The FBI has created a list of different characteristics to identify serial killers. In order to be classified a serial killer, murderers must have 15 out of 21 of the characteristics; they must be methodical with their killings, killing three or more people over a period of time, spanning at least 30 days. Sometimes it’s fascinating to peek into the minds of serial killers, who are the most abhorrent examples of human kind.
Charles Starkweather and Elmer Wayne Henley represent the two opposing sides of the serial killer spectrum.
Charles grew up being bullied and teased because of a birth defect (bowed legs) and speech impediment. Abuse and alienation are typical precursors to the violent acts of these men and women, however, they are not always present. Conversely, not all abused or alienated children become killers. Charles also had a need to control others and be powerful. According to a high school friend, Bob Von Busch “He could be mean as hell, cruel. If he saw some poor guy on the street who was bigger than he was, better looking, or better dressed, he’d try to take the poor bastard down to his size.”
Some Statistics:
• 84% of American serial killers are caucasian, 90% are male and 86% are heterosexual.
• 84% of American killers are Caucasian and 89% of their victims are white. 16% of serial killers are black.
• Many serial killers engage in sadistic activity at a young age, torturing animals or abusing younger children. 24% kill their first victim while in their thirties, 44% start in their twenties and 26% start in their teens.
• The USA has 76% of the world’s serial killers. California leads the US with the most Serial Homicide cases, followed by Texas, New York, Illinois and Florida. Maine has the lowest occurences (none) while Hawaii, Montana, North Dakota, Delaware and Vermont have each had only one case of serial murder.
• Europe in second, has 17%. Of these, 28% are from England, 27% from Germany and 13% from France.
• 65% of victims are female.
When Charles was 18 years old, he began dating 14 year old Caril Ann Fugate He quit school and took a job near Caril. He was poor worker, considered slow and unintelligent. The pair proved to be a deadly combination. Starkweather went to visit Caril and while she was out, he argued with and shot her mother and stepfather. Once Caril arrived home, Starkweather strangled, and stabbed her two-year-old sister. He hid the bodies behind the house. The two stayed in the house for six more days, turning people away with a note taped to the door that read: “Stay a Way Every Body is sick with the Flue.”
Caril Ann’s grandmother called the police and the two murderers became fugitives, embarking on a killing spree across Nebraska and into Wyoming. They were eventually apprehended, but left ten bodies in their wake. It is likely that Charles would have killed no matter what provocation, however, fueled by an ill fated romance, he became a notorious spree killer, classified as a serial killer because of a robbery and murder which occurred weeks earlier.
The pair’s story has inspired authors, including Stephen King who incorporated many variations on Starkweather in his work. The character The Kid, who appears in the complete and uncut edition of The Stand, is meant to be a reincarnated Charles Starkweather. Starkweather also inspired the films The Sadist, Badlands, Starkweather, Murder in the Heartland , The Frighteners and Natural Born Killers.
Unlike Charles, Dean Corll was methodical and meticulous. He was killed by an accomplice, Elmer Wayne Henley, aged 17. Henley confessed to the rape and murder of twenty seven young boys and admits he recruited the victims for Corll. Henley explained that he and another boy, David Brooks, procured boys for Corll to rape and murder for a finder’s fee of $200.
Serial killers tend to be intelligent with IQ’s in the “bright normal” range, however, they often do poorly in school, are unable to hold down jobs and often work as unskilled laborers.
Corll did not present many of the characteristics identified by the FBI. He had an unremarkable childhood, marred only by the divorce of his parents. He did well in school and was described as well behaved and polite. Corll was drafted into the military and discharged a year later so he could return home to help his mother. She owned a candy business, which gave Corll access to children (he handed out samples and was known as the Candy Man.)
Corll’s death left many questions unanswered. Many families will never know for certain if their son was a victim to Corll or some other predator prowling the streets. In all likelihood, Henley and Brooks would have branched out on their own given the chance. Thankfully, both were found guilty of murder for their participation in the crimes and are serving 99 years in prison. Brooks was sentenced to 99 years – opposed to the six consecutive 99-year terms Henley received. Henley became eligible for parole in 1983. His parole being denied at that time, at this writing, he is incarcerated with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, TDCJ No: 00241618, (Address: Michael, 2664 FM 2054; Tennessee Colony, TX 75886), projected release date: Life Sentence – No release date imminent.
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Herb Baumeister the serial killer:
In 1993, a number of missing person cases involving young men went unsolved. Roger Allan Goodlet disappeared on July 22, 1994. Goodlet’s mother contacted the police, but unsatisfied with their response, she hired a private investigator. Soon Goodlet’s face appeared on flyers throughout the area. Finally, the community and media began to ask questions about the young men who frequented the gay night clubs in the area and their disappearances. Days after Goodlet’s disappearance, Stephen Hale was the eighth man to vanish. Police turned to the FBI Behavioral Science Unit for help. The profile indicated the perpetrator was a white male, mid 30s, bisexual with a mid to high level IQ. The profile would only be useful if the received information on a possible suspect.
One potential witness came forward. Mark Goodyear told police about an odd encounter he had with a man who was a regular patron of the bars in the area. When Goodyear and the man discussed the missing person flyer, the man seemed to feign concern. Despite Goodyear’s suspicions, he agreed to accompany the man home, where they engaged in erotic asphyxiation foreplay. Goodyear was shaken by the encounter and reported the incident to police, but he was unable to pinpoint the location. The man continued to contact Goodyear. During their phone conversations, the man admitted to accidents or bad nights, but he never confessed to murder. By August 1995, ten men had vanished. Goodyear spotted the man in a bar and took down his license plate number, which belonged to Herb Baumeister.
Unlike most characters in true crime stories, Herb and Julie Baumeister lived a seemingly idyllic life. The meet while attending Indiana University and married after Julie’s graduation in 1971. They founded a prosperous business, the Sav-A-Lot Thrift Stores, their children attended private schools and to all appearances they had achieved the American dream.
Police didn’t have any evidence to tie Beaumeister to the crimes, so they questioned him and asked to search his home. Unable to obtain a search warrant, Police conducted a search from the air using an infrared camera in the hopes of locating graves. The search was unsuccessful. Julie couldn’t believe Herb was involved; however, the stress of financial hardship and the accusations damaged the couple’s marriage. Julie filed for divorce and feared Herb would flee with her children. She decided to give police permission to search the property.
The police found a burial ground behind the house. Bones, teeth and skulls were strewn on the ground. Some of the bones were burned and broken; others were whole, large pieces. There were seven left metacarpal bones discovered, indicating at least seven victims. Despite the gruesome discovery, Herb Baumeister was not taken into custody. Herb Baumeister committed suicide on July 4th, 1996. He left a suicide note but made no mention of his crimes. Witnesses came forward and confirmed Baumeister’s habit of bringing men home for sexual encounters. Police speculated that Baumeister may have killed 50-60 people, beginning as earlier as 1980. The I-70 murders were eerily similar.
It seems inconceivable that Julie would not know about Herb’s activities. She did know that in 1972, Herb spent two months in a psychiatric hospital and was diagnosed with compulsive personality disorder. Police did not consider Julie an accomplice because she was gone each night a victim was taken to the home.
The more we know of these types of people, the better prepared we will be in the future, as always, stay safe !
Bird
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