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The individual designated by the These sadistic [fantasies] seem Portrait of the Lust Murderer authors as the organized nonsocial always to have preceded the bru- What set of circumstances create type harbors similar feelings of hostil- tai act of lust murder. These fanta- the individual who becomes the lust ity, but elects not to withdraw and inter- sies take all sorts of grotesque murderer? The authors do not possess nalize his hostility. Rather, he overtly and cruel forms. The pervert, on the expertise to explain the multiple expresses it through aggressive and this level of degeneracy, may re- and complex casual factors associated seemingly senseless acts against soci- sort to pornographic pictures, gro- with the psychological development of ety. Typically, he begins to demon- tesque and cruel literary episodes, the individual who commits such a hei- strate his hostility as he passes out of which he weaves fantasies. nous crime. But, it is generaliy ac- through puberty and into adolescence. On these, his imagination dwells cepted that the foundation of the per- He would be described as a trouble until he loses all contact with reali- sonality is formed within the first few maker and a manipulator of people, ty. only to find himself suddenly years of life. While extreme stress, fre- concerned only for himself. He experi- impelled to carry his fantasies into quent narcotic use, or alcohol abuse ences difficulties with family, friends, the world of actuality. This is done, can cause personality disorganization apparently, by drawing human ob- in tater life, it is the early years that are "The lust murder is jects into the fantasy." s critical to the personality structure and James Russell Odom, tried and development committed in a brutally convicted with James Clayton Lawson Seldom does the lust murderer sadistic manner." for the brutal lust murder described at come from an environment of love and the beginning of this article, stated that understanding. It is more likely that he while he and Lawson were at a mental was an abused or neglected child who and "authority figures" through antiso- institution, they would express their experienced a great deal ot contlict in cial acts which may include homicide. fantasies about women: his early life and was unable to develop Thomas Strentz and Conrad Hassel, in "(Odom) raping them and Lawson and use adequate coping devices (i.e. the June 1978 issue of Journal of Po. mutilating them . . . (we had fan- defense mechanisms). Had he been lice Science and Administration, wrote tasized so much that at times 1 able to do so, he would have withstood of a youth who had first murdered at didn't know what was real." 9 the stresses placed on him and devel- the age of 15 and was committed to a If he acts out the fantasy (commits oped normally in early childhood. It mental institution. After his release, he the crime), his goal will be to destroy must be emphasized that many individ- murdered and dismembered eight wom- the victim and thereby become the uals are raised in environments not en. ' It is the nonsocial's aim to get sole possessor. James Lawson (men- conducive to healthy psychological de- even with society and inflict pain and tioned above) is quoted as saying: velopment, yet they become produc- punishment upon others. "Then I cut her throat so she tive citizens. These stresses, The Role of Fantasy would not scream.... at this trustrations, and subsequent anxieties, As noted, the lust murder is time I wanted to cut her body so along with the inability to cope with premeditated in obsessive fantasies she would not look like a person them, may lead the individual to with- experienced by both the asocial and and destroy her so she would not draw from the society which he per. nonsocial murderers. Fantasy provides exist. I began to cut on her body. 1 ceives as hostile and threatening them an avenue of escape from a remember cutting her breasts off. Through this internalization proc- world of hate and rejection. Dr. James After this, all I remember is that ! ess, he becomes seciuded and iso- J. Reinhardt in his book, Sex Perver- kept cutting on her body." 10 Iated from others and may eventually sions and Sex Crimes, has written: The victim may represent some- select suicide as an alternative to a life "A study of these cases almost thing he desires sexually, but is unable Of loneliness and frustration. The au- invariably reveals a long struggle to approach. Lawson speaks again, "! thors have designated this reaction to against what Reik calls the 'for- did not rape the girl. I only wanted to life as disorganized asocial. This type ward thrust.' By fantasy the mur- destroy her." possesses a poor self-image and se- derer attempts to wall himself in cretly rejects the society which he feels against the fatal act, while at the rejects him. Family and associates would describe him a nice, quiet per- same time gratifying the compul- sive psychic demands in the de- son who keeps to himself, but who velopment and use of fantasy. never quite realized his potential. Dur- ing adolescence, he may have en- gaged in voyeuristic activities or the theft of feminine clothing. Such activi ties serve as a substitute for his inabil- ity to approach women sexually in a mature and confident manner. 132