Random Warning Signs That Someone You Know Might Be A Serial Killer (12 items)

• 

  (#1) They Start Fires

  Do you know someone who always insists on starting the campfire? Do you ever find them just staring at a lighter for long periods of time? Do they joke about burning everything down and then say "JK, but really though..." all the time?

  If you've answered yes to any of these, you might want to be careful. One of the most predominant early signs of being a serial killer is a desire to start fires. Psychologists say serial killers start off as arsonists because setting fire to things offers the ability to wield power and be in control, two things that go hand-in-hand with serial killing. 

  A famous example of a serial killer who started off as a pyromaniac is David Berkowitz, AKA the Son of Sam killer. When he was arrested, he took responsibility for dozens of fires across New York. 

   
• 

  (#2) They Torture Small Animals

  If someone you know likes to take small animals and put them in elaborate traps straight out of a Saw movie, it's a pretty safe bet to assume they'll be a serial killer when they grow up.

  Torturing small animals is a major indicator for something more serious. Serial killers kill to control other peoples' lives, and when they are younger, small animals are one of the only types of lives that they have the power to control.

  Famous serial killers Jeffrey Dahmer, David Berkowitz, and Albert DeSalvo all admitted that small animal abuse was one of their first violent acts, and when studies were performed on violent prisoners in prison, it was revealed that 70% of the most violent prisoners often engaged in animal cruelty when they were younger. 
• 

  (#3) They Struggle With Substance Abuse

  Criminologist Craig Traube revealed in a study that serial killers share several overlapping behaviors with substance abusers. Serial killers often have a need to kill that they can't control. They often experiment with different methods or victims until they find a pattern they like and then stick with it.

  With serial killers being so similar to addicts, it's not surprising to discover that a lot of major serial killers were substance abusers as well. Jeffrey Dahmer was an alcoholic by the time he was in high school, and Ted Bundy quickly shifted to alcohol, drugs, and porn when he was arrested and could no longer kill. So, next time you're at a party, keep an eye out for the person who sips just a little too much from the tequila bottle. 
• 

  (#4) They Have Vivid Fantasies

  According to the Behavioral Science Unit of the FBI, serial killers train themselves to become murderers, often since childhood. Much of this training has to do with engaging in an increasingly intense loop of fantasy.

  The fantasies that young serial killers often have help relieve anxiety and fear over things like abuse and neglect. Of course, not everyone who fantasizes about things is immediately a serial killer, but if your fantasies are overwhelmingly sadistic and violent, you might have a problem. 

  Serial killer Ed Kemper, AKA the Coed Killer, was quoted saying, "I knew long before I started killing that I was going to be killing; that it was going to end up like that. The fantasies were too strong. They were going on for too long and were too elaborate."

  So, to recap: fantasies about winning a million dollars? Good. Fantasies about murdering all your friends and loved ones? Bad. 
• 

  (#5) They Are Peeping Toms

  Voyeurism is the process of spying on people engaged in intimate behaviors like undressing, sex, bathing, or other private matters. For some reason, the act of voyeurism is extremely appealing to young serial killers. Ted Bundy claimed that he liked to go out late at night and stalk his neighborhood, looking for women undressing or other naughty acts.

  Psychologists speculate it has to do with having power over another person by putting them in a position where the person being watched has no idea what is happening. So, if it's activity night with your group of friends, and one of them suggests going out and spying on people engaged in intimate acts... you might have reason to worry. 
• 

  (#6) They Compulsively Masturbate

  If you know someone who is constantly excusing themselves to go to the bathroom with a laptop and a pair of headphones, you might be dealing with a person who has an extremely active libido - or who might be a serial killer. Either way, it might get awkward being around that person.

  Serial killers often have strange and bizarre fantasies when they're younger, usually with a sexual component. They need to relieve themselves as best they can, which often leads to compulsive masturbation. 
• 

  (#7) They Brag About Everything They Do

  Serial killers often need to tell people about the crimes they've committed, whether they blab to their accomplices, their next victim, law enforcement officers, or just themselves. Their egos are both overwhelming and can often lead to their downfall. They're extremely proud of what they do.

  Take Ian Brady and his accomplice, Myra Hindley. The two were convicted of killing five children, and they often spoke about their crimes, but withheld crucial information in order to maintain some mystery and power. Another serial killer named Trevor Hardy was also caught thanks to his inability to keep his murders to himself. Their egos can be huge, but it also helps us catch them. 
• 

  (#8) They Have Trouble Holding Down A Job

  Sure, we all hate the monotony of a 9-5 job, but serial killers are even worse at holding down jobs. A lot of them tend to work more blue-collar jobs, sticking to unskilled labor so it's easier to move on to the next thing. David Berkowitz, whose intelligence was above-average, worked several low-ranking jobs, including as a mailman, before he was eventually caught.

  So, if someone you know has a new job every week because they weren't content with their last one, then it might be time to cut that person out of your life before they end up murdering you. 
• 

  (#9) They Have A Horrible Family Life

  Many serial killers come from less-than-stellar homes. A lot of them are abused in all sorts of traumatic, horrific ways that break their psyche down and help develop their serial killer tendencies. This abuse causes the child to feel humiliated and helpless, which in turn, is a feeling they will later seek to instill in their own victims.

  It's safe to say that since serial killers have poor relationships with their families, it's not shocking to find out the families are among the first victims. At 15, Ed Kemper killed his grandparents, followed by six female college students, and then his violent, abusive mother. Kemper decapitated his mom's corpse, used her head as a dart board, and then tossed her vocal cords down the garbage disposal. 
• 

  (#10) They Exhibit Extreme Antisocial Behavior

  This warning sign is particularly difficult to diagnose. It's said that serial killers often exhibit extreme antisocial behavior as children, but it's hard to pinpoint what exactly antisocial behavior is. The easiest way to tell if your child is displaying antisocial behavior that will make them grow up to kill a bunch of people is to notice if the child goes from being extremely social to extremely antisocial over a short period of time.

  Ed Gein, who was the inspiration for Norman Bates, had no social connections whatsoever besides his "loving" mother, who would punish Gein whenever he tried to make friends, and this led to Gein living an antisocial lifestyle that didn't end well for anyone. 
• 

  (#11) They Have An Unusual IQ

  If you ever get your hands on an IQ test, try to get the important people in your life to take it and see if they match up with any famous serial killers. It's said that a lot of serial killers have IQs in what is called the bright normal range, while others have unusually low scores. Organized serial killers like John Wayne Gacy and Ted Bundy have an IQ around 113, while disorganized serial killers only have an average of 93. 

  Ed Kemper had a very high level of intelligence, and he was able to use that to convince psychiatrists to release him five years after he killed his grandparents. They all thought he was reformed, but of course, as soon as he was out, he killed eight more women. 

   
• 

  (#12) They Like To Manipulate People

  Do you know someone who could talk you into anything even though you don't want to do it? It's been discovered that serial killers are very manipulative people with the power to sway people to a certain way of thinking without the other person knowing it. They act vulnerable, they act like they want to please people, but all of that might just be a twisted game the serial killer is playing.

  An example of this is Dr. Harold Shipman, who was a medical expert that manipulated his patients into treatments that ended up killing them. 

New Random Displays    Display All By Ranking