He has been a college teacher for 26 years. He was a reporter and editor at The Wichita Eagle and other newspapers for 14 years. Close was the editorial consultant for “Bind, Torture, Kill: The Inside Story of the Serial Killer Next Door” (HarperCollins, 2007). In his professional and freelance career, Close has covered multiple homicides, killer F-5 tornadoes, tear gas-infused race riots, violent union strikes, deadly plane crashes, crippling ice storms and flooding. He has reported on homeless drifters, abandoned elderly and people with mental illnesses. Close has been the adviser to the WSU student newspaper for 13 years and has helped thousands of students deal with difficult stories of tragedy and human emotion. He has presented at numerous national and regional conferences.