A serial killer is an individual who murders three or more people over the course of a month or more. There is generally a “cooling-down” period between each victim. These murders are unique events, driven by a specific need for psychological gratification. The type of psychological gratification varies and helps split serial killers into four categories.
The four types of serial killers include Hedonistic killers (compelled to murder for the thrill of it, sexual gratification, or financial gain), Power/Control killers (driven by the desire to obtain complete control or power of victims), Mission killers (compelled by revenge or hatred for specific groups of people, may believe they are doing good by “cleansing” the world), and Visionary killers (they suffer from psychosis and maybe hear voices or believe they are mandated to kill by God or demons). This infographic delves into the dark realities of 50 of the world’s most prolific serial killers.
