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The public's strange fascination with these monsters goes back to the days of Jack the Ripper -- possibly even further. Quantifying what it takes to be considered a serial killer is about as morbid a question as we've ever tackled. As it turns out, the number of murders committed is just one of several criteria that must be met before a murderer is classified as a serial killer. First, to answer your immediate question, the alleged killer must have committed three or more murders, according
to several sites. Second, there must be a cooling off period between the slayings, when the killer returns to "normal behavior" to avoid suspicion. And third, "there is frequently -- but not always -- a sexual element to their crimes." Serial killers are often confused with mass murderers. Whereas serial killers commit their acts over a long period of time, mass murderers kill many people at once. There are two types of serial killers according to the FBI -- organized and disorganized. Depending on the type of killer, there may or may not be a motive or logic to their criminal pattern. Organized serial killers plot their killings carefully and are typically of above average intelligence while disorganized serial killers
act far more impulsively and as a result, are usually captured far more quickly.
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