I recently read a book by Elliott Leyton called Hunting Humans: The Rise of the Modern Multiple Murderer.
The book is about 25 years old and is written by a professor considered to be a leading expert on serial murder.
The central thesis of Hunting Humans is that most mass murderers tend to be socially arrested or inept conservative men who are very conscious of their inability to progress beyond their class on either a social or professional level. Feeling trapped or restrained, they kill those they believe are preventing their ascent.
Sound familiar?
One of Leyton's case studies in the book is Mark Essex. Essex's murderous rampage ended up in a shootout at a New Orleans Howard Johnsons. Leyton notes police were stymied, in large part, because many citizens started showing up with firearms to participate in the shootout. As a result, Essex was able to hold off police for nearly half a day until a USN helicopter was called in to gun him down.
"most mass murderers tend to be socially arrested or inept conservative men who are very conscious of their inability to progress beyond their class on either a social or professional level."
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't sound like a very good description of these guys. Or this guy.
Az Red: If you read the book, Leyton explains exactly why Essex fits his theory. In short, Essex only became radicalized after his experiences in the Navy.
ReplyDelete"The central thesis of Hunting Humans is that most mass murderers tend to be socially arrested or inept conservative men who are very conscious of their inability to progress beyond their class on either a social or professional level. Feeling trapped or restrained, they kill those they believe are preventing their ascent."
ReplyDeleteI can see the socially arrested, people who are conscious of their inability to change class or status, being spree killers. I can also see that those who feel trapped believe that they are removing those who keep them and others trapped in the same barely surviving level. I do not subscribe to the fact that it is only inept conservative men.
The fact is at this point in our world, anyone can become a spree killer, because of being a social outcast who was tortured at school or work. They can become a spree killer because of long lasting intense socioeconomic issues. The sad part is, sometimes these people are not just hunting a phantom, but something that might very well real. The boss who you have given x amount of years to, lays you off because they can pay someone less money to do your job. Now you are unemployed with bills to pay, and given the economic state, little hope of finding a job.