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Each homicide is like life itself
It has a beginning, a middle, John H. White, Ph.D. Forensic Psychologist and an end Stockton University ACFP – March 26,2015 Each crime scene tells a story
Hotel clerk killed a pimp – left him A 5 year-old female chewed to where he fell – argument about death – left on killer’s property payment A person shot a male who was lying in under a bed bed in a motel – unknown motive A female bludgeoned to death, A female lying on the floor of her chains and cinderblocks apartment – killed by a serial killer – weighted her down – placed in staged lake
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Female stabbed over fifteen times Prostitute stabbed in ally, left at scene in her bed – posed by ex Female strangled in hotel room – boyfriend serial killer 24 year-old female mutilated and 7-11 clerk shot execution style during a robbery left in a field – serial killer 7 year-old female abducted from a Woman stabbed 4 times, run over bus stop. Raped, strangled, placed in by car driven by ex husband a lake
The location where the Police must determine specifics of the crime scene killer leaves the body If not, it may be left to Forensic May or may not be the Psychologists death scene
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May be part of the modus M.O. --Comprised of those operandi (MO) actions necessary to commit May be part of a ritual the crime May be part of the signature Has three basic purposes: ◦ 1. Insure success Must look for “one neat and ◦ 2. Protect Identity controlled aspect” ◦ 3. Facilitate/Expedite escape
M.O. is learned behavior Actions unnecessary to the In a constant state of change commission of the crime because: Shaped to meet the demands of ◦ Experience the offender’s fantasy ◦ Maturity Purpose - psychological ◦ Education gratification ◦ Reshaped to meet the demands Ideals remain constant, although of the crime devices may change
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A unique combination of Crime scene is chaotic except for one behaviors never seen before aspect Example: Bite marks on chin and Chase – bathtub breasts Elveson - ear rings Example: Tear bra off with blouse Hendricks - silverware drawer on Indicates mental illness and regression Example: Place drugs in Vict’s anal and vaginal areas
The geographical area with which an Leave the body at the scene offender is familiar and relaxed. untouched Close to where the perpetrator lives, Leave the body at the scene works or where he/she regularly ◦ Burn the crime scene frequents. ◦ Stage crime scene ◦ Display and pose victim ◦ Conceal the body
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Transport victim’s body Usually initial crime scene investigated ◦ Burn the victim’s body Could be a secondary or tertiary crime ◦ Conceal the victim scene ◦ Bury the victim Manner and circumstances may lead ◦ to logical conclusions Throw in water Reflects criminal experience ◦ Display and pose the victim May indicate a relationship between ◦ Dump the victim victim and offender
A method of disposing the body after death Usually used by the organized killer in which the killer made a concerted effort to The killer places the body in a location where make sure the body would not be found or at it is sure to be found. least delay the discovery. May position the body to: Most commonly used by the organized ◦ Degrade the victim (Bobby Joe Long, George offender. Russell, Jr.) ◦ Protect the dignity of the victim (re-dress the victim) ◦ Shock those who find the victim (Danny Rolling)
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Killer makes little or no effort to conceal the A careful analysis of the crime scene may body. help answer questions in an equivocal death.
Haste is usually the primary objective. This is a death scene where the manner of death (natural, accidental, homicide, or Most commonly used by the disorganized suicide) is not readily apparent. offender
Look for a feminine touch if If the crime scene sounds a female allegedly commits or looks familiar, check for suicide. linkage analysis.
Richard Fortin Case
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Body and crime scene may indicate the Look for overkill patterns. perpetrator’s core behaviors.
Core behaviors Indicates anger and rage. ◦ Physical injuries to victim ◦ Sexual assault If not serial, subject most likely ◦ Writing or communication (on body or wall) knew her killer. Like William Heirens – Lipstick Killer
Material interest in a physical item because of Circumstances may not allow offender to hide its ownership by the perpetrator who does the body, so “dumped” not want it damaged Killer may want to make a statement Bodies found in trunks of cars or burned cars Killer placed body on his brother-in-law’s Damage to property in house – Jeffrey front porch MacDonald case Hillside Stranglers left body on hillsides
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Wayne Williams left some of his bodies on the Gary Ridgway (Green River Killer) side of the road Had “clusters” Johnny Register left victim Crystal Todd in a ravine So he could remember where they were
Atlantic City Serial Killer left four bodies in a Go back to the body for sexual purposes ravine
Ridgway (sexual reasons) – water and woods Herb Baumeister Arthur Shawcross (sex and cannibalize) – John Wayne Gacy water and woods Juan Corona Gerard J. Schaefer (sexual reasons) - woods Robert Yates (one body next to bedroom Ted Bundy (sexual reasons) - woods window) Dorothea Puente Anthony Sowell Kendall Francois
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89% in US lived in close proximity to the body Deliberately alters the crime scene the way disposal sites (DILTS) the perpetrator thinks it would have occurred in order to mislead police (only 3%)
Miss aspects that make the scene believable
Injuries on body do not match the way it should have happened
Two reasons: Ferguson found out of 115 cases of staging: ◦ 48.7% were a spouse or ex significant other ◦ 1. Direct the investigation away from the 51.3% were females ◦ actual perpetrator (i.e. husband kills wife, Largest age group of victims were 18 to 29 years of age makes it look like intruder)
2. Protect the victim or victim’s family from embarrassment or notoriety – maintain privacy (i.e. autoerotic fatalities, rape murder)
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Ferguson - 115 cases Autoerotic fatalities: A device is used to cut off oxygen for sexual pleasure Most common stages were: Person may remove device, reposition the Burglaries body, remove costume or dress Suicides Accidents May attempt to stage as a homicide Car accidents
Offender makes self-initiated contact with Rape-murder - Person may reposition the police to report a homicide victim as a body, redress the body so not to humiliate missing person
Scott Petersen reported his pregnant wife missing
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Almost all staged suicides are by a domestic Manipulation of the victim’s body after death partner – 4 reasons 1. To shock people who find the body 2. To humiliate and degrade the victim 3. For perverted pleasure of the perpetrator 4. To psychologically “undo” the crime
Almost always a part of the signature Sexual murderers
Demonstrates power even after death Organized offenders more likely to move the body
Disorganized offenders tend to leave the body at the death scene
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Sexual aspects Articles of clothing stuffed in the victim’s mouth Nude Feces or urine in mouth or on body Breasts, buttocks, or genitalia exposed
One killer washed the victim’s body, John Gacy – Buried 23 bodies in his crawl bandaged her wounds, dressed her in a clean space nightgown, placed her in bed Jeffrey Dahmer – Kept bodies in his apartment Dennis Neilsen – Kept bodies in his aprtment A killer brushed his victim’s hair Anthony Sowell – Kept bodies in house and backyard Dorothea Puente – bodies in garden
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If had conflict with with victim within 48 Stay tuned hours of the murder, usually left the body at the death scene
Sexual murderers of children more likely to move the body than sexual murderers of adults
Bartol, C, & Bartol. A. (2013). Crime scene profiling. In Criminal Profiling, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication.
Douglas, J. E., & Munn, C. (1992). Violent crime scene analysis: Modus operandi, signature, and staging. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 61(2), 1-10.
Ferguson C. (2014). Staged homicides: An examination of common features of fake burglaries, suicides, accidents , and car accidents. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 1-19, Retrieved November 18, 2014, from Ebsco Host.
Ressler RR, Burgess, AW, Douglas JE. Sexual homicide: Patters and motives. New York, NY, Lexington Books, 1988
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