If you listen to this show, you probably like hearing the bad guys get punished.

It's usually how we wrap up our stories.

These endings validate our internal sense of justice.

The killers behind bars, the mean girls hit by a bus, the jokers punched in the face by Batman.

In that, we have something in common with mission-oriented serial killers.

In their minds, they're punishing the bad guys.

But for this type of killer, making the world a better place requires committing murder.

Criminologists duo Ronald Holmes and Stephen Holmes note that the mission killer isn't psychotic

and is often seen as an upstanding member of society before they're caught. They'll succeed

in long-term jobs, start families, even save choking babies with CPR. But in secret, they target

so-called undesirables.

The kills are quick and organized.

With each death, they gain a sense of righteousness.

Today's killer had a personal mission to make the local streets safer for his daughter and children like her.

But Manny Pardo was no hero.

Welcome to Serial Killers, a Spotify podcast.

Every Monday, we bring you the true crime stories that stand out.

I'm Janice Morgan.

We'd love to hear from you.

Follow us on Instagram at Serial Killers podcast and share your thoughts on this week's episode.

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This episode contains discussions of violence and murder. Consider this when deciding how and when you'll listen.

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