Graphic by Dani Ramirez
Pictured left to right: John Wayne Gacy, Charles Manson, Richard Ramirez, Ed Gein, Jeffrey Dahmer.
Written by Dennise Arriaza
Trigger Warning: This article discusses topics related to serial crimes, including violence, murder and sexual assault, which some readers may find disturbing. Reader discretion is advised.
Why is America so obsessed with serial killers? The ‘70s and ‘80s were a time with the highest number of active serial killers in America. During this time, Americans all over had increasing fears of serial killers, and where they might strike next.. By definition, a serial killer is an individual who has murdered three or more individuals. The obsession with serial killers can only be explored through looking at what made each killer unique and stand out from the rest. Infamous killers included Jeffhrey Dahmer, Richard Ramirez, and even Ed Gein who is recently receiving attention due to the new Netflix series “Monster: The Ed Gein Story.” All of these killers have unique signature characteristics about them that make them not just stand out, but make them more interesting for people to learn about. The question is: What is the reason for such deep interest in these twisted individuals?
Griffith Park in LA has a dark history of rituals and cult gatherings. One might not think that Hollywood, California could hold such a dark past during that time. The ideas of darkness have been able to go unnoticed amongst all the glamor LA held at the time. Murder, or True crime has turned into some sort of pop culture phenomenon over time. For people it has become an interest or a hobby, with some even going as far to collect “murderabilia,” which are items from the perpetrators that committed homicides or murders. For others the obsession has become a much darker root in their lives using past killers as inspiration for their own murders. Richard Ramirez, otherwise known as the “Night Stalker,” had Los Angeles in terror during the ‘80s with Ramirez’s attacks on random citizens. The “Night Stalker” would break into people’s homes, kill, rob, and sometimes rape his victims. He was also guilty of having abducted children in the area during that time. He was caught in 1985 when a picture of him was released to the public and local East Los Angeles citizens spotted him. Ramirez held a terrifying presence in California. The ‘80s proved to be a time of growth and change in California, especially for the Los Angeles area, but the luxury and culture that came from Hollywood at the time was soon overcasted with the terror that Ramirez and other dark history brought.
Ed Gein, otherwise known as “The Butcher of Plainfield,” inspired more than future killers. He has become an inspiration for the media, and the way murder would be used to display the darker sides of humanity. Gein was a mentally ill man who was convicted of two murders and several grave robbings, but it was suspected that Ed Gein might have murdered even more people during his time. Gein’s house of horrors contained masks made from real human faces and furniture items like lamps and chairs crafted from real human skin meticulously sewn together. His house was a reflection of his mental state: a mess. Gein is a good example of what isolation could lead a person to become: deranged and mentally ill. He found his coping habit through mutilating others and keeping parts of them with him, and at times, even wearing parts of his victims. “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” film is largely based on Gein but in a more exaggerated way to depict the madness. The movie depicts the main character, Leatherface, who wears different masks of different victims in order to portray those different characters rather than himself. The film was released in 1974 and proved to be very disturbing for its time, yet it was very successful in the long run.
Besides the impact that has been made on the media, there have been personal impacts on people like Jeffrey Dahmer otherwise known as the “Milwaukee Cannibal.” Dahmer murdered 17 males and kept various body parts from victims as well as photographs. He would also sometimes eat parts of his victims. He soon started keeping “trophies,” which is when a serial killer keeps something from their victims as a prize. Dahmer stated, “As my obsession grew, I was saving body parts, such as skulls and skeletons. He longed for the compassion of another person being with him.
Serial killers have made their impact on American history. All good and dark aspects of humanity can not be ignored without remembering the sinister actions of those before us. Could they call others towards the fascination of disturbing and heinous acts? Serial killers lead people to take a look inside and understand all these differences humanity carries within itself.
