A Developmental Model of Serial Killers: a retrospective analysis

Although in 2005 Hickey concluded that serial murder likely results from a combination of ‘predisposition’ and ‘facilitating factors’, he did not describe this predisposition nor did he define ‘facilitating factors’. This research aimed to advance Hickey’s conclusion by setting out the features of this predisposition and creating a model for identifying ‘facilitating factors’. A new developmental model of serial killers was constructed by reformatting an existing military model of killing, deleting some of its components and adding others from the DSM IV’s diagnostic criteria for PTSD. The model was then tested by analyzing biographical data collected on a sample of 34 known serial killers.The collected data yielded findings which challenged long held assumptions that dysfunctional mother/child relationships and psychopathy are integral to the occurrence of serial murder and suggested that social isolation, bullying, trauma, chronic emotional numbing and committing murder during adolescence are pivotal factors in serial killer development.