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Herman Mudgett, also known as Dr. Henry Howard Holmes, is considered the first serial killer in the United States. He showed signs of intelligence and an obsession with death from a young age. His childhood involved physical abuse and cruelty towards animals. As an adult, Holmes lured over 200 people, many women he was engaged to, to their deaths in his "Murder Castle" in Chicago during the 1893 World's Fair. He would kill his victims and sell their bodies to medical schools. Holmes believed from a young age that he was destined to be a criminal due to his abusive upbringing and interest in death and medicine. Understanding the abnormal behaviors exhibited from childhood can provide insight into what drove Holmes to become

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33 views2 pages

Crimso4 Activity 1 Draft

Herman Mudgett, also known as Dr. Henry Howard Holmes, is considered the first serial killer in the United States. He showed signs of intelligence and an obsession with death from a young age. His childhood involved physical abuse and cruelty towards animals. As an adult, Holmes lured over 200 people, many women he was engaged to, to their deaths in his "Murder Castle" in Chicago during the 1893 World's Fair. He would kill his victims and sell their bodies to medical schools. Holmes believed from a young age that he was destined to be a criminal due to his abusive upbringing and interest in death and medicine. Understanding the abnormal behaviors exhibited from childhood can provide insight into what drove Holmes to become

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tweeengtweng
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PROFILE OF A SERIAL KILLER

1. BACKGROUNDS

 Herman Webster Mudgett a.k.a. Dr. Henry Howard Holmes. American con man and
confidence trickster widely regarded as the first serial killer in the country. Mudgett
was born into a wealthy family and showed signs of high intelligence from an early
age. Always interested in medicine, he allegedly trapped animals and performed
surgery on them; some accounts of his life even suggest that he killed a childhood
playmate. The childhood of Holmes was shaped by physical abuse, difficulties in
socializing with peers, and cruelty towards animals. In 1886 Mudgett moved to
Chicago and took a job as a pharmacist under the name “Dr. H.H. Holmes.” Soon
afterward he apparently began killing people in order to steal their property. At the
reputed peak of his career, during the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in
1893, he allegedly seduced and murdered a number of women, typically by
becoming engaged to them and then killing them after securing control of their life
savings. Mudgett also required his employees to carry life insurance policies naming
him as beneficiary so that he could collect money after he killed them. He sold the
bodies of many of his victims to local medical schools.

2. IDENTIFIED ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR/S

 Maladaptive behavior - He was bullied by his friends when he was younger, and
this exorcized his fear of dying,also It is said that at an early age he was fascinated
with skeletons and soon became obsessed with death. which gave rise to his
fascination with and unhealthy obsession with killing people. Dr. Henry Howard
Holmes demonstrated and acknowledged that he exhibited a variety of behaviors at
a young age and that he believes it is acceptable and prevalent to kill and exploit
people for their wealth. Henry was raised in a wealthy family, so his desire for their
money is another reason why he kills.

 Deviation from statistical norms - He began to show high intelligence abilities at a


very young age. Because he had a lifelong interest in medicine, he allegedly trapped
animals and operated on them. Henry having a high IQ gives him the urge to
experiment something that he shouldn't be doing.

3. CAUSES

 Predisposing cause - It is said that he developed an obsession with death after


becoming fascinated with skeletons at a young age. He may have chosen to study
medicine as a result of this interest.

 Reinforcing causes/ Faulty learning - H. H. Holmes once said “I was born with the
devil in me. I could not help the fact that I was a murderer, no more than the poet
can help the inspiration to sing. I was born with the evil one standing as my sponsor
beside the bed where I was ushered into the world, and he has been with me since”.
Henry's belief that he was intended to be a criminal is one he holds from the
beginning. Henry Holmes' early life was marked by physical abuse, issues with peer
relationships, and being cruel to animals, these experiences also contributed to
Henry's belief that he was destined to lead a life of crime.

4. INSIGHTS
 It has been determined that Dr. Henry Howard Holmes shown and acknowledged
his numerous types of behavior at a very young age and that he believes murder
and exploitation of others for their wealth to be common and acceptable.
Understanding the many types of abnormal behavior can help us decide whether
this person requires medical or psychological care. This can aid in our
understanding of the reasons behind such conduct. In addition, Henry already
believe that he is born to be a criminal that makes him continue in killing people.

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