Serial Killer Research Paper

James Waybern Hall, AKA “Big Jim” killed 4 people, including his wife. Hall convicted these murders between 1944 and 1945, he was sent to death by electrocution in May, and died January 4th, 1946. Hall acted big and bad infront of the guards, telling them he was not afraid. When the guards strapped him in the chair he stated “I can take it.” Even though this was a long time ago, death by electrocution is still a legal action in Arkansas. (Tiffany 1)

A Serial Killer is often defined as a person who murders more than three people in separate events with a "cooling off period" between the killings. Serial killers will often be overwhelmed with a desire to kill often during a period of stress in their lives. After they

What is a serial killer? Retired Special Agent Robert Ressler, a twenty-two year veteran of the FBI’s Behavioral Sciences Unit in Quantico, Virginia, is responsible for creating the term “serial killer.” He defines this person as “one who commits a series of murders, usually three or more, the victims most often being strangers, and usually with a cooling-off period in between each kill” (Kelleher & Kelleher, 1998; Pearson, 1998; Ressler and Shactman, 1997). This precise definition is necessary to distinguish this type of predator from the mass murderer (who kills many simultaneously), mercenaries, war criminals, or mafia hit men.

In the article The Serial Killer Phenomenon Richard Whittington-Egan aims to explain what exactly a serial killer is and how they differ from a mass murderer. Whittington-Egan breaks down and showcases the defining characteristics of a serial kill with the help of numerous cases of evidence to confirm the accuracy of each statement. The article concludes with examining the future of this phenomenon, what has been done, and most importantly how difficult it will be to solve such an unpredictable behavior.

Serial killers is a person that kill three or more people in a short amount of time. He or she murder one after another in a similar way with an inactive period between each murder. The motivation for murdering an adult or child is based on psychological gratification. The serial killer is normally an adult white male in his late twenties, who has killed four or more individuals in separate incident with an inactive period between. It is impossible to tell just by looking at a person who will become a serial killer, the traits of some criminals or serial killers appear to be similar most of the time. The types of behaviors

Statistically, the average serial killer is a white male from a lower-to-middle-class background, usually in his twenties or thirties. Many were physically or emotionally abused by parents. Some were adopted. As children, fledgling serial killers often set fires, torture animals, and wet their beds (these red-flag behaviors are known as the “triad” of symptoms.) Brain injuries are common. Some are very intelligent and have shown great promise as successful professionals. They are also fascinated with the police and authority in general (Scott).

A serial killer is defined as “a person who commits more than three murders over a period that spans more than one month. For the most part, serial killers commit murder for some sort of psychological benefit.” A serial killer who is well known in American history is H.H Holmes, as well as the infamous Bloody Benders.

4. Serial killers also show signs of a psychopath though this is not always the case. Psychopaths lack empathy and guilt, are egocentric and impulsive and don’t conform to social, moral, or legal norms. Psychopaths have a distinct set of rules for themselves. They appear normal and are often very charming and charismatic.

In our readings, we Define Visionary serial killers as someone who commits incomprehensible active serial fatal victimization. We described the crime scene as chaotic.

Serial killing is the rarest form of homicide, which occurs when an individual has killed three or more people. Usually serial killers pick their victims at random, leaving a “cooling off” period in between each committed crime (Kevin Haggerty). It also should be noted that serial murderers

People who have been diagnosed with this cluster are sexually inappropriate, prone to a grandiose view of their own uniqueness and abilities, emotionally unstable, self-centered, lacking and sense of guilt, shame or empathy and are often superficially charming, manipulative and exploitative. Most serial killers exhibit a well known triad of behaviors in childhood: a fascination with fire, cruelty to animals and prolonged bed-wetting. Many become almost uncontrollably interested in pornography as teenagers and anti-social when they reach adulthood. Most were physically and/or sexually abused. However, they appear normal in surface appearance and behavior. Typically with this illness, comes overpowering waves of compulsion to kill that wax and wane over time but normally get worse with age. Serial killers are described by law enforcement as organized or unorganized. Organized killers often appear normal in their appearance and socially. They typically plan their killing, have a mode of transportation and bring some sort of murder “kit”, containing the tools they will need. Most serial killers don’t use guns. The victims usually fit into a certain profile (e.g. gender, race, hair color etc.) and they will hunt down their victims. The organized killer is more likely to have a crime scene picked out, take or discard the weapon, and move or transport the body to a hiding place. In contrast to the organized killer the

A serial killer is someone who has murdered at least three people on at least three different occasions with a break between the murders (Egger, 2002; Hickey, 2002). … It is likely that they kill during a time of stress and after it is done, they feel temporarily

This report will focus on Theodore Robert Bundy. Bundy was confirmed to be have been connected to at least 40 murders and was executed by Old Sparky, Florida’s electric chair in January 24, 1989. Initially, Bundy was arrested for a driving violation in August 1975. When police searched his vehicle, suspicious items were found that led to Bundy’s charge of Carol DaRonch’s kidnapping. Bundy was sentenced to 15 years in prison in February 1976 but was later charged with the murder of Caryn Campbell in October 1976. However, Bundy escaped prison and proceeded to live a College life until brutally murdering two women of Florida State University and other reported murders. Bundy was finally brought to trial where he arrogantly acted as his own attorney.

The case is very different with incipient serial killers. Fixated at a shockingly primitive stage of emotional development, they never lose their craving for cruelty and domination. Quite contrary: it continues to grow in them like a cancer. Eventually - when dogs, cats, and other small, four-legged creatures can no longer satisfy it, they turn their terrifying attentions to a larger, two-legged breed: human beings.?

A serial killer is described as a person who has murdered three or more people over a time period of more than a month, there are at times where the killer will become dormant between murders. Typically when there is a break between murders it seems as though the killings are not connected, unless the killer has a style or signature when murdering their victims. More often than not a serial killer victim is chosen at random. Since serial killers do not usually know their victims it suggests that the motive to kill is more psychological than material. In 1974 the FBI created the Behavioral Analyst Unit also known as “BSU”. One of their first tasks was to interview 36 serial murderers in an effort to grasp their motivation and psychology. After interviewing these 36 murderers they were able to classify them into three groups; Organized, Disorganized, and Mixed. An organized serial killer is one of the most challenging to identify and imprison because they are typically intelligent and well organized and thorough. All details of their crime is calculated and have a blueprint in advance for the crimes they are going to commit. This type of killer takes preventative measures to ensure no evidence is left behind to implicate them in the crime. It is usual for this type of murderer to track their prospective victims for quite a few days until they come across someone who seems to be fitting. Disorganized killers seldomly arrange out the deaths of their victims. Typically the