In less than a minute, you can go online and buy signatures, hair and even foot scrapings from serial killers. While it may seem distasteful to many of us, it's perfectly legal.
At a time when you can buy almost anything on-line, it should be no surprise that you can also buy hair from Charles Manson, drawings from Danny Rolling or a quarter-sized brick from an apartment where Jeffrey Dahmer grew up.
"It's the most nauseating and disgusting feeling in the world," said Andy Kahn, head of the Mayor's Crime Victims Office in Houston.
Kahn is so offended by memorabilia from serial killers, he came up with a new name for them: 'murderabilia.' And he's got quite a collection: hair from the so-called Sunset Strip Killer in California; fingernails from Roy Norris, who worried they would fall into the hands of a Haitian voodoo priest; and prison-issued socks from Lawrence Bittaker, who along with Roy Norris, killed five teenagers in California in the late 70s.
He's also got serial killer playing cards, board games and action figures.
"It's a way for you to get close to that particular serial killer or high-profile murder," said Kahn. "You essentially own a piece of their soul."
But Kahn isn't dazzled by the 'murderabilia' on web sites like "Supernaught", "Murder Auction" and "Prisonbound Serial Killers." He's disgusted by it.
"I was dumbfounded and mesmerized, and at the same time was under the false delusion that this wasn't legal," said Kahn. "You can't be profiting after committing some of the most horrific, diabolical crimes known to mankind."
Kahn bought as much as he could on-line, then set about trying to stop the commerce of crime.
He enlisted an unusual ally in David Berkowitz, known as the "Son of Sam" -- a New York serial killer and the very guy after whom "Son of Sam" laws were named.
"Son of Sam" laws prevent criminals and their friends from selling stories about the crimes. Some still exist, including here in Texas, but they've been struck down as an unconstitutional attack on free speech every time they've been challenged.
What Kahn wants to do is stop the sale of 'muderabilia,' such as a criminal's fingernails or artwork. He calls it notoriety for profit. Though they've never met, Kahn and Berkowitz are now pen pals, and Berkowitz strongly supports Kahn's efforts.
So far, eight states have passed "notoriety for profit" laws, including Texas. Those laws say the state can take all profits from items that gain value from a criminal's notoriety.
But all those laws do is deflate the profit of "selling" the items. There's no law against buying them anywhere in the country.
"We kind of came up with the idea that the only way we're really going to battle this insidious, despicable industry is with federal law, because you're dealing with interstate commerce," said Kahn.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced a bill in Congress in 2007 that would have made it illegal for inmates to ship items out of prison for sale, but the bill went nowhere.
Still, Kahn persists, giving lectures and showing off his unusual collection.
"You just shouldn't be able to rob, rape and murder and then turn around and make a buck off of it, as much as I'm a believer in free enterprise and capitalism, and you have to draw the line somewhere," said Kahn.
"I absolutely supports his efforts," says Lori Bible, who has faced the 'murderabilia' issue head on.
In 1991, Bible's sister, Colleen Reed, was abducted from a South Austin car wash and murdered by serial killer Kenneth McDuff.
"It's something I live with all the time... birthdays, anniversaries," said Bible.
McDuff was executed in 1998, but his signature is still for sale today. We found an envelope going for $295.
"That's just sick," said Bible. "That people would want to sell it; that people would want to buy it."
Bible has worked with Kahn, and says she and other crime victims have a hard enough time surviving, without making celebrities out of criminals, and seeing how crime pays.
