Cross-cultural comparison of two serial sexual murder series in Italy and the United States.
There have been few documented comparisons of serial murder cases committed in the United States with cases occurring internationally. The authors contrasted two unique serial murder series: one in Italy and one in the United States by examining the details of both series, including the M.O., motivation, crime scene interactions, sexual acts performed, and the general backgrounds of both offenders. The comparison revealed a number of similarities. Both offenders specifically targeted elderly women, who were attacked in their residences. The two series involved sexually motivated crimes, although the sexual interactions were different. Both offenders stole objects from their victims after the murders and each kept newspaper accounts of their crimes. In addition, both offenders claimed to have abusive upbringings, including sexual abuse.
Morton
Robert J
RJ
National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Academy, Quantico, VA 22135, USA. robert.morton@ic.fbi.gov
Campobasso
Carlo P
CP
McNamara
James J
JJ
Colonna
Massimo
M
Carabellese
Felice
F
Grattagliano
Ignazio
I
Catanesi
Roberto
R
Lawrence
Jennifer M
JM
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000401:mortality; D019548:Crime Victims; D003417:Criminal Psychology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D006708:Homicide; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D011902:Rape; D014416:Tunisia / Q000208:ethnology; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000401:mortality