University of Fatal Torment

“What can you say about the Cascade Killer?” a student in the front row asked Lieutenant Laura Haskin of the Gallen Police Department. The lieutenant was a guest lecturer in the criminal profiling class that Professor Gus Villard taught at Grover University. Villard and Haskin knew the recent unsolved murders of three Grover University students would likely be the main topic of discussion during the guest lecture, especially during the concluding question-and-answer period.

“As you know, the so-called Cascade Killer is the subject of an ongoing investigation, and I’m not at liberty to say any more than I’ve already said in the press conferences,” Haskin stated calmly. “We’re doing everything we can to determine who’s responsible for these crimes. Anyone who has any information that might be helpful should contact us directly or anonymously.”

The moniker referred to the killer of three female students whose bodies had been found in the Gallen vicinity over the previous eighteen months. The first victim had been found in Cascade Park, one mile outside of Gallen. In the following months, two other victims had been discovered near the park. Their deaths were attributed to the same killer.

The case had placed the city of Gallen in a state of subdued terror. Each day that the murders remained unsolved added to the air of uncertainty and trepidation among the anxious citizenry. Increasing the apprehension of those on the Grover University campus was the fact that the victims had been brutally killed by facial battering and gunshots to their heads. After the third body had been located four months ago, community apprehension had grown into an intense fear that was approaching panic. Law enforcement, the media, and the Gallen population clearly understood that the ruthless murders were the work of a serial killer. Exacerbating the situation in recent months were reports of three more young females missing from Gallen. One of those missing was a Grover student, and it was feared she might be another victim of the Cascade Killer.

Lieutenant Haskin, representing the largest and best-equipped law enforcement agency in the area—the Gallen Police Department—was the lead detective for the multiagency investigation task force assigned to the case. Villard expected she would be reluctant to say much to the class about the progress of the investigation. Haskin had become familiar to the citizens of Gallen through numerous press conferences regarding the case and her many appearances at community functions to answer questions and provide cautionary personal safety suggestions.

“Do you have any evidence at all in the case?” the student continued.

“We always have evidence,” Haskin replied with a slight smile while remaining serious. “We have the remains of three white females ranging in age from twenty-one to twenty-five. They were found over a period of eighteen months, the first one being in March of last year. The bodies were discovered in remote areas outside of Gallen, near Cascade Park—locations not often traveled by the public. The first victim was found in Cascade Park. Because subsequent victims’ deaths resembled that of the first, the media began to refer to the perpetrator as the Cascade Killer. The label stuck, as you know.

“The most likely cause of death in each case was gunshots to the head, although the victims had also been brutally battered. Two of the victims were undergraduate students at Grover University when they disappeared. The third victim was a graduate student completing her doctorate in English.”

She paused again, this time for effect. “To answer your question, that’s a form of evidence. And it’s as much as I can say about the situation.”

“Do you have any suspects?” the student persisted. “I heard you did.”

Villard noticed a small sigh on the part of Haskin.

“As widely reported by the media, a person emerged early in the investigation as a possible suspect. That person has since been cleared and is no longer of interest to us. As far as other possible suspects are concerned, I have no comment.”

“Is the task force using a profiler in the case?” another student asked before the subject could be closed.

“The task force created for this case includes the Grover campus police, the Gallen Police Department, the county sheriff’s office, and state law enforcement resources. It’s using all the assets currently available to us. That’s all I can say about it,” Haskin replied, throwing a quick glance at Villard.

“Is the Cascade Killer like other serial killers we’re learning about?” another student asked. “That is, does the Cascade Killer have characteristics in common with other serial killers?”

Lieutenant Haskin shifted her weight as she stood at the lectern in front of the class. She glanced down at a small index card, but it was clear that she didn’t need what was printed on the card to proceed. She was qualified and prepared for the questions during the Q and A part

of her presentation, and the class was keenly interested in her topic—profiling and serial murder investigations.