Elsewhere on the Web • The Serial Killer Case of the Day • Worldwide Serial Killer Homepage • Talk Radio Assassination!

First, our personal security was threatened by the "Beltway Sniper" who struck in the Washington, D.C. area. Now, a similar shooting spree seems to be emerging. In Kanawha County, West Virginia there have now been three fatal shootings in four days outside convenience stores. I'm reminded that Radio and Radio hosts are no strangers to serial killers.

Jim Dunbar, one of San Francisco's most beloved radio personalities had a run in with the Zodiac serial killer in the mid '70s. In addition to anchoring the KGO Radio Morning News, Dunbar was also hosting "AM San Francisco" on TV when the Zodiac killer - still not apprehended - agreed to call Dunbar on-the-air. "The program was so dramatic that rival television stations encouraged their viewers to watch Dunbar's program instead", said Congresswoman Nancy Peloski in a congressional speech later honoring Dunbar.

In 1971, "Play Misty For Me" was released starring Clint Eastwood as a local disc-jocky and Jessica Walter as a psychotic fan. Her obsession with him leads to several murders and an attempt on Eastwood's character's life. In real life, KOA-AM, Denver talk show host Alan Berg was gunned down in his driveway on June 18, 1984 by a hate group called "The Order", a white supremecist hate group. The movie "Talk Radio" starring Eric Bogosian from 1988 was loosely based on his murder.

"Open House" is a movie from 1987 which involved a serial killer who calls a local radio show and brags to the DJ about his crimes. The DJ and police try and find the murderer.

"Caligari" was a Pirate Radio personality who began broadcasting in the Dallas/Fort Worth area in 1996. His topics were macabre and offbeat and he had a penchant for stunts. He suddenly vanished on Halloween night, 1998 when a gunshot rang out during his program. The story is he was wacked by a serial killer. What we don't know is whether he planned the whole stunt or if he actually was killed while on the air. Being a pirate radio personality his station nor his real identity was known. You can listen to some selected clips of his show here.

Syndicated Radio Talk Show host Mitch Albom wrote a column entitled: "We turn our serial killers into celebrities"

"You Belong To Me" is a novel by Mary Higgins Clark which involves a serial killer and a radio program. Here's a quick synopsis from a Barnes & Noble review: "When Dr. Susan Chandler decides to use her daily radio talk show to explore the phenomenon of women who disappear and are later found to have become victims of killers who prey on the lonely and insecure, she has no idea that she is exposing herself -- and those closest to her -- to the very terror that she hopes to warn others against."

- Corey Deitz

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