Can an algorithm catch a serial killer?

A self-professed data nerd, Thomas Hargrove believes everything around us is following a mathematical formula…including murder. Hargrove wanted to find a way to use data to solve cold cases and identify potential serial killers that have gone unnoticed. Armed with public homicide records, he created an algorithm that can spot similar patterns across different cases. Each cluster is given an unique identifier — what he calls a “Dewey Decimal System of death.” Through the Murder Accountability Project, Hargrove releases the data to the public and partners with local law enforcement to consult on ongoing investigations.