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Murder and Madness: A Case Study of the Criminogenesis and Psychodynamics of a Dual Murder

NCJ Number
235859
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 55 Issue: 5 Dated: August 2011 Pages: 799-815
Author(s)
Lara Facchi; Tito Gattoni; Chiara Cemmi; Ettore Stratico
Date Published
August 2011
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This article presents a case of dual murder committed by a person having a narcissistic personality disorder with traits of borderline personality disorder.
Abstract
The man, who had no previous problem with the justice system and had never shown any aggressive behaviour, stabbed to death his lover who was leaving him and, a week later, killed his own son. Through weekly clinical sessions over a period of 11 months, the analysis of the crime dynamics, the criminogenesis, and psychodynamics of the two murders allowed the reconstruction of the offender's psychopathological frame of mind and, in particular, the hypothesis of a symbolic connection between the homicides: The first appears to have been the result of an act of power and control in order to heal his narcissistic wound, whereas the second was due to his need to expiate the first crime and so could be interpreted as a suicide by proxy. (Published Abstract)