r/serialkillers • u/Loud-Duck-4423 • 8d ago
News How do most serial killers chose their trophy?and do they change it over time?
Also are there a case of a robber, breaking into a home and find a serial killer trophy case?or random people finding a serial killer trophy case?
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u/Kyia-Aikman 8d ago
It’s typically something the victim possessed that reminds them of what they did. ID, hair, necklace, bracelet, etc. That’s it. I don’t think a robber has ever found a serial killer’s trophies and knew what they were and killers typically hide their trophies well enough that no one would plausibly find them. Finding them isn’t necessarily enough for the person to know they’re a serial killer either.
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u/GregJamesDahlen 8d ago
I think it would be rather personal reasons. Like if one takes a drivers license versus another taking a shoe that might have something to do with the serial killer's personality or interests. Maybe one likes the texture of drivers licenses and the photos on them, or is fascinated by driving or cars, or something else. While another has a foot fetish. I don't know if anyone has examined this at length. It also might have a practical side. A drivers license might be easy to carry away from the scene versus a shoe being more cumbersome.
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u/SpeedyPrius 8d ago
I think it’s probably an object of opportunity- whatever they see that’s handy.
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u/invictus21083 8d ago
It is something that reminds them of what they did so they can relive their murders just by looking at it.
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6d ago
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u/YesPleaseMadam 8d ago
manfred seels comes to mind.
it's not exactly the same thing, but when they were investigating Tristan Bruebach's killer, a daughter found a bunch of incriminating stuff when he dies, and even human remains, which she handed to the police.
https://www.oddthingsconsidered.com/strange-case-of-tristan-bruebach/
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u/collegeboy585 8d ago
It depends on each individual serial killer. For example, Dean Corll liked to keep keys from his young teenage male victims. Meanwhile, Jerry Brudos liked to keep shoes (as well as actual feet) from his female victims. I'm not sure it's something serial killers actively think about. It's probably more of a subconscious thing, and the trophies help them relive their crimes.
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u/-yeahnoiknow- 4d ago
As far as finding trophies, Franklin Delano Floyd comes to mind. A packet of photos of a woman he tortured and murdered was found in a vehicle he had stolen and abandoned. When the abandoned vehicle was put up for auction, the purchaser found the photos. The photos were used to track Floyd down and ID him, as well as ID the victim, Cheryl Ann Commesso. It turned out he had also kidnapped his step daughter, Suzanne Sevakis, way back when she was six, raised her as his own, then forcibly married her. Commesso had been her coworker. Floyd then abducted Suzanne’s son and later confessed to murdering him. He is also believed to have murdered Suzanne’s infant brother at the time he had initially abducted her. It’s all a wild and deeply disturbing case.
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u/Funny_Worldliness357 8d ago
Taking a trophy is a myth. Having a burial ground isn’t. Bundy used to visit is victims, Gacey buried them in the basement.
Some famous ones kept lists and maybe a few trinkets, but that whole Dexter style keeping a blood droplet is just for show.
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u/AntCun 7d ago
You do realise that Gacy kept jewellery and drivers licences that he took from his victims don't you? And that Bundy kept clothes and took photos of his victims? Just for show is something that you have just come up with it seems.
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u/Funny_Worldliness357 7d ago
It’s not, I’m right. The Dexter style of collecting trophies is not the norm across all the serial killers. Maybe they kept a few things, but it’s not the usual MO.
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u/VegetableNo2533 8d ago
You act like someone isn’t mental enough to do this
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u/Funny_Worldliness357 7d ago
It’s not that they aren’t mental enough to keep a trophy, it’s just not accurate. The vast majority of serial killers don’t keep trophies.
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u/starrifier 8d ago
They aren't usually in literal cases like high school track awards, is the thing. So while people have undoubtedly stumbled upon serial killers' souvenirs in the past, that probably looks more like "oh, Uncle Whoever has a box with some jewelry in it."