Most people know about America’s famous killers like Jeffery Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, or Ted Bundy. But fewer know about Samuel Little.
Little is touted as one of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history having confessed to 93 murders, most of whom were women, over the course of 40 years. A 2021 update from the Texas Department of Public Safety says that more than 60 of Little’s confessions have been confirmed true.
During his spree from 1970 to 2005, Little continually evaded the justice system despite being arrested on numerous occasions, sometimes even in the act of assault or attempted murder, according to a 2020 three-part series by The Washington Post titled “Indifferent Justice.” After finally being convicted of murder in 2014, Little began to confess his crimes paired with detailed recollections and drawings of his victims.
Lieutenant Darren Versiga, an investigator who worked on Little’s case, is coming to Regis University on May 13 to share his experiences as part of its free Criminology Speaker Series.
The series, nearly 20 years old, is organized by Associate Professor of Criminology Don Lindley. He himself worked with the Denver Police Department in almost every aspect, including five years on the vice squad, for nearly 35 years.
Lindley started his teaching career at Metropolitan State University in 1976 while on the force. In 2003, he began teaching at Regis University, and in 2006, hosted his first conference.
Over the years, Regis has hosted numerous people who’ve worked on high-profile cases. The first that came to mind for Lindley was Milwaukee Journal reporter Anne Schwartz, who was the first reporter on the scene at Jefferey Dahmer’s arrest.
Some other highlights include an investigator on the Gary Ridgway case, better known as the Green River Killer, and an investigator on the Sandy Hook school shooting.
“[The speakers] give citizens interested in criminal justice and criminal behavior truth,” Lindley said. “There’s no speculation at all with these people. That’s an incredible opportunity.”
Attendees range from students of criminology to professionals to the general public.
For this particular presentation, Lindley found himself wondering who the most prolific serial killer could be. So he put the question into Google and came up with Samuel Little.
“I thought, ‘What? Who is he?’ I expected someone else. So it was a surprise to me,” Lindley said.
His passion for criminology is still apparent through the phone today. He’s learned over the years that there’s no real mystery, and that once you study the patterns of behavior from these killers, you start to understand the Jefferey Dahmers of the world, he said. Yet there’s one question that keeps him, and others, coming back for more.
“Here’s the big question: why?” Lindley said. “Why do they do this? For all of the 44 years that I’ve been involved in law enforcement and teaching at the college level, it’s always been that.”
The CSI Conference with Lt. Darren Versiga will take place on Friday, May 13 from 6-9 p.m. in the Mountain View Room in Peter Claver Hall. Parking is free. Registration can be accessed at https://csiregis.eventbrite.com. Guests can enter parking from Lowell Boulevard, just north of 52nd Avenue at entrance 4.
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