Robert D. Keppel

Robert David Keppel (June 15, 1944 – June 14, 2021) was an American law enforcement officer and detective. He was also an associate professor at the University of New Haven and Sam Houston State University. Keppel was known for his contributions to the investigations of Ted Bundy and Gary Ridgway, and also assisted in the creation of HITS, the Homicide Investigation Tracking System.

Early life Robert Keppel was raised in Spokane, Washington, where he attended Central Valley High School. After graduating, he went on to attend Washington State University, where he competed in the high jump. Keppel was inspired by his father to pursue criminal justice, in hopes to become a police chief. He went on to receive his master's degree in police science and administration. Following graduation in 1966, Keppel worked for the King County Sheriff's Office before being drafted as an Army drill sergeant and a captain in the Vietnam War from 1967 to 1974. He was also the author of many textbooks regarding criminal justice and related topics.

Works

Serial Murder: Future Implications for Police Investigations (1989; )

Signature Killers (with William Birnes) (1997; )

Murder: A Multidisciplinary Anthology of Readings (with Joseph Weis) (1999)

The Psychology of Serial Killer Investigations: The Grisly Business Unit (with William Birnes) (2003; )

The Riverman: Ted Bundy and I Hunt for the Green River Killer (with William Birnes) (1995; / Revised after Ridgeway confessions, 2004; )

Offender Profiling (2006; )

Forensic Pattern Recognition: From Fingerprints to Tool Marks (with Katherine M. Brown and Kristen M. Welch) (2006; )

Serial Violence: Analysis of Modus Operandi and Signature Characteristics of Killers (with William Birnes) (2008; )

Profiling: Principles, Processes, Practicalities (with David V. Canter) (2010; )