In the previous post I discussed the organised versus disorganised offender, characteristics of these offenders, crimes that may fit into this classification as well the implications this dichotomy may have for our understanding of the lone wolf theory.
In accordance with literature on violent sexual offences, I believe the murder of Meredith Kercher can be classified as a sex related homicide. This seems evident from the violent way in which she was sexually assaulted and killed. Further evidence suggestive of a sex related homicide is the fact that the victim’s body was found partially clothed and with injuries typically associated with this type of violent sexual murder.
The evidence indicates the victim was sexually assaulted, manually strangled and taunted with the blade of a knife before being fatally stabbed in the throat. The medical examiner Luca Lalli has indicated that the injuries sustained by the victim during the course of the attack are suggestive of more than one assailant. The injuries also suggest an apparent fascination with the victim’s neck. This may or may not be indicative of deviant sexual fantasy in this instance.
Also linked is the idea that there may have been a sadist in the room that night, this is supported by the apparent control, humiliation and domination of the victim as well as the evidence suggesting that Meredith was forcibly restrained and tortured with the blade of a 30cm kitchen knife. The knife in question was found in a drawer in Raffaele’s apartment, a place Meredith had never been and yet the tip of the blade contained the victims DNA. Tellingly Raffaele attempted to explain this away by telling investigators that he had once pricked Meredith’s hand whilst cooking. DNA on the handle of the knife has implicated the defendant Amanda Knox as either the knife wielder or the knife cleaner. This key piece of evidence has just recently been presented in court by PM Mignini’s co-prosecutor Manuela Comodi, with forensic expert Patrizia Stefanoni testifying as to its significance.
The significance of the knife cannot be stressed enough, not least as the prosecution have succeeded in presenting to the jury both a murder weapon and evidence suggesting there may have been an element of premeditation. Meredith and Amanda’s Italian flatmates Filomena and Laura testified that they had not seen the knife at the cottage, Meredith had never been to Raffaele’s apartment, yet the knife clearly shows the victims DNA on the blade. The knife is also compatible with at least one of the wounds sustained by the victim. Though the medical examiner could not rule out the existence of another knife.
Forensics, DNA and blood are not my area. I am currently focusing on the behaviour of those involved in the case and its implications for our understanding of the crime. Raffaele’s lie to police, despite sounding extremely ridiculous and implausible, was both telling and stupid. Innocent people nearly always go on the offensive:
‘That knife could not possibly have Meredith’s DNA on it, she’s never even been to my apartment, this is ridiculous!’
Guilty people go on the defensive:
‘The knife contains Meredith’s DNA because one time when we were cooking I accidentally pricked her hand, I apologised immediately and she said it wasn’t a problem’
Raffaele’s lie to police in an attempt to explain the presence of the victims DNA on the knife indicates he already knew there was a chance some of Meredith’s DNA could still be on the blade despite it being cleaned. His attempt to explain it further indicates that he was perfectly aware there was not a simple explanation for the presence of this crucial piece of evidence and certainly not one he’d want to share with the police. Raffaele’s little elaboration probably sounded exceedingly odd and only served to further demonstrate his suspicious behaviour and lead the investigators to conclude this was in all likelihood the murder weapon.
Rationale for discussing the psychology underpinning this case
This particular branch of psychology never makes for pleasant reading, yet some of the issues covered in books, journals and articles over the last 30 years have made a huge impact on our understanding of violent sexual homicides and the sorts of people that commit them. Group theory has also expanded our knowledge of the terrible things that people can be driven to do for the sake of not losing face or perhaps due to the strange phenomenon that is diffusion of responsibility.
Though at times these topics may be distressing they are crucial in understanding the nature of this crime and may help bring us slightly closer to understanding why this happened to poor Meredith Kercher. These posts may also seem at times too speculative. Especially for those individuals who are more swayed by facts that can be proven, dismissed, validated, confirmed or falsified. I too believe these are crucial, not only in determining what happened to Meredith and ensuring that justice is served to those responsible for her death, but also in ensuring the defendants have a fair trial as they are entitled to in the eyes of the law.
Psychology by its very nature is speculative, we are trained to write ‘this suggests’ or ‘this could be indicative of’. Many of the studies conducted in this area of psychology are based on interviews with violent offenders, observations and correlative studies which, though useful in highlighting further areas for consideration by researchers, can in no way prove causation or determine fact. The ideas and thoughts expressed in this blog are entirely my own and based on many years of reading and researching into this area. I am not a chemist, a biologist or an engineer, many of the things I write about cannot be tested, manipulated, eliminated or pulled apart in the traditional sense. What then are we left with? Theory, speculation, pattern analysis and data interpretation.
I am no Jodie Foster, I still have a lot to learn and I am grateful for all the support, input and ideas this blog has received over the last few months. My conclusions and ideas are based on current forensic psychology theory and should be taken for exactly what they are: Theory.
Catathymic or Compulsive?
One idea that has been discussed in great detail by a number of forensic psychologists is the idea of the catathymic or compulsive killer. In a similar way to the organised and disorganised offender, this distinction highlights the possible differences in offender cognition and can provide an interesting insight into possible motives for violent sexual homicide (Schlesinger, 2004) and the likelihood of reoffending.
The Catathymic
The catathymic murder occurs in order that the offender might achieve some sort of catharsis in the wake of experiencing underlying (sometimes sexual) conflict, most often when the victim is considered a threat to ego. The victim may encourage feelings of inadequacy or sexual conflict in the offender which provokes feelings of hostility and extreme rage, the offender achieves relief or catharsis through violence and expression of pent up anger. Catathymic killers are typically disorganised offenders.
The Compulsive
The compulsive murder is driven by an internal and uncontrollable urge to kill. Researchers believe this type of killer achieves a rush or a buzz similar to sexual gratification or release by killing. Whereas catathymic killers rarely repeat their acts, compulsive killers are driven to repeat the ‘experience’ again and again. These killers often devise ways to control, humiliate and torture their victims and are often psychopathic or display characteristics associated with sadistic personality disorder. Compulsive killers are usually organised offenders.
The murder of Meredith Kercher
So what sort of killer murdered Meredith Kercher? Well in accordance with many other theories I have outlined in past posts, I should at this stage reiterate the idea that this is another example of a simplistic theory attempting to outline a very complex idea.
One the one had the crime scene was chaotic and disorganised and the body was covered which could suggest a catathymic killer. On the other hand the evidence suggests Meredith was attacked by at least one individual with an apparent desire to cause her pain and suffering and possibly derive some sort of pleasure from it which is more typical of a sadistic personality which in turn has been correlated with compulsivity. As with the previous post concerning organised and disorganised offenders, confusion in the classification of the crime can be explained by the presence of more than one killer and more than one motive.
I believe the murder of Meredith Kercher is predominantly catathymic, but what’s equally troubling is the evidence suggesting there may have been a sadist in the room that night which is characteristic of an offender that could become compulsive in their need to control and dominate others.
Amanda Knox: Killing for catharsis?
I don’t believe Amanda is our sadist but I do believe she murdered Meredith Kercher. The crime reconstruction has placed Rudy Guede in the role of sexual assailant, Raffaele to the side restraining the victim (and possibly strangling her) with Amanda as the knife wielder.
Amanda and Meredith’s relationship could be described as strained. Meredith found Amanda’s cleaning and bathroom habits irritating and complained about strange men Amanda brought home. Meredith may have appeared to have ‘had it all’; she was smart, funny, pretty and very popular. It would be unfair to Amanda to compare her with Meredith but it does seem that Meredith was classier and less prone to making embarrassing gaffes (the words my people killed your people come to mind here).
I have also found it hard to find any reference to specific friends Amanda had in Perugia other than the boys downstairs and her boyfriend Raffaele. I believe Amanda was a bit lonely in Perugia; things hadn’t worked out as planned. People took their studies seriously and were not just up for a year of relaxed language classes and partying. Meredith was complaining and possibly nagging her around the house, Meredith had also snagged the boy Amanda had her eye on, Giacomo Silenzi.
Meredith was invited by Patrick Lumumba to make Mojitos one night in Le Chic, Amanda’s place of work. Then on the night of the murder Amanda receives a text message telling her not to bother coming to work, oddly a short while later both Amanda and Raffaele’s phones were both switched off and did not come back on again until morning. Poor Meredith never got to make her Mojitos.
It has been suggested by several people following the case that the thought of Meredith ‘stealing’ her job at Le Chic and ‘bringing all her friends back to Patrick’s’ bar’ was the final straw for Amanda. It has also been suggested that Amanda was intensely jealous of Meredith; these feelings may have been building over time.
The evidence suggests that Amanda and Meredith had become distant and their relationship strained, there may have been jealously and even rivalry as Amanda has been shown to be sporty, tomboyish and very competitive. These feelings of not only anger and resentment but possibly rejection and sadness could well have contributed to a ‘decision’ to humiliate or even hurt Meredith. Meredith was humiliated beyond what any human being should ever have to face. She suffered a horrendous ordeal and died in a lot of pain. She was tortured and left to die. Whoever killed Meredith expressed through their actions how much they really hated her.
Displaced anger, rage or catharsis?
I have previous discussed how displaced anger or ‘anger without a home’ could have contributed to the feelings of rage and resentment that could have fuelled the decision to attack Meredith. Amanda may have brought with her a lot of displaced anger from back home especially with regard to family issues. It seems she was running away from Seattle and rebelling in Perugia.
Rage could easily have built up inside Amanda, giving way to hostility which could have further alienated her from Meredith and exacerbated issues which, given time could have been easily sorted out. Amanda had nobody to talk to in Perugia about how she was feeling except Raffaele who, considering the circumstances probably wasn’t the most balanced shoulder to cry on.
The underlying idea behind the catathymic murder, which is nearly always disorganised, chaotic and angry, is the idea that the offender suffers a threat to ego, feels humiliated or scorned in some way. The victims of these types of attack can be strangers or more often people that the offender knows personally. Upon venting their ‘frustration’ the offender, according to the theory, feels a sense of relief and catharsis which may give way to doubt, fear, guilty and a decrease in self esteem.
The literature indicates that disorganised catathymic killers often kill only once. Though this could indicate a ‘trait’ within in these types of offenders it could equally be suggested that due to the disorganised nature of the crime the idea that the victims are sometimes known to the offender (such as a boyfriend) that they are more likely to be caught before the pattern of behaviour is reinforced.
Behavioural Evidence
Evidence and testimony seems to suggest that Amanda acted equally calm and erratic following the discovery of the body. A few days ago I went back and read a Sunday Times article quoting Meredith’s Italian boyfriend Giacomo Silenzi:
“He said that he first suspected Ms Knox might have taken part in the killing as they were waiting to be questioned by police in Perugia as witnesses. He told The Mail on Sunday: “I was on the train heading back to Perugia from my parents’ house when I got a call from Meredith’s other flatmate, Filomena, who told me what had happened. My stomach dropped – I just could not believe it.” At the police station he “couldn’t help thinking how cool and calm Amanda was. Her eyes didn’t seem to show any sadness and I remember wondering if she could have been involved.”
Similarly Meredith’s English friends indicated that Amanda was cold and distant following the discovery of the body. The body was also covered which is not only indicative that Meredith knew her killer but also that whoever killed her could not look at what they had done, almost as if it was something they’d rather forget.
Indeed research has indicated that Catathymic killers when being interviewed with the ‘tell a story’ technique, a technique devised to help people talk about their offences often in the third person which aims to reveal more information without the offender feeling threatened, often say things like:
“She was just there and all of a sudden there he was hitting her over the head. He just wanted to talk to her and take her out but she didn’t like him, he didn’t mean to hurt her but he liked it anyway.”
Evidence about catathymic killers often suggests deep inner turmoil which is more often than not sexual in nature. These killers feel inadequate in every way and possess, hurt and control their victims to appease their feelings of inadequacy. Most of them feel equal pangs of guilt and excitement. This could explain why Meredith’s body was covered, why Amanda was acting strangely calm in the police station but also at other times excited. Amanda was deeply stressed, excited, scared and conflicted. Note that Amanda could not look at images of Meredith’s body in court, yet Raffaele was able to do so. I don’t believe this was an act, Amanda covered Meredith, she didn’t want to look at her then and she doesn’t want to look at her now.
Despite the evidence suggesting that Meredith’s murder may have been catathymic it also seems that it was equally sadistic. The two do not really go hand in hand. The objective of a catathymic kill is to posses, to hurt and to destroy in order to appease the underlying feelings of shame and the threat the victim poses to ego.
The object of the compulsive, sadistic kill is to savour, lust, hurt, objectify, fantasise and humiliate. Threat to ego and achieving catharsis is not the objective of the sadist; the objective is achieving a sexual rush or thrill from watching the victim suffer. This is perhaps what makes these offenders so dangerous and much more likely to reoffend.
Raffaele Sollecito – The Control Freak
In his prison diary Raffaele laments being incarcerated and not given bail He says “I did not expect so harsh a sentence. Where would I run to? Where would I go? Me, kill again?” He was later denied house arrest status. The reasons put forward to justify keeping both Amanda and Raffaele in prison were to firstly ensure they did not flee and secondly they were deemed at risk of reoffending.
This was one of the things I found strange way back when I was first reading about the case. It is not uncommon for younger adults under suspicion of murder, especially if it is the first time they have been charged with a crime to be released on bail. If the evidence is sufficient to hold them and they are deemed a flight risk then that will be stated as the single reason to keep them locked up. I had no idea at the time how savage the murder of Meredith Kercher had actually been and remember thinking that the Italian authorities were perhaps being a little harsh by stating they were at risk of reoffending.
I later realised that Meredith’s murder was so horrific, so cruel and so sadistic, especially to a city that hadn’t seen a murder like it for many years, that the only conclusion anyone could come to was that whoever committed this atrocious act was extremely disturbed and in all likelihood, due to the nature of the wounds, the torture, the sexual assault and multiple injuries plus the seemingly crafty and manipulative nature of the suspects, extremely capable of committing another violent murder.
In all evaluations of sexual homicide offenders, the clinician searches for examples of classical pairings of sex and violence usually from the time period of 6–14 years of age. Clinicians charged with treating sexual offenders especially sadists, often look for events that are repetitive containing intense emotions such as fear, anger, shame or excitement as these are the most likely to be conditioning at this age. Clinicians do not focus only on family relationships, but also on repetitive exposure to classical pairings of sex and violence in popular culture such movies, video games and magazines. People who engage in violent sexual assault or sexual homicide often have relationships which are primarily fantasy-based, providing both emotional stimulation and narcissistic gratification which is often opposed to their own reality. These relationships can be real or imagined.
After the discovery of the body Raffaele was also calm and collected and not as ‘all over the place’ as Knox. Raffaele was a keen collector of knives, enjoyed reading violent Japanese manga comics and had, for want of a better word, an ‘alternative’ pornography collection. He played online computer games with fantasy themes. Raffaele was a bit of a loner in Perugia and a virgin when he met Knox. The couple became sexually involved and virtually obsessed with each other.
It is important to stress that we cannot blame manga for this crime any more than we can blame Knox’s dildo on display in the bathroom but it is interesting to consider that Raffaele and Rudy were both fans of computer games, Rudy especially. Raffaele liked violent manga comics, collected knives and watched ‘alternative’ pornography. These are examples of violence being paired with sex and power which could have contributed to both deviant sexual fantasising and individual roles within the crime.
The crime reconstruction has placed Raffaele in the role of restraining and possibly strangling the victim. As the evidence suggests both were present in the room Amanda and Raffaele also watched Rudy sexually humiliate Meredith and may have threatened her with a knife to make her comply. There is also evidence suggesting that another knife may have been used in the attack on Meredith and a vague mention by Rudy of Raffaele wearing a swimming cap (thought this has not been substantiated or confirmed).
As Amanda had somewhat of an emotional connection to the victim it is easier to see her own possible motive for taking part in the attack on Meredith, Raffaele and especially Rudy’s role seems more unclear.
Where does Rudy fit in?
I believe Rudy’s primary desire was to posses Meredith by having a sexual encounter with her. His own ‘fantasy’ about ‘petting’ with Meredith and stopping short of sexual intercourse as they did not have a condom, is a glimpse into his own sexual fantasies about the victim. Meredith did not consent to any of the despicable acts that were inflicted on her body that night and giving credence to a theory that suggests she consented to sexual acts with Rudy is insulting to the victim and her family. Rudy is now a sex offender as he took part in a vicious sexual assault. I am still unsure of his actual role in the murder of Meredith and believe he may have been to a certain extent a pawn and, due to the evidence of the clean-up frame-up job, a fall guy. Rudy is not our sadist.
Raffaele – Control
I believe Raffaele was to a certain extent an instigator. I believe most if not all of the planning, organisation and preparation was made by him. I believe he had complex sexual fantasies spurred on by years of being virtually unnoticed by the opposite sex and being repeatedly exposed to classical pairings of anger, violence and sex in movies, manga comics, cartoons and violent sexual pornography. These fantasies may have been employed during the attack on Meredith.
He was also spoiled and may have had a drug problem. Raffaele seems more arrogant, more cautious and more cunning that either Amanda or Rudy and has shown absolutely no loyalty to either of them. At no point has Amanda sailed Raffaele down the river in terms of an alibi yet the minute he realised she was problematic for him he stopped covering for her. He’s still waiting to play his card now. Raffaele also allegedly threatened to run over the head of a female police officer and not stop driving.
He displays an apparent fascination with collecting knives (objects of power and control) as well as studying a subject which is methodical and organised. He is cold, clever and shrewd. He has on more than one occasion tried to slip in details or change his story to lead investigators off track.
His DNA has been found on Meredith’s bra clasp. His footprint was found in blood on a bathmat in the cottage. The evidence suggests that he and Amanda carefully cleaned the crime scene following the murder, staged a break-in and possibly a rape in order to lead investigators to conclude that Meredith had been attacked by a lone assailant: Rudy Guede.
Some Ideas and Conclusions
Both have a serious case to answer to. Both have the ability to be violent again, if Amanda and Raffaele are found guilty I believe the evidence suggesting they tortured and humiliated Meredith will contribute to their sentence and future parole applications. This level of violence and apparent lack of concern borders on psychopathy and is extremely disturbing. The more I read about this case the more I am convinced the right people are on trial, the right people will be punished and justice for Meredith is slowly but surely on its way.
