Psychopathy and the Female Serial Killer

Key points

Two percent of murders are committed by serial killers.

Seventy-seven percent of female serial killers used passive means, such as poisoning or asphyxiation.

Not all female serial killers are necessarily psychopaths.

Serial killers captivate the public’s attention . They create community turmoil as one murder unfolds into a series of murders. Infamous serial killers like “Son of Sam” David Berkowitz, “Boston Strangler” Albert DeSalvo, or “Jack the Ripper” terrorized millions in New York, Boston, and London. These marquee serial killers and countless others are all male and are frequently psychopathic . But what about female serial killers? Do they exist, and how do they compare?

Prevalence of female serial killers

Marissa Harrison, a professor at Penn State, Harrisburg