ABSTRACT
This paper examines the rapes and murders of the many women in Scarborough, Toronto between the years of 1987 and 1993. This paper will serve as a critical analysis of the serial killers, the victims, portrayal, investigation and framing of the story that is portrayed in the movie, Karla 2006. This critical analysis will be done by utilizing knowledge and concepts obtained through the Serial Killers Topic course offered through the University of South Florida. The two killers being analyzed are Paul Bernardo and his wife Karal Homolka, accused and convicted of raping and murder three women; Tammy Homolka, Tina McCarthy (based on Leslie Mahaffy) and Kaitlyn Ross (based on Kristen French).
INTRODUCTION
In 1987 a killer love story was
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He was raised by his mother, Marilyn Bernardo and his stepfather, Kenneth Bernardo. Paul and his sister grew up in a very abusive household. Kenneth, Paul’s stepfather, was charged with child molestation in in 1975 (Ryan). According to the book a common myth is that most serial killers were abused as a child and statistics show that is not true. Despite the statistics, Paul’s life followed the myth as he was in fact abused as a child and then grew up to become a serial killer. Shortly after Kenneth was charged, Paul’s mothers, Marilyn, informed Paul that Kenneth was not his biological father and Paul responded by cruelly lashing out on her and insulting her because of her unfaithfulness. Some say this is where is all began. Paul then went on the graduate from Sir Wilfrid Laurier and attend the University of Toronto where he began to show signs of his stepfather’s abuse. While attending the University of Toronto Paul was known for having numerous abusive sexual fantasies and humiliating and abusing women (Ryan). It is very clear that Paul had Psychopathic tendencies: he was aggressive, insensitive, charismatic, and a hedonist seeking control and power to achieve pleasure and …show more content…
He was an attractive late-twenties male who had a professional career as an accountant, which differs from the myth mentioned in the book that most serial killers are of a higher education and hold professional job when in reality they are usually of a lower education and don’t have professional jobs. In addition to being a serial rapist Paul was also known as a serial killer. He was convicted of killing three women; Tammy Lyn Homolka (Karla’s sister), Tina McCarthy, and Kaitlyn Ross. In addition to these confirmed raped and killings, Paul is suspected to be involved in many more rapes and attempts of rape. Paul and his wife, Karla were both convicted with the carrying out the aforementioned three murders; making them a serial killer team. Hints the name “Ken and Barbie killers”. Each of the three people Paul Bernardo murdered where young, mid-twenties, Caucasian women. Paul actively murdered Tina McCarthy and Kaitlyn Ross by strangling them, which appears to be his preferred method of killing. All women were very vulnerable and “easy targets”; Tammy was Karla’s trusting sister while the other two were complete strangers. All three women were violently raped and physically and verbally abused prior to their murder. A common myth is that serial killers do not stalk their victims prior to picking them. Paul would follow this standard and despite what the book says
Christine Jessop was a nine year old girl who after bring dropped off by the school bus at her home in Queensville, decided to ride her bike to the park nearby to meet with her friends. After stopping to buy some gum at the local store, she was last seen walking her bike up her driveway by her friend Kim Warren. She did not keep her appointment with her friend at the park, and would never be seen alive again (Anderson & Anderson, 2009). This small town instantly became involved in the search for the missing girl, but with very little evidence to go on time passed, and hope began to diminish for the safe return home of Jessop. On New Year’s Eve 1984, eighty-nine days after Jessop went missing, her body was found badly decomposed in a bush by Fred Patterson fifty-five kilometers from Queensville. An autopsy would later revival that she was raped and mutilated (Anderson & Anderson, 2009). The police still did not have a suspect in the case nor did they have any leads, but now that her body was found the police and the small town were the topic of media, increasing pressure on the police to figure out what had happened to this little girl.
“She still today never told me she loved me…never… never in her life … it’s too hard to explain,” says Anthony Sowell as he mentions his mother while he is being interrogated by Cleveland Homicide Detective (Sberna). The classic neighbor that every family wishes to have, friendly, helpful and caring was holding back numerous secrets. In Anthony Sowell’s actions of the rape, beatings and murder of 11 innocent women, he demonstrates the qualities of a human monster while showing how nurture creates a personality as well as proving that humans are capable of creation more fear than those who are written about in fiction.
Murderers and Serial Killers in the Chicago Area. A notorious murderer or serial killer is the typical next door neighbor one would hardly associate with a serious crime: an educated psychopath with little regard for life. Most of them commit murder for some misplaced psychological benefit. Their actions border on insanity, as some commit theft by stealing their victims’ belongings and committing rapes, an indication of a need for financial gain or a craving for distorted sexual desires.
In order to identify serial killers before they kill repeatedly, a person needs to study the characteristics that make up this type of criminal. Most serial killers have been abandoned, by one or both parents, they are emotionally, physically, and even sexually abused by a family member, or relatives from unstable families who have criminal, psychiatric and alcoholic histories, or tend to have hate for their parents and people in general which makes them have antisocial personality disorder. They have conflicted, pained, or tortured animals at a young age and most are highly interested in gaining control over things. Even though not every serial killer posses these characteristics, most share these characteristics the same way they share the psychological need to have complete control and power over people. Dennis Rader was one normal average citizen until he shocked the public when he was caught as a serial killer who caused tragedy in their town.
Hickey, Eric W. Serial Murderers and Their Victims. Belmont, California: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, 1991. Print.
A serial killer is traditionally defined as the separate killings of three or more people by an individual over a certain period of time, usually with breaks between the murders. (Angela Pilson, p. 2, 2011) This definition has been accepted by both the police and academics and therefore provides a useful frame of reference (Kevin Haggerty, p.1, 2009). The paper will seek to provide the readers with an explanation of how serial killers came to be and how they are portrayed in the media. Several serial killers have a definitive and common personality profile.
This paper is talking about “The Serial Killer,” but focus on Gary Ridgway- “The Green River Serial Killer.” He earned his nickname because the first five victims that he killed were found in the Green River. He was one of the most famous serial killers in the United States. Ridgway raped, chocked, killer and discarded 48 women, including many teenagers as young as 15 years old (Silja J, 2003). In Ridgway’s mind, he even believed that he was helping the police out, as he admitted in one interview with investigators (Silja J, 2003).
While most of the violent crimes that happens most are them are belongs to men, women have not been the wilting flowers promoted so heartily by Victorian adorers and (right or wrong) often evident in today's society. Before we get into detail about the fascinating phenomenon of the Black Widow, it is worth a brief overview of women's escalating role in the world of violent crime, particularly in the United States.
Before we can discuss what serial killers do, we must first define what a serial killer is. Some people might place serial killers into the same group as mass murderers. This would be incorrect because they are two totally different types of killers. While both of these individuals may kill many people, the difference lies in the reason they kill and the period over which they kill their victims. An event or a build up of circumstance triggers mass murderers and causes them to act.
Ricard, Suzanne, Thompson, Jennie. “Women’s Role in Serial Killing Teams: Reconstructing a Radical Feminist Perspective.” Critical Criminology 17(4): 261-275
By 1978, roughly thirty women were dead and mutilated by the same man with little explanation as to why. Ted Bundy, one of the most infamous serial killers in history brutally took the lives of numerous women for seemingly no reason at all. His justification for these murders was simply that he felt like committing them. A serial killer is defined as someone who has killed more than three people over a period of a month or more for seemingly no reason at all. Most serial killers have no real motive for killing; for them it is an urge that they must satisfy. Was Ted Bundy and others like him always a violent psychopath or did certain events cause him to behave this way? One common belief is that abusive childhoods and other environmental factors are the main reason serial killers develop the way they do. The other belief is that serial killers are born with an innate desire to kill. The answer to this question lies within both arguments and there is no secret serial killer formula. Serial Killers are neither born nor made; instead many factors, both biological and psychological, contribute to the making of these destructive monsters.
Behavior is sometimes defined as the response of an individual, group, or species to its environment. Parents, girlfriends, sisters, brothers, and peers can all affect a person's behavior. Not everybody necessarily will have the behavior of a serial killer. In this paper, I will attempt to show the difference between the psychopath and the psychotic. Explain how the environment, upbringing, and treatment of serial killers led them to become who they are today.
Who are these people? What makes them so different from the rest of us? Why do they commit these shocking crimes? There are theories but no answers. Serial killers are a disturbing piece of the puzzle that we must figure out to save numerous lives in the future.
Serial killers commonly attack a single target at a time one on one. There also tends to be no or very little relation between the person being killed and the killer (murder 1). “The nature of this drive has been heavily debated, but there is a consensus on some points (Anderson 1).” Many researchers have noted sexual behavior in the murder.
So what makes a serial killer? Levin points out that contrary to popular belief, serial killers don't just 'snap'; or 'go crazy'; (Douglas, p. 137). Many of the serial killers have been the victims of childhood abuse. Jack Levin stated 'Research shows many serial killers suffered abuse, incest or neglect as children and develop poor self images'; (Douglas, p. 137). Serial killers often have a childhood marked by the absence of any nurturing relationship. 'They often come from families where the parents were absent or ineffective, where authority was not defined, and where they could engage in destructive behavior undeterred-violent play, cruelty to animals, and incidents of arson being some of the childhood behavior patterns noted among many serial killers'; (Clark, p. 206).