The claim: A serial killer named Robert Thibodeau is targeting people in various areas
A Dec. 3 Facebook post ( direct link, archive link ) includes two pictures of a bearded man and claims he poses a threat to the public in Columbus, Georgia.
“Warning: The public around #columbus is being warned to be alert & vigilant as there is a serial killer on the run,” reads part of the post.
It goes on to identify the man as a 52-year-old named Robert Thibodeau. The post says he attacked a 37-year-old woman with a knife and stole an 83-year-old woman’s vehicle.
It was shared more than 8,000 times in less than three weeks. Other versions of the claim stated the same man was targeting individuals in Indiana , Texas and Massachusetts .
More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page
Our rating: False
Officials in the places mentioned in the social media posts said there were no reports of any such incidents. The photo shows a man named James Vining who was arrested in 2018.