Zodiac Killer
As one can see from the graphic at left, there are
numerous interactions occurring within this offender’s fantasies, which can
be interpreted through his verbal (written) and physical (crime scene)
behaviors.
Victim Demographics: There is evidence that
females hold a significance and are more important to this offender than males within
his fantasies. This will be discussed more in other sections. In
terms of fantasy, there does not seem to be a significant physical
characteristic that this offender is seeking to fulfill.
Relational/Situational: This offender provided
behavioral evidence that a situational fantasy aspect is present and of
great importance to the continuation of his crimes. Within a coded message
sent to the local papers, this offender stated that humans were his prey and
gave him more pleasure to kill than wild game because humans are the
most
dangerous game. This may be a reference to a book that featured a man
hunting another man for sport, yet there is no evidence within any of the
crime scenes to suggest that the actual homicides are re-enactments of the
book or movie. More likely, this offender read the book or watched the
movie, probably both, and began fantasizing about the power and control a
predator has over his prey. This was stimulating either sexually
or otherwise to this offender and he felt driven to act on the fantasies to
experience a sense of power in reality.
Anger: From witness accounts concerning this
offender, he is average or less than average in physical attractiveness.
This may correlate to his being desired as a sexual partner by females and
damaged his self-perception. From the
behavioral evidence at the crime scenes, this offender seems to be targeting
the female victims more so than the males. Although males were also victims
of this offender, in nearly every case, the female victims were generally
treated more violently than the males in terms of wound patterns. In
terms of the fantasy process for this offender, there seems to be multiple
interactions between the variables Anger, Violence, Power, and
Self-Perception. It would appear from his crime behaviors that there
was some intention to punish the females and it is hypothesized that his
overt violence toward female victims was related to previous rejections by
females due to personality characteristics, social deficits, or as the
previously mentioned lack of physical attractiveness.
Violence: This variable seems to be an
aspect of this offender’s primary fantasy and is evidenced by the use of
several different types of weapons and a symbolic executioner’s costume worn to one
of the crimes. Weapons are a critical aspect of this offender’s fantasy,
and the expression of his fantasy is to use the weapons on his victims.
Power: Critical to this offender’s fantasy
world. As stated in an earlier section, this offender seems to express
anger at female victims, and requires all to recognize and fear him.
This could be viewed as an indication of narcissism or a need to boost
self-worth/importance through the devaluing or destruction of others.
Self-Perception: Directly related to Power
is this offender’s view of self in his fantasies. It is hypothesized
in this assessment that the offender has some problems with self-worth and
has chosen to express his fantasies of power and control through the killing
of his victims. Again, it would seem that this variable interacts with
Anger, Violence, and Power. This particular variable was also
expressed through his writings to the authorities that threatened additional
acts of violence against children and the mocking of police for their
inability to capture him.
Personality: As stated under Power, this
offender seems to have a need to devalue the authorities and create a sense
of superiority through his crimes. He also gives the indication through his
verbal (written) and crime scene behaviors that he may be psychopathic,
which may better explain the use of violence to express narcissistic
injuries than a personality disorder alone.
Factor X: Themes of military and weapons have
influenced this offender’s fantasies. Factor X attempts to discover
possible factors that may influence an offender to begin acting upon his or
her fantasies. In this case, the strong themes of military and weapons may
have normalized violence for this offender and intensified the need to act
out fantasies.
Time Spent in Fantasy: This offender seemed to
have planned his crimes very well and required that he be known through the
media. This offender follows the media closely and is stimulated by the
thrill of playing games with authorities, which seems to have influenced his
fantasies, and thus his future crimes. Evidence of thrill seeking is
exemplified by the increasing risk this offender is willing to accept in
order to experience a sense of power or destroy objects of his rage.
The time spent in fantasy is also demonstrated by his creating an
executioner’s costume and the use of this costume during the commission of
one of his homicides.
Conclusion: This offender is intelligent and
his fantasies are complex. His fantasies are not necessarily overtly
sexualized, but there is behavioral evidence from his attack at Lake
Berryessa, that he may derive sexual pleasure from violence. Continued
fantasizing will occur while following media coverage and observing public
reaction to his crimes.
