140 - The NYC Hotel Axe Murders

[@Sunset-chaser777]

Your retelling of cold cases is second to none! Great voice, great writing!

[@kat135]

Couldn't agree more 💞

[@3_up_moon]

Except he cant tell when he should be using she/her in his retelling.

[@3_up_moon]

@suny123boy1 no matter how hard you believe something, just because you say something doesn't make it true: grammar is what it is. I didn't make the rules dude.

[@merncat3384]

@@3_up_moon I listen to a LOT of missing persons and True Crime channels.. Steven is one of the BEST.. he thoroughly does his research and gives accurate information.. if he happened to mess up on a word, I assure you it's a rare occurrence and an innocent mistake but if you let him know about it, he will actually correct it.. I've seen him do that before. EVERYONE is entitled to an occasional mistake but there are channels who literally give outdated information, wrong information and their grammar is atrocious on a consistent basis throughout all of their videos.. THAT is ridiculous and it's obvious that they are just rushing to get as much content out, as fast as possible, just so they can get Views and Likes but *T.E.* seriously cares about the victims and the cases he covers.

[@3_up_moon]

@suny123boy1 my services are available for a fee

[@Je_Ne_Vive]

Stephen, you may think it's strange that the people in possession of the stolen credit card would want to buy "a Walkman of all things" but bear in mind that in 1985 a Walkman was the equivalent of the latest iPhone today - the height of modern technology, at a price that made it a luxury prestige item for most people.

[@mr.onethirtyeight5088]

good point

[@brainsareus]

Also, who the hell automatically thinks that a stolen credit card is connected 2a homicide,let alone a heinous one. Most people don't rationally think that far;nor should we assume,that that is all they ''bought''. Plus,there's less scrutiny stealing a relatively cheap item,&, less of a penalty if caught. Not all thieves R audacious risk-takers...There is a spectrum as in any walk of life. ;)

[@beagledog2001]

excellent observation

[@beagledog2001]

@PeRFeCT IMPeRFeCTiON me too

[@nesadcruz7840]

Those of us old enough remember that. It was certainly a status symbol among the young

[@bobdennison856]

Sir , I commented once previously . Again , Mr. Pacheco - no one is talented in the art of communicating information coherently and with critical analysis as yourself . thank you friend .

[@silverstuff182]

I was living in Manhattan at that time and frequently read the Times and sometimes watched the news on TV. Never heard or this at all, while some years earlier the Son of Sam case had everybody very nervous.

[@hellenicblonde6117]

Thank you so very much for covering such a little known case. Hopefully this episode reignites interest in these murders so they can be solved.

[@dupeesfashionconsultant4204]

That's a tough one, I've lived in New York all my life and never once heard of this case. But I do know that in the mid 80's manhattan was a much different place than it is now...even harlem now is pretty nice. The bronx is really the only burrough that has gotten a total face lift. But in the mid 80's New York was an absolute cesspool.....the crime capital. At that time you could buy anything and I mean anything in times square or any other park..from hookers to any drug you could imagine, any type of firearm you wanted, credit cards, fake IDs , fake passports, hitmen etc. So that credit card thing I tend to lean towards it being bought and sold a few times on the street

[@deancarter2490]

Around year 2005 there was a book published about the NYPD cold case unit and it was mentioned that a lot of cold cases from before 1990 had evidence and some instances case files (paperwork) missing , NYPD didnt store evidence well in the 1980`s ( and in some instances it was tossed out if there wasnt storage space) hence I think this case could also be one of those cases from that era were nothing is left...

[@MultiSmartass1]

Notes: 1) The unsub in this case was likely. familiar with hotels. He (I assume it was a man) either worked in one previously or had lived in one for a time. Otherwise, it would make no sense for a rank amateur to decide to rob hotel rooms or pretend to. 2) Janet and Ruth strike me as intentionally chosen: Both women , both middle aged/elderly . I don't think they were slain by accident . 3) Technically the autopsy notes it was a "heavy bladed weapon" that killed both Ruth and Janet . So it may not have been an Ax per re. Perhaps it was hatchett or a meat. cleaver 4) The ritualistic arrangement. of tufts of hair and shards of skull into a pattern tells me that this was not really a robbery and just a simple slaying but likely part of the reason for the killings. 5) My impression was that this was not a robbery but intended to look that way and not an accidental murder but intended to look that way. Disturbingly this has the earmarks of an initiation perhaps into a gang or some nefarious organization and this was the price of entry. It may have been like a test . Consider that you have a disadvantageous facility for any assailant who could easily be caught . The person probably brought a change of clothes and also had a briefcase or bag in which to smuggle the murder weapon and whatever. items he took. with him from the room .

[@hunna5849]

The million dollar question is how'd he get in her hotel room?

[@brainsareus]

This is WHOLLY unimportant, but no one is going to have a view of the ocean from a Manhattan Hotel, as the island is flanked by two rivers.... The East and The Hudson.

[@RepentfollowJesus]

He was talking about hotels in general in ny

[@ronakane9959]

Linen delivery would have access to entry if hotels without question, has a cart to hide ax and change clothes. Best guess.

[@theheroine177]

Possibly someone who uses an axe or hatchet for their trade: Fireman, Construction worker, landscaper, Lumber jack, Christmas tree cutter, emergency worker. Or it’s possible the axe was in the hotel Incase of fire.

[@brainsareus]

Yes, but it's not hard to conceal an axe[even a huge one], anyway...think about it...bags, boxes, cases, etc. Walk around like a more or less normal person, who is going to know, or suspect? This is 1985, long before heavy-duty security and surveillance.

[@jeyyran]

good point! Putting on a helmet and a hi-vis vest makes anything look less suspicious.

[@mr.onethirtyeight5088]

@@jeyyran - Lol I can't tell if this is sarcasm.

[@jeyyran]

no i was being serious 😂 at my friend's uni two guys in hi-vis vests stole a beamer from a lecture hall DURING a lecture, and neither the students nor the prof paid them any attention bc everyone just assumed they were supposed to deinstall it 😂

[@davidvanderbrook3988]

I'm a landscaper that did tree work. I've used an ax more when my dad would make me split wood.

[@pulaski1]

The usual reasons that an unidentified criminal never reoffends is that he died or was incarcerated without being linked to the unsolved crime(s); a third possibility is that he left the country. Of the three, in this case, I think that the unidentified criminal dying is the most likely, as being incarcerated would lead to a high probability of the fingerprints being identifed _(if_ crime scene fingerprints were found and captured.)

[@redpillfreedom6692]

It's possible. Then again it may turn out to be like the Golden State killer who inexplicably just stopped killing. He might still be out there.

[@liber7773]

I wonder if the ax may have been something the killer brought OR perhaps if it may have been taken from the emergency glass fire boxes that, in the ‘80s in New York, would’ve been fairly common to see around. Also, in the ‘80s, the glass case probably would not have any type of alarm that may have sounded if the ax were removed or the case opened. So did the killer bring their own ax or was it acquired at one of the crime scene locations? It’s just a thought I was having.

[@katerryjackson749]

Crazy case. It's even frustrating that there is virtually nothing to go on. Great coverage Steven

[@babsypop]

I generally don't pay attention to these details, as I consider them random and not helpful, BUT: the fact that the murders where conducted in a ritualistic manner, makes me think that the victim's were chosen because of their mirroring ages (58-85) and backgrounds. I think anyone with access to the hotels' registry would know their birth dates, though that limits the amount of people with access to their information. But the killer could have also met and chatted with the victims first in a more casual manner, maybe in the hotel lobby, specially in the case of Janet, since she lived there. Anyway, it could've been completely random, but the ritual makes me think twice about it.

[@silverstuff182]

Were detectives really that dumb in 1985? A robber doesn't waste time cutting off scalps, hair bone pieces and arrange them in a pattern.

[@brainsareus]

Hot dang...! Solved... It was 'The Satanic Numerologist'

[@Kyutenessss]

@@silverstuff182 I know right!!! The simple robbery thing pissed me off so badly especially since they didn't steal jewelry and cash just personal belongings!

[@ObtuseMori]

Janet Scott's room was 717 as well, which could have been important if the killer really was focused on number patterns. Ruth Potdevin was in 527 though, so I'm not sure how that would fit (if at all).

[@scottjohnstone6204]

@@ObtuseMori backwards it's 725 which is very close to 717. Son of Sam killer was a part of a ritualistic killing group doing sacrifices, he said there were other Sam's out there, and their thing was pretty much random killings - of a certain type of people but random nonetheless.

[@misskelly9184]

Thanks for bringing attention to all these crimes. A lot of these I never heard of

[@mikaellugo4146]

I feel like it was some nut job from Hell's Kitchen. Probably died of an overdose before they were able to strike again

[@brainsareus]

Could've come from Posh Park Ave as well...

[@lynnpurcell7583]

How can a person, or persons, do that crime without being covered in blood unless the person, or persons, had a room that they could go to and clean up. Then any incriminating evidence could easily thrown away or buried. I do think there was some kind of ritual linked to these crimes.

[@Dr.Gunsmith]

Thanks for the new upload, respect from the United Kingdom 🇬🇧

[@wandacrowell6766]

Did they have axes near fire alarms in hotels back then? I don’t think he was carrying one around.

[@brainsareus]

How can you know? It would be so easy to conceal by so many diverse methods.

[@beanyboomer5391]

@@brainsareus you sound like you have had too much practice in this area. Lol

[@Kyutenessss]

@@beanyboomer5391 exactly 😳

[@rosierosie62]

Well, obviously not carrying an axe in the open. But carrying a tool bag or a suitcase would not be out of the norm. I think he disguised himself as a maintenance man and carried a tool bag. Knocked on the doors, killed, changed out of his overall and voila.. off he goes. Maybe he even had a fresh overall in the bag.

[@scottjohnstone6204]

@@rosierosie62 Maybe he had a fresh bag in the bag!

[@rockstarofredondo]

It must have been a smaller axe to be carried unnoticed in that urban setting, unless the killer used some kind of case to bring it with him, which would be a bit clunky. I wonder how thoroughly they actually investigated hotel employees in the area. With NYC high crime of the time, these cases probably were not top priority to work on, sadly.

[@brainsareus]

Ever hear of a duffel bag, a paper bag, a box, a Golf Bag, a guitar case, etc; many ways to easily conceal even a large axe; plus, people walk around with tools that they need for their job.... in an Urban setting, people are busy with their day to day activity; so a person who looks like a worker with an axe, is not of necessity going to raise concern; nor should it, for the most part.

[@jeyyran]

the axe i use to chop firewood is handy enough to be hidden inside my jacket 🤷‍♀️

[@Mscrimsondragon]

I would think he probably disguised himself as a maintanance worker. I mean, do you really notice a guy in coveralls and a toolbox when walking around?

[@choosetolivefree]

Just put on one of those yellow reflective vests, maybe a hat, and carry a clipboard and you can pretty much get into anywhere

[@iveyivey1298]

That's what I think it was someone in the maintenance department who believed in the occult and rituals to give them protection and not to be found out

[@wisewillow5731]

Wow, why have I never heard of this!!!? Thank you TE. 😎

[@Teresa-mf2nx]

I just love ur show I watch you all the time on KZbin. I appreciate your hard work, thoroughness and the ability to spread the word for these victim's and survivors with respect and kindness.

[@Cheryl_Loves_Purple]

Sounds like a ritual/voodoo type thing. They were most likely targeted by something specific like the room number, something about their appearance, age, etc. A small hand axe or hatchet can easily be hidden on your person. He could have came in through a back entrance, fire escape/roof entry or disguised as a service worker. "personal valuables" to me are pictures or something of that nature valuable to the victim but not in a monetary way. He would either want to keep a momento or perhaps needed things to continue the ritual elsewhere. That is probably how the couple got the card, the killer took the wallet, took the personal items from it he wanted then just discarded the rest.

[@MegaTrainman]

In 1985 when crime was out of control in NYC, the administration and police still attempted to keep some crimes under the radar. An axe murderer on the loose in the city would not be something that those in charge would want on the front page every day. Very unusual and strange crimes. Really makes one wonder, why did it stop and who did them?

[@TJ-si7ug]

The Dorset wasn't demolished, it was added to the MONA,it houses offices and such.

[@lisafanucchi5939]

My FAVORITE channel! You are really good at what you do!!

[@SpeedbirdNine9]

I lived in a hotel when I first came to New York City in 1981. It was on 29th Street and Broadway. It was called the Breslin and another a "Women only" hotel called the Martha Washington on 29th between 5th and Madison Aves. There were a lot of S.R.O. "hotels" back then. Times Square was really seedy back then and tons of crimes due to the crack epidemic. The NYPD had plenty to keep themselves busy with not a lot of time to devote to these cases. + the NYPD hasn't always had a stellar reputation either ....lots of corruption.

[@thecatatemyhomework]

Haha. NYC (Manhattan) doesn't have ocean views. There are views of the Hudson River on the west side and the East River on the east side. In the '80s NYC was a crime haven. These killings were but two of the multiple murders taking place on a regular basis. The newspapers were full of murders. There were also other crimes constantly in hotels. Anyone could walk into a hotel and go up in an elevator. There were robberies, rapes, all sorts of crimes in hotels. The city became one of the safest cities in the United States because of the proper leadership in the '90s. Unfortunately now it's back to a very high crime rate due to no-bail laws (just release the criminal) and arrests being down.

[@dmmchugh3714]

The democrat mayor will keep the crime rate high. He did nothing to stop rioters during the summer.

[@redpillfreedom6692]

Same story in Los Angeles; hell hole in the '80s, cleaned up considerably throughout the 1990s and 2000s and now regressing thanks to shitty leadership. You ever seen Predator 2? In 1990, the fictional L. A. portrayed in that film didn't seem too far fetched.

[@brainsareus]

@@dmmchugh3714 Never mind the Republican; who helped to make the people poor, to begin with..fool

[@scallopohare9431]

There was a sniper firing from a hotel across from Pennsylvania Station. I don’t think he was ever caught.

[@garysims2029]

35 years later nad barely a whisper is uttered I so true let's get a like for true crime fans who NEVER HEARD IF THIS.

[@merncat3384]

@22:30 - Proof of how often media coverage can "jump the gun" and report inaccurate information .. it happens way too often and there should be serious repercussions if it's not just an occasional innocent mistake.

[@elizabethsohler6516]

Repercussions.

[@brainsareus]

Buddy Rich could certainly play some mighty "sweet percussion".

[@merncat3384]

@Cynthia 👍

[@am2023]

Dear Steven thanks for the video. Its a very puzzling case with no real answers

[@janeE011]

I've lived in nyc since 1988 and I've NEVER heard of this case!!

[@christinemoore6911]

Never heard of these murders before. It’s great that you bring forgotten cases back into spotlight as it’s only way attention will. Be bought to them and that they have opportunity to be solved

[@melchiando]

Thanks for covering this one, recycled cases here on youtube. New ones are appreciated

[@jeromeburdine966]

Thank you, my honey loves your videos. So detailed with a soothing voice. She says its like settling in to read a good book late at night. ❤

[@davidvanderbrook3988]

I thought I was the only one to do this. It's to the point that the theme song makes me tired lol.

[@BRIDGETTattoo]

Thanks Steven ✌

[@scallopohare9431]

Manhattan hotels can have a mixture of functions. One had wholesale jewelers on a couple of floors. Another was the opposite; a couple of floors within an office building. Not to mention most have deli’s or bars, so there are more people coming and going besides guests and staff. Only one I ever stayed in actually had security check people for room keys before letting them near the elevators. Edit. I missed a spot. Many have shops even entire retail arcades. One is over Grand Central Station, with all its flow of passengers.

[@cdd4248]

I did laugh when the holders of the credit card tried to purchase a 'walkman'. I loved the eighties!

[@GB-qo1ct]

Honestly, despite their noted tourism destination status, NYC, LA, London and Paris are some of the most filthy, dangerous places to visit. Perhaps one might conclude the convergence of population transience, big faceless international trade and the apathy that comes from living amongst millions of unknown people yet none who know each others names nor care to, that brings out the worst in humanity. My suggestion is to avoid these places. Their polished facades are there only to hide the grime of human suffering and soulless cores.

[@maxwellebert4742]

Great job as always Stephen. Also, Springfield three pls

[@louscrewed1060]

I struggle to believe that the perpetrator was simply planning to rob hotel rooms then got caught. It doesn't seem particularly likely for a thief to get caught in the act, then decide to repeatedly stab the victims in the head with an axe that they happen to have on hand, then decide to perform a very unusual "ritual" afterwards.

[@killerpiedarts5924]

your videos are great! would love to hear you cover more disappearances as opposed to murders.

[@pulaski1]

He's covered a load of disapperarances ..... but most "disappearances" under bizarre circumstances are murders anyway. ;)

[@killerpiedarts5924]

@@pulaski1 oh i know he's covered a lot of disappearances, i've just watched them all and i'm just itchy for more lol. they seem to be coming less than the murders lately. im sorry if i came off as critical. that was not my intent. i just think trace evidence is hands down the best podcast to cover disappearances because of how thoroughly he investigates.

[@mrs.dr.spencerreid3992]

I’m convinced the killings stopped because the killer is in prison or died. Unless these were “initiation” killings but that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense ?!? Serial killers don’t just stop of there own volition - like Steven said. Now that cameras are everywhere, it’s less likely killers will get away with killing - or one could only hope

[@sheilaakhter2320]

look forward to your videos every week thank you keep up the great work 😉

[@dmmchugh3714]

"You can check out any time you want, but you can never leave ".

[@randykirkland3927]

That one’s in California.

[@garysims2029]

Right lmao

[@mrs.dr.spencerreid3992]

DM McHugh - With his STEELY KNIFE👿

[@melidee1479]

I know the song well, but that gave me a chill down my spine.

[@sourgummyworms8069]

I always look forward to these

[@Anita-k]

Actually I think, hotels are ideal for crimes of all sorts... Back in 1985, it was certainly not uncommon, to give an alias to check in and it got accepted by the hotel staff almost everywhere - also there were no computers back then, for authorities to easily check, if the guests ids were fake or not. Then there's the habit of police, to NOT knock on every guest's room personally - in tourist locations, they also don't do this, if someone went missing; like e.g. in the Kenneka Jenkins case ... although I believe, this really was a tragic accident, but before they've found her dead in the freezer, she theoretically could've been kidnapped inside any guest's room as well. - Authorities don't do this e.g. on cruise ships neighter, if someone's gone missing. & Then there's that big problem with fingerprints/later on DNA, as I can't think of locations more complicated for forensic testing, than hotel rooms and bars, due to constantly changing guests, (maybe that's not been so bad in the first case, but in the 2nd one for sure); only open transportations like busses and trains might be worse for forensics to process. (Sorry for mistakes, I'm not a native English speaker).

[@Anita-k]

@Zebra Lady75 I couldn't agree more to your point about the feeling of false security!

[@Anita-k]

@Zebra Lady75 That's certainly the right mindset!

[@infamousthomass]

Interesting title, Steven. Talk about limited coverage! I've asked a handful of my friends and none of us had heard about these.

[@infamousthomass]

@Karen Soo maybe it's my nickname for him.

[@katerryjackson749]

@Karen Soo well I think John and Steven are great True Crime personalities

[@infamousthomass]

@@katerryjackson749 so, to be honest I have been confusing steven pacheco and John lordan as the same person for about two years now. Although now that I've faced the confusion I can't imagine why I would think that John lordan is also the voice on trace evidence. Smh

[@brainsareus]

So much volume in NYC, no time to thoroughly cover all crime. It's just not logistically feasible.

[@katerryjackson749]

@@infamousthomass you are good. It's easy to get confused because they are both soft spoken

[@leahvogelsimpson]

I've never heard of this and shocked no one's covered it. These killings are a big deal and now there's just nothing about them?

[@scallopohare9431]

Lotta, lotta crime then and there.

[@derby1884]

9,000 unsolved murders in the last 35 years? What the hell do the NYPD do all day - play cards?

[@steveholton4130]

Arrest 9M people on non-violent charges like smoking a joint in Central Park. Oh, that's automatically two charges per occurrence - we can't forget the charge of air pollution.

[@brainsareus]

Get a grip, do you realize the immensity of the task? I am a huge critic of policing, yet I try my damndest to be fair.

[@steveholton4130]

@@brainsareus, immensely unnecessary. They waste so much time and resources on pot for no good reason. If that waste was turned to cold cases, they would be solved.

[@killface4989]

Reeeeeeeeee!

[@brainsareus]

@@steveholton4130 The drug war is a travesty. I think police should not investigate crime[any crime], at all; even under the best of circumstances, it's at counter purposes to their day to day tasks. It should be an autonomous agency.

[@oskarrasmussen7137]

Given the time period and the 'ritual' I am surprised that the words 'satanist' and 'cult' never showed up.

[@louscrewed1060]

I've commented something to this effect before but if I was going to steal small items from a hotel (which I would not actually do) then panicked and killed a person who caught me my first thought would not be to perform a ritual with parts of the person's scalp. I really don't think a robbery gone wrong would somehow escalate in such a strange way. I'd also be surprised if a person who was only planning to commit theft and accidentally killed someone would attempt to do the same thing again do soon afterwards. For most people killing another person would be traumatic and I can imagine it would make the average person reluctant to replicate the situation which led to it.

[@morganstarchild5359]

I've never heard of this case! But I was born in April of 1985 , but I am a true crime addict so I'm surprised I never came across this case! How terrifying

[@littleredwitch]

Just a little oddity that I picked: one lady was 85 and the other 58 and the year was 1985! Nothing to do with who dunnit or anything else, just odd.

[@globetrotting2628]

It might have been a hotel staff member who didn't get the tip he wanted for bringing up the bags, food or whatever else? Even in two different hotels considering he might have switched to a higher paying job at a better hotel before the second murder. Some people don't like to take orders from women, and they might take it out on elderly women who can't defend themselves.

[@brainsareus]

A little overkill for a miserly tip, Sonny............next theory

[@globetrotting2628]

@@brainsareus You probably did it considering your personality!

[@brainsareus]

@@globetrotting2628 Shot your load, Sparky?

[@mijiyoon5575]

Very interesting; never heard of this one👍👍👍

[@Thatanticapitalist]

That music at the start always brings a feeling of nostalgia to me

[@joenewsom8017]

Cult??

[@MikeB071]

35:45 It's unusual for two people to team up and commit serial killer type murders, but not unheard of-Bianchi and Buono, the Hillside Stranglers are a good example.

[@therosepagest4363]

You cannot see the ocean from Manhattan, only the Hudson and East/Harlem rivers.

[@vadaharris4855]

It could be that the murderer was killed himself or arrested for something else, before he could kill again. Because that type of murderer doesn't just stop. He had an extreme rage against older women, didn't he?

[@rockstarofredondo]

He could have simply changed venues and/or weapons.

[@RicardoSanchez-oh6jb]

One possibility is the perpetrator had an accident which left them severely injured or disabled. In such a weakened state, this person could no longer act out on his deadly compulsion.

[@chipchop9067]

Yeah!!

[@mts982]

so no video?

[@theheroine177]

I guess it could also be a guest who transferred the weapon in their suitcase so it was inconspicuous.

[@Korrieification]

Great podcast! - have just re-subscribed as KZbin decided to unsubscribe me! 😡😡

[@desiregoncalves5219]

This might be unrelated but my grandfather lived in Brooklyn around this time and he as well was murdered it is still unsolved almost 40 years later

[@prismstudios001]

“Hey do you think those old ladies have anything worth stealing?””I I’m not sure,but you might want to ax em first.....”

[@janesmith146]

Sounds like this guy really had an axe to grind.

[@wingedeathnoisewave]

7:15 .. I don’t know if you should include a reference to the weekly world news on your true crime podcast! Unsolved murder juxtaposed with “bat boy” could damage one’s credibility..

[@LPAFilm]

This reminds me of that made for tv movie. Nightmare on the 13th floor. Reporter investigating ax murders

[@annabelle7626]

I have weird "Programmed to Kill"vibes about this one. Hotels - like all places of transience fill me with angst and creepy unease.i I feel terribly sorry for these two ladies, especially Janet, to be so frail t alone and therefore vulnerable in a lower rent hotel... Anyway, my friend, remember to lock, bolt and double check that you have done so when you get to your London hotel. Cheers 👌

[@SUPER_WOLFMOON]

I would guess that the killer either escaped from a mental asylum, or prison and was picked up within a week. I'd tilt toward mental asylum. Besides the escape theory, it could be that he was let out on a short pass for a funeral or something. Maybe he came from an institution out of town or state and was in town for family or a funeral for a short pass. The reason I suspect this is there's a history of killers who were summarily cleared because the person was thought to have been incarcerated through a lengthy time period. The other thing is psychologists and psychiatrists can not turn their patient in if their crime was in the past and has no indication they are planning to do it again. That includes the crime of murder.

[@SisterWomen]

To me theres a question of why no serial assault. They do seem to be targeted. It does seem to fit with a young man who has rage toward elderly women. That could also explain the weapon if he is too young to get a gun. But in that case I would expect sequel assault of some form. If both robberies were intended to take an object and discard it to lead authorities astray, that seems very telling. The motive in that case becomes the murder itself. It may be a teenager.

[@tracieday8661]

My man...I saw the Thumbnail, I clicked on. Anymore people are flocking to hotels because there's no affordable housing.

[@rockstarofredondo]

Kinda reminds me of Cecil Hotel in LA where other weird crimes and deaths occurred. Makes a person want to avoid hotels.

[@TigersandBearsOhMy]

No affordable housing in NYC, at least. 3500/mo on average? That's insane! I'm totally flabbergasted by that... Move, you loons! I grew up in a suburb 10 minutes from Pittsburgh and paid a literal 7th of that price, only $500 in rent for a 2br HOUSE, utilities included. I never would have survived if I needed to pay an extra $3000.

[@MF-ty2zn1]

The background music in the beginning is too loud. I can't hear what you're saying.

[@dandrummond9154]

The axe murder part is truly bizarre, especially since it wasn’t a fire axe. That’s what I assumed going in. The volume of axe murders that live in the collective conscience were not committed because sick assholes really liked hitting people with axe axes. The modern equivalent would be kitchen knife murders. The advantage being that 💯 % of people had one, but better than trying to find the kitchen to get a knife, axes were outside or in a shed as close to the woodpile as possible. Taking an axe to the murder is irrational, and unlikely to go unnoticed. It does sound like the police may have confused a hatchet with an axe. It is unlikely somebody with an axe could sneak it in without way too much effort.

[@mikki3740]

Everyone kept saying they were interrupted robberies, but I totally disagree. The intimate hands-on method of murder, the ritualistic behavior, and especially if he didn't even keep and use the credit cards?? To me, it was all about the murder. And yeah I also just wonder why this stopped...Terrible.

[@labpartners3490]

I read an article about why there were so many serial killers around the same time I think 70-90's, but I don't really recall too much of the reasoning. I think DNA testing being crap but even so.. these endless cases of just worse than horror movies types of murders all happening around the same time. How did people survive? Maybe it's just as bad now or worse, guess they do often take time to solve.

[@wintergarden7539]

Maybe there is no motive. Similar to Crime and Punishment.

[@redmouse1967]

I wonder if the couple who had the CC killed the killer...?

[@scottjohnstone6204]

It makes me think of The Son of Sam killer, "There are other sams out there" !

[@iveyivey1298]

I think it was somebody that had to do with the maintenance Department of that hotel, someone probably that was from another country and had beliefs of the occult and that type of background, if I had been in the law enforcement with that case I would have checked all the employees and their background, it could have been a woman or a team of a man and a woman

[@jeremyvance1893]

It was NYC in the 80's, nobody, saw nothing!!

[@jewell92]

Do police even know what a suspect is? Unclear.

[@dalhousieDream]

A hotel worker that thought they were rude to him...working at one hotel then the other?

[@alisha8676]

I think a possible explanation as to why the killer may have stopped is because he has simply moved on meaning to a different area wherever that is, and potentially became one of the many unknown serial killers out here, and switch his m.o from killing women with an axe, to now murdering them by strangling or other methods, or his victims just simply disappeared and haven't been found yet and the cops haven't put 2 and 2 together. Or he is dead himself.

[@j.r6427]

Wow that's crazy

[@xancypillosi9497]

Where u been bro

[@vantastroganoff4370]

You got me No poetry in motion? I was about to depart The first 30 seconds we open our mouth, we profiling the voice of that person With so many podcast reading schematic can be unbearable No arm,it don't suite you Life goes on. TELEMETRY of matters & being So important with delivery Urgent,then let it flow in punctuation Im subbing Maybe eh switch🙄

[@johnnyray074]

give a man a Fishin-pole -Feed Him For life °🐟 give a man a Sharp Axe -Population-Control 🪓

[@maritfaye212]

Jippi 🤣🤣🤣

[@Simsimmer2000]

The first murder was a cover up for the second

[@maroonforsyth7011]

Yayyy

[@kkap895]

the nonsense in the beginning was a waste of time. We know the difference between a hotel room stay and living in an apartment . but rest was good.

[@RebeccaGallin]

It's like Lizzy borden!

[@COZMICTOM]

PERHAPS HOPEFULLY SOMEONE ''AXED'' HIM A QUESTION?