Killer Instincts: How Serial Killers are Molded into the Monsters That They Are
For years serial killers have both fascinated and frightened the public through their gruesome and horrific crimes. With their callousness and cold-hearted behaviors, we have to wonder, what makes a human capable to do that to another? From stalking their victims, torturing, raping and brutally murdering them, it seems almost primal and can be presumed that they are just animals who are blood thirsty like that of a wolf. Contrary to this belief, the reason why they do what they do often stems from common abnormalities that are found in multiple serial killers. These abnormalities are crucial when understanding what causes a human being to abandon their civil behavior and begin preying on innocent civilians.
The innocence of the childhood soul is often shattered by means of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse which has devastating results that last well into adulthood. 73.2% of serial killers were reported to have been abused as children (Aamodt 2020), which points to a clear correlation of childhood abuse and serial killings. After such abuse, children often become resentful, angry, and confused which leads to pent up aggression and seeking revenge as adults. Children often show early signs of abnormal behavior which consists of, the killing of small animals, bed wetting and seclusion from the rest of their peers. Sociologist Arnold Arluke compared studies that showed that those who were animal abusers as children were 5 times more likely to commit acts of violence such as assault, rape and murder against others (Serial Killer: Nature vs Nurture). Famous serial killers such as Ted Bundy, who was responsible for the brutal murders of at least 20 women, was known to mutilate neighborhood dogs and cats when he was only a child. This behavior often stems from the root cause of childhood neglect and abuse. When being victimized at a young age, they see that violence and abuse is acceptable behavior and they carry that into their adult lives. Children who feel victimized often seek to gain revenge for the powerlessness they felt when they were abused. "The Night Stalker" Richard Ramirez was brutally beaten by his father and developed gruesome macabre as a teenager, where he began burglarizing, kidnapping, raping, and killing his victims. The examples are plentiful when it comes to childhood abuse and the direct impact it has in the lives of those who end up taking extreme measures to cope with their own traumas. "Victims of abuse and rejection, serial killers find comfort in their fantasies and dream that take them into a realm that only they can control." (Serial Killer: 2020). Though childhood trauma and abuse are a common attribute that killers share, the list continues for the ingredients that create the deadly concoction known as a serial killer.
Through interviews and case studies, it is shown that a reason serial killers kill is due to sexual gratification that is developed from wanting to seek revenge or control over an individual. A killer will often commit sexual acts with their victims in a form of controlling them and the situation. It is the thought of raping and dominating someone that sexually excites them. "Holding victims against their will and killing them is what serial killers relate to pleasure. These types of killings are known as sexual homicide or lust murders (Arrigo 2007). Even though they are putting victims through all types of pain; for them, it is a release." (Gillette 2019). This is a key factor when it comes to figuring out why a serial killer will terrorize and murder innocent civilians. The thoughts of taking control of another is so strong that they will risk freedom and the lives of victims to fulfil this need. The obsessive-compulsive needs \to rape and kill overtakes these individuals and they end up committing these horrific acts only for them to repeat again and again as their desire once more surfaces. Many serial killings involve sexual contact with the victim (FBI). These killers will often develop a paraphilia, which is a deviant sexual interest or behavior. This paraphilia includes, necrophilia, pedophilia and even cannibalism. This paraphilia plays a large part in the thought process of the killer and drive them to act on these deviant sexual thoughts. Lust murderers are likely to repeat these offenses, therefore making them serial in nature (Arrigo 2007). These evil sexual urges drive these killers to perform unspeakable acts upon their victims only to do them repeatedly and with no remorse.
Killers can also be motived by revenge fantasies or feelings of their own self-hatred. Years of neglect and abuse can cause one to have negative self-image and project their own self-hate on to others. Killers such as Edmund Kemper, The Co-ed Killer, killed in retaliation towards the hate he felt towards himself but mostly towards his mother who abused him psychologically as a child. Kemper stated how his mother was always the true target of his rage and how the women he murdered were only substitutions of his abusive mother. Since killers often suffer from abuse, they find ways to fantasize to cope with the emotional baggage they carry. When fantasizing, they imagine a world where they have the control of a situation or person in order to feel some sense of power when they feel powerless. Fantasy is the driving element in the serial killer's life, and as a result plays an integral role in the murder itself. "The killer is not only pushed to kill by their thought patterns but is essentially incited to murder by an intrusive fantasy life (Burgess, 1991)." The fantasies that take place in a killer's mind ultimately take over and become a driving factor in their killings. Fantasy becomes a reality in which the killer is always in control, always powerful. The fantasy gets warped in their minds and becomes more real than actual reality, where the killer believes he can move from fantasy and the real world with no real difference. (FBI) "The fantasy and psychic high that they obtain induces bold and more frequent attacks, sometimes with a complete disregard of risk." (Geberth 1990). (Malizia 2017) With each fantasy being fulfilled by the killer, the urge grows stronger to repeat the same high they experienced the last time. Killers often feel they need to kill to balance an equilibrium within themselves and therefore must continue to murder in droves (Malizia 2017). Just as an alcoholic would fall into the addictive habits of drinking, a killer feels that same need to fulfil their own habit, using their rich fantasy life as a coping mechanism (Malizia 2017).
Another driving factor as to why a person would choose to kill is the thrill of killing and the attention from media and public. The excitement of the kill itself, seeing their crime in the news, as well as evading law enforcement are all motivators for serial killers to do what they do. Studies show that the most common motivation for serial killers to continue to kill is the actual enjoyment of killing (Aamodt 2020). These types of killers are often referred to as "thrill killers" due to their main motivation being the excitement the murder brings them (Bonn 2018). A famous thrill killer was the Zodiac killer who stated in his writings that the rush of murder was even better than sex (Kessler 2018). Another aspect to the thrill of why these killers kill is to gain celebrity profile. Some killers have been known to seek out publicity and actively engage in shaping their public image. Among The Zodiac killer, murderers such as David Berkowitz (Son of Sam) and Dennis Rader (B.T.K) actively communicated their messages with the public all while actively terrorizing their communities. Berkowitz and Rader were so obsessed with notoriety that they established their own serial killer monikers (Bonn 2018). Berkowitz also enjoyed the thrill of evading the police, even leaving letters at the scenes of his crimes taunting police and calling himself, "Son of Sam" (). Similarly, Dennis Rader left a letter in a Kansas public library months after he had murdered and stated, "The code words for me will be... bind them, torture them, kill them, B.T.K." (Tikkanen). Rader also stated, "How many people do I have to kill before I get a name in the paper or some national attention." (Tikkanen) These examples show the egos that these killers have and the celebrity profile they are trying to achieve by actively communicating with the public to shape how the public sees them. This only adds fuel to the fire of their deadly obsession of terrorizing and murdering innocent people in their communities. Overall, the excitement that comes with evading police, gaining fame and the actual act of killing only encourage the individual to proceed with gruesome acts on other people.
Serial killers are often psychopathic and feel no remorse for what they have done, making it easier for them to cope with their actions. "Psychopathy is a personality disorder manifested in people who use a mixture of charm, manipulation, intimidation, and occasionally violence to control others, in order to satisfy their own selfish needs." (FBI 2010). Lack of remorse is a key driver when considering why an individual chooses to commit repeat murders. When no human connection to their victims and selfish tendencies are present, it becomes easy for serial killers to repeatedly victimize the public. Psychopaths who repeatedly commit murder do not value human life and are extremely callous in their encounters with their victims (FBI 2010). This may be the most important factor when considering why a killer chooses to kill in such a way. With the absence of remorse, a killer can easily commit brutal murders over and over again for their own selfish and evil reasons. Serial killers can easily commit brutal murders when no sense of wrongdoing is present. Psychopathic traits consist of superficial charm, poor judgement, incapacity for love, lack of remorse, egocentric tendencies, and violent behavior (Martens 2021). These traits are all needed for a serial killer to successfully evade capture, physically commit brutal murders, and deal with weight of their crimes. With being able to show no remorse and have superficial charm, a killer can live a seemingly normal life with a family and be an active member of the community all while living a double life as a serial killer (Martens 2021). Killers such as B.T.K had a wife and 2 kids as well as being a boy scout leader and active member of his church, all while committing 10 different sexual homicides over the course of 30 years (Tikkanen). These disguises these killers "wear" is camouflage to avoid detection and successfully continue murdering over the course of time. Psychopathic tendencies are just another key factor that comes into play when considering why a person chooses to kill by the masses.
Financial gain can also cause one to pursue a life of serially murdering people. (Bonn 2018). Hitmen are often seen in gangster films where they conduct their murders to fulfil a contract. Unlike serial killers who select their victims, hitmen are hired by a contractor to carry out a murder or "hit". (Bonn 2018). The motivation is different, but the result is the same, whether it be for their own personal gain or getting paid for a job, murders are conducted in mass and little, or no remorse is displayed. Famous hitman Richard Kuklinski or "The Iceman", committed over 100 murders in his lifetime mostly as a job for the mafia. While conducting murders as a job, he still showed his psychopathic tendencies by murdering with no value of human life. "On one occasion, Richard Kuklinski recalled preparing to kill a man who was begging and praying for his life. Kuklinski told the man he could have 30 minutes to pray to God to see if God would come and intervene." (Serena 2021). Kuklinski then stated, "But God never showed up and he never changed the circumstances and that was that. It wasn't too nice. That's one thing, I shouldn't have done that one. I shouldn't have done it that way," (Serena 20121). The cold-hearted nature of these individuals is just as frightening as someone who kills for alternative motives. The motives for mass killings all have one common theme and that is, the disregard for other human life or well-being. This shows that even though he was performing a "job" for profit, he was still just as ruthless. Regardless of the motive, killers have similar tendencies that allow them to do what they do and conduct vicious murders without blinking an eye.
Cult followers or religious extremists are another factor that comes into play when considering the motivation for serial killings. Charles Manson is a household name that is often associated with cult leaders in relation to killing in the name of a belief. With a cult following of around 100 people known as the "Manson Family", Charles manipulated young men and women into an anarchistic lifestyle. It is believed that around 35 murders were conducted by the Manson Family even famously murdering pregnant actress Sharon Tate in her Hollywood home. The manipulation caused by Charles Manson led to multiple homicides and shows how strong a following can be when a young mind can be convinced to murder in the name of a belief or ideology. Religion can also cause one to commit murder in mass, using God or the devil as an excuse for their heinous actions. Strong religious beliefs can cause one to act irrationally in the name of their God or beliefs. Richard Ramirez, The Night Stalker, was a Satan worshipper who often associated his crimes with demonic imagery such as carving pentagrams into his victims and even after his arrest, upon his plea of not guilty stated, "Hail Satan." (Serena 2021). This is a clear indication that outside forces or voices can cause someone to preform horrible acts and be justified in their own minds. With evil voices in one's head anything is possible when they believe they are listening to a higher power.
In conclusion, there are many factors when considering why a human being would choose to take the life of others in such a bizarre and brutal fashion. After analyzing the information on why serial killings occur there are truly multiple reasons why they are committed. From repeated childhood abuse, deviant sexual behaviors, excitement, religion or psychological issues, the reason someone can commit such horrendous acts can be elusive, which makes it more frightening. You never know when someone could snap and act on the evil within themselves.
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