Serial Killers Stalk US Highways

Hundreds of bodies found along U.S. highways have likely been the grisly work of serial killers, USA Today reported Tuesday after combing through FBI records. Many of the victims were prostitutes; suspects include truck drivers used to traveling interstates. Highway killings, attempted murders or unidentified remains have been reported in 48 states, from Alaska to the tip of Florida.

During the past four decades, at least 459 victims haven likely been killed by a highway serial killer, according to the newspaper’s examination of FBI records. Last February near Interstate 15 in California, a passerby found a backpack with a human head stuffed in it. Authorities still haven’t identified the victim, a teenage girl.

Police have found it hard to track down the highway serial killers. The FBI has 200 suspects, almost all long-haul truck drivers. But so far only 10 suspects believed to have killed more than 30 victims have been arrested.

Passersby continue to spot the remains of victims along highways. “It could be a killing that’s 30 years old,’’ FBI’s Michael Harrigan said. “It could have happened a week ago.”