Do you mean disorganized, as in the FBI’s categorization of disorganized-organized offender typology? If so, I’m glad you brought this up-I would like to discuss/hear everyone’s thoughts on the Delphi homicides re: organized or disorganized?
One of the earliest attempts to classify serial killers was the FBI organized/disorganized crime scene typology, developed by the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit in the 1980s by Ressler, Burgess, Douglas, and colleagues. The two dichotomous categories were: determined by the offender’s behavior at a murder scene, and reflective of the offender’s personality, development, social interactions, and criminal history.
The level of forensic awareness was central to these 2 categories (organized = forensically aware; disorganized = not forensically aware).
Organized offenders exercise a great deal of control at the crime scene, tend to be more forensically aware, socially competent, more likely to target strangers, more likely to use a vehicle, and above average intelligence. Example: Joel Rifkin.
Disorganized offenders kill spontaneously/opportunistically, leaving a muddled/disorganized crime scene, are more likely to be psychotic, have low social competence, are more likely to know the victim, more likely to not use a vehicle during the commission of a murder, more likely to keep a dead body, and more likely to leave the weapon at the crime scene/less forensically aware. Example: Herbert Mullin.
The Delphi Crime Scene is described on p. 28-31 of the FM (linked below). Per the below lists and information we have, which would everyone consider the Delphi killer(s)? Organized or Disorganized? Per Ressler et. al. (Sourced below):
*Organized Killers*
-offense planned
-victim is targeted stranger
-personalized victim (i.e. there is something specific about their victims, although strangers)
-controlled conversation
-controlled crime scene (awareness of investigative procedure/forensic awareness; they often remove a great deal of evidence from the crime scene, resulting in more difficult apprehension)
-demands submissive victims (controls the victims and the scene)
-restraints used
-aggressive acts PRIOR to death (due to sadistic nature/gains pleasure from prolonged suffering)
-body hidden
-weapon or evidence absent
-transports victim/body
*Disorganized Killer*
-spontaneous offenses
-victim is known and/or in known location
-depersonalized victim (there are no particular traits about the victim)
-minimal conversation
-random, sloppy crime scene (often laden with evidence to assist LE in identifying the offender)
-sudden violent to the victim (often begins with trivial things, trivial arguments)
-minimal use of restraints (the violence is a means to an end, act-focused kill)
-SA postmortem (due to social and sexual incompetence)
-body left in view
-weapon/evidence often present
-body left at scene (as opposed to transporting and moving the body)
Personally, I feel the Delphi scene as we know it is contradictory. I don’t know which category I believe the killer(s) would fit into (JMO), so I am curious what everyone else thinks!
Sources:
Crime Scene and Profile Characteristics of Organized and Disorganized Murders. Ressler & Burgess. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 54. Issue: 8 Dated: (August 1985) Pages: 18-25.
Crime Scene and Profile Characteristics of Organized and Disorganized Murders | Office of Justice Programs
Sexual Killers and Their Victims: Identifying Patterns Through Crime Scene Analysis. Ressler et. al. (1986)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/088626086001003003
2nd link on DOJ website
Sexual Killers and Their Victims - Identifying Patterns Through Crime Scene Analysis | Office of Justice Programs
(If mods need further info, I am happy to supply personal identification/academic background re: list summarization)
FM, p. 28-31
https://www.scribd.com/document/672126677/DELPHI-Memorandum-in-Support-of-Motion-pdf
EDIT: Typo
