Spree Murders

Defining spree murder is most clearly done in relation to other types of multiple murders. Mass[Page 445]murderers kill many in one incident (usually in minutes or hours), whereas serial killers kill numerous victims, with a “cooling off” period between each victim (often over several years). Spree murder combines characteristics of the two, generally commencing as the result of a stressor in the offender's life, whose frustration and anger are manifested in an almost continuous deadly rampage for hours or sometimes days. A spree murder is one event yet covers more than one location. Essentially, there is no cooling-off period as is found with serial murders, but unlike mass murders, there is more than one crime scene. A spree murderer is sometimes confused with a shooting ...