Viral Scare in Rockford: Police Put Serial Killer Rumors to Rest

Heavy police presence on the west side of Rockford last week prompted a slew of social media posts claiming a serial killer is breaking into homes, but is it true?

Is a Serial Killer on the Loose in Rockford?

Over the weekend my Facebook feed was absolutely flooded with alarming posts claiming there’s a “serial killer” roaming Rockford’s West Side, and I’ll be honest, the more I scrolled, the more unsettled I became.

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I may be fascinated by true crime stories and oddly enjoy watching documentaries about serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer and Ed Gein, but I definitely do NOT like seeing posts like this from Rockford residents:

The above two posts are just a few examples of ones that were going viral in the Rockford area recently but thankfully, the Rockford Police Department was quick to shut them down:

The Rockford Police Department has been made aware of recent rumors circulating on social media regarding a “serial killer” on the west side of Rockford. That information is inaccurate.

The police presence recently observed in the area was related to a domestic incident and is not connected to any ongoing or broader threat.