Was Dylan Bish a Budding Serial Killer?

Pennsylvania Police Say Violent Fantasies, Thoughts of Cannibalism, and Predatory Stalking Point to Yes

On March 13, 2025, police in Koppel, Pennsylvania arrested 19-year-old Dylan Bish for terrorizing a female neighbor who lived just three houses down. The case unfolded over several months, beginning with what seemed like an ordinary social interaction.

19-year-old Dylan Bish

According to the victim's statements to CBS Pittsburgh, she first encountered Bish before November 2024 when he approached her in her backyard. He asked for her phone number, which she politely declined. "I thought nothing of it," she later told reporters. This mundane beginning makes what followed all the more disturbing.

In November 2024, the first note appeared on her door - simply her name and a phone number. Nothing overtly threatening, just unwanted contact. The woman turned this note over to Koppel Borough Police, who texted the number but couldn't identify its owner at that time.

By February 2025, the notes had transformed dramatically. In his handwriting, Bish wrote "I want 2 dismember you U w/ a chainsaw" and "UR mine 4 ever." He revealed he'd been watching her, noting: "I've been watching U from POV front of your apartment, UR room is filled with CDs" - a detail that confirmed he had indeed been observing her home (though she actually owned vinyl records rather than CDs). What had begun as merely uncomfortable had become genuinely frightening.

How Police Caught Bish

Here's where the case takes an interesting turn. The Koppel Borough Police Department had been texting with the phone number from the original note. On March 10, 2025, they received shocking messages from this number. The sender, Bish, believed he was communicating with his victim. He was texting directly with the police.

In these messages, Bish boasted about having "killed 20 women already" and claimed the victim would be "his next victim." According to court documents, he even sent a video of someone being skinned and tied up. This digital evidence gave police what they needed to identify Bish through his phone records, email, and IP addresses. They hauled him in.

During questioning on March 13, Bish was nothing if not honest. Not only did he tell detectives he planned to eat his victim’s brain and "peel the skin off her face," he said he was "not going to stop his obsession until she is dead." He also admitted to police that he was studying criminal justice and forensic science at Salem University in West Virginia "for the sole reason to know how the Police and FBI operate so that he will never get caught."

Following his arrest, Bish was booked into the Beaver County Jail with bail set at $1 million - an unusually high amount that reflects how seriously authorities viewed the threat. The judge ordered him to immediately undergo "an extensive mental health evaluation" before he had any chance at bail.

Who Wants to Be A Cannibal?

Cannibalistic fantasies like those expressed by Bish are exceptionally rare. Based on research by Raymond, Léger, and Gasman (2019), there were only about 90 documented cases in the entire psychiatric literature spanning a century. Think about that – fewer than one case per year worldwide made it into medical journals.

This research identifies two typical pathways through which cannibalistic thoughts and behaviors emerge:

The first involves individuals with severe schizophrenia, where cannibalistic thoughts emerge as part of psychotic symptoms. A well-documented example is the case of Albert Fentress, a former schoolteacher from Poughkeepsie, New York. In 1979, during what was later determined to be a psychotic episode associated with paranoid schizophrenia, Fentress killed an 18-year-old student and engaged in cannibalistic acts.

According to court testimony and psychiatric evaluations, Fentress's ritualistic compulsion during his psychotic break involved elements of sexual sadism combined with delusions about power and purification. He reportedly experienced command hallucinations telling him to perform specific acts of torture and mutilation that he believed would transform him. One of his delusions was that consuming parts of his victim would allow him to absorb their energy and power. During his psychotic episode, these delusional beliefs felt completely real and compelling to him, which is characteristic of schizophrenia-related psychosis.

The second pathway involves individuals with personality disorders with sadistic features. For these individuals, cannibalistic fantasies may be linked to feelings of power and control, serving to boost self-esteem or relieve emotional tension.

What distinguishes these two pathways is the organization and intentionality behind the behavior. In cases like Fentress, the cannibalistic acts occur during acute psychotic episodes, are often disorganized, and are driven by active delusions rather than careful planning. After such episodes, individuals often show confusion and a distorted memory of what has happened.

At first glance, what's notable in Bish's case is the organized nature of his threats. His methodical approach—studying forensics "so that he will never get caught," delivering written notes, and escalating the graphic content over time—shows a pattern that seems more calculated than impulsive. When he wrote "UR mine 4 ever" alongside threats about dismemberment, he expressed a desire for control that needs careful assessment to determine which pathway better explains his behavior. Bish's case, with its escalating pattern of threats and statements about studying forensics to avoid capture, presents different features that require careful assessment to determine the underlying psychology and level of risk.

It is also significant that Bish was able to present a casual facade during his direct interaction with his victim while harboring much darker intentions. Even after entering her backyard uninvited, the neighbor thought he seemed "normal enough." How many times have we seen a serial offender finally get arrested and discover that he comes across more like the boy next door than the monster under the bed?

It will be interesting to see what the forensic evaluators will uncover. The court-ordered evaluation will need to thoroughly investigate whether Bish's fantasies stem from psychotic thinking, personality traits, or some combination of factors. This distinction isn't merely academic—it has significant implications for both risk assessment and effective treatment approaches.

The Escalation Pattern

This case gives us a glimpse into how violent fantasies develop and escalate toward potential action:

• First encounter: Normal social approach asking for her phone number

• November 2024: First note with just name and phone number

• February 2025: Second note with explicit threats of dismemberment

• March 10, 2025: Claims of being a serial killer who had "killed 20 women"

Recent research by Meloy et al. (2021) on predatory violence identifies this pattern of escalation as a significant risk factor. Their study of 34 cases of targeted violence found that 85% showed a clear pattern of increasingly intrusive behaviors prior to violence. Directly communicating threats was an especially worrisome behavior. Higgs et al. (2021) conducted a comprehensive review of sadistic personality features and found that communication of violent fantasie was a predictor for those perpetrators at higher risk for violence, i.e., those individuals who shared their violent fantasies with their intended victims showed significantly higher rates of progression to action compared to those who keep such thoughts private.

We can only imagine how reinforcing it is every time a predatory stalker gets away with scaring his victim. Just as each escalation represents an increase in both the intensity of the fantasy and the boldness of his actions, each successful delivery of a note or message likely encouraged his behavior and increased his confidence.

Inside Bish's Mind: The Psychology of Sadism

Bish’s behavior also suggests he got pleasure from terrorizing his victim. The victim reported experiencing "a lot of anxiety" and feeling "very paranoid" after receiving his notes.

This fear reaction may have been exactly what Bish wanted. For people with sadistic tendencies, seeing the impact of their behavior on victims provides a sense of power and control that fuels their fantasies. When these fantasies no longer provide enough psychological satisfaction, they may escalate to more extreme threats or even actions.

Will Fantasy Become Reality?

The million-dollar question in cases like this is: What determines whether someone crosses the line from fantasy to actual violence? This is an extremely hard question to answer. But we have some clues.

Research by Sorochinski and Salfati (2021) points to several key factors that up the risk. First is the degree of fantasy rehearsal; the repeated mental simulation of violent scenarios that can make the idea of violence feel more familiar and less taboo. Bish's increasingly detailed threats suggest this process was happening.

The second is how specific the fantasies are. Vague desires to harm someone carry less risk than detailed plans. Bish allegedly told police concrete details about how ("dismember her with a chainsaw"), when ("this summer"), and where ("in the woods") he wanted to fulfill his fantasies. This level of detail shows the fantasy becoming a plan.

Then there is the content of the fantasies themselves. A recent study by Nitschke et al. (2021) on violent fantasies found that when individuals with sadistic traits combine multiple paraphilic interests (such as Bish's apparent combination of dismemberment fantasies, cannibalism, and necrophilia), the risk of progression from fantasy to action increases significantly. Their analysis of 212 forensic cases found that this combination was associated with three times the risk as opposed to single-focus fantasies.

And let’s not forget thoughts of how to get away with it. Bish’s devious motive for studying forensic science ("so that he will never get caught") shows a level of planning that goes far beyond impulsive fantasy. This organized approach to avoiding consequences suggests someone is thinking about the aftermath of potential actions.

The Red Flags That Matter

I’m often asked what mental health disorders are more likely to lead to violence. A better question is what symptoms are more likely to lead to violence; while it’s true that certain symptoms are more likely to occur in certain diagnoses, the link between a specific disorder and violence is indirect.

The same is true for fantasies. Certain fantasies are worrisome. But, from a risk perspective, we must take it one step further and look at behavior. Is the person actually capable of carrying out his plans? (Does he have the proximity, access, and weapons?) Has he engaged in behavioral tryouts, i.e., small acts that test boundaries or provide partial satisfaction? Bish's progression from a seemingly normal interaction to anonymous notes to explicit threats could represent this incremental testing process.

According to Storey et al. (2021), who reviewed risk assessment practices across 58 forensic settings, these behavioral indicators often prove more predictive of future violence than diagnostic categories. Their research found that specific planning, escalation patterns, and preparation activities were among the strongest predictors of progression from threat to action.

What Happens During a Forensic Evaluation

The court-ordered evaluation in Bish's case will be far more thorough than a typical psychiatric assessment. Unlike regular mental health treatment that focuses on helping patients feel better, forensic evaluations aim to protect public safety by identifying genuine risks. Evaluators will likely use specialized tools specifically designed to assess violence risk. These include the HCR-20 (Historical, Clinical, Risk Management-20), which examines 20 factors linked to violence, and possibly the SVR-20 for cases with sexual components. They may also administer the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised.

Bish’s violent fantasies will be a big topic of discussion. A recent review by Van Horn and Hitchcock (2022) examined current best practices in forensic assessment of extreme violent fantasies. Their research highlighted the importance of direct questioning about fantasy content, frequency, and triggers. One specialized interviewing protocol (Woodworth et. al, 2022) for assessing dangerous fantasies includes 20 critical questions exploring topics such as:

1. Frequency and intrusiveness of fantasies

2. Level of specificity in the fantasies

3. The degree of control the individual has over their thoughts

4. Emotional triggers and reactions

5. Evidence of escalation over time

6. Past violence or acting out

7. Interest in weapons or tools related to fantasies

8. Research, planning, or preparation activities

9. Communication of fantasies to others

10. Substance use patterns that might lower inhibitions

In addition, the defendant is just one source of information; hopefully, there will be many. These may include police reports, witness statements, mental health records, criminal history, jail phone calls, interviews with family and friends, and school records. These will all be combined to assess how all these facotrs interact in this particular person.

The Case Status: What Happens Next

Following his arrest on March 14, 2025, Bish was booked into the Beaver County Jail with bail set at $1 million. He faces multiple charges:

• Terroristic threats

• Stalking

• Harassment

• Harassment - Communication Anonymously

According to court records, Bish is scheduled for a preliminary hearing today (March 28, 2025), where evidence will be presented to determine if there was sufficient cause to proceed to trial. Bish's family has expressed the hope that the courts would order him to be placed in a psychiatric care facility rather than prison.

What This Case May Teach Us About Predatory Behavior

The million-dollar bail set in Bish's case wasn't just about money—it was society's recognition that we were witnessing a psychological countdown. His trajectory from benign encounter to explicit death threats follows the roadmap that forensic experts have long recognized but rarely capture in real-time.

What makes the Bish case so valuable to both true crime enthusiasts and forensic professionals is that he was stopped at what appears to be the final exit before action. His detailed timeline, specific location, explicit methodology, and strategic preparation all point to someone crossing that critical threshold from fantasy to planning.

When the Koppel Borough Police Department stated they believed they prevented "the spawning of a potential serial killer," they were seeing warning signs in Bish that research has repeatedly validated. As this case unfolds through the courts, we're witnessing more than just one man's legal proceedings. We're seeing our justice system grapple with the most challenging question in public safety: How do we identify the point where thoughts become dangerous enough to warrant intervention, before those thoughts become actions we can't undo?

References

Higgs, T., Tully, R. J., & Browne, K. D. (2021). Identifying the characteristics of sadism in sex offenders: A systematic review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 58, 101551. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2021.101551

Meloy, J. R., Hoffmann, J., & Sheridan, L. (2021). The concept of identification in threat assessment. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 39(2), 159-175. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2505

Nitschke, J., Mokros, A., Osterheider, M., & Marshall, W. L. (2021). Sexual sadism: Current diagnostic vagueness and the benefit of behavioral definitions. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 65(5), 524-539. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X19895589

Raymond, S., Léger, A. S., & Gasman, I. (2019). A descriptive and follow-up study of 13 cases of cannibalistic behaviour. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 64(3), 950-956. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.13940

Sorochinski, M., & Salfati, C. G. (2021). A multidimensional approach to ascertaining individual differentiation and consistency in serial sexual assault: Is it time to redefine and refine? Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 36(1), 123-140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-019-09352-3

Storey, J. E., Hart, S. D., & Cooke, D. J. (2021). Development of a violence risk assessment and management tool for law enforcement: The SHARP. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 27(2), 220-238. https://doi.org/10.1037/law0000303

Van Horn, J., & Hitchcock, A. (2022). Evaluating violent fantasies: Steps toward an evidence-based approach. Journal of Threat Assessment and Management, 9(1), 14-31. https://doi.org/10.1037/tam0000157

Woodworth, M., Hancock, J., Porter, S., Hare, R., Logan, M., O'Toole, M. E., & Smith, S. (2022). Words of warning: Natural language processing approaches to the analysis of threatening communications. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 40(1), 30-49. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2570