Extant literature, while plentiful on the topic of serial homicide in general, does not adequately examine the phenomena of healthcare professionals who serially murder their patients. Using a sample of 58 healthcare serial killers located within North America, South America and Europe between the years of 1970-2010, this study examines notable pre- and post-offence behaviours of healthcare serial killers. Patterns related to offender etiology, victim cultivation, crime scene behaviour and techniques of evasion were explored. The findings from this study suggest that the pre- and post-offence behaviours of healthcare serial killers can be examined from the theoretical framework of confidence men or ‘con men.’ The findings from this study also suggest that healthcare serial killings and offenders who perpetrate them continue to be elusive and warrant additional scholarly attention to reduce their likelihood of engaging in homicide undetected for extended periods of time. Policy implications are also discussed. / UOIT

The study of serial killer collaboration has received little attention in academia. While current explanatory theories of serial homicide can include subtypes of serial killers that operate alone, the study of collaborating serial killers has been neglected. In this paper, an integrated, explanatory theory of serial killer collaboration is proposed. The theory builds on concepts from social learning theory, the trauma control model, and relational self theory and aims to examine what interpersonal dynamics that characterize the partnerships of collaborating serial killers. Five cases of collaborating serial killers have been analyzed and compared with focus on individual life histories and how these are reflected in the interpersonal dynamics in serial killer collaboration. The study found that serial killer collaboration is fundamentally characterized by a mutual need for human connection and approval, and that sociocultural role expectations affect the interpersonal dynamics of collaborating serial killers in terms of dominance, victim-preference, victim-acquisition, and method of murder.

The phenomenon of serial killers is increasing world wide. During the past decade the most memorable cases of serial homicide in South Africa have been those of the "Norwood serial killer", the "Station Strangler", the "Cleveland serial killer", "The Gaunteng serial killer" and the "St Charles serial killer". The enigma surrounding serial killers is the so-called "lack of motive'' for the murders. No extrinsic motive such as robbery, financial gain, revenge or passion exists as there usually would be in the case of other murders. The available literature indicates that several theories have been proposed to explain the origin of serial homicide, but none can explain sufficiently to the author why one person with a certain type of background and exposed to a certain environment becomes a serial killer, whilst another, with a similar background and circumstances does not. The theories that are discussed are the socio-cultural factors, Ressler's motivational model, systemic factors, demonic possession, neurological factors, psychogenic factors and fantasy. In this thesis the author attempts to answer the question "What is the origin of serial homicide" by applying selected aspects of the psychoanalytic theories of Freud and Melanie Klein on two case studies of South African serial killers. The author formulates twenty nine statements of her own, based on the theories of Freud and Klein which she applies to the two case studies. The cases of the "Station Strangler" in Mitchell's Plain, Cape province, and the "St Charles serial killer" in Donnybrook, KwaZulu Natal are selected. Both of these serial killers are organized in their modus operandi, but the "Station Strangler" is a ego-dystonic killer and the "St Charles serial killer" a ego-syntonic serial killer. The method of research is a qualitative case study method. The author divides the selected aspects of Freud and Klein's theories into categories and analyses the two cases presented according to these categories. In the final chapter she draws maps to illustrate the psychoanalytical developmental paths of serial killers in general and for each of the two cases. Multiple data sources are used for example interviews with the serial killers and their families, police dockets, court proceedings and psychiatric records. Multiple data sources, explanation building and replication by way of multiple case studies are employed to ensure construct validity, internal validity and external validity respectively. Reliability is supported by entering the data in a South African Police Service data base. In conclusion the author compares the differences and similarities between the two case studies, and discusses the statements which are supported by this research. She also recommends that those statements which are not supported, be discussed in consecutive case studies. The statements are generalized to all serial killers. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 1996. / gm2013 / Psychology / unrestricted