An Empirical Exploration of Leisure-Related Themes and Potential Constraints across Descriptions of Serial Homicide Cases

“It's Going to be Extra Fun!”: Analysis of an Atypical Case of Teen Homicide as Leisure Behavior

“…Interestingly, the offender with apparently less leisure interest in making horror movies, yet who did much of the filming, added, “We're gonna go down in history; we're gonna be just like Scream except in real life terms,” which suggests motivation to connect with and impress the other offender. Later in the segment, this same offender also mused, “Murder is power; murder is freedom”—which is consistent with expressive homicide as a deviant leisure experience . However, it was this particular offender who confessed to police and disclosed to them where the evidence was hidden.…”

“…Not only does leisure culture provide specific material by which offenders can derive detailed fantasy content, but social and behavioral scientists recently have observed that the activity of killing itself is experienced as a preferred leisure activity for many serial and likely some mass homicide offenders . According to flow theory , personal satisfaction in diverse legitimate leisure activities is largely a function of a balance of skill level to challenge—if the challenge exceeds skill level, then participants are frustrated; but if the challenge is not sufficient compared to skill, then participants are bored.…”

“…While flow theory has been empirically tested across a range of various legitimate leisure behaviors, it may also predict serial homicide offenders' satisfaction (or lack thereof) in how they experience committing specific murders . In a recent empirical study of hundreds of serial homicide offenders, four leisure‐related themes emerged across cases: (i) serial murder as a game; (ii) killing for thrills and intense sensations; (iii) killing for simple fun and enjoyment; and (iv) murder as a unique form of offender celebration . Researchers have found that, similar to ordinary people who seek to engage in various legitimate leisure pursuits, serial murderers first must negotiate specific intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural constraints to commit murder as a leisure activity .…”

“…In a recent empirical study of hundreds of serial homicide offenders, four leisure‐related themes emerged across cases: (i) serial murder as a game; (ii) killing for thrills and intense sensations; (iii) killing for simple fun and enjoyment; and (iv) murder as a unique form of offender celebration . Researchers have found that, similar to ordinary people who seek to engage in various legitimate leisure pursuits, serial murderers first must negotiate specific intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural constraints to commit murder as a leisure activity . Negotiating constraints to murder as leisure, of course, typically requires offenders to employ neutralization techniques and skillfully manage their presentation of self to family, friends, and community members .…”

An Unlikely Retirement: The 2017 Las Vegas Massacre as an Exercise in Project-Based Deviant Leisure

“…A recent empirical study by D. J. Williams et al (2017) also found that across hundreds of cases, serial homicide offenders killed according to one or more leisure themes pertaining to (a) murder as a game, (b) murder for intense thrills and sensations, (c) killing for simple fun and enjoyment, and (d) killing as a form of personal celebration. This same study found that robust leisure constraints and negotiation theories also apply to serial homicide cases wherein a substantial motivation for murder involved the pursuit of enjoyment or pleasure in earnest.…”