Jennifer Chase's Blog, page 79

Interesting Serial Killer Facts – Part Two

I've received the most interest and visits from my blog article on 13 Interesting Serial Killer Facts that was first posted last year and then again last month. An interesting fact that many people forget about is that the United States isn't the only country in the world with prolific, hideous serial killers. In fact, the top ten list of countries shows that the U.S. is ranked #10 by victims. It also shows that women aren't immune to this type of horrific criminal act.

However, law enforcement and historians estimate some of these serial killer victims, which may not be one hundred percent accurate due to a variety of circumstances. It gives an interesting facet to the phenomenon of serial crime and a strong foundation for debate and conversation.

What can we learn from these cases? Are there any psychological triggers, indicators, chemical, environmental or biological clues to these senseless killings?

1. Luis Garavito, 138-300+ victims, Columbia, 1990s

Garavito was called the child murderer, torture killer, and rapist known as "The Beast". He was convicted of 30 murders, which was later reduced to 22 for his in aiding investigators.

2. Pedro Lopez, 110-300+ victims, Columbia, Peru, Ecuador, 1980s

Lopez was convicted of killing 110 young girls, but confessed to killing 300. He was known as the "Monster of the Andes".

3. Amelia Dyer, 274+ victims, Bristol England, 1860s – 1896

This is a very interesting case. Dyer was only convicted of only one murder. After her death, it was confirmed that she killed 274 babies, which were recovered from the River Thames. She was dubbed the "Baby Farm Murderess".

4. Harold Shipman, 250+ victims, United Kingdom, 1990s

Shipman was known as "Doctor Death". He was convicted of 15 murders and responsible for the deaths of 218 patients. He would inject diamorphone into his patients, falsify medical records, and report the patient was in poor health.

5. Elizabeth Bathory, 100-200+ victims, Kindom of Hungary, 1500s

Bathory was known as the "Blood Countess" or "Blood Queen". It is not known actually how many people she killed. There is even some speculation that she was possibly the victim of conspiracy and may have been innocent.

6. Darya Saltykova, 38-138 victims, Russian Empire, 1800s

Saltykova was a noblewoman show was found guilty of 38 murders.

7. Thug Behram, 125 victims, India, 1790-1840

Thug was a cult leader and confessed to killing more than 125 victims and present during 931 murders by his cult. He was never convicted of any of the murders. There was speculation that he was responsible for 50,000 to 1,000,000 murders.

8. Miyuki Ishikawa, 103+ victims, Tokyo, Japan, 1940s

Ishikawa was a nurse and euthanized more than 103 newborn babies to parents unwilling to care for them during prohibition of abortion in Japan. She was sentenced to 4 years in prison.

9. Javed Iqbal, 100 victims, Pakistan, 1990s

Iqbal was a child murderer and confessed to killing 100 children. He was convicted on all counts. He was later found dead in his prison cell, possibly tortured and murdered, but ruled a suicide.

10. Gary Ridgeway, 90+ victims, Green River Valley, Washington, United States, 1982-2000

This case has been called the United States most prolific serial killer, also known as the Green River Killer. He mostly targeted prostitues from the Seattle area. After strangling his victims, he would then dump the body near the water. He was convicted of 49 murders, confessed to 71 murders and was suspected of more than 90.


Check out my crime fiction novels where the hero and heroine track down serial killers. These thrillers are available in both paperback and ebook formats.

Compulsion

Dead Game

Silent Partner

Stopped by Mystery Author's Blog for a Quick Chat

It's always great to spend a little bit of time answering some fun questions. Friend and fellow author Joyce Oroz has authored two mystery books, Secure the Ranch and Read My Lipstick.

To view my fun interview, please click here.



Blog: http://authorjenniferchase.blogspot.com/
Website: http://jenniferchase.vpweb.com/
Crime Watch: http://emilystonecrimewatch.blogspot.com/
Book & Crime Talk: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase
Books: Dead Game = Screenwriting

Pornography Scattered across Oklahoma City Neighborhood

We do our best to protect our children in every way possible. There are website blockers that can be placed on computers. Younger children are getting their own cell phones so they can let Mom and Dad know when they've arrived at school or a friend's house. We shield their eyes and ears from inappropriate material and worry when they are in an environment in which we cannot offer such a filter. I don't imagine that many parents, however, imagine that they would have to guard their kids against pornography scattered on the sidewalk as they walk to school.

Just this morning, police officers were called to a neighborhood in Oklahoma City when residents discovered more than 1000 pieces of pornographic material had been tossed out a car window and strewn across yards and streets. The cops worked diligently to pick up all of the for-adults-only photos before children in the area began their walk to school.

Witnesses have provided the description of the car that was believed to be holding the people who tossed the images, so I certainly hope that some explanations can be provided for this act soon. What would lead someone to throw a large collection of lewd material around a neighborhood that contained a lot of kids (or any neighborhood, for that matter)? Was this meant as an ill-intentioned prank or is there a more serious reason that the photographs were quickly discarded?

I am glad that the police officers were able to pick up all of the pornography before the kids headed out of their homes, which I am sure was no easy task. Maybe the guilty parties, once captured, can be required to spend an afternoon cleaning up litter in a park or along a highway.

Life on the Beat as a K9 Officer

As I researched the inner workings of K9 units for my latest novel Silent Partner, I realized that every police K9 officer I met (both active duty and retired) couldn't express enough how rewarding the job was for them. I find myself taking a second glance whenever I would see a police car that has the imprinted words, K9 Unit – Stay Back, next the back window. I wondered if they were on a call to find a bad guy that tried to slip away, sniff out some drugs, or offer some back up for a fellow officer.
I've always loved dogs, but I've never been given the opportunity to see working dogs up close and personal. I learned about the strong bond of dog and handler. I watched officers paired with dogs by the master dog trainers. It was interesting to see the different personalities of both dogs and police officers and how they worked into a strong team. Police protection and scent detection dogs can vary in breeds from German shepherds and Belgian Malinois to Labrador retrievers and Rottweilers.

Upon successful completion of training and certification, K9 officers are given their new assignments. Most departments have the dogs live with their assigned handlers and they are required to train approximately four hours a week. Training consists of tracking, building search, field search, handler protection, and physical apprehension according to USPCA (United States Police Canine Association) standards.

K9 units serve patrol functions and scent detection (narcotics, bomb, cadaver, or accelerant) – sometimes dogs are cross-trained. Most common calls for K9 units are crimes in progress, burglary and robbery alarm calls, prowler calls, street fights, and narcotic detection. These specialized law enforcement units work for city police, county sheriffs, state police, and with federal law enforcement agencies patrolling airports, seaports, and our borders with Mexico and Canada. Officers and dogs alike receive specialized law enforcement training.


Check out my latest crime fiction thriller, Silent Partner, and meet Deputy K9 Jack Davis and his trusted four-legged partner Keno. I take readers into the working life of a K9 officer who's caught in the middle of a web of lies and on the trail of a serial killer. Get to know the cops who are backed up by their silent partners and find out their stories. Please feel free to leave comments and reviews.

Silent Partner is available both in paperback and eBook formats.

Break Out of Writer's Block or Stubborn Procrastination

We've all been there. I've never really experienced writer's block, but procrastination isn't far away for me on some of my writing days. At times, it's difficult to stay focused on my story because my mind wanders to other things or I'm distracted because it's beautiful outside. Then I seem to be preoccupied on what I'm NOT doing instead of what I want to do.

I've learned a few tricks that have helped me to stay centered on my writing projects. Getting outside for a brisk walk or taking the time for a good aerobic workout helps me to refocus. Sometimes listening to my favorite music (even turning up the volume and signing) or drinking a tasty beverage (iced tea, fruit smoothie) helps too.

Here are five helpful tips to remember if you're suffering from writer's block or that stubborn procrastination bug:

1. Find a comfortable writing space & set a writing schedule that best suits your needs.

You're not going to feel comfortable writing if you don't like where your workspace is located. Maybe it's time to change it up? If you've been writing in an extra room in your house, maybe change your space to the kitchen table or even at a local coffee shop. Make sure your writing schedule is attainable. Don't put time aside late at night and you know that you're too tired and stressed to do any writing. Make adjustments that fit your lifestyle and writing needs.

2. Set writing deadlines and stick to them.

It's important to set deadlines for yourself. Be sure to set deadlines that are realistic. Not finish your novel in four weeks. A great way to set short term goals is to set a number of pages or words you would like to accomplish every day, like 3 - 5 typed pages or 2,000 words. If you don't happen to meet your goal on a particular day – remember it's okay. Reward yourself for writing. Writing is supposed to be fun!

3. Work on more than one project at a time.

Writing on more than one book may seem overwhelming, but it's actually a good way to focus your attention on something else if you're having a block with one book. For example, if you've been bitten with the procrastination bug, then work on some research for another project. It helps to inspire you and to look at your other projects from a different perspective.

4. Take time off and reward yourself after a project.

This is a must! Take some time for yourself and celebrate your finished project. A good way to benefit from this reward is to break it up in sections. For example, reward yourself when you've finished your first draft, completed all of your edits, designed your book cover, and final draft. It will help to keep you motivated and fresh with ideas.

5. Try some fun writing exercises.

This is actually something new for me, but I find it very effective. Again, it helps to refocus your mind on something else momentarily. Try writing one of your chapters from a different character's point of view, a different narrative (first person or present tense), or write an evaluation of one of your characters for a pretend job interview. One of my favorite writing exercises is to make a list of all the descriptive words I like to use and then write out 20 alternative words for each one.

The bottom line… don't despair if you're feeling a little cranky because of writer's block or procrastination. It happens to all of us at one time or another. Writing is a demanding and difficult job, but well worth it. Take a breath… give yourself a break… and refocus.

Psychological Triggers and Obsessions of the Serial Killer Mind

"We've all got the power in our hands to kill, but most people are afraid to use it. The ones who aren't afraid control life itself." –Richard Ramirez (The Night Stalker, Los Angeles, CA)


We hear about serial killers crossing that dangerous psychological line into the act of murder. There is a big leap from the fantasy phase to the actual criminal act. It's the impulse control mechanism that is instilled in human beings. Basically, we know it's wrong to kill another human for personal reasons or motivations. When you combine the traits of psychopaths with the lack of impulse control, it can be the formula for disaster.

What triggers these individuals to kill? According to Joel Norris author of Serial Killers, he outlined seven stages (phases) of the serial killer: aura, trolling, wooing, capture, murder, totem, and depression. This is an interesting theory and definitely has merit from what we know to date. I would like to see more study in this area based on his observations in input. I would also like to see other cases of serial killers that aren't the same "high profile" cases that are reexamined frequently, i.e. Jack the Ripper, Jeffrey Dahmer, Zodiac, John Wayne Gacy. Every serial case has merit and something to be learned for law enforcement, criminal psychologists, and profilers, but every year there are many new cases in every country that should be scrutinized.

The first phase Norris describes in his book is "the aura phase". This is the first step that the potential killer takes and it occurs when he begins to withdrawal from reality and enters into his/her own private world of perverted fantasy. Friends, family and those who encounter this person may not be able to detect this person's change in personality. Time can slow down in his/her mind, colors tend to become vivid, sounds more intense and the person becomes completely cut-off from any normal stimuli. When in this phase, a killer becomes antisocial and life no longer has meaning to him/her. They are pushed to fulfill their fantasy. It's the insatiable need to fulfill their own purpose and motivations.

Fantasies of serial killers have been studied and documented over time. Such triggers have been described from various serial killers as when they see a woman that reminds them of someone that has abused them, ridiculed them, or even infatuated them. Other descriptions of this behavior pattern of the "triggering factor" is the "thing" that sets serial killers off in which their fantasies have been lying dormant: specific type of physical victim, victim behavior, lust, unforeseen opportunity, trust from a child or adult, desire to maim, control, or take a life away, etc.


"We serial killers are your sons, we are your husbands, we are everywhere. And there will be more of your children dead tomorrow." – Ted Bundy (rapist, kidnapper, necrophile, and American serial killer)


Blog: http://authorjenniferchase.blogspot.com/
Website: http://jenniferchase.vpweb.com/
Crime Watch: http://emilystonecrimewatch.blogspot.com/
Book & Crime Talk: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase
Books: Dead Game = Screenwriting

Can You Help the FBI Solve a Cold Case?

Have you been a fan of crime novels and television shows your entire life and perhaps even imagined yourself as the person who would one day solve a murder mystery that had left everyone else stumped? Well, the FBI is now offering that chance. If you have a talent for deciphering codes, you may be able to help the authorities figure out why Ricky McCormick's body was found in a field more than a decade ago.

McCormick was found in a field near St. Louis, Missouri and no one has been able to figure how he got there or how he died, although it is believed that he was murdered. Law enforcement thinks that some clues to the crimes may be found in the two pages of encrypted notes that were found in McCormick's pocket and that were written by the victim. While the FBI often figures out the most difficult codes within hours, this one has had stumped them since 1999.

Repeated consultations with analysts, statisticians, and mathematicians have proven fruitless to this point and so now the FBI is turning to the general public. If you want to give it a try, check out the page on the FBI website that is dedicated to tips on this case. If you're successful, maybe the agents will ask you for help with the number one un-cracked code on their list—a note from the "Zodiac killer," who murdered five people in California in the late-1960s.

I hope that if you are a fan of thrillers, you have given one of my books a read! If not, please check out Compulsion, Dead Game, or Silent Partner and let me know what you think! There are no cryptic messages, but plenty of intrigue and psychological terror as serial killers are tracked down and brought to justice.

Compulsion & Dead Game Available in Amazon Kindle Store for $2.99

Compulsion (Emily Stone Series #1) $2.99


Dead Game (Emily Stone Series #2) $2.99

What Sends eBooks Flying Off Shelves?

I read this great blog article about marketing eBooks from acclaimed writer, Robert W. Walker. I'm reposting it on my blog because it's filled with such great information. Actually, I going to follow these instructions for my four eBooks to test these great tips and I'll post my results at a later time.

Here's the article:

Selling the e-book with a Look! What Sends ebooks Sailing off Those Virtual Shelves? Some simple changes I made turned my book sales on Kindle from a drip, drip, drip to big sales. I just clocked in at 935 books sold in my slowest month since sales have been going well for me—December 2010. Now in month one of 2011, I have sold 1,140 books – all at 2.99. I make almost $2 (70%) from each book or unit as they say. When first I placed my work onto Kindle, I was lucky to make 60 bucks a month.

How'd I do it? What changes did I make? First I went back to my book descriptions and made absolutely certain of no typos or errors of any kind as well as rewriting to make each the best damn short-short I could. This made a huge difference in sales, I kid you not. Secondly, I went on a TAG binge, tagging all my books below where they are found on Amazon to utilize genre-specific tags like Occult Horror, Generational Horror, suspense, mystery, police procedural, supernatural, paranormal female detective, etc. and I linked using my name along side other more successful authors in my field. This did two things – by placing my name on tags whenever anyone opens my book list, they also get my author's page coming up. By 'associating' my work with the work of say William Miekle—as he did me—I am seen by his fans, and he by mine. I had an amazing spike in numbers since taking these steps. Of course promoting online is of great import but so to is professional cover art and editing. When I am working on a novel, I put it out there what I am working on, and I invite early readers, and it is amazing how much readers will catch. One does not have to pay huge prices for good editing as I have found my best editors – amazing editors – who love to read a book BEFORE anyone else help me create the best book I possibly can. Most people believe they had to pay out big bucks for excellent editing but truth be told many people pay out big bucks and get punk editing for their money. I'd rather have a passionate edit with no exchange of money than a so-so one that cost me a couple thousand bucks, wouldn't you? I edit myself heavily and do many rewrites, but I know I need more sets of eyes on the project, so as I am doing a work in progress, I ship it off to people I have come to trust absolutely. This has worked out fantastically well for Children of Salem - Romance Amid the Witch Trials, and for Titanic 2012 – Curse of RMS Titanic. My payment to these wonderful contributors has had to be in acknowledgement only, and guess what – they have been tremendous about this, and they so love being involved in a project and seeing their name in the book, that I have never been sued or held up or yelled at.

Notice how on my recent ebooks I have chosen to use subtitles? I believe subtitles help sell the book with a look, so to speak…a bit more detail right there in the title. Which brings us to titles. One's title needs be unique and grab-ilicious. Early on, I put it out there that I am looking for the perfect title. For my last two I conducted searches. For Titanic 2012, I set it up as a contest – and I got two titles I loved – and so I used them BOTH as you see. Titles can either be seductive and alluring or boring and repellent! Think it through before you lock down on a title and as with so much put it out there for a search or contest as I did on my blog Dirty Deeds.

Robert W. Walker http://www.robertwalkerbooks.com



To view the rest of this article, please click here.

Guilty Verdict for Man Involved in Execution-Style Killings in New Jersey

Many of you will remember a horrifying crime that took place four years ago at a schoolyard in Newark, New Jersey. Three friends, all either preparing to attend Delaware State University or already students at that school, were shot execution-style that summer while kneeling in front of a wall. A fourth victim survived her gunshot wound and her testimony proved critical in the conviction that was reached in a courtroom earlier this week.

Alexander Alfaro was found guilty on three counts each of murder and felony murder, four counts of robbery, two counts of conspiracy, and four weapons counts. It is unlikely that he will ever see another day outside the walls of a prison. Two other men, including Alfaro's half-brother, are already spending life in prison for their roles in the killings and three more defendants are still waiting for their trials.

The murders of these young people made national headlines and raised several important questions with which we are still struggling today. In terms of forensic psychology, the issues are particularly difficult. What compels someone to shoot a fellow human being, one who is completely defenseless, with the single intention of ending his or her life? What roles do peer pressure and the group dynamics dominant in gangs (the men who participated in the murders were members of the much-feared MS-13 street gang) play in a person's willingness to commit violence? There is also the troubling fact that three of the six defendants, including Alfaro, were juveniles at the time of the murders.

I am thankful that with each conviction of the six men who were present and engaged in one degree or another in this senseless violence, the family members of the slain teenagers perhaps reach some sense of closure and justice for their loved ones.