Murder is one of the most serious crimes that human beings can commit, and yet one of the oldest. From prehistoric times to the present day, there have been cases of people who have decided to end other people’s lives in a premeditated way. In fact, the remains of massacres dating back more than 9,000 years have been found.

What are the characteristics of a killer? Although there are a great number of causes or aspects that can mediate for a person to decide to take the life of another and it is not likely to establish a clear and universal profile for all killers (there being a great variety of possible profiles and typologies of killers), in this article we try to outline a generic psychological profile on the subject.

Murder and Manslaughter

We call murder the act by which a person intentionally takes another’s life, there being in the act malice, cruelty or compensation for the performance of the act. If none of the three previous circumstances appear, we would be talking about a homicide . Murder implies premeditation and the existence of some kind of motivation on the part of the agent causing the death. This agent causing death through murder is called a murderer.

Murder is a blood crime punishable by law and can carry penalties ranging from prison to death, depending on the legislation of the territory where the accused is tried.

The motives that lead one person to kill another can be very varied, from revenge to obtaining resources. There are many types of killers and murders depending on the motive of the crime, the way it is carried out, the number of people killed or even the type of relationship established between the victim and the executioner. All of this means that a specific profile must be drawn up for each case, and different characteristics can be found in each type of crime.

Psychological profile of the killer: common characteristics

It is extremely difficult to establish a general psychological profile of the figure of the killer, especially given the great variety in terms of the possible causes of the murderous behaviour.

Despite this, the following are some features and characteristics that tend to be fulfilled in a large proportion of cases .

1. View of the other as causing harm, threat or obstacle

Although the specific causes may be many, as a rule the person who commits a murder sees his or her victim as someone who has caused him or her harm , poses a threat to his or her integrity or status or that of a loved one, or represents an obstacle to achieving a certain end.

It may also be a premeditated act of violence against someone who resembles a person who has caused the killer harm, or even to satisfy a need with which the subject has in principle nothing to do.

2. High score in psychopathy

There are cases of murders that are committed against people who have no connection whatsoever with the killer, as is the case in many cases of serial killers or in cases where the killer is a hitman hired to end a person’s life.

However, the vast majority of killings that can be observed are carried out among people who know each other or whose environment is linked, even if their contact has been circumstantial. This means that the killer has the ability to distance himself emotionally from the victim, which fits a psychological profile with a high degree of psychopathy .

3. Discretion

Apparently, the personality of most killers does not usually have great particularities that make them different from the rest of the population. The act of killing is not confined to a psychic structure that makes the person stand out for the type of social skills he or she has.

4. In many cases, low level of assertiveness

Despite the fact that they generally have normal behaviour, in many cases the murder occurs as a result of the birth of aggression towards a particular person due to variable circumstances. The murderer is not able to manage the situation in any other way than with the murder, or despite conceiving it in another way he gives priority to causing the death of the future victim .

5. Not necessarily mental disorder

There is a social idea of identifying murder with the presence of psychopathology. However, in general this is not the case. Normally the majority of murders are caused by people considered mentally healthy , some of the most frequent being hate crimes, crimes of passion or those linked to economic or resource aspects.

An exception can be found in serial killers, who tend to suffer from extreme psychopathy, sociopathy or different disorders that alter the perception of reality.

6. Gender and age

In general, the killers are usually young or middle-aged men , although numerous cases of female and even child killers can be found. Traditionally, men tend to use more aggressive methods such as stabbing or guns while women tend to use less visible methods such as poisoning, although these trends seem to be less pronounced over time.

Serial Killers: Profile and Characteristics in Common

There are many types of killers and murders, but one of the ones that has traditionally attracted the most attention due to its harshness and the high number of victims it leaves behind is the serial killer .

A serial killer is any individual who takes the life of at least three people intentionally and usually with premeditation in a specific period of time, with these murders being separated from each other.

This typology of killers may also show a high degree of heterogeneity in terms of their characteristics, but they usually share common elements. Among them, the following stand out, which are mostly shared with people with psychopathy

1. Lack of empathy

The serial killer often uses murder as a tool for profit, for ideological reasons, or with the intention of venting a particular frustration or fantasy. As a general rule he does not tend to know how to put himself in the place of his victim , mostly lacking in empathy. A large part of them can be classified as psychopaths and among their motivations is a vision of strange reality, far from the hegemonic ideologies.

2. Usually give appearance of normality

With a few exceptions, the serial killer does not usually manifest strange elements in his behavior that would lead one to believe that they are.

3. Choice of vulnerable victims

Usually the serial killer chooses victims who may be vulnerable to his actions because they are considered weaker or who may be manipulated in some way to leave them in a submissive situation. This is done in order to notice that you are in control at all times.

4. They can be manipulative and even seductive

Many serial killers have a high capacity for manipulation and seduction, using these skills to get close to their victims easily and without excessive resistance . It is frequent that they establish relationships with some ease, although in general these relationships are superficial.

5. Environment of aversive origin

A large number of serial killers come from dysfunctional families or environments , with a high level of violence. Many of them have suffered various types of abuse throughout their lives that make it difficult to acquire empathy and concern for the environment.