<P> Robert Kenneth Ressler (February 21, 1937--May 5, 2013) was an FBI agent and author . He played a significant role in the psychological profiling of violent offenders in the 1970s and is often credited with coining the term "serial killer ." After retiring from the FBI, he authored a number of books on serial murders, and often gave lectures on criminology . </P> <P> Robert Ressler grew up on North Marmora Avenue in Chicago, Illinois and graduated from Schurz High School, Class of 1955 . He was the son of Joseph, who worked in security and maintenance at the Chicago Tribune, and Gertrude Ressler . At an early age Robert became interested in killers, as he followed the Tribune's articles on "The Lipstick Killer". Ressler claims that he was more fascinated than afraid of this notorious killer, as other killers fascinated him in his later years with the FBI . Ressler attended two years at a community college before joining the U.S. Army and was stationed in Okinawa . After two years in the army Ressler decided to enroll in the School of criminology and police administration at Michigan State University . He graduated with a bachelor's degree and started graduate work but only finished one semester before going back into the army as an officer, having also completed an ROTC program at Michigan State . </P>

Where did the term serial killer come from