The Monster of Florence (43 page)

FBI BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE UNIT
NCAVC, QUANTICO Va
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Profile based on information received related to 16 murders committed between 1968 and 1985 in Florence, Italy
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Scene of Crime

The scene of all these murders, an isolated country lane among vines and olives, could be said in all cases to have been “chosen” by the victims who parked there. Nevertheless, it tells us a lot about the offender. It suggests previous activity as a Peeping Tom, as does the fact that most of the victims had just finished sexual
intercourse when attacked. Couples who habitually have sexual intercourse in parked cars tend to frequent the same place regularly. The offender probably stalked couples on a Saturday night until he found one parking habitually in a spot which suited his purpose—this meant having somewhere discreet to leave his own vehicle for fast removal from the scene, a sheltered spot where he could operate on the female without his activities being visible to a passing car, and perhaps water available if he needed to wash himself.

The point of his departure for this stalking phase could well be a disco or other locale where young couples collect. To frequent such a place without attracting undue notice the offender would necessarily be of a similar age to his victims. This preparatory period of stalking, choosing and watching the couple until the darkest night of the month made an attack viable, would be an important part of the gratification of killing which would be further prolonged by the enjoyment of the body parts taken away with him and the resulting newspaper articles, TV coverage and investigation.

Modus operandi—The offender brings his weapons to the scene of the crime and removes them afterwards (see note 1). It is probable, though not provable, that he shoots the male first and the female second. The female victim is removed a little way from the car and mutilated. The male is also attacked with the knife and piercing instrument.

The ’68 murder shows no hallmarks of a serial killer type crime and it may be that its relation to the murders which followed is that of a catalyst or model for someone connected with this group of people.

The ’74 murder bears the hallmarks of a teenage—or at least beginner—lust murder of the organized type. The site has been chosen and the weapons brought, but the offender has failed to shoot to kill. His intention, based on long-nursed fantasy, might have been to rape the female victim whether before or after the
stabbing but, finding himself impotent, he was obliged to use a vine branch on her instead. The offender is likely to have worked himself up to this realization of his fantasies by the use of drugs. A person in a normal state would be unlikely, however frenzied, to have inflicted as many as 96 stab wounds. The attack made on the dead man with the knife and puncturing instrument suggests his anger is directed equally against the male, but the blows being confined to the trunk and neck suggests a fear of contact with the male sexual zones (see note 2).

The murders from ’81 onwards suggest a more clearly established rite. The problem of impotence on the scene of the crime is resolved by the removal of body parts which can be “enjoyed” in safety and leisure. The cooling-off period between ’74 and ’81 could be caused by fear, especially if the offender is very young or has been approached by the police for some reason. However, this is mere hypothesis since the offender may have been absent or confined for other reasons or have temporarily fled the area for fear of arrest.

The sending of a cube of flesh to one of the investigators after the last crime could be due to the fact that the victims were foreign holidaymakers camping in a secluded spot and might not be missed. It could also be that he hid the bodies to give himself time to announce his crime in this sensational way. In either case, the time of death should be double-checked in view of the condition of the female victim’s body. It appears that the German victims of ’83 were murdered at the exact same period of the year in the same area and left in the enclosed metal container of their camper without any such deterioration in the cadavers.

Absence of clues at the scene of the crimes indicates that the offender worked with care and forethought and was not courting arrest. On two occasions, ’82 and ’83 when the plan went awry, the killer abandoned the scene without mutilation of the bodies. It was essential for him to be in total control of the situation and he could not deal with any reaction (’82) on the part of his victims, who must be defenceless and die without being aware of the attack. The
reaction of the ’82 victim caused him to flee without checking that the man was dead. In fact, had he been found sooner he might well have been able to identify his attacker. The offender had, by then, consumed the bullets loaded into the pistol but could quickly have dispatched his victim with the knife. He was clearly panicked by loss of control and by human contact, probably eye and voice, with the victim. This would have destroyed his fantasy image of himself as all-powerful, his victims succumbing in silence.

The attempted flight of his last victim does not appear to have had this effect. It is probable that there was no eye or voice contact and a fleeing, naked, wounded victim fitted in well enough with the fantasy not to destroy it.

Although his last crime was followed up by direct contact with the investigators (other communications received cannot be proved genuine), the addressing of the package to an investigator by name—the only woman to have worked on the case—indicates that the killer took an active interest in the investigation and is highly likely to have made personal contact with the police and/or returned to the scene of the crime on occasions to observe police activity. This behaviour is so common with this sub-group of serial killers as to render the strategic placing of telecameras at the scene during investigation routine.

Diagnosis—Non-social organized lust murderer.

Background—Economically and culturally poor, probably rural–the excision of the body parts shows signs of the flesh being lifted from the body before cutting, in the way that animals are skinned. Background of domestic violence and of excessive physical punishment in infancy and childhood.

Probable childhood offences: stealing, truancy, cruelty to babies or infants, torture of animals, persistent lying. Lack of mother or mother substitute to establish affectionate behaviour patterns. Negative rapport with father or father figure.

Adult profile—Extremely low self-esteem. Deep-rooted feelings of impotence caused by ill-treatment in childhood and adolescence.
Lying and conciliatory behaviour in the face of stronger characters or authority caused by fear of aggression. Accumulated anger and resentment well masked by superficial friendliness. He will have to develop a keen sense of what anyone stronger than himself and/or in authority requires of him and to appear to provide it, through lying if necessary.

Enjoys appearing innocuous whilst nursing his hidden fantasy made real in which he is all-powerful. His lust killings are about power rather than sex. His own sex life need not be particularly abnormal, but long-lasting affectionate relationships are difficult for him. He will prefer sex with prostitutes whom he can consider his inferiors because they are social outcasts and in his pay. He appears to have a fear and hatred of homosexual tendencies in himself which may or may not have a basis in reality. He is likely to seek companionship among people even weaker and less successful than himself, such as drug addicts, prostitutes, vagrants, who will alleviate his sufferings caused by low self-esteem. Normal intelligence but underachiever. Constant use of awl or screwdriver as a weapon indicates that he is almost certainly an unskilled manual worker. He will be inconstant in work and often unemployed. He probably has a criminal record and will have spent brief periods in prison for theft, arson, drugs, detention of arms, even armed robbery—probably unsuccessful. He will be interested in his physical appearance, in clothes and cars in an effort to boost his self-image.

The offender will undoubtedly have followed the enquiry closely through the newspapers and television and may have tried to insert himself into the investigation as a witness or informer. The preparatory stalking and the following of the investigation prolong the gratification of his desire for power and revenge which inspires the crimes.

Whilst the serious trauma causing the original damage to the offender is most likely to have occurred in infancy and may be buried too deep for conscious memory, it is likely that it was reawakened or reinforced at some point during adolescence.
There will probably have been some negative exposure to sex at an early age, causing anger and resentment.

The lack of connection between killer and victim makes proof in these cases hard to find and is limited to the physical. However, when a killer of this type is pinpointed, the invasion of the real world into his fantasy world is likely to break down his defence system and a confession usually results. It should also be noted that, despite the time lapse, physical proof in the form of body parts should still be sought. They are taken so as to help the killer relive his crime and are often photographed. Cf. John Christie in whose home four sets of pubic hair, neatly waxed, were found stored in a tobacco tin. They did not match the bodies of any of his known victims. These proofs are more likely to be found than the gun because the offender will like to keep them near him. However, if he does not live alone he must necessarily have access to some private location where he can store and enjoy his trophies. In this case the gun will probably be stored in the same place.