This story seems to be loosely based on Alaskan serial killer Robert Hansen who abducts young women, tortures and sexually assaults them, then hunts them in the woods before killing them. While the real Robert Hansen wasn't working for the police as in this story, he did have many friends on the local police force.
Much like the title of this episode, Kathryn Morris starred in the 2004 movie Mindhunters (2004), playing an FBI trainee on a remote island where members of the program become victims of a killer.
The owner of the gun shop is seen wearing a "USS Enterprise" cap. John Billingsley, who guest starred as George Marks, also portrayed Dr. Phlox in all 97 episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise (2001).
The inspiration for this episode (and its subsequent conclusion in the season 2 finale, episode 23) was also used for Hunting Ground (2012), which also starred Danny Pino.
Janet Lambert was murdered on November 2, 1985.