The Mind and Motivation of a Serial Killer Essay

As if molded directly from the depths of nightmares, both fascinating and terrifying. Serial killers hide behind bland and normal existences. They are often able to escape being caught for years, decades and sometimes an eternity. These are America’s Serial Killers (America’s Serial Killers). “Even when some of them do get caught, we may not recognize what they are because they don’t [sic] match the distorted image we have of serial killers” (Brown). What is that distorted image? That killers live among everyday life, they are the ones who creep into someone’s life unknowingly to torture and kill them. The serial killers that are in the movies, Norman Bates, Michael Myers, and the evil master mind of SAW, these characters are just that

There are many theories as to why people become serial killers. Almost all of these concepts are associated with the Nature vs. Nurture theory. Are serial killers born with the need to kill, or is it something that they learn to long for as they grew up? Many believe that the nurture theory is the likely concept to believe; that serial killers are created from bad childhood experiences including being abused by their parents, or molested at an early age. Psychologist and sociologist have interviewed serial killers and picked apart their minds, to find out what it is that makes them feel the need to perform these heinous crimes. It is the nature theory that they are looking for when

     Serial killers are usually young, white males who are quite intelligent and often come from broken homes. They may have been abused either physically or sexually during childhood and they have serious personality defects, such as low self-esteem and a lifelong sense of loneliness. Although no two serial killers are alike, they all fit this description somewhat.

December 11, 1978, Robert Piest was reported missing by his mother. He was last seen meeting John Wayne Gacy for a potential job. On December 21 they searched Gacy's house finding bodies hidden under the house,garage and later found more in the Des Plaines River. The young men were lured by false jobs and were sexualy assulted and later strangled and buried. Over 33 bodies of missing boys were found in Gacy's house. Gacy is not the only one in the world who has taken the life of many innocent people. Over the many years bodies have been found mutilated and sexualy assulted. These bodies have been the subject of one hostility and violence, a killer. Serial killer have been around for very long but the secret to their wrong doing is only being opened in recent years. The advancement in technology has opened opportunities to find the cause for these awful killings.Serial killers are created from birth but proceed to rise mental illness, brain injury and child abuse corrupt their mind and life pushing them to kill.

A serial killer is a person defined as a series of two or more murders, committed as separate events. “They are generally cunning, manipulative, and know the difference between right and wrong but dismiss it as applying to them” (Montaldo, n.d.) We are often captivated by what they have done and not in a positive way but the intriguing part as to “why”. In reality I stop to think what was happening to this person or within their minds that caused them to behave in such a way. It’s said that these acts are due to Abnormal Psychology gratification, this is the unusual patterns of behavior, emotion and thought. After thorough research Dr. Helen Morrison believes that it is due to a chromosome abnormality. Dr. Morrison believes that serial killers begin to start expressing these tendencies in their teen

The minds and the inner workings of a serial killer have been analyzed, investigated, and pondered upon for many years. “Questions such as what makes his or her mind tick? Does he or she target one fitting victim? What are his or her motives?” are some of the most common that spring to mind. We all hold the power of being aggressive, of encompassing unthinkable and destructive thoughts of “torture, sadism and murder”, but we do not all become serial murderers (Knight, 21). This deviant behavior is often feared because it displays a small but troubled percentage of people who immerse in the torture and death of other

Serial killers are not a new development. They have been among us since the beginning of time. Evidence of this can be seen by reviewing some of the world’s most high-profile crimes; some of which remain unsolved. Serial killers are difficult to detect. They are able to move through society, masquerading as normal, healthy individuals. A serial sexual sadistic killer is a specific type of predator. Their crimes suggest that they are void of any feelings or emotion. However, theories suggest that their sadistic behavior is motivated by torturing their victims.

Next, the topic of Nature vs. Nurture is addressed according to serial killers. In an article from the FBI, the subject of how a serial killer is conceived is replied. The article focuses its findings around the question: Are serial killers born with predetermined genes that play an integral part in creating their homicidal tendencies or do psycho-killers become murderous through their surroundings as children (“Serial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture”)? Grover Goodwin, who profiles serial killers, gathered information from one hundred and seven serial killers and their seven hundred and twenty- eight victims.

Many serial killers suffer from mental illnesses. Often affected by disorders like psychopathy, they are unable to feel empathy or guilt, allowing them to kill without feeling any emotional distress (“Serial Killers”). Ted Bundy was a perfect example of this. Impulsive and callous, he confessed to murdering thirty women though many believe that the true number of victims is much higher (“Ted Bundy”).

However, the truth is that serial killers are skilled at hiding their true selves and their terrifying thoughts, which help them fit in with the society. These killers are very cunning that they lure their prey by making them feel safe and secure but in reality they lead them into a trap. When they finally have their victims under their control, they show their true selves and kill the victims with any available weapons (Serial Killers). These acts are due to impulses and their desire for thriller and

The concept of serial killing is difficult for most to grasp, but it can be easily inferred that the reality of a serial killer is different from the general population. As the notorious Ted Bundy, killer of several young females, once said, “‘I am the most cold-blooded son of a bitch you’ll ever meet. I just liked to kill, I wanted to kill’” (Labrode). This creates the question of how much a serial killer’s childhood really plays into who they are. While biologists argue that factors such as an extra chromosome, head trauma, and hormone imbalances lead to these violent actions, psychologists are researching how early life and recent media has impacted them. Others even believe that these people become aberrant from pressure to succeed, and their lack of control (Lee). In the source Looking-Glass

In the sick minds of those who murder again and again, rape, pain and death are twisted into a passion to kill. Otherwise known as an ordinary individual, serial killers turn to violence and death in search of power over others, and to explore their fatal addiction to their immoral thrills. Even though these horrific crimes of a serial killer repulse most individuals, there is still a strange fascination when it comes to these deadly killers. I chose the movie The Lovely Bones to profile a serial killer.

Serial Killers are usually catalyzed by a specific event or psychological change in their lives (stress, death in family, breakup, new medication), after their goals have been accomplished, a feeling of relief washes over them, but only lasts a temporary and once again they become blood thirsty. There are several forms of abuse which include physical, psychological, maltreatment and

A serial killer is a person who murders three or more people over a period of more than 30 days, with a "cooling off" period between each murder, and whose motivation for killing is largely based on psychological gratification.' A sexual element is often involved in the killings (Simon, 2015). Psychopaths, sociopaths, and those suffering mental illness, can potentially be seen as a contributing factor to homicidal behavior. Other factors including sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional and verbal abuse by a family member are often seen as causes to becoming a serial killer. Those individuals whom also endured being neglected by parents who lacked a positive relationship can also be seen as a contributing factor of becoming a serial killer.

A lot of people view serial killers as psychopaths, deranged, lunatics, just people that’ve went off the deep end. They are special and extremely dangerous, but at one point in time they were all just like you; living a regular life, maybe working a 9-5, even had a family, but it’s clear as day, something went wrong. “All it is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy” (Ledger, The Dark Knight). A serial killer’s motive to kill isn’t completely haphazard, such inhumane behavior comes from a negative psychological background 9 times out of 10, a background which is sometime quite hard to discover.