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CCJ1191
HUMAN BEHAVIOR
DR. ELIZABETH BUCHHOLZ
SERIAL MURDERERS & THEIR VICTIMS
CHAPTER 2:
Cultural Development of Monsters, Demons, and Evil
Learning Objectives
 To examine the historical connections of myth construction and murder
 To explore intersections between murder, cults, and evil
 To understand how culture contributes to the perpetuation of myths
 involving murderers and their victims
 To examine case studies of cult murder exemplifying evil
Demonology
 In the past, explanations for mass and serial murders were often derived from
demonology or the belief that life events were controlled by external forces or
spirits.
 David Richard Berkowitz, the “Son of Sam” or “44-Caliber Killer,” who hunted
13 victims over a period of 13 months in New York City, first claimed he did the
killings because his neighbor’s demonically possessed dogs commanded him to
do so.
Possession by entities and multiple personalities
 Some cultures also believed that a person could be “invaded” by more than one
spirit at a time.
 Multiple personalities has been used as a defense by serial killers. For example,
Kenneth Bianchi, one of the “Hillside Stranglers” in California and Washington,
claimed that he was involved in killing 12 women because he was controlled by multiple
personalities.
 Kenneth Bianchi
 At his trial, Bianchi pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, claiming that another
personality, one "Steve Walker,” had committed the crimes. Bianchi even
convinced a few expert psychiatrists that he indeed suffered from multiple
personality disorder, but investigators brought in their own psychiatrists, mainly
the psychiatrist Martin Orne. When Orne mentioned to Bianchi that in genuine
cases of the disorder, there tends to be three or more personalities, Bianchi
promptly created another alias, "Billy.” Eventually, investigators discovered that
the very name "Steven Walker" came from a student whose identity Bianchi had
previously attempted to steal for the purpose of fraudulently practicing
psychology. Police also found a small library of books in Bianchi's home on
topics of modern psychology, further indicating his ability to fake the disorder.
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LYCANTHROPY
 The belief in “lycanthropy,” or the transformation of people into wolves, can be
traced back to at least 600 B.C., when King Nebuchadnezzar believed he suffered
from such an affliction.
 In many legends and much folklore, wolves are singled out as being the most
likely animal to have dealings with the devil.
Contd.
 A person able to command such a metamorphosis became known as a werewolf
(were was an Old English term for man).
 In the 16th century, Paracelsus wrote that violent, wicked men may return after
death as an animal, usually a wolf. The purpose of this human-to-wolf
transformation was the inevitable killing of humans, particularly children, in order
to eat their flesh.
Contd.
 Recurrent throughout werewolf literature is the theme of anthropophagy, or the
enjoyment of eating human flesh.
 Jean Grenier, a 17th-century Frenchman, claimed to be a werewolf and confessed
that he had devoured the flesh of many young girls.
Case Study
Consider the story of the Sawney Beane family (pg. 46) and how their behavior may
have reinforced the belief in werewolves and other similar monsters.
VAMPIRES
 Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897) was modeled on the 15th-century Wallachian
nobleman Vlad Tepes, also known as “Vlad the Impaler” and “Drakul” (Dragon).
 Vampires usually had but one goal—to drink human blood—whereas werewolves
mutilated and cannibalized. Vampires were also believed to be sexually involved
with their victims.
Contd.
 One British “vampire” who in 1949 murdered nine victims, drank blood from
each of them.
GOLEMS
 In Jewish medieval legend a golem was a robot, or an artificial person (golem
means a “clay figure supernaturally brought to life”).
 A golem is one who can orchestrate the destruction of another human being and
have no remorse, no feeling for his or her victim or external need to defend his or
her actions.
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SATANIC CULTS
 Anton LaVey, author of The Complete Witch, The Satanic Rituals, and The
Satanic Bible., founded the Church of Satan on the witches’ feast day of
Walpurgis Night (Walpurgisnacht), April 30,1966.
 Members worship the trinity of the devil—Lucifer, Satan, and the Devil.
The nine pronouncements of the devil that Satan represents:
 indulgence, instead of abstinence,
 vital existence, instead of spiritual pipe dreams,
 undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deceit,
 kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates,
 vengeance, instead of turning the other cheek,
Contd.
 responsibility, instead of concern for the psychic vampires,
 man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse, than those who
walk on all fours, who because of his divine and intellectual development has
become the most vicious of all,
 all of the so-called sins, as they lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification,
 the best friend the church has ever had, as he has kept it in business all these years
(LaVey, 1969, p. 25).
Related Movies:
 Manhunter (The Red Dragon) (Fictional story of a man who believes that with
each successive murder he becomes more powerful)
 Seven (Fictional story of a serial killer on a Biblical mission)
 The Grey Zone (Story of Jews selected to work in the crematoriums during the
WWII Holocaust)
 Schindler’s List (True story of a man who saved hundreds of Jews from being
murdered in the Death Camps during WWII).
 RELATED WEBSITES:
 Fortean Times: In Search of Sawney Beane:
www.forteantimes.com/features/articles/129/in_search_of_sawney_bean.html
 The Anton Szandor LaVey Memorial:
www.antonlavey.org
 CharlieManson.com
www.charliemanson.com