| What makes a common person a Serial Killer? | | | | class from which he was born. Additionally, he |
| According to research, serial killers exhibit what is | | | | 'needed' to possess expensive items as well. Per |
| known as the 'Triad of Warning Signs in | | | | research, Ted came from a single-parent home, was |
| Childhood.'1Indicators include:* Firestarting, invariably | | | | a severe sexual deviate; and women threatened him. |
| just for the thrill of destroying things* Cruelty to | | | | He felt the need to not only control them, but to |
| Animals: Most children can be cruel to animals, such as | | | | incapacitate them as well. As a teenager, Ted Bundy |
| pulling the legs off of spiders, but future serial killers | | | | became known for his violent temper.But what do |
| often kill larger animals, like dogs and cats, and | | | | serial killers like Dahmer, Bundy and others like them |
| frequently for their solitary enjoyment rather than to | | | | have in common?'Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, |
| impress peers.* Bedwetting beyond the age when | | | | Andrew Cunanan, David 'Son of Sam' Berkowitz, and |
| children normally grow out of such behavior.One of | | | | Albert 'Boston Strangler' DeSalvo were ALL cruel to |
| society's more notorious serial killers, Jeffrey Dahmer | | | | animals before they started hurting people.'6 |
| explained that wanted to remove 'free will' from his | | | | Subsequently, killer teenagers Eric Harris, Dylan |
| victims so that they would stay with him. In his past, | | | | Klebold (Columbine HS), and Kip Kinkel were also |
| he suffered from abandonment and was afraid of | | | | known for their past history of animal cruelty. In the |
| loss and any social upheaval. Another one of his | | | | study from of 'The Care of pets within child abusing |
| extremely displaced characteristics was that he | | | | families,' presented by DeViney & Lockwood, 88 |
| suffered from low self-esteem. His parents divorced | | | | percent of the homes were animal abuse had |
| during his teens, and when he did go to college, he | | | | occurred, children were also abused.In conclusion, I |
| performed badly. Upon examination of three | | | | summise this important literature from the San |
| psychologists, Dahmer was found to be manipulative, | | | | Francisco Chronicle commentary by Margo |
| resistant and evasive.2 Further studies of Dahmer | | | | DeMello:"...every time we hear of a young person |
| revealed that he could not tolerate rejection or | | | | abusing an animal, it is explained away by family and |
| abandonment; and that control was the number one | | | | often authorities as a 'youthful indiscrection'...What the |
| factor for him. One clue to his unusually sick behavior | | | | authorities and parents of these young men fail to |
| was that even in his relationships, Dahmer did not | | | | realize is that their behavior may signal that |
| gratify his sexual partners - instead, Dahmer always | | | | something is wrong with these men, which could |
| expected to be pleased by them.According to Pat | | | | very easily escalate into something much worse. The |
| Brown's Book, Killing for Sport: Inside the Minds of | | | | evidence is not just anecdotal; numerous studies, |
| Serial Killers '...serial killers are of average | | | | including the 1998 work of Randall Lockwood and |
| intelligence....most have low level jobs and make poor | | | | Frank R. Ascione ("Cruelty to Animals and |
| decisions. ' And, '...it is exactly these poor decisions | | | | Interpersonal Violence," Purdue University Press), |
| that get them in trouble on their jobs, in their | | | | have shown that children who engage in animal |
| relationships, and in their crimes.'Based on studies, | | | | cruelty are more likely to commit more violent acts |
| serial killers usually choose victims that they can easily | | | | as adults. There is also a strong link between abuse |
| overpower, such as persons having short height and | | | | of animals and domestic violence, with animal abusers |
| low weight. Additionally, 'serial killing is not about sex | | | | much more likely to batter their wives or girlfriends |
| at all, but about power and control and revenge on | | | | as well...Youthful violence toward animals is a very |
| society.' 2Ted Bundy, who murdered at least 36 | | | | serious issue, and it needs to be taken seriously by |
| women, was known for his expressed desire to | | | | not only animal advocates like myself, but by those |
| acquire things. From theft, to the importance of social | | | | who are concerned about violence in our society." - |
| standing, he pined to break free from the working | | | | Margo DeMello, Ph.D. |