In my last post, I talked about killing fields where some serial killers conduct their sacred rituals.** But many killers don't have access to a remote outdoor places or even a basements or crawl spaces to do this. So they must rely on souvenirs to re-live the sense of power or the psychological high they got from killing. Souvenirs and scared rituals. If you're like me, you love bringing home souvenirs home from a vacation as a nice reminder of the great trip you had. During Covid-19 … [Read more...]
Serial Murderers – their sacred killing fields and rituals. Part I.
Killing fields as Sacred Grounds. Kathleen Ramsland, a professor of forensic psychology and prolific writer, claims that many serial murderers stake out killing fields, which often become burying fields as well. They reveal their pathological need for control when they feel violated upon discovering that one of their victim’s remains has been found and removed by authorities. Ramsland describes a case that fascinated people around Manchester, England, where I spent sabbaticals … [Read more...]
Guess what special MO let a serial killer murder 93?
America's deadliest serial killer, Samuel Little, left a trail of 93 —maybe more— bodies...because of his special MO. I've written several blogs about serial killers, and my blog here is useful if you need some basics about this kind of multicide. It's not the same as mass murder or spree killings, for example. A special MO. How'd Little manage to get away with so many murders? He was smart, kept on the move, and used a method of operation (MO) that was difficult to investigate. Police use a … [Read more...]
Answering the question, Is the Joker a Psychopath?
I noted in a recent piece that I'd deal with the question, is the Joker a psychopath? Of course, it matters a lot which portrayal of the Joker we're talking about. Sheltering in place has given many people time to watch various movies. Of the many featuring the Joker, most have probably see Heath Ledger's The Dark Knight and/or Joaquin Phoenix's Joker. To keep things manageable, let's choose Ledger's version in The Dark Knight, knowing there's nothing ever definitive about a fictional … [Read more...]
The Psychopath and The Hare.
The Psychopath and the Hare lip is my way to addressing what's become an interesting debate among moviegoers. Even comic book aficionados have gotten into the act. And so may you and I as so many of us are at home without sports, political rallies, and other live TV as a distraction. We've got time to watch movies like Joker. The debate is whether Joaquin Phoenix, who won an Oscar for Best Actor, portrays the Joker as a psychopath or not? The Psychopath and The Hare … [Read more...]
‘Bombshell,’ #MeToo, and Hollywood’s inability to portray its own villains.
As promised I will share your questions and comments and update mine now that I’ve seen Bombshell and thought about the #MeToo tie-in. First, I was dazzled by Theron's spot on depiction of Megyn Kelly. And the movie kept my interest and my companion's. Mostly, though, my concern in my prior blog - that Bombshell might gloss over institutional #MeToo issues - was unfortunately borne out. Additionally, I kept thinking, is Hollywood the best industry to lecture us about #MeToo behaviors, … [Read more...]
Crime – Serial Killer Myths – Scientific American mag’s truth – Tutorial II
Hope you were able to check out the first in a number of tutorials I'm writing about serial killer myths. Check back for others from time to time. If you're a writer of a true-crime books as I am, you may need to brush up, as I do, on your serial killer IQ. The same may be true for criminology students or anyone interested in what science can tell us about these most-heinous of criminals. Unfortunately, a lot of our general knowledge concerning serial murder is a product of … [Read more...]