Joe McKinney was an author of horror and science fiction, and retired Patrol Supervisor with the San Antonio Police Department. McKinney's work appeared in magazines and anthologies. His first novel, "Dead City," was published in 2006. Over his career, he published thirteen novels and two collections of short stories, edited anthologies, and wrote a comic book. He was also a regular contributor to the online true crime magazine In Cold Blog. McKinney received his M.A. in English Literature from The University of Texas at San Antonio. McKinney died on 13 July 2021.