Golden State Killer: Does media hype of serial killers create copycats or help catch them?

[emilynghiem]

In the Footsteps of a Killer - Page 5 of 5 - Los Angeles Magazine

Here is a huge, long article on an everyday citizen turned sleuth
in working with authorities to track down a serial killer.

Do you think this type of media hype glamourized serial killers
and encourages copycats? Or helps to catch them and catch
other killers who try to imitate them? Does it help more than it harms?
Does it do both? What do you think?

 

[Meathead]

I think that might have been a bit of the case 30 years ago with Bundy, Henry Lee Lucas, Gacy and others. The "golden age" of serial killers if you will, but not so much anymore.

Some of them were fascinating in their MO and motive but many were garden-variety like the Green River killer in Seattle whose number of prostitutes was "impressive" but was practically cliché in the annals of murder.

 

[Disir]

Serial killers are not gangbangers. They aren't looking for street credibility when they kill someone. Even so, there is only one type of serial killer that it would appeal to. Articles don't make serial killers.

 

[Theowl32]

I think that might have been a bit of the case 30 years ago with Bundy, Henry Lee Lucas, Gacy and others. The "golden age" of serial killers if you will, but not so much anymore.

Some of them were fascinating in their MO and motive but many were garden-variety like the Green River killer in Seattle whose number of prostitutes was "impressive" but was practically cliché in the annals of murder.

They are more prevalent than you think. Which is an irony in regards to the OP point.

Todays serial killers and kilkings are not hyped like they were in the 80s.

There were certainly copy cats that rose in the 80s as a result of attention brought to them.

The night stalker for instance compared his killings to others. He had a goal in mind and that was to be more prolific than any other.

Then, there was a serial killer who was so enthralled by Richard Ramirez that he came here from Europe, actually got the very room at the Cecilia Hotel 1402 that Ramirez stayed in and went and killed several women by strangulation.

So, yes there are copy cats. Just don't fool yourself into thinking it is not happening. Very much happening.

For instance not much was made of Lorenzo Montoya. He was a very prolific serial killer in this modern era.

 

[Disir]

There are 4 types of serial killers. Doing it for notoriety is but one. With exception to the type that is doing God's work, they do it because they like it.

There are about 300 serial killers roaming the US and the UK at any given time. That was text book. The FBI now says there is about 25-50 in the US. It takes about 10 years from the time they start to even come to the attention of anyone.

They will often target transient people (prostitutes) and those that live in poverty. People that nobody is going to come looking for. Run ads in the local penny gazette for a coat for five bucks.

I am a firm believer in that you are either wired for that or you are not.

 

[kathrynstinson12]

i think that someone would be pretty stupid to go around acting like they are the rapist/killer. They would mess up something about his mo..

i dont know why a family member does not recognize him???? it is ridiculous theres hot to be someone who went to school with him.

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[kathrynstinson12]

last comment was about if someone wanted to be a copycat. kathryn

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[harmonica]

Golden State Killer arrested--possibly
Suspected Golden State Killer responsible for 50 rapes been arrested | Daily Mail Online
....these serial killers/etc are very interesting in that they are ''different'' than normal humans--''normal'' murderers---they commit serial murders....and some of them will talk about their murders/victims in a nostalgic way--unemotionally--humans that kill as a ''pastime''
--where as a lot of murders are for greed/passion/personal hate/etc--
...a lot of serial killers have a very high, genius IQ
11 Terrifying Murderers Who Used Their Genius-Level IQs To Kill People
..from my readings, they usually do it for a ''power high''...some torture their victims