ABSTRACT
Criminology defines a serial killer as an individual who shows the following characteristics: kills on at least three occasions and with a certain time span between each murder; establishes direct contact with the victim; uses a knife, strangles, or strikes, and seldom uses a firearm; and, finally, commits the crime as a sort of ritual in which he or she is stimulated, combining personal fantasies with death. The psychopathic killer, who is a classic example of antisocial personality, can be classified as the most dangerous type of murderer, because this type of killer has the ability to fake emotions that he or she does not really feel. There are three firm ideas that rule serial killers' minds: manipulation, domination, and control of the situation. Female serial killers are considered particularly unusual. The typical serial killer follows a progressive model of development that begins with fantasy and ends in depression.
