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Capture:

When the Local police and FBI searched Hansen’s house, plane, and cars, they discovered jewelry belonging to some of the missing women. They also discovered a map of the area with Xs marked all over it hidden in Hansen’s house (Serena, 2018). Faced with the evidence, Hansen decided his dangerous game was over and confessed to 4 murders and the acknowledgment of 10 others. In 1984, Robert Hanssen was convicted of the murders of 4 women and the attempted murder and kidnapping of Cindy Paulson. Mr. Hansen was serving a 461-year sentence in Alaska at the time of his death (D’Oro, 2015).

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Criminal Profile:

Interpersonal coherence

He was very shy and socially awkward with everyone in his day-to-day life. Because he had been bullied before, he was more timid and waited for individuals to engage in conversations with him (McLaughlin et. al, 2005).

Significance of time and place

The time and place were very specific due to the fact that he only raped, tortured and murdered women between the ages of 17 and 41, whom most were sex workers. He picked up his victims at night and proceeded to rape and torture them into the day. Most places he picked up the women were on “the streets” and in strip clubs (McLaughlin et. al, 2005).

Criminal Characteristics

He is a serial rapist and killer. He initially picks up the women, gains control, and rapes and tortures them. Whenever he feels ready he releases them into the woods and proceeded to chase them down and kill them like hunting wild animals (Serena, 2018).

Forensic Awareness

Hansen has been arrested before for petty crimes, therefore, he understands the severity of leaving little-to-no evidence for the police (Serena, 2018). He covers up his crimes by burying the women in the forest and or throwing them in the river (McLaughlin et. al, 2005). Although, he did make some mistakes such as keeping “souvenirs” of the women he murdered and raped for the police to find (Serena, 2018). He also tried to throw the police off by giving them a faulty alibi, but, it didn't check out (McLaughlin et. al, 2005).

Criminal Career

In his early criminal years, Hansen never committed a murder, only raped the woman, after a couple years he committed his first murder (Serena, 2018). He proceeded to take his criminal activities to a cabin far from his home and from others. He planned out everything, even to the point of letting the woman run free in the woods before he hunted them down (Serena, 2018). Over the course of 12 years, he never made a mistake until Cindy Paulson escaped the woods (McLaughlin et. al, 2005).

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Organized vs. Disorganized:

Robert Hanssen is considered an organized serial killer because of several aspects of his rapes and killings. Hansen had a normal IQ of 95 and never dropped out of high school (McLaughlin et. al, 2005). He was very socially awkward, however, he had two wives throughout his life. Although he seemed like a family man, he was verbally and physically abusive to his wife and two children (Serena, 2018). Hanson only targeted prostitutes and exotic dancers between the ages of 17-41 and his preferred method of killing was stabbing or shooting, as if his victims were wild animals (McLaughlin et. al, 2005). He would strategically pick prostitute up after dark, however, he mostly committed his crimes during the day in a secluded area. After killing his victims he would bury them and mark them with an “X” on a map that police later found in his house (Serena, 2018). He held on to personal belongings of the victims such as jewelry as trophies, to remember his victims as he'd never met them prior to targeting them on the streets (Gilligan, 2014). He would leave a very controlled crime scene with little-to-no evidence pointing towards him because he flew the victims out far from his home to a cabin (McLaughlin et. al, 2005). Finally, when he was caught he admitted to only 4 of the 17 murders, as there was little physical evidence to tie him to the other crimes (McLaughlin, Donnally, Draper & Duncan, 2005) .

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Psychological Characteristics:

Psychopathy - Focuses on their superficial charm, pathological lying, lack or remorse or guilt, callousness and failure to accept their own actions. Also they focus on their poor behaviour, impulsivity, irresponsibility, juvenile delinquency and early behavioural problems. So serial killers are affected by the events in their childhood but the psychological factors of psychopathy affect them just as much.  

Father was a very strict Danish immigrant baker

Had a dysfunctional relationship with his father

Severely bullied for his acne and stutter

Worked long hours in his father's bakery

Very bad acne that caused him to not socialize with others in school

Enjoyed solitary activities- hunting, fishing and archery

First sexual encounter- ended up in hotel room with prostitutes; Fort Knox, KY, more encounters with prostitutes

Junior High School, humiliated in school b/c of stuttering, girls teased him, hated school, rejection by classmates made him feel inadequate

Was considered a “loner,” his parents forced to use his right hand, even though he was left handed

Being shunned by attractive girls at his school made him grow up hating them and had fantasies of revenge

Bipolar - affective disorder (diagnosis made by psychiatrist when Hansen was arrested for stealing a chainsaw)

Buried majority of his victims

Handcuffed, blindfolded, make victims take clothes off and perform sexual activities

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Behavioural Characteristics:

As stated earlier, Hanson was a socially awkward, outcast who was bullied for his speech impediment for most of his life. He took out his anger, regarding females denying him throughout his life, on prostitutes, and tied it to his love for hunting when setting them free, only to chase them down and kill them. This exuded power over the victims, which he never had as a child regarding his bullies. The tortures and rapes also were related to demonstrating power and revenge (Criminal Profiling, 2001). Hansen had low self-esteem and kept souvenirs of his victims after every murder (Gilligan, 2014). Some serial killers have a “checklist” which the victim must fulfill before murdering them. In this case, Hansen had a very specific method for choosing his victims, they had to approach him for sex, then refuse to do a requested sexual act, and finally, try to escape him (Rossmo, 1995).

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Description of Crime(s):

Hansen’s M.O. (modus operandi) involved targeting prostitutes, strippers, and exotic dancers abducting them, taking them to his cabin in the Alaskan wilderness, and setting them loose so he could hunt them down like wild animals (Gilligan, 2014). In June 1983, a 17-year-old woman was found running down Sixth Avenue, barefoot and handcuffed. After being picked up by police, prostitute Cindy Paulson described being held hostage by a man who had raped, tortured and chained her up, before attempting to load her onto a plane and take her to his cabin in the Matanuska Valley (Serena, 2018). Police begin to investigate Robert Hansen. Over the next few months, they found many bodies in the valley, all of women, several of who were never identified (Serena, 2018). The list of victims he acknowledged and admitted to killing was 14 women and the other three women were suspected by the FBI and the local police (Entertainment, Technology, True Crime, 2017).

Lisa Futrell, 41 (acknowledged, body found with Hansen's help)

Malai Larsen, 28 (acknowledged, body found with Hansen's help)

Sue Luna, 23 (acknowledged, body found with Hansen's help)

Tami Pederson, 20 (acknowledged, body found with Hansen's help)

Angela Feddern, 24 (acknowledged, body found with Hansen's help)

Teresa Watson (acknowledged, body found with Hansen's help)

DeLynn "Sugar" Frey (acknowledged, body discovered on August 20, 1985 by a pilot testing new tires on the sandbar of the Knik River)

Paula Goulding (acknowledged, body found)

Andrea "Fish" Altiery (admitted, body not found)

Sherry Morrow, 23 (admitted, body found)

"Eklutna Annie" (admitted, body found, true identity has never been discovered)

Joanna Messina (admitted, body found)

"Horseshoe Harriet" (acknowledged, body found with Hansen's help, true identity has never been discovered)

Roxanne Easland, 24 (acknowledged, body not found)

Ceilia "Beth" Van Zanten, 17 (denied, but suspected because of x on aviation map, body found)

Megan Emerick, 17 (denied, but suspected because of x on aviation map, body not found)

Mary Thill, 23 (denied, but suspected because of x on aviation map, body not found)

Hanson was also responsible for the kidnapping and rape of at least 30 other women among the murders he committed (Gillian, 2014).

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Events of Importance:

Robert Hansen was a social outcast, he was skinny, shy and spoke with a stutter which resulted in years of bullying from his peers. He spent most of his free time alone, and over time became an avid hunter. It was believed that he was channeling his rage and need for revenge on those who mocked him through stalking animals and killing them (Serena, 2018). When Hansen was 18 years old he joined the United States Army Reserve, hoping to leave behind his painful high school days. After serving a year in the reserves, he became an assistant drill instructor in Pocahontas, Iowa, and even married a woman he met there (Serena, 2018). Although, after he was arrested for burning down a school bus garage, his wife divorced him. He was then released 20 months into his three-year sentence for arson. However, after being released he was charged a few more times for petty theft, resulting in a few more years in jail. Apart with the small run-ins with the law, Hasen managed to remarry to another local woman, now, Darla Hansen (Serena, 2018). In 1967, he moved to Anchorage, Alaska, he moved into a small community, had two children with his wife, and settled into a normal life. In Alaska, he was well liked, had a nice family and opened up a small bakery (Serena, 2018). However, it was all a fake image because in 1971 he committed his first murder.