Former FBI profiler says Michigan suspect likely left evidence

Mary Ellen O'Toole, a former FBI profiler, warned that the individual responsible for five deaths in Lansing, Michigan, likely left behind valuable forensic evidence at outdoor crime scenes. O'Toole made these remarks on "The Big Weekend Show," noting that the nature of the killings posed significant risks for the offender. The victims, all believed to have been homeless, were found sleeping in open areas near the Lansing River Trail close to Michigan State University. O'Toole stated that the offender entered an open area to kill people in what were probably not quick homicides, then had to leave the scene. She expressed high confidence that the suspect is not cleaning up crime scenes, meaning investigators may find substantial evidence to analyze.

Authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with the stabbing death of one of the men but have not linked him to the other four deaths. The five deaths occurred between October 2025 and September 2026. O'Toole indicated that police have further work to do before determining whether the cases are related. She explained that investigators will examine unsolved homicides in the surrounding area and potentially in other states to identify evidence of earlier crimes by the same offender. Serial killers can travel, according to O'Toole, so authorities seek to understand the full extent of the damage one person could have caused. In this effort, police will look for what she termed "practice murders," which are killings a serial killer engages in while becoming proficient in their trade. These earlier incidents could have occurred in Michigan or in another state.