Team Killers

Team Serial Killers

A serial murderer can be defined as an individual who kills three or more victims, strangers, relatives, and/or acquaintances over a period of time exceeding 30 days, during which the perpetrator overwhelmingly attempts to avoid capture (in contrast with mass and/or spree murderers); the motivation may be intrinsic (e.g., power motivated) or extrinsic (e.g., monetary gain). Team serial killers often work in pairs of two men, two women, or a man and a woman. However, in cases of killers such as the Beane family, a team consists of three or more individuals, related (termed family killers) or otherwise.

Despite a dearth of literature pertaining to team serial killers, it is known that offenders share some commonalities: He or she is generally Caucasian; mid-20s; completed or partially completed high school; employed as a blue-collar worker; targets strangers (male and/or female) choosing a personal approach (strangulation, suffocation), unlike mass killers, who select an impersonal method (firearm); retains trophies or souvenirs from the victims (video recording, personal items); and appears to display extreme cruelty toward victims (torture, dismemberment).

In contrast to serial killers acting alone, team killers are unique in that they share a sense of solidarity and social cohesion. On the other hand, research has demonstrated that one team member generally turns on the other, often resulting in their arrest and conviction. The following sections offer an overview of male team, female team, and male and female team killers, and family killers and victim selection.