The FBI estimates there are 25 to 50 serial killers that are active in the USA at any time. Though most are not identified and their various killings are not connected to a single killer. So most active serial killers are never known to exist, let alone actively being looked for.

@freemo Somewhere I read recently that this number is much lower than it was decades ago. That was attributed to widespread surveillance and genetic evidence that makes them easier to catch.

@mike805 It makes sense that this number is smaller than it probably was in the past. The number i gave is the modern day estimate.

@freemo OTOH rage killers, the sort who have no plan afterward, seem a lot more common today. Is that media amplification, or SSRI drugs, who knows?

@mike805 I suspect this is a similar effect. In the past evidence meant a lot more simply meant undetected.

@freemo @mike805 how do they make this estimate?