Serial Killers Fourteen Characteristics of a Serial Killer

Serial Killers

Fourteen Characteristics of a Serial Killer 1. Over 90 percent of serial killers are male. 2. They tend to be intelligent, with IQ's in the "bright normal" range. 3. They do poorly in school, have trouble holding down jobs, and often work as unskilled laborers. 4. They tend to come from markedly unstable families. 5. As children, they are abandoned by their fathers and raised by domineering mothers. 6. Their families often have criminal, psychiatric and alcoholic histories. 7. They hate their fathers and mothers. 8. They are commonly abused as children — psychologically, physically and sexually. Often the abuse is by a family member. 9. Many serial killers spend time in institutions as children and have records of early psychiatric problems. 10. They have high rates of suicide attempts. 11. From an early age, many are intensely interested in voyeurism, fetishism, and sado-masochistic pornography. 12. More than 60 percent of serial killers wet their beds beyond the age of 12. 13. Many serial killers are fascinated with fire starting. 14. They are involved with sadistic activity or tormenting small creatures. Source: Internal Association of Forensic Science, an article written by FBI Special Agent Robert K. Ressler "The Serial Killer, " Harold Schechter

Serial Murders Serial murders - repetitive homicides, nearly always one-on-one murders, where the perpetrator is usually a stranger or has a slight acquaintance to the victim. Historically, the majority of homicide victims knew their killer, but during the 1990's, this figure changed. Statistics from 1995's Uniform Crime Reports state that 55% of homicide victims have no known association with the perpetrators. Berg & Horgan, Criminal Investigation, 3 rd edition, pg. 332 Osterburg & Ward, Criminal Investigation, 3 rd edition, pg. 455

Serial Murders The serial murderer’s motivation to kill is not based on crimes of passion, victim precipitation, personal gain or profit. Serial murderers are nearly always males prompted by sexual or aggressive drives to exert power through killing.

Modus Operandi Modus operandi - a characteristic pattern of behavior repeated in a series of offenses. The following are categories of modus operandi devised by Major L. W. Atcherley, an English constable in the 1800's. Classword - the kind of property attacked, such as a house, a college dormitory, people parked in cars at lover's lanes Entry - the point of entry, such as open bedroom windows, sliding glass doors Means - implements or tools that were used, such as a pry bar, ladder, screw driver

Modus Operandi Object - kind of property taken, such as bras and panties Time - time of day or night, weekdays, non-work days, holidays (when people would not miss the perpetrator at work) Style - the description the criminal gives the victim to gain entrance (plumber, cable TV repairman) Tale - any disclosure the criminal makes as to his business/purpose Pals - any co-conspirators Transport - what type of vehicle was used in connection with the crime Trademark - any unusual act committed by the suspect while in the commission of the crime (i. e. poisoning the cat, eating at the scene after murdering the grandmother)

Signature - the murderer's psychological calling card, unusual characteristics of a murder that are repeated at several crime scenes: Intentionally displaying victims in a spread-eagle position. This behavior reinforces the perpetrators underlying psychological needs. Ted Bundy's choice of victims - young women with blond or light brown hair, parted in the middle John Wayne Gacy's victim type - adolescent boys Green River Killer's victims - young women, mainly prostitutes

Difference Between Modus Operandi and Signature TWO MURDERERS BOTH BURN THEIR VICTIMS BY DOUSING THEM WITH GASOLINE. The first murderer does so as an anger-retaliatory act. This is a signature behavior. The second murderer douses the victim with gasoline to cover up the crime. This murderer does so to evade detection. This therefore is a precautionary act, and as such is a modus operandi behavior.

Characteristics of Serial Killers Usually intelligent Good appearance Ted Bundy Superficial charm Able to differentiate right from wrong Have no conscience Enjoy victim's terror

Difficulties Faced by Investigators Serial murderers are often very mobile, traveling from one locale to another to find victims, extensive interstate travel Lack of any prior association with the victims Use of remote burial sites

Serial Killing Versus Mass Murder Charles Whitman, the man who shot multiple people from the tower at the University of Texas, was a mass murderer, not a serial killer Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, the shooters responsible for killing 12 classmates and a teacher in the deadliest school shooting in U. S. history, are also classified as mass murderers, not serial killers

Organized Serial Killers Perpetrator plans the murder for months or years beforehand. Offender is normally married, has steady employment, and is thought to be a good member of society (ex. , BTK-Dennis Rader) They bring the instruments of the crime (knives, guns, tape) to the scene with them. When Ted Bundy was pulled over for driving suspiciously (in 1975), police found an ice pick, ski mask, rope and handcuffs in his trunk. These murderers are often highly intelligent and are knowledgeable about forensic evidence and law enforcement's investigative capabilities.

Disorganized Serial Killers They do not plan their crimes in advance. The disorganized murderer commits the crimes spontaneously. They are often unemployed and without transportation. They are more often of low intelligence or psychotic.

Psychological Types of Serial Killers Power Oriented – Ted Bundy and Dennis Rader enjoyed watching terror of their victims Mission Oriented - killers feel they are improving the world by getting rid of undesirable people such as prostitutes, i. e. Green River Killer Gary Ridgway Visionary - those who kill because they are directed by hallucinations, i. e. David Berkowitz - "Son of Sam"

Psychological Types of Serial Killers Hedonistic - gain sexual satisfaction from raping, killing, mutilating, and sometimes eating the victim, i. e. Jeffrey Dahmer Comfort - those who kill for financial gain, such as insurance benefits, real estate, i. e. Golay & Rutterschmidt Disciple - those killers who kill under the influence of a charismatic killer, i. e. Leslie Van Houten and Lynette Fromme of the Manson family

Psychological Profiles of Serial Killers A psychological profile is a submitted report utilizing information and approaches from various social and behavioral sciences, focusing on a specific type of violent crime According to the FBI, a typical serial killer is a Caucasian male between the ages of 18 -32 who has been a victim of child abuse and who has exhibited signs of the Mc. Donald triad – bedwetting after the age of 12, setting fires, killing small animals

Psychological Profiles of Serial Killers – Mc. Donald Triad Most serial killers exhibit at least one of these behaviors According to Robert Ressler (FBI), more than 60% of serial killers wet the bed past the age of twelve The Son of Sam, David Berkowitz, set 1, 412 fires but switched over to killing because it gave him more excitement and TV news coverage Keith Jesperson, a serial killer from British Columbia who murdered more than 160 victims, started with dozens of cats and other small animals, before he moved on to human beings

Ted Bundy Intelligent, college educated, handsome man who faked injuries and impersonated police officers to gain access to his victims. His criminal activity began as a peeping Ted and as a shoplifter. While at the University of Washington, Bundy worked for a suicide hotline with writer, Anne Rule, who later wrote a bestseller “A Stranger Beside Me”.

Ted Bundy The majority of Bundy’s victims were young women with blonde/light brown hair parted in the middle. Many victims were stabbed, raped, tortured, and had been strangled with panty hose. He desecrated and dismembered them. Bundy confessed to killing 23 women between 1974 -1978, but the official toll may be closer to 100. Bite mark evidence from his victims at Florida State University sealed his fate. Bundy was put to death in Florida's electric chair in 1989.

Richard Ramirez The Night Stalker Ramirez, avowed devil worshipper, randomly raped and murdered his victims in their homes. Most of Ramirez's victims lived near freeways. In July 1989, Ramirez killed one of his victims, beat and raped the man's wife, and then raped the couple's 8 -year-old son. While in 8 th grade, Ramirez began sniffing glue and smoking marijuana. By the time he began killing, he had graduated to shooting cocaine.

Lt. Gil Carrillo Lieutenant Gil Carrillo, of the LA Sheriff’s Department, was the co-lead investigator of the Night Stalker serial murder case. Ramirez’s AC/DC baseball cap, his size eleven and a half Avia sneaker footprint, along with his fingerprint found on a stolen car led to his capture and conviction.

Richard Ramirez The Night Stalker Ramirez was captured shortly after a fingerprint lifted from a stolen car was linked to the Night Stalker. California's stateof-the-art fingerprint database had been up and running for only three minutes when the match was discovered. Ramirez's picture was then run in newspapers nationwide. When spotted by citizens in a rough neighborhood in Los Angeles, Ramirez bolted from a liquor store running nearly two miles. Shortly thereafter a group of people began beating Ramirez, until stopped by LAPD.

John Wayne Gacy Gacy, a successful contractor and pillar of his community, was arrested for the murder of more than thirty young boys. These boys had been sodomized and strangled. They often were tricked into being handcuffed. He buried 28 of his victims in the crawl space under his home. He was put to death by lethal injection on May 10, 1994.

Jeffrey Dahmer Dahmer, like Bundy, was calm, cool, and collected. He invited young boys to his apartment to drink and take pictures. He appeared to be so normal that two Milwaukee police officers actually released one of Dahmer's fourteen-year-old victims back to him after the victim had escaped and had gone to an area hospital. Dahmer killed at least 17 people, by inviting them to his apartment, and then drugging, strangling, and dismembering them. He cannibalized some of his victims as well. A prison inmate killed Dahmer.

The Zodiac Murders Most of the Zodiac killings took place in the San Francisco Bay Area during a five-year period from 1969 - 1974. The Zodiac, has been positively linked to the deaths of seven students. However, in letters written to San Francisco newspapers, he claimed to have killed nearly forty people. The Zodiac's modus operandi was to attack his victims (usually couples) on weekends, in areas near water, using a different weapon and a different automobile each time. Neither sexual molestation nor robbery were motives. ("Zodiac" by Robert Graysmith, 1976)

Zodiac Suspects Lawrence Kane – Kathleen Johns identified Kane as her abductor Pam Huckaby, sister to Zodiac victim Darlene Ferrin, identified Kane as a man who followed Darlene in the months before her murder Kane traded his car in five days after Ferrin's murder Kane lived within three blocks of the location where Paul Stine was murdered in San Francisco In 1970, Kane moved to Lake Tahoe as did possible Zodiac victim, Donna Lass. Kane and Lass worked in the same building Kane's name can be clearly discerned in a cipher from April 20, 1970.

Zodiac Suspects Rick Marshall Lived within blocks of the Stine murder scene Worked as a projectionist at a silent movie theater. The Zodiac had signed one of his letters as "The Red Phantom", a silent movie. Owned a Royal typewriter and a teletype machine - devices such as these had been used to create messages written to police and the newspapers Owned a car with a stripped reverse gear (as used in the Vallejo attempted murders) Physical appearance - crew cut and similar glasses to the Zodiac Arthur Leigh Allen (recent DNA testing of saliva on the postage stamp did not match Allen’s DNA*)

The Zodiac Murders Zodiac’s first murder*, two kids out on a first date, occurred in 1968, near Vallejo, California. A couple was attacked near Lake Berryessa, another “lover’s lane” Paul Stine, a San Francisco cab driver was murdered and a piece of his shirt was later sent to the police as proof that “The Zodiac” was the murderer. At the time, the Vallejo murder was thought to be Zodiac’s first

Zodiac Murders The 1966 murder of Riverside college student Cheri Jo Bates was later thought to be the work of the Zodiac. This watch was found near the murder scene. It was sold at a PX in England. (Post Exchange is a store that sells merchandise to military personnel )

Zodiac Symbol & Ciphers The Zodiac signed his letters with the symbol above His letters included cryptograms, “a type of puzzle which consists of a short piece of text encrypted with a simple substitution cipher in which each letter is replaced by a different letter. To solve the puzzle, one must recover the original lettering“ [1] http: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Cryptogram retrieved 4/30/08

Unsolved Cryptogram Three of the Zodiac’s four cryptograms have never been solved[1 http: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Cryptogram retrieved 4/30/08 ]

Green River Killer Gary Ridgway murdered scores of women in the Seattle area. The longest running homicide investigation in U. S. history Ridgway pled guilty to murdering 48 teenage runaways and prostitutes who he had strangled and dumped into the Green River in the state of Washington between 1982 and 1998. He was finally arrested in 2001 after DNA and paint evidence linked him with the crimes. Evidence collected in 1987 (saliva and hair) was used as evidence to obtain the arrest warrant. Ridgway passed the polygraph test years before he was apprehended.

BTK – Bind, Torture, Kill Dennis Rader, the Bind, Torture, Kill strangler murdered his victims in during a 25 year crime spree in Wichita, Kansas. Rader was apprehended after DNA evidence collected at a crime scene was tested against DNA collected from Rader's daughter. [1] Rader was married with two children He was a Boy Scout leader, a compliance officer in charge of animal control Rader was a psychopath who morphed into a serial killer, who easily maintained a family life while committing these heinous murders In typical psychopath style, Rader didn’t show a lot of affection or emotion [1] http: //www. cnn. com/2005/US/02/27/btk. investigation/index. html - Obtained June 9, 2008

Robert Pickton – Pig Farmer A Vancouver-area pig farmer who murdered as many as 60 female prostitutes Pickton was found guilty of second-degree murder after the longest trial in Canadian history and an investigation that cost $100 million. Evidence found in and around Pickton's property included skulls cut in half with hands and feet stuffed inside, a garbage bag with remains from another victim, blood stained clothing, a. 22 caliber revolver with a dildo attached that contained both his and the victim's DNA In a video-taped recording played for the jury, Pickton claimed to have attached the dildo to his weapon as a makeshift silencer. [ 1] [1] Accused serial killer 'fed bodies to pigs' - The Australian - Obtained on January 25, 2007.

Aileen Wuornos Monster Aileen Wuornos, a female prostitute, killed at least six men on the roads of Florida. She was the subject of the film "Monster", which starred Charlize Theron. Wuornos pawned a camera and radar detector that belonged to one of her victims and had left her required thumbprint on the receipt. When the thumbprint was run through AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System), her thumbprint matched an outstanding warrant against a Lori Grody (one of Wuornos' aliases) Wuornos‘ bloody palm print was also found in the vehicle of one of her victim's Wuornos claimed she had killed each of her victims in self-defense. However, because of Florida's "Williams Rule", information regarding the other murders was presented to the jury, clearly showing the pattern to the murders committed by Wuornos.

Dorothea Puente was a 59 -year-old boarding house owner in Sacramento, CA. who killed seven of her tenants and buried their bodies in her backyard. When neighbors complained about the stench coming from Puente's yard, she told them the sewer was backed up, rats were dead under the floorboards, or she blamed the odor on the fish emulsion she put on her garden. When her boarders started disappearing, a concerned social worker tipped off police, who made a gruesome discovery: She had drugged and killed her frail boarders. Puente's motive was to collect her tenants' government benefit checks

Importance of Routine Investigative Work Bundy was apprehended after a patrol officer noticed a vehicle prowling an area near a restaurant that had just closed. Bundy, who sped away, was followed and then stopped by the alert patrol officer. Bundy then provided a stolen credit card as identification, assaulted the officer, and attempted to flee the scene. One of John Wayne Gacy's victims worked in a pharmacy. He left the pharmacy briefly to speak with a contractor in the parking lot about summer employment. When he failed to return to his job, his disappearance was reported. Gacy had been spotted in the pharmacy between 6 and 8 PM the night of the victim's disappearance. David Berkowitz, known as the "Son of Sam", came under suspicion when investigators noticed that he had received a parking ticket at a location near one of the murder scenes. When following up on the parking citation, an officer noticed a machine gun protruding from a bag in Berkowitz's car.

Extent of Serial Killing in the US A. There are two schools of thought on the extent of serial murder in the U. S. On the one hand, "The US produces more serial killers than any other country. Up to 85% of the world's serial killers are in America. According to an FBI Behavioral Unit study serial killing has climbed to an almost 'epidemic proportion'. At any given time, there an estimated 20 - 50 active serial killers. Those who change their targets, methods, are often never identified. Experts speculate on what happens to unsolved cases of murderers. Some may commit suicide, die, be incarcerated, in mental institutions, relocate, or have stopped killing, a few turn themselves in. " (http: //www. karisable. com/crserial. htm)

Violent Criminal Apprehension Program In 1985, the FBI's Vi. CAP program became operational. This program's purpose is to eliminate the problems that prevent the apprehension of serial killers. These problems include: Lack of cooperation between police agencies Lack of communication between local, state, and federal agencies Mobility of serial murderers Lack of prior association between victims and assailant Unidentified bodies Vi. CAP submission criteria: Homicides (solved, unsolved, attempted) appear to be random, sexually oriented, lack motive, and appear to be part of a series Missing persons may be submitted if there is a strong likelihood of foul play or the victim remains missing Unidentified bodies - may be submitted if it appears the manner of death is criminal homicide

Vi. CAP Even if a suspect has been apprehended in a case, the report should still be submitted for two reasons. Vi. CAP's files can be compared against the case If the suspect apprehended is released for lack of evidence (or other reasons), the case can still be compared to others in the Vi. CAP system's advantages Can recognize a serial killing earlier in the investigation process May clear up other unsolved murders when suspect is apprehended Allows for the pooling of clues from a case, whereby allowing investigators to compile the list of suspects and eliminate as many as possible as quickly as possible, preventing further homicides.