When homicide isn't enough: Sexual murderers who steal from their victims

Using a sample of 762 sexual homicide cases from the Sexual Homicide International Database (SHIeLD), the current study examines the crime-commission process of the pre-crime, crime, and post-crime phases of sexual homicide offenders (SHOs) who engaged in theft during a sexual homicide. Furthermore, this study seeks to determine if a specific type of SHO engages in this behaviour over others. Results from the sequential logistic regression and conjunctive analysis indicate that victims who were 16 years or older, were strangers to the SHO, and were sex workers were more likely to be victims of theft. Additionally, results show that the presence of sadism made it more likely SHOs would engage in theft from the victim and/or crime scene. Findings suggest there is a group of SHOs who engage in theft not for monetary purposes but due to the paraphilia of the offender.