Types of Serial Killers
To the untrained eye, recognizing the specific traits of individual serial killers is difficult. Despite the fact that each serial killer has his own motives for committing the crimes he commits, the National Museum of Crime & Punishment states that there are really only three types of serial killers. Regardless of the scale of their crimes or their reasons for killing, all serial killers share similar characteristics that can lump them into one of these three categories.
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Organized
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Organized serial killers almost always take the time to premeditate each murder, making sure they cover even the most minute of details. These killers usually stalk their victims for days, weeks or even months in advance, taking the time to learn their daily routines as to find the perfect time to strike. Because the organized serial killer is typically of above-average intelligence, great detail is taken to ensure there aren't any witnesses, to hide any potential evidence and to cover up tracks. Organized serial killers often watch news broadcasts and read newspaper articles detailing their crimes, which serves as a supplementary means of feeding their egos.
Disorganized
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Disorganized serial killers are the type most likely to commit their atrocities at random, with little regard of trying to hide evidence or cover their own tracks in any way. These killers typically demonstrate lower IQ levels than the other types of killers and are almost always antisocial in nature. Disorganized serial killers usually move around frequently, committing murders and other crimes as they travel from place to place.
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Medical
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The rarest type of serial killer, the medical killer, uses personal connections within the medical field as a way of gaining access to chemicals, equipment or knowledge that is later used on victims. The medical killer often works in the medical field, or has in the past, but friends and family members can also be taken advantage of by the killer to gain what he wants. Medical killers are often hard to track down because their skills and knowledge in the medical field allow them to cover up each murder in a more intelligent manner than others.
Examples
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Many serial killers are well-known and highly infamous due to the scale or nature of the acts they've committed. Some of the most highly publicized serial killers include Charles Manson, Richard Ramirez, David Berkowitz, Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy and Jeffrey Dahmer.
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