Modus Operandi by Mauro Corvasce (universal ebook reader txt) 📕

The first victim was stabbed to death with the knife that was used to capture him. Our suspect lost control of the situation, and fearing apprehension, stabbed the victim. He panicked, drove the body to a remote wooded area, and disposed of the body. Our suspect intended to sexually assault the first victim, but because of the struggle and fear of detection, this did not occur.

The second victim was sexually assaulted and strangled and the necklace was removed. The second victim was more easily controlled; perhaps a handgun was used this time.

Shortly after or perhaps during the sexual assault, the victim was strangled. The chain was removed from the victim's neck, not for monetary gain, but to keep as a trophy, which our suspect may use in later sexual fantasies.

At first blush these two deaths seem only to be minimally related. But understanding and using the theory of learned behavior assists many detectives in apprehending suspects. By studying the crime scene, the detectives identify and interpret different pieces of evidence that can link one crime to another. Suspects with a long history of arrests and incarceration time change their M.O.'s as practice shows them what works and what doesn't.

Passion Killings

A passion killing usually takes place with little forethought and very little, if any, planning. An argument may begin over who takes out the trash, and the rage will become so intense that one person will lash out at the other. A physical assault will take place, and a weapon, if close at hand, will be used.

Domestic Assault

In a case where the assault takes place in a home, let's say in the kitchen, a knife or a large carving fork may be within easy reach. If there is a firearm in the house, the killer will seek it out and use it. The victim will be left at the scene, which will show signs of a struggle, but no attempt will be made to cover up the crime.

Homicide-Suicide

With jilted lovers, the rejected boyfriend will plan a meeting with his lover as a desperate last attempt at reconciliation. The meeting will be conducted in a semi-secluded area, such as a familiar park, perhaps a place that has special meaning to the couple. The man, on realizing that his attempts to reunite are not working, will pull out a weapon, usually a handgun, shoot his lover and then himself.

The Disgruntled Employee

We've heard a lot about disgruntled employees recently, most notably, stressed-out postal service workers who go into their former offices and begin shooting. A disgruntled employee is often distraught over the promotion of a co-worker or over being fired and usually plans revenge, including a hit list of people he wants to kill. He will obtain enough weaponry to complete his mission and then some. Once he has made up his mind, there is no stopping him. The killing spree will occur at the work place during working hours.

Premeditated Domestic Killing

When one spouse kills another for insurance money or other financial gain (also known as a profit murder), or because of threats of divorce or personal disclosures, the suspect will attempt to cover up his act by acting the part of the grieving husband. The suspect will plan the murder and arrange the scene using props and prearranged scenarios to cover up his involvement.

One way this is accomplished is by being a victim himself. He will injure himself to show the police that he attempted to subdue the criminal or protect his loved ones. He will break doors, open windows, ransack the house, place a ski mask and gloves outside on his property just to show that he could not possibly be involved.

Prior to or after the stage is set, the victim will be killed in a way consistent with the scenario. If the story told to police is that the victim fell down a flight of stairs, head injury will be the cause of death. This head injury can be caused by blunt force trauma to the head with an object like a baseball bat—we're sure you get the picture.

Poisoning is usually the preferred method of a very intelligent person who understands the complex procedures needed to cover up this act. On the other hand, a very dumb person, not knowing of the toxicology examination performed at an autopsy, may feel that this is the best way to commit his crime.

Another scenario may be that the spouse places a sedative of some type into a beverage or a dish at dinner. Once the victim passes out, he will be pushed down a flight of stairs or even placed into a vehicle and an accident will be staged. In rural areas, the victim may be put in a situation where the death seems to be caused by animal behavior, such as a kick to the head by a horse.

Adjunct Homicide

When a detective is looking at a homicide, he must take into account the whole scene. He cannot zoom in on just the body; he must look at the complete picture.

Take for example, a burglar surprised by the victim during the course of burglarizing his home. Prior to killing the homeowner, the suspect gained entry into the house. He had to enter rooms and look for items of value to steal. He had to locate something to carry his loot out of the house. This is our criminal's M.O. The killing is secondary. By studying the M.O. of the burglary, the homicide detective can also determine the murderer.

The Cover-up Murder

In a perpetrator's mind, they sometimes must kill people to cover up other acts of crime and violence. a juvenile offender robbing a house is discovered by the homeowner as he walks into his bedroom. The victim will be able to positively identify the juvenile to the police. He will use a weapon at hand, or with the increasing tendency to carry handguns, shoot and kill the victim with the hopes of covering up his burglary.

Sex Offenders

A sex