Serial Killers

Megan Houlihan & Christina Rombousek

 Objectives

● Language: Students will be able to accurately identify in writing key

vocabulary words and their definitions.

● Content: Students will be able to identify basic facts and characteristics

of various serial killers.

 What is a
serial killer?

● Does anyone know

what a serial killer is?
● Any vocabulary that
might go along with
it?
● Does anyone know of
any famous serial
killers?
 Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLK_K7Y2XCw
 Vocabulary

● Organized offender- A person who commits a planned crime, in a

premeditated manner, leaving few to no clues.

● Disorganized offender- A person who commits a crime

opportunistically, using weapons found at the scene and often

leaving clues. (Motives are more difficult to discover and signatures

harder to find).

● Criminal profiling- The use of observation of a crime scene, and the

patterns of crimes to determine investigative relevant

characteristics of the perpetrator.

 Vocabulary

● Hero homicide- Murders committed by a person looking for

recognition without intent to kill. Often committed by a health care

provider.

● Profiler- A mental health professional and/or law enforcement

officer with behavioral science training who helps determine the

traits of an unknown offender from aspects of the victim and crime

scene.

● Unknown suspect- This is used in lieu of a suspect’s name.

Famous Serial Killers
 Ted Bundy

● Confessed to 30 homicides of young women

● Tan Volkswagen Beetle
● Law student at University of Utah
● Very handsome and charming

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvGr3hMIS6A
 Charles Manson

● Started a cult
● Cult consisted of young women who worshipped him
● Musically inclined
● Convicted on 7 counts of murder

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9QXY80OxS0
 Jeffrey Dahmer

● Started killing people at the age of 18

● Started by killing small animals
● Committed the rape, murder, and
dismemberment of 17 young boys and men
● Cannibal

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AUK0_5uI2g 0:12-0:35

 John Wayne Gacy

● Was a clown at birthday parties and

children events
● Became a successful contractor
● Murdered 33 boys
● Was arrested for sexual assault→ one of
the victims went missing and police found
29 bodies in and near his house
 Keith Jesperson

● Famously known as, the Happy Face Killer

● Would sign letters to the media with a smiley face
● Claimed to have killed 185 people, only 8 confirmed
● As a child, would torture and kill animals
 Scavenger Hunt
● Break into groups→ each group will be given a color
● Find the fact slips that are your color
● With your group, figure out which serial killer you have
● Paste your facts on your poster (if time, look up two more facts about
your killer)
● Be prepared to do a short presentation of your serial killer
Gallery Walk