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“I don’t like (the attention). I’m a super introvert who feels really possessive over my research,” said Reid, whose office at the U of C’s social sciences building is adorned with a mosaic of 15 mugshots of some of the world’s most notorious serial murderers.

“It makes me uncomfortable seeing my face out there. But I feel like my research has something to offer to the law enforcement community and families who have been victimized.”

Reid gained national attention after she recognized patterns in a series of unsolved homicides in Toronto’s LGBTQ community and crafted a profile of a potential serial killer for police.

About six months later, Bruce McArthur was arrested and just last month pleaded guilty to eight counts of first-degree murder. Much of Reid’s profile of the killer turned out to be spot-on.

The database, which is the heart of her final doctoral project, is the result of her life-long interest in serial killers; it’s been ongoing for nearly six years.

Teaching five classes at the U of C has forced her to scale back her nightly work on the project, but Reid said she’s still able to spend a couple hours daily expanding the database.

“The database is my baby — it’s what I do,” said Reid, whose research has led her to pour over hundreds of diaries, interviews and home videos of serial killers in an effort to find any discernible triggers to their deadly behaviour.

“I’m constantly updating and refining it.”

The variables identified in the database drill down on common denominators among serial killers, including cycles of abuse, violent and criminal behaviour during youth, socio-economic circumstances, and other potential anomalies. It’s hoped the breadth of the data could help mould a science-based approach to the criminal profiling of serial killers.