The Psychology of Serial Killers

Delve into the minds of infamous serial killers and explore the psychological factors contributing to their crimes.

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From Jack the Ripper to Jeffery Dahmer to the Gilgo Beach killer, serial killers have consistently evoked fascination and fear in the public. Although serial killing is not a new phenomenon, it has gained a lot of media attention in the past few years and has resulted in a fixation in the public. Movies and series such as Silence of the Lambs, Zodiac, Dexter, Cuttputli, Dahmer, etc., have fascinated the public. However, according to the FBI, these Hollywood productions have heightened storylines to increase the public’s interest. It is also noteworthy that serial killing is not an American phenomenon. If we believe the historians, the concept of serial killers has existed since ancient and medieval times, but the term ‘Serial Killer’ itself gained popularity in the late 20th century due to heightened media attention around these killings.

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A serial Killer, according to most experts, is a person who has murdered at least three or more people with a “cooling-off” time between each murder. Some experts also argue that these murders are the result of an unusual psychological gratification. The psychodynamics, motivation, and behaviour of serial killers are some of the factors that differentiate them from each other. For example, Charles Cullen and Ted Bundy are both serial killers, but they differ in terms of their motivation and behaviour. Charles Cullen, the killer nurse, was a healthcare serial killer who would go to the hospital and kill patients, whereas Ted Bundy was a sexual serial murderer. India also has its serial killers. Cyanide Mallika, Charles Sobhraj, Auto Shankar, Devendra Sharma, etc, are some of the serial killers in India. Although it is agreed by many experts that all serial killers are not the same, there are some traits that are common to serial murderers. These traits include impulsivity, a lack of guilt or remorse, predatory behaviour, seeking sensation, and needing control. These traits are also consistent with psychopathy. However, not all serial killers are psychopaths. The answer to why and how a person becomes a serial killer lies in their development from birth to adulthood. There are a lot of factors that might contribute to their disposition toward murder, such as motivation, social and environmental factors, etc. A study conducted on the serial killers of India in the southern districts employs a motivation model to understand the reason for the individuals becoming a serial killer. In this motivation model, the author uses an in-depth analysis of the life of serial killers and identifies certain driving forces that contribute to the making of a serial killer.

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The case of Ripper Chandran

Muthukutty Chandran, also known as Ripper Chandran, killed 14 people in a span of one year from 1985 to 1986. Ripper Chandran’s modus operandi was burglary and bludgeoning. During midnights, he would break into unsecured houses and bludgeon the heads of the residents, after which he would take all the valuables from the house and sell them the next day. Ripper Chandran was a spiritual, influential, affectionate, but aggressive individual. After the death of his father in his childhood, he stole jewellery from his mother and ran away from his home. He spent most of his life in the company of vagabonds. Once, while constructing his house, he found a snake, and while catching it, he came across an idol. After finding that idol, he believed he had been possessed by the idol, and it motivated him to kill. He was religiously believed in attaining supernatural powers through 101 sacrifices of human life. He had a need to attain wealth and respect, which drove him to kill.

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Killer Kuppusamy

V. Kuppusamy, also known as Killer Kuppusamy, allegedly killed 20 women between April 2009 and July 2009 in several districts of Tamil Nadu. He preyed on solitary women working in deserted regions and strangulated and assaulted them sexually, after which he robbed them of their gold ornaments. V. Kuppusamy was of an impulsive nature. He was egocentric, possessive, vindictive, and hypersexual, with a failed married life. During childhood, his family was ostracized from the village over a fight. His married life was affected due to his substance abuse, due to which he was abandoned by his wife. The psychological problem caused due to the abandonment by his wife played the role of a trigger in his life. His alcoholism and rage against society also played a role in his killings.

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Jack the Ripper of India

Raman Raghav, infamously known as Jack the Ripper of India, killed 41 people in a span of three years. He had a past record of felony and was arrested by the police for robbery. Raghav carried out a series of brutal killings between 1965 and 1968. He scouted the outskirts of Mumbai, targeting his victims, who were predominantly homeless people and beggars. He bludgeoned these individuals to death along the Mumbai Central Railway tracks. He was also known as “Sindhi Dalwai,” “Talwai,” “Anna,” “Thambi,” and “Veluswami,” “Psycho Raman” by many people. At his preliminary trial, Raghav refused to answer any questions asked by the police. After a while, he demanded chicken curry, which the police fulfilled. Following this, he confessed to his crimes and gave details of his modus operandi. During his trial, he was interviewed by a psychiatrist who diagnosed him with chronic paranoid Schizophrenia. According to the reports from the Special Medical Board, Raman Raghav clung to the belief that others were constantly trying to change his gender identity and imposing homosexual desires on him. He asserted that he was ‘101 per cent male’. Additionally, he believed that the government brought him to Mumbai to engage in criminal activities. He was convinced that various authorities, including the Akbar Government, the British Government, and the Congress Government, were conspiring against him, seeking to persecute and entice him with temptations.

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The cases of these serial killers differ in terms of their motivation and other factors, emphasizing the fact that not all serial killers are the same. Although there are some factors common to these individuals, the identification of a serial killer and the psychology behind their crimes can only be understood by taking into account all the factors and understanding the special contexts and uniqueness of the person’s life.

References

1. Deepak, S. A., & Ramdoss, S. (2020). The Life-Course Theory of Serial Killing: A Motivation Model. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 0306624X2098103. doi:10.1177/0306624×20981030
2. https://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/serial-murder#:~:text=Serial%20killers%20differ%20in%20many,for%20control%2C%20and%20predatory%20behavior.
3. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/serial-killers
4. https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/serial-killer-mind
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ripper_Chandran#:~:text=Chandran%20committed%20fourteen%20murders%20from,death%20by%20hanging%20in%201987.
6. https://jlrjs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/73.-Parshvi-Chopra.pdf

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