Hooked on true crime? Check out these WilmU lectures

It’s not hard to get caught up in the obsession with the true crime genre that dominates on Netflix, HBO, newsmagazine shows like Dateline, and, of course, a near-endless stream of murder-focused podcasts. Sometimes it feels like the bigger the genre gets, the farther it gets from reality — to the point where romanticizing serial killers has gone mainstream.

Wilmington University’s Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) is launching a lecture series this month where both students and community members can get up close with real-life investigators in some of the nation’s most notorious murder cases.

“You know people watch TV and they see these things on TV and what we’re trying to do is bring it to life,” said Dr. Raymond Carr, director of WilmU’s CJI, on Delaware Public Media. “So what we’re doing is we’re inviting some of the individuals who have worked some of the most famous cases known in America and bringing it live to the people in Delaware.”

The series kicks off on Oct. 15 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel on Concord Pike with Jeffrey Rinek, who served 30 years as a special agent with the FBI primarily investigating cases of missing and murdered children. Rinek is best known for obtaining a surprise confession from serial killer Cary Stayner to the 1999 Yosemite Park Murders.

There will be lectures scheduled for November and December, with guests to be announced.

The lectures are free, but require registration. Click here to register.