Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 2005, Volume 20, Number 1 The Incidence of Child Abuse in Serial Killers Heather Mitchell and Michael G. Aamodt Radford University Fifty serial killers who murdered for the primary goal of attaining sexual gratification, termed lust killers, were studied to determine the prevalence of childhood abuse. Informa- tion regarding the childhood abuse sustained by each killer was obtained primarily from biographical books, newspaper articles, and online sites. Abuse was categorized into physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, and neglect and was then compared to societal norms from 2001. Abuse of all types excluding neglect was significantly higher in the serial killer population. For serial killers, the prevalence of physical abuse was 36%; sexual abuse was 26%; and psychological abuse was 50%. Neglect was equally prevalent in the serial killer (18%) and societal norm populations. SERIAL KILLER is defined as a injury involving brain damage, brain person who murders three or anomalies, and faulty genetics. Familial A more persons in at least three contributions include the physical ab- separate events, with a “cooling off pe- sence or lack of personal involvement by riod” between kills (Egger, 2002; one or both parents and alcohol or drug Hickey, 2002; Ressler & Shachtman, dependency by one or both parents. 1992). Serial killers have a type of cycle Perhaps one of the most interesting fac- during which they kill, presumably dur- tors contributing to the development of a ing some period of stress. After the ca- serial killer is abuse that is experienced thartic experience is accomplished, they in the killer’s childhood. Childhood feel temporarily relieved of this pressure. abuse has been given varying levels of Although the exact number of serial kill- blame in the development of serial kill- ers through history is unknown, esti- ers. De Becker (1997) quoted Ressler’s mates range as high as 1,500 serial research and stated that “100 percent [of killers (Newton, 2000). serial killers] had been abused as chil- A commonly asked question is why dren, either with violence, neglect, or these incidents occur. The great interest humiliation” (p. 55). Ressler and in this question is due in part to the large Shachtman (1992) report that, “over 40 number of serial killers and in part to the percent of the [serial] murderers reported heinous nature of these crimes. Finding a being physically beaten and abused in reason that a person would engage in their childhoods. More than 70 percent committing multiple murders has said they had witnessed or been part of brought suggestions involving many fac- sexually stressful events when young…” ets of the perpetrator’s life (Pincus, 2001; (p. 85). With such variance in estimates Ressler & Shachtman, 1992). Possible and with the prevalence of childhood biological contributions include head abuse reported much higher than in the 40 Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 2005, Volume 20, Number 1 normal population, a closer examination dressed him in girl’s clothing and forced of the topic seems prudent. him to serve tea to neighborhood ladies (Newton, 1994; Newton, 2000). Definition of Abuse Neglect is defined as failing or refusing Abuse connotes variances in public to provide adequate food, clothing, shel- opinion, so a working definition is re- ter, emotional nurturing, or health care. It quired for each subtype. All definitions may also mean failing to provide ade- used in this research were derived from quate supervision in relation to the the Virginia Department of Social Ser- child’s age and level of development. For vices (2003); however, in some cases, example, serial killer Carlton Gary re- they were expanded to include other in- portedly was forced to eat out of trash cidents of maltreatment. All of these bins at times because his mother would categories apply to abuse occurring when forget to feed him (Jury indicts Geor- the child is under the age of 18. gian, 1984). Physical abuse is defined as causing or Another category for abuse-“other”- allowing any nonaccidental physical in- records forms of maltreatment not spe- jury. For instance, the mother of child cifically fitting in the first three catego- rapist and murderer Lorenzo Fayne had ries. In the Code of Virginia this term to be counseled by social services not to applies to threatening to cause a physical strike her son in the head as punishment injury, abandoning a child, and drug ad- (Goodrich, 1994; Malone, 2000). diction while in utero. This category was Sexual abuse is defined as any sexual not used for the present research due to activity, practice or instruction which inconsistent reporting in the literature. either meets the criminal definition or is unhealthy for a child considering his/her Types of serial killers age and level of development. Criminal Because killers ply their trade for vari- activity is defined as “commit[ting] or ous reasons, it is necessary to distinguish allow[ing] to be committed any illegal among the types of killers and the under- sexual act upon a child including incest, lying motive for their kills. These mo- rape, fondling, indecent exposure, prosti- tives may include the obtaining of tution, or allow[ing] a child to be used in money, the experience of the thrill, the any sexually explicit visual material.” sense of power, and the desire to rid the For example, serial killer Bobby Joe world of evil doers, among other reasons Long was forced to sleep in the same bed (Egger, 2002; Hickey, 2002). with his mother until he was 13 years old Although other motivations for killing and was forced to watch her have sex exist, this study will focus on Lust Kill- with men (Flowers, 2000). ers, those who kill for some sexual grati- Psychological abuse refers to any acts fication (Egger, 2002; Hickey, 2002). such as intentional humiliation, causing Lust killers may engage in sex with emotional conflict, or any act that could someone and kill them to prevent leaving be psychologically damaging to the a witness, as was the practice of serial child, such as dressing a boy like a girl. killer Glen Rogers (Linedecker, 1997). Such was the case with serial killer Car- For serial killers such as Kendall Fran- roll Edward Cole. His mother, aware of cois (Rosen, 2002), sexual climax is not his anger at being teased by other chil- possible without killing their partner. Or dren regarding his “feminine name,” the killing may be a gateway to the ac- 41 Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 2005, Volume 20, Number 1 tual sex act, preferring a dead body to a all, information was retrieved from 54 live partner, as was the case with Jeffrey such websites. Newspaper articles were Dahmer (Davis, 1995). collected from the online news databases Factiva and Lexis-Nexis. Data were used METHOD from 140 news stories. Although these sources provided con- Obtaining accurate information on the siderable useful information, some pro- individuals in this research was an ardu- vided conflicting or non-specific ous process. Determining which persons information. In these three instances, the were eligible for inclusion in this re- author contacted the offenders directly search was begun using Appendix A in by writing to them in prison. Two of- Michael Newton’s (2000) The Encyclo- fenders wrote back, contributing their pedia of Serial Killers, which categorizes versions of their biographies. One of offenders according to their motivations these killers, Arthur Shawcross, dis- for murder. Those labeled as having a closed extreme abuse that could not oth- motive of lust were considered for this erwise be confirmed. His report was research project. To make eventual com- considered unfounded and therefore, was parisons between abuse levels of serial not included. killers and normative abuse levels, only Finally, the data retrieved from these lust killers who were born and educated sources were compared to societal in the United States were considered. In norms. Readers interested in examining instances when competing motivations the sources used for each serial killer can existed or when the lust killing motiva- obtain the complete reference section at tion could not be justified by this author, www.radford.edu/~maamodt/abuse.htm. those particular offenders were elimi- nated from the research. A list of 77 pos- RESULTS sible offenders was generated; however, valid information pertaining to the child- For the 50 serial killers, the following hood experiences could be found for 50. breakdown of abuse was found: Information for each serial killer was Some type of maltreatment, re- obtained through many sources, includ- gardless of abuse type (68%) ing books listed in a bibliography of se- Physical abuse (36%) rial killers (Aamodt & Moyse, 2003), the Sexual abuse (26%) Internet, newspaper articles, and personal Psychological abuse (50%) communication. For each person in- Neglect (18%) cluded, at least three credible sources of No abuse (32%) information were required. Biographical In addition to studying the abuse suf- books or excerpts of passages containing fered by each of these lust killers, a such data (i.e., psychiatrist-related re- closer examination of the subtypes was ports) were used. Forty-eight books were done. Lust killers are typically divided used for this research. into organized, disorganized, and mixed Several websites that compile informa- offenders (Hickey, 2002; Ressler & tion specifically about serial killers were Shachtman, 1992). visited, such as www.angelfire.com, Organized offenders tend to plan many www.darkday.tripod.com, www. may- elements of their attacks (Hickey, 2002; hem.net, and www.crimelibrary.com. In Ressler & Shachtman, 1992). They 42 Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 2005, Volume 20, Number 1 choose victims who are at a low risk of becoming victims (e.g., prostitutes), being victims, tend to bring weapons thereby lessening the effort they put with them, and remove the weapons from forth.