Some Long-Haul Truckers Linked to Serial Killings, FBI Says

The job is solitary, albeit with long hours. It's highly mobile. And there's little supervision.

Hence, some serial killers and others who prey on women may be attracted to work as long-haul truckers, federal agents tell the Los Angeles Times.

After making the connection about five years ago concerning the possible responsibility of truckers for the hundreds of bodies apparently disposed of alongside the nation's freeways in recent decades, the FBI launched a Highway Serial Killings initiative to track suspects and keep track of dumped bodies, the newspaper reports.

An FBI computer database also includes of dozens of truckers charged or suspected in killings and rapes committed near freeways. A number of the victims reportedly are women with high-risk lifestyles, such as prostitutes who work at truck stops.

"We don't want to scare the public and make it seem like every time you stop for gas you should look over your shoulder," Michael Harrigan, who heads the FBI initiative, tells the Times. "Many of these victims made poor choices, but that doesn't mean they deserved to die."

A 2002 book by true-crime writer Jack Olsen, "I": The Creation of a Serial Killer, details the story of one convicted long-haul trucker who reportedly not only murdered women he met in the course of his job but found a way to dispose of some of their bodies without detection. An Amazon.com website provides links to more information about the book.