Serial Killer Traits

Another post looking into Serial Killer childhood traits to understand more of what could have turned my character to this path.

Fourteen Characteristics of a Serial Killer
Could you be raising a criminal? Acts of violence don't come out of nowhere, and every parent should be aware of the clues along the way. For the most violent of criminals, there are warning signs that often start in childhood. Below is a list of the 14 most common traits of serial killers.
1. Over 90 percent of serial killers are male.
2. They tend to be intelligent, with IQ's in the "bright normal" range.
3. They do poorly in school, have trouble holding down jobs, and often work as unskilled laborers.
4. They tend to come from markedly unstable families.
5. As children, they are abandoned by their fathers and raised by domineering mothers.
6. Their families often have criminal, psychiatric and alcoholic histories.
7. They hate their fathers and mothers.
8. They are commonly abused as children — psychologically, physically and sexually. Often the abuse is by a family member.
9. Many serial killers spend time in institutions as children and have records of early psychiatric problems.
10. They have high rates of suicide attempts.
11. From an early age, many are intensely interested in voyeurism, fetishism, and sado-masochistic pornography.
12. More than 60 percent of serial killers wet their beds beyond the age of 12.
13. Many serial killers are fascinated with fire starting.
14. They are involved with sadistic activity or tormenting small creatures.

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Killers thankfully make up a tiny proportion of the population, and so many people will exhibit some or all of these signs without going on to serial murder. That being said, it still pays to be informed... 

1. Childhood Abuse or Neglect
A staggering proportion of serial killers experienced a difficult childhood. Abuse - whether sexual, physical or emotional - affects childhood development, and while it certainly does not always make a person violent, will almost definitely affect that child's emotional state in later life.
Chilling example: The Killer Clown, John Wayne Gacy was repeatedly beaten and belittled by his alcoholic father, as well as being molested on many occasions by a family friend.
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2. Poor school record, despite intelligence
The majority of serial killers are reasonably bright, partly because of the sheer logistics of murdering multiple victims and getting away with it, even temporarily. However, their inability to integrate with others and their lack of respect for social norms means they are often unable to progress in a career, or even hold down a regular job.
Chilling example: The Co-ed Killer, Edmund Kemper reportedly had an IQ of around 140, but like so many 'smart' killers, was more absorbed by killing than developing a worthwhile life and career.
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3. Excessive Antisocial Behavior
Antisocial personality disorder is ultimately a person with no sense of guilt or remorse, as well as aggression, frequent lying, and lack of responsibility.
Chilling example: Ted Bundy was famously cold and remorseless. When asked about his victims he merely said:
I'm as cold a motherf****r as you've ever put your f***ing eyes on. I don't give a s*** about those people.
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4. Compulsive Fantasising
Unable to act out their violent and twisted desires, serial killers in the making will feverishly imagine what they wish to act out. This fantasising is often accompanied by compulsive masturbation, particularly as potential serial killers often find it difficult to form proper relationships with actual human partners.
Chilling example: 'Rostov Ripper' Andrei Chikatilo actually masturbated so frequently and violently that he developed dreadful scarring on his penis.
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5. Head Injuries
Scientists have found links between head trauma - either as the result of accidents, difficult birth or childhood abuse - and violent behavior. In particular, it's damage to the pre-frontal cortex - the area of the brain used for judgement and planning - that is indicated in increasing aggression.
Chilling example: Bobbie Joe Long, a sick sexual sadist and killer who claimed the lives of 10 women in the Tampa Bay area, sustained multiple head injuries of varying severity as a child.
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6. Voyeurism
Voyeurism often appeals to serial killers, both as a way of enjoying sexual pleasure without needing a close or emotional relationship with another person and as a way to violate another person's privacy. Many killers begin with pettier sexual crimes before developing to assault and murder.
Chilling example: The Baton Rouge killer Derrick Todd Lee was actually arrested and fined $400 for being a peeping tom, but spared jail. He went on to kill seven women.
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The MacDonald Triad
Named for the scientist who made the connection, the MacDonald Triad is the following three characteristics, which all indicate - but are certainly not definitive proof of - the development of a serial killer.

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7. Bed Wetting

Of course, most children wet the bed until around five, but persistent bed-wetting into teenage years and beyond - or enuresis as it's officially termed - can be an indicator of neuroses, trauma and psychological unrest common in people who go on to kill.
Chilling example: Among others, Ohio state killer Alton Coleman reportedly wet the bed well past the normal age for children. 

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8. Arson 

Pyromania is common in future serial killers - it makes sense for a twisted mind to find the act of destruction fascinating.
Chilling example: Son of Sam killer David Berkowitz is only one of several teen pyromaniacs Ottis Toole and David Berkowitz were only two of the numerous murdering pyromaniacs. 

9. Animal Cruelty
Their typical lack of empathy and inability to experiment on the actual targets of their twisted desires often compels serial killers to torture and kill animals during childhood and teenage years. Small animals are relatively easy and are not as likely to draw attention to their killer as a human victim.
Chilling example: Many serial killers kill animals before moving on to humans, but Jeffrey Dahmer is a famous case: he impaled a dog's head on a stick and left it out for people to see.
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As it turns out, mass murderers, serial killers, and other extremely violent individuals do share a range of common traits.

• Statistically speaking, the average serial killer is a white male from a lower-to-middle-class upbringing. In fact, over 90 percent of serial killers are men.
• Most serial killers are in their 20s or 30s.
• Most mass murderers are single or divorced.
• As children, soon-to-be serial killers often torture animals.
• More than 60 percent of serial killers wet the bed beyond the age of 12.
• According to the A to Z Encyclopedia of Serial Killers, many serial killers are obsessed with starting fires. Ottis Toole, George Adorno, and Carl Panzram are just a few of the many serial killers with a childhood history of arson.
• Many mass murderers and serial killers have an extraordinarily high IQ. For example, the Unabomber is a genius.
• A lot of serial killers come from dysfunctional families with an absent father.  Marc Lepine (mass murderer of 14 people) is one of the many examples of fatherless serial killers.
• Many serial killers suffered through childhood abuse.   “The Boston Strangler” Albert DeSalvo was even sold off as a slave by his alcoholic father.
• Serial killers often have a history of attempted suicide. Charles Edmund Cullen, the most prolific serial killer in the history of New Jersey, had 20 suicide attempts throughout his life.
• Mass murderers are often loners who have very few social connections.
• Differences Between Serial Killers and Mass Murderers

It’s important to note that there are some fine distinctions between serial killers and mass murderers. Mass murderers have just a single killing spree (e.g. the recent Arizona shooting, Columbine killings, etc.) before being apprehended by police or committing suicide. On the other hand, serial killers try to remain undetected and they can go on killing for several years.

Also, mass murderers kill a large group of people all at once, whereas serial killers are often much more selective with their targets. A serial killer could spend months trying to find the right individual to kill, and can have cooling off periods between murders. The victims often all share a trait, something that has important symbolic meaning to the murderer.