Fantasy and Fact — Inside the Dark Mind of a Killer

M. William Phelps is the national bestselling author/investigative journalist of over 20 nonfiction books, five of which focus on serial murderers, and star of "Dark Minds." His latest book is NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN.

It's one of the most brutal murder cases of the past twenty years (maybe longer), mirroring the grotesque crimes of Thomas Harris's blockbuster novel, Silence of the Lambs. Experts agree that had this killer not been stopped, this particular individual would have gone on to become a prolific serial killer the likes of which history has never seen. And here's the thing: We're talking about a 20-year-old described once as the "shy, sweet … 'girl next door.'"

Her name is Chane van Heerden, a pretty, dark-haired, innocent looking South African who, by outward appearances, comes across as any other twenty-something searching for her way in life. There might even be a bit of Dragon Tattoo's Lisbeth Salander in there somewhere, at least in manner and theory.

Experts call van Heerden the "Welkom killer," by far South Africa's most disturbed murderer on record, who was said to have acted on her own "twisted fantasies," and yet suffered from a rare diagnosis called "shared psychotic disorder," this according to a report in IOL News.

What did van Heerden do to ignite such a maelstrom of discussion centered on how evil and malicious a killer she is?

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