Serial Killer Case Study
Directions: Your task is to research, analyze and classify a famous serial killer
according to the FBI criteria listed below. Killers you may pick are listed on the back of
this sheet. The diagnosis form you are to complete is also attached to this sheet.
Serial Killers are classified as being one of two types: organized and disorganized.
Organized Killers: are usually of high intelligence and plan their crimes quite
methodically, usually abducting victims, killing them in one place and disposing of them
in another. They maintain a high degree of control over the crime scene, and usually
have a good knowledge of forensic science that enables them to cover their tracks, such
as by burying the body or weighting it down and sinking it in a river. They follow their
crimes in the media carefully and often take pride in their actions, as if it were a grand
project. The organized killer is usually socially adequate and has friends.
Disorganized Killers: are often of low intelligence and commit their crimes
impulsively. Whereas the organized killer will specifically set out to hunt a victim, the
disorganized will murder someone whenever the opportunity arises, rarely bothering to
dispose of the body but instead just leaving it at the same place in which they found the
victim. They usually carry out "blitz" attacks, leaping out and attacking their victims
without warning, and will typically perform whatever rituals they feel compelled to carry
out (e.g., necrophilia, mutilation, cannibalism, etc.) once the victim is dead. They are
often loners with few friends.
Motive types for killings – what made them do it as classified by the FBI. Killers can be
classified by more than one motive type.
Visionary killer – murders carried out due to delusions, insanity, hallucinations,
or voices. Very rare.
Missionary - believe that their acts are justified on the basis that they are getting
rid of a certain type of person (often prostitutes or members of a certain ethnicity),
and thus doing society a favor.
Hedonistic - This type kills for the sheer pleasure of it, although what aspect they
enjoy varies. Some killers may enjoy the actual "chase" of hunting down a victim
more than anything, while others may be primarily motivated by the act of
torturing and abusing the victim while they are alive. Usually there is a strong
sexual aspect to the crimes, though this is not always the case.
Gain Motivated – Kill because they are motivated by economic gain rather than
psychopathological reasons. Primary motivation materialistic though often it is
not the only motive.
Power and control - This is the most common serial killer. Their main objective
for killing is to gain and exert power over their victim. Such killers are sometimes
abused as children, which means they feel incredibly powerless and inadequate.
In a paper presented to the International Association of Forensic Sciences in 1984, FBI
Special Agent Robert K. Ressler and several of his colleagues listed the following "general
characteristics" of serial sex-murderers:
1. Over 90 percent of them are white males
2. They tend to be intelligent, with IQs in the "bright normal" range.
3. In spite of their high IQs, they do poorly in school, have a hard time
holding down jobs, and often work as unskilled laborers.
4. They tend to come from markedly unstable families. Typically, they
are abandoned as children by their fathers and raised by
domineering mothers.
5. Their families often have criminal psychiatric, and alcoholic histories.
6. They hate their fathers. They hate their mothers.
7. They are commonly abused as children - psychologically,
physically, and sexually. Sometimes, the abuser is a stranger.
Sometimes, it is a friend. Often, it is a family member.
8. Many of them end up spending time in institutions as
children and have records of early psychiatric
problems.
9. They have a high rate of suicide attempts.
10. They are intensely interested from an early age in
voyeurism, fetishism, and sadomasochistic
pornography.
11. bed-wetting - more than 60 percent of serial killers were still
wetting their beds over the age of twelve.
12. Fire starting- children like to play with matches because they are
intrigued by the bright, colorful, flickering flames. But budding serial
killers carry this interest to a frightening extreme. Their fascination
with fire is an early manifestation of their fondness for spectacular
destruction.
13. Sadistic activity - before they are big enough to inflict harm on
other human beings, future serial killers get their kicks from
tormenting small creatures
Famous serial killers you may pick. Can pick another if approved by teacher.
David Berkowitz
Paul Bernardo & Karla Homolka
Jerry Brudos
BTK- Dennis Rader
Ted Bundy
John Norman Collins
Juan Corona
Charles Cullen
Jeffrey Dahmer
Joseph Edward Duncan III
Albert Fish
John Wayne Gacy
Eddie Gein
H.H. Holmes
Edmund Kemper
Dennis Nilsen
Robert Pickton
Dr. Harold Shipman
Aileen Wuornos
Herbert Mullin
Serial Killer Clinical Evaluation
Serial Killer’s Full Name:
Anything significant or different about the killer’s youth, early life or
upbringing that may have possibly influenced his/her later life and
actions?
Any criminal arrests prior to murders?
If so, for what?
Previous jobs or occupations?
Any particular incident that may have given the killer reason to commit
murder, or influenced the type of person to be targeted?
At what age is it believed his/her first murders occurred?
Is there a certain type of person or certain similarities between victims
that the killer targeted?
Is there a certain way most of his/her killings were carried out?
Describe in general.
Did the killer display any of the characteristics of a serial killer as
mentioned on the list in this packet? If so, list:
Would you classify this killer as an Organized or Disorganized killer?
Why?
What FBI motivation type or types was present in this individual’s
actions? Explain why you think this.
How was this killer caught?
After capture, what was done with this individual? What do you think should have
been done with them?