Serial killers; A Cultural Phenomenon of the US?

[Killean]

Just to give a couple examples of what I wrote down:

Legend:
MK-Mercy Killings
G-Greed
P-Power
J-Jealousy
SI-Sexual Inadequacies
A-Abuse(physical/mental/sexual)
AI-Abandonment Issues
MF-Morbid Fascinations
SG-Sexual Gratification
MI-Mental Issues
Psy-Psychotic

David Berkowitz ('Son of Sam') - P/AI/SI/A - US
Werner Boost - P/G - GER
Ted Bundy - Psy - US
Keneth Bianchi & Angelo Buono ('Hillside Strangler') - SG/P/MF - US
Nannie Doss - J/G - US
Albert De Salvo - SI - US
Earle Nelson - MI/AI/A/MF - CAN

One of the hardest things we found when trying to categorize these men and women were that rarely can you ever place them under just one category. It's interesting reading up 80 different serial killer cases, but after doing so I think I'm off watching any slasher flicks for a while.

[Fishteacher73]

Many of these categories are somewhat intertwined...Someone with sexual inadequacies probably has had a history of abuse, both would fuel the desire for power, etc.

The only category that seems out of place is greed. I could see it for mass murderers but not really serial killers. Most SK derive a pleasure from the killing/tortue/mutilating of their victims. Generally the trophies thgat they take have very little monetary value (Clothing, ID, body part, etc.) are are used to relive the event.

[Fishteacher73]

Female serial killers are almost a breed unto themself. They tend to opperate in a very different manner. Many like poisons. Some that are lumped in as SK I feel fall really into the mass murderer file (Aileen Wuornos for example seemed to kill easily, but not with any real intent. The victyims were usually not "hunted" as many SK do.).

[paultrr]

They Covet, to use the old term for such. They may covet power, they may covet position, etc. One interesting thing is if you take the pictures of several serial killers and cover over their faces except the eyes they all have a sort of stare that reminds me of a natural born hunter. Something like the stare of say a hawk. I've often wondered about an evolutionary throw back to the old hunter/gather days playing into this odd psychology they all seem to possess in general common. One thing I also think needs mentioned is the rape involved or sex in the serial killer case has a simular quality to regular rape in that it does not really center on sex at all. Its about power.

The recent case where the guy vanished from public eye and killings as far as we know for nearly a decade and started up his pre-killing letters again actually shows that these guys do not always fit the normal profile either.

[Fishteacher73]

Originally Posted by paultrr

The recent case where the guy vanished from public eye and killings as far as we know for nearly a decade and started up his pre-killing letters again actually shows that these guys do not always fit the normal profile either.

If you are speaking of BTK (which is what I think you are talking about) they believe they have found other more recent victims. The MO was just about the same with two exceptions: There was not the public gloating and the bodies were dumped. It is not uncommon for the more lucid serial killer to alter his MO because he is aware of the police presence. BTK was a trained military and worked in law enforcement. It would be natural for someone of his background and training to be able to intentionally "throw the investigators off his trail".