Multiple Murder: Mass, Spree, and Serial Murder

Evyn Edel

Athabasca University

CRJS360: The Psychology of Criminal Behaviour

February 20th, 2024

Introduction

Multiple murder is typically classified as killing more than two people. The murders do

not necessarily all have to be in one location or in a single event. We can further distinguish

multiple murders into three categories: mass murder, spree murder, and serial murder (Brown et

al., 2016). Real-life examples of each classification will be provided. Following this, theories of

multiple murders and violent offenders will be discussed. Finally, to better understand the

aftermath of these crimes, the assessment and treatment options for these offenders will be

explained, along with their efficacy.

Mass Murder

A mass murder is the killing of more than two people in one location, with no cooling-off

period between killings (Brown et al., 2016). There is typically no single factor that leads any

one person to commit a mass murder, but a combination of reasons. Most often, these events are

preceded by extreme anger, and there is typically a life stressor present that prompts the act

(Knoll, 2012). Most killers that fall under the category are directly influenced by past mass

murders, using media as their source of information (Auxemery, 2015). Although data is

becoming more diverse, accessible, and better understood, mass murder has still proven difficult

to study as they are not overly common. Often, the perpetrator does not survive the event,

preventing police and specialists from interviewing the offender (Knoll, 2012).

Most commonly, mass murders are committed during the day, in a public setting. The

offender typically takes some time to plan out the event and comes equipped with firearms or

something capable of causing significant damage (Knoll, 2012). In addition, mass murderers

were found to almost always have an element of suffering in the offender that manifests into a

psychological crisis that can be classified as both homicidal and suicidal (Auxemery, 2015). In
one study, researchers had the opportunity to analyze five people who committed mass murder.

They found that all five shared common characteristics to one another; specifically, these

offenders all had been bullied as children, were excluded socially, were suspicious and resentful,

showed obsessional traits, and were unable to take responsibility. These perpetrators also had a

private and unique ritual prior to committing the crimes (Knoll, 2012). While these traits are

present in some mass murder events, this is not always the case.

Real-Life Example

An example of a killer who falls within the category of mass murderer is Alek Minassian.

In 2018, he rode a white rental van onto a busy sidewalk in Toronto, killing 11 people. Minassian

was found guilty of 10 counts of first-degree murder. In addition, he was charged with 16 counts

of attempted murder (Lindeman, 2022). He did not attempt to run from the police, which gave

specialists and law enforcement the opportunity to interview and analyze a mass murderer.

Minassian made claims that this mass attack was committed because of his frustration with

women and their lack of interest in engaging in sexual activities with him. He told police that he

went out that day seeking to kill as many people as possible. Prior to him setting out on this

mission, he posted on Facebook that the "incel rebellion had begun." Incel is a term that means

involuntary celibate and has attracted much attention on online platforms. Minassian has autism

spectrum disorder, which he claimed should rid him of guilt for his crime, although the courts

disagreed (Boyko, 2021). Minassian had rented the van that was used three weeks prior, taking

this time to plan his actions before the day of the event. He had specifically picked the van as he

thought it was small enough to manoeuvre easily and had the ability to do as much damage as

possible (Boyko, 2021).

Spree Murder
 Differing from mass murder, spree murder is defined as killing more than two people at

multiple locations, with no cooling-off period between victims (Brown et al., 2016). The primary

difference between mass and spree murder is the change in locations. Typically, spree murderers

are in a frenzy at the time of the events and make no effort to avoid capture between locations

and killings (Vincent, 2018). The killer's lack of cooling-off between sites signifies that they

likely are unable to control their behaviour, making them exceptionally dangerous (Vincent,

2018). Hickey (1991) hypothesized that spree killers often kill both males and females with no

sexual element to their crimes. They also explained that the cooling-off periods may shorten after

each location, making the importance of a hasty arrest more pressing as time goes on.

Real-Life Example

A real-life example that hits close to home was quite recent. In 2022, Myles Sanderson

created panic in the communities of James Smith Cree Nation, Weldon, and the rest of

Saskatchewan. Initially, it was thought that Myles and his brother Damien were both perpetrators

of the killings, but Damien was his brother's first victim. This ended up being the worst mass

stabbing in Canadian history, leaving 11 dead and 17 others injured. Over a four-day manhunt,

42 different crime scenes were identified, and there were over 200 witnesses. The police

discovered that Myles was bragging to victims as he attacked them, boasting about the amount of

people he had already killed. Police found later, through interviews, that in the days leading up to

the massacre, the Sanderson brothers had taken part in multiple violent incidents, none of which

were reported to the police. At the time of these attacks, Myles Sanderson was unlawfully at

large for reasons that were not disclosed to the public (Latimer, 2023). After RCMP chased

Myles down Highway 11, the stolen vehicle was eventually stopped by police. He was arrested,

and very shortly after, he went into medical distress and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he
passed away. There is currently a coroner's inquest into the death of Myles, with speculation of

an intentional drug overdose (Kruger, 2024). Although the hunt for Sanderson spanned over a

four-day period, his killings all took place on September 4. His motivations are unknown, but it

is believed that drugs and alcohol may have been contributing factors to the spree of murders

(Kruger, 2024).

Serial Murder

Spree murder and serial murder are common in that they both take place in multiple

locations. Differing from spree killings, serial murders take place over a longer period,

sometimes even years. A serial murderer is classified as having more than two victims, typically

in multiple locations, with cooling-off periods between killings (Brown et al., 2016). Serial

killers are prominent in the media as well as in movies and television shows. The entertainment

industry often portrays these perpetrators as all neatly fitting the same list of characteristics. In

reality, serial murderers can be quite diverse and complex in their motivations for their crimes

(Fox & Levin, 1998). A common factor among serial murderers is that they take control of their

victims before killing them (Vincent, 2018). Often, those considered serial murderers are not

criminally insane, as they typically take time to choose their victims and devise a plan of how

they are going to carry out their killings (Vincent, 2018). Another characteristic of a serial

murderer that differs from both spree and mass murders is their attempt to avoid detection. While

spree and mass murderers may attempt to avoid police capture to an extent, they often do not do

so with as much effort or success as a serial murderer. For serial murderers, avoiding arrest is

often a top priority, which they consider when planning their crimes (Vincent, 2018).

Real-Life Example
 Robert Pickton is one of Canada's best-known serial murderers. This investigation was

the most expensive serial murder investigation in our nation's history, requiring widespread

efforts to gather all evidence. Pickton was charged with the murder of 26 women back in 2001.

He used Vancouver's Downtown East Side to find his victims, which is likely due to the

prevalence of poverty, drug use, and sex workers in the area. This allowed Pickton to fly under

the radar for as long as he did. It was not uncommon for people to go missing from this area, and

often it went unnoticed due to their high-risk lifestyle (Butts & McIntosh, 2023). Many of his

victims were indigenous women, which contributed to the wider issue of missing and murdered

indigenous women and girls in Canada. When police finally arrested him, they found many

belongings on the property of the women who had gone missing. While awaiting trial, Pickton

was held in jail alongside a cellmate who was an undercover police officer. He stated to the

police officer that he had killed 49 women in total, but evidence was only found in connection to

26 of these women (Butts & McIntosh, 2023). Law enforcement initially had a hard time getting

information out of Pickton, so they switched methods. The officer who was undercover used his

knowledge of psychopathy to make Pickton feel at ease. Relatability, rapport, and leveraging

Pickton's narcissism were all instrumental to the extraction of his confession (Reid & Lee, 2018).

Killers like Pickton have attracted the attention of not only specialists but also the media and the

public. A full understanding of the motives behind serial murderers like Pickton is hard to come

by, as there is so much complexity in these kinds of cases.

Theories

Psychological Theories

Often, there is a perception that individuals who commit multiple murders are mentally

insane, but the reality is quite different. According to Fridel and Fox (2018), between 12-18% of
killers in this category are psychotic, although this feature is often perceived to be much more

prevalent. Most of the time, these murderers are fully aware of their actions and, therefore, are

not able to use the insanity defence in a court of law. According to psychological theories,

multiple murderers are more often deficient in their ability to manage emotions, particularly

anger (Vincent, 2018). Allely et al. (2014) showed evidence that many characteristics of autism

spectrum disorder were not uncommon in those who committed multiple murders, as we saw in

the example of Minassian. In addition, they often experienced abuse as a child or a history of

head injuries.

Psychological theories often refer to psychopathy when discussing violent crimes. It is

important to understand the misconceptions of psychopaths. They are often perceived as

dangerous, but most of them do not engage in criminal behaviour (Vincent, 2018). However,

psychopaths are overrepresented in inmate populations, but still, most are not serving time for

violent crimes. Psychopathy does not necessarily mean someone is going to lead a criminal

lifestyle, but they may have a predisposition to commit unlawful acts (Vincent, 2018). With a

better understanding of psychopathy, professionals can use this information when conducting

risk assessments for treatment and release.

Biological Theories

From a biological perspective, homicidal behaviour is not necessarily the fault of the

perpetrator but rather the inability to control urges. In early biological theories, criminals were

thought to have physical differences as opposed to non-criminal individuals. Physical differences

were thought to exist in the body, but most notably, the structure of the head (Vincent, 2018).

The biological perspective also emphasizes human ancestral background and the part that it may

play in criminal behaviour. As an example, human ancestors may have needed to act violently
for their own reproductive success (Brown et al., 2016). In more recent developments, it is

agreed upon that contributions from environmental factors are an important consideration, not

just biological makeup. The interaction between the environment and genes has led researchers

to examine how outside sources can manipulate gene expression. In violent offenders, it is vital

to examine their history, including family life and the ways in which their parents acted. Recent

research has presented evidence for the commonality of psychopathic and antisocial traits among

violent offenders (Vincent, 2018). fMRI scans have offered evidence that people who commit

violent offences often have deficiencies in the parts of their brain that are responsible for

emotional regulation and memory. More information is needed as to the exact cause of this and

what role genes play in these features (Raine, 2008).

Sociological Theories

From a sociological perspective, those who engage in violent crimes cannot be fully

understood solely through their psychological disorders or their genetic makeup. Instead,

sociological theorists claim that violent behaviour is often a result of maladaptive coping

strategies to life's stressors. Specifically, strain theory attempts to explain the disconnect between

the pressure to succeed and the lack of equal opportunity (Merton, 1938). In turn, individuals

must turn to other means of reaching success, even if it is through illegal channels. Agnew

(1992) expanded upon this theory by describing the impacts of not reaching the success they

desire and, therefore, becoming frustrated, angry, and depressed. Agnew (1992) believed that it

was these reactions to strain that pushed someone into committing violent crimes.

Other explanations within the scope of the sociological perspective are theories of control.

Hirschi (1969) describes the association between criminal behaviour and attachment styles to

both individuals and institutions. This theory goes on to explain the consideration of criminal
acts and how someone may see more benefit to committing a crime than the risk involved. When

someone does not have much at risk (like education or family), they may find themselves feeling

more inclined to commit criminal acts, as there is less to lose (Hirschi, 1969).

Another sociological theory of crime is social learning theory. This theory provides the

perspective of learning criminal behaviour, whether that be through acts from oneself or through

the observation of others (Brown et al., 2016). Social learning theory emphasizes the influence of

rewards and punishments and how they can play aggravating and mitigating roles in criminal

involvement (Akers, 1998). Not only can others learn criminal behaviour from their own actions

or that of family, friends and colleagues, but they may also turn to media sources (Akers &

Sellers, 2013). The media attention that multiple murder cases receive could be an important

factor to consider when evaluating motivations for violent acts. Research into the motives for

mass murders is important in the prevention of future crimes. Prevention is not always

successful, which may lead to perpetrators coming into contact with the criminal justice system.

Assessment/Treatment

Once a violent offender is in the criminal justice system, specialists are tasked with

evaluating them and forming a treatment plan. Some scholars hypothesize that the motivation to

commit multiple murders stems from personality and aggression. From this perspective,

aggression is not a "disease" of the mind but a way in which an individual's personality

functions. The belief that murders are committed and reinforced by reward emphasizes that this

kind of reward is intrinsic and psychological. An understanding of personality and its functions

is necessary to explain this theory of murder, as it is the key focus. The uniqueness of each

offence is a reflection of the perpetrator's personality and, therefore, reflects their likely motives
and behaviour (Pollock, 1995). By understanding motivations and risk factors, psychologists are

able to create an assessment to determine an individual's likelihood of re-offending.

The evaluation of risk factors is an important first step in determining an appropriate

treatment program for the individual offender (LaBrode, 2007). There are a few approaches to

assessing violent offenders that can be utilized. First, the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide-Revised

(VRAG-R) uses twelve static factors that are combined to predict the individual's likelihood to

re-offend. This test is popular in Canada as it yields a high inter-rater reliability (Brown et al.,

2016). Next is the HCR-20 Violent Risk Assessment Scheme. This instrument uses structured

professional judgement along with 20 factors to be evaluated. This includes historical, clinical,

and risk management items, which are all paired with professional judgment to arrive at a

conclusion. This instrument of evaluation has exceptionally high inter-rater reliability when they

use the score of the 20 items. The reliability of this instrument decreases as more professional

judgment is relied upon (Brown et al., 2016). Another method of evaluation is the Self-Appraisal

Questionnaire. This instrument consists of over 65 questions that can assist in the treatment

planning process (Brown et al., 2016). The implications of this instrument seem quite obvious. It

is difficult to know how honestly offenders are answering each question. On top of this, they

may not fully understand the questions they are being asked and likely will not seek clarification.

Out of all the instruments evaluated above, VRAG-R is best suited to predict the recidivism of

violent offenders (Brown et al., 2016).

Following a risk assessment, it is then time to devise a program that is suited to the

individual offender. Oftentimes, institutional treatment programs consist mostly of group work,

although some offenders yield more benefit from individual treatment. Cognitive behavioural

treatment plans are among some of the most popular in prison settings. Particularly those that
focus on relapse prevention, interpersonal skills, controlling one's anger, and role-play. The

treatment of violent offenders can be difficult as one likely does not have the same needs as the

next. More research is necessary to fully determine the efficacy of cognitive behavioural-based

treatment, but the studies that do exist have shown promising, though small, effects on

recidivism of violent offenders (Papalia et al., 2019).

While treatment is an important aspect of incarceration, intervention methods do pose a

risk to some offenders and their likelihood of re-offending. When it comes to those classified as

psychopaths, in some cases, treatment has actually increased recidivism rates. This increase is

believed to be a result of heightened self-esteem, which may have resulted in higher rates of

aggression (LaBrode, 2007). It is also hypothesized that empathy-based treatment may actually

allow those with psychopathy to trick others into believing they are empathic when, in fact, they

are only mirroring the skills taught through treatment programs (LaBrode, 2007).

There is a belief that the earlier the treatment, the more likely there will be a positive

outcome. This is due to the formation of personality and the idea that it takes some time to

solidify within a person. It is thought that if an individual can be treated earlier on, they may be

able to intervene in development and teach them positive coping skills and ways to manage their

anger (LaBrode, 2007). With this in mind, we can recognize that the study of developmental

psychology plays a role in the prevention of violent behaviour. Those who display antisocial

behaviours from a young age would benefit from treatment programs to prevent future violent

outbreaks. Key factors that should be monitored are impulsivity, poor verbal ability, and low

self-control (LaBrode, 2007).

Conclusion
 This paper examined the three categories of multiple murder: Mass murder, spree murder,

and serial murder. Following each classification, a real-life example was provided. After

defining and connecting these concepts, some different theories of violent offenders were

explained. These theories include psychological, biological, and sociological theories using

contributions from numerous scholars. Following this, treatment methods for violent criminals

were described, leading to a well-rounded explanation of multiple murders, their implications,

and assessment options for offenders.

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