When you think of serial killers you think of fictional characters like Hannibal Lecter or real-life killers like Ted Bundy. Both were smart and clever and got away with their deeds for many years. But are these killers really smarter than the rest of us or are they simply lucky? In truth, it’s often a little of both.
Take the case of LaMarques Devon McWilliams. For years the police in Houston Texas had been trying to trap a serial killer that was known as the Acres Homes Killer, a moniker hung on the killer because he had killed six prostitutes in the Acres Homes area of Houston. The police were baffled and had few leads.
Their break came when McWilliams got stupid. He apparently abducted another woman, placed her in the trunk of his car, and headed off to an area where he could rape and kill her. Unfortunately for him, his car became mired on a muddy road and he was unable to free it. So in his infinite wisdom, he forced his would-be victim to help him. He released her from the trunk, put her behind the wheel of a car, and he pushed from behind. This worked. The car worked free of the mud. Unfortunately for McWilliams, the woman simply drove away, leaving this brilliant serial killer standing in the mud.
McWilliams was arrested and his DNA was obtained and sent to the FBI lab. It took only 48 hours to match his DNA profile to that of the Acres Homes Killer.
As the great philosopher Forrest Gump said: “Stupid is as stupid does.”
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