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Robert Ressler | |
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![]() Ressler in 1986 | |
Born | Robert Kenneth Ressler[1] February 15, 1937 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Died | May 5, 2013 | (aged 76)
Alma mater | Michigan State University |
Occupation(s) | FBI agent, author |
Known for | Criminal profiling |
Military career | |
Branch | United States Army |
Years of service | 1957–1962 |
Rank | Major |
Robert Kenneth Ressler (February 15, 1937 – May 5, 2013) was an American FBI agent and author. He played a significant role in the psychological profiling of violent offenders in the 1970s and is often credited with coining the term "serial killer",[2] though the term is a direct translation of the German term Serienmörder coined in 1930 by Berlin investigator Ernst Gennat. After retiring from the FBI, he authored a number of books on serial murders, and often gave lectures on criminology.