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b'Experts Believe a Serial Killer Is Behind 51 Unsolved Strangulation Cases in Chicago\\nThis. Is. Horrifying.\\n\\nby\\xa0HANNAH SMOTHERS\\xa0\\nJUN 7, 2019\\n\\nKATIE BUCKLEITNER\\nA fresh look into dozens of unsolved strangulation homicides in Chicago suggests that the murders could be the work of a serial killer who\\u2019s been targeting women in the city since at least 2001.\\n\\nCrime experts with the\\xa0Murder Accountability Project, a D.C.-based nonprofit group that tracks unsolved homicides in the United States, used a web algorithm to map 51 unsolved strangulation cases that took place on the west and south sides of Chicago between 2001 and 2018. The 51 murders have striking similarities: all the victims were women, most were discovered outside in a public place, 76 percent were black, and 75 percent of the crimes had a \\u201cclear sexual component,\\u201d according to\\xa0an analysis by Thomas Hargrove, head of the Murder Accountability Project.\\n\\n\\n\\nHargrove performed his in-depth analysis of Chicago\\u2019s strangulation cases\\xa0at the request of WBBN, a CBS affiliate in Chicago, back in February 2019 because his group \\u201chas a knack for finding patterns in unsolved murder cases.\\u201d He analyzed information about thousands of homicide victims and the way they died, ultimately identifying 51 cases with strong similarities that are now the focus of this investigation. Hargrove told WBBN that the algorithm he used to map these 51 cases is \\u201cessentially a serial-killer detector,\\u201d which has been used to\\xa0help solve serial murders in other cities before.\\n\\n\\n\\nKildare judge jails Sex Workers for nine months\\nGARDAI RAIDED BROTHEL IN NEWBRIDGE\\n\\n\\nThe case was heard at Naas District Court yesterday\\n\\n\\nTwo women who were operating a brothel in Newbridge, have been jailed for nine months at Naas District Court yesterday.\\n\\nThe pair, Adrina Podaru, 25, and Ana Tomascu, 20, were living in 6 Canning Place, Newbridge when it was raided on November 18, 2018 last following complaints by locals.\\n\\nThe pair were charged with keeping or running a brothel, and evidence was given to the court by the gardai that the pair were also the prostitutes.\\xa0Gardai entered the premises using a search warrant having had the premises under surveillance for some time.\\n\\nAt the scene, the women admitted that they were working as prostitutes, offering sexual services for money, and signed statements to that effect.\\n\\nThe court heard that there were no clients at the brothel at the time that gardai raided it.\\xa0No significant money was found at the scene either.\\n\\n\\u201cWas business that bad?\\u201d Judge Desmond Zaidan asked.\\n\\n\\u201cIt was early in the night,\\u201d Sgt Jacob told the court.\\n\\nGardai say the women have not come to any attention since then.\\xa0One of the pair, Ms Podaru is currently expecting a child with her partner.\\xa0\\n\\nTheir solicitor told the court that the women hope to return to their native Romania once the trial is concluded and to avoid bringing any embarrassment to their families.\\xa0And gardai were satisfied that this was the case.\\n\\nTheir solicitor said that the women had a sum of money available that could be paid to a charity.\\n\\nBut Judge Desmond Zaidan was not inclined to give them this opportunity. \\u201cThey weren\\u2019t forced into this position.\\n\\nHe sentenced the pair to nine months in prison.\\n\\nMs Podaru has lodged an appeal and has been released on bail.'