Recent sightings of suspected cop killer Eric Matthew Frein are an indication the fugitive is continuing to deteriorate mentally and physically, causing him to make mistakes that will eventually lead to his capture or death, a retired FBI profiler said.

Mary Ellen O'Toole, Ph.D., said she thinks it's unlikely the sightings, the most recent of which occurred earlier this week, were planned by Frein as part of a "game" he's playing with authorities."I think that gives him way too much credit to think that he's playing a game," O'Toole said. "Even the hardest psychopaths still feel the anxiety of being chased. ... He has got to be deteriorating."Police on Friday released no new details of the manhunt for the 31-year-old Canadensis man accused of fatally shooting Cpl. Bryon K Dickson II and wounding Trooper Alex T. Douglass outside the state police barracks in Blooming Grove on Sept. 12.But developments within the last few days indicate Frein is "losing it," said O'Toole, a 28-year veteran of the FBI.Authorities on Wednesday announced Frein had again been spotted within 75 to 100 yards of law enforcement and that he had discarded two pipe bombs while on the run. Police have previously discovered an AK-47-style weapon, ammunition and other items they believe belong to Frein.Those actions indicate he is tiring and has begun to get rid of items that would help him survive but have become too cumbersome to carry, O'Toole said."He's getting very little sleep. If he did have food, he is not eating regularly or eating well. He's running out of supplies and making mistakes," she said.State police Lt. Col. George Bivens, who is in charge of the investigation, cited those errors Tuesday when he again called upon Frein to surrender.Bivens said Frein's plan went awry from the beginning as authorities believe he did not plan to immediately go into hiding.Police believe he is holed up in the woods near the home he shared with his parents.O'Toole concurred with that assessment. Frein's first mistake, she said, was driving the Jeep into a retention pond."His car going into the pond was not part of his elaborate plan. He had to hike 15 to 20 miles to his comfort zone. That's probably where he was going to drive the car," she said.Being on his home turf has given him an advantage in avoiding capture, she said, but she shares the confidence of police that it's just a matter of time before he is found."He knows where to hide. That has helped him tremendously," she said. "But it's a numbers game at this point. ... The hunter has now become the hunted. That's when you start seeing them making a lot of mistakes."Ed Hanko, special agent in charge of the Philadelphia Division of the FBI, said Frein may be unsatisfied in life and has taken to the woods to fulfill a role he's only reenacted until now.Frein is 31 years old, lives with his parents and may have reenacted military history as a sort of wish fulfillment, Hanko said.The FBI, along with numerous other agencies, are probing every aspect of Frein's life to determine what his next move may be."We want to arrest this person," Hanko said, adding later, "We have the who, the what, the where. We want the why."State police spokeswoman Trooper Connie Devens said in an email, "We continue to move assets around during this search as new information becomes available and we clear certain areas.""If new information or tips are obtained concerning Frein or areas he frequented, the area is thoroughly searched."Frein does pose a risk to the public, Hanko said. Despite his grudge being against law enforcement, Frein does not want to be arrested.He's under pressure and people under pressure can be unpredictable. He was placed on the FBI's Most Wanted list in part because of the nature of the crime and his danger he poses to the public."If it was a private citizen that was assassinated like this, we would do the same thing," Hanko said.All of the books Frein read and all of his online posts are being scrutinized for clues to his plan.Items Frein left behind, such as clothing, food and two improvised explosive devices state police announced they found earlier this week, are also being analyzed, Hanko said."We're analyzing every little bit to get ahead of this," Hanko said.The search has not been without incident. Two state troopers from Harrisburg fell 20 feet Wednesday night when the floor of a hunter's tree stand gave out beneath them.They were flown to a nearby hospital, treated and released, state police said.Officials did not release their names.Still, resolve to find Frein has not faltered, even as this morning marks the third week since the shooting, Hanko said.A number of pictures hang on the walls of the investigation's command center.In one photo, one of Dickson's young sons wears an overlarge state trooper hat at his father's funeral."Our resolve is redoubled," Hanko said.Joseph Kohut, Times-Shamrock staff writer, contributed to this report.