22 - Optional Reading – Criminal Profiles: Analyzing Homicides

The authors of the content material (ADLC) for this course gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Detective Hugh Frey of the Edmonton City Police in preparing material for the following section.

When a homicide occurs, police investigators must analyze psychologically the darkest side of human behaviour. For all normal human beings, the topic of murder is distasteful, but it is also fascinating to discover how this frightening aspect of human behaviour is analyzed in the absence of actual witnesses. Some of you may not want to read or contemplate this topic. Therefore, the final section of this lesson is completely optional.

The most dramatic and sensational of all crimes is murder. At first one might think that murder is murder, but there are over fifteen different categories of homicide, such as contract killing, gang-motivated killing, kidnap murder, product tampering homicide, drug murder, insurance inheritance-related homicide, felony murder (property crime is the motive), personal cause homicide (for example, domestic homicide), erotomania (for example, murder involving a fantasy based on romantic love), revenge killing, argument/conflict murder, authority killing (for example, the dismissed employee believes he has been wronged by the authority figure), extremist homicide for political or religious reasons, hostage murder, sexual homicide, group cause homicide (for example, a cult murder), and mercy homicide (for example, the case of a person helping a terminally ill person to die). Mass murder involves the homicides of more than three people. A spree murder involves a continual murder rampage that occurs among more than two locations. Serial murders mean separate homicides by the same person over a period of time.

In the absence of witnesses to the homicide, police investigators face an extremely difficult task because the victim is deceased and cannot provide information. In almost all cases, the offenders will not be helpful in supplying evidence damaging to themselves. Investigators must study other data to piece together the story of the tragedy. The investigation of a homicide studies three important elements: background of the victim, an analysis of the crime scene, and the nature of the exchange between the criminal and the victim. The first two elements are called primary sources of physical evidence. Evidence is called the silent witness because it can be used to reveal who the offender is and what the motive was. Secondary sources of evidence are information that is recovered from the offender’s residence. Forensic analysis is conducted on hair, hair fibres, blood, saliva, and semen.

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To begin the investigation by taking a close look at the victims may seem unusual because they are the innocent parties, but answering questions may lead to the motive, which in turn may lead to the offender. Victimology is victim history, which may explain why a particular person was targeted for the murder. Was the victim known to the offender? Information considered pertinent in victimology includes employment, income, lifestyle, marital status, reputation, personality, family, friends, drug/alcohol use, leisure activities, dating habits, and transportation commonly used by this person.

Once the victim has been carefully analyzed, the investigator collects data known as crime scene indicators. How many crime scenes are involved? (Was the body found at the scene of the homicide?) Did the crime occur indoors or outdoors? Did it occur during the day or night? Did the crime occur in a busy public area or in a secluded spot? Can how long the offender stayed at the homicide scene be predicted? Did the offender feel comfortable committing the offense in that location? How many offenders were there? Was the crime scene organized or disorganized, indicating if the murder was premeditated and also reflecting the offender’s level of criminal sophistication. Was the weapon brought to the crime scene or was it a nearby object? Was the weapon present at the crime scene after the murder? Was the body openly displayed or was an attempt made to conceal it? Was the body intentionally arranged in a certain way or left in a degrading position? Were personal belongings taken from the victim as a kind of “souvenir” for the offender? What other objects might be missing from the crime scene?

Eventually, police investigators might make a series of educated guesses about the offender, predicting age, racial background, residency, employment or skills, home life, social skills, and general personality. To be successful, police investigators must put as many pieces of the puzzle together as possible. The final piece is the offender. Eventually, this person will be caught. Will it be sooner or later?