An unnamed escort in Charleston, W. Va. killed a suspected serial killer on July 18. Neal Falls, the man from Oregon who was shot and killed last week, could have been on his way to a killing spree. Inside his car were axes, a machete, knives, a shovel, bleach, trash bags, and other suspicious items. A list of escorts from Backpage.com, where he also found the woman who killed him, was found inside his pocket, according to the Washington Post.
When the man pointed the gun at the prostitute and said, "live or die," she knew he was there to kill her. The woman said that the man was strangling her when she grabbed her rake. He then put down his gun to take the rake away from her. It was then she took the gun and just shot behind her. After that, she ran outside and sought help from her neighbor who called the police. The Charleston Police Department ruled the shooting self-defense, the Washington Post added.
Neal Falls was a 45-year-old security guard from Oregon with just traffic violations under his name and no serious offenses. There was no money found with the man which puzzled the police considering he was there to ask services from an escort, according to the Guardian.
The police are investigating if the man is connected to a string of violent murders that happened last year in Ohio. Some of the six female victims are linked to prostitution, as well. The Ohio police are also monitoring the investigation, KPTV of Fox 12 reported.
Police in Las Vegas, Nev. are also coordinating with the Charleston Police about the deaths of three alleged prostitutes and one disappearance about a decade ago. Falls lived in the same area when these incidents happened. Lt. Steve Cooper, the chief of the detectives handling the case, said that the authorities already issued a national alert, NBC News reported.
