Source: There are number of theories regarding the motivations of serial killers. Perhaps the most widely accepted and most comprehensive involves a four-fold typology of serial homicide developed by criminologists Ronald Holmes, Stephen Holmes and James De Burger (1).
Examples Of Mission Oriented Serial Killers
Based on in-depth interviews with a number of incarcerated serial killers, these criminologists concluded that serial killers are generally either act-focused or process-focused. In the case of act-focused killers, who typically kill quickly, the motive for murder is the act itself. Within the act-focused group, there are two different types: visionary killers and mission-oriented killers. Download game android dragon city offline mod apk. Process-focused serial killers, on the other hand, derive satisfaction from the torture and prolonged suffering of their victims, so they typically kill slowly. Within the process-focused group, there are two types: hedonists and power/control killers. Hedonistic serial killers are thrill seekers who derive immense pleasure from their murderous exploits.
Additionally, there are three sub-types of hedonists: lust, thrill and comfort/gain killers. The second type of process-focused serial killer—that is, power/control killers—are highly organized and primarily motivated by dominating and controlling their victims. Let’s take a closer look at power/control killers. They are perhaps the most common of all serial killers and classic examples of this type include Gary Ridgway, John Wayne Gacy (The Killer Clown) and Dennis Rader (Bind, Torture, Kill or BTK). Such predators often use pain as a method of control and torture as a ritualistic token of it. The primary of these serial killers is to control and dominate their victims. They enjoy torturing their prey and find it sexually arousing but the act of murder is normally the most satisfying and final expression of their power and control over their victims.
They are patient and they kill their victims slowly in order to prolong their own sadistic pleasure. Such behavior is empowering because the killer gets to decide when, how and under what circumstances his victims will die. Dennis Rader is a leading example of this type of serial killer. In a twisted mind such as that of BTK, prolonged torture and killing can become the only means to quench his otherwise insatiable thirst for power and control. Power/control killers are frequently stone-cold psychopaths and they fall into the FBI’s organized category of predators because they are meticulous planners, unflappable and patient. Such serial killers are frequently charming, and intelligent.
Many power/control killers sexually assault their victims but, unlike hedonist lust killers, for them rape is not motivated by lust. Instead, rape is another means of dominating and controlling their victims. Also, power/control killers do not necessarily lose interest in their victims after they are dead, as thrill killers do. Sometimes, a power/control killer will return to have with the decomposing corpse of a victim long after the murder in order to perpetuate his domination and control of the deceased. Because necrophilia totally eliminates the possibility of unwanted rejection, the power/control killer can return to violate the victim whenever he pleases. This affords a psychopathic serial killer with a tremendous sense of empowerment while avoiding the disturbing prospect of rejection and disappointment by a living person. Voracious postmortem sexual behavior was manifested by Ted Bundy and Ed Kemper (The Co-ed Killer), for example, who were both power/control killers.
I examine the public’s intense fascination with notorious, psychopathic and deadly serial killers in my book. 1) Holmes, R.M. And Holmes, S.T. Serial Murder, 2nd Edition. Thousand Oaks: Sage. Scott Bonn is professor of sociology and criminology at Drew University.
He is available for expert consultation and media commentary. Follow him @DocBonn on and visit his website docbonn.com.
“We serial killers are your sons, we are your husbands, we are everywhere. And there will be more of your children dead tomorrow.” — In A Nutshell Serial killers aren’t a new thing. It is only fairly recently, however, that serial killers have been broken down into different types based on their motivations for killing. These include those that are motivated by anger, by financial gain, by psychosis, and by a need for power. There are also serial killers that commit their murders based on ideology, inclusion in a criminal organization, or because of a sexual need. There are, of course, cases that fall between the cracks or hit multiple areas, and these categories certainly are not 100 percent complete or absolute.
![]() ![]()
The Whole Bushel According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, there are seven main different types of serial killers, although some organizations combine some of these different types. It’s also important to note that there can be some overlap. For instance, the serial killer driven by psychosis to murder can also have characteristics that would make him an anger-motivated killer. An anger-motivated serial killer is one that’s driven by an intense hatred of a group of people. This anger can be based on religion, gender, lifestyle, or race, and could be fueled by something from a life-changing event to the irrational development of racist views.
Some profiles also call this type a “mission serial killer,” as they believe it is their purpose in life to rid the world of a certain type of person. Ideology can also be a very powerful motivator for some types of serial killers. These are the people that also tend to target a single group of people, but it’s to further their own cause and ideals rather than to rid the world of a very specific type of person, as in anger-motivated killings. Terrorist groups are often ideology-based. Some serial killers are motivated by financial gain. These are the killers that ingratiate themselves into a household, then perhaps kill for their inheritance, and they’re the ones that take out insurance policies then kill to receive their payoff.
Robbery-homicides are also an example of crimes with a financially motivated serial killer. These killers are also known as comfort-oriented serial killers, and many female serial killers fall into this category.
Repelay game download. Some serial killers commit murder because they’re driven to do so by their own psychosis or mental illness. Also called visionary serial killers, they often suffer from delusions and hallucinations, thinking that something is telling them to commit murder. These are the serial killers that are usually found incompetent to stand trial, as they often truly believe that demons, gods, or other otherworldly influences are pushing them. Power or thrill killers simply do it for the rush. These people are often aware that they’re going against what’s socially acceptable, but the feel of power and domination is too great for them to pass up.
Sometimes the dominance can take on a sexual aspect, but here it’s more about the feeling of power than about the actual act itself. There are also those that kill because of their own perverse sexual desires.
Unlike power or thrill killers, it’s about the act instead of the power that it imparts to them over their victim. In some cases, this might not even be reflected clearly in the crime scene, and it may only be later, at home or in an environment they feel is safe, that they can fulfill their fantasies. The other main type of serial killer is that which commits multiple murders in conjunction with another criminal element.
Examples include a member of a drug or street gang committing gang violence, an enforcer for organized crime. When it comes to investigations, these are broad guidelines that are often applied to help investigators understand the motivations behind their suspects actions. They are by no means absolute and 100 percent complete, and there is always the possibility for overlap between motivations. Applying the general principles behind these categories can also prove valuable during suspect interviews and during trials. Show Me The Proof.
Comments are closed.
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |