The Vindicator

No. (Heavily breathing)

No! (Screaming)

Three, two, one.

Welcome back, Serial Thrillers.

This week's closing statement for the "Serial Chat."

We have a very special guest joining us today

With us is mine

and Tommy's psychology of criminal behavior professor

at the University of Pittsburgh: Lance Clemens.

Well, thanks for having me on, Ava.

So not only is Lance our teacher and mentor,

but he was also essential in helping us crack

that 40-year-old cold case last year.

He was so determined to bring justice

after I found damning evidence

against The Jolly Ripper.

And for that, I cannot thank you enough for believing in me

and for guiding us through the whole process.

Ah, don't mention it.

I mean, you are the one that did all the grunt work.

Oh, it was a team effort.

Along with Molly Babbs, our genealogist,

who came back with the strong DNA profile on The Ripper

to put the final nail in the coffin. (Chuckles)

Shout out, Babbs.

Great work as always.

You rock, Molly! (Chuckles)

If you guys haven't listened already,

please go check out our Jolly Ripper episode.

But seriously, though, Lance, it was just,

it was such a sense of validation

that I chose the right path for my studies

and hopefully my career.

So thank you.

Well, I have you to think as well.

It was a callback to the old days for me.

And to watch students of mine do so passionately

what I like to think I did so well in my time,

that's extra special

Oh.

Off that, Professor,

why don't you give the audience

a little taste of your life's work.

Ah.

Uh, nearly 30 years of law enforcement all over the place.

But it wasn't just any police work, though.

I was in violent crimes for the FBI,

part of the manhunts

for some of the biggest serial killers

in our country's history.

Wow. That's incredible, Lance.

Were you part of the capture teams for anyone we might know?

I was recruited when they started investigating Gacy

in the '70s.

Guys, this is my favorite story,

so listen up.

We had 'em him the station ostensibly for questioning,

but really we were just stalling

to get a search warrant for his house.

And Gacy was getting antsy,

detectives were losing him.

My instincts said I needed to sit with him one-on-one.

So I asked for a few minutes alone with him.

Just trusted my gut, always have.

You see, most people try to see the good in people,

especially criminals,

so they can connect and understand them.

But me, I've always had the gift

of seeing the bad in people.

The moment my eyes met his,

I knew exactly who he was.

You wanna tell me about the blood?

I told you,

just like I told all the others that came in before you.

I was coming home from a party I'd done.

I was out there around 45 and Central.

I hit a deer.

I tried to save it.

It got its blood all over me.

Poor thing died in my arms.

Was it your father you were trying to get back at

after everything he did to you?

Is that why you took the kid?

You got any kids, Officer?

Any little rugrats running around?

This isn't about me, John.

Maybe somebody you know.

You know, little, little boys, they, they love clowns.

I do what I can to expand my business.

Come on, John. Talk to me.

I do it for the love, you know.

You don't even gotta pay me.

John.

Which John would you like to speak with? Hmm?

I'm running for office soon.

So maybe you'd like to talk about my campaign.

Maybe something at home need fixing.

We at PDM Contractors can help.

Or maybe you're just in need of some cheering up.

Might I suggest you speak

with Pogo the Clown? (Laughing)

You know, I really gotta get goin'.

I got another birthday party to get to in a couple hours.

I gotta get this suit cleaned.

I think Tide will get the blood out.

My sister swears by it.

When I was done with him,

detectives had secured a search warrant for his house.

Within the hour,

we had located three bodies.

We nailed that motherfucker to the wall.

That must have put your name on the map for sure.

Ah, definitely helped me climb quickly in my career.

And that's why you were traveling the country?

To help determine who was a cold-blooded killer

and who was just your average Joe

and caught in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Exactly.

And most were easy to see through,

figured them out right away.

Anyone pose a challenge to you?

Mm.

One, the most disturbed of them all,

Dahmer.

They called him the Milwaukee Cannibal.

Now, I never saw the victims myself,

so I figured the media was just hyping him,

but then I thought back.

When we arrested him,

he had something stuck in his teeth.

Oh. A chill ran through me like I never felt.

And after him, I had to get out.

So I retired early, moved here.

And after a few years,

I got sick of all this fucked up knowledge

racking around upstairs,

so I got into teaching.

Figured I'd pass it along to you young psychopath

who are interested in this stuff.

How'd you end up in the chair?

Brad, stop.

Tommy, hit pause.

Tommy. No, wait.

I, I just figured after all of that,

there must be an interesting story there.

I mean, what happened?

Did you, did you get shot, stabbed?

It's okay, Ava.

I don't mind.

Go, go ahead, Tommy.

Well, kid,

I'll have you know that this is the handy work

of probably the worst criminal of them all:

Alcohol.

Like I said, I didn't like what I was seeing in my head.

Attention, ladies and gents.

Breaking news.

What do you have?

"After eluding custody for almost 50 years,

the serial rapist and murderer

known as the Orange Creek Carver,

who terrorized an Orange Creek Florida community

for over a decade, raping and killing 10 women,

"has finally been caught."

Trial upcoming.

Well, that's great.

I mean, what,

he has to be in, like, his, his 80s?

Yeah. "Franklin Keller, 89, expected to plead guilty."

Yep. Pushing 90.

Wow.

Well, I'm just glad he can finally pay for what he did

and those families can have some justice.

What? He totally got away with it.

What are you talking about?

Uh, think about it.

He committed those crimes in the '60s

when he was young.

So whatever life he wanted to live,

he got to live.

No way.

This perverted freak's gonna die

knowing he didn't get away with it.

No. No, he did get away with it.

Zodiac aside, who else has eluded custody for so long?