re: Anyone interested in cold cases: Smiley Face Murder Theory

About 10 years ago I saw a FB post by numerous FB friends about a guy missing in NJ after being out with friends. Less than a week later same sort of posts popped up on my feed from a cluster of friends in Rhode Island. In both cases a 25-30 year old male disappeared on his way home after being out with friends. The circumstances were eerily similar and in both cases the person was later found in the water. I mentioned to a friend on FB that I’d seen the exact same thing in RI like a week later. That friend told me that investigators had told many people that multiple males in that age range have been dying under the same circumstances all over the north east in (back then) recent months.
It’s too similar and to much of a cluster to be a coincidence. I think a paper in Jersey City ran with a story linking some of the places, but it didn’t get much traction. Very odd circumstances in a few of the cases I’ve become aware of over time.

The map showing where the bodies were found forms a smiley face. The lines going north and south on the sides form dimples, the cove in the middle shapes as a nose, and the line running east and west at the bottom forms the smile.

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 decomposition inconsistent with what you’d expect from weeks in the water

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That detail stood out for me too, but on reflection I don't know that it supports the serial killer theory.

At least not without coming up with an explanation as to how all of these healthy young men were kept somewhere against their will without leaving any physical evidence of mistreatment.