Probing the Mind of a Serial Killer

by

Jack A. Apsche

Foreword by

A. Charles Peruto, Jr.

Published by Jack A Apsche

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to Robert K. Ressler. We would still be standing near, and “looking into the abyss” without his pioneering effort. Thank you Mr. Ressler.

THANKS STUFF

It seems appropriate to thank those people who, in a variety of ways, allowed this book to be completed. So, thank you, one and all.

Included among these “thank you’s” are my daughter, Melissa, who thinks that “it’s cool,” and my son, Joey, who just wanted to see it done.

An especially big thanks goes to my wife, Joanne, who had to live through all the phases of this work, and the writing of the book — and she’s still married to me! Thank you, I love you.

Finally, thanks to Richard Bradley. Without his belief in this project, and because of his guidelines, we were able to complete it. You were right, “there was a book in there somewhere.” I hope I found it.

Finally, it is my hope that this book contributes to continued research and understanding into the phenomena of serial killers. As such, I thank you, the reader of this book.

Table of Contents

FOREWORD

PREFACE

SOME HISTORICAL & LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

THE DIAGNOSTIC CATEGORY OF SERIAL KILLER

CHARACTERISTICS OF A SERIAL KILLER

FANTASY: THE BEGINNING

THE BEGINNINGS IN HEIDNIK’S WORDS

KIDNAPPING & RAPE: A WARNING

THE FANTASY IS THE MOTIVE

VICTIM SELECTION

THE MANIPULATOR

SUICIDE AND CONTROL

INTIMACY, BONDING AND CONTROL

A FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE BEHAVIOR

EPILOGUE

APPENDIXES 1

APPENDIXES 2

APPENDIXES 3

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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THE AUTHOR:

Jack Apsche holds a doctorate in Psychological Studies from Temple University in Philadelphia. He is currently pursuing an advanced degree in Criminal Justice. Dr. Apsche is a researcher, author, lecturer, and consultant His curiosity in human behavior extends well beyond serial killers, from the everyday problems of everyday people, to the particular problems of Viet Nam veterans, the behavior of organized crime and law enforcement, and the rise of the German neo-Nazi movement His research centers on the quest to uncover the reasons for the behavior differences between the ‘saints,” the “sinners,” and the rest of us.

Dr. Apsche lives with his wife and family in Levittown, PA.

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Forward

You may wonder why an attorney is writing a foreword for a psychology text, but the sanity or insanity of serial murderers is an important legal issue. In fact, whether or not a person is insane is not a mental health issue at all, it is a legal judgment. Acknowledged mentally ill individuals, even those who have committed unimaginable serial or ritualistic murders, are not necessarily insane under the law.

Think about it. When you hear about a serial killing, and see and hear just part of the actual details of these events from the all pervasive TV network news, your first reaction is that the killer is insane. You’d have to be “crazy” to even think of the things that were done! But, those killings are frightening, horrifying and, at the same time, somewhat compelling. The media knows this and plays to all these feelings.

How could anyone in their right mind do such terrifying things to another human being? It’s hard to understand the motive. For mental health professionals, law enforcement, judges, attorneys, and juries understanding the motive is a problem. This lack of understanding allows severely mentally ill individuals to slip in and out of mental health care for years — even decades, until it is too late and the killing begins. It makes apprehension of these individuals by law enforcement difficult, because the motive is missing — at least to the “normal” individual. And once brought into court, judges, juries and attorneys, still not understanding, but knowing the killer must be crazy become entangled in a legal definition over 150 years old!

Part of the problem is the shock at the grotesque details of the actions and the need for society to rid itself of this particular menace. The serial killer, as you will see, is generally extremely intelligent and appears to behave, and answer questions rationally. In fact, most are always helpful and have learned to tell you what you most want to hear. But the world that exists only in their head almost never appears.

Popular culture, books, movies and TV shows portray the serial killer in his external image only. The character never appears crazy but pursues the relentless killing path in a logical rational manner. There’s no wild-eyed madman as is often portrayed by actors like Jack Nicholson but a calm, reasoning killer trying to outsmart the system. This is also what happens in real life. But as Dr. Apsche points out in this book, the serial killer lives an internal fantasy world that cannot be seen or understood by those who see him. Juries are then easily manipulated to change their gut feel of insane to sane when confronted by the archaic definition, and the authority of a judge.

This book begins the discovery of the inner world of the serial killer. It shows these individuals to have had mental problems that were being treated for years. It shows how the intelligence of these individuals get them released from institutions over and over again. Released until their fantasies take complete control and are acted out. And once successfully acted out, these powerful fantasies and the feelings of control become stronger and stronger leading to further killings.

To understand this in the detail presented by Jack Apsche, often using the words of an actual serial killer can help society better than all the death penalties and life-in-prison sentences ever can. Knowing what to look for, how to find and understand the fantasy motive, can help law enforcement personnel find these people quicker. Our legal system, juries, attorneys and judges, can then interpret the law in a manner to help society by placing these insane killers in a secure place where they can be studied and helped. They can’t be cured, but they can help us understand the disease and help prevent future crimes from being committed.

Perhaps most importantly is the acknowledgment by mental health professionals —psychiatrists and psychologists — that the serial killer is an unrecognized mental health illness. As Dr. Apsche points out these individuals exhibit many of the more traditional and recognized forms of mental illness, but the whole is more than the sum. As the research continues on from the beginnings presented in this book, the serial/ritualistic killer category will become better defined, understood and accepted. Then these people can be reached, confined and treated when they first are admitted for mental health care, not waiting for the victims to be found years later. This book cannot bring back the victims, or console their families and friend. Neither can it prevent these crimes from taking place in the future — at least not by itself. But Dr. Apsche’s work offers the first insight and plan for further work that will begin to control the centuries’ old horrifying crime — the serial killing.

A. Charles Peruto, Jr.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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PREFACE

John 3:20: For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works night not be exposed.

—one of Gary Heidnik’s favorite Bible passages.

Although so called serial or ritualistic murders have probably been around since there was enough human beings to form even the most primitive society, it seems that in the last several decades that the incidents of these horrific crimes has been increasing. In fact, there may have been no significant increase in this type of crime at all [on a per capita basis]. Although impossible to prove, much of the seeming increase, may be nothing more than an increase in awareness of the crimes. Awareness traced to coverage by modem media.

Modem media — television, newspapers, news magazines, and radio — now reports these sorts of crimes almost immediately after they have been discovered. Not only are the reports instantaneous and available to more people now then they ever have been, but they are reported with a graphic detail that brings home the horror of the crime to all who hear or see the news. In addition, advances in psychology, forensic science, and crime detection have identified such crimes for what they are, rather than strange unsolved murders which have filled police files in the past.

The purpose of this book is to present a view into the mind of the serial killer, by closely examining one serial killer in particular, Gary M. Heidnik of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The book simultaneously examines the insanity plea within the current American legal system. Although this latter is not truly within the realm of psychology, it is impossible to discuss this subject without examining that issue. Perhaps the most important objective of this book is to present new and emerging criteria for insanity; criteria that are not covered under the diagnostic and statistical Manual III-R of the American Psychiatric Association. This new diagnostic criteria should be simply called SERIAL MURDERER.

In support of that diagnostic category the book presents information obtained in the form of data gathered from research and numerous articles in the field. More importantly, specific experimental data supplied by thousands of hours of primary research and interviews with the subject, Gary M. Heidnik. It can be demonstrated, through the sound evidence obtained in the Heidnik research, that the insanity plea as applied today, does not apply to the ritualistic or serial killer. In addition, these data will allow us to gain valuable insight into the psychological profile of the serial killer. It is hoped that this profile, and its future refinements and extensions, will help to identify such individuals early enough to prevent these shocking crimes. This book is the result of years of pre- and post-trial research and discovery. What I found in the literature is offered as an eclectic review of current thinking on serial killers. Also presented is the evidence to support the work given in the words of Gary Michael Heidnik, from interviews and personal correspondence. All letters, transcripts, etc., reproduced on this volume are done so with the spelling, grammar, and syntax of the original preserved.

My wish is that the book is useful to professionals, as well as the general public. It is time that we all learn what is fact and what is fiction. It is time to separate the truth from myth, and Gary Heidnik from Hannibal Lector.

Finally, I hope that Probing the Mind of a Serial Killer moves us a step closer to answers to the questions we all ask about serial killers.

Jack A. Apsche

Levittown, Pennsylvania

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CHAPTER 1

SOME HISTORICAL AND LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

REGARDING THE SERIAL KILLER

In the United States today the question of defining insanity has become more of a legal issue than a psychiatric, psychological or mental health question. The forensic psychologist or psychiatrist, armed with modem techniques and a new understanding of the human mind based on decades of research, must still adapt to a 19th Century set of guidelines, the M’Naghten rule.

The M’Naghten rule is based on a 1843 English law case of a Scotsman named Daniel M. M’Naghten. The rules of insanity established in that case are the same rules observed in one half of the states in America today almost 150 years later. It is as if the legal system does not acknowledge any advancement in Psychology or Psychiatry since that time. In simple terms, the M’Naghten rule asks if the defendant understood the nature and quality of the act on which he is being tried. It also asks if (s)he knew the difference between right and wrong with respect to that act.

Another legal definition of insanity is given by the American Law Institute (ALI). The American Law Institute’s test of criminal responsibility was adopted by the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in the Brauner case. It provides:

A person is not responsible for criminal conduct if at the time of such conduct, as a result of mental disease or defect, he lacks substantial capacity to appreciate the criminality (wrongfulness) of his conduct to the requirement of the law.

Although this ALI guideline of insanity is far more broad, it remains, at its base, a M’Naghten definition of insanity.

There have been major gains through scientific research in the collective fields of mental health since the 1800’s. Yet the profession must submit to a out-of-date legalistic and often confining definition of insanity when such matters come before a judicial system in the United States. Significantly, these definitions do not apply to some of the most heinous crimes that we face in America today. These are the crimes which capture newspaper headlines and make sensational movies, but seldom if ever do the stories portrayed go beyond the sensationalism to seriously examine the individuals, and the pathology of these individuals.

Often in court cases where insanity is the defense, the prosecution, as well as the defense attorneys, retain a psychiatrist to examine the defendant and give their perspective points of view. In most cases, the retained professionals adopt the point of view of those who retain them.

At the very least, legal professionals have been able to identify those psychiatrists whose views match either a prosecution or defense posture. Quick results may be good law, but is often less than perfect psychiatry or psychology. The problem being is that what is received are several well-educated and often renown but differing opinions of the sanity of the defendant.

Based on different sets of information, and on examinations based on different sets of rules, it is not hard to understand these diversion opinions. Such examinations do not (and neither are they intended) lead to a better understanding of what causes the creation of such a state of mind. It is important, particularly in the case of the ritualistic serial killer, that one looks at the entire history of the individual and thoroughly researches any serial killers also then in captivity. If this examination is done carefully, in a longitudinal manner, there are patterns that emerge relative to this personality as a class.

Before enumerating the characteristics of serial killers, an important point of reference is to review the current categorizations of mass murders, and a brief history of serial killers. Mass murderers have been categorized by many in the past. Mass murderers were compartmentalized into four major groups by Park Dietz, a forensic psychiatrist. Serial murderers, a subcategory of these mass murderers also has its own categorization system. This was also developed by Park Dietz. The serial murder categories were further defined by Richard Rappaport, another forensic psychiatrist.

The categories of mass murderers are as follows:

Pseudo-commandos

Family Annihilators

Set and Run Killers

Serial Murderers

For the purpose of this study, only the final category of Serial Murderers will be examined. The five categories of serial killer delineated by Doctors Dietz and Rappaport are the following:

Crime Spree Killers

Functionaries of Organized Criminal Operations

Custodial Poisoners and Asphyxiators

Psychotic

Sexual Saddest.

The Crime Spree Killers are exactly what the term signifies. They are individuals or partners who murder while involved in the commission of other felonies such as bank robberies, illegal drugs, and burglaries.

Functionaries of Organized Criminal Operations usually refers to those who commit murder for profit and/or business motives. These murderers are often associated with the so-called mafia and other contract murderers. Today, many are a part of international drug cartels.

Custodial Poisoners and Asphyxiators are often members of the medical profession. These individuals may murder their patients for financial reasons, or to relieve themselves of the duty of caring for “dependent, debilitated, demanding and helpless patients.”

The Psychotic category describes a group of individuals known for irrational thinking that often leads to dangerous behaviors. They are often reacting to commands to kill from voices of others within their own head. Many psychotics have religious conflicts and they act on commands from God or the Devil.

The group of killers known as Sexual Saddest are marked by the characteristic violation and torture of their victims prior to the actual murder. These killers are often identified as white males in their 20’s and 30’s. They are usually also intelligent, successful, and often have no prior criminal record.

The research which forms the basis of this study clearly shows that the psychotic and the sexual saddest behavior interact in the Serial Murderer providing the basis of a new profile. This profile is more than simply the combination of the psychotic and sexual sadist categories. It should be noted that the categories of psychotic and sexual saddest may represent sound criteria for an individual serial murderer. Research conducted on Gary Heidnik (and to a lesser extent with another convicted serial killer, Harrison Graham) and others, suggests that a bridge of both categories may exist in the serial killer.

Along with such categorization schemes, it is equally important to have a sense of historical prospective regarding the serial killers. Elliott Leyton in his book Hunting Humans provides an excellent overview of the history of serial murder. Although this book is predominantly a socioanthropological view of the problem it is an excellent source for obtaining this historical perspective.

Included in this book by some of the more infamous, but perhaps not so well-known serial killers of the past. These in dude:

Sawney Beam, the 15th Century Scot who murdered to steal the possessions of passers by and also cannibalized the bodies of his victims.

Madam de Brinvilliers, 17th Century French women who murdered family members in order to inherit their wealth.

Catherine Montvoisin, another 17th Century French women who arranged for the elimination of hundreds of infants in return for payment.

Baron Gilles de Rais from France. Who may be considered the true “father” of modern serial murderers.

The Baron was born into a family who possessed a great fortune, in the year 1404. He possibly murdered at least 800 children during an 8-year span. The magnitude and hideousness of his crimes was in complete opposition to his apparent character.

As his biographer Leonard Wolf wrote, “as the children were dying, Gilles the artist of terror, the skilled Latinist who read St. Augustine; Gillies devoted companion of Jeanne d’Arc, squatted on the bellies of the children studying their anguished faces breathing their dying sighs.” It was known that the Baron sodomized the victims before and after the murders.

Gilles acted out his internal fantasies of power and control. In his case, although he had a great deal of power and control in life, he needed more. He needed the actual power of life and death. He played out his internal fantasy. He played God. Baron Gilles wanted all authority, and even chastised the lowly estate of those who were acting as his judges. He only capitulated following threats of torture and excommunication. As we will see, he possessed many of the traits of the serial killers of modern America. One needs to have only talked to Gary Heidnik, or to have read some of his letters to see the remarkable similarities.

From 1970 continuing even today, there were more individual serial murders reported then in all the previous American history combined. It is becoming a rapidly increasing problem in America. The following, though admittedly incomplete, is a list of known serial murderers in modern day America.

1920’s: Earl Nelson; Coral Program

1930’s: Albert Fish

1940’s: Jarvous Catoe, Howard Unruh, William Heirens

1950’s: Charles Sharkucathes

1960’s: Melven Reeves, Albert De Salvo, Michael Lee Herrington, Larry Cord Murders of Cincinnati (unsolved), Richard Spec, Dr. Ronald E. Clark, Antone Costa, James Brudas, Charles Witman

1970’s: William Pierre, Edmond J. Cody, Benjamin Franklin Mills, Charles Schmid, Jr., Girard John Schaefer, Herbert Mullin, Edmond Eneil Kemper, Bruce Henderson Shreeves, Dean Corll, Elmer Wayne Henly, Julian Kennedy, Larry C. Green, Joseph Calanger, “Zodiac Killers”, Thomas E. Creech, Vaugh Greenwood, Dr. Mario E. Jascalevich, Patrick Kearny, Ennis Biarehi, Angelo Buno, Tr., Gary Jean Tison, Joseph Fischiz, John Gacy, Theodore Bundy, Gerald Eugene Staro, Juan Carina, David Berkowitz, Paul Knoules, Mark Essex, Vaugh Greenwood, Harvy Carignan, Edward Allavay.

1980 to 1984: Henry Lee Lucas, James Huberty, Author Bishof, Randal Woodfield, Gerald Starro, “The Green River Killer”, Alton Coleman, Christopher Wilder, Robert Hanse, Michael Silka, Louis Hastings, Charles Meach, Robert Diez, Wayne Williams, “Trailside Slayings”, Douglas Daniel Clark, Coral Eugene Watts, Randy Steve Kraft, Frederick Tyman Hodge, Larry Egler, William Benin, Joseph Christopher, Donald Miller, Steve Morin, Michael Ross, Michael Lewis Norris, Lawrence S. Bildtiber, “The Hitchhiker Slayings”, Carlton Gary, “The Skid Row Slasher”, “The Midtown Slasher”, Coral Eugene Roberts, “The Atlanta-Georgia Thimon Murders”, “The Houston-Texas Sunday Morning Slashings”, David Bullock, Dale Robert Henderson, Joseph John Siellrin, William Benvior, Benard Durton Hunerick, Christine Falling, Henry Lee Lucas, Otto Tool, Henry Brison, Richard Begerwald, Charles Hatcher, Douglas David Clark, Jeanine Jones, Geraldo Gallego, Debra Sue Tuggle, Joseph Paul Franklin, Robert Harson, Caulen Perry, Christopher Wilden, Robert R. Druz, Richard Rinarien.

(Source: Joel Norris, Elliot Leyton, Ann Rule)

Obviously, the problem with serial murders in America is one in which the mental health profession must study, regardless of whether there was an actual increase over the centuries or not. The mere fact of the increasing number [there is no sound procedure for estimating the number of serial murderers at large in America today] of known serial murderers in the United States necessitates the development of more research and a diagnostic process must be completed if only for the public protection.

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CHAPTER 2

THE DIAGNOSTIC CATEGORY OF SERIAL KELLER

CHARACTERISTICS OF A SERIAL KILLER

In June, 1988, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during The Commonwealth of Philadelphia v Gary M Heidnik trial, there was an opportunity to conduct thousands of hours of research in preparation for the trial. The research entailed a careful long-term interviewing process of Heidnik, as well as a comprehensive data and a review of the relevant scientific journals.

It was during the preparation of these data and after careful review and study that the patterns of a serial killer began to emerge. Specifically, it was apparent that Gary M. Heidnik posed these categories at various levels. It was also obvious, that evaluating Heidnik’s sanity using The M’Naghten test had little to do with whether in fact, Heidnik was or was not insane. In evaluating a ritualistic serial killer with a compulsive personality a well trained psychologist or psychiatrist can find enough information to show that the individual was aware of the quality in nature of the act they were committing. This is because the rituals and compulsions of these individuals appear to indicate logical thinking. These same professionals can then render an opinion that the individual was or was not insane. Often this opinion, as in the case of Gary Heidnik, is merely one more medical opinion of an individual that was seen by over 150 psychiatrists or psychologists during a 26 year period.

The compulsive ritual of a serial murderer has been rehearsed to perfection, with an overactive fantasy life, sometimes for decades. These rituals are rehearsed and improved further with each kidnapping or murder. A level of logical thinking and awareness is an inevitable conclusion.

After careful review of all the records, medical, legal, these data reveal that Gary M. Heidnik is insane, the jury’s verdict not withstanding. That conclusion is based on factual evidence drawn from information that shows a 26 year period of mental illness and instability. Research by others has shown that someone who is apparently insane at the time of the commission of crime, probably had a similar history of insanity in the past. This is also the case with the serial murderers or ritualistic killers. There are numerous predictors which can be observed and attended to by professionals and lay people as well. The characteristics that serial or ritualistic murderers have in common become particularly clear when one studies the files of many of these killers. These observations show that some or all of the characteristics are present in these individuals.

One characteristic often noted, but seldom acted upon, is that these individuals often fall through the cracks of mental health in the criminal justice systems. This is a result of the fact that there is no single diagnostic category that fits these individuals. The pathology of serial murderer is a separate diagnostic category. It should be noted however, that the individual serial murderer may possess distinguishable psychiatric characteristics specific only to that individual which in no way diminishes the need for nor the recognition of this new diagnostic category.

As a group, serial killers do not pass the M’Naghten test composed by the legal system. As a result, they are most often found legally sane. Thus far, research has shown that serial killers unanimously receive the death penalty, if they plead not guilty of insanity for their crimes.

Only Harrison Marty Graham, in Philadelphia, went through a trial and received a sentence of life in prison. Joel Moldovsky, Graham’s attorney, carefully crafted his defense of Graham. In an interview with Joel Moldovsky, he explained that at the preliminary trial, the prosecution had such gruesome pictures and video tapes of the crimes, that a jury would never be able to hear the facts. He felt that the impact of these pictures and tapes on the emotions of twelve ordinary citizens would compel them to the death penalty. Mr. Moldovsky presented the evidence in such an artful and professional manner that the judge based the decision to spare Graham’s life on this presentation and sentenced him to life in prison. The judges decision was made on the basis of Graham’s mental ill ness, mental retardation, drug addiction and history of desperation virtually since birth. This was perhaps the only defense of a serial killer where the issue of insanity, and the diagnostic criteria of a serial murderer, were used to base the judicial decision (even if it was done so not knowing the specific category of a serial murderer).

Another common characteristic of serial murderers are there insatiable obsessions and almost instinctual drives that seemed to have pushed them to the ritualistic type of murder. In many cases these instinctual drives are exacerbated by complicated delusional thoughts and grandiose auditory and visual hallucinations. It is important to note that many researchers, including Joel Norris, in his book Serial Killers, described this obsession or need as a phase similar to the aura phase. This phase can also be described as a fantasy or deeply internal phase. Dr. Norris’ conclusion is that this phase is often similar to the aura of a seizure victim. My research presents a different explanation of the etiology of the “aura” phase. The aura is often described as warmth flowing up through the body and tingling sensations. Somewhere and at sometime during this phase, the individuals looses touch with reality. In addition this phase is often severely complicated in those individuals who may also have hallucinations. This phase is driven by an insatiable need to fill their empty lives.

In their study of thirty-six (36) men, convicted of sexual homicide, Ressler, Burgess, Douglas (1988), in looking for an antecedent and trigger to the first murder found that as a group, they were :

(1) aware of their long standing preoccupation and preference for a very active fantasy life, and

(2) devoted to violent, sexualized thoughts and fantasies. Most of these fantasies, prior to the first murder focused on killing. This contrasts with fantasies that evolved after the first murder; these advanced levels of fantasies often focused on perfecting various phases of the murder.

Additional research in the last few decades have supported these findings of Ressler, et. al. The major conclusion being that fantasy is a factor in sexual homicide. Several studies have suggested that sadistic sexual acts are associated with fantasy and that fantasy thought patterns were established early in life and existed in the context of social isolation. (Brittain, 1970; Reinhardt 1975; West, Roy and Nicholas, 1978).

Combined with the research into thinking patterns and research into sadistic fantasies (Brittain 1970); McCulloch, Snowdend, Wood and Mills in 1978 and Ressler in 1985 formulated the hypothesis that “the motivation for sexual murder is fantasy.”

The fantasy is often the first area in the serial murderer’s life in which he has control. The development of this fantasy is a form of self-stimulating, self-reinforcing behavior that allows some self-control. It is often a sexual, masturbating behavior that is part of a larger fantasy.

The reinforcing value of the fantasy and the ability to get excitation and orgasm decreases as the fantasy is actually implemented. Therefore in order to increase these to the previous levels, the fantasy must be expanded or increased. The next reinforcing quality is the systematic increase in the sexual nature of the fantasy. This is often combined with masturbatory behavior as Ressler reported in 1988. Of the 36 serial murderers studied 81% admitted to compulsive masturbation.

As the individual fantasy looses its reinforcing quality, the internal thought process produces a more violent, sadistic fantasy. This increases the reinforcing quality of the behavior, which in turn increases the strength of the fantasy.

Thus every time the fantasy is increased, its length grows, and the strength of the drive increases. It is a classic stimulus > response > stimulus > response in the form of reinforcement.

Once these fantasies have been extended to extreme sadistic lengths, the internal mechanism needed to increase the behavior may be exhausted. Therefore the overwhelming, uncontrollable drive to achieve reinforcement is to then move the internal fantasy to the external fantasy.

It is essential to realize that these fantasies are combined with autoeroticism. The reinforcing behavior is achieved by mental or sexual climax. When the fantasy is no longer effective at achieving orgasm the fantasy has to be increased.

Finally, the internal requires the external fantasy to be effective. Once the behavior becomes external and an actual murder takes place, that event is incorporated into the internal fantasy and masturbatory behavior. The actual murder and ritual behaviorism remain in the internal fantasy until they no longer reference the fantasy to achieve orgasm.

Now, the internal needs require the external behaviors to provide reinforcement. The first murder has been expanded upon within the internal world by the fantasy. Therefore to reinforce the behavior in the external world, the fantasy adds new sadistic behaviors. Every behavior, external and internal, is maintained, increased or decreased by the strength of the antecedent and subsequent behavior. Thus behaviors are maintained by a continuing series of stimulus, response, stimulus reactions [S > R > S behavior].

The thought pattern employed by the serial killer in vivid with images of torture and ritual. These thoughts become more and more exciting to the killer. The thoughts and the thought patterns reinforce the behavior, until the ultimate reinforcement is actually acting out that behavior. During the time when the behavior is acted out, what was the internal fantasy becomes an external reality that involves torture and death for a victim.

It is important to realize that each act, or fantasy reinforces the previous action and thought fantasy. Therefore the inters sky of the murderer’s behavior, once acted out, will continue until death or capture.

The child who started fires or was cruel to animals may move into thoughts of body mutilation. The only concern of the killer is to engage in acts which reinforce that is to murder and avoid capture or punishment.

The strength and reinforcing qualities of these thoughts and fantasies are stronger than the possible, potential punishment. As the fantasy continues to develop, the practice eliminates any potential negative consequences and increases the strength of the act. When the fantasy becomes an external reality the same S > R > S process takes place. The avoidance of punishment, of being caught becomes part of the fantasy reinforcement. The potential strength of this is overpowering. Gary Heidnik, would go to any length to avoid detection and punishment. This was not a logical “real world” reaction, but part of the fantasy. It was what he had become.

In 1963, psychologist John McDonald suggested that three factors could predict violent behavior. Specifically, he suggested that a specific set of childhood behaviors were predictive of violent behavior in later life. These were bed wetting, fire starting, and the torture of small animals, better known as “McDonald’s Triad.” This was further developed by Hellman and Blackman who speculated that enuresis was actually a form of aggression directed against parental rejection.

G.S. Evseef and E.M. Wisniewski have also reported a theory of childhood experiences that suggest “homicidal proneness.” While these early studies are all relevant, there are additional criteria.

If one looks at the studies of juveniles who later murdered, there are five (5) characteristics that appear consistently. These are:

major neurological impairment;

psychotic symptoms; psychotic disorders among first degree relatives;

physical or sexual abuse;

severe violence or destruction as a juvenile.

(Lewis, May, Jackson, Aaronsen, Restito, Serra and Simos, 1985.)

Ressler, Douglas and Burgess (1988) analyzed the behavior of potential serial murderers and added the following information:

1. As a group, serial murderers were aware of their long standing preoccupation and preference for a very active fantasy life;

2. Devoted to violent, sexualized thoughts and fantasies, most of the fantasies, prior to the first murder, focused on killing.

In addition, within these five characteristics, there are three classes which have been noted. One is the individual who has deep religious experiences. This may be complicated by visions, feeling of grandiosity, and sessions of speaking to a deity such as Jesus Christ, or god. It is often during this phase when the individuals are told by their “deity” to perform certain acts on their victims. Another complication of this phase includes visual or auditory hallucinations, and having a mother or other authority figure directing the individual to perform certain acts. It can also be seen to be very similar to a (seizure-like) phase where the individual is driven by other characters within their own personality. The research shows that many of these individuals are driven by fantasy latent, hypersexual desire. This feeling has been described as similar, but by no means identical to an individual who is abusing amphetamines. In the case of Harrison Marty Graham, these feelings were further complicated by his usage of Ritalin and Talwin injections. It would seem then that this aura phase could be precipitated by the use of drugs, either street or prescription.

Gary Heidnik, the prime subject of this research, never used street drugs. It is significant however that from 1962 right through to the present, he has been on major psychotropic medication including Thorazine, and Stelazine.

These phases are often misinterpreted as the individual serial killers attempt to malinger or to pretend that they are a multiple personality. As Ressler has pointed out, many serial killers are able to pass polygraph tests. Although these test may work for normal people, psychopaths have been know to possess the ability to separate the personality that commits the crime from the other self. People such as Gary Heidnik, can separate such components of his personality. Bishop Gary, G.M. Kill, and Gary Heidnik were all one person, yet they all operated separately within his personality Another part of this aura is often the feeling as if someone was taking over the individual. In the case of John Wayne Gacy, he had a specific person who he identified but he also was seen as a manipulator.

Serial killers are manipulative, this characteristic does not come under the category of multiple personality. Aware of the different personalities within them often the serial killer feels as if he has been directed by one of these personalities and has no ability to stop. It one looks at this as a cross between an instinctual drive and a aura phase it can be said that these individuals are in the process of having a seizure-like behavior. Psychomotor type seizure behavior has been reported by numerous researchers doing investigations into the serial killer phenomenon.

Many serial killers often have strong feelings of inadequacy. These feeling maybe masked by numerous artificial successes, but the feelings run deeper than the normal neurotic feeling of not being good enough. In the case of Gary Heidnik who had scored as high as 148 in intelligence testing, has, substantial financial portfolio, and was a bishop in his own church feelings of inadequacy were still strong. John Wayne Gacy in Chicago ran a successful business, was involved in politics, and organized a parade with Rosilyn Carter, he also had distinct feeling of inadequacy.

In the case of Gary Heidnik specifically the feelings of inadequacy were such that his thinking was often confused because of his low self-esteem. When given a Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), he was observed to have an extremely high schizophrenic score (126). It was noted that individuals having this profile are generally characterized as having feeling of inadequacy, hostility, poor judgment, and inability to concentrate along with confused or delusional thinking. This finding was later confirmed in several tests that Heidnik was given throughout his career.

The feelings of inadequacy often belie the external apparent successful nature of the personality. Joel Norris labeled this a “mask of sanity” All the serial killers that I have investigated have this mask of sanity. In addition they have all also portrayed themselves as their victims in one way or another.

It was found in both the Heidnik and Graham investigations that throughout their lives, neither was ready to accept responsibility for determining his past experiences. To this day, Gary Heidnik feels that he is a victim of sensationalism surrounding his trial. Although this maybe partly true, it is quite clear that the heinous nature of the crimes beget sensational publicity The other serial killers such as Gacy always portrayed himself as the victim of systems, parents, schools, governments but never himself.

One other characteristic of serial killers is that they all attempt to get help. They appear to want to stop what is about to happen yet they always regain control of themselves to prevent their discovery.

With Heidnik in particular there were volumes of data predicting the tragedy which would come in his future. Heidnik had been sentenced in 1978 for kidnapping the sister of his common law wife from a mental retardation facility in Pennsylvania. When his kidnapped victim was found it was in a locked closet in the basement near Gary Heidnik’s apartment. During one phase of his life, while in Fairview State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, Heidnik remained mute for three years because “the devil put a cookie in this throat.” During a Parole Board hearing, he remained mute and only passed notes. He went into that meeting with a Bible, the pages of which were highlighted “though the passages were Satan remove voices and biblical characters became mute. His muteness remained until one day he entered a church and during the services his voice returned. In these Parole Board hearings, which took place over a series of months, Heidnik sighed his name to the Parole Board request as G.M. Kill instead of Gary M. Heidnik. Heidnik wanted to stay in the hospital; he knew he needed help.

In a November 1992 Frontline interview on PBS television, convicted child molester and serial killer John Wesley Dodd points out how the murders he committed could have been prevented:

“...I don’t know. I can’t really say I’ve discovered much about myself. I think really the biggest thing is that everything could have been prevented. I’ve gotten...I’ve had so many contacts with police and confessed to so many crimes and never been charged, or the charges were dropped and I was never prosecuted for one reason or another... I first started exposing myself when I was 13 years old. My first contact with the police came when I was 15. On March 10 of 1977, I was arrested by the Richland Police Department here in Washington and confessed to six or seven crimes. I don’t remember for sure...these seven cases probably involved close to 20 kids.”

Dodd was released by a judge for two reasons. Only part of his record was available for review during the trial and sentencing, and Dodd made a “good appearance” in court and appeared to be a normal, reasonable person.

This quest for help can be found in the records of almost every serial killer investigated. It became especially clear in the Heidnik case because his records are relatively complete and thorough. Heidnik’s subsequent behavior had been predicted many times. For example, when interviewed by a psychiatrist in 1984 Heidnik was found to have persecutory grandiose delusions, disoriented insight, and judgment severely impaired. He was found to be incompetent. This same psychiatrist predicted heinous crimes would be committed by Heidnik in the future, or he would hurt himself.

Another characteristic that is common among serial killers is an internal battle that they struggle with between intimacy and control. At times, it appears that this battle for control is one that is life long. They are often raised in a home where there is no closeness or intimacy. The result is that the only way that they know how to relate to others is through the abusive behavior the parent taught them as a child.

It can easily be seen that their feelings of inadequacy come from the severe rejection of their parents. This emotional rejection usually takes the form of emasculation. This abuse can be so severe and so constant that the abuse itself becomes the model for how they will control their own life. It becomes the only form of closeness through contact that they know. Later in life when they attempt to form relationships they have no ability to interrelate. They have no capacity to experience intimacy. These people never feel the closeness or intimacy of bonding even with their own parents when they were children. Their relationships come through only control and their ability or inability to be in control.

Their feelings of inadequacy are such that even if their masculinity has them appear as if they are in control of themselves on the outside, internally they are in torment and constant severe pain. If they are in a relationship it often fails. They are abusive because they can not control through any other means. The people they victimize are people that have characteristics that they have found a way to control. The control is sometimes through force, some of the victims have a low subnormal IQ, appear naive or may have been given drugs or alcohol to make them cooperate. Often the act of murder comes in the form of ultimate control. Gacy would strangle people producing a sexually free final act of control. Many other serial killers strangulation or torture produced the same results, a high and a release of pain and a sexual climax. These are people who can not control themselves and can not control a relationship, who are not able to be intimate because they have never experienced it. (For a detailed explanation of intimacy and control communications read The Intimacy Manual by Amidon, Amidon, Apsche, Stivers & Silverman, International Information Associates Inc., 1992).

When closeness or intimacy is denied by a parent, the child continues to seek intimacy or closeness. When control is substituted for intimacy, the child seeks the reinforcement through internalized thoughts that later grow to fantasies.

If the child is consistently punished, rather than reinforced by the parents, two behaviors are learned:

Control is more powerful than intimacy;

Punishment is more powerful than reinforcement.

(See Axelrod and Apsche [Eds], Punishment and Its Effects on Human Behavior for a complete review of this topic.)

Therefore, the mold if formed, and the result is a person who will use power and control in his/her interpersonal relationships. Also important in this early development is the fact that the only control the child has is over their own internal thoughts and fantasies.

One of the areas that prosecuting attorneys in serial murder trials develop to a great extent is the concept of malingering. Both Harrison Marty Graham and Gary M. Heidnik were accused by their prosecutors of being malingerers. They were allegedly malingering to collect social security funds or veterans benefits. In the case of Gary Heidnik the prosecution claimed that he was hospitalized so frequently in order that he would maintain his veterans benefits under title 38 of the U.S. code. It could be found that Heidnik qualified retroactively for his benefits and did not need hospitalization to maintain these benefits. Therefore, if an individual is hospitalized, requests to remain hospitalized, because he or she is afraid of their own fantasies knows that they will murder are they malingering? The Heidnik case in particular there were 13 documented suicide attempts with the prosecuting attorney dismissing these as malingering because none were successful.

Suicide is a characteristic allied to the feelings of inadequacy that is found in many serial killers. In one of the 13 suicide attempts Heidnik was found comatose and was intubated and in need of respiratory support, he was injected Narcan, he contracted pneumonia during the subsequent hospitalization. This was rejected by the legal system as malingering because the attempt was unsuccessful and Heidnik lived.

It is important to remember that serial killers as a group develop their own set of reality. However the extensive research work “Heidnik Reality” could be specified. If as Heidnik you are functioning within a reality brought forth by a grandiose delusion or complex hallucination from god, or operating from other individuals or other authority figures in a hallucinatory or dry phase, you are a individual operating within your own reality. Heidnik was following god’s plan. The initiation of his church, his church articles, even the inception of the church were all based on delusional and hallucinatory thinking.

In interviews with myself and the defense psychiatrist Kenneth Kool, M.D. Heidnik stated that his ability to manipulate money such as growing $15,000 into $600,000, was due to his stock tips from god. He would not discuss the specifics of what god told him because of his pact with god. This is a clear delusional system.

The specifics of such systems are so private as between Heidnik and god that to divulge them would be an infringement on the pact with god. Therefore, his pact with god is more valuable then his own life. In documenting the Heidnik reality I observed 217 specific instances over the course of 22 hospitalizations that demonstrated Heidnik’s inability to distinguish right from wrong and his impaired sense of judgment and reality. He clearly demonstrated the pattern of an emerging serial ritualistic killer.

According to A. Charles Peruto Jr., Heidnik’s defense attorney, Heidnik’s sense of reality was impaired enough for the jurors to have returned an initial poll of 10 for insanity and only 2 against. It was only after the instructions on the legal insanity defense that this jury think otherwise. The Heidnik trial gives evidence that the category of ritualistic serial murderers remains outside the real of expertise of the mental health professional, as well as the forensic traditional psychiatric or sociopathic diagnostic categories. The case of The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania vs. Gary M Heidnik documents this fact.

Heidnik wanted children and followed gods plan to let him have those children. He kept women in his basement, all of them to be impregnated and to have children Indian style, that is naturally, so he could keep them. Lisa Thomas stated in an interview that Gary wanted 10 women, he wanted all 10 pregnant and all 10 to deliver naturally. He told them he could get them so drunk they would not feel the pain but he would not be able to stop the bleeding.

In fact, he wasn’t interested in the women at all, only the children. Consider the fact that he would deny them any pre-natal care or proper nutrition. They were made to live like animals in a hole in his basement all for the sole purpose of producing children for god –

his god. This was his world not our world, not anyone else’s world. This was the Heidnik reality as uncovered through interviews with Heidnik and with his victims.

In a comment during his court testimony, Gary Heidnik saw nothing wrong with, nor does he recognize anything he did as was wrong in that basement in Philadelphia. He did not intend to murder anyone himself but he wanted to follow gods plan. He did not want to be caught, he did not want to lose his children. This paranoid delusional system remains totally intact today. He saw the women in his basement as the only means to his end. He saw them only as females who would produce his children. At his trial, he leaned over and asked his attorney A. Charles Peruto Jr., in my presence if they were still pregnant and he could not understand why they would still be mad at him. He merely wanted to have children. The Heidnik reality was in full bloom and he felt was that god told him to have children. God gave him instructions and Heidnik developed a plan and followed it. In his mind he had to adhere to gods law not man’s therefore he did nothing wrong and god made his law apparent to Gary Heidnik. He maintains that he did not want to harm anyone.

If Heidnik was to have children as god told him, he could not let the women go, he could not get caught. He put them in the basement, turned up the volume of the radio to hide the sounds and moans of torture, and he followed gods plans. He punctured their ear drums with screw drivers to prevent them from hearing him enter or depart. Does any of that sound logical, malingering, sane, or insane? If people heard anyone scream and the police came, he would get caught and he would not have the children according to the plan of god. Remember Heidnik wanted to please god not man. It was not meant that he be discovered it was only meant that he had children.

According to Gary Heidnik he had talked to god for years. He began in the mid 1970’s and he degenerated at a rapid pace form 1978 to the present. While in the armed services he experienced seizure-like behaviors that at the time were thought to be hallucinatory and delusional. He had conversations with god, and Jesus came to him in bright lights and made him feel warm and tingly all over. It seemed clear that his sense of reality was not that of societies but was that of gods. Keep in mind that this is a complex sense based on delusional hallucinatory system that is possibly produced by his fantasy driven behavior. The need to move his internal fantasy to the external world became the behavior. These produced the “hallucinating effect,” or an active delusion.

Heidnik lost 4 children through the court systems and because of his abuse to his wife and common law wife, he would not let that happen again. He would listen to god this time. He knew it was god, he was sure. It was only the rest of us in society that could determine that he was not talking to god and that he was wrong.

Over his life time Heidnik made 13 suicide attempts. He was evaluated by 150 psychiatrists and hundreds of mental health professionals. Many of these professionals warned of what would come in the future. Gary Heidnik himself signed his name G.M. Kill. He predicted his future behavior in a series of letters to the Parole Board and to his psychiatrist. Based on the study of Army records, hospital and prison records Gary Heidnik spent more time in treatment at psychiatric hospitals then he spent out of treatment. Heidnik may have been delusional for most of his life. From 1962 on he operated purely within his delusional system of god.

As was mentioned Heidnik was mute for more than 1,005 days from 1978 until 1981, because the devil put a cookie in his throat. Heidnik told the author and A. Charles Puerto Jr. that he was surprised that the Parole Board did not see the cookie in his throat. He felt that at that point he was not following god’s plan and he was therefore being punished.

Heidnik started his church in 1970 after driving his 1964 Plymouth to Malibu for coffee and donuts. He left his apartment hungry for coffee and donuts and kept driving excessively across the country as if possessed. During this time he was definitely in a aura phase or delusional phase and he met god in Malibu, California. God told him to go back to Philadelphia and start a church where he was to be bishop. He again followed god’s plan and became Bishop Gary Heidnik. His church had a constitution and was founded the way many other churches are following gods law, not man’s. From this it can be seen that Gary Heidnik should have had one hospitalization not 22. He was clearly insane the insanity displayed is that a new category — serial killer.

Serial killers are a product, as a group of homes with little or no closeness. In a study of males born in the Philadelphia area in 1945 Marvin Wolfgang demonstrated how children of abusive homes became abusive themselves. In his book Serial Killers Dr. Joel Norris lists abuse physical or emotional, as a characteristic for serial killers. There are individuals who are brought into this world as unwanted baggage. Parents are cruel or abrasive alcoholics or drug addicts.

According to A. Charles Puerto Jr. it was disclosed in an interview with Heidnik’s brother that Gary had been hung outside a third floor window by his feet for disobeying is father at the age of 3. The reason was that he did not clean his room to his fathers satisfaction. His mother was married five times and was an alcoholic. Other serial killers have similar backgrounds. Harrison Marty Graham was shifted back and forth to a foster home. He has a pronounced scar on his head from a beating by his mother. He was admitted to a hospital with a concussion and a wide open contusion needing sutures. Joseph Kallinger was told by his foster parents that he would have his penis removed if he had an erection. John Wayne Gacy’s father was an alcoholic, abusive and constantly belittling him. Gacy’s mother told him that his father had a brain tumor and Gacy had to behave so as not to upset his father or his tumor would explode. His father was an abusive perfectionist and Gacy was never good enough.

The need in all human beings for bonding should be apparent. Harlows’ Reces monkey experiment demonstrated that this is an instinctual need. When a human being does not bond in infant stages, it appears that their basic need to be dose remains unfulfilled. Later in life, the need becomes a life long need or an obsession. The office of therapists are crowded with a wide variety of neurotics expressing exactly that need.

When control is substituted for intimacy, such as in the case of abuse by a mentally ill father and an alcoholic mother, the child mistakenly assumes that control and/or manipulation are substitutes for intimacy, closeness and belonging. Even in non-psychotic populations there is a conflict of intimacy and control. Dr. Edmund Amidon has shown that people often confuse issues with regard to intimacy and control. He has shown that normal individuals substitute control when intimacy needs are uncontrollable or unmet.

Dr. Richard G. Rappaport, a forensic psychiatrist, writes that the sexual sadist is in need of taking or demonstrating his power. He sees that the actual murder itself becomes a form of intimacy between the killer and the victim. “The mode of death is one where factors indicate that the victim has meaning for the killer and that the intimacy in the murderous act is part of a close bond between himself and the victim formed in the killers fantasy and delusions.” The killer actually substitutes control for intimacy. The killer has never felt intimacy in his or her life. Control, through abuse, both emotional and physical, has been substituted for intimacy. In their book Mass Murder: America’s Growing Menace, Jack Levine and James Fox talk about control in serial killers when they state that the pleasure and exhilaration that serial killers derive from repeated murders stems from the absolute control they have over human being. As Roy Norris admitted about his assaults against women, “the rape wasn’t really the important part, it was the dominance.” In many cases such as that of Ted Bundy this form of control is the only way they can achieve orgasm.

If control was substituted throughout life for intimacy the sex and sexual gratification are a form of control not intimacy. Ressler et. al. talk about their interviews with thirty-six serial killers. They show how the killers internal world is filled with troublesome and emotionless thoughts of dominance [control] over others. Their entire lives are built on control. Control has been substituted for intimacy or bonding. The actual act of torture and murder has been reported by these men as POWER. For them POWER = CONTROL.

The extent of the control necessary may have a inverse relationship with the amount of abuse they were exposed to as children. As an example of this, “the girl in the box” of Red Bluff; California. In her book Perfect Victim, Christine McGuire, the prosecuting attorney, detailed the abusive sado-masochistic sex perpetrated by Cameron Hooker upon Colleen Stand, his captive and sex slave for seven years. Both in the book and in person Christine McGuire maintains that Hooker was a product of a non-physical abusive childhood.

Upon careful examination of the details in the book, it is apparent that Hooker was a product of an emotionally abusive household. The statement can be made by assessing the fact that his father once walked in on a wiping of Colleen by Hooker and supposedly did not see it.

In addition they had to be aware of the abnormal relationship between Cameron and his wife. I do believe that there was little or no physical abuse in his childhood, yet there was a great deal of abnormality of emotion. Thus, in support of the supposition that the need to control is based on a combination of physical and emotional abuse, Hooker did not murder, he only abused her. His insatiable need stopped short of murder.

As a child, Cameron Hooker may have been a product of an abnormal environment what he dealt to Colleen Stand was, physical and emotional abuse, but not death. Where sexual killers are products of physical, emotional, and often sexual abuse, they may in turn murder.

The serial killer never experienced normal bonding or intimacy therefore control and power over their victims was substituted for intimacy. This need for intimacy is eventually released in the form of total control that is the actual death of the victim. As Dr. Rappaport suggests, the actual mode of death is one more factor for the killers reality between intimacy and control. In cases where there are necrophilia and cannibalism are an extension of the ultimate control or possession to a point after death. In this manner the control can continue long after the “murderous organisms.”

Harrison Marty Graham possessed seven bodies because of this insatiable need for control. He kept the bodies to fulfill his sadistic sexual pleasures. He kept these bodies until parts of them actually rotted off.

Gary Heidnik kept his hostages in a basement dungeon. According to Lisa Thomas, Heidnik eventually feed her and other victims parts of the body of Sandra Lindsey. The flesh cooked and mixed with dog food and rice. The remainder of the body parts were stored in the freezer. This is the ultimate in control and possession. To feed the body parts of a former hostage to the remaining hostages. In that way they remain captive in the digestive tract of other slaves, totally controlled.

There is at this time no cure for serial murderers. In treatment they will revert to their helpful, eager to please, manipulative and affable selves. They are uncontrollably sadistic, barring treatment break through will never be cured. At the same time they are not in control of or responsible for their actions. It should be kept in mind that whenever these people are paroled they will murder again. Kemper, Gacy, Bundy, Yuki, Kellinger, and Heidnik and all others prove this beyond a shadow of a doubt. These people should be placed in secure mental facilities to be studied and hopefully understood. This would allow us to minimize the threat of the serial murderer to the public safety and health.

The remaining chapters of the book appear in greater detail the findings which lead to the stated conclusions. It should be noted that this work represents only the first steps in the establishment of serial killer diagnostic category and in the treatment and understanding of the serial killer. This new diagnostic category must be avidly researched and reviewed by the psychiatric and psychological community. Extensive research needs to be completed on the diagnostic criterion for serial killers in order to prevent these tragedies in the future.

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CHAPTER 3

FANTASY: THE BEGINNING

During a personal interview, Gary Heidnik said “...fantasy is better than reality, nothing can go wrong, it’s the way you want it.” According to Ressler and Shachtman in their book, Whoever Fights Monsters, all the serial killers that Ressler interviewed during his twenty year career in the FBI had fantasies. All the murderers that we interviewed had compelling fantasies; they murdered to make happen in the real world, what they had seen over and over in their minds since childhood and adolescence.

In further discussions, correspondence and other contacts with Gary Heidnik, it was apparent that he has always attempted to portray himself as the victim. He was always the underdog. Gary Heidnik was the pitiful character that had never had a break. He had obviously, and accurately, perceived my blind spot for victims, and my visual compassion for the underprivileged. At times I believed him. I felt sorry for him. But through research, more interviews, and my own self-directed anger at being manipulated, I have come to know Heidnik. I have been able to exact “the truths” from his diatribes and his pedantic intellectualism. In a later section of this book on Motive, I will develop a practical and theoretical explanation of his fantasy, his internal world and its working and intricacies.

This chapter will develop from beginning to end, Heidnik’s fantasy life. This will be accomplished by using Heidnik’s own words along with my own interpretations. These “truths” were shifted from reams of letters and documents written by, and about Gary M. Heidnik.

THE BEGINNINGS IN HEIDNIK’S WORDS

It is easy to see the beginnings of a life of fantasy in these words from a letter written by Gary Heidnik while in prison after his conviction:

As I mentioned previously I have managed to overcome the perception of being retarded as a child. I have flunked second grade once and was about to flunk again when dad worked with me and made me learn. Even better he started a fire in me where by I liked to read books. (That reading) became a problem since it warped my sense of reality. I couldn’t see things as they really were I saw them vicariously through the eyes of people like Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Several questions about Heidnik’s early years became apparent after studying this particular passage.

Why did other kids see him as being retarded?

Did Dad really help him, and if so how?

Did the reading warp his sense of reality or did it fill the void in an already internal process?

After comparing that passage with transcripts from his trials and interviews with Heidnik’s family members it revealed itself as the beginnings of a “loner” an outcast. According to Terry Heidnik the kids always made fun of Gary. They called him football head. Apparently young Gary Heidnik had a odd shaped head and looked ridiculous. It also appears that Gary would often preferred to spend time alone rather than with others. Thus his reading gave him an excuse to be alone in his fantasy world. Reading then helped to fill a void, actually it became an unknowing fuel for his fantasy life.

Did Gary Heidnik’s father really help him? By both Heidnik’s’ brothers description dad was a stem disciplinarian. Terry described out right abuse by the father. “He actually hit Gary on the head with a board and hung him out of his 3rd floor bedroom window by his feet.” Gary only states that dad was a stern disciplinarian or an “Archie Bunker” type. But Gary Heidnik would not say anything derogatory about either his father or his mother. If you were to listen to his descriptions of his home life it’s as if he grew up with Ward and June Cleaver. It is apparent that this is an outright manipulation, his attempt to give little to help piece together the puzzle. “I’m not very bright,” Gary Heidnik December 26, 1988. [148 – very superior intelligence — March 16, 1987.]

In reference to Heidnik in her March 16, 1987 report, court psychologist Eva Wojclechowski states: “Heidnik currently tests within very superior limits of the range of intelligence. He assimilates novel material quickly and has an accumulated an above average level of academic information. This man is extremely alert to environmental details and he has above average comprehension and judgment.”

The preceding paragraph has been inserted simply to inject some reality into the fantasy world of Gary Heidnik. It is extremely important to be grounded in facts whenever dealing with Gary Heidnik. He has the ability to make many situations seem believable and feasible. It is difficult not to believe what he says. He is capable of giving an extremely convincing argument to prove that he is not bright and that he is slow and possibly even mentally retarded. But back to Gary Heidnik’s fantasy world in his own words.

I use to think that when I was about 14 or 15 that I could live in the woods, hunt with a knife, and a riffle and surge through the trees. Really! I actually thought I could swing through the trees like Tarzan and run away from home to do so. Fortunately, I took one look at the trees and came to my senses before I actually tried.

The biggest way books and lack of social life warped my thinking is in regards to interpersonal relationships. I couldn’t see or relate to people as they really are. [Italics are the authors] I always perceived them vicariously through the eyes of fiction writers. People aren’t like the ones in the fictional stories, especially in the books available in the 50s.

Attempting to manufacture sympathy and understanding Heidnik talked a bit of the safe parts of his internal world. The fact that he realized that he could not relate to people as they are in the external world and could only relate to people internally is one example. Whenever Gary attempted to fit those in his external world to those in his internal world it would leave him frustrated, angry and retreating back into his own mind to a world that he created in it. Heidnik continues:

I’m good in vocabulary though which boosts my IQ score but vocabulary is largely memorizing. With my love of reading they reinforce each other. But I’m slow! As they say in the vernacular, I’m slow on my feet. It just took two weeks to read 300 pages of the Iliad. I’ve done well educationally by not over loading myself. Since I am so slow mentally, I can only devote so much time to the most important matters. In schools for instance, I had no social life. No parties, friends, girls, zip! I used that time to study and get good grades and please my father.

Yes, it was important for Gary to please his father, for if he did not please him he would face his wrath.

It takes a lot of effort on my part to achieve the educational levels I have made. But I do it with a little extra effort and an analytical mind. When something puzzles me or if I have a problem I will spend hours on it trying to solve it in an analytical fashion. I can play a tremendous game of chess but it takes me so long that it drives the other players crazy. I’ll study each and every move until I’ve analyzed most possibilities and then make my move. Taking hours and hours to play a game.

Gary Heidnik develops his credo as a code. He does not miss any move. He is extremely bright, aware and analytical. In his own words Heidnik discounts all his previous statements about him not being bright or a poor snook. Remember intelligence is based on abstract analysis as well as on an ability to solve problems. It is most important to be aware that Heidnik related that he premeditates every move. Therefore that it is obvious that he consciously aware and planned the entire crime street in his basement on Marshall Street in Philadelphia. He was aware and carefully planned his moves.

Heidnik rehearsed his fantasies until he was ready to incorporate them into his external world. He stated the central issue of the operation of his fantasy. “Like when I can play a tremendous game of chess but it takes me so long it drives the other players crazy.” In this analogy Heidnik was referring to how he lives his life. How he plans his strategies. But it is key to his fantasy. Just like chess plans, he analyzes and rehearses each move until he is sure that it will work. No surprises, no failures, but only in his fantasy.

When I took that course on Child Sociology in the 60’s at the University of Pennsylvania it was a big help in getting to understand why I was so screwed up. What it didn’t explain was why people always hate me so much. I have no friends except the fellow disabled at 40th street.

Here is the crux of Gary’s inability to bridge his internal world to his external world. He was only really in control in the internal fantasy. Externally it was never the way it was suppose to be.

Who are the only people who would socialize with me? I like people. I also want to be liked! I don’t like being lonely, but I can’t seem to master [Italics are Authors] interpersonal relationships, and the harder I try the worse it gets. People use this desire of mine to be liked to their advantage and abuse me. They’d take advantage of me. The hardest thing I had to adjust to is giving up on people. If I say to myself my own affairs like in solitaire and in books I manage to stay out of conflicts. But if I try to socialize I wind up with problems. Sometimes big ones.

Here Heidnik actually explained his own inability to relate to the external world. He desires closeness and intimacy yet he has no means of achieving it. He attempts to “master” or control relationships since an early age he was conditioned to substitute control for intimacy. Since he can not feel intimacy he replaces it with anger and control. He justifies this through making himself the persecuted victim.

If it wasn’t for Tony I wouldn’t have had anyone at my wedding. I didn’t have a reception since who would come? Even my friend Jack Cassidy wouldn’t come. Persecution is my middle name. People not only dislike me they like to persecute me. Just look at the records. It’s bad enough not being liked but why do they persecute me when I’ve done nothing to them?

In contrast to those words are the comments in the report of court psychologist Eva Wojciechowski:

Mr. Heidnik is highly suspicious, grandiose and at times delusional since Mr. Heidnik states that he is repeatedly contemplated suicide. He impressed this examiner as far more dangerous to others than to himself. Mr. Heidnik sees himself imbued with religious fervor and zeal: he mentioned several times to this examiner how he would avenge himself on those who crossed him... Mr. Heidnik is quite dangerous as his thinking is often times coldly logical and practical.

The court psychologist was right. Listen to these words of Gary Heidnik’s from November 19,1988.

A unique way of looking what I did in my disturbed state of mind was to create my own social group. It was a social group in which I was the only male, the only economic provider, the patriarch so to speak and which was available to me 24 hours a day. Since I couldn’t achieve a sense of belonging to any other existing social groups in American society, I endeavored to create my own social group. One that had to accept me and couldn’t abandon me and had to provide the things that I needed, love, bonding, children, companionship, etc.

For instance, anytime I felt a need to talk they were there. Where could they go? And they had to listen.”

There it was Gary Heidnik’s fantasy in full bloom. Bishop Gary the patriarch in control. He was actually able to cross from his internal delusional world to the external world. He created his fantasy in the basement of 3520 Marshall Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It worked for a time. It worked until it was discovered that Bishop Gary’s heaven was a hell for the women.

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Probing the Mind of a Serial Killer

CHAPTER 4

KIDNAPPING & RAPE: A WARNING

CHAPTER 5

THE FANTASY IS THE MOTIVE

CHAPTER 6

VICTIM SELECTION

CHAPTER 7

THE MANIPULATOR

CHAPTER 8

SUICIDE AND CONTROL

Chapter 9

INTIMACY, BONDING AND CONTROL

CHAPTER 10

A FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE BEHAVIOR

EPILOGUE

APPENDIX 1

APPENDIX 2

Intimacy and Control

APPENDIX 3

CROSS EXAMINATION

OF GARY HEIDNIK

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Table of Contents

FOREWORD

PREFACE

SOME HISTORICAL & LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

THE DIAGNOSTIC CATEGORY OF SERIAL KILLER

FANTASY: THE BEGINNING

KIDNAPPING & RAPE: A WARNING

THE FANTASY IS THE MOTIVE

VICTIM SELECTION

THE MANIPULATOR

SUICIDE AND CONTROL

INTIMACY, BONDING AND CONTROL

A FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE BEHAVIOR

EPILOGUE

APPENDIXES 1

APPENDIXES 2

APPENDIXES 3

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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