Serial killers usually pursue a particular type of victim. Analyzing the characteristics of a killer’s victims can greatly assist the effort to create a typology of the killer.
- What does “demographics of victimization” mean? How can location relate to the demographics of victimization?
- Discuss how serial killers with different typologies use different methods for victim selection.
- How are the methods used for victim selection by serial killers similar to or different from the methods used by a mass murderer?
- Consider any of these killers: Aileen Wournos, Ted Bundy, or Wayne Williams. Discuss how their choice of victims related to their typology. If you were an investigator working on this case, how would you use the victims’ characteristics to assist in the investigation?
Answer preview
Ted Bundy was a serial killer, kidnapper, rapist, and burglar in the 1970’s who confessed to thirty murders, though the count is presumed to be more. He was a serial killer who enjoyed killing for power and domination. He dominated his victims when they were alive and even after death by having sexual relations with their corpses. For this reason, he chose vulnerable individuals, and most of his victims were young women and girls who described him as very handsome and charismatic. He approached them in public places by faking injury or disability and mostly pretended to be a figure of authority. If I were an investigator in his case, I would identify the standard features I his victims and use them to narrow down my list of suspects. These three characteristics are evident in Ted Bundy’s victims; they are vulnerable physically, they were mostly young women and girls as opposed to men who would have a higher physical ability. They were trustworthy and open to social interaction. Most were approached in public
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