Sexual Murder - Justicia Forense

homicides are unplanned, while the chronic are planned, often in the formof an obsessive rumination. The acute process is triggered by underlyingemotionally charged conflicts that flood consciousness; often these conflictsinvolve feelings of sexual inadequacy or a transfer of emotion from asymbolic figure — typically, a mother figure — to the victim. The chronicprocess is triggered by a buildup of tension, a feeling of frustration, andconflicts involving inadequacy usually, but not always, extending to thesexual area.The acute process has a short incubation period, typically several seconds,while in the chronic process the incubation period can last for daysand even up to a year or somewhat longer. Here, the offender often becomesobsessively preoccupied with the victim and sometimes stalks her. Stalkingrarely occurs in the acute process.In the acute process, the attack is usually some type of sudden, violentassault involving strangulation or stabbing. The chronic process alsoinvolves violence, but it is not sudden; it is planned in the form of obsessiverumination. The crime scene in an acute attack is disorganized, a reflectionof the lack of planning. The crime scene in the chronic process is lessdisorganized, a reflection of planning but not planning to avoid detection.Postmortem behavior in the acute process sometimes involves (vaginal oranal) necrophilia and occasional dismemberment. Postmortem sexualactivity and dismemberment are rare in the chronic process. Sexual activityoccasionally occurs before the attack in the acute process; sometimes theoffender’s inability to perform (sexually) triggers the attack. Sexual activityat the time of the homicide is rare in the chronic process. Following anacute catathymic homicide the offender typically experiences a flatteningof emotions and poor memory of the event as a result of its explosivenature. In the chronic process, the offender usually feels relief while oftenpreserving the memory.Most victims of acute catathymic homicides are strangers, while thevictims in the chronic form of the process are close relations, former intimatepartners, family members, acquaintances, and only occasionally (usually incatathymic mass murder) strangers. In fact, the authorities may cite jealousyand anger over the victim’s distancing herself from the offender as the motivationfor the chronic catathymic homicide. Here, however, the victim’sdetachment is more likely the result of the offender’s obsessive preoccupationand attempt at control, stemming from his disorganizing conflicts; theoffender’s behavior leads the future victim to remove herself. Thus, often therelationship itself shatters the perpetrator’s psychological homeostasis; thereleased emotion then disrupts his logical thinking and contributes to hisobsessional preoccupation.