Transcript Serial Killers - Kelley Kline Phd

Serial Killers
Dr. Kelley Kline
FSU-Panama City
I. What is the common profile for
most serial killers?

Demographics:
 A. Ethnicity- The majority of serial killers are
caucasian ( Estimates range from 82-86%).

Following Caucasians, African Americans make up
the next category of serial offenders (estimates of
13-20%), and then Hispanics (2%).
B. Age

Most serial killers are between the ages of 26 &
31 years of age:
 Distribution of Serial Killers Ages (recorded at
time of arrest). There is no difference in age of
serial killers versus people who kill only once.






Age category
18-25
26-31
32-36
37-42
Over 42
Percentage
17%
28%
12%
25%
18%
C. Gender

Serial killers are predominantly male.

Godwin estimates that males account for
approximately 95% of serial murderers.

This has been supported by other studies.

Keep in mind--this low estimate for female
serial murder most likely reflects society’s
attitudes toward female aggression.
D. Educational Status

The research thus far, shows that serial
murderers tend to be poorly educated.

Most serial killers did not finish high school

Some had high school diplomas, but most did
not go on to college.

Only a fraction finish college and get
postgraduate degrees.
E. History of Mental disorders

The data on the occurrence of mental illness
in serial killers is mixed.

One study found that 28% of serial killers
had been treated for mental illness. This is
in sharp contrast to a study done by the FBI
that found that 69% of their offenders had
some form of psychopathology.
F. Offender Sexual History


Sexual orientation--predominantly
heterosexual, followed by homosexual, and
bisexual, respectively.
Sexual activity:
 Pornography (64-81%)
 Fetishes (sex toys, etc. --58%)
 Voyeurism (17%)**
 Bestiality (sex with animals)-less common,
but has occurred in some serial killers.
II. Who tend to be the victims?
A. Gender of victim
 Serial killers tend to prey on
women of their same race
(predominantly Caucasian).


Women account for as much as 67%
of the victims in serial murders.

In studies
criminals,
73% of the
victimized
of sexually sadistic
it was reported that
offenders only
females, compared with
B. Victim’s age


The target age range for most serial
murderers is between the ages of 18 and 50
years.
Age of victim
 Under age 10
 11-17
 18-50
 50+
Percentage
5%
22%
67%
5%
C. Victims are often strangers & easily
accessible to offenders

Victims are usually complete
strangers to serial killers in
majority of cases.

Prostitutes, drifters, &
hitchhikers are their victims of
choice because they are easy prey
& aren’t usually missed by
society.
III. Female Serial Killers & their
victims

Female serial killers tend to
be "black widows" who kill a
succession of husbands,
lovers, or other family
members.

They can also be nurses or
other medical professionals
who become self-appointed
"angels of death" murdering
IV. Serial Killer Behavior

Personality: Serial killers tend to
be sexually dysfunctional & low in
self-esteem.

Nature of killings: killings tend to
be sexual in nature. Usually are 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
Serial killer behavior contd.

Many enjoy cannibalism,
necrophilia, & keep trophy-like
body parts as mementos of their
work (e.g., fingers, heads).

Killers are usually sadistic in
nature and often return to crime
scenes or grave sites of their
victims to fantasize about their
killings.

Many follow the police
investigation of their crimes &
some enjoy taunting authorities
V. Background of Most Serial Killers:

Most serial killers grew up in
violent and dysfunctional
households.

Most had conduct disorder
behaviors: enjoying torturing
animals, setting fires, chronic
bed-wetting etc.

In adulthood many serial killers
VI. Killers’ Method of Homocide

Weapons are chosen with care (Godwin text).

Hands-on weapons are chosen for 3 reasons:
1. To touch the victim
2. Because touching the victim with the weapon further terrorizes
the victim.
3. The touch degrades the victim









Most common forms of death (in order from most to least) are:
Knife (stabbing, throat- slashing, hack-sawing, axing)
Ligature (strangulation)
Firearm (guns, shotgun, rifle)
Hands & Feet (kicking, stomping)
Bludgeoning (being beaten to death by blunt instrument)
VII. Serial Killers’ Sexual Degradation of
the Victim

It is argued that most serial killers, harm and kill their
victims in an attempt to gain control over others.
Possibly causing physical pain and humiliation to their
victims, makes the serial killer momentarily feel a sense
of control and power in their lives. Many killers were
terribly abused as children and this is often for revenge.

Sexual sadism is a particularly strong method by which
serial killers show their strength, domination, and power
over their victims.
Forms of sexual degradation produced
by killers’ (from most to least) are:

Vaginal Penetration (rape)
 Attempted Sex Assault
 Anal Penetration (anal rape)
 Sex Organs Assaulted (hands, objects, or
weapons used to harm genital areas)
 Foreign objects (bottles, gun, other projectiles
inserted into genitalia)
 Male sexual assault (anal rape)
 Necrophilia
VIII. Serial Killers’ Sadistic Behavior

A. Torturing their victims- while they are
still alive by -- cutting them, presenting
electric shock to their genitals/body parts,
stabbing them, cutting off body parts,
repeated sexual assault, mentally torturing
them,etc.

B. Dismemberment postmortem--body
parts will be cut off following victim’s death.
C. Ritualistic acts

These include evidence of candles burning,
blood poured, and other potential
religious/Satanic symbols found near body.

D. Piquerism- killers’ experience sexual
excitation from ripping or tearing material
or human flesh. Is usually a unique
signature of killings.
E. Victim’s body posed

Where is the body positioned. Does not
refer to posing the body which is rare.

F. Anthropophagy - Refers to
cannibalism (eating human flesh & body
parts). Usually is the signature for the
killer since its fairly rare.
IX. Serial Killer Psychological
Reflection

A. Serial Killers may take trophies from crime
scenes.

These trophies allow the killer to relieve his crime
and to receive vicarious gratification from the
murder.

Trophies often include personal belongings of the
victim: teeth, hair, body parts, clothing, jewelry,
victim identification cards (license, credit cards).
B. Photos

Offender may take photos or videotape
victims during sadistic acts (to replay for
their enjoyment after the victim is dead and
the body has been disposed).

C. Diary - Some serial murderers keep
diaries or other written accounts of their
killings. They may also have a scrapbook
containing the news paper clippings of the
crimes and police investigations.
D. Offender Interjecting himself into
police investigation

The serial killer may follow the
investigation very closely and get involved,
but this is fairly rare.