Post by vangogh on May 27, 2015 19:14:29 GMT
I thought this would be appropriate to post in the library ~
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE ANALYSIS
Series of Homicides
Dates of Occurrence: March 13, 1980, through May 5, 1986
Lyman and Charlene Smith - Deceased
Keith and Patrice Harrington - Deceased
Manuela Witthuhn - Deceased
Janelle Cruz - Deceased
The following criminal investigative analysis was prepared by Special
Agent (SA) Leslie D’Ambrosia, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE),
Miami Regional Operations Center, in consultation with, and review by,
Detective Sergeant John Yarbrough, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
(L.A.S.D.), Homicide Bureau.
The analysis was based upon a review of the materials submitted by, and
conversations with, Detective Harold Scott, Ventura Police Department,
Investigator Larry Pool, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and Detective Larry
Montgomery, Irvine Police Department. The conclusions are a result of
knowledge drawn from personal investigative experience, educational
background and research conducted by members of the National Center for the
Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC), FBI Academy, Quantico, Virginia.
The final analysis is based on probabilities. It should be noted that no two
criminal acts or criminal personalities are alike. The offender may not fit the
analysis in every category. This analysis is provided exclusively for your
investigative assistance. It should not be disseminated, except to other criminal
justice agencies with investigative and prosecutorial interest in this matter. The
conclusions are based on information provided and the experience noted. The
analysis is not a substitute for a thorough and well-planned investigation and
should not be considered all-inclusive.
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This analysis is based upon a review of four homicides with a total of six victims:
VICTIM AGE DATE OF OCCURRENCE
1) Lyman Smith, W/M 43 March 13, 1980
Charlene Smith, W/F 33 March 13, 1980
2) Keith Harrington, W/M 24 August 19, 1980
Patrice Harrington, W/F 28 August 19, 1980
3) Manuela Witthuhn, W/F 28 February 6, 1981
4) Janelle Cruz, W/F 18 May 4-5, 1986
All the victims resided in upper-middle to upper class single-story residences. All
the victims were low-risk for becoming victims of violent crime.
VICTIMS
All six victims died as a result of excessive beatings to the head with a
blunt force instrument. The first two victims, the SMITHS, had ligatures tied
around their wrists and ankles. The HARRINGTONS and MANUELA WITTHUHN
had ligature marks on their wrists and ankles. JANELLE CRUZ had a bruise
abrasion on her right wrist and evidence of a soft ligature used on her wrists.
All four female victims were sexually assaulted. Analysis of the semen
revealed that unknown DNA profiles in all four cases were from one donor, and
therefore one individual was responsible for these attacks.
Two of the female victims had circular contusions. One was located on
the shoulder of PATRICE HARRINGTON and the other was located on the
buttocks of MANUELA WITTHUHN. The shoulder injury was described as a
possible bite mark, the other as being consistent with a punch.
SUMMARY:
The offender chose single-family residences in affluent areas with ready
access to the freeway system. The first crime scene was located in close
proximity to a naval facility. The last three crime scenes were located in close
proximity to a marine air wing facility.
There was a distance of approximately 120 miles between the first crime
scene and the other crime scenes. Although there was more than a five-year
time span between the third and fourth homicides, the offender returned to the
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same area to commit his crimes. The distance between the third and fourth
homicides was approximately 1.7 miles.
The first crime scene was located in Ventura County, California. The
remaining crime scenes were located in Orange County, California. No similar
crimes were reported in Los Angeles County, which is located between Ventura
and Orange Counties.
There were approximately 5 months between the first and second
homicides, approximately 5 ½ months between the second and third homicides
and 5 ½ years between the third and fourth homicides.
We believe your offender observed his victims from the exterior of the
residences prior to making entry. There were prowler reports by neighbors and
witnesses. There were unidentified shoe prints on some of the crime scenes.
JANELLE CRUZ’ visitor reported that on the night of her death they had heard
noises outside her bedroom window. Blades of grass in JANELLE CRUZ’ bed
would support the theory that someone was standing outside the residence prior
to entering.
With the exception of MANUELA WITTHUHN, there were no signs of
forced entry to the residences. We believe it is possible that the offender waited
until the victims were asleep in some of the cases, because he was able to gain
entry without alerting the victims. All the victims were attacked in their bedrooms
while in bed.
The offender controlled his victims several ways, but primarily with items
brought with him to each crime scene. The victims were initially controlled with
weapons and then were bound with ligatures. This is evident because there
were no signs of struggle or defense wounds on any of the victims. They did not
resist being bound. There were bruises and scratches noted on some of the
victims in the area of their mouths, buttocks and/or legs. Based on this we
believe your offender struck his victims as he gained their compliance.
The ligatures that were left behind on the first crime scene were tied with
decorative diamond knots around the wrists of LYMAN and CHARLENE SMITH.
The ankle ligatures were tied with square knots, which were different from the
wrist ligatures.
It is also evident that the offender used blunt force instruments found at
the exterior of the crime scenes. In the first crime scene, a fire log previously
located on the side of the house was used. Metal fragments were found in the
injury to PATRICE HARRINGTON’S head, indicating a metal object was used as
a blunt force instrument. KEITH HARRINGTON’S father had been installing a
sprinkler system at the victims’ residence the day of the homicides. The sprinkler
heads were readily accessible from the exterior of the residence. It was reported
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that a pipe wrench was missing from the exterior of the house by JANELLE
CRUZ’ stepfather.
Evidence reveals that the male victims were likely eliminated prior to the
sexual assault and murder of the female victims. KEITH HARRINGTON was
struck in the head with a blunt instrument. A crime scene assessment indicated
that scratches and chipped wood on the headboard were likely made when
KEITH HARRINGTON was struck in the head. A wood chip was discovered in
the bed sheets between PATRICE HARRINGTON’S legs. The location of the
wood chip would support the theory that KEITH HARRINGTON was struck first.
Because this happened in the HARRINGTON case, it is likely that the offender
struck and killed the male victims first in all the cases.
The offender used a great deal of physical force when he bludgeoned the
female victims. The women suffered crushing blows to their heads resulting from
beatings with blunt force instruments. The amount of force used by the offender
was extreme especially considering that they were bound and compliant and,
therefore, unable to resist their attacker. The behavior of the victims during the
assaults did not cause the offender to increase the amount of force used
because they were not resistant. More force was used than was necessary to kill
the victims.
The female victims were all sexually assaulted and were assaulted in the
same manner. They were all assaulted vaginally and there was no evidence of
oral or anal assault on the victims. The DNA analysis on semen from each crime
scene revealed that the same offender was responsible for all four assaults. This
would indicate that the offender was capable of ejaculation and, therefore, was
not sexually dysfunctional.
The victims were covered with bedclothes so that the offender would not
get blood on himself. We believe this is evidenced in the progression and
adaptation of the offender’s methods in committing the crimes. In the first crime
scene, it is likely that the offender did get blood on himself. The fire log was
covered in blood and there was blood spatter on the scene. This would indicate a
direct contact between the victims and the fire log. The blanket was not pulled
over their heads when they were struck. In the subsequent crime scenes, the
offender covered the victims before striking them in the head. Because he later
uncovered them to remove ligatures, we believe the act of covering was for
“function” as opposed to “fantasy”.
An adaptation of the method of operation was seen in the offender’s
actions between the first crime scene and the remaining crime scenes. As we
indicated, the offender adapted his methods when he covered his victims in the
last three crime scenes. The offender also changed his methods when he took
the ligatures and the blunt force instruments away from those same crime
scenes.
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In the first homicide, the victim’s personal jewelry was taken; however, the
valuable jewelry she sold as one of her business ventures was in plain view and
left behind. Jewelry was also removed from the third crime scene while other
items of value were left undisturbed.
The offender took the time to or alter the crime scenes. He altered the
crime scenes by removing weapons and ligatures. In doing so, he made them
appear as though burglaries had occurred. Items taken were of no real value
while other items of value were left behind. The offender took the time to disturb
items within the residences that would appear to be consistent with a burglary
having taken place. In the first case, several large cushions from the furniture in
the living room were removed as to indicate the offender had searched for
valuables under the seat cushions. In this scene, several items of value were
easily accessible and were not taken. In the case of MANUELA WITTHUHN, the
offender removed a large television set and left it on the patio. It is unlikely that
the offender intended to carry the television set over the high fence used as a
point of exit at the rear of the residence. This behavior would be consistent with
someone altering the scenes to make it look as though burglaries had occurred.
OFFENDER CHARACTERISTICS:
Based on analysis of similar cases indicating that crimes of this nature are
generally intraracial, and the demographics of the areas of the crime scenes, we
believe that your offender is a white male.
Age is difficult to predict because this analysis is a measure of an
offender’s emotional age as opposed to his chronological age. Factors such as
incarceration or institutionalization can delay the emotional growth of an
individual. We believe that the emotional age of your offender would have
ranged from approximately 26 to 30 years of age at the time of the crimes. This
is based on review of similar cases revealing that this type of offender is the most
mature.
Your offender would be described as intelligent. This was evident in his
ability to plan and carry out the crimes in advance. He was prepared for his
crimes when he arrived at the victims’ residences. He brought a weapon for
control purposes as well as bindings, a cutting instrument, and in one instance a
screwdriver. He had the ability to plan and organize his thoughts in advance. He
also had the intelligence and ability to adapt his method of operation.
We believe your offender likely was in good physical condition. This is
based on the physical strength necessary to cause the serious injuries resulting
from the beating of the victims with blunt force instruments.
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Since the offender blended into these communities, it is likely that he
dressed well and did not call attention to himself when in these areas.
We believe that your offender was using a vehicle that was in good
condition. He traveled great distances between crime scenes and would need to
have a reliable, well-running vehicle for his endeavors. This type of offender
would spend a great deal of time searching for his victims and would need a
reliable mode of transportation. He would have parked near the areas of the
crime scenes for a long period of time while he assaulted and killed his victims.
Since the areas were described as affluent, the offender likely owned a vehicle
that would not “stand out” when parked near these areas for a period of time.
Because the offender needed a vehicle in good condition that would fit into
the area, it is likely that he had some means of income to afford the travel and a
reliable car. He also failed to take cash and some valuable items at the crime
scenes indicating he likely already had some means of income. This offender
spent a great deal of time searching for and conducting surveillances on his
victims at night and therefore was not employed during the early morning hours.
Typically, the first crime scene in a series of homicides will be the closest
to the comfort zone of your offender. In this series, the first homicides occurred
in Ventura, California, more than 120 miles from the remaining crime scenes.
The offender’s comfort zone would have been in this area, meaning that the
offender either initially resided or worked nearest to this area at the time of the
offense.
It is significant that there was more than a five-year time span between the
third and last homicides that were located only a little over a mile apart in Irvine,
California. We have discussed the offender’s comfort zone being nearest to the
first crime scene in Ventura, California. The killer returned to the same area in
Irvine to kill again more than five years later indicating that he was also
comfortable with this area.
We believe your offender would have a criminal record. As stated, he has
likely committed burglary. Since we believe he “peeped” on his victims, it is
possible that he had been arrested for loitering and prowling or had been
identified through uniform patrol’s field interviews as a result of suspicious
activity. He would likely also have a criminal history for assaultive behavior from
his deep-seeded anger towards women. This could include arrests for
altercations or disturbances with both men and women. The main issue would
have been that the offender was angered by the woman and this would have
triggered the assaultive behavior.
The fact that the killer attacked his victims inside their homes is significant.
The few serial killers that have been known to attack inside the victims’
residences proved to have histories of committing burglaries. In these four
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cases, the offender also was able to enter in a stealth manner without alerting his
victims. Based on these facts we would surmise that your offender would likely
be an accomplished cat burglar.
Research has provided information on the likely characteristics and traits
of this type of offender. He would likely have been described by those who knew
him as being neat, articulate, intelligent and organized. He also would likely have
been described as rigid, arrogant, domineering and possessing an attitude of
superiority. He would be further described as manipulative, a chronic liar, and
unremorseful. He may have an interest in survivalist groups or racial prejudicial
groups. This type of offender does not suffer from delusions where there is no
sense of reality. He would know the difference between right and wrong.
The offender was very methodical. After the first crime, he took care not
to get blood spatter on himself when striking his victims by covering the bodies.
His behavior was repetitive with respect to his performing the same acts during
each crime. He arrived at the crime scenes prepared with a “kit”. He selected
his victims through peeping. He approached the victims in the same manner.
He bludgeoned all the victims to death and sexually assaulted all the women in
the same manner.
He planned his attacks very carefully, with great attention to detail, and
likely would have rehearsed his attacks, either literally or in his fantasy many
times. Virtually every phase-weapons, transportation, travel routes, instruments
of torture, and bindings-would have been pre-planned, with the exception of the
victim.
It is likely that your offender selected these affluent areas to offend for two
reasons. First, these areas provided a degree of seclusion for him. All the
residences were single-family homes with access to main highways. The
properties were corner lots, had fenced yards or were located on cul-de-sacs,
providing a degree of privacy. Peeping in the windows of these residences
would be a lower risk than peeping in more populated areas such as apartment
complexes or military housing. Secondly, this type of offender typically has a
grandiose sense of self-importance and believes that he is “special” and unique
and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or higher
status people. Because of this arrogant attitude, we believe your offender
selected these affluent areas because he felt his victims were “worthy” of him.
This offender searched for his victims, spending a great deal of time and
covering numerous miles. This type of offender most often attacks strangers
because he does not want any ties between the victim and himself. We believe
the offender selected these communities to find a victim and then through
peeping would select a specific victim. In the case of the HARRINGTONS, DNA
analysis revealed that the victims had engaged in sexual intercourse prior to their
death. JANELLE CRUZ was entertaining a male friend in her bedroom when
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they heard noises outside her bedroom window. We conclude that he observed
the victims by peeping and reaffirmed his belief that the women were “whores”
based on the behavior he observed.
This type of offender will formulate a plan to gain access to his victim. In
this series, the offender selected his victims, observed them and then gained
entry. Offenders with this sexual proclivity have been known to overpower a
victim with a weapon and immediately instill fear. In all but one case, the
offender likely gained entry via an unlocked door. He did, however, have the
tools to force entry if needed. In the third case in this series the offender used a
screwdriver to pry open a sliding glass door.
He likely prepared his equipment, or a “kit”, including whatever is needed
to gain access to his victim. In these cases, your offender brought ligatures, a
cutting instrument, a control weapon and a burglary tool to the crime scenes.
This type of offender used a method of killing that reflected his desire for
complete mastery and control over his victims. In those scenes where two
victims were killed, the offender was not discouraged by the fact that two people
were present. In fact, it is more likely that the offender was gratified with his
ability to have complete mastery over two people. Since this offender enjoyed
the infliction of pain, whether physical or psychological, the elimination of the
targeted victims’ spouses served two purposes: one, the increased pleasure of
controlling more than one person; and two, to have complete mastery over the
targeted victims through the fear and pain inflicted by the killing of their spouses.
This would cause the female victims to suffer enormously while being restrained
and unable to defend themselves. All this was at the core of the offender’s
desires and was reflected in his methods of killing.
Your offender made the conscious decision to bludgeon his victims to
death rather than to use some other simpler form of murder. This is apparent
because he brought blunt force instruments into the victims’ homes. It is likely
that he chose this violent form of death due to his enormous hate for the female
victims. In doing so, they would suffer greatly. To kill them easily or quickly
would not have been satisfying for him.
This offender was angry with women and used sex and physical force as
weapons to punish and degrade them. He exhibited extreme anger and rage
toward his female victims when he bludgeoned them to death. This behavior
revealed his intense rage for the female victims and what they represented. He
used excessive levels of force as the result of his rage, which was exhibited in
the form of frenzied attacks on his victims. It is possible that in the mind of the
killer these victims were a symbolic representation of a conflict involving a
female. He blamed these women for his problems and believed he was superior
to all women. He was getting even with women for their real or imagined wrongs.
The victims were bound when they were killed and, therefore, were not able to
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resist their attacker. The amount of force used by the offender was extreme
especially considering that they were bound and compliant.
Although the two male victims were also struck in the head with blunt force
instruments, we do not believe the offender was exhibiting his rage towards them
as he did the female victims. We believe he eliminated the men to concentrate
on the intended female victims. We believe the offender intellectualized the
killings of the male victims. He logistically removed them as potential threats.
He also likely intellectualized that the male victims got what they deserved
because of their association with these women that he viewed as being low class
and promiscuous.
Because the offender did prepare for his crimes in advance by bringing
items with him, it is extremely significant that the blunt force instruments came
from the exterior of the victims’ residences. In our analysis, we assume he had a
weapon when he arrived on the crime scenes because he was able to control
two people alone while inside the residences. We believe that the offender did
not use the weapon he brought with him because the weapon, likely a firearm,
could be linked to him. He then likely planned to utilize a weapon from the crime
scene. In using a log, pipe and possible a sprinkler head, he would not be
connected to the murder weapon. This reveals that the subject was very
evidence conscious. He further revealed his sophistication by removing the
weapons from the crime scenes. Because your subject is so evidence
conscious, we believe that the offender disposed of the weapons soon after the
crime and was not saving the items as trophies.
We would opine that your offender might have studied methods of killing
without leaving evidence. His planning murders and planning not to use a
weapon connected to him, as well as removing evidence from the scenes,
indicates he was knowledgeable and very sophisticated in this area. His
knowledge could have been gained through experience or perhaps even military
training.
It cannot be ruled out that your offender was employed by the military at
the time of the crimes. It was reported that a naval station and a marine base
were in close proximity to the crime scenes. In addition, the decorative knot tied
on the ligatures of the first two victims was described as having a nautical or
sailing application that can be used in the military service.
We believe that in order to justify the killing of these women, the offender
needed to convince himself that these women were “whores”. First, the behavior
he witnessed while prowling and peeping convinced him that the women were
promiscuous. Secondly, when the subject engaged in sexual intercourse with
the women this reaffirmed his belief that the women were promiscuous.
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The offender was enraged by his perception of the women’s behavior and
his anger was the direct motivation for killing these women. The sexual assaults
were not the primary motivation for the attacks. The sex occurred as a method of
the offender justifying in his mind that the women were “whores”. Because of this
rage, he made a conscious decision that they should die.
Fantasy is a component of this offender’s methodology. This offender has
mentally rehearsed what he would like to do. There typically are masturbation
fantasies in which he thinks about what he would like to do if he had the
opportunity. He then actually made the choice to move from fantasy to action
and made a plan to do it. When the offender committed his crime, he enacted
his sexual fantasy. He was carrying out an action that had been previously
imagined.
Items belonging to the victims are taken to provide a means for the
offender to relive his crimes. In the first homicide, the victim’s personal jewelry
was taken; however, the valuable jewelry she sold as one of her business
ventures was in plain view and left behind. Jewelry was also removed from the
third crime scene while other items of value were left undisturbed. The offender
typically fantasizes about the crimes he has committed and receives gratification
from these fantasies.
We believe that the knots tied on the ligatures had significance to your
offender. In the first case, the two victims’ ligatures were tied with decorative
diamond knots around the wrists; however, the ankle ligatures were tied with a
square knot. We believe the diamond knot was significant to your offender. He
likely had fantasized about his crimes prior to committing them and had imagined
the use of bondage and the tying of ligatures with this decorative knot.
Your offender likely engaged in a number of sexually deviant behaviors.
Research on sexual behavior has shown that when an individual engages in one
sexually deviant behavior, it is likely that they will engage in a number of other
sexually deviant behaviors. In these cases, the offender engaged in voyeurism
when he peeped into the windows of the victims, he engaged in sexual bondage
by use of ligatures and he received sexual gratification from the infliction of pain
on his victims. These behaviors involved an intense sexual desire to perform a
certain act, which provided sexual gratification. Sexually deviant behaviors
involve human or non-human objects and do include child sexual abuse.
Because this offender needs domination, control and manipulation for
sexual arousal, we would expect to see a history of assaultive or abusive
behavior towards partners. This would result from the offender’s aggression
toward his partner because this type of person will often use brutal force. If he
was not arrested for incidents related to this behavior, an investigation into his
relationships would likely indicate this type of abuse. Your offender when in a
relationship, would be able to come and go as he pleased, being the dominant
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and aggressive member of the relationship. Your offender, however, would not
have likely maintained lengthy relationships with women. Based on his deeprooted
hostility towards women, your offender was, in all probability, not married
at the time of the crimes.
His sexual history would have included binding his partner during sexual
intercourse. The binding of his sexual partner is a method of domination and
control. This type of offender is sexually aroused when he is able to completely
dominate and control. His sexual relationships will reflect this desire.
Physical evidence revealed that your offender was sexually functional.
The offender was able to ejaculate during the commission of each sexual assault
and therefore was not sexually dysfunctional. As is the case with offenders who
are dysfunctional, he was not likely burdened by anxiety and was not unsure of
himself. On the contrary, this offender was likely arrogant and confident in his
abilities. The sexual assault occurred to demonstrate that the women were
“whores”. The sexual interaction was about how the offender viewed the women.
Having intercourse with them reaffirmed his belief that they were promiscuous.
Since the sexual activity was not about how the offender viewed himself, his
performance or masculinity, he would then not have a problem with sexual
function.
It is significant that the offender was sexually functional. Research and
comparison of similar cases reveal that most offenders exhibit some form of
sexual dysfunction. This offender is among a small group of offenders that are
sexually functional. This is significant because, in attempting to link similar
cases, it would be unlikely that this offender would have committed crimes in
which the offender was sexually dysfunctional and did not ejaculate.
There is documentation through the assessment of similar cases and
research that this type of offender will attack strangers while having a compliant
victim at home. Their appetite for sadistic sex would be described as insatiable.
Women who have had sexual relationships with this type of offender reported
that anal intercourse eventually became the regular routine and vaginal
intercourse ceased. In addition, women involved with these offenders have
reported being strangled to the point of unconsciousness during sexual acts.
This type of offender seeks sex with compliant victims to include prostitutes.
We believe it was likely that your offender likely engaged in sex with
prostitutes. He would have engaged in the same type of sexual acts with the
prostitutes as he did with his victims. The insatiable appetite for sexual bondage,
mastery and control would all be central themes to the sex acts performed. The
analysis of behavior of similar offenders indicates that these type of offenders
have reportedly engaged in sex with prostitutes but have not killed them because
they differed in status from the type of women they victimized. It is likely that
they are not harmed because of their different status and also because the
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offender does not have a need to punish them since they did not represent their
victims.
We believe your offender followed media accounts of the crimes he
committed. Because the first victims were prominent in the community, there
was a vast amount of media attention. It is likely that your offender followed the
media accounts of the murders and adapted his methods according to what was
disclosed to the public. It was disclosed that the victims had been bound and
struck with a log. Subsequent to this, the offender removed the ligatures and
blunt force instruments from the scenes.
We believe your offender altered the crime scenes in attempt to disguise
his motivation for these crimes and, in doing so, attempted to manipulate law
enforcement so as not to link the crimes together. The offender was motivated
by extreme anger, but altered the crime scenes to appear as though burglaries
had occurred. As stated previously, items were moved and/or taken to give the
appearance that burglaries had occurred. We believe the offender attempted to
mislead authorities into investigating “just another burglary” that ended with the
death of the victims. In the first case in which LYMAN and CHARLENE SMITH
were killed, the crime was relayed in detail to the public through the media who
had access to a large amount of evidentiary information. If subsequent murders
revealed the same circumstances, the possibility existed that because of the
enormous amount of media on the SMITH case, an investigator on a subsequent
crime scene in another area might remember the SMITH case and associate the
crimes together. We believe the offender disguised his motivation for the crimes
because he did not want the murders linked together. Manipulating law
enforcement into investigating the crimes separately would decrease the total
information collected and therefore would decrease the likelihood of the cases
being solved.
This is the most likely of all offenders to record his crimes. This can be
done in many forms such as photographs, audio recordings, sketches, writings or
newspaper clippings. In the first homicide of LYMAN and CHARLENE SMITH,
newspaper accounts listed many details of the crime and the investigation. We
believe the offender read the newspaper articles because he altered his behavior
following their publication. We believe therefore the offender likely saved the
newspaper articles concerning the homicides. The recording of these events is
so that the offender, again, can fantasize and relive his crimes. Such fantasy
provides sexual gratification for the offender.
INVESTIGATIVE SUGGESTIONS:
We suggest that additional investigation might be made into the decorative
knot tied by the offender on the wrists of the first victims, LYMAN and
CHARLENE SMITH. The knot was described by an expert as a decorative
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diamond knot with sailing applications or interior design applications. Further
information may be obtained by consulting with Navy personnel. Specific knots
have specific nautical uses. It may be possible to identify the type of use this
knot would have in the Navy and therefore identify the occupation or type of
individual who would have a practical use for this knot in his profession.
It is significant that five years and three months passed between the third
and fourth homicides which occurred approximately 1.7 miles apart. Your
offender ceased committing these crimes but returned many years later to the
same area. If the offender was incarcerated, institutionalized or moved from the
area for a period of time, he later returned to the same city and community where
he last killed. This would be a significant area for him and may be considered a
comfort zone. Your offender likely had ties to this area either through
employment or residence. If not already done, investigation may uncover
individuals who were transferred and returned to this area during this time frame
as well as individuals released from incarceration during the same time
parameters.
These crime scenes present a significant set of facts concerning the type
of area, location of the scenes and the extensive travel accomplished by the
offender. The offender killed in a distance that spanned more than 120 miles
across the West Coast of California. The crime scenes were all in close
proximity to the freeway system and were all in affluent communities. The
offender killed in two different counties in California and traveled a great distance
between the two counties omitting the county between the scenes. In doing so,
the offender chose not to kill in Los Angeles County, which offered numerous
potential victims residing in affluent communities. Also, we have noted that the
offender appeared to potentially have two different comfort zones. Because of
this set of facts, we believe that it would be beneficial to retain the services of
Kim Rossmo, Vancouver Police Department, British Colombia, Canada, an
expert in Geographic Profiling. Geographic Profiling could provide investigators
with more specific information concerning the locations that the offender
frequented, resided and worked.
Your offender spent a great deal of time preparing and searching for a
victim. The investigation reveals that the offender likely watched his victims
through their windows prior to gaining entry. We would expect that your offender
did spend a lot of time peeping in windows of others who did not become victims
of homicide. Your offender used a diamond knot on the wrists of his victims.
Sexual bondage was very significant and important to the offender’s sexual
arousal. The use of bondage and voyeurism are considered paraphilic
behaviors. Such behaviors are intense sexual deviant behaviors that offer the
individual sexual gratification. These behaviors are often “clustered”, meaning
that an offender will often engage in a number of sexual deviant behaviors, or
paraphilias. In addition, the behaviors do not subside just because the offender
may have escalated to homicide. Because they are “intense” sexual desires, the
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offender will continue to engage in such activity for sexual gratification. These
behaviors will remain constant. Records may be reviewed pertaining to reports
of peeping in these areas and similar communities. Reports of domestic
complaints involving sexual bondage and aggression can be reviewed for
suspect development.
Individual queries of separate state and federal DNA databases may be
considered. It is unlikely that your offender ceased this type of behavior. If he is
still living, we would expect him to commit similar crimes. The likelihood does
exist that he has moved from the area and therefore it would be important to
inquire on a broad spectrum. Inquiring separately with each system that exists
would ensure the thoroughness and quality of the comparison.
Since a possibility does exist that this offender was employed by the
military service, it may be fruitful to search incident reports, domestic complaints
with bondage and the DNA databases available through the military.
At the time of occurrence for each homicide, teletypes were issued by the
law enforcement agencies requesting information on these crimes or similar
crimes in other jurisdictions. Since that time, teletypes have been reissued,
searches of the California databases have been conducted and continuous
searches of the offender’s DNA against new entries into the California DNA
database system are ongoing. In addition, information concerning all four cases
was submitted to the FBI’s VICAP system in an effort to link them to any
homicide with similar characteristics nationwide. To date there are no known
repetitions of these crimes.
In assessing this information the possibility exists that the offender either
is in jail or has been institutionalized for a long period of time. The latter is not
very likely since this offender was intelligent, methodical and would not suffer
from a delusional type of disorder if he suffered from mental illness. There is
also the possibility that the offender moved out of the country and resides in an
area where the crimes would not be documented for linkage purposes. And
finally, in attempting to assess where the offender may currently be located, the
offender could possibly have died by either suicide or homicide. It is not
uncommon for some individuals with the offender’s characteristics to take their
own lives. More important, however, were the behavioral characteristics
indicating his rage for the female victims. We have discussed his anger for real
or perceived wrongs committed by a female or females and his need to inflict
severe emotional and physical pain on women. His rage was so intense that he
could justify why the men in two cases “deserved” to be killed by associating with
these women.
The rage and anger would be more significant factors in determining this
offender’s demise as opposed to some of the other personality characteristics.
Because of his deep-seeded hate towards women, the possibility exists that the
15
offender could have been involved in a violent confrontation with a woman, or
because of a woman, resulting in his death. It is also possible if the offender
were deceased that he could have been killed in an attempt to commit a similar
crime. If he were killed as a result of his entering a residence at night, the
behavior seen in the four crimes assessed would not be present and, therefore
the crimes would not have been linked through conventional means. We would
suggest a search of investigations involving violent disturbances or burglaries
resulting in the death of a male offender.
INTERVIEW STRATEGIES:
Should a viable suspect be developed in this investigation it is our
recommendation that a consultation be scheduled with a Criminal Investigative
Analyst (Profiler) regarding specific strategies for a specific individual.
Assistance can be provided with an Indirect Personality Assessment of the
suspect.
The most important aspect of the interview would be the preparation.
These types of offenders are aware of who they are and what they are, and
because they are “police buffs” they are very much aware of law enforcement
and investigative techniques. It would be important then for the law enforcement
officers to understand the personality of this type of offender, the cases, the
individual suspect and the paraphilias, or sexual deviant behaviors, that he
engages.
It is important to understand that these types of offenders are masters of
manipulation, are intelligent, articulate, will consent to an interview, and likely will
decline access to a lawyer. They are experts on themselves and their crimes.
The interviewer should know everything possible about the investigations.
The interviewer should have a rank of detective or higher, dress professionally in
a dark suit, white shirt and conservative tie. The interviewer should be of equal
or superior stature, build or condition in order to dominate and control the
interview. The interviewer should be of equal or superior intelligence, be
articulate, formal and professional at all times during the interview. The
interviewer should be confident, calm and relaxed and at no time show personal
feelings or emotion during the interview. The offender would likely view such
feelings as weakness.
Should other cases committed by this offender become known following
the completion of this analysis, we reserve the right to amend our assessment.
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE ANALYSIS
Series of Homicides
Dates of Occurrence: March 13, 1980, through May 5, 1986
Lyman and Charlene Smith - Deceased
Keith and Patrice Harrington - Deceased
Manuela Witthuhn - Deceased
Janelle Cruz - Deceased
The following criminal investigative analysis was prepared by Special
Agent (SA) Leslie D’Ambrosia, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE),
Miami Regional Operations Center, in consultation with, and review by,
Detective Sergeant John Yarbrough, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
(L.A.S.D.), Homicide Bureau.
The analysis was based upon a review of the materials submitted by, and
conversations with, Detective Harold Scott, Ventura Police Department,
Investigator Larry Pool, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and Detective Larry
Montgomery, Irvine Police Department. The conclusions are a result of
knowledge drawn from personal investigative experience, educational
background and research conducted by members of the National Center for the
Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC), FBI Academy, Quantico, Virginia.
The final analysis is based on probabilities. It should be noted that no two
criminal acts or criminal personalities are alike. The offender may not fit the
analysis in every category. This analysis is provided exclusively for your
investigative assistance. It should not be disseminated, except to other criminal
justice agencies with investigative and prosecutorial interest in this matter. The
conclusions are based on information provided and the experience noted. The
analysis is not a substitute for a thorough and well-planned investigation and
should not be considered all-inclusive.
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This analysis is based upon a review of four homicides with a total of six victims:
VICTIM AGE DATE OF OCCURRENCE
1) Lyman Smith, W/M 43 March 13, 1980
Charlene Smith, W/F 33 March 13, 1980
2) Keith Harrington, W/M 24 August 19, 1980
Patrice Harrington, W/F 28 August 19, 1980
3) Manuela Witthuhn, W/F 28 February 6, 1981
4) Janelle Cruz, W/F 18 May 4-5, 1986
All the victims resided in upper-middle to upper class single-story residences. All
the victims were low-risk for becoming victims of violent crime.
VICTIMS
All six victims died as a result of excessive beatings to the head with a
blunt force instrument. The first two victims, the SMITHS, had ligatures tied
around their wrists and ankles. The HARRINGTONS and MANUELA WITTHUHN
had ligature marks on their wrists and ankles. JANELLE CRUZ had a bruise
abrasion on her right wrist and evidence of a soft ligature used on her wrists.
All four female victims were sexually assaulted. Analysis of the semen
revealed that unknown DNA profiles in all four cases were from one donor, and
therefore one individual was responsible for these attacks.
Two of the female victims had circular contusions. One was located on
the shoulder of PATRICE HARRINGTON and the other was located on the
buttocks of MANUELA WITTHUHN. The shoulder injury was described as a
possible bite mark, the other as being consistent with a punch.
SUMMARY:
The offender chose single-family residences in affluent areas with ready
access to the freeway system. The first crime scene was located in close
proximity to a naval facility. The last three crime scenes were located in close
proximity to a marine air wing facility.
There was a distance of approximately 120 miles between the first crime
scene and the other crime scenes. Although there was more than a five-year
time span between the third and fourth homicides, the offender returned to the
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same area to commit his crimes. The distance between the third and fourth
homicides was approximately 1.7 miles.
The first crime scene was located in Ventura County, California. The
remaining crime scenes were located in Orange County, California. No similar
crimes were reported in Los Angeles County, which is located between Ventura
and Orange Counties.
There were approximately 5 months between the first and second
homicides, approximately 5 ½ months between the second and third homicides
and 5 ½ years between the third and fourth homicides.
We believe your offender observed his victims from the exterior of the
residences prior to making entry. There were prowler reports by neighbors and
witnesses. There were unidentified shoe prints on some of the crime scenes.
JANELLE CRUZ’ visitor reported that on the night of her death they had heard
noises outside her bedroom window. Blades of grass in JANELLE CRUZ’ bed
would support the theory that someone was standing outside the residence prior
to entering.
With the exception of MANUELA WITTHUHN, there were no signs of
forced entry to the residences. We believe it is possible that the offender waited
until the victims were asleep in some of the cases, because he was able to gain
entry without alerting the victims. All the victims were attacked in their bedrooms
while in bed.
The offender controlled his victims several ways, but primarily with items
brought with him to each crime scene. The victims were initially controlled with
weapons and then were bound with ligatures. This is evident because there
were no signs of struggle or defense wounds on any of the victims. They did not
resist being bound. There were bruises and scratches noted on some of the
victims in the area of their mouths, buttocks and/or legs. Based on this we
believe your offender struck his victims as he gained their compliance.
The ligatures that were left behind on the first crime scene were tied with
decorative diamond knots around the wrists of LYMAN and CHARLENE SMITH.
The ankle ligatures were tied with square knots, which were different from the
wrist ligatures.
It is also evident that the offender used blunt force instruments found at
the exterior of the crime scenes. In the first crime scene, a fire log previously
located on the side of the house was used. Metal fragments were found in the
injury to PATRICE HARRINGTON’S head, indicating a metal object was used as
a blunt force instrument. KEITH HARRINGTON’S father had been installing a
sprinkler system at the victims’ residence the day of the homicides. The sprinkler
heads were readily accessible from the exterior of the residence. It was reported
4
that a pipe wrench was missing from the exterior of the house by JANELLE
CRUZ’ stepfather.
Evidence reveals that the male victims were likely eliminated prior to the
sexual assault and murder of the female victims. KEITH HARRINGTON was
struck in the head with a blunt instrument. A crime scene assessment indicated
that scratches and chipped wood on the headboard were likely made when
KEITH HARRINGTON was struck in the head. A wood chip was discovered in
the bed sheets between PATRICE HARRINGTON’S legs. The location of the
wood chip would support the theory that KEITH HARRINGTON was struck first.
Because this happened in the HARRINGTON case, it is likely that the offender
struck and killed the male victims first in all the cases.
The offender used a great deal of physical force when he bludgeoned the
female victims. The women suffered crushing blows to their heads resulting from
beatings with blunt force instruments. The amount of force used by the offender
was extreme especially considering that they were bound and compliant and,
therefore, unable to resist their attacker. The behavior of the victims during the
assaults did not cause the offender to increase the amount of force used
because they were not resistant. More force was used than was necessary to kill
the victims.
The female victims were all sexually assaulted and were assaulted in the
same manner. They were all assaulted vaginally and there was no evidence of
oral or anal assault on the victims. The DNA analysis on semen from each crime
scene revealed that the same offender was responsible for all four assaults. This
would indicate that the offender was capable of ejaculation and, therefore, was
not sexually dysfunctional.
The victims were covered with bedclothes so that the offender would not
get blood on himself. We believe this is evidenced in the progression and
adaptation of the offender’s methods in committing the crimes. In the first crime
scene, it is likely that the offender did get blood on himself. The fire log was
covered in blood and there was blood spatter on the scene. This would indicate a
direct contact between the victims and the fire log. The blanket was not pulled
over their heads when they were struck. In the subsequent crime scenes, the
offender covered the victims before striking them in the head. Because he later
uncovered them to remove ligatures, we believe the act of covering was for
“function” as opposed to “fantasy”.
An adaptation of the method of operation was seen in the offender’s
actions between the first crime scene and the remaining crime scenes. As we
indicated, the offender adapted his methods when he covered his victims in the
last three crime scenes. The offender also changed his methods when he took
the ligatures and the blunt force instruments away from those same crime
scenes.
5
In the first homicide, the victim’s personal jewelry was taken; however, the
valuable jewelry she sold as one of her business ventures was in plain view and
left behind. Jewelry was also removed from the third crime scene while other
items of value were left undisturbed.
The offender took the time to or alter the crime scenes. He altered the
crime scenes by removing weapons and ligatures. In doing so, he made them
appear as though burglaries had occurred. Items taken were of no real value
while other items of value were left behind. The offender took the time to disturb
items within the residences that would appear to be consistent with a burglary
having taken place. In the first case, several large cushions from the furniture in
the living room were removed as to indicate the offender had searched for
valuables under the seat cushions. In this scene, several items of value were
easily accessible and were not taken. In the case of MANUELA WITTHUHN, the
offender removed a large television set and left it on the patio. It is unlikely that
the offender intended to carry the television set over the high fence used as a
point of exit at the rear of the residence. This behavior would be consistent with
someone altering the scenes to make it look as though burglaries had occurred.
OFFENDER CHARACTERISTICS:
Based on analysis of similar cases indicating that crimes of this nature are
generally intraracial, and the demographics of the areas of the crime scenes, we
believe that your offender is a white male.
Age is difficult to predict because this analysis is a measure of an
offender’s emotional age as opposed to his chronological age. Factors such as
incarceration or institutionalization can delay the emotional growth of an
individual. We believe that the emotional age of your offender would have
ranged from approximately 26 to 30 years of age at the time of the crimes. This
is based on review of similar cases revealing that this type of offender is the most
mature.
Your offender would be described as intelligent. This was evident in his
ability to plan and carry out the crimes in advance. He was prepared for his
crimes when he arrived at the victims’ residences. He brought a weapon for
control purposes as well as bindings, a cutting instrument, and in one instance a
screwdriver. He had the ability to plan and organize his thoughts in advance. He
also had the intelligence and ability to adapt his method of operation.
We believe your offender likely was in good physical condition. This is
based on the physical strength necessary to cause the serious injuries resulting
from the beating of the victims with blunt force instruments.
6
Since the offender blended into these communities, it is likely that he
dressed well and did not call attention to himself when in these areas.
We believe that your offender was using a vehicle that was in good
condition. He traveled great distances between crime scenes and would need to
have a reliable, well-running vehicle for his endeavors. This type of offender
would spend a great deal of time searching for his victims and would need a
reliable mode of transportation. He would have parked near the areas of the
crime scenes for a long period of time while he assaulted and killed his victims.
Since the areas were described as affluent, the offender likely owned a vehicle
that would not “stand out” when parked near these areas for a period of time.
Because the offender needed a vehicle in good condition that would fit into
the area, it is likely that he had some means of income to afford the travel and a
reliable car. He also failed to take cash and some valuable items at the crime
scenes indicating he likely already had some means of income. This offender
spent a great deal of time searching for and conducting surveillances on his
victims at night and therefore was not employed during the early morning hours.
Typically, the first crime scene in a series of homicides will be the closest
to the comfort zone of your offender. In this series, the first homicides occurred
in Ventura, California, more than 120 miles from the remaining crime scenes.
The offender’s comfort zone would have been in this area, meaning that the
offender either initially resided or worked nearest to this area at the time of the
offense.
It is significant that there was more than a five-year time span between the
third and last homicides that were located only a little over a mile apart in Irvine,
California. We have discussed the offender’s comfort zone being nearest to the
first crime scene in Ventura, California. The killer returned to the same area in
Irvine to kill again more than five years later indicating that he was also
comfortable with this area.
We believe your offender would have a criminal record. As stated, he has
likely committed burglary. Since we believe he “peeped” on his victims, it is
possible that he had been arrested for loitering and prowling or had been
identified through uniform patrol’s field interviews as a result of suspicious
activity. He would likely also have a criminal history for assaultive behavior from
his deep-seeded anger towards women. This could include arrests for
altercations or disturbances with both men and women. The main issue would
have been that the offender was angered by the woman and this would have
triggered the assaultive behavior.
The fact that the killer attacked his victims inside their homes is significant.
The few serial killers that have been known to attack inside the victims’
residences proved to have histories of committing burglaries. In these four
7
cases, the offender also was able to enter in a stealth manner without alerting his
victims. Based on these facts we would surmise that your offender would likely
be an accomplished cat burglar.
Research has provided information on the likely characteristics and traits
of this type of offender. He would likely have been described by those who knew
him as being neat, articulate, intelligent and organized. He also would likely have
been described as rigid, arrogant, domineering and possessing an attitude of
superiority. He would be further described as manipulative, a chronic liar, and
unremorseful. He may have an interest in survivalist groups or racial prejudicial
groups. This type of offender does not suffer from delusions where there is no
sense of reality. He would know the difference between right and wrong.
The offender was very methodical. After the first crime, he took care not
to get blood spatter on himself when striking his victims by covering the bodies.
His behavior was repetitive with respect to his performing the same acts during
each crime. He arrived at the crime scenes prepared with a “kit”. He selected
his victims through peeping. He approached the victims in the same manner.
He bludgeoned all the victims to death and sexually assaulted all the women in
the same manner.
He planned his attacks very carefully, with great attention to detail, and
likely would have rehearsed his attacks, either literally or in his fantasy many
times. Virtually every phase-weapons, transportation, travel routes, instruments
of torture, and bindings-would have been pre-planned, with the exception of the
victim.
It is likely that your offender selected these affluent areas to offend for two
reasons. First, these areas provided a degree of seclusion for him. All the
residences were single-family homes with access to main highways. The
properties were corner lots, had fenced yards or were located on cul-de-sacs,
providing a degree of privacy. Peeping in the windows of these residences
would be a lower risk than peeping in more populated areas such as apartment
complexes or military housing. Secondly, this type of offender typically has a
grandiose sense of self-importance and believes that he is “special” and unique
and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or higher
status people. Because of this arrogant attitude, we believe your offender
selected these affluent areas because he felt his victims were “worthy” of him.
This offender searched for his victims, spending a great deal of time and
covering numerous miles. This type of offender most often attacks strangers
because he does not want any ties between the victim and himself. We believe
the offender selected these communities to find a victim and then through
peeping would select a specific victim. In the case of the HARRINGTONS, DNA
analysis revealed that the victims had engaged in sexual intercourse prior to their
death. JANELLE CRUZ was entertaining a male friend in her bedroom when
8
they heard noises outside her bedroom window. We conclude that he observed
the victims by peeping and reaffirmed his belief that the women were “whores”
based on the behavior he observed.
This type of offender will formulate a plan to gain access to his victim. In
this series, the offender selected his victims, observed them and then gained
entry. Offenders with this sexual proclivity have been known to overpower a
victim with a weapon and immediately instill fear. In all but one case, the
offender likely gained entry via an unlocked door. He did, however, have the
tools to force entry if needed. In the third case in this series the offender used a
screwdriver to pry open a sliding glass door.
He likely prepared his equipment, or a “kit”, including whatever is needed
to gain access to his victim. In these cases, your offender brought ligatures, a
cutting instrument, a control weapon and a burglary tool to the crime scenes.
This type of offender used a method of killing that reflected his desire for
complete mastery and control over his victims. In those scenes where two
victims were killed, the offender was not discouraged by the fact that two people
were present. In fact, it is more likely that the offender was gratified with his
ability to have complete mastery over two people. Since this offender enjoyed
the infliction of pain, whether physical or psychological, the elimination of the
targeted victims’ spouses served two purposes: one, the increased pleasure of
controlling more than one person; and two, to have complete mastery over the
targeted victims through the fear and pain inflicted by the killing of their spouses.
This would cause the female victims to suffer enormously while being restrained
and unable to defend themselves. All this was at the core of the offender’s
desires and was reflected in his methods of killing.
Your offender made the conscious decision to bludgeon his victims to
death rather than to use some other simpler form of murder. This is apparent
because he brought blunt force instruments into the victims’ homes. It is likely
that he chose this violent form of death due to his enormous hate for the female
victims. In doing so, they would suffer greatly. To kill them easily or quickly
would not have been satisfying for him.
This offender was angry with women and used sex and physical force as
weapons to punish and degrade them. He exhibited extreme anger and rage
toward his female victims when he bludgeoned them to death. This behavior
revealed his intense rage for the female victims and what they represented. He
used excessive levels of force as the result of his rage, which was exhibited in
the form of frenzied attacks on his victims. It is possible that in the mind of the
killer these victims were a symbolic representation of a conflict involving a
female. He blamed these women for his problems and believed he was superior
to all women. He was getting even with women for their real or imagined wrongs.
The victims were bound when they were killed and, therefore, were not able to
9
resist their attacker. The amount of force used by the offender was extreme
especially considering that they were bound and compliant.
Although the two male victims were also struck in the head with blunt force
instruments, we do not believe the offender was exhibiting his rage towards them
as he did the female victims. We believe he eliminated the men to concentrate
on the intended female victims. We believe the offender intellectualized the
killings of the male victims. He logistically removed them as potential threats.
He also likely intellectualized that the male victims got what they deserved
because of their association with these women that he viewed as being low class
and promiscuous.
Because the offender did prepare for his crimes in advance by bringing
items with him, it is extremely significant that the blunt force instruments came
from the exterior of the victims’ residences. In our analysis, we assume he had a
weapon when he arrived on the crime scenes because he was able to control
two people alone while inside the residences. We believe that the offender did
not use the weapon he brought with him because the weapon, likely a firearm,
could be linked to him. He then likely planned to utilize a weapon from the crime
scene. In using a log, pipe and possible a sprinkler head, he would not be
connected to the murder weapon. This reveals that the subject was very
evidence conscious. He further revealed his sophistication by removing the
weapons from the crime scenes. Because your subject is so evidence
conscious, we believe that the offender disposed of the weapons soon after the
crime and was not saving the items as trophies.
We would opine that your offender might have studied methods of killing
without leaving evidence. His planning murders and planning not to use a
weapon connected to him, as well as removing evidence from the scenes,
indicates he was knowledgeable and very sophisticated in this area. His
knowledge could have been gained through experience or perhaps even military
training.
It cannot be ruled out that your offender was employed by the military at
the time of the crimes. It was reported that a naval station and a marine base
were in close proximity to the crime scenes. In addition, the decorative knot tied
on the ligatures of the first two victims was described as having a nautical or
sailing application that can be used in the military service.
We believe that in order to justify the killing of these women, the offender
needed to convince himself that these women were “whores”. First, the behavior
he witnessed while prowling and peeping convinced him that the women were
promiscuous. Secondly, when the subject engaged in sexual intercourse with
the women this reaffirmed his belief that the women were promiscuous.
10
The offender was enraged by his perception of the women’s behavior and
his anger was the direct motivation for killing these women. The sexual assaults
were not the primary motivation for the attacks. The sex occurred as a method of
the offender justifying in his mind that the women were “whores”. Because of this
rage, he made a conscious decision that they should die.
Fantasy is a component of this offender’s methodology. This offender has
mentally rehearsed what he would like to do. There typically are masturbation
fantasies in which he thinks about what he would like to do if he had the
opportunity. He then actually made the choice to move from fantasy to action
and made a plan to do it. When the offender committed his crime, he enacted
his sexual fantasy. He was carrying out an action that had been previously
imagined.
Items belonging to the victims are taken to provide a means for the
offender to relive his crimes. In the first homicide, the victim’s personal jewelry
was taken; however, the valuable jewelry she sold as one of her business
ventures was in plain view and left behind. Jewelry was also removed from the
third crime scene while other items of value were left undisturbed. The offender
typically fantasizes about the crimes he has committed and receives gratification
from these fantasies.
We believe that the knots tied on the ligatures had significance to your
offender. In the first case, the two victims’ ligatures were tied with decorative
diamond knots around the wrists; however, the ankle ligatures were tied with a
square knot. We believe the diamond knot was significant to your offender. He
likely had fantasized about his crimes prior to committing them and had imagined
the use of bondage and the tying of ligatures with this decorative knot.
Your offender likely engaged in a number of sexually deviant behaviors.
Research on sexual behavior has shown that when an individual engages in one
sexually deviant behavior, it is likely that they will engage in a number of other
sexually deviant behaviors. In these cases, the offender engaged in voyeurism
when he peeped into the windows of the victims, he engaged in sexual bondage
by use of ligatures and he received sexual gratification from the infliction of pain
on his victims. These behaviors involved an intense sexual desire to perform a
certain act, which provided sexual gratification. Sexually deviant behaviors
involve human or non-human objects and do include child sexual abuse.
Because this offender needs domination, control and manipulation for
sexual arousal, we would expect to see a history of assaultive or abusive
behavior towards partners. This would result from the offender’s aggression
toward his partner because this type of person will often use brutal force. If he
was not arrested for incidents related to this behavior, an investigation into his
relationships would likely indicate this type of abuse. Your offender when in a
relationship, would be able to come and go as he pleased, being the dominant
11
and aggressive member of the relationship. Your offender, however, would not
have likely maintained lengthy relationships with women. Based on his deeprooted
hostility towards women, your offender was, in all probability, not married
at the time of the crimes.
His sexual history would have included binding his partner during sexual
intercourse. The binding of his sexual partner is a method of domination and
control. This type of offender is sexually aroused when he is able to completely
dominate and control. His sexual relationships will reflect this desire.
Physical evidence revealed that your offender was sexually functional.
The offender was able to ejaculate during the commission of each sexual assault
and therefore was not sexually dysfunctional. As is the case with offenders who
are dysfunctional, he was not likely burdened by anxiety and was not unsure of
himself. On the contrary, this offender was likely arrogant and confident in his
abilities. The sexual assault occurred to demonstrate that the women were
“whores”. The sexual interaction was about how the offender viewed the women.
Having intercourse with them reaffirmed his belief that they were promiscuous.
Since the sexual activity was not about how the offender viewed himself, his
performance or masculinity, he would then not have a problem with sexual
function.
It is significant that the offender was sexually functional. Research and
comparison of similar cases reveal that most offenders exhibit some form of
sexual dysfunction. This offender is among a small group of offenders that are
sexually functional. This is significant because, in attempting to link similar
cases, it would be unlikely that this offender would have committed crimes in
which the offender was sexually dysfunctional and did not ejaculate.
There is documentation through the assessment of similar cases and
research that this type of offender will attack strangers while having a compliant
victim at home. Their appetite for sadistic sex would be described as insatiable.
Women who have had sexual relationships with this type of offender reported
that anal intercourse eventually became the regular routine and vaginal
intercourse ceased. In addition, women involved with these offenders have
reported being strangled to the point of unconsciousness during sexual acts.
This type of offender seeks sex with compliant victims to include prostitutes.
We believe it was likely that your offender likely engaged in sex with
prostitutes. He would have engaged in the same type of sexual acts with the
prostitutes as he did with his victims. The insatiable appetite for sexual bondage,
mastery and control would all be central themes to the sex acts performed. The
analysis of behavior of similar offenders indicates that these type of offenders
have reportedly engaged in sex with prostitutes but have not killed them because
they differed in status from the type of women they victimized. It is likely that
they are not harmed because of their different status and also because the
12
offender does not have a need to punish them since they did not represent their
victims.
We believe your offender followed media accounts of the crimes he
committed. Because the first victims were prominent in the community, there
was a vast amount of media attention. It is likely that your offender followed the
media accounts of the murders and adapted his methods according to what was
disclosed to the public. It was disclosed that the victims had been bound and
struck with a log. Subsequent to this, the offender removed the ligatures and
blunt force instruments from the scenes.
We believe your offender altered the crime scenes in attempt to disguise
his motivation for these crimes and, in doing so, attempted to manipulate law
enforcement so as not to link the crimes together. The offender was motivated
by extreme anger, but altered the crime scenes to appear as though burglaries
had occurred. As stated previously, items were moved and/or taken to give the
appearance that burglaries had occurred. We believe the offender attempted to
mislead authorities into investigating “just another burglary” that ended with the
death of the victims. In the first case in which LYMAN and CHARLENE SMITH
were killed, the crime was relayed in detail to the public through the media who
had access to a large amount of evidentiary information. If subsequent murders
revealed the same circumstances, the possibility existed that because of the
enormous amount of media on the SMITH case, an investigator on a subsequent
crime scene in another area might remember the SMITH case and associate the
crimes together. We believe the offender disguised his motivation for the crimes
because he did not want the murders linked together. Manipulating law
enforcement into investigating the crimes separately would decrease the total
information collected and therefore would decrease the likelihood of the cases
being solved.
This is the most likely of all offenders to record his crimes. This can be
done in many forms such as photographs, audio recordings, sketches, writings or
newspaper clippings. In the first homicide of LYMAN and CHARLENE SMITH,
newspaper accounts listed many details of the crime and the investigation. We
believe the offender read the newspaper articles because he altered his behavior
following their publication. We believe therefore the offender likely saved the
newspaper articles concerning the homicides. The recording of these events is
so that the offender, again, can fantasize and relive his crimes. Such fantasy
provides sexual gratification for the offender.
INVESTIGATIVE SUGGESTIONS:
We suggest that additional investigation might be made into the decorative
knot tied by the offender on the wrists of the first victims, LYMAN and
CHARLENE SMITH. The knot was described by an expert as a decorative
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diamond knot with sailing applications or interior design applications. Further
information may be obtained by consulting with Navy personnel. Specific knots
have specific nautical uses. It may be possible to identify the type of use this
knot would have in the Navy and therefore identify the occupation or type of
individual who would have a practical use for this knot in his profession.
It is significant that five years and three months passed between the third
and fourth homicides which occurred approximately 1.7 miles apart. Your
offender ceased committing these crimes but returned many years later to the
same area. If the offender was incarcerated, institutionalized or moved from the
area for a period of time, he later returned to the same city and community where
he last killed. This would be a significant area for him and may be considered a
comfort zone. Your offender likely had ties to this area either through
employment or residence. If not already done, investigation may uncover
individuals who were transferred and returned to this area during this time frame
as well as individuals released from incarceration during the same time
parameters.
These crime scenes present a significant set of facts concerning the type
of area, location of the scenes and the extensive travel accomplished by the
offender. The offender killed in a distance that spanned more than 120 miles
across the West Coast of California. The crime scenes were all in close
proximity to the freeway system and were all in affluent communities. The
offender killed in two different counties in California and traveled a great distance
between the two counties omitting the county between the scenes. In doing so,
the offender chose not to kill in Los Angeles County, which offered numerous
potential victims residing in affluent communities. Also, we have noted that the
offender appeared to potentially have two different comfort zones. Because of
this set of facts, we believe that it would be beneficial to retain the services of
Kim Rossmo, Vancouver Police Department, British Colombia, Canada, an
expert in Geographic Profiling. Geographic Profiling could provide investigators
with more specific information concerning the locations that the offender
frequented, resided and worked.
Your offender spent a great deal of time preparing and searching for a
victim. The investigation reveals that the offender likely watched his victims
through their windows prior to gaining entry. We would expect that your offender
did spend a lot of time peeping in windows of others who did not become victims
of homicide. Your offender used a diamond knot on the wrists of his victims.
Sexual bondage was very significant and important to the offender’s sexual
arousal. The use of bondage and voyeurism are considered paraphilic
behaviors. Such behaviors are intense sexual deviant behaviors that offer the
individual sexual gratification. These behaviors are often “clustered”, meaning
that an offender will often engage in a number of sexual deviant behaviors, or
paraphilias. In addition, the behaviors do not subside just because the offender
may have escalated to homicide. Because they are “intense” sexual desires, the
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offender will continue to engage in such activity for sexual gratification. These
behaviors will remain constant. Records may be reviewed pertaining to reports
of peeping in these areas and similar communities. Reports of domestic
complaints involving sexual bondage and aggression can be reviewed for
suspect development.
Individual queries of separate state and federal DNA databases may be
considered. It is unlikely that your offender ceased this type of behavior. If he is
still living, we would expect him to commit similar crimes. The likelihood does
exist that he has moved from the area and therefore it would be important to
inquire on a broad spectrum. Inquiring separately with each system that exists
would ensure the thoroughness and quality of the comparison.
Since a possibility does exist that this offender was employed by the
military service, it may be fruitful to search incident reports, domestic complaints
with bondage and the DNA databases available through the military.
At the time of occurrence for each homicide, teletypes were issued by the
law enforcement agencies requesting information on these crimes or similar
crimes in other jurisdictions. Since that time, teletypes have been reissued,
searches of the California databases have been conducted and continuous
searches of the offender’s DNA against new entries into the California DNA
database system are ongoing. In addition, information concerning all four cases
was submitted to the FBI’s VICAP system in an effort to link them to any
homicide with similar characteristics nationwide. To date there are no known
repetitions of these crimes.
In assessing this information the possibility exists that the offender either
is in jail or has been institutionalized for a long period of time. The latter is not
very likely since this offender was intelligent, methodical and would not suffer
from a delusional type of disorder if he suffered from mental illness. There is
also the possibility that the offender moved out of the country and resides in an
area where the crimes would not be documented for linkage purposes. And
finally, in attempting to assess where the offender may currently be located, the
offender could possibly have died by either suicide or homicide. It is not
uncommon for some individuals with the offender’s characteristics to take their
own lives. More important, however, were the behavioral characteristics
indicating his rage for the female victims. We have discussed his anger for real
or perceived wrongs committed by a female or females and his need to inflict
severe emotional and physical pain on women. His rage was so intense that he
could justify why the men in two cases “deserved” to be killed by associating with
these women.
The rage and anger would be more significant factors in determining this
offender’s demise as opposed to some of the other personality characteristics.
Because of his deep-seeded hate towards women, the possibility exists that the
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offender could have been involved in a violent confrontation with a woman, or
because of a woman, resulting in his death. It is also possible if the offender
were deceased that he could have been killed in an attempt to commit a similar
crime. If he were killed as a result of his entering a residence at night, the
behavior seen in the four crimes assessed would not be present and, therefore
the crimes would not have been linked through conventional means. We would
suggest a search of investigations involving violent disturbances or burglaries
resulting in the death of a male offender.
INTERVIEW STRATEGIES:
Should a viable suspect be developed in this investigation it is our
recommendation that a consultation be scheduled with a Criminal Investigative
Analyst (Profiler) regarding specific strategies for a specific individual.
Assistance can be provided with an Indirect Personality Assessment of the
suspect.
The most important aspect of the interview would be the preparation.
These types of offenders are aware of who they are and what they are, and
because they are “police buffs” they are very much aware of law enforcement
and investigative techniques. It would be important then for the law enforcement
officers to understand the personality of this type of offender, the cases, the
individual suspect and the paraphilias, or sexual deviant behaviors, that he
engages.
It is important to understand that these types of offenders are masters of
manipulation, are intelligent, articulate, will consent to an interview, and likely will
decline access to a lawyer. They are experts on themselves and their crimes.
The interviewer should know everything possible about the investigations.
The interviewer should have a rank of detective or higher, dress professionally in
a dark suit, white shirt and conservative tie. The interviewer should be of equal
or superior stature, build or condition in order to dominate and control the
interview. The interviewer should be of equal or superior intelligence, be
articulate, formal and professional at all times during the interview. The
interviewer should be confident, calm and relaxed and at no time show personal
feelings or emotion during the interview. The offender would likely view such
feelings as weakness.
Should other cases committed by this offender become known following
the completion of this analysis, we reserve the right to amend our assessment.
