Is a "simple, taunting, circle" the signature of a cross-country serial killer cell, or is it just statistical noise?
This week on Monstrous, Carrie and MawMaw dive into the chilling and controversial Smiley Face Killers Theory.
Since 1997, hundreds of college-aged, athletic men have vanished from bars, only to be found weeks later in frigid rivers. While police often rule these as accidental "Last Mile" drownings, retired detectives and forensic experts point to a darker pattern: ligature marks, the presence of GHB, and the impossible physics of "fixed lividity."
We break down the cornerstone cases of Patrick McNeill, Dakota James, and Tommy Booth, and explore why the FBI remains skeptical. Is it a decentralized network of killers operating on the dark web, or a tragic combination of alcohol and the environment?
In this episode, we discuss:
• The forensic anomalies that "accidents" can't explain.
• The significance of the smiley face graffiti.
• The "Last Mile" problem and the "Hydrocution" response.
• Institutional barriers: Why police are incentivized to close these files.
Have a theory? Email us at monstroustcpod@gmail.com or find us on Facebook.
Listen now and remember: Watch for monsters... and don’t kill people.
