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A serial killer can be classified into 6 different categories.

1. Power/control killers

2. Thrill killers

3. Comfort killers

4. Lust killers

5. Mission killers

6. Visionary killers

Other characteristics that are common among serial killers are:

Usually white males (typically with few exceptions)

Their victims are usually strangers

Their targets tend to be vulnerable subsets of the population

Most kill alone

Most have previous criminal records

What makes a serial killer, a serial killer?

one or more offenders

two or more murdered victims

incidents should be occurring in separate events, at different times

the time period between murders separates serial murder from mass murder

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According to a research study done at Radford University, from 2000 to 2010 the percentage of African American individuals who committed serial murders was 54.4%. In comparison to the 32.3% of white individuals. Though if you look at the average percentage from 1900 t0 2010, the percentages heavily lean towards white individuals committing a greater number of serial killings. With 51.7% of the killings being committed by White individuals and only 39.8% being committed by African Americans.

The United States has one of the highest rate or serial killings in the world. Between 1990 and 2020 there were a total of 12,236 victims of serial killings registered nationwide.

States with the highest levels of serial killings:

California - 1,777 victims

Texas - 984 victims

Washington, DC - 25 victims per 100,000 residents

Alaska - 7 per 100,000

Louisiana - 6.5 per 100,000.

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History- Hermann Mudgett was born in New Hampshire on May 16, 1861, into a wealthy family and showed signs of intelligence. However, he would capture animals and perform surgery on them. It is also said that he killed his childhood friend. He attended medical school at the University of Michigan, where he was almost disenrolled for making a false promise to marry someone. Soon after moving to Chicago, he took a pharmacist job under Dr. H.H. Holmes. He built a house for himself that soon became known as the "Murder Castle." This featured secret passages, stairways that went nowhere, rooms with doors to nowhere, trap doors, doors that lock from the outside, and gas chambers. The basement had a dissection table and a crematory. He would lure victims in with promises of jobs, relationships, or a place to stay due to the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893. He would make employees take out life insurance policies and name him as the beneficiary, so he would collect the money after killing them while selling bodies to local medical schools. By the time he arrived in Chicago, he had already fled multiple towns for being known as a con man and a scammer. He was sentenced to death by hanging, but his neck did not snap immediately; he died a slow death and was pronounced dead 20 minutes later.

Victims- Holmes admitted to killing 27 people, but some of them were later found alive and well. Some estimates can go as high as around 200 people but are often believed to be exaggerated. His victims were often young female drifters, that were excited to live in the big city.

What happened- From 1891 to 1894, he killed multiple people within his hotel. Some of these people include the Pitezel family, Julia and Pearl Connor, Emeline Cigrand, and sisters Minnie and Nannie Williams.

Motives- Holmes was extremely motivated by money. This is prominent in his life before he started killing. He was a known fraudster and con man. He would scam and steal for money. He was arrested for insurance fraud, after setting his house on fire. He made fake relationships in order to take money from life insurance policies.

Prevention- Due to the lack of forensic evidence and early policing, it would be hard to prevent this from happening. However, I would suggest to include stricter life insurance rules. Or perhaps look into it closer because if you see an individual continuously enrolling and claiming multiple life insurance policies, this could raise red flags, and the police could investigate it. Comfort killers kill for financial gain, so if there are no preventative measures, they will do it as much as they can in order to have financial gain.

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History: 1965 his friend was killed in a car accident and he made shrines for him becoming obsessed with reincarnation, was arrested at 21 for possession of marijuana, began imitating the behaviors of his brother in law (echopraxia) which is a sign of schizophrenia, pulled out a knife on a forest ranger but did not hurt him, was constantly in and out of psychiatric hospitals but refused to continue treatment after his releases, ritualistically burned his genitals with lit cigarettes, arrested for possession and being under the influence of drugs, arrested again for public intoxication, moved back in with his parents and anger towards his father grew, killing behaviors began, had diagnoses of paranoid and schizo-affective schizophrenia

Victims: 13 men and women, white, shooting and stabbings, no sexual component

What happened: murders of opportunity (old friend, hitchhiker, transient, campers, family in wrong place at wrong time), stabbed or shot his victims, stabbed some victims even after shooting them to death, only mutilated one victim, no attempt to hide the victims

Motives/explanations: paranoid and schizo-active schizophrenia diagnoses, loss of a close friend in his late teens, anger towards his father, experimented with drugs and alcohol, confusion with his sexuality

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History- He was an abusive husband with a history of minor legal violations. Eventually he became confrontational towards minorities. He also believed that hate groups were not strong enough towards minorities. His lawyer went on to say he was a paranoid schizophrenic.

Victims- 20 men, women and children across 11 states. Injured 6 people. His main targets were black and jewish people.

What Happened- From 1977-1980 he shot Vernon Jordan, paralyzed Larry Flynt, sprayed an interracial couple with mace (first known attack), bombed a synagogue, killed a black and white man in a parking lot, and robbed banks. He was convicted of multipule homicides, attacks and other crimes. He was given the death penalty in multiple states eventually leading to his execution for the murder of a man in front of a synagogue.

Motives- He had a strong admiration from Benjamin Franklin and Nazis, such as Joseph Goebbels. His admiration began when he was a teenager.

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Some believe that mission serial killers will not stop or be prevented without apprehension or being killed

Actions that can be taken is early intervention and educating/raising awareness about warning signs

Another factor is understanding psychological factors and providing more accessible and more mental health services to those in need. Many offenders have had mental health assistance but had to discontinue due to cost or the family thinking that they were better.

It is also believed that an end to domestic violence could help in the end of mission killers

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Intro: Dennis Rader lived a "double life" during his active period. No one suspected the devoted family and company man to be a serial power killer. He was recognized as the "BTK" (Bind, Torture, Kill) Killer because of his anonymous interactions with local media outlets. It wasn't until February 25, 2005, that Rader was arrested for his crimes.

Victims: Rader took the lives of 10 victims in Wichita, Kansas from 1974-1991, with a cold period from 1978-1985. He often waited for families or individuals in their homes, where they were more vulnerable.

Patterns: Rader's modus operatus quickly developed, using strangulation and taking souvenirs from his victims. From the beginning, Rader left letters claiming the victims as his own for the public to discover. This progressed even more after he was no longer active. In 2004, Rader resurfaced as BTK, where he sent clues (such as a computer drive), word puzzles, pictures, and other items related to his crimes to the media and authorities.

Power/Control as Motive: Rader showed a tremendous need for power and control throughout his various behaviors. Attacking and strangling his victims in their homes is one major example of how power killers hold the lives of their victims in their hands. To feed into this narrative, Rader had the authorities and media wrapped around his finger by providing them clues and hints about his victims and his identity. Rader needed to control how the investigation was being handled. This need for control also extended to his workplace. He had an unusual eagerness to uphold the rules in his new role as a compliance officer for the Wichita suburbs of Park City. Rader's narrative was temporarily satisfied by measuring the heights of neighbors' lawns and chasing stray animals with the tranquilizer.

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Anti-Social Personality Disorder: Referred to as psychopathy or sociopathy, anti-social personality disorder is characterized by narcissism and unempathetic behavior. Rader lacked the "moral sanity" to care about the consequences of his actions. He did not feel any guilt for hurting his victims, as seen in his account of his kills during trial.

Violence as Gratifying: Rader derived pleasure from his control and power over his victims.

Brain Injury: Rader reported being dropped on his head as an infant and turning blue. His mother also allegedly fell off a horse while pregnant with him. There is no hard evidence for these claims though.

Social Learning: Rader's allusion to Ted Bundy and "Son of Sam" in his letters to the authorities suggests the involvement of media in social learning. There was a circulation and an overrepresentation of serial killers in the news.

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He showed early signs of psychopathy: 1/3 of MacDonald's triad (torture of animals, arson, wetting the bed regularly). Rader admittedly tortured and killed animals from a young age, for he lived on his grandparent's farm. If these early signs were detected, Rader could have gotten the help he needed as a boy.

It was also noted that Rader tranquilized and killed dogs on several occasions as a compliance officer. Better surveillance would have stopped this and possibly his other murders.

Rader manipulated the investigation by only giving up certain information. If they had not published his letters, the media and authorities would not have given in to his controlling methods, feeding his ego.

Effective mental health screenings in the workplace might have revealed his psychopathic tendencies and lack of remorse

If any mental illnesses, whether it was psychopathy or his need for control, were detected earlier on, some victims may have been spared their lives.

Even with a normal childhood, this could have been taken into consideration to further development of character.

Police attended to the first sign of clues that BTK left on the crime scene with the Otero family. Yet, it was only after the other 5 victims that Rader gave himself up.

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Mental Health Justice Act of 2022:

-Authorize $250 million in grants to states and local governments to train and dispatch mental health professionals instead of law enforcement officers to respond to emergencies that involve those with behavioral health needs.

Break the Cycle of Violence Act:

-Federal grant programs to invest in evidence based community violence intervention strategies specifically in communities disproportionately impacted by homicides and community violence. Would provide job training and workforce programs to connect youth (ages 16-24) impacted by gun violence.

Invest to Protect Act of 2022:

-Authorize $50 million in grants for local governments to employ body cameras, de-escalation training, recruitment and retention.

Shortcomings of current prevention methods:

-Overall, current prevention methods do not cover the entirety of vulnerable populations, who then may lead to criminal activity. Instead of focusing on youth reform, prevention methods should be put in place for all ages and minority groups in order to provide accurate and sustainable services to those populations.

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History: The zodiac killer is an unidentified serial killer who is believed to have murdered at least 5 people in California between 1968 and 1969. He is organized, intelligent, and meticulous. Thrill killers have long cooling off periods. They are meticulous and organized. Thrill killers are often perfectionists with narcissistic personalities that can drive them to pursue the goal of a “perfect murder”

What Happened: A series of taunting cryptic notes sent by the killer terrorized California for years. He sent local newspapers a three-part coded message explaining his motive for the killings. In a separate letter, he suggested his identity was hidden within a cipher message. The message revealed the killer’s motive, but his identity remains a mystery.

Victims: 5 people were killed in San Francisco in 1968 and 1969, 4 men and 3 women between the ages of 16-29 were targeted. 5 victims died, 2 were injured. The victims of thrill killers are usually strangers but are often stalked before the attack. In 1968 a teenage couple was shot to death near their car in a remote area in California; one year later another couple was attacked in a similar way, though the male victim survived. After the 1969 attack, the killer called police to alert them of the crime and to take responsibility for the 1968 murders. Later that year the Zodiac killer attacked another young couple, however once again the male survived. The last known victim, a taxi driver, was shot in October 1969.

Motive: Primary motive of thrill killers is to induce pain or terror in their victims before killing them which provides excitement. Thrill killers are often motivated by a desire for excitement, power, or attention. The excitement that the Zodiac Killer got from his murders is shown in the words contained in his one cipher that was solved: "[Killing people] is so much fun. It's even better than killing wild game in the forest because man is the most dangerous animal. To kill gives me the most thrilling experience. It is even better than getting your rocks off with a girl." Thrill killers crave the euphoric adrenaline rush that comes from stalking and capturing their victims. They get immense satisfaction from the process of murder (the acts leading up to it). The attack is swift and usually no sexual aspects to the murder

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Thrill killer’s crimes are usually premeditated and hard to predict

Early identification of individuals displaying antisocial behavior, fascination with violence, or significant emotional detachment can allow for psychological intervention.

Programs that teach empathy, emotional regulation, and conflict resolution skills can reduce violent tendencies in youth. Also, educating communities about recognizing suspicious behavior or warning signs can help in identifying potential threats early. Programs that encourage people to report concerning behavior without fear of stigma or retaliation can help prevent violent acts.

Accessible mental health resources can address underlying issues such as personality disorders or psychopathy.

Ensuring dangerous individuals do not have easy access to firearms or other tools they could use to commit crimes.

Thrill killers may leave traces in their online interactions or show patterns of behavior. Monitoring of these activities could help identify risks.

Media coverage that glamorizes or sensationalizes thrill killers can inspire copycats so responsible reporting is essential.

Strategically placed cameras, monitoring systems, and predictive analytics can deter and detect potential criminal activities.

Many serial crimes cross local, state, or national boundaries. Improved communication between agencies can prevent critical evidence from being overlooked.

After violent crimes, providing support to communities can help prevent cycles of fear and retaliation.

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According to the Uniform Crime Report for Homicides from 1965 to 2022 there has been over one million Homicides. Of those homicides, it is estimated by the National Institue of Justice that the number of serial killers in the United States who have never been prosecuted for their crimes was as high as 2,000. On the other hand, another study states that it is possible at least 15% of the homicides committed in the United States have been by serial killers.

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“Serial Killers, Part 4: White Supremacist Joseph Franklin.” FBI, FBI, 14 Jan. 2014, www.fbi.gov/news/stories/serial-killers-part-4.

“Understanding Pragmatic Mission Killers.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/wicked-deeds/201809/understanding-pragmatic-mission-killers. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.

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Davey, M. (2005, March). Suspect in 10 Kansas Murders Lived an Intensely Ordinary Life. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/06/us/suspect-in-10-kansas-murders-lived-an-intensely-ordinary-life.html.

Hutnyan, M. (2022). BTK: A Case Study in Psychopathy. SMU Journal of Undergraduate Research. https://scholar.smu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1120&context=jour

Picotti, T. (2024, March). Dennis Rader. Biography. Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/crime/dennis-rader

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Sussex Publishers. (n.d.). The zodiac and other Thrill Killers. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/wicked-deeds/201509/the-zodiac-and-other-thrill-killers

https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/stories/2007/march/zodiac_030207

Schunn, C. (2024, July 18). Who is the Zodiac Killer? here are all theories and suspects in the case. Oxygen Official Site. https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/who-is-the-zodiac-killer-theories-suspects

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (2024, October 23). Zodiac Killer. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Zodiac-killer

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Personality Disorders/Psychopathy: individuals like the zodiac killer may exhibit psychopathy, characterised by a lack of empathy, impulsivity, and manipulativeness

Thrill killers derive pleasure from the suffering of others, suggesting a deficit in emotional regulation and an inability to form emotional connections

Narcissistic traits may also explain the zodiac killer's behaviors

Early childhood abuse/neglect/trauma can lead to antisocial behavior. Disrupted attachment patterns could explain a lack of empathy and disregard for social norms

Loneliness, isolation, or social rejection might drive individuals to act out against society as a form of revenge or attention-seeking.

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Mental health (anti-social personality disorder, paraphilic disorders, schizophrenia)

Lack of support from family and friends

Substance abuse

Media's social psychological influence on violent behavior; serial killer frenzy all over the news and social media

Violence as gratifying and pleasurable

Brain injuries

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Watts, V., Douglas, V., DeWitt, D., Walker, E., Thompson, K., VanZandbergen, A., Stacy, J., & Soberano, B. (n.d.). Californian Guilty in 10 Murder Cases. (1973, August 20).  New York Times, p. 10. Mullin, Herbert. https://maamodt.asp.radford.edu/Psyc%20405/serial%20killers/Mullin,%20Herbert.htm

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History: Born in 1960 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Jeffrey Dahmer had signs of troubling behavior early in his life. He had an early fascination with dead animals, and was known to be isolated from his peers in school. Growing up, his parents had an unstable relationship which led to divorce, troubling Dahmer. He struggled with alcoholism and was discharged from the military because of it. Originally, he was initially arrested because of exposure and sexual offenses, but his tendencies became more violent overtime. His alcoholism hurt his ability to maintain jobs and relationships.

Victims: He killed 17 young men and boys between 1978 and 1991. His first victim was one he picked up while hitchhiking. He admitted who he killed and has been open about what happened to his victims while in prison.

What happened: He would target homosexual minority men in nightclubs or bars and then convince them to come back to his place to make money or companionship. He would then drug them and murder them, while engaging in acts such as dismemberment, necrophilia, and cannibalism.

Motive: His focus was on creating a need for constant control, sexual gratification and lust for people. He felt attraction towards his victims but never any feeling on love. He admired his victims and sought to keep them with him "permanently". He described his urges as uncontrollable. His mental health could be linked to an early feeling of isolation, loneliness, and abandonment from his parents divorce.

Prevention- Ultimately, its up to better systemic changes in the mental health system. This can be started by an increase in community awareness for signs of predatory behavior and encouraging earlier prevention. Dahmer should have had psychiatric evaluations from the start of his unhealthy obsession with dead animals. It seemed the results of him getting away with each crime and behaviors only led him to do it even more.

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Childhood Trauma and Attachment Issues: The neglect he received from his parents led to his inability to bond properly with other people. The results of neglect may have erased any form of empathy which is crucial to establish relationships with people.

Sexual Sadism: He had clear signs of paraphilic disorders, such as necrophilia and cannibalism. His actions coincide with his need for control and domination. His fantasies of having a submissive partner only led him to fulfill his fantasies in real life.

Psychopathy- His lack of empathy, excessive need for power and control, and inability to form attachments while maintaining isolation all point to signs of psychopathy. He seemed to believe killing his victims was a way to "free them".

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“H.H. Holmes.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., www.britannica.com/biography/H-H-Holmes. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.

Museum, The West End. “H. H. Holmes – The West End Museum.” The West End Museum – Boston’s Neighborhood Museum, 1 Dec. 2021, thewestendmuseum.org/history/era/immigrant-neighborhood/h-h-holmes/.

“Research Guides: H.H. Holmes and the Murder Castle: Topics in Chronicling America: Introduction.” Introduction - H.H. Holmes and the Murder Castle: Topics in Chronicling America - Research Guides at Library of Congress, guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-h-h-holmes. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.