1.
Who Are They?

2.
• Killed 3 or More Times
• Separate Occasions
• Cooling Off Period In Between

3.
• Gilles de Rais
• Elizabeth Bathory
• Jack the Ripper
• H.H. Holmes

4.
• What do you think causes a person to become a serial
killer?
• What two words would you use to describe a serial
killer?
• Now take THIS test. What was your score? What does
it mean?
• After watching the film, do you think psychology or
social factors best explain serial killers?

5.
• Sociologist James DeFronzo used Durkheim’s
suicide study
• Substituted “serial killers” for suicide
• Same factors that increased suicide rates
increased serial killer rates:
• Weak Social Integration

6.
• Industrial Revolution
• Urbanization
• Gesellschaft= social relations based on
impersonal ties
• Isolation and Anonymity

7.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse Psychological Abuse
Serial Killers and Childhood Abuse
Serial Killers General Population

8.
Organized
Disorganized
- Above Average
Intelligence
- Methodical Planners
- Abduct
- Kill and Disposal Sites
Separate
- Superficial Relationships
- Below Average
Intelligence
- Impulsive
- Quick, Surprise Attacks
- Leave Body at Crime Site
- Socially Inept

9.
Motivation
Visionary
Mission
Oriented
Hedonistic
Power/
Control

10.
• Delusions command them to kill.
• Herbert Mullin
• Voices told him to kill to prevent an
earthquake.

11.
• Revenge or to Eliminate a Group of People
• Carroll Edward Cole
• Killed women who cheated.

12.
• Thrill/Rush
• Sexual Pleasure
• Financial Gain
• Lydia Trueblood killed 5 husbands and a baby
daughter.

13.
• Power over Victims
• Sex is usually a part of it.
• Ted Bundy kidnapped, murdered, and raped 30
women.