Police warn of suspected serial killer after five murders in one-mile stretch

• Police in Lansing, Michigan, are investigating whether a serial killer is targeting the city's unhoused community after five men were violently attacked along a one-mile stretch of the Lansing River Trail.
• All five victims were unhoused men assaulted overnight while lying down or sleeping between October 2025 and August, resulting in five deaths from head trauma or stabbing.
• Authorities arrested 23-year-old Edward Joseph Smith for the fatal stabbing of one victim, while investigators evaluate whether the remaining four cases are connected to the same suspect.
• Victims' families and community leaders criticized police and local officials for failing to issue timely public warnings as the attacks unfolded.
• In response to safety concerns, Lansing authorities have deployed mobile camera trailers, increased police patrols, and dispatched social workers along the trail.

IN FULL

5 people have been found dead near a river trail in Michigan, sparking serial killer fears