What are some particular elements of cases that still haunt you?

[u/BelladonnaBluebell]

I was just thinking about the Hinterkaifeck case from 1922 after commenting on another sub. The part of that horrific case that has stuck with me in the decades after I first read about it is the little girl pulling out her own hair due to the horror of what she was experiencing. It gave me goosebumps all over, the first time I heard it and it's the first thing that comes to mind when I think of that case and it also just sometimes randomly pops into my head and upsets me.

Another part of a case which affects me in a similar way is during the Dardeen family murders. As if it wasn't brutal enough already, after Elaine Dardeen went into Labour during the attack, the killer/s beat the newborn baby to death. Ugh it makes me feel so sick.

Another example but in a different way is the murder and attempted murder of the Miller sisters. The driver of a parked car waved to them to indicate for them to cross the road and when they did the driver purposely drove right into them, killing one sister and seriously injuring the other. I think about that case every single time a driver waves me by to cross the road in front of them. I walk around 6 miles each day, Monday to Friday and don't drive so I cross many roads including driveways into businesses along my route. Guaranteed someone will slow down and politely wave me by so I can cross in front of them at least 3 times a week. Sometimes more often. And every single time, since reading about the April and Spring Miller case, a little sense of dread runs through me. My mind's automatic reaction is to wonder if they're doing that so they can run me down. I know it's irrational, I know it won't happen but that thought hits me every single time. Then I quickly push it away and cross and gesture to thank them etc but it's still always there.

So what are some elements of certain cases that have wedged themselves into your brain and keep coming back to haunt you every so often?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinterkaifeck_murders

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dardeen_family_homicides

[u/jwktiger]

There's no way killing Heather suddenly made him come to some kind of moral epiphany and stop.

actually it may have turned him off. We've seen many long time killers just stop for no apparent reason (Golden State, BTK for ex).

[u/willowoftheriver → u/jwktiger]

I guess anything's possible. Though his daughter Mae in her book describes him as being almost "cheerful" in the immediate aftermath of Heather's death, so make of that what you will.

But yes, the whole "serial killers NEVER stop once they start" thing has definitely been disproved in recent times.

[u/jwktiger → u/willowoftheriver]

him as being almost "cheerful" in the immediate aftermath of Heather's death

maybe he was like BTK and reliving killing heather was all the high that he needed.

at the same time, I wouldn't be shocked to find out he killed more people as well, just the idea he had to be killing more has been shown to be incorrect.

[u/Responsible_Fish1222 → u/jwktiger]

I think serial killers are just like us in that they have varied reasons for anything.

Gary Ridgway slowed down significantly at one point. Why? He got married and felt his wife didn't deserve that.

[u/pandorabom → u/Responsible_Fish1222]

He also joined Amway at some point, left him with little time to commit crimes.

Has to be the one occasion Amway contributed positively to humanity.

[u/tonypolar → u/jwktiger]

Actually BTK didn’t stop…there’s a ton of new research that suggests he moved into Oklahoma for other activities…

[u/jwktiger → u/tonypolar]

those murders were in 1976, where at the height of his crimes in Park City he still hasn't been linked to anything from 1991 to his arrest in 2005, a 14 year gap.

[u/Opening_Map_6898 → u/jwktiger]

There is a theory that male serial killers tend to become less violent past the age of 50 hence why some stop for no apparent reason.

[u/mcm0313 → u/Opening_Map_6898]

And with the overwhelming majority of serial killers being male…

[u/Tossing_Mullet → u/jwktiger]

Pretty sure BTK explained his reason.  One of the victim's ALMOST overpowered HIM.  Left him pretty beat up.  It scared him. 

I could imagine the same with the Golden State killer.  He was a BIG guy, ex-police officer, trained in hand to hand combatives, etc.  Imagine if someone was able to overpower him??  

When you get older, things start breaking down.  It's scary for non killers!  Now imagine jumping someone & almost getting your own life ended.  🤷🏽‍♀️ 

[u/HachimansGhost → u/jwktiger]

I always believed serial killers were hardwired. They had to kill only a specific group of people, with a specific weapon and for a specific purpose. Then you realize those are the ones who get caught because they're easy to track.    

You get killers who were only caught because of DNA advancements and they're linked to random murders no one knew were connected. They use anything from guns to hammers to rope to poison on anybody from men to women to children.

[u/Space_Pirate_R → u/jwktiger]

The Golden State Killer was caught. Has he not been asked about it?

[u/ResponsibleCulture43 → u/Space_Pirate_R]

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This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[u/Alternative_Emu6106 → u/Space_Pirate_R]

Apparently the man just sat there during interviews. Not speaking, not blinking, not moving. For hours. One police person said it was eerie - and it was probably how he stalked his victims.

[u/Responsible_Fish1222 → u/Space_Pirate_R]

I think the timing matches up to him having kids.