Signs Someone Is Capable Of Killing

“Serial Killers are often described as “”evil”” or “”psychopaths.”” When I was growing up, though, we called them crazy. It wasn’t until my late teens that I learned about sociopaths and psychopaths. And even then, it took me years to really appreciate just how dangerous these people can be — not only for themselves but also for those around them.
I remember when I first heard about Ted Bundy. The year was 1989, and I was in high school. A friend’s older sister told us all about the crimes he’d committed, including his brutal murder of his girlfriend Carole Ann Boone (who was pregnant with their child) at a motel near Seattle back in 1974. She said that after killing her, Bundy had gone on a spree where he raped several more women.
The next day, I saw a photo of Carole Ann Boone in our school paper. It was taken shortly before she died. In fact, there were three photos – one of her smiling, one of her lying dead, and another of her being autopsied. Her face looked like she’d been punched repeatedly.
That image stayed with me forever. It helped me understand why so many girls would fall under the spell of such an evil man. They probably thought they could change him…or maybe they didn’t think anything could stop him. Either way, it made me feel like every girl who fell victim to his evil was somehow deserving of what happened to her.
Nowadays, you hear so much about Ted Bundy that sometimes it becomes easy to forget that he wasn’t the only killer roaming the streets during that time period. There were others. Most of them were never caught because they worked hard at covering their tracks. But some were convicted based on eyewitness testimony, circumstantial evidence, etc., and they got life without parole.
And while none of those other cases were nearly as well-known as Ted Bundy, the media still treated them as if they were equally important. Why? Because they fit certain criteria that defined Serial Killer. Like Bundy, they lacked empathy, were impulsive, grandiose, narcissistic, superficial, charming, manipulative, and very good at concealing their true natures from everyone else.
In this article, I’ll list some of the traits of Serial Killers in general. Then, I’ll go over a few specific types of Serial Killers that you might have encountered. Finally, I’ll talk about how you should react if you suspect someone is capable of committing a crime like this.
LACK OF EMPATHY
One of the most common characteristics of Serial Killers is a complete lack of empathy. It’s not that they don’t care about anyone; rather, they simply aren’t able to relate to your feelings. To them, everything is black and white. Good/bad. Right/wrong. If something feels wrong to them, their reaction will always be the same: to kill. That doesn’t mean they’re incapable of feeling love, joy, happiness, sadness, anger, fear, remorse, etc. They just don’t experience those emotions in the same way as regular folks do.
REMORSE
Another trait of Serial Killers is a total inability to experience regret. This isn’t necessarily because they don’t know right from wrong (although many don’t), but instead because they find it difficult to admit when they’ve done something wrong. Many of them live in denial. They rationalize their actions by convincing themselves they did nothing wrong, no matter how badly they hurt others.
IMPULSIVENESS
Many Serial Killers are known for having a short attention span. Some experts say that’s because they need to be bored in order to focus on their next target. Others claim it’s because they can actually empathize better than others since they lack any real sense of emotion. Whatever the reason, Serial Killers tend to get bored easily. So if they see you walking down the street, they may decide to approach you and strike up a conversation. Keep in mind that they usually won’t stay long enough to pick out a potential victim.
GRANDIOSITY
If you look closely at Ted Bundy, you’ll notice that he was a pretty normal guy. He wore glasses. Had messy hair. Wore nice clothes. But that changed when he started murdering. Suddenly, he stopped wearing glasses. His hair became unkempt. His clothing began to show wear and tear. He started carrying a gun. He bought a motorcycle. He drove fast cars. You start seeing signs that tell you this person used to be a typical Joe Schmo, yet now he seems almost superhuman.
NARCISSISM
This quality is shared by most Serial Killers. They put a lot of effort into gaining the admiration and affection of others. Sometimes, they use sex appeal and physical beauty to attract victims, especially teenage girls. Other times, they charm their victims’ parents or friends using flattery and lies. Once again, once they gain a victim’s trust, they exploit it mercilessly.
SUPERFICIAL CHARM
Most Serial Killers try to blend in with society to avoid detection. But some choose to stand out more than others. For example, Dennis Rader, aka the BTK murderer, sent letters to newspapers and magazines giving details about himself and his victims. He offered tips on how to spot him. He also gave advice on how to survive a confrontation with him. Serial Killers will often write journals detailing their plans, thoughts, fantasies, etc. They’ll keep trophies of their kills and send pictures to loved ones. They’ll often leave notes confessing to their crimes. These things are all designed to make them seem human.
MANIPULATION
Of course, not all Serial Killers manipulate people intentionally. However, it happens anyway. They may convince someone to let them inside their home, for instance, and then rob and/or kill them. Or they may convince someone to help them move furniture, and then stab and beat them to death. Whether they intend to or not, they are always looking for ways to take advantage of people.
How should you respond if you believe someone you know exhibits these traits? Well, you should definitely report the situation to law enforcement immediately. Also, consider contacting local mental health professionals. Maybe the person needs medication or therapy. Perhaps he or she has suffered a recent loss and is going through a difficult time. If you can determine whether or not the person is capable of hurting others, you should contact authorities.
Finally, pay close attention to yourself and your interactions with that person. Are you starting to feel uncomfortable around him or her? Do you feel anxious, depressed, or angry? If so, you may be dealing with a Serial Killer!
Sources: http://www.todayifoundout.com/index_article/serial-killers-lack-empathy/”