who+is+a+serial+killer-+definition-+rebecca


 * serial killer** - someone who murders more than three victims one at a time in a relatively short interval
 * http://www.thefreedictionary.com/serial+killer

But the real life serial killer is anything but entertaining for his real life victims and their families. Serial killers represent a unknown fear and fascination in society. They are the embodiment of evil, yet it seems that we cannot get enough of them.

Defining a serial killer is not as obvious as it may appear to be. First of all, a distinction between a serial killer and a mass murderer must be made. A mass murderer is someone who kills several people all at once or within a relatively short span of time. For example, a person who walks into an office and shoots 5 people is a mass murderer. A serial killer is someone who murders several people over a longer period of time, sometimes over a number of years. The victims have nothing in common except that their general type or appearance (i.e. little boys, elderly women, college girls, etc.). The victims do not usually know each other, and they do not know the killer. They are connected by the desires of a man they do not even know. The serial killer usually has at least 3 victims. The murders are often very brutal, involving some kind of ritual that has specific meaning only for the offender. Sexual violence is usually a factor, whether it be before or after death. Some killers can only get sexual satisfaction through the pain of their victim.
 * http://www.victimsofviolence.on.ca/research393.html