Modus Operandi - Strangulation

Darren Vickers is a British man convicted of the 1997 murder of eight-year-old Jamie Lavis in Greater Manchester, England. At the time, he worked as a bus driver, a role that placed him in a position of routine contact with the public, including children. The case gained significant attention due to the abuse of that position and the circumstances of the child’s disappearance. Vickers was later arrested, convicted, and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Kalen Schlatter is a Canadian convicted murderer who killed 22-year-old Tess Richey after meeting her in Toronto's Church-Wellesley Village in November 2017. Schlatter accompanied Richey to a secluded outdoor stairwell, where prosecutors established that he sexually assaulted and strangled her before leaving her body concealed at the location. Richey's mother discovered her body several days later after conducting her own search. Schlatter was arrested in February 2018 and convicted of first-degree murder in March 2020. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole for 25 years.

Timothy Ray Jones Jr. was convicted of murdering his five children in South Carolina in 2014 before transporting their remains across several states. Jones, who had become their primary caretaker following the breakdown of his marriage, killed Merah, Elias, Nahtahn, Gabriel and Abigail Jones at the family home near Lexington. He then drove through several states before leaving them in a rural area near Camden, Alabama. Police detained Jones at a checkpoint in Mississippi, and he later directed investigators to the location. In 2019, he was convicted of five counts of murder and sentenced to death, a sentence upheld by the South Carolina Supreme Court in 2023.

Dennis Rader, known as the BTK Killer (Bind, Torture, Kill), is an American serial killer who murdered ten victims in Kansas between 1974 and 1991. He targeted individuals in their homes, carrying out controlled and methodical attacks. Rader evaded capture for decades while maintaining a normal public life. His case gained notoriety due to his communication with media and law enforcement, and his eventual capture in 2005 following a forensic breakthrough.

Chris Watts is an American family annihilator who murdered his immediate family in Colorado in 2018. His case gained widespread attention due to the contrast between his outward image as a quiet family man and the calculated nature of his actions. Watts initially attempted to mislead investigators and the public before confessing. He later pleaded guilty to multiple counts of murder and received multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole.

John Wayne Gacy was an American serial killer and sex offender who murdered multiple victims in Illinois during the 1970s. He became widely known for maintaining a public image as a community figure while committing crimes in secret. Gacy’s case gained notoriety due to the scale of his offences and the contrast between his outward persona and his actions. He was later convicted and sentenced to death, becoming one of the most infamous serial killers in U.S. history.

Ted Bundy was an American serial killer who murdered multiple young women across several U.S. states during the 1970s. His crimes became widely known due to his ability to use charm and deception to gain victims’ trust. Bundy evaded capture for years, escaped custody twice, and carried out further killings before his final arrest. He was later convicted and sentenced to death, becoming one of the most infamous serial killers in modern criminal history.