Hooked on Homicide

In general, serial killers and substance abusers don’t have much in common. People are addicted to drugs or alcohol do themselves more harm than anyone else; when friends and family get hurt, they are collateral damage on a personal road to self-destruction. Serial killers, on the other hand, are often extremely invested in self-preservation, while having deadly intentions towards others.

However, more than one professional has noticed that, while the psyches and predilections of these two groups are worlds apart, the urges and compulsions that drive these choices can be surprisingly similar. Just as drinking or shopping or gambling can temporarily relieve stress and feel good, some serial killers report similar results from killing:

• Serial killer Ted Bundy reportedly “craved” killing in order to concentrate.
• Israel Keyes, definitively linked to three murders but suspected of killing several more, stated he was addicted to the thrill of the hunt as he planned and prepared for his next victim.
• Healthcare serial murderer Elizabeth Wettlaufer, who pled guilty to killing eight nursing home residents, described a pressure that would build up before each murder and stated she started killing people to relieve her anxieties.

So, is it possible that, once the murder ball gets rolling, it can be habit-forming? As it…