by Elizabeth Kells

Created on: December 29, 2009   Last Updated: December 15, 2010

Female Serial Killers and What Motivates Them

Women are thought to be the fairer sex; I do not believe the victims of Belle Gunness would agree. When one speaks of Serial Killers, most envision a man. It is true that the larger percentage of Serial Killers is male, but the number of female offenders continues to grow. The characteristics attributed to the female serial killers vary according to whether they are acting alone or in an alliance. The following are two of the differences; female offenders who work alone tend to be more organized and use less violent methods than those who work with someone else. Female Serial killers are like their male counterparts in as such that they both have a wide variety of motives.

 The Black Widow is one that kills those that are close to her such as husbands, children, mothers, fathers, and siblings.  These women usually (75% of the time) kill to gain something such as money or belongings. Today, it is not abnormal to see one story or another on the television, or bookshelf about a woman, who married, murdered, received an inheritance, and did it all over again. Women who kill to profit make up 75% of Female Serial Murders.   

Belle Guness was one such woman; she would lure men with a matrimonial ad, poison them, and take their possessions. After Belle's disappearance (supposed death) in 1908, it was discovered that she had in fact killed 14 suitors.

 The Angel of Death is someone who kills those that are in their care. Not always, but quite often this murderer believes the person is going to die anyway. A hospital would be the perfect place for one such killer due to death being something that happens there.

In 2006, Vicki Dawn Jackson was convicted for poisoning 10 elderly patients in her care while working as a nurse.

  Sexual Predators are murderers obsessed with sexual fantasies. It is said that only 10% of female offenders have this as a motive compared to men where this makes up the largest percentage of motive. I was only able to find one example of a woman's sexual fantasies being a motive and after reading her story, I do not believe it applies. The woman (Aileen Wournos) had sex with these men, would kill them, and take their money. Aileen was gay, I believe the men where murdered for money and her hatred of them, which would place her in one or both of the next categories.

 Revenge is another motive that is rare among serial killers, male and female. When one acts out due

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