By Michael Yoder, Retired FBI Criminal Profiler
Murder is an intentional act often as the result of extreme emotions such as anger, hatred, revenge, jealousy or even love. Or, it could be due to a desire to conceal a different crime (self-preservation) or to gain something (greed). A relationship between the murderer and the victim – however slight – somehow causes this fatal interaction.
I recently watched a true crime show in which the victim was initially described as having no enemies. Yet, he was brutally murdered in his store and the safe was open. I wondered if my premise of extreme emotions was incorrect. As the investigators looked further, his best friend became a suspect. The friend later confessed that he was jealous of the victim’s successes and was angry that his friend refused to give him a loan to pay his gambling debts. It was only after the investigators dug into the victim’s background and social circle that they came upon the “best friend” and his troubles.
The investigator must understand not only the victim’s biographical information, such as name, age, gender, health status, living conditions prior to death and identification of immediate family members, but a deeper examination of every aspect of their lives prior to death. Victimology is the term used in the law enforcement community.
By determining the victim’s acquaintances, their last known location and the reasons for their presence there, an investigator can effectively narrow down the suspect pool to individuals who were with the victim shortly before their death. Witnesses who observe prior events can further corroborate a suspect’s culpability.
Victimology is composed of three major categories: background information, a timeline of the last known locations of the victim and risk assessment. Background information can include understanding the personality of the victim, lifestyle, routines and daily habits, employment, health habits and economic status. It also includes the victims’ family, friends, acquaintances and any people interacting with the victim – both casually and more deeply. A timeline is then established indicating where the victim was, when and why they were there. This is cross checked with anyone in the suspect pool to see if there are any unusual gaps or unexplained connecting points. Finally, an investigator must assess the level of risk-taking the victim engages in. A victim who routinely engages in risky behavior or interacts with violent or questionable people is at a higher risk and, consequently, has a larger pool of suspects. On the contrary, a victim who is risk adverse and constantly moves away from risky situations has a much smaller pool of suspects to investigate.
The well-known disappearance and murder of Laci Peterson by her husband, Scott Peterson (December 24, 2002), is a classic example of a low-risk victim. Laci, 8 months pregnant, stayed home most of the time and took care to protect her health and the baby. Investigators quickly looked at her husband as a prime suspect. By contrast, a high-risk victim could be a street prostitute, a drug user or a gang member. They are at risk from a multitude of people simply because of life choices. But, their murder still matters and deserves to be solved. The victim cannot speak on their own behalf, but it doesn’t mean they can’t help the investigation. Their lives matter, and victimology is a meaningful step.
If you have an interest in true crime and want to know how to become a sleuth, please join our Facebook page at Destin True Crime Club. We meet once a month to discuss our ongoing research of an actual cold case we choose and brainstorm ways to continue our research. This is a serious, but fun, group of people who have the passion to solve cases. Email me at myoder0361@gmail.com for questions or to request I speak to a group on a variety of violent crime issues.
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