While a high-level task team is investigating the spate of murders of homeless people in Pretoria, former head of the police investigative psychology unit Prof Gérard Labuschagne says police need to deal with the matter as serial killings until there is information that reveals otherwise.
Five middle-aged men believed to be homeless have been stabbed to death over the past month, with two others claiming to have survived the attack.
READ: High-level task team deployed after a fifth homeless man found dead in Tshwane
Police have remained mum on whether or not the incidents are linked to a serial murderer.
While police may be reluctant to refer to it as such, Labuschagne says there is nothing wrong with labelling the crimes as that of a serial killer.
If I were still in the police I would say we need to deal with this as a serial until we have information to the contrary. There is never any harm to deal with a bunch of murders as being a serial because invariably what happens is you get a really good task team put together.
— Prof Gérard Labuschagne, Former head of the police investigative psychology unit
Looking at the different elements that may classify the crimes as being that of a serial killer, Labuschagne says one would need to commit two separate murders to be classified as a serial killer.
To be called a serial murder, you need two separate murders committed by one individual.
— Prof Gérard Labuschagne, Former head of the police investigative psychology unit
Click on the link below to hear more from Labuschagne....
This article first appeared on 702 : 'We need to deal with these as serial killings until otherwise'
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