51: How Many Serial Killers Are Operating Right Now? | Case Notes

51: How Many Serial Killers Are Operating Right Now? | Case Notes

September 6, 2026 · 23 min · Episode 51

About this episode

The episode discusses the current state of serial killers in America and the hidden homicide data that can reveal their presence.

How many serial killers are operating right now—and how many murders are we failing to connect? This week on Case Notes, I’m joined by Dr. Michael Arntfield of the Murder Accountability Project to talk about the enormous amount of homicide data hiding in plain sight—and what it can tell us about serial murder in America. We get into why homicides are underreported and misclassified, how the Murder Accountability Project uses data to identify suspicious clusters of killings, and what the numbers suggest about the serial killers who may still be operating today. We also explore something I find particularly fascinating: the relationship between serial killers and the culture surrounding them. Drawing from his new book, Dr. Arntfield explains how killers consume true crime, movies, books, and stories about other murderers—and how that media can become part of the way they understand themselves and their crimes. Show Notes: Murder Accountability Project ⬇️ https://www.murderdata.org Please Bring Me Home ⬇️ https://pleasebringmehome.com Dr. Michael Arntfield ⬇️ https://michaelarntfield.com Cop TV: The Extraordinary Untold Story of Television Police Shows ⬇️…

People in this episode

Host: UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast

Guest: Dr. Michael Arntfield

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Murder Accountability Project

Books & works: Please Bring Me Home, Cop TV: The Extraordinary Untold Story of Television Police Shows

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