Female Serial Murderesses: Constructing Differentiating Typologies

Abstract

Despite the claims of several researchers in the examina tion of serial murder that there are no female serial killers, the authors have researched the serial murders which have occurred during the past fifty years and discovered a large number of female serial murderesses. There is an attempt to establish a typology of females who killed serially in the same fashion which has been already formed with male serial killers. With this typology discussed, homicidal behavioral traits are also discussed.

Female serial killers in the United States: means, motives, and makings

“…The Federal Bureau of Investigation of the US (FBI, 2005) considers serial murder to be 'the unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender(s), in separate events.' However, academics such as Farrell et al (2011), Hickey (1991, 2010, and Holmes et al (1991) define serial murder as three or more deceased victims.…”

“…movies Se7en, The Silence of the Lambs; the television show Dexter). In contrast, few are familiar with Belle Gunness, Nannie Doss, Dorothea Puente, or other women who committed serial murders in the US (Holmes, Hickey, & Holmes, 1991). The public is not typically aware that female serial killers (FSKs) have indeed committed murders in the United States (US) for about as long as the US has been a nation.…”

“…Moreover, previous definitions referred to male perpetrators only (Farrell, Keppel, & Titterington, 2011). As noted by Holmes et al (1991), some experts have even argued that 'there are no FSKs.' Although we now have evidence that about 16% of all serial murderers are women (Hickey, 2010;Kelleher & Kelleher, 1998), arguably little contemporary research focuses on elucidating their entire stories.…”

Multiple murder and criminal careers: A latent class analysis of multiple homicide offenders

“…Sex: Although some MHOs are females [9,[30][31], the overwhelming majority of them are males. Similarly, the current sample is 97% male (n = 155) and 3% female (n = 5).…”

“…Overall, case characteristics from crime scenes were difficult to match to the proposed typology primarily because it was impossible to make inferences about the motivation of the offender. Holmes et al [9] further developed this typology and applied it to female serial killers. In addition to the aforementioned visionary, hedonistic, and power/control-oriented murderers, Holmes et al advanced that comfort serial killers are motivated to murder for purely material reasons as opposed to psychological gain or to satisfy a paraphilic urge.…”