Investigation Discovery's Real-Life "Silence Of The Lambs" Returns With A New Season Of DARK MINDS - And A New Serial Killer Source Identified Only As "Raven"

SILVER SPRING, Md., Feb. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Returning for another chilling season, Investigation Discovery's DARK MINDS transports the most dangerous of all criminals right into your own home. In the series, returning on February 27, non-fiction crime author M. William Phelps and criminal profiler John Kelly revisit unsolved homicides believed to be the work of serial killers. The twist? They have an insider that intimately understands the disturbed mind of a murderer – because he is one, currently serving multiple life sentences in a maximum security prison. With a new voice on the other end of the line this season, known only to audiences as "Raven," this unique source offers his "expert" opinion to profile the killers whose victims deserve justice and whose families deserve answers. Raven's voice and identity are disguised as he uses his own personal experience to formulate theories about the motives and practices of each murderer, providing unorthodox yet invaluable information that Phelps and Kelly make sense of in an effort to provide law enforcement with critical leads. With eight, one-hour episodes, the new season of DARK MINDS returns on Wednesday, February 27 at 10 PM (E/P) on Investigation Discovery.

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"It's one thing to dramatize a serial killer and play off that relationship, as actors do so well in 'The Following,' 'Dexter,' 'Criminal Minds,' and countless others," said Henry Schleiff, president of Investigation Discovery. "Yet it's quite another to actually speak with a convicted serial killer week after week, picking his brain for those bits of information that can help reopen and, perhaps, solve cases in the real world, as is the goal of Phelps and Kelly in every investigation they touch for DARK MINDS."

For Phelps, it's personal. His sister-in-law, five months pregnant, was murdered and her case was never solved, which helps fuel his passion for answers. He knows all too well the personal effects of having a loved one who was murdered, and relates to the grieving families who are out there still looking for closure. Through his work with DARK MINDS, Phelps has developed a necessary connection to Raven — a relationship that haunts him on a daily basis.

"The emotional toll is overwhelming. It makes my skin crawl, especially listening as Raven describes the enjoyment he got from taking a human life," said M. William Phelps. "But it's ultimately worth it, because victims deserve justice and the families deserve answers – and with DARK MINDS, the potential is there for us to help with both."

In all of the cases featured in this series, the killers are still out there. DARK MINDS brings fresh eyes to unsolved serial killer cases using the combined instincts of three unique perspectives, and cases examined this new season include:

• The Original Night Stalker Premieres February 27 at 10 PM: This killer stalked suburban streets throughout California, working from Sacramento down to Los Angeles. Known to have committed 50 rapes and 10 murders, he remains one of America's most terrifying and elusive serial killers.
• Blonde, Blue-Eyed, and Gone Premieres March 6 at 10 PM: After 10-year-old Holly Piirainen disappeared in 1993, Molly Bish, a girl the same age from a nearby town, wrote Holly's parents a heartfelt letter. Seven years later, Bish went missing too. Eventually, both girls' bodies were found just 10 miles apart. With two other similar cases in Connecticut and Massachusetts, Phelps' mission is personal to find answers to these crimes that occurred in his local community.
• The Coastal Killer Premieres March 13 at 10 PM: Five girls, all out late in the quiet coastal town of Newport, Oregon, disappeared in the 1990s. Four were found murdered, but one remains missing. No one has been charged with these murders, but no matter how hard they try, killers always leave clues.
• The Texas Killing Field Premieres March 20 at 10 PM: Since the 1970s, 30 young girls have gone missing in a flat, no-man's land outside of Houston. Several of them have turned up dead, leaving investigators to question which murders are connected and where is the pattern of this killer...and most importantly, when he will strike again.  
• The I-70 Killer Premieres March 27 at 10 PM: Every day, I-70 carries thousands across the Midwest. But in 1992, the highway also carried a serial killer with six victims across five states. With the help of a possible survivor, the team hopes that her memories can help unlock the dark secrets of I-70.
• The Mall Killings Premieres April 3 at 10 PM: In Boca Raton, Florida, this serial killer shops for his victims while they're shopping for clothes by prowling a suburban shopping mall. For Raven, this is the case that keeps him up at night as this killer has so many quirks and traits...and such confidence.
• The Colonial Parkway Murders Premieres April 10 at 10 PM: A seemingly idyllic drive through the scenic forests of historic Virginia is riddled with a serial killer who likes to murder in pairs. With eight unsolved murders in the area, are they coincidences or the work of a very sophisticated killer?
• The Highway of Tears Premieres April 17 at 10 PM: Over a period of 30 years, more than 30 young women have gone missing on Canada's Highway 16. In this tragic, seemingly never-ending tale of hitchhiking gone horribly wrong, the DARK MINDS team assesses if this is the work of one serial killer or many.

ABOUT M. WILLIAM PHELPS
M. William Phelps is a serial killer expert, crime expert, investigative journalist, and the best-selling author of 23 non-fiction books ranging in subjects from serial killers to female murderers to America's first spy. In 1996, he lost his sister-in-law, who was five months pregnant, to a suspected serial killer, fueling his passion to hunt for answers in other such cases. His latest true crime book, "Kiss of the She-Devil," will be released in March by Kensington/Pinnacle.

ABOUT JOHN KELLY
Phelps' partner throughout DARK MINDS is one of today's preeminent serial killer profilers, John Kelly. As the founder of S.T.A.L.K. Inc. (System to Apprehend Lethal Killers), Kelly aids law enforcement in the pursuit of murderers through a comprehensive profiling process. It was through S.T.A.L.K. that Kelly first enlisted the help of "13" to build criminal profiles, who was the serial killer that was featured on season one of DARK MINDS.

DARK MINDS is produced by Beyond Productions for Investigation Discovery. For Beyond Productions, John Luscombe is executive producer and Andrew Farrell is showrunner. For Investigation Discovery, Eugenie Vink is executive producer, Sara Kozak is vice president of production and Henry Schleiff is president.

ABOUT INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY
Investigation Discovery (ID) is America's leading mystery-and-suspense network. From harrowing crimes and salacious scandals to the in-depth investigations and heart-breaking mysteries that result, ID challenges our everyday understanding of culture, society and the human condition. ID delivers the highest-quality programming to nearly 80 million U.S. households with viewer favorites that include On the Case with Paula Zahn; Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda; Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry?; Disappeared; Stalked: Someone's Watching; and Redrum. For more information, please visit InvestigationDiscovery.com, facebook.com/InvestigationDiscovery, or twitter.com/DiscoveryID. 

Additional press materials, including photos, bios, and online screeners, can be found on the DARK MINDS press website: http://press.discovery.com/us/id/programs/dark-minds/

SOURCE Investigation Discovery