Hunting the Invisible Killers

Contract killings occupy a unique and disturbing space in the world of crime.Unlike impulsive violence, these crimes are deliberate. They are planned, negotiated, organized, and executed through networks that often operate in secrecy. In many cases, the person who orders the killing is far removed from the person who pulls the trigger.For investigators, contract killings present a particular challenge: the true perpetrator is often invisible.The shooter may disappear. The intermediaries may know only fragments of the plan. The mastermind may believe that layers of separation provide permanent protection.But investigations have shown something important.Even the most carefully planned murder-for-hire operation leaves patterns.Disputes escalate. Threats appear. Communication networks form. Money moves. Surveillance occurs. Small mistakes accumulate.This book explores those patterns.