Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
In 1982 the first case of one death at her boarding house reached Sacramento police. Puente was questioned but never suspected. Ruth Monroe was 61 and Puente said she died of drug overdose. In 1985, she was sentenced to five years in prison on three counts of theft. However Puente turned this into a highly productive period for herself, developing pen-pal relationship with a 77-year-old Everson Gillmouth. The man was so "besotted" by her that he married her despite her criminal record (Crime Library). Gillmouth was later found dead in a box that had apparently been thrown into riverbank by Puente herself.
One after the other, people went missing from her boarding house. "Carpenter, a retired bartender, was last seen in February 1987 when she was discharged from a hospital into Puente's care. Miller, 64, was last seen at the boarding house Oct. 23, 1987. Fink, 55, disappeared about the same time." (Cone, 1993) Puente would tell police the missing had either gone to the doctor and never returned or had simply taken off to some place without informing anyone. While the police continued to believe...
It was on the report filed by Judy Moise, a relative of a victim, Bert Montoya that police searched Puente's boarding house and dug up the garden. Seven bodies including that of Montoya's were unearthed. However Puente was a step ahead of the police and while investigation was underway, she simply disappeared from her boarding house. This resulted in a nationwide hunt for her and Puente was finally arrested from a hotel in Los Angeles. Puente was later found guilty as charged and sentenced to life in prison.
References
Dorothea Puente: Killing for Profits, Retrieved online 10th October 2004:
http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/women/puente/2.html?sect=11
Dorothea Puente," Wikipedia: Retrieved online 10th October 2004:
http://wikipedia.lotsofinformation.com/wikipedia/index.php?title=Dorothea_Puente
Serial Killers have long fascinated the general public, not only because their crimes are so heinous, but also because they embody the extremes to which psychological disorders can take a person. In the name of psychological insight, the lives of serial killers are dissected down to the most minute detail in the hopes of understanding what factors contribute to making a 'monster'. The Crime Classification Manual defines serial murder as
Serial killers are not common, but they are fascinating because of the need to understand the phenomenon. There is no one definition of a serial killer, but there are some defining characteristics that set them apart from other murderers. Serial killers present serious issues for law enforcement, due to the tendency for serial killers to blend in easily and appear "normal." There is no one exact definition of a serial killer, from a
Currently the DSM-IV refers to both these as antisocial personality disorder with the following criteria: A. Pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others, occurring since age 15 as indicated by at least three of the following: 1. Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behavior. 2. Deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or
A lot of the serial killers recognize that killing these people are wrong, this is true because when they are finished with their crime, they find some kind of way to dispose of the body. Conclusion In the end, it is a scary fact is that the United Sates is the most leading serial killing country in the entire world. It appears that no other country can even match the U.S.
Serial killers have struck fear in the hearts of people, yet the public remains fascinated and intrigued by the crimes perpetrated by these individuals. There are several theories and factors that have been attributed to serial killers in an attempt to explain their behaviors. Furthermore, by identifying the behaviors that are exhibited by serial killers, law enforcement professionals are able to gather information about these serial killers that will assist
Serial Killer Social Construction Theories A serial killer can be defined as a person who kills more than four victims in a moderately short period of time usually 72 hours (Larson, 2011). Serial killings usually take place in different locations and have no connection with the preceding assassination. For a serial killer, substantial gain is not the drive for killing his victim. Instead, it is his craving of power and strength