Collocations for killer - noun

real
I don't care what they ask me if it helps them find the real killer.

accused, alleged, suspected
the trial of her daughter's accused killers

would-be
He turned to face his would-be killer.

convicted
notorious
bloodthirsty, brutal, cold-blooded, ruthless, vicious
Matthew's reputation as a cold-blooded killer

crazed, psychopathic, psychotic
mass, serial, spree (AmE)
contract, hired, professional, trained
baby, child, cop, etc.
a convicted child killer

hunt, track down
catch, find, stop
I want to stop the killer before he strikes again.

identify
FBI agents identified his killers.

bring to justice
I cannot rest until this killer is brought to justice.

strike
The killer has struck again.

stalk sb/sth
For years the killer stalked Detroit and its suburbs undetected.

kill sb, murder sb
a serial killer who murders newlyweds on their honeymoon

instinct (figurative)
He plays well but still lacks the killer instinct.

blow (figurative, esp. BrE)
Owen delivered the killer blow soon after half-time.

big, great, leading, major
Overdoses were the single biggest killer among the city's young.
Diphtheria emerged as the leading killer of children in the 1880s.

deadly
In the 19th century, cholera was one of Britain's deadliest killers.

silent
High blood pressure is known as a silent killer.

potential
There is still no vaccine against this potential killer.

bug (BrE), disease, strain, virus
Heart attacks have become our number one killer disease.

storm (esp. AmE), wave
This killer storm is strengthening rapidly in the Gulf of Mexico.
The killer wave struck a tiny atoll in the Maldives.