conscious plan for his first murder, but he carefully .
planned subsequent murders to avoid being apprehended. It .
is important to keep in mind that the pre-murder, cognitive .
processes with each new murder are directly related to .
development of their sadistic fantasies. Another 34% of .
killers recognized that they had a congruent mood state to .
murder and were open to opportunities. The remaining 16% of .
killers viewed their acts as being spontaneous and .
unplanned. These men were not aware of any thoughts or .
emotions building up to result in murder. .
Motivations for murder may include a conscious .
fantasy, plan, directive, or reason to kill (those who are .
consciously motivated remember their pre-murder thoughts). .
One killer explains, "I had a compulsion during the day and .
hoped it would settle down- hoped I could wipe it out .
drinking." It is important to recognize that results of .
surveys detailing the mindset of serial killers are likely .
to be slightly misleading. This is because they are purely .
based on responses and opinions about the killers, from the .
killers. .
The pre-crime actions of killers in the days and .
hours before the murder provide clues to their mental .
states at the time of the murders. Many offenders are .
involved in criminal or violent activities in the day .
before the murder. Often times, sexual serial killers .
commit fetish burglaries, breaking into homes to steal .
items that for them have some sexual relevance. Some prime .
examples are: one man assaulted and threatened his wife, .
forcing her to write a suicide note, later he killed three .
women; another killed neighborhood dogs shortly before the .
murder; a killer who killed five people within one week, .
set several fires and shot off his gun inside his apartment .
and from his car in the days preceding the first murder. In .
the hours immediately before the murders, killers go .
searching for victims: cruising the single bars, parking .
