Dahmer Did It

The cannibal caught in Wisconsin is undoubtedly a viable suspect. It's easy to surmise that when Dahmer — who was known to glare at his victims in an attempt to hypnotize them — failed to get Morgan, he took his frustration out on the weakest link he could find in the uncrowded mall, a 6-year-old boy whom he threw into a blue van.

Of course, there are some details that don't match. For instance, Bowen remembers Dahmer wearing a green Army jacket, not a yellow T-shirt. The killer could have put on the jacket before abducting Adam, or one of the men might have just flubbed a detail.

Yes, but what about Dahmer never killing kids? Well, during his career as a serial killer, which began well before 1981, he killed a 14-year-old boy and was convicted in sex crimes involving a 13-year-old and two 12-year-old boys. And if you want to talk about M.O., then what about the fact that Adam was decapitated and the body essentially disappeared? It fits Dahmer's style in chilling fashion.

At the very least, Arthur Jay Harris' case should be deeply investigated by trained investigators who share at least one very important qualification: That they have never, ever been employed by the Hollywood P.D.

"Let's look at the information that Harris has, unbiased," Purtell says. "Wouldn't it be nice if you could get some retired officers, detectives, who are well-respected to look into this and tell us what they find?"

Before that can happen, though, somebody is going to have to take the lid off that box.