Samuel Little, a former boxer, was convicted in 2014 of killing three women in California in the 1980s. He’s serving three consecutive life sentences for those crimes. The FBI said in a report he is now being investigated in connection to dozens more unsolved cases.
The agency said in a statement: “Law enforcement has only recently begun unraveling the true extent of his crimes.”
Bobby Bland, district attorney of Ector County where Little is being held, said the 78-year-old began confessing dozens of other murders committed between 1970 and 2005 only after a Texas Ranger named James Holland gained his trust.
FBI crime analyst Christina Palazzolo claimed during the course of an interview in May 2018, Little “went through city and state and gave Ranger Holland the number of people he killed in each place”.
He confessed a total of 90 murders but law enforcement has so far verified only 34 killings.
The FBI report claimed Little preyed mainly on drug addicts and prostitutes during the decades-long murder spree that stretched from coast to coast.
Mr Bland said in a statement: “Little will be confirmed as one of, if not the most, prolific serial killers in US history.”
The deadliest known US serial killer is believed to be Gary Ridgway, who was convicted of 49 murders and he is now is serving a life sentence in Washington state.
According to the FBI, Little “remembers his victims and the killings in great detail” but is “less reliable, however, when it comes to remembering dates”.
Police detective Bernie Nelson told the Washington Post: “Talking with him, you can hear he actually gets excited about describing his homicides and describing how he strangled his victims.
“He looked you right in your eye and said he couldn’t help himself.
“He’s a monster.”
The FBI said Little is not in good health and will likely spend the rest of his days in prison in Texas.