In the book, Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters, Peter Vronsky documents the psychological, investigative, and cultural aspects of serial murder, beginning with its first recorded instance in Ancient Rome, through 15th century France, and up to such notorious contemporary cases as cannibal/necrophile Ed Kemper, Henry Lee Lucas, Ted Bundy, and the emergence of what he classifies as “the serial rampage killer.” “You feel the last bit of breath leaving their body. John Wayne Gacy is another infamous serial killer who murdered at least 33 young men over a period of six years. A serial killer may kill over an extended period, and typically a victim pattern is developed. He committed an estimated 30 murders from 1974 to 1978. He’s classified as an organized serial killer (which we’ll define later on) who methodically planned out his murders and would stalk his victims for several weeks before committing the actual crime.

The most notable example of a sociopathic charmer is Ted Bundy who would fake an injury to make potential victims lower their guard and see him as harmless or in distress. They often employ a “mask of sanity” to hide their sociopathic pathology and may appear normal or even charming. Serial killers most often lack empathy and guilt, and are egocentric individuals. The murders must be separate events that are primarily driven by a psychological thrill or pleasure. In this continuation of our profiling series, we aim to create a deeper understanding of what serial killers are, provide insight into the nature of their crimes, and discuss why they’re ultimately driven into seemingly insatiable violence.Ī serial killer is defined as a person who murders three or more people, usually with over a month of cooling down between murders. Their murders are often grotesque in nature, but the patterns exhibited in these crimes reveal characteristics of those behind the act. W e often hear the expression “serial killer” in reference to a succession of crimes committed by depraved, shadowy figures.

Torture methods used by serial killers