serial killer (noun): a person who commits a series of murders, often with no apparent motive and typically following a characteristic, predictable behavior pattern.
We all have watched (and loved) those crazy, and sometimes too realistic crime shows... Criminal Minds, Law and Order, Luther etc. And while the subject matter draws us in and keep us entertained, we ought to look further into the minds of the people committing these crimes.
One of the oldest questions in criminology is whether criminals are born or made. Are serial killers a product of nature or nurture? This question is what drives behavioral scientists and psychologists all around the world to ponder. And the simple answer is, they don't quite know. In an article by J Oliver Conroy, he explores the minds of serial killers and issues the statement, "My basic argument is that it is intrinsic to the human survival mechanism that we have this capacity to repeatedly kill. Killers are anachronisms whose primal instincts are not being moderated by the more intellectual parts of our brain." This makes sense right? He follows up with the idea that maybe serial killers aren't made, but perhaps the rest of us are unmade; following proper parenting and socialization.
Trauma, or more specifically childhood trauma, is what most believe starts a psychological pattern of abuse, torment and killing streaks. However, in cases such as Ted Bundy's, there is no evidence of a harmful upbringing, leading us to think that these criminals can be random. According to the psychodynamic theory, crime occurs when a person displays a weak ego- serial killers seem to be manifesting their oppressed feelings into murders. But even if the compulsion is there, serial killers still have the choice of acting on their thoughts. Insanity also plays a large factor in serial killings, which can include lack of remorse and empathy: psychopathy. But not all serial killers are psychopaths, in fact, a great deal of them have tested to have high IQ's and above average scores in most cognitive tests.
The need for "thrill" is a leading element to a serial killer as well. The idea that taking a life gives them power or control is.. well, sickening, and also another category of psychopaths. If this act is something that comes from childhood traumas, then an explanation lies in the fact that they grew up not knowing how to feel, love, or handle emotions properly. Patterns between male and female killers vary, and a sadistic tendency, for instance, follows men serial killers far more often than women, who are "quiet killers" and are less likely to be so abusive and irregular. One can also be labeled as an organized or disorganized serial killer. Disorganized means they left the scene in disarray showing that they might have acted on impulse, and perhaps left behind evidence. Organized might show that it was planned, and is cleaned up to suggest they weren't there.
Sigmund Freud, the famous neurologist, had studied the minds of serial killers in depth and was able to discover that the development of the unconscious personality early in childhood will influence behavior for the rest of one's life. He said that serial killers seem to be controlled and overwhelmed by their id, or their drive for food, sex, etc. Drive has also been seen in the need to be recognized and approved by other, more famous killers. Therefore, they like the attention they receive in the criminological world. Each serial killer is unique and different though, and they each have their own style, patterns, motives and mindsets.
Let's look into the minds of some of the worlds most "famous" serial killers:
Ted Bundy-(United States) admitted to killing 36 women but it is thought he has killed more than 100. He was executed in Florida's electric chair in 1989.
Erzebet Bathory-(Hungary) tortured and murdered more than 600 victims in the 16th century and was regarded the "vampire killer" due to the fact that she would bathe in the blood of her victims.
Jeffrey Dahmer-(US) confessed to killing 17 young men and boys, and would sexually abuse, dismember, and eat his victims. He was sentenced to serve 957 years in prison but was killed two years later by another inmate.
Luis Alfredo Gavarito-(Colombia) In 1999 Gavarito confessed to the rape, torture and murder of 140 children.
Bruno Ludke-(Germany) killed at least 80 people during his 15-year killing spree in 1928. Declared insane, he was sent to a Vienna hospital where experiments were carried out on him until he died by lethal injection in 1944.
Jack the Ripper- (London) an anonymous serial killer, who researched have believed to uncover as Aaron Kosminski, who killed female prostitutes in the late 1800's. His number of victims is unknown.
John Wayne Gacey-(United States) was a killer, sex offender who murdered at least 33 young men and boys. He is known as the "killer clown" and would attend parties and events and stalk his victims.
