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Historic Serial Killers

Serial killers captivate audiences in songs, books and movies. Many fictional serial killers, such as Leatherface from the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" movies or Buffalo Bill from "Silence of the Lambs," are based on actual murderers -- Ed Gein, for example, in these movies. Despite the differences among historic serial killers, many of these criminals share the same traits.

  1. Number of Murders

    • The term "serial killer" suggests that the person killed more than one person. Indeed, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's "Serial Murder" publication, serial killers typically kill at least three people within a span of time. Ted Bundy confessed to 40 murders between 1974 and 1978. H. H. Holmes, touted as America's first serial killer, may have killed as many as 200 people between 1861 and 1896. The Brooklyn Vampire, Albert Fish, was convicted of killing five people between 1919 and 1930.

    Gender

    • The Federal Bureau of Investigation's "Serial Murder" publication explains that not all serial killers are white males. Serial killers span all racial groups, according to the FBI. They are, however, typically male. While rare, there are some notorious female serial killers. Belle Gunness allegedly killed over 40 people, most of whom were husbands, ranch workers and children.

    Personality

    • The FBI suggests that there is no generic profile of a serial killer. However, "Serial Murder" indicates that serial killers typically share traits associated with the psychopathic personality disorder, or antisocial personality disorder. MedicineNet.com defines this disorder as a "pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others." This disorder is evidenced in the methods historic serial killers have used. Ed Gein used the skin of his victims to create clothing and household objects, for example. Ted Bundy allegedly engaged in necrophilia.

    Elusiveness

    • Many of the infamous historic serial killers kept police and authorities at bay for years while they committed their heinous crimes. Jeffrey Dahmer's killings occurred between 1978 and 1991. The FBI attributes the lack of a "visible relationship between the offender and the victim" as the reason why serial killers are difficult to catch. Many killers choose their victims at random and, in the case of Ted Bundy, commit crimes across state lines.

    Intelligence

    • Dr. Phil McGraw, on his website, states that serial killers are often intelligent, with intelligence quotients above the "bright normal" range. H. H. Holmes, for example, used his intelligence to create an actual "house of horrors" in Chicago. Nicknamed "Murder Castle," Holmes's residence contained narrow, maze-like corridors, trap doors and secret passageways. Holmes utilized the structure of his house to trap and kill his victims.

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