serial killers

[Sunny]

Serial killers are sociopaths without any empathy for other humans and certainly without any remorse for their heinous crimes.

The women who murdered their children -- I believe were committed of crimes while mentally ill...

Is there a difference?

Should sociopathic behavior be considered a crime of mental illness?

Do women or those who are committed of crimes due to mental illness have remorse?

Interesting debate, I'm sure.

[Dexter Morgan]

Serial killers are sociopaths without any empathy for other humans and certainly without any remorse for their heinous crimes.

The women who murdered their children -- I believe were committed of crimes while mentally ill...

Is there a difference?

Should sociopathic behavior be considered a crime of mental illness?

Do women or those who are committed of crimes due to mental illness have remorse?

Interesting debate, I'm sure.

I think anybody is able to kill,allot of it depends on impulse control. I mean everybody gets mad and says things like" I going to kill you." ,but a person with good impulse control, would never really think of doing it. A person who's impulse control is impaired by mental illness,disease of the brain, or other afflictions,can't help it because they have no control. As far as remorse goes,serial killers seldom feel anything at all. They just feel bad that they got caught LOL!!! The mothers that kill their kids are usually mentally ill. I think some of them do feel remorse, after they receive treatment. Mother's that kill their kids out of greed or just to get rid of them don't feel remorse.Susan Smith killed her kids, because her lover didn't want her kids. So in her eyes if she wanted this man, she had to get rid of the kids. I consider her as ruthless and twisted as they come. Andrea Yates on the other hand is plainly and obviously insane. I really don't think her killing her kids was for personal gain. She felt she wasn't a good mother and they weren't developing correctly. She thought by killing them they would be saved and go to heaven. I think she was somewhat brainwashed by her religion. I also think her husband, should've been held somewhat responsible, he knew she was unstable, and that she was a danger to herself,her children,and everybody else for that matter. So some of them probably do and some don't. We cant know  what they feel,unless they express it,we'll never know.

[~vxn~]

i think the whole lot of them are mentally ill, though i shouldn't have lumped killer mommies in with serial killers.

[Sunny]

Off the cuff, I would say that another differentiation between those who "kill" out of neuroticisim (e.g. sociopathic) vs. mental insanity or psychosis is the "calcuated pre-meditation" factor or motive behind the murder.

This is an interesting blurb on 'serial killer':

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_killer

[Dexter Morgan]

i think the whole lot of them are mentally ill, though i shouldn't have lumped killer mommies in with serial killers.

In a way they are in the same category, because they've all taken a life. You're right, I think most of them are mentally ill. Not all people who are mentally ill kill though. I think there's a line that gets crossed. A mentally ill person is more prone to commit violence and murder. I think there is allot of medication, that could prevent some of this,but most people who are mentally ill, don't realize it until it's too late. Andrea Yates would be considered a serial killer,because a serial killer is any person that kills more than 3 people. Even though they were her kids,she would still be considered a serial killer. Susan Smith is just a stupid greedy hoe LOL!!!

[pariann]

if it's done at one time, I believe they are called a mass murderer.  if it's spaced over days or weeks, even months or years, with the same  m o  by the same killer, then it's a serial killer.

[Dexter Morgan]

if it's done at one time, I believe they are called a mass murderer.  if it's spaced over days or weeks, even months or years, with the same  m o  by the same killer, then it's a serial killer.

I think you're absolutely correct on that.    examples of mass murder would be the Columbine massacre,  and the Virginia Tech murders. There are so many classes of murderers. You've got serial killers,mothers that kill, angels of death killers(doctors/nurses),cult leaders that brainwash their congregations and stage mass murders or mass suicides. The list is endless. It's scary to think, that these people are living in our communities, and we might be passing them on the street everyday. 

[Sunny]

Then you've got these folks...

[~vxn~]

lol @ sunny.

columbine and other school shootings are also in another class (no pun intended).  the killers were tortured through out school and pushed to that level of violence... (god, do i know how that is...)

i still will never understand how a mother can kill her child(ren). 

[Dexter Morgan]

Then you've got these folks...

LOL!!! What will they think of next????  There are allot of sites that sell murderabilia. I think selling items involved in crimes or killers,is really in poor taste. My God!!! Why would anybody want to buy a serial killers toe nail clippings??? Jesum Crow!!!! I think a person wanting to buy that,must be touched themselves.  probably a serial killer in the making. 

[Gryphon]

Just had to say that I am diggin your name! I think Dexter is the most brilliant show on TV. I was visiting some friends right after the show premiered and caught the first three episodes on their DVR. They recorded the rest of the season for me, and I stayed up all night to watch the whole thing. Any idea when it comes  back??

[~vxn~]

((( sweet jesus, dex--stay away from tshirthell.com...  (you wouldn't believe the shirts they sell there...) )))

[Dexter Morgan]

((( sweet jesus, dex--stay away from tshirthell.com...  (you wouldn't believe the shirts they sell there...) )))

I'm guilty as hell on some of that stuff. Like ,I buy books about true crime and serial killers.  My only probelm is when it generates money for the criminal. If the proceeds would go to he victims family, it would still be in poor taste,but if it helped the victims family,then I say go for it.

[Sandy Eggo]

I saw this story today and thought it would interest you....

The evidence was given to the FBI by a Pollock Pines man who also claims he recently found the disguise worn by the Zodiac Killer during one of his attacks.

"The identity of the Zodiac Killer is Jack Tarrance. He's my stepfather," says Dennis Kaufman.

Eight years of Dennis Kaufman's life has been consumed with attempting to prove the only father he's known since he was five-years-old is none other than the Zodiac Killer.

http://cbs13.com/local/zodiac.killer.kaufman.2.805799.html

I can't help but wonder how long he suspected and if he waited until his stepfather was dead to provide his evidence so that his stepfather wouldn't go to jail...just a thought...but it's been 2 years since he died and he's coming forward now?

[Dexter Morgan]

I saw this story today and thought it would interest you....

http://cbs13.com/local/zodiac.killer.kaufman.2.805799.html

I can't help but wonder how long he suspected and if he waited until his stepfather was dead to provide his evidence so that his stepfather wouldn't go to jail...just a thought...but it's been 2 years since he died and he's coming forward now?

OMG!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS HUGE!!!!!!!  Wow, I bet Tom Voight is shittin' bricks!!!! It sounds like it's the real deal. This reminds me of the Black Dahlia case. A guy came forward with evidence after his father died. This guy thinks his Dad was the Black Dahlia killer. The police dispute it though.  Thanks for posting this Sandy.