I am just trying to figure out what causes a person to find "power in murder" as opposed to a person who finds power in personal, professional, financial, academic, athletic sector etc. accomplishments? Does this person look for "power in taking a life" because they feel powerless in their life? Or are their brains so jumbled they can never understand that life is precious?
MOO - I think they start daydreaming about sex, and maybe in some sadistic, violent forms, as testosterone kicks in. Perhaps sadism comes from *advertiser censored* sites? Not sure. Several of them had possible first kills around that age, 13 or 14, or sometimes it is suspected but never confirmed.
There are many adult people who are involved in sexualized play and that is all; but serial killers, if anything, are repressed, and don't have normal sex experience. Often their first experience is with prostitutes. Some get STDs from prostitutes and get angry with them (or all women); some simply can't ask what they really want even from prostitutes. So they start hunting real women, alone, off the beaten path. Often SA includes torture or rape. Some kill and return back to the place later. Some just kill and get so scared that they run away. With time, I think, they get more adept at what they want.
[In fact, there probably is the time when they want to stop. They enjoy the kill, but they don't enjoy the fact that they kill. For those who want to stop, the first thing is to remove anything that would remind them of the ritual (e.g. computer if they visit *advertiser censored* sites, or are somehow turned on by violent games - go to the library if you want to get online). Also, one must find something that would take their mind off the obsession (like, get a dog, and each time your mind gets on that path, take a dog for a walk, or play with the dog; leave the house). In fact, there should be the whole list of "favorite" things to do to distract. If people are in colleges, it is better to join a frat, or share an apartment with someone, not to stay alone. There are groups, that may not be related to the obsession (as far as I know, there is nothing like "Killers anonymous", but something like "gamers anonymous", or "gamblers anonymous" would do - something that would create a "club" and a support group). And of course, if someone really wants to stop, they have to burn their "sets" or "kits" or whatever they have].
(It is just my idea, in the context of OCD component. I don't know if it really works).