Category: Mass Murder
Spree vs. Serial Killers
“The validity of spree murder as a separate category was discussed at great length. The general definition of spree murder is two or more murders committed by an offender or offenders, without a cooling-off period. According to the definition, the lack of a cooling-off period marks the difference between a spree murder and a serial murder. Central to the discussion was the definitional problems relating to the concept of a cooling-off period. Because it creates arbitrary guidelines, the confusion surrounding this concept led the majority of attendees to advocate disregarding the use of spree murder as a separate category. The designation does not provide any real benefit for use by law enforcement.”
That being said, the FBI is not the only game in town when it comes to understanding the mindset of multicidal killers or evaluating the usefulness of the “spree” designation. Criminological researchers interested in developmental and psychological issues see value in retaining distinct categories to study their differences. Even subtle differences can be important for intervention, prediction, and situation management. more
Six Murderers Who Embody the Nine Traits of Narcissism
These six killers perfectly illustrate how narcissism and murder go hand in hand.
Narcissism has become a staple of mainstream media in the last several years. Narcissistic Personality Disorder was officially recognized in 1980 when it was added to the DSM-5. The disorder quickly made its way into mainstream media stories, examining people who manipulate and gaslight those around them to achieve their criminal aspirations.
According to the DSM-5, in order to be diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, a person must display at least five of the established traits of narcissism. The nine traits of narcissism include:
- Grandiose sense of self-importance
- Sense of entitlement
- Preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
- Belief they are special and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people or institutions
- Need for excessive admiration
- Interpersonally exploitative behavior
- Lack of empathy
- Envy of others or a belief that others are envious of them
- Demonstration of arrogant and haughty behaviors or attitudes
Not all narcissists become killers but there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that many killers, particularly serial killers, exhibit many of these narcissistic personality traits. The killers in this list each display at least five and, in some cases, all of them. They also provide the perfect example of a murderer who embodies specific traits from the list. more
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