10. Background and Occupations
As a child, Dennis Rader appeared outwardly normal and
unremarkable, but by his own admission, he says he
developed fantasies about bondage, control and torture
from an early age. According to MacDonald triad theory
(Hickey), we can find in Rader’s childhood animal cruelty
episodes, he killed cats as by hanging them. Dennis Rader
from his youth learned how to live in two worlds, the
conventional, social realm everyone lives in and his own
private world of torture and death.He married, had two
children, had stable jobs and graduated from University.He
was an active member of the church and boy scouts. He
was considered a normal man with a regular life. Although
some referred to him as a kind of bully when he was
working for Park City as a compliance supervisor.In contrast
with Hickey findings that nearly two thirds of serial killer
have a prior incarceration episode, Dennis Rader had no
criminal history on his background.
11. Fantasy Psychopathy and Paraphilia
The fantasies he had during his youth were
growing, he finally became a Lust killer, and
in several years he killed as many as 10
known victims.Paraphilia are very common
to serial killers (Hickey), Rader was sexually
stimulated by his victims’ suffering, through
strangulation or asphyxiation he could enjoy
their deaths and then masturbate over them,
he never penetrated them. (Immature,
Hickey)
12. These sexual acts and the killings were vehicles
to keep and maintain control and power over
victims and him. Hickey suggests that there are
various cases of serial killers who derive their
sexual pleasure from watching their victim
suffer and die. Rader fulfill several criteria of the
Psychopaths according to Hickey; lack of
empathy, absence of remorse for his victim’s
sufferings, he was narcissistic and aggressive,
he had a grandiose sense of self worth, he was
manipulative, he tried by speaking to his
victims to convince them to cooperate on their
own end. He had a strong desire to be
important and dominate on the others. All
these traits are recognized as common in serial
offenders by Hickey.
13. Mobility and Victimization
His victims were strangers or acquaintances, he
killed in a local area, he waited for them in
their homes. He basically expected victims in
their own homes and used the element of
surprise to take control over them. Victims
targeted were women or young girls, males were
mainly killed only because were obstacles to him.
In America in the recent years nearly two thirds of
all victims were killed by local killers.Killing at home
or work offered him a great degree of invisibility
(Hickey) Young Females ranked highest in the
preferences.
14. Motives, methods and Modus Operandi
Sadistic sexual fantasies and exert power over his victims
are the drive forces to his killings, he tried to replicate the
satisfaction achieved with the first victims, and kept on
killing, adjusting his MO in order not to fail. He also was
habitual in collecting souvenir from them, personal
victim’s objects and pictures of the victims. He fantasized
on them and repeat the experiences, he could thus
revive the murder His preferred methods were
strangulation or asphyxiation, by using ropes scarves and
plastic bags on them, in some cases he hanged them or
shot with a gun. The pleasure was derived from strangle
women (signature) he could feel a great sexual arousal
he then masturbated. His Modus Operandi has changed,
as he adjusted it and learned better how to kill and be
effective (kit), and eventually changes the disposal site
of one body in order to throw police out of his
identification. (Hickey)
15. HOW HE WAS ARRESTED?
30 YEARS of task forces and investigation did not
produce the discovery of his responsibilities. Only
because Rader wanted to be famous, and continually
contacted Media and Police to announce or take
credits over his murders his arrest was possible,
Hickey in facts says that “ contrary to some claims
serial killers do no wish to be caught, although some
do, …serial killers allow themselves to be caught
because their need for recognition over whelms their
desire to remain hidden” Serial offenders are most
likely to receive a life sentence without parole, and in
a lower measure they receive death sentence.
(Hickey) Rader received 174 years without parole.
16. CLASSIFICATION
According to Hickey’s criteria, Rader can be
considered a lust killer, organized and power
control oriented, psychopathic, with a
narcissistic personality, suffering a form of
paraphilia.He was a sadistic cold blood killer, he
managed to have an apparent normal social
life, while he carefully prey for his victims. Most of
his characteristics are described in the study of
Hickey as common to several percentages of
serial killers he analyzed, with the exception of
absence of childhood abuse or abandonment
and previous criminal records in his background.
