The Starkweather Syndrome: exploring criminal history antecedents of homicidal crime sprees

Little is known about the criminal backgrounds of offenders who commit homicidal crime sprees. Based on data from a purposive sample of 654 convicted murderers selected from eight states, this study compared the offense and criminal history of offenders who committed homicides during crime sprees and those who did not. Offenders who murdered during a crime spree were significantly more violent and criminally versatile than other homicide offenders during their instant homicide event. Offenders with prior convictions for robbery, child molestation, and multiple probation sentences were significantly at risk for homicidal spree offending. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are offered.