The Cleveland Torso Murders: Forensic Profiling of a Serial Killer – Forensic Science Reading Comprehension Worksheet

Take your students into one of the most chilling forensic cases of the 20th century with this reading comprehension worksheet on the Cleveland Torso Murders. This worksheet dives into the grizzly series of killings by the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run, exploring how early forensic profiling techniques and investigative methods shaped the case. Designed for high school and college students, this resource emphasizes the importance of forensic science in analyzing cold cases and introduces students to profiling techniques still in use today.

What’s Inside:

• Reading Passage: A compelling narrative on the Cleveland Torso Murders, from body discovery to the involvement of Eliot Ness, along with the challenges faced by investigators in the 1930s.
• Primary Source Excerpt: Detective Peter Merylo’s observations on the anatomical precision of the killer’s methods.
• Questions & Answer Key: Engaging multiple-choice, matching, fill-in-the-blank, and short-answer questions designed to deepen understanding and encourage critical thinking.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain the impact of forensic profiling and its role in serial killer investigations.
• Analyze clues, from the method of dismemberment to geographic patterns, and their influence on profiling.
• Explore the challenges and limitations of early forensic science in a time before modern technology.

Common Core Standards

• • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.2: Determine central ideas of a text and analyze its development.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.4: Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words.

Suggested Courses

• • Forensic Science
  • Criminology
  • Psychology

This worksheet is ideal for deeper learning, critical thinking, and connecting forensic science concepts to historical cases. Use it as a full lesson, homework, or as sub plans to spark discussions on the evolution of investigative science and the enduring mysteries of unsolved cases.

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