Potential Serial Killer Captured!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/26/AR2010082605949.html

I read about the suspected serial murderer, Elias Abuelazam, who is suspected of attacking 18 men, killing five of them. 

The article seems to pay equal attention to both the serial killer’s background and the cases he is suspected of perpetrating.  However, his background encompasses most of the beginning of the article while the case descriptions take up the majority of the end.  Some impatient readers may only learn about the suspected killer’s arrest, which is worded to appear un-slanted, but it actually makes his guilt seem likely.

Regarding his background, the article reports that Abuelazam is a 33-year-old Israeli citizen.  It also reports the date he moved to Leesburg, Virginia, a state where he is suspected of carrying out several attacks.  He has been charged with one stabbing in Michigan, and authorities believe he has committed many other attacks in Michigan and one in Ohio.  Much of the other information pertaining to his whereabouts is based on the assumption that he is the killer and attacker, speculating on his motivations and targets. 

There is no mention of other serial killer cases.  Neither are there statistics.  The article deals solely with Abuelazam and the evidence against him. 

Additionally, there is no mention of the FBI.  Leesburg authorities and a Genesee County, Michigan prosecuting attorney are the only law enforcement entities mentioned. 

There is, however, a great deal of description on the victims themselves.  Allegations concern a racial motivation.  Sixteen out of the eighteen victims were black, while one was a dark-skinned Hispanic and one was white.  In Michigan, the victims associated with the suspect were always alone.  Their attacker often asked them for directions or assistance with a broken car before attacking them.  There is more detail with the Virginia assaults, probably because my source is The Washington Post.  One teenager was stabbed in the back, a 67-year-old man was stabbed while sitting on his porch, and another man was helping the attacker repair his vehicle when he was stuck on the head with a hammer.  There are no names, just descriptions. 

The suspected serial killer operated in Michigan, Ohio, and Virginia.  The explanation for the move to Virginia was that Abuelazam had once worked with troubled children in Leesburg and he has family in the vicinity.  They do not mention if he had a job at the times of the attacks. 

It could be noteworthy that there is not a mention of the possibility of Abuelazam’s innocence.  Every quote and mention of evidence points to his guilt.  Readers are supposed to believe he is guilty.