Serial Killer Couples

[John53]

There's been a few cases of male/female serial killer couples. Karla Homolka and Paul Bernado, Myra Hindley and Ian Brady, Catherine and David Birnie, Rosemary and Fred West for example.

I can't for the life of me figure out how it happens. It's often said in these cases that the woman wouldn't be a murderer if it wasn't for her partner, some of the women even try to portray themselves as victims but in at least 2 cases (Homolka and West) evidence has eventually turned up to show that they were just as bad if not worse.

Anyone have any theories on how this can happen? How on earth does the conversation even come up!

 

[PureX]

A 'normal' person is not going to comprehend this kind of behavior. From an individual or a couple. But it shouldn't be all that surprising that like-minded people would form friendships, or partnerships. And then over time discover just how like-minded they are.

The psychic dynamics that fuel serial killers behavior can occur in men or women, and the odds are, even as rare as these traits are, that they would occasionally be present in two people that know each other. And that their coupling would fan the psychotic flames in each other.

There are 350 million people living in a country that glorifies extreme violence and has since it founding. So it's not at all surprising that there will be serial killers walking among us. And that occasionally, they will meet each other and team up.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

There's been a few cases of male/female serial killer couples.

I'm curious. Why would you ponder such a question?

For what it's worth:

Abstract
The narratives focus on 544 cases of serial murders, involving about 750 individual murderers and an estimated 5,336 to 6,368 victims. Seventy-four percent of the murderers were from the United States, where 85 percent were male, 8 percent were female, and the sex was undetermined in the cases in which the offender was still at large. In addition, 82 percent of American serial killers were white, 15 percent were black, and 2.5 percent were Hispanic. Eighty- seven percent operated alone, while 10 percent committed their crimes in pairs or groups. [ source ]​

The highly atypical possible happens. Uninformed speculation strikes me as less than constructice.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

There's been a few cases of male/female serial killer couples. Karla Homolka and Paul Bernado, Myra Hindley and Ian Brady, Catherine and David Birnie, Rosemary and Fred West for example.

I can't for the life of me figure out how it happens. It's often said in these cases that the woman wouldn't be a murderer if it wasn't for her partner, some of the women even try to portray themselves as victims but in at least 2 cases (Homolka and West) evidence has eventually turned up to show that they were just as bad if not worse.

Anyone have any theories on how this can happen? How on earth does the conversation even come up!

I'm not familiar with any of those couples. Were they sadists or opportunists that didn't mind killing? Either way, when two malcontented sociopaths meet, it seems likely that they will discover what they have in common. One will suggest something planning to gaslight if the idea is indignantly rejected (I was just joking, can't you take a joke?), and if the other is receptive, off they go. I think that most of these situations involve a single murder, as with Leopold and Loeb, but with couples like Bonnie and Clyde and Aileen Wuornos, it becomes a serial crime spree. Natural Born Killers was a fictional account of this phenomenon, but quite believable.

 

[Revoltingest]

There's been a few cases of male/female serial killer couples. Karla Homolka and Paul Bernado, Myra Hindley and Ian Brady, Catherine and David Birnie, Rosemary and Fred West for example.

I can't for the life of me figure out how it happens. It's often said in these cases that the woman wouldn't be a murderer if it wasn't for her partner, some of the women even try to portray themselves as victims but in at least 2 cases (Homolka and West) evidence has eventually turned up to show that they were just as bad if not worse.

Anyone have any theories on how this can happen? How on earth does the conversation even come up!

In the interest of 3rd wave intersectional feminist
theory, the female partner should receive at least
equal credit.
Old saying....
"Behind every murderous male is a femme fatale"

What a stupid saying, eh.

 

[Subduction Zone]

There's been a few cases of male/female serial killer couples. Karla Homolka and Paul Bernado, Myra Hindley and Ian Brady, Catherine and David Birnie, Rosemary and Fred West for example.

I can't for the life of me figure out how it happens. It's often said in these cases that the woman wouldn't be a murderer if it wasn't for her partner, some of the women even try to portray themselves as victims but in at least 2 cases (Homolka and West) evidence has eventually turned up to show that they were just as bad if not worse.

Anyone have any theories on how this can happen? How on earth does the conversation even come up!

I am not sure, but there is quite the history of women that stay with their husband even though he is a pedophile,. Many of them knew of their husband's problem. Others stuck with them after they were discovered and claimed not to know. And the worst of them helped their husbands. I do not think that it is "always the man's fault". But it seems to be that way most of the time when it comes to these sorts of crimes.

 

[Nakosis]

There's been a few cases of male/female serial killer couples. Karla Homolka and Paul Bernado, Myra Hindley and Ian Brady, Catherine and David Birnie, Rosemary and Fred West for example.

I can't for the life of me figure out how it happens. It's often said in these cases that the woman wouldn't be a murderer if it wasn't for her partner, some of the women even try to portray themselves as victims but in at least 2 cases (Homolka and West) evidence has eventually turned up to show that they were just as bad if not worse.

Anyone have any theories on how this can happen? How on earth does the conversation even come up!

With so many people in the world it's going to happen.
Probably should be happy it doesn't occur more often.

 

[Mock Turtle]

Here in the UK, many of us are familiar with Brady and Hindley. I had the unfortunate experience of working at the same place as the father of one of the victims of this pair, and I did know him - given I was an engineering apprentice at the time and moving between departments. I suspect that they both had tendencies towards sadism, where Hindley was the weaker of the two and more easily influenced. Brady seemed to have this notion as to morality being entirely something for him to decide, as do so many narcissists and psychopaths. Hence his horrible crimes - and as to which might have come from his readings of the Marquis de Sade - which I too have read but coming to rather different conclusions hopefully.

Hindley just followed her master probably.

 

[John53]

I'm curious. Why would you ponder such a question?

It started in about 1979 when I heard a Sex Pistols song that mentioned Hindley and Brady. I didn't know who they were, I assumed Ian Brady was a British TV personality and I didn't even recognise Myra Hindley as a name. Years later a work mate started loaning me true crime books and I read about them then song suddenly made sense. True crime interests me and not long back I watched a series called Killer Couples and yesterday the Pistols song came on while driving the car so I decided to create the thread.

For what it's worth:

Abstract
The narratives focus on 544 cases of serial murders, involving about 750 individual murderers and an estimated 5,336 to 6,368 victims. Seventy-four percent of the murderers were from the United States, where 85 percent were male, 8 percent were female, and the sex was undetermined in the cases in which the offender was still at large. In addition, 82 percent of American serial killers were white, 15 percent were black, and 2.5 percent were Hispanic. Eighty- seven percent operated alone, while 10 percent committed their crimes in pairs or groups. [ source ]​

Wow 10%, that surprises me.

The highly atypical possible happens. Uninformed speculation strikes me as less than constructice.

Not constructive but interesting (to me at least).

 

[John53]

In the interest of 3rd wave intersectional feminist
theory, the female partner should receive at least
equal credit.
Old saying....
"Behind every murderous male is a femme fatale"

What a stupid saying, eh.

I wish I understood this or maybe I don't.

 

[John53]

I am not sure, but there is quite the history of women that stay with their husband even though he is a pedophile,. Many of them knew of their husband's problem. Others stuck with them after they were discovered and claimed not to know. And the worst of them helped their husbands. I do not think that it is "always the man's fault". But it seems to be that way most of the time when it comes to these sorts of crimes.

So the man is so appealing the woman can't bear to be without him even if he's a sadistic killer? The only problem with that theory is most (if not all) turn against their partner when caught in hope of a more lenient sentence.

 

[Subduction Zone]

So the man is so appealing the woman can't bear to be without him even if he's a sadistic killer? The only problem with that theory is most (if not all) turn against their partner when caught in hope of a more lenient sentence.

I have no theory and no real explanation.

 

[John53]

I have no theory and no real explanation.

Me either but I would like to know

 

[John53]

I'm not familiar with any of those couples. Were they sadists or opportunists that didn't mind killing?

There's plenty online about them, I think all would be described as sexual sadists.

Either way, when two malcontented sociopaths meet, it seems likely that they will discover what they have in common. One will suggest something planning to gaslight if the idea is indignantly rejected (I was just joking, can't you take a joke?), and if the other is receptive, off they go. I think that most of these situations involve a single murder, as with Leopold and Loeb, but with couples like Bonnie and Clyde and Aileen Wuornos, it becomes a serial crime spree. Natural Born Killers was a fictional account of this phenomenon, but quite believable.

As good a theory as any I guess.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

The women in those pairings are usually psychopaths and the men are sexual sadists (such as with Brady and Hindley and with the Wests). The women in your examples are typically as cruel and sadistic as the men but lacking the sexual aspect (the men tend to be rapists, like Fred West was).

 

[Revoltingest]

I wish I understood this or maybe I don't.

Don't try.
Bad for brain.

 

[John53]

The women in those pairings are usually psychopaths and the men are sexual sadists (such as with Brady and Hindley and with the Wests). The women in your examples are typically as cruel and sadistic as the men but lacking the sexual aspect (the men tend to be rapists, like Fred West was).

I think there was evidence in the form of tape recordings that showed Rosemary West actively participated.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I think there was evidence in the form of tape recordings that showed Rosemary West actively participated.

She murdered children by herself, yes. What I mean is that the females are usually lacking the sexual impulse the males have. Fred West was a huge pervert and rapist. Honestly, they had a sick sexual relationship, anyway. She was a hooker who let herself get knocked up by her johns. But she wasn't sexually abusing the kids like West was, iirc. She was probably raped by her father, I think it was.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Not constructive but interesting (to me at least).

Autumn colors and random acts of kindness are also interesting, as are the reasons people prioritize what is interesting enough to warrant their attention.

 

[John53]

She murdered children by herself, yes. What I mean is that the females are usually lacking the sexual impulse the males have. Fred West was a huge pervert and rapist. Honestly, they had a sick sexual relationship, anyway. She was a hooker who let herself get knocked up by her johns. But she wasn't sexually abusing the kids like West was, iirc. She was probably raped by her father, I think it was.

I find it interesting that the females role is often minimised or excused. I notice it also happens with female paedophiles, I've heard things said like "I wish I had of been that lucky at school" or there's "no real victim". I can't imagine the same things being said if it was a girl that had been sexually assaulted by a male.