1. Serial Killers/ Profiling

2. Who is a serial killer?
Someone who kills three or more people in three or more separate events, over a period of more than 30 days, including an "emotional cooling-off" period in between.

3. Origins of the term ‘Serial Killer’
Coined in mid-1970’s by Robert K. Ressler
FBI agent in Behavioral Sciences Unit
Before this, referred to as ‘stranger killer’
Assumed that killer did not know victims
Ressler concluded that killer did know victims sometimes
Used term ‘serial’ instead, referring to murders occurring in a series
Term was adopted and used after this

4. Origins continued…
First cases of serial killers probably were not recorded
Some of the oldest recorded are Gilles De Rais and Elisabeth Countess Bathory from 15th and 16th centuries
Most murderers from this time period were thought to be werewolves or vampires!
Jack the Ripper widely seen as first serial killer because nature of crimes (sexually motivated) are similar to those seen today
Because of this, serial killers widely accepted as being only about 125 years old
Gilles de Rais – French nobleman, fought alongside Joan of Arc during 15th century, satanist and alchemist, killed and molested hundreds of children for his own pleasure as well as using their blood to turn lead into gold, strangled and burned by the church after a trial
Elisabeth Countess Bathory – countess of Transylvania, first known vampire, Bram Stroker’s Dracula based on her story, interested in witchcraft, etc… believed at age of 43 that virginal blood from a woman would make her skin look younger, killed young women and drained their blood to bathe in or drink, overall killed 600 girls, because of status was not executed, instead locked in a small closet in castle, died 4 years later
Jack the Ripper – London, late 1800’s, murdered and mutilated prostitutes from East end of London, now thought to be Walter Sickert, a famous artist of the time period

5. 7 Phases of a Serial Killer
Aura Phase – killer begins losing grip on reality
Trolling Phase – killer searches for a victim
Wooing Phase – killer lures his victim in
Capture Phase – victim is entrapped

6. 7 Phases of a Serial Killer
Murder Phase – period of emotional high for killers
Totem Phase – to prolong pleasure after murder phase, will often remove and take a souvenir or totem from victim
Depression Phase – occurs after the killing, onset triggers phases to begin again

7. Types of Serial Killers
May be Organized or Disorganized
Most serial killers (about 75%) are organized
Victim count usually higher
Usually of above average intelligence
Disorganized serial killers do not plan as well
Killings are spur of the moment and usually display killer’s anger
Generally of lower intelligence
May suffer from other mental disorders
Some serial killers display characteristics of both
Described as being a ‘Mixed type’

8. The Organized Killer… Example: Ted Bundy Plans out the murder
May be accustomed to carrying it out quickly
Will bring a “rape kit” (rope, handcuffs, chloroform, etc…) if desired
Personalizes him/herself with the victim
Talks, leads, captures the victim into the planned murder situation
Rape, torture, etc… may take place before murder for killer’s own gratification

9. The Organized Killer…
Kills victim with awareness of evidence at crime scene
May be cleaned, destroyed, etc…
Might move the body or bury it to evade or delay discovery
Killer will not be involved further with victim’s body, but may take clothing, jewelry, etc… for trophy or gain

10. The Disorganized Killer…
Example: David Berkowitz
Murder usually is spur of the moment
No planning and only objective is to kill
Does not bring tools to the kill, except possibly murder weapon
No contact with victim prior to spur of the moment murder
No rape, torture, etc… will take place after murder

11. The Disorganized Killer…
Kills victim without concern for evidence left at crime scene
Murder is generally very violent
Will not move body or attempt to hide or bury it – unconcerned with discovery
May be involved further with dead victim
Mutilation, necrophilia, cannibalism, etc…
May take souvenir

12. General Serial Killer Profile
Typically a white male, age 20-30, residing in United States
Main motives are sex (although act of sex may or may not take place), power, manipulation, domination, and control
Sex motive is usually rape for an organized killer and sadism for a disorganized killer
Act in a series of 3 or more murders with a cooling-off period between each murder

13. General Serial Killer Profile
Can go for months or years before being caught
Victim is usually chosen from same group for each serial killer (prostitute, hitchhiker, woman, child, etc…)
Victim also generally has same attributes, such as gender, age, race, residence, overall appearance, etc…
Stick by modus operandi closely, but may change it with experience

14. General Serial Killer Profile
Most murders occur by strangulation, suffocation, or stabbing
Many serial killers developed sex- murder fantasies as teens
Are able to control these and act them out in real life as adults
With each murder, killer may be disappointed with murder fantasy
Act it out again to achieve satisfaction

15. Serial Killer M.O. Modus operandi (aka M.O.) = mode of operation
Describes criminal’s characteristic patterns and style of work
Also used in offender profiling

16. Motives of the Serial Killer
Visionaries – act in response to voices that instruct them to kill, generally schizophrenic
Missionaries – feel it is their duty to rid society of ‘unwanted elements’
Hedonists – kill because murder gives them pleasure
Lust killers – kill for sexual gratification, sexual acts are usually sadistic in nature

17. Motives of the Serial Killer
Thrill killers – kill for the thrill or experience
Gain killers – kill for personal gain, premeditated act to obtain financial or materialistic goods
Some may not be originally motivated by this, but may seize opportunity and steal from victims
Power seekers – kill to have control over life and death of others

18. Mobility of the Serial Killer
The Stable Killer
Examples: John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer
Lives and works in one location for an extended period
Hunts and kills within the local area
Disposes of bodies in the same or similar areas with site selected for concealment
May return to crime scene or burial site
Seldom travels, but when forced will travel for work, family, or recreation

19. Mobility of the Serial Killer
The Transient Killer
Examples: Ted Bundy, Henry Lee Lucas
Seldom stays in one spot for more than a few weeks
Kills are spread out over a large area
Disposes of bodies in random locations and site is selected for convenience
Seldom returns to region of the crime
Travels continuously for pleasure, to confuse law enforcement, or for new hunting grounds

20. Why do people become serial killers?
Explanation from the brain
Brain defects and injuries have been an important link to violent behavior
Damage to the frontal lobe, specifically the prefrontal cortex
Prefrontal cortex responsible for setting goals, planning, social judgment, attention, inhibition, personality, and emotions

21. Why do people become serial killers?
Childhood abuse
Unnatural or unusual relationships with mother
Controlling and abusive fathers
Witnessing violence
Juvenile detention
Peer rejection
Adoption
Mother – Henry Lee Lucas began by killing his mom, Ed Kemper ended by killing his mom, some link sexuality with death and sons see women as vessels of sin and disease, some are sexually active in front of son and son kills women who are whores and sluts who remind them of mom
Bobby Jo Long – slept in bed with mom until 13 years old, same bed she had sex with men in in front of him
Charles Manson – prostitute mother declared him No Name Son for birth certificate, sent him to live with relatives who punished him by making him dress as a girl and go to school
Fathers – John Wayne Gacy’s dad called him a sissy and queer and shot his dog to punish him
Violence – exposure to violence ignited thirst for blood
Detention – very violent and sadistic, kids that came out would parallel abuse in their killings
Rejection – Many serial killers isolated as children, begin to hate everyone
Adoption – NOT directly linked to being a serial killer, but can lead to loss of self-identity

22. Why do people become serial killers?
The MacDonald Triad – most likely to lead to psychopathic tendencies
Animal cruelty
Disturbing red flag
Animals seen as “practice” for killing humans
Pyromania
Often sexually stimulating activity for killers
Destroying property feeds need to destroy other humans
See both as mere objects
Bed Wetting
Up to 60% of serial killers wet the bed past adolescence

23. Profiling of Serial Killers
Before the internet, personnel who needed information about violent crimes could not connect with the investigators who had the knowledge
Communication between law enforcement departments is now much better and more violent crime cases are being closed with the arrest of an offender

24. Profiling of Serial Killers
In the 1970’s, the Behavioral Sciences Unit (BSU) of the FBI began studying profiling and behavioral characteristics
Profiling involves…
Understanding the offender
Looking at the crime scene and using the available evidence to determine what the possible killer is like and what he/she has done
Aspects of criminal’s personality are determined from choices made before, during, and after crime
Use this information, combined with physical evidence, to develop working description of offender

25. Profiling of Serial Killers
For better profiling, FBI established two departments
Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP)
Used to evaluate unsolved crimes and to watch for similarities in crimes by inputting information into a database
National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC)
Pools resources, such as behavior studies, profiling, research, etc…
Uses specially trained agents to assist in investigations around the US
FBI’s purpose is not to solve cases anymore, but rather to assist local law enforcement in solving the case

26. Profiling of Serial Killers
Retired FBI agent Robert Ressler is largely responsible for gathering the information we now use for profiling
Part of the BSU in the 1970’s
Undertook the Criminal Personality Research Project (CPRP)
Interviewed a number of serial killers (including Berkowitz and Charles Manson) to obtain information regarding behavior for profiling purposes

27. Profiling of Serial Killers
Ressler then took on profiling, completed large behavioral studies, and gave lectures around the country
He also helped establish the VICAP and NCVAC
FBI now plays a crucial role in understanding and capturing serial killers
Without their knowledge and assistance, many serial killers would possibly still be on the streets