Robert Kenneth Ressler (February 21, 1937 -- May 5, 2013) was an FBI agent and author. He played a significant role in the psychological profiling of violent offenders in the 1970s and is often credited with coining the term "serial killer. '' After retiring from the FBI, he authored a number of books on serial murders, and often gave lectures on criminology.
where did the term serial killer come from
Robert Kenneth Ressler