Skip to contentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.Join todayAlready a member? Log inJasmine FernándezWednesday 14 October 2026 22:02 BSTRelated: Driver ‘too drunk to stand’ jailed for killing motorway workerPolice 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 full5 people have been found dead near a river trail in Michigan, sparking serial killer fearsMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in