Victimology

Infamous Serial Killers: “Giggling Grannie” and “Angel of Death”

“My son has always been a good boy.” – Nadine Louthan, mother of Donald Harvey, 1987

Society portrays serial killers as dangerous, scary monsters’ that no one can escape from. Fascination with murderers and murders is not new. The media has heightened the serial killer stereotype with the many films that have depicted fictional accounts of serial murders. Research has longed to look into the psychological, socioeconomic and cultural background of serial killers to find a commonality among them. According to the FBI (2008) most researchers agree that a serial killer could be male or female and kills two or more victims in separate events. (Hickey 28). Unfortunately, there is not a list that can be used to pin point who is serial killer or who will become one. Each serial killer could fall into a bio-socio-psychological category or be labeled according to motive (29). Most serial killers motives and reasons for killing may never be known or understood. Holmes and DeBurger (1988) states there are four types of serial killers: visionary, mission oriented, hedonistic and power/control oriented (30). Although most associate males with serial killing, females can also fall into these categories. Donald Harvey and Nancy Doss are two power oriented serial killers that took the lives of many people to satisfy a desire of control over their own lives.

Donald Harvey was 18 years old when he killed his first victim (179). What could have happened in his short life that would cause a lack of concern for a human life? Donald Harvey, also known as “Angel of Death,” killed up to 58 people. According to an interview conducted by Bob MacKenzie Harvey’s family members and school teachers agree that he was a polite considerate child (Steigerwald). Although he was a good student the other children saw him as a loner. Harvey dropped out of high school at the age of 16. At home Harvey was being sexually abused by...