’17 Bodies Found Wrapped In Plastic’ – Is There A ‘Dexter’ Copycat Serial Killer Out There?
In one of the most gruesome stories online, a report of 17 bodies discovered in the Ohio River wrapped in plastic wrap hinted that a Dexter-copycat serial killer may be on the loose in Kentucky. Empire News published the revolting details as explained by “Captain Owen St. Pierre of the Henderson Police Department.”
Kentucky residents can sleep with both eyes closed tonight because Empire News is a satire-based entertainment website. Unfortunately, a lot of readers fell for the hoax and are probably riddled with fright this evening.
17 bodies in plastic wrap found in the Ohio river… dexter is in ohio — Molly Myers (@mollymyers_) July 8, 2014
Oh my goshhhhh! Real life dexter!!! This is frickin insane http://t.co/Uo20JuzAqJ — Lauren Budas (@l_budas) July 8, 2014
17 bodies found in the Ohio River and a few have extensive criminal records aka they think someone is trying to be Dexter — Logs (@logan_newton) July 8, 2014
17 bodies (some with criminal backgrounds) found wrapped in plastic bags, dismembered. #dexter on the loose — ell squared (@LaurenPaigeLong) July 8, 2014
http://t.co/ym8jN0Vn82 #highlydisturbing especially considering it’s just an hour from the farm. Dexter stuff right here. Poor folks — Jon Taul Band (@Jontaul) July 7, 2014
17 bodies found in the Ohio river… Which means I’ll probably never get in a river again. — McKenzie Tichenor (@Kenzie_Shae) July 7, 2014
The disturbing story has gone viral with over 58 thousand Facebook shares within the first day of posting.
Cindy Brown Murphy of Kentucky writes:
“OMG! People people people. This is one of those fake news sites. I’m a Kentucky EMT, and KY law does NOT require resuscitation measures on an obviously DEAD body! And there is no Cpt Owen St Pierre of the Henderson PD. Wow, I don’t see how websites are allowed to report false news like this. You’d think they would get in some kind of trouble.”
Empire News features a disclaimer page explaining that the entire site is dedicated to satire and is strictly for entertainment. As usual, people commented on the story thinking it was real. Others commented mocking people for falling for satire. At the heart of every satire story though, there is usually a distorted reflection of a real story.
Kentucky.com reported on July 5 that a human leg was discovered in the Ohio River prompting the Henderson County Rescue Squad to use cadaver dogs and divers to search for human remains. DNA testing is being done on the leg that was found in the Ohio River. The DNA tests on the dismembered leg may take up to six months, according to The Courier Press.
Seventeen bodies were not found wrapped in plastic bags, any more than President Obama had a Fourth of July cookout at a mosque. A mass burial ground was not unearthed in the Ohio River. A serial killer mimicking the fictional character “Dexter” was not exposed today, and thankfully, several attempts to resuscitate one of the fictional 17 dismembered bodies never happened.
[Photo from Empire News]
