Necrophilia and sexual homicide.
A closed case-file review of 211 sexual homicides identified 16 cases of necrophilia. The results of this unique descriptive study of necrophilia associated with sexual homicide provide information on crime-scene locations, methods of killing, body disposition, premortem sexual assault, specifics of the necrophilic acts, methods of victim abduction, and motivational dynamics. The findings suggest that the most common explanation for necrophilia-the offender's desire to have an unresisting partner-may not always be applicable in cases where this rare paraphilia is connected to sexual murder. The possibility of using crime-scene behaviors in these cases to investigate serial sexual murders is offered.
Stein
Michelle L
ML
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, NY, 10019, USA. lbschlesinger@aol.com
Schlesinger
Louis B
LB
Pinizzotto
Anthony J
AJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003417:Criminal Psychology; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D006708:Homicide / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010262:Paraphilic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult