Factual error: After Ressler tells McChesney he wouldn't be surprised if one day she's tracking down sequence killers, McChesney replies, "Not sequence killers. Serial killers. That's what they should be called." But it was Ressler who claimed he coined and is often credited with coining the term "serial killers" (at least in the U.S). ** After showing pictures of some of Bundy's victims, Ressler is shown and it is pointed out, "He [Ressler] is credited with coining the term 'serial killer'." (1:31:30). (00:26:40)
Factual error: During their dinner conversation on March 1, 1975, McChesney told Ressler that an FBI recruiter came to her senior criminal justice seminar and told her, "Sorry, FBI doesn't hire female agents." Ressler responded "times are changing" and he wouldn't be surprised if one day she was at Quantico. But women were allowed to become FBI agents after Director J. Edgar Hoover's death in May 1972. (00:26:08)
Revealing mistake: At Mrs. (Louise) Bundy's house, Ressler and McChesney were seated at the coffee table, maybe 3' apart. When Louise was sitting in the chair talking to them, only some hair to represent McChesney was on the left side of the screen and Ressler was not visible. It was obvious Louise was delivering her lines without the two sitting there because her head and eyes were turned way too far to the left and right (beyond where their bodies would have been) to be making eye contact with them. (00:45:25 - 00:46:34)
Trivia: There were actually two female special agents (including a former nun!) in the 1920s. After they resigned in 1928, then-Director of the FBI J. Edgar Hoover did not permit female special agents. Hoover's restriction was reversed after his death in May 1972 and three female special agents began training soon thereafter.
Trivia: Although FBI Agent Robert Ressler claims he coined the term "serial killer" (1972), he and John Douglas (together) are often credited. However, Ernst Gennat, Director of Berlin Criminal Police, used the term "serial killer" as early as 1930 in Germany.
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