Have you ever known someone who committed homicide?

[Athenian200]

What is your understanding of why they did it?

(Yes, I'm shamelessly copying Economica. Her thread gave me the idea, and got me curious.)

 

[Ginkgo]

What is your understanding of why they did it?

(Yes, I'm shamelessly copying Economica. Her thread gave me the idea, and got me curious.)

Probably, but I never knew about it. In all likelihood, those are the people that make me feel like something is missing from them. As if their behavior isn't completely explained. Mostly normal, but hiding something in insecurity. This describes only a couple of individuals who I have acquainted; and they may not be murderers at all.

Even so, their general disposition irks me.

EDIT: This is an intriguing query, nevertheless.

 

[Phantonym]

No. But who knows what thoughts people really have. Maybe we're all homicidal at one point or another. Fortunately, most don't act on their thoughts.

 

[ygolo]

No not personally. But one of my sister's close friend's mother was murdered by her husband. It was in our neighborhood.

Domestic violence, in general, is horrible. When I hear about it, I always feel like some form of homicide could be the end result. I can't imagine what it was like for the children.

I also met someone who had thoughts of killing her baby due to postpartum depression. She got help, thank goodness.

I wish I could say I have no idea why people murder. But if I look deep into the darker side of myself, it is just a small step to loose control, and submit to anger or unjustified fear, at that point...after you loose control, what happens?

Premeditation? Well again, I would like to say I have little idea how it works...but I do have a theory. I think, at base, it is a loss of seeing the other person as a person. Murderers rob their victims of their humanity, first, in their minds, then in real life. If the victims are not seen as living, feeling, thinking human beings, then the murder can be justified in their minds.

 

[Athenian200]

Premeditation? Well again, I would like to say I have little idea how it works...but I do have a theory. I think, at base, it is a loss of seeing the other person as a person. Murderers rob their victims of their humanity, first, in their minds, then in real life. If the victims are not seen as living, feeling, thinking human beings, then the murder can be justified in their minds.

So, basically, it becomes like hunting an animal for them at that point?

That's pretty weird. But it does remind me of this really creepy nightmare I had after reading about the Holocaust and wondering how people could do such things... where I dreamed I was a Nazi, and I was doing all of the heinous things they did, but to dogs infected with some kind of dangerous plague rather than human beings. I actually saw myself as protecting people from the dogs, completely unaware that I could possibly be doing anything wrong.

 

[ygolo]

So, basically, it becomes like hunting an animal for them at that point?

That's pretty weird. But it does remind me of this really creepy nightmare I had after reading about the Holocaust and wondering how people could do such things... where I dreamed I was a Nazi, and I was doing all of the heinous things they did, but to dogs infected with some kind of dangerous plague rather than human beings.

An animal, insect, vermin, object or whatever.

I don't think it is always explicit. A religious terrorist and martyr, for example, could be so focused on his/her martyrdom, that not much heed is paid to the actual people they will be killing in the process. The victims are just part of the background for them at that point.

 

[FDG]

Yes, but not voluntarily. He crashed with the car on a guy that was cycling. Pretty fucked up, I mean, obviously one person was dead, but he was sent in prison for 3 years for it and he was a totally OK guy.

 

[Amargith]

Yeah...depending on how you wanna look at it. I'm pretty sure she already helped a couple of people in the old retirement home she works at....shall we say 'along'?

 

[Spamtar]

Yeah at least one for sure. Although it was some exteme sitituation and an overreaction; they still called it premeditated (shooting). He looked like everybody else. Actually looked more like a scared kid.
There are those I have met who have the assassins stare (and good reasons to believed they have killed). Those ones with dead eyes creep me out.

 

[Walking Tourist]

Yes, I know (or know... I haven't seen him in several years) someone who spent something like 12 years in prison for homicide but I don't know why he did it. He never talked about it.

 

[laintpe]

Yeah. When I was in fourth grade my 18 year old neighbor had a psychotic break.. he'd been up for who-knows-how-many days after taking meth. He, his brother, and his dad were hunters and had quite a few guns in the house. He killed his grandma by smashing her head with a chair and then shot his parents and grandma 7-10 times each. His brother, Scott.. 16 at the time, came home to all of it... but by then Shawn had come down from his break and just told Scott that he was going to "take care of him from now on". Scott got out by telling him he was going to get him a pack of cigarettes... walked around for an hour (what we were told) and then called the police. The family was strange and dysfunctional. Shawn seemed to really resent their religious upbringing.. Jehovah's Witnesses I think... but so did Scott... Shawn just had something really off about him. In elementary school counselors had told his parents he needed help, but they wouldn't address it. He was a hard worker despite all of it... while he was in prison some guy from his church (I don't know if they call them pastors?)... started visiting him.. Shawn wrote a letter to my dad saying he was going to "make up for it"... he hung himself in prison.. I don't know if that was what he originally intended.

 

[Atomic Fiend]

Nope.

 

[Lexicon]

I believe so.
Life insurance.

 

[Spamtar]

Yeah. When I was in fourth grade my 18 year old neighbor had a psychotic break.. he'd been up for who-knows-how-many days after taking meth. He, his brother, and his dad were hunters and had quite a few guns in the house. He killed his grandma by smashing her head with a chair and then shot his parents and grandma 7-10 times each. His brother, Scott.. 16 at the time, came home to all of it... but by then Shawn had come down from his break and just told Scott that he was going to "take care of him from now on". Scott got out by telling him he was going to get him a pack of cigarettes... walked around for an hour (what we were told) and then called the police. The family was strange and dysfunctional. Shawn seemed to really resent their religious upbringing.. Jehovah's Witnesses I think... but so did Scott... Shawn just had something really off about him. In elementary school counselors had told his parents he needed help, but they wouldn't address it. He was a hard worker despite all of it... while he was in prison some guy from his church (I don't know if they call them pastors?)... started visiting him.. Shawn wrote a letter to my dad saying he was going to "make up for it"... he hung himself in prison.. I don't know if that was what he originally intended.

Wow! Heavy story! (and well told +1)

 

[WoodsWoman]

I have no idea, but probably.

 

[Charmed Justice]

Yes. A lady who worked as my mother's secretary used to occasionally look after me when I was around 7. A few years before meeting us, she'd killed a little girl that she adopted via poisoning. She was taking on a false identity and fleeing punishment in her original state of residence when we knew her.

 

[Atomic Fiend]

Yes. A lady who worked as my mother's secretary used to occasionally look after me when I was around 7. A few years before meeting us, she'd killed a little girl that she adopted via poisoning. She was taking on a false identity and fleeing punishment in her original state of residence when we knew her.

Wow.