Male serial killers have relatively short killing sprees in comparison to those of females, usually not beyond four years. A significant number of male serial killers achieve their objectives by strangling, stabbing, battering, and shooting. Further, they kill their victims for reasons related to sexual matters in about fifty-percent the time. Finally, male serial killers more often murder persons who are not close to them. Based on the evidence of the Manson murders, the killings were typical of male serial killers since they involved strangers as well as used techniques such as stabbing and shooting (Miller, 2014).
Female serial killers are characterized by four key features. First, they have relatively long killing sprees, which may go last up to eight years before they are discovered and prosecuted. Second, they achieve their missions in a quiet manner that does not involve the use of significant violence. In fact, they utilize poisons and other techniques such as suffocation. Third, in most cases, they kill to achieve monetary gains or profits. Finally, female serial killers murder persons that are close to them, who may be husbands or dependent people. However, these do not relate to the female figures in the killings as they stabbed and shot their victims. Besides, they did not murder their close family members; for example, husbands (Adjorlolo & Chan, 2014).
The murders can be considered team killings since persons killed others upon getting orders from the leader. For instance, Manson directed four of his team members (followers) to kill all the persons in 10050 Cielo Drive. In addition, Tex, Susan, Patricia, and Linda brutally murdered a pregnant victim (Tate) and four of her visitors (Bugliosi & Gentry, 2014).
The moniker of serial killers on Charles Manson can be attributed to the extent to which killings were achieved by the “family” members. Convicted criminals, in this case, acted upon receiving orders from Charles Manson and they killed to achieve a mission as a “family.”
- Adjorlolo, S., & Chan, H. C. O. (2014). The controversy of defining serial murder: Revisited. Aggression and violent behavior, 19(5), 486-491.
- Bugliosi, V., & Gentry, C. (2014). Helter Skelter: The true story of the Manson murders. New York, NY: Random House.
- Miller, L. (2014). Serial killers: I. Subtypes, patterns, and motives. Aggression and violent behavior, 19(1), 1-11.
