Serial Killers: The Phantom Killer

Have you ever had the feeling like someone is watching you? That feeling is a 6th sense developed in our primal stage, so next time you get that feeling someone is probably watching you. Although we would like to think otherwise, serial killers roam the streets every day and are on the hunt for a new victim. It is incredibly hard to catch serial killers, and the majority of cases go unsolved. Intelligent serial killers like the Phantom Killer, the Zodiac Killer, and the Freeway Phantom were never caught.

The Phantom Killer was a brutal serial rapist and murderer, but his technique should not be considered anything less than brilliant. The way the Phantom Killer executed his victims shows how much thought he put into his crimes. Right before he attacked his victims, the killer blinded them with a bright light so

that they would be disoriented (Bavsun). He first attacked the male victims, thus eliminating the biggest threat, which allowed him to focus on his female target who he desired to kill the most. In addition, the Phantom Killer was also great at hiding his identity. He wore a white sack over his face so he couldn’t be described. The evolution of his attacks showed the true nature of intelligence as he fixed his methods after his failures. Even after viciously beating and assaulting his first two victims, both survived. With his next attacks, he shot both victims twice in the head to ensure that they would not live. Hidden in the Phantom Killer’s brutal attacks lies remarkable intelligence similar to the Zodiac Killer.
The Zodiac Killer was an unknown but extremely clever serial killer who terrorized Northern California.

The Zodiac chose his victims and the locations of each murder carefully to ensure his identity remained hidden. He chose victims who were isolated so that nobody would hear screams or gunshots. The Zodiac Killer was also extremely cautious, and he left very little evidence. The only evidence found was a bloody fingerprint at the scene of the murder of a taxi driver. His fingerprints weren’t in any system, so unfortunately, he could not be located. The Zodiac killer taunted the police and terrorized the public with letters sent to the press in a cryptic code. In his first letter he stated: “I like killing people because it is so much fun it is more fun than killing wild game in the forest because man is the most dangerous animal to kill” (Shaw). Some parts of his letters still remain unsolved. He was narcissistic, and his letters could one day expose who he is. The Zodiac Killer was extremely narcissistic and held an overwhelmingly strong god complex, but both the Zodiac Killer and the Freeway Phantom shocked the nation with their astounding

intelligence.
The Freeway Phantom showed his true intelligence with the ___ behind his kills. The victims he chose ensured that he would not be seen during the kidnapping. All of his victims were teens walking alone down dark, deserted roads. The dark stretch of road made sure that nobody would see the abduction. The Phantom Killer targeted black females between the ages 10 and 18. "You better bet that if these had been white girls, the police would have solved the cases," (Wilber). The intelligence of this killer shows as he knew the police wouldn’t concentrate on these cases as much because the victims were minorities. The Phantom Killer used his victims to mislead the police. Brenda Crockett, the third victim, was forced by her abductor to call her home and give false information as to where she located and who her abductor was. She told her mother’s boyfriend that a white man took her and was keeping her in a house, but several years later the police now think that she was forced to say this. Even though the police are catching up to the Freeway Phantom, he shouldn’t be considered anything less than fearfully intelligent.
To remain hidden after mercilessly attacking numerous people, serial killers must be exceedingly clever. The Phantom Killer eliminated the biggest threat to his operation while still keeping his identity hidden, and over time, he evolved his technique to ensure his success. The Zodiac Killer taunted the police with cryptic letters while still remaining hidden by leaving no trace of his identity. The Freeway Phantom fed the police false information and chose victims who would be pursued less by the police. Ultimately, it takes a great deal of wit to outrun the police and simultaneously go down in history.