Serial Murder

Serial murder has had a storied history which has complicated society’s understanding of the topic. Much of what is known about serial murder by the general public has been generalized, filtered through the realm of entertainment, and converted into myths and stereotypes. Half a century after the term was reconceptualized, basic concepts – such as how to properly define serial murder and what constitutes a series – are still a matter of great debate. For the purposes of this article serial murder is defined as the unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same individual(s) over a period of more than 14 days. Better data and efforts to collaborate more widely have recently led to discoveries that have shown serial murder to be the result of a multifaceted, complex process involving the offender’s unique socialization, experiences, and fantasies that develop over the course of their maturation. It is now believed that the majority of serial murderers are not criminal masterminds but rather ‘street smart’ individuals, employed in often menial jobs, who accumulate life-altering issues, and come to embrace a self-centered lifestyle punctuated by manipulation, shallow emotion, impulsivity, and pathological lying. They need to work serial killing into a life occupied by other tasks and objectives such as family, work, and community obligations. Data has shown that modern serial murderers tend to be local undereducated men of average intelligence, who are often convicted of intimate partner violence, are lucky to escape apprehension, and propelled forward by a deep sense of entitlement, fragile masculinity, easy access to firearms, and a nonchalant attitude toward using murder to attain their goals. There has been a decline in serial murder globally, but an increase in cultural fascination. The height of serial murder has come and gone because the situational factors that contributed to the success of serial murderers from previous eras have been indirectly addressed by our heavily surveilled society, the proliferation of tracking technology, a better prepared and connected police force, and an aware and vigilant public. Globally there are similarities between the racial, cultural, and ethnic characteristics of serial murderers.