Myths vs. Reality
Most serial killers have about 50 victims - but most of them have no more than 10
Most serial killers are white - 50% are of another race
Multiple Murder
Invented early 1980s (FBI Profiler Robert Ressler
Sequence killers or mass murder. Commit a series of three or more events with cooling off periods. No relation between victim and offender = stranger homicide. Unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender in separate events. Modern phenomenon. Long-standing fascination to society.
Single person Homicide vs. Multiple Murder
Previous relationship between killer and victim
Under educated, suffer from drugs & alcohol addictions, chronically unemployed
Strangers
Wide background; employed, conventional lives/futures
Concept issues
Dark figure of crime. Impact crime statistics. Many serial killers are never identified.
Identification
- Modern forensic science: Ex. Golden State Killer - ran his DNA through match family database
- Police and investigations greater understanding and development of serial murderers
- The media and public are much more aware and educated
Hickey’s Factors
- Underreporting - less pool to investigate
- Looking for serial killers - find more
- Conflicting definitions of serial killers confused on what constitutes a serial killer
- Fascination of ultra violence in film media influence behaviour
- Accessible pornography can depict violence, sadomasochistic acts, bondage etc.
- Downturn economy may cause incidence
- Feminist scholars presented the idea of patriarchal system coinciding with serial murder
Motives of serial killers
- playing God
- power control
- Intrinsic: within us - motivation is driven by internal reward
- Extrinsic: external motivations such as money something of value (not from within)
Primary Motivation of Serial Killers
Anger: rejection from romantic
Enterprise : commit violent crime to gain notoriety
Financial Gain : black widow killings, women who kill their husbands for their assets
Ideology : making point Ex: Racial and ethnic attacks or specific gender
Power Thrill: seeking excitement and empowerment over victims
Sexual: most common motivation, kill for sexual purpose and fulfill a sexual fantasy
Psychosis: suffer from serious mental illness: delusion and paranoia
Holmes & DeBurger(1988)
World class researchers in the fields of criminology and serial killers
4 Categories (typeologies)
- Visionary type: severe mental illness
- Mission Oriented Type: responsibilities to better the world:children, prosititutes, racial, or ethnic
- Hedonistic Type: gain satisfaction from murders a lot of planning
- Power/control type: no solely sexual based, increased aggression levels (enjoy the begging and pleading before the murder
Organized Killers
- Higher or average intelligence
- seem generally normal
- personal appearance matters
- violence crimes is usually committed far from living area
- fantasy is important
- torture kit
Disorganized Killer
- average or below average intelligence
- loner
- sexually interpersonally inadequate, poor self image and esteem
- voyeurism, linger theft
- impulsive and spontaneous
- victims of opportunity
- blitz attack
- Crime scene sloppy
- overkill
- high anxiety
Nomadic Killers
Roam from place to place
Ex: Ted bundy
Place Specific Killers
Either kill in their own homes or kill within short radius of their homes
Ex: John Wayne Gacy & Dennis Nelson
Victims
- choose victims at random
- argued that serial killers select are what eager refers to as less dead
Less Dead
Groups that are less important to society and police
1. Prostitutes
2. Ethnic minorities
3. Gay men
4. Homeless men
5. Indigenous women
