander posted on X in 2022.
In the summer of 2020, at the height of the George Floyd movement, Alexander specifically called for the Dallas Police Department to be defunded, via a post on X.
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“After 75 days of protest, the @DallasCityMgr is increasing the [Dallas Police Department] budget. We will Defund Dallas Police Department we want a 100,000,000 from Dallas Police,” Alexander’s NGAN organization posted in August 2020.
Alexander has also publicly supported Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan despite dozens of antisemitic comments, including comparing Jews to “termites” and saying they are “wicked.”
“Please get it correct the Honorable Minister @LouisFarrakhan is the name please put some respect on his name,” Alexander said in a X post responding to CNN’S Jake Tapper, who is Jewish.
“Happy 83rd Birthday [Louis Farrakhan] may GOD continue to bless you,” he wrote in another X post.
Fox News Digital reached out to Alexander for comment.
Trump shares his contingency plan if China ultimately fails to make a deal
President Donald Trump said Thursday that China has been reaching out “a lot” ever since he nearly tripled U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, and he suggested to reporters that the two nations could reach a deal in as soon as three to four weeks.
During a gaggle with reporters after signing executive orders related to deregulating the seafood industry, Trump was asked about his ongoing negotiations with Chinese officials and, in particular, whether he has yet spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping about the ongoing trade battle.
“They have reached out a number of times,” Trump said, referring to high-level Chinese officials. When asked how frequently they’ve been in touch since last week – after Trump tripled his Chinese tariff increase from 54% to 145% – the president responded, “A lot.”
GORDON CHANG: TRUMP TARIFFING CHINA AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME FOR XI JINPING
His comments come amid media reports that Trump has indicated he is unwilling to reach out to China first amid the ongoing trade war. According to sources close to Trump, U.S. officials have been urging the Chinese to initiate a call between Xi and Trump, but so far they have not.
When asked if he had spoken to Xi yet, Trump would not confirm one way or the other.
“I’ve never said whether or not [it’s] happened, but I have a very good relationship with President Xi, and I think it’s going to continue. They have reached out a number of times,” Trump told reporters.
TALKING TARIFFS: TRUMP TOUTS TRADE NEGOTIATIONS AS HE MEETS WITH ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER
The press then quickly pounced on Trump’s response, requesting the president to clarify if he was referring to Xi or other Chinese officials when he said, “They have reached out a number of times.”
“I view it very similar,” Trump responded. “It would be top levels of China, and if you knew [Xi], you would know that if they reached out, he knew exactly – he knew everything about it. He runs it very tight, very strong, very smart. And, yeah, we’re talking to China.”
The president said that while some have urged him to fast-track his negotiations, he believes there is “plenty” of time left to make a deal with China and expects it will eventually come to fruition.
UK URGED TO ALIGN WITH TRUMP ON CHINA OR LOSE FAVORED STATUS IN WASHINGTON
“I would think over the next three or four weeks, I think maybe the whole thing could be concluded,” Trump told reporters Thursday.
The president added that if a deal cannot be reached, things will “be fine.”
“At a certain point, if we don’t make a deal, we’ll just set a limit. We’ll set a tariff. We’ll set some parameters, and we’ll say, ‘Come in and shop,'” Trump said. “They always have a right not to do it, so they can say, ‘Well, we don’t want it, so we’re not going to shop there, we’re not going to shop in the store of America.’ We have something that nobody else has, and that’s the American consumer.”
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Illegal aliens facing deportation beg Supreme Court to let them stay, a liberal justice steps in
Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan on Wednesday denied an emergency appeal by four Mexican nationals facing deportation. The request asked the court to temporarily block their removal so they could file a formal petition for review.
Kagan denied the application without comment and did not refer the matter to her colleagues.
The petitioners, Fabian Lagunas Espinoza, Maria Angelica Flores Ulloa and their two sons, were ordered to report to immigration officials on Thursday. Their legal team argued they face cartel violence if returned to Mexico.
According to their court filing, the family fled Guerrero, Mexico, in 2021, after being threatened by the Los Rojos drug cartel. The petition stated that cartel members demanded the family vacate their home within 24 hours or be killed.
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It also included details of past violence against extended family members, including beatings and threats following refusals to cooperate with the cartel.
The family entered the U.S. unlawfully and sought asylum and an immigration judge denied their claims.
That ruling was upheld by the Board of Immigration Appeals in November 2023, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the decision in February 2025. A temporary stay of removal was lifted April 7.
The emergency appeal to Justice Kagan argued that the lower courts and immigration authorities failed to consider credible evidence and due process claims.
SUPREME COURT TO HEAR ORAL ARGUMENTS IN BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP CASE
Under Supreme Court procedures, each justice handles emergency appeals from a specific circuit. As the justice assigned to the Ninth Circuit, Kagan had the authority to act alone or refer the case to the full court.
She denied the application without referring to it further.
In their filing, the petitioners’ attorney, LeRoy George Siddell, wrote: “Petitioners face imminent removal and have been directed to report to immigration office on 4/17/2025, despite credible and detailed testimony and documentary evidence showing they are targets of cartel violence due to their family ties and refusal to comply with extortion demands.”
There was no response from the Department of Justice to the application before Kagan issued her decision.
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As of Thursday morning, the petitioners were required to report to U.S. immigration authorities. Their disposition remains to be determined.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump admin to ‘move on’ within days if no progress made on Ukraine-Russia peace deal
Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that it needs to be determined within days whether achieving a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is “doable in the short term,” warning that he thinks the U.S. will “move on” if it is not achievable.
Rubio said that if it is “not possible,” he thinks President Donald Trump is “probably at a point where he’s gonna say, ‘Well, we’re done.'”
But Rubio noted that the U.S. will help if either or both sides are “serious about peace.”
REPUBLICAN USES GEORGE WASHINGTON, AMERICAN REVOLUTION TO REJECT NOTION UKRAINE SHOULD SURRENDER TO RUSSIA
“If it’s not gonna happen, then we’re just gonna move on,” Rubio declared.
“@POTUS has been clear: The time to end the war between Russia and Ukraine is now. Today in Paris, @SE_MiddleEast, @SPE_Kellogg and I met with leaders from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Ukraine to talk about how we can stop the killing and reach a just and sustainable peace,” Rubio noted in a post on X.
RUBIO ANNOUNCES CLOSURE OF STATE DEPARTMENT EFFORT THAT ‘WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD ALREADY’
The war continues to rage, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declaring in a post, “This is how Russia began this Good Friday – with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, Shaheds – maiming our people and cities.”
U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., staunchly supports Ukraine and wants the U.S. to provide the Eastern European nation with arms to bolster its war effort.
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“European Allies and U.S. should arm Ukraine to the max and help them defend their country against the Russians, and now the North Koreans and Chinese,” Bacon said in a recent tweet.
TSA warns every American as the deadline looms to obtain new identification
The fast-approaching deadline for REAL IDs has many Americans rushing to obtain the important new identification even as travel issues may lie ahead.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued a press release reminding Americans of the May 7 deadline while also warning of delays.
“Passengers who present a state-issued identification that is not REAL ID compliant and who do not have another acceptable alternative (e.g., passport) can expect to face delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint,” the release said.
REAL ID APPOINTMENTS ADDED AS NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS STRUGGLE TO GET NEW IDENTIFICATION
Air travelers at domestic airports will be required to present a REAL ID in order to fly.
TSA spokesperson Lorie Dankers told Fox News Digital the agency estimates that “81% of the public is ready for REAL ID enforcement.”
“That potentially leaves 19% who are unprepared,” Dankers said.
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When asked if the implementation of REAL IDs will impact travel times, Dankers said, “If you do the math, the reasonable response would be to arrive early.”
“The length of the delay travelers experience will be determined by the number of other travelers who do not have a REAL ID-compliant credential, or another form of identification accepted by TSA,” the spokesperson added.
Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog “View From the Wing,” told Fox News Digital he doesn’t expect there will be “meaningful delays,” but it will impact travel times.
Leff says, “If there are additional identity verifications to go through, even calling over another TSA staff member to handle that takes time.”
“Take even an extra 10 seconds per passenger without REAL ID (or 10 seconds per passenger while the document checker verifies what kind of ID it is) and multiply that out across thousands of passengers per checkpoint per day at larger airports,” said Leff.
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He continued, “that could become a meaningful bottleneck.”
Wendy’s refuses to apologize for taking dig at Katy Perry after backlash
Katy Perry just touched the edge of space. Wendy’s just touched a nerve.
In one of the strangest brand vs. celebrity moments of the year, Wendy’s fast food chain lobbed a spicy shot at pop star Katy Perry shortly after she completed her Blue Origin suborbital space flight — and when asked to apologize, the restaurant brand doubled down.
The drama kicked off Monday, when Perry landed back on Earth after an 11-minute journey to the stars aboard a Blue Origin flight alongside Lauren Sánchez, Gayle King and three other women.
BLUE ORIGIN LAUNCHES KATY PERRY, ALL-FEMALE CREW INTO SPACE, COMPLETES SAFE LANDING
The milestone moment went viral on social media. Then came Wendy’s.
Under a post from Pop Crave celebrating Perry’s return, Wendy’s X account quipped:
“Can we send her back[?]”
The post hit like a frosty slap, and they didn’t stop coming.
In a twist on Perry’s breakout hit, “I Kissed a Girl,” Wendy’s X account mocked the singer for kissing the earth upon the earthbound return of the Blue Origin vessel.
Backlash wasn’t far behind. Fans were quick to call out the burger giant for punching down, and not in the way it usually roasts rival chains.
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By Thursday, People magazine reported that Wendy’s had been given the chance to walk it back. Instead, the brand took the scenic route around an apology.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEN | THE WENDY’S CO. | 12.68 | +0.14 | +1.12% |
“We always bring a little spice to our socials,” a spokesperson told People, “but Wendy’s has a ton of respect for Katy Perry and her out-of-this-world-talent.”
But not everyone was loving the heat. A source close to the situation told People that the post crossed a line from cheeky to cheap.
“Wendy’s didn’t make a joke — they made a choice,” the source said.
“This wasn’t harmless banter, this was a billion-dollar brand using its platform to publicly demean a woman… when billion-dollar brands join in, it’s irresponsible.”
Even Perry’s fellow space traveler, Sánchez, weighed in, making it clear she wasn’t impressed by the trolling.
She told People she’d gladly give Wendy’s a behind-the-scenes look at Blue Origin to show them just how serious and meaningful the mission was.
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“I would love to have them come to Blue Origin and see the thousands of employees that don’t just work here, but they put their heart and soul into this vehicle,” Sánchez said. “Come with me. I’ll show you what this is about, and it’s really eye-opening.”
Wendy’s hasn’t tweeted anything further on the issue.
Wendy’s media relations team did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for inquiry.
Suspected serial killer’s lone survivor warns locals as fears grow
Amid internet speculation about a serial killer in New England, one New Hampshire woman who survived a suspected serial killer herself in the 1980s is encouraging locals to remain “vigilant.”
Social media sleuths and some local reports have noted the discovery of seven sets of human remains found across Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island between March and April. While the victims’ causes of death remain unknown and there did not appear to be any kind of connection between the cases as of Thursday, the recent findings have locals on edge.
“I’m talking about this because, for one, do I think all these cases are connected? Maybe not, but it’s unusual to have so many remains and so many bodies coming up in such a short amount of time,” Jane Boroski, the only suspected survivor of the Connecticut River Valley serial killer, told Fox News Digital. “My big thing is: I don’t want people to dismiss this or forget about it because the more it’s talked about… then the authorities have more of a reason to investigate.”
Boroski, who hosts a podcast called “Invisible Tears,” recently shared a video to her Facebook page discussing a private group called “New England SK,” in which thousands of social media users discuss morbid findings across New England.
NEW ENGLAND SERIAL KILLER FEARS MERIT ‘REVIEW AND INVESTIGATION’ AFTER REMAINS FOUND ACROSS 3 STATES: EXPERT
Over the last two months, human remains have been located in New Haven, Norwalk, Groton and Killingly, Connecticut; Foster, Rhode Island; and Framingham and Plymouth, Massachusetts. Some social media users say these discoveries of human remains — particularly, female remains — across the three neighboring states may indicate a serial killer.
But Connecticut State Police told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that “there is no information at this time suggesting any connection to similar remains discoveries, and there is also no known threat to the public at this time,” regarding the deaths in Connecticut.
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But Boroski is encouraging New Englanders to “be more vigilant” anyway.
“Especially women, if they’re jogging down trails or they’re walking down trails. Use the buddy system, be more vigilant… and be more aware of your surroundings,” she said.
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Boroski was 22 years old and seven months pregnant when she was driving home from a fair in New Hampshire on a hot day in August. She pulled over in the parking lot of a closed store to buy soda from a vending machine. As she got back into her vehicle and opened the soda, a man now believed to be the Connecticut River Valley serial killer approached her.
“Evil stepped into my life.”
The man tried to pull Boroski from her car, but she fought back, at which point he held a knife to her throat and threatened her out of the car. The two confronted each other, but it wasn’t until Boroski ran toward a vehicle driving down a nearby road for help that the man attacked her, stabbing her 27 times.
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“He sliced my jugular. … I had two collapsed lungs. He lacerated my liver, sliced a tendon in my thumb and a tendon on my knee,” Boroski recalled.
‘HAPPY FACE’ SERIAL KILLER NEARLY CONFESSED BRUTAL MURDERS TO TEEN DAUGHTER: ‘YOU’LL TELL THE AUTHORITIES’
The case of the Connecticut River Valley Killer remains unsolved to this day, and the killer’s identity is unknown. It is believed that he targeted and killed multiple women across the New Hampshire and Vermont areas in the 1980s.
Peter Valentin, chair of the Forensic Science Department at the University of New Haven’s Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, told Fox News Digital that the remains found across three New England states over two months strikes him as “curious.”
“It’s certainly … a large number of human remains to find in a short period of time.”
“The first thing that strikes me as curious is the fact that seven sets of remains have been found over the span of two months,” Valentin said. “And so whether that is the product of a directed search in particular areas because there’s a belief that more remains will be found, we can’t know, because that information is not public at this point, or whether or not there’s information to suggest that there’s a reason to search, or that information isn’t publicly available.”
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He noted, however, that while some of the remains were intact bodies that have been identified, others were degraded to the point that it will take time for authorities to identify who the victims were. In other words, while the remains were located over the span of two months, that does not indicate the victims died around the same time.
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“Even though these remains were found within the last two months, at least some of them have been in these conditions or in a state of decomposition for a period of time,” he said. “Now forensically speaking, the only way that you could say with any degree of confidence that these cases were related would be to find some kind of physical evidence. That would allow you to connect a person or an object to more than one [case], and I think most people recognize that the most definitive item of evidence would be DNA.”
Valentin added that it will be important for authorities to compare analyses of the remains and identify victims.
At least three of the victims in these seven cases — two in Connecticut and one in Rhode Island — have been identified as women. Police also believe the victim found in Killingly, Connecticut, was a woman in her 40s to 60s.
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The New England Serial Killer Facebook group, which has 57,000 members, garnered more than 10,000 new members last week and over the weekend, as MassLive.com first reported.
Searches for “New England serial killer” on Google spiked around April 7, according to data from the search engine.