FIRST OFF . . .

More than 25,000 callers responded Wednesday night to a television special on the Green River killer, including some viewers who claimed to be the serial killer who has slain at least 40 young women in the states of Washington and Oregon and elsewhere. In the five hours after the broadcast of “Manhunt”--seen locally on KTLA Channel 5--calls were placed to a special 800 number given at the end of the two-hour show, which aired nationwide and in Canada, Great Britain and Australia. Citizens not only reported possible leads on the Green River case but also on a known serial killer from New York and on dozens of other crimes, many of which had not been reported before. A producer said one detective spent 45 minutes talking to a caller who claimed to be the killer and had enough information about the slayings to hold the detective’s attention. Later, King County, Wash., Sheriff James Montgomery said it could be weeks before it is known whether any useful information about the elusive killer could be gleaned from the thousands of calls.