Throughout the history of serial murders, there are other infamous killers in the 20th century such as Harold Shipman, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Peter Sutcliffe, and many more. These murderers are vicious, yet many people do not know what drives them to kill. Many theorists believe that the reason behind why certain people commit serial murders are biological, suggesting that these killers are born and not made, and that their violent behavior is a result of abnormal brain activity. “Psychologists believe that all serial killers demonstrate some form of antisocial personality disorder—when a person’s way of thinking is dysfunction, and in some cases, destructive—along with other psychiatric conditions which causes them to have a view of the world which is fundamentally different from that of other people” (Scott www.wisegeek.com). Ronald Holmes, a coroner and professor, stated that the motives of serial killers are generally placed in four categories; visionary, mission-oriented, power or control, and hedonistic (43-44).
Their methodical rampages are almost always in a sexual nature. Their killings are usually part of an elaborate fantasy that builds to a climax at the moment of their murderous outburst. Serial killers generally murder strangers with cooling off periods between each crime. Many enjoy cannibalism, necrophilia and keep trophy-like body parts as mementos of their work. Serial killers are sadistic in nature.
They prey on men for money. She takes her time building relationships. The "Aileen Wuornos Archetype" are motivated by paranoia and fear. They lure their victims with sex. Historical SignificanceEdit Serial slaughter has existed since the beginning of human history.
Power/Control Type: This type are not motivated by sexual gratification but for the high of being able to control and have power over their victims. They enjoy watching their victims cower and cringe from fear. There are several motives for serial killers; these are primary motives for serial killers * Anger- they are motivated by either a particular group or society in general * Criminal Enterprise - The kill to gain a higher status or some other reward * Financial Gain – The killing is purely for financial gain, for example killing people to collect on the insurance money * Ideology – killing to promote the believes of individuals or groups * Power Thrill – killing for the sole purpose of feeling powerful * Sexual – Killing for sexual
Like any psychopath organized, it's him who wants to have the last word and manipulate those around him.” Indeed the principal characteristic of an organized serial killer is to control him self during the crime, to live with a partner (he asked his wife to denounce him so then she could get the reward) and to be able to the dominate the conversation. Whereas a low IQ serial killer is not able to control him self, lives alone, leaves a lot of evidence on the crime scene and doesn’t have any social skills or the strict minimum not enabling him to manipulate people. This information was defined in the early 60’s and was of great help during forensic studies made to determine more precisely the profile of the
She points out that serial killers have a wide range of issues that had lead them to killing. A few examples would be that Ted Bundy blamed the reason he killed was over pornography. As for Jeffrey Dahmer he said something was missing inside of him. Whatever the reason they become killers it should be said that they all had something wrong with them. Meaning that serial killers do not know how to feel sympathy for others, or even how to have relationships.
According to (Turvey, 2011), the term serial killer developed from an FBI profiler special agent; Robert K. Ressler. Ressler, depicts the offender as individuals who are obsessed with some type of fantasy that he or she has not been able to fulfill, therefore causing him or her to commit their next crime. The act that defines the serial killer is when there are two or more related murders. (Turvey, 2011, pg. 542) Serial killers are a complete headache for
Dahmar was molested as a child by his neighbor, which may be why he chose to inflict his crimes on men instead of women. He suffered from Schizophrenia. The divorce between his parents played a huge role in his feelings of abandonment and rejection. He suffered from pedophilia which might explain some of his sexual tendencies. He enjoyed having sexual acts with the dead corpse which would also be diagnosed as necrophilia.
Serial killers are not just murders they are usually intelligent people with a history of abuse that motivates them to kill. Serial murder victims die as the killers try to regain control of his or her own life by controlling their victim’s life and death. The term “ Serial Killer” has always been loosely defined it usually means the sexual attack and murder of men, women, and children. Even before American society became aware of serial murder in the late 1880’s researchers had begun to classify multiple killers and assign labels and certain characteristics to them. A serial killers has also been defined as all offenders who have killed three or more people at different times over weeks, months, or years.
For example; Some experts say the it is from the mother holding them too much as a child, and still yet some say it was from the father’s abuse as they were growing up. Here is one quote from an convicted killer. "It was an urge. ... A strong urge, and the longer I let it go the stronger it got, to where I was taking risks to go out and kill people risks that normally, according to my little rules