Introduction

What prompted this article was the publication in 2003 of the book," Sex-Related Homicide and Death Investigation " ( CRC Press ) , by Vernon Geberth, a retired NYPD Lieutenant Commander of the Bronx homicide squad who is a nationally renowned homicide investigator.

I learned about the book through an article by David Marzulli, "Ex-cop's gloomy on crime—Serial slays rising" ( New York Daily News , 10/15/03). What caught my attention in Marzulli's article were his observation that " Geberth argues that the Internet plays a significant role in the proliferation of…attacks" and these quotes from Geberth's book:

"'The sex-related cases I am encountering today [as a consultant] are more frequent, vicious and despicable than what I ever experienced as a homicide cop.'"

"'There are more serial killers today. In my opinion, we have had a proliferation in serial murder events, as well as sex-related homicides'"

No mention was made in Marzulli's article about the role that pornography might play in all of this, but that was also true of another article, "Finding the Criminal Who Fits the Crime," about the work of retired NYPD detective Ray Pierce that appeared in the New York Times (3/29/00). According to the Times article, Raymond Pierce founded the NYPD's Criminal Assessment and Profiling Unit and was trained in psychological profiling by the FBI.

Since I was aware of an FBI study of 36 serial killers conducted in the 1980s, which revealed that 29 of these killers were attracted to pornography and incorporated it into their criminal sexual activity, including serial rape-murder, I wrote to Mr. Pierce, asking if he had "observed a frequent connection between pornography (including stripping) and sexual crimes" and if he would be willing to share his observations in an interview.

NYPD detective (retired) Raymond Pierce

Mr. Pierce responded affirmatively. The resulting interview appears on Morality in Media's Web site, www.obscenitycrimes.org, on the Porn Problems and Solutions page, under the title, " The sexual criminal's relationship to porn ."

Here is an excerpt from that interview :

MIM : What are your definitions of "pornography," and related terms like "soft-core pornography," "hard-core pornography," "violent pornography"?

RMP : I have no need to differentiate between "soft core," or "hard core" pornography. I know what the media defines as "soft core" and "hard core." For me it's anything written, spoken, printed, photographed or videotaped to elicit a sexual response from an individual. What the general public may consider soft-core pornography, that's enough stimulation for a criminal. It depends on what goes on in the individual's mind. If there's enough stimulation for a criminal to use to fantasize before committing a crime; sometimes they use it during a crime and many times they use it afterwards.

MIM :So pornography is one word, essentially, for you.

RMP :For me it is yes.

MIM : Do you believe, from your experience, that there's a greater consumption of pornography among sex offenders in contrast to non-offenders?

RMP : In my experience, offenders in general have a heavy exposure to pornography. I cannot tell you what the general population's exposure is, but it's available for them in different forms.

...

MIM : How many criminal cases involving sexual murders, rapes, or assaults on adults have you consulted on or investigated, and in what percentage of those was there evidence that the perpetrator was a user of pornography?

RMP : I've investigated somewhere between 750 and a thousand cases, but was I looking for it all the time? No, I wasn't. But my estimation would be that pornography is expected by the police in those cases. It's expected that they [the suspects] read pornographic literature and magazines. Anywhere between 60 and 80 percent of the cases, if I were looking for it, I would have found it. But realistically, well over 80 percent.

MIM : What were the percentages of finding porn involved in serial sexual murders, rapes and assaults, in your estimation?

RMP : Almost always. . . . Quite frequently, particularly with serial killers, they have a great problem with power and control. Many times they have hidden away storage areas…

NYPD lieutenant commander (retired) Vernon Geberth

There was no need to interview Vernon Geberth, because he wrote an 800-page book to assist law enforcement officers in investigations of sex-related homicides. He said it all in the book. And I had a hunch his book would show a connection between pornography and sex crimes.

Having purchased a copy and quickly looked through it for passages that mention pornography, I can say that I was not disappointed in my expectations.

Here are excerpts from Geberth's book that link pornography to violent sex crimes.

"In one case on which the author consulted, the victim was an attractive middle-aged single woman . . . . The suspect, who was a fetish burglar, . . . acted out his most perverse fantasies with her body. . . . The suspect made multiple 1-900 sex-line phone calls throughout the day and night from the victim's residence…He also brought pornographic magazines into the scene and a list of 1-900 numbers, which were matched to his calls from the victim's residence by detectives. He engaged in sadistic sexual activities with the victim's body...." [pp. 16-17]

"Sadistic fantasies or acts may involve activities that indicate the dominance of the person over the victim…as in the case depicted in The Perfect Victim (McGuire & Norton 1988). This case involved Cameron Hooker and his wife Janice. Cameron Hooker's fantasy was to dominate and torture nude women who were bound and helpless. His fantasies were fueled by an extensive collection of hard-core pornography that featured bondage, leather and handcuffs, and whips…At one point during this torture, [a victim] was able to see through the bottom of her blindfold. She saw a picture of a naked woman hanging in much the same position that she was hanging. Apparently, Cameron was using this sadistic pornography to script his fantasy into reality." [p. 23 and p. 741] [p.741]

"Fantasy plays a major role in everyone's sexual behavior ... The contrast of these normal fantasies would be the aberrant development of bizarre sexual images involving grotesque unnatural distortions of sexual imagery ... The individual becomes aroused by thoughts and fantasies of sexual aggression ... This paraphilic lovemap is then reinforced through repetition, illustrated by the use of sadistic pornography and fantasy stories featuring sexual sadism ...In Chapter 9, the author presents an offender who fantasized and enhanced his pornography by adding bindings to the female models. ... He then posed the body [of a victim] at the scene with her legs spread apart and held in that position with a vine from the trees. This pose was the same as his pornography with the added bindings." [pp. 36-37]

"Some samples of actual writings of sexual sadists [in order] to present how significant these fantasies become in the actual analysis of the crimes presented here ... Reinforcement of the Fantasy: Case 4 Continued ... 'When I got to Denver there were a lot of sex shops. There I found bondage magazines and videos. Magazines of beautiful women and young girls tied, bound and gagged in just about every way possible. I was in heaven. I bought lots of mags and videos. After a year or so of watching I wanted the real thing. I wanted a woman bound up and sexually abused ... I didn't want a willing partner as (name withheld) had been. I wanted an unwilling partner. I would go out and walk the streets and visit clubs looking for the right woman or girl'" [Following the quote, Geberth comments, "In many cases, the offenders used girlfriends or prostitutes to act out their sadistic fantasies…[F]rom an investigative perspective, the sexual crimes committed by the offenders and the activities they engaged in with consenting partners were almost mirror image scenarios."] [pp.44-45]

" Case 5: Serial Rapist's Diary ... [T]he sexual bondage and discipline magazines he purchased were reflected in his behavior with consenting partners as well as his victims ... My review of the [perpetrator's journal] indicated a progression of activities, as the offender repeatedly acted out the scenarios depicted in the magazines and incorporated the pictures of the bound women into his fantasy system ..." [pp.45]

" Case 9 ... This subject ... worked in his mother's clothing store. As the young mother and her daughter walked toward the back of the store, the offender quickly began ushering other customers out of the store ... He was unable to complete the rape, but he did involve himself in sexual conduct with the woman's body ... During a search of the clothing store, police located ... a VCR and three pornographic videos in the backroom of the store. Apparently, he would entertain himself by viewing these tapes ... The police executed a search warrant of his residence. A search of his room revealed obsessive interest in pornography ... The significance of his obsession with pornography, coupled with his previous behavior [sex-related incidents], as well as the triggering mechanism ... are excellent examples of fantasy-driven expression." [pp.51-52]

" Case 11 ... The offender [a serial killer] focused his attacks on specific body regions, particularly the breasts ... Investigation revealed that the offender had an intense interest in bondage and total control and submission of his victims ... When the authorities in this case executed a search warrant at the subject's home, they discovered that he maintained a private room in the house ... Among the many items recovered in this room was an extensive collection of B&D [Bondage & Discipline] materials and other pornography, which indicated the subject's intense interest in sadomasochistic activities ... " [pp.57-58]

Case 12 ... This case involved a serial killer who was killing prostitutes ... Once he completed the sex act, he stripped and tortured them for hours ... The significance of fantasy in this case was graphically revealed when ... detectives went to the killer's home and retrieved a number of items, including one pornographic videotape ... This videotape contained a number of scenes that were similar to what the offender was doing to his victims. The breast assault and paddling activities appeared to be based upon this sadomasochistic videotape, which seemingly fueled his increasingly sadistic activities ... " [pp.61-62]

" Case History ... This case presented a murder/suicide ... Susan's body was in a supine position ... She suffered a number of stab wounds into her chest and breast. The stab wounds continued down her chest into her pubic and pelvic area, and her throat was cut. Telephone cord had been wrapped tightly around her neck ... and it was apparent that Frank had positioned his wife's body in a pose similar to some of the drawings police recovered ... The police discovered 115 drawings and 105 photographs of nude women. There were also 83 men's magazines, including High Society , Gallery and Penthouse . Many of the magazines had pages removed, including pictures of centerfolds with stab marks. Frank also maintained an extensive collection of…pornographic videotapes…The numerous photographs of nude women from magazines with knife holes and simulated bullet holes through the pictures displayed his obsession with sexual mutilation of women. [pp. 68-83]

" Danielle van Dam Kidnap and murder . Seven-year-old Danielle van Dam disappeared from her family home in the middle of the night on February 2, 2003 ... Within 2 days of the abduction, a neighbor of the van Dam family, [defendant], became the prime suspect in the case. The little girl's body was not discovered until February 27 ... The trial lasted 2 ½ months ... The prosecution stressed the DNA evidence and forensic evidence ... The authorities also seized thousands of computer files filled with child pornography from [defendant's] computer, including a cartoon video of the rape of a young girl. The prosecutor said, 'The video represented [defendant's] sexual fantasies and inspired the abduction, rape and murder of Danielle.'" [pp. 602-604]

I would, however, make three general observations about Vernon Geberth's book. First, Geberth didn't write the book to prove a causal link between pornography and violent sex crimes. He wrote the book to help law enforcement investigators solve violent sex crimes.

Second, while Geberth has much to say about the role of pornography in the lives of violent sex offenders, he could have said more. While Geberth discusses the case of serial killer Ted Bundy, he doesn't mention Bundy's experience with pornography. Geberth also discusses the cases of serial killers John Wayne Gacy and Jeffrey Dahmer, both of whom murdered other men, without any mention of pornography. From reports that I have read, both were into pornography.

Scientific data

Third, while Geberth is, in my opinion, a credible expert witness, his observations and opinions about the role of pornography in violent sex crimes do not constitute "scientific data" that conclusively prove that pornography is connected to such crimes. But they don't have to.

Those who defend pornography often make the argument (in so many words) that there is no conclusive scientific proof that pornography causes sex crimes. Their argument is flawed for two reasons . First, it implies that we cannot come to a valid conclusion without "conclusive scientific proof." Second, it implies that government must have "scientific proof" in order to act.

Here's how Nadine Strossen, president of the ACLU, responded to the question, "But how can you defend pornography? Isn't it harmful to women?" ("In Defense of Pornography: A conversation with Nadine Strossen," New York Native, 1/23/95):

"The pro-censorship feminists claim that pornography causes direct harm to women is unsupported by the facts. In writing this book ["In Defense of Pornography"] I searched the social science literature for evidence that exposure to sexually explicit pornographic material causes ...violence against women. But I discovered that a causal connection has never been established ." [Underlining mine; italics in the original]

Now, had Ms. Strossen been searching the social science literature "for evidence" of a causal connection between pornography and sexual violence, she would have found it. See, e.g., the analysis of social science research in the Attorney General's Commission on Pornography: Final Report (U.S. Department of Justice, 1986, at pp. 901-1035); an abridged version of the Final Report (Rutledge Hill Press, ISBN 0-934395-42-X) is available from Morality in Media .

But Ms. Strossen wanted more than evidence of a causal connection—she wanted research that establishes a connection. Here's how the Supreme Court ( Paris Adult Theater I v. Slaton , 413 U.S. 49) responded to a similar demand:

"But it is argued that there are no scientific data which conclusively demonstrate that exposure to obscene material adversely affects men or women or their society ... We reject this argument ... 'We do not demand of legislatures 'scientifically certain criteria of legislation' ... From the beginning of civilized societies, legislators and judges have acted on various unprovable assumptions." [413 U.S. at pp.60-61]

The Paris Court went on to say [413 U.S. at p.63]:

"If we accept ... the well nigh universal belief that good books, plays and art lift the spirit, improve the mind, enrich the human personality, and develop character, can we then say that a state legislature may not act on the corollary assumption that commerce in obscene books, or public exhibitions focused on obscene conduct, have a tendency to exert a corrupting and debasing impact leading to anti-social behavior? 'Many of these effects may be intangible and indistinct, but they are nonetheless real .'" [Emphasis mine]

'Causative factor'

One reason why the Paris Court did not demand of the Georgia legislature that it demonstrate with "scientifically certain criteria" a connection between antisocial behavior and obscene material is because human behavior cannot easily be studied in a laboratory. There are too many variables to determine to a scientific certainty what role one variable (for example, pornography) plays in a particular behavior (or example, rape).

Here is how Nadine Strossen responded to the question, " What about convicted criminals who claim that viewing pornography led them to crime ?" ("Porn's Great Defender?", Gadfly , 7/97):

"Given all the complex factors that make us ... behave as we do, I don't understand how we can single out one and say it is the causative factor." [Emphasis mine]

I am not sure what Ms. Strossen means by the causative factor. If she means a sufficient cause, I would agree because I don't think pornography is ever the sole cause of a violent sexual crime. If she means a necessary cause (i.e., a factor without which the behavior would not have occurred) I would again agree—because we do not possess the means to single out one factor and know to a certainty what influence it had. Unlike Ms. Strossen, however, I think there is ample evidence to support the conclusion that many violent sex crimes would not have occurred (in whole or part) if the perpetrator had not been exposed to or become addicted to pornography.

For a perspective on "causation," see Diana E. Russell, Ph.D., Against Pornography: The Evidence of Harm , pp. 113-148, (Berkley, CA: Russell Publications 1994). Both the book itself and an essay, "Pornography as a Cause of Rape," are available at http://www.dianarussell.com/ . Dr. Russell is Professor Emerita of Sociology at Mills College .

In her article, "When Words Are Not Enough: The Search for the Effect of Pornography on Abused Women," ( Violence Against Women , Vol.10, No.1 , January 2004, pp.56-72), Janet Hinson Shope [Associate Professor, Goucher College] analyzes in detail a study conducted from 1988 to 1991 at a New York program for battered women. Of the 46% who reported sexual abuse, 30% said the abuser used pornography . Of those who reported that their abusers used pornography, 58% said the pornography affected their abuse. In her analysis, Hinson Shope said in part (at pp. 88-89):

"Although we may not be able to marshal the evidence needed to constitute 'causal proof,' an elusive criterion for social scientists, we certainly have enough evidence to warrant identifying pornography use as a risk factor, much like alcohol consumption, associated with sexual violence among some populations ... In our attempt to empirically validate the harm of pornography, we have also silenced women's voices ... Women's accounts, such as the ones below, on the effects of pornography are minimized and/or ignored...

"A woman who was raped by her partner recalls:

'He was really into watching porno movies, and he tried to make me do all sorts of things. And I [didn't] like it. He hurt my stomach so bad because I was pregnant, and he was making me do these things.' [ Bergen , R.K. (1998), "The reality of wife rape: Women's experience of sexual violence in marriage." In R.K. Bergen (Ed.), Issues in intimate violence , (pp. 237-250). Thousand Oaks , CA : Sage] (p.242)

"Jensen [Jensen, R. (1998). "Using pornography." In G. Dines, R. Jensen, A. Russo (Eds.), Pornography (pp.101-146). New York : Routledge] described another woman's experience:

'He would bring pornographic magazines, books, and paraphernalia into the bedroom with him and tell her that if she did not perform the sexual acts that were being done in the dirty books and magazines, he would kill her.' (p. 115)

"Women's experiences of pornography are dismissed as anecdotal, nonrepresentative, and unimportant. Falling into the measurement trap, we have turned to science, instead of to women, for answers ... As Kelly pointed out, while we debate it, many people are coping with its unwelcome presence in our lives."

News reports of violent sexual crimes

The reader can judge for him or herself whether in the following cases (all taken from my file on pornography and violent sex crimes), pornography was a causative or "risk" factor, of major or minor importance, in the commission of the violent sex crime or crimes.

"Defendant was convicted of rape, two counts of aggravated sodomy and false imprisonment ... Certain magazines ('Submarine Sadist,' 'Rope Embrace,' etc) seized from appellant's residence were admitted into evidence over appellant's objection. 'In the trial of sexual crimes exhibits having a tendency to show bent of mind toward sexual activity have generally been allowed into evidence' ... especially in light of the victim's testimony concerning acts of bondage." [ Yeck v. State , 331 S.E.2d 76 ( Ga. App. 1985).]

"Investigators searching for a motive in the brutal slayings of a Townsend mother and her two children will explore the role of 'hard-core pornography' in the [17 year old] suspect's life ... Police sources say accused killer['s] home ... including his bedroom, 'was full of hard-core pornographic magazines. They were all over the place' ... Several torn and crumpled porn magazine pages were found in a wastebasket at the murder scene ... The pornography in [defendant's] home, coupled with his history of violent and sexual crimes has prompted investigators to explore whether [defendant] may have been 'inspired' by or may have copied acts depicted in videos or magazines." ["Porn role probed," Boston Herald , 12/7/87]

"In a little house . . . police believe mild-mannered engineer [defendant], perhaps under the influence of porn-fueled fantasies, assaulted young women while his wife was away. He admitted, police say, to kidnapping and assaulting three girls, killing one of them, and assaulting four others in Georgia and South Carolina. Police in five other states, including Tennessee , want to talk to him. When police searched [defendant's] rented storage unit…they found 935 pornographic books and magazines depicting sexual bondage, horror scenes and nudity. They also found…books about serial killer Ted Bundy, who preyed on attractive young women. . . ." ["Suspect in sex crimes sought," Knoxville Journal , 2/27/89]

"A Circuit Court jury ruled that [defendant] was mentally responsible during the torture and murder of his sister-in-law and an attempt to murder his wife…Psychiatrist Ralph Baker testified that he believed [defendant] had a disorder of sexual sadism but was not suffering from a mental disease…Robert Miller, a psychiatrist…said [defendant] had a problem throughout his life knowing how to direct his anger, and therefore he used pornography and thoughts of torture as a relief… Paul Barnett, Price County Attorney, argued that [defendant]… had a fascination with pornography dating to childhood and who blamed alcoholism for his acts." ["Jury finds [defendant] sane," Milwaukee Journal , 3/18/89]

"In a videotape made this week for police crime-watch programs, the 'Ski Mask Rapist' revealed how he got addresses of some of his 35 victims ... Under questioning by Assistant District Attorney Mike Gillett, [defendant] said he watched X-rated videotapes about three or four times a week. 'I would remember the videotapes I would watch when I committed an assault,' he said. 'I would think about the tapes at the time and the different acts in the videos ... '" ["Ski mask rapist details how he picked victims" Dallas Times Herald , 6/1/90]

"A young FBI agent who helped nab a sadistic New Jersey serial killer Wednesday is a real-life version of the Jodie Foster character in 'The Silence of the Lambs' ... As she tries to catch the maniac, Foster relies on the intricate methods she learns at the FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crimes in Quantico, Va. That's where FBI Agent Drucilla Wells received the training she used to zero in on serial-murder suspect [defendant] ... Wells learned that [defendant] collected porn and kept women's panties in his car. She then put together a profile of [defendant] that expedited his capture by the FBI and local authorities." ["How FBI's 'Jodie' Got Her Man," New York Post , 3/30/91)]

"A judge sentenced [defendant] to 20 years in prison for trying to rape a Wesleyan student, and attacking her housemate, saying [defendant's] 'whole life is dominated by pornographic fantasies that he was prone to act on ... Police searched [defendant's] room after the incident and found open pornographic magazines ... In 1987, [defendant] was convicted of a similar attack after he sexually assaulted a housemate in East Haddam ... Then, in 1989, he was sentenced to six months for violation of probation; prosecutors said [defendant] ran up $500 worth of telephone bills to pornographic and sex related groups." ["Man sentenced to 20 years in sexual assault," Hartford Courant , 5/2/91]

"The evidence adduced at trial viewed in the light most favorable to the state's case . . . reveals the following. . . . Schiro was serving a three-year suspended sentence for robbery. … While in the work-release program [in Evansville , IN ], Schiro worked across the street from [the victim's] house. . . . Schiro went to a liquor store and stole an alcoholic beverage…He took the liquor with him and went to see 'quarter movies,' which were characterized as hard-core pornography. . . . A woman who worked as a cashier at the quarter movie porn shop threw Schiro out when Schiro exposed himself to her ... From there Schiro went directly to [the victim's] apartment ... Schiro knocked on [the victim's] door and asked if he could use her phone on the pretext that his car would not start ... Schiro asked to use the bathroom ... When he came out of the bathroom Schiro was exposed and [the victim] became frightened ... Schiro then raped her ... and raped her a second time. ... Schiro raped her a third time. ... Schiro decided he had to kill her so she couldn't report the rapes. ... She was still fighting him when he strangled her to death. ... He then dragged her body across the living room where he performed vaginal and anal intercourse on the corpse and chewed on several parts of her body. ..." [ Schiro v. Clark , 963 F.2d 962 (7th Cir. 1992)]

"Daily beatings, crude sexual acts and constant threats marked the 18-day imprisonment of a woman accusing [the defendant] of kidnapping and rape ... The woman, 22, cried as she described some of the things she accuses [the defendant] of doing. She said that in addition to raping and sodomizing her, [defendant] forced her to use her mouth to clean feces off his genitals. [Defendant] also asked her to perform sex acts depicted in pornographic magazines, the woman said ... " ["Woman: Threats, beatings held me," Miami Herald , 4/23/93]

"In December 1992, [Defendant] guided authorities to the [victim's] body ... As he stated in court, he said [in the interview with the newspaper] he participated in the rape but did not shoot, strangle or mutilate her ... 'Part of me wanted the rape to occur,' [defendant] said. 'I wanted to experience what it was like. I was curious about it.' He said he became fascinated with the idea of rape by watching X-rated movies and reading pornography." ["Night of Miss Harms' Murder Still Haunts [Defendant]," Omaha World Herald , 9/28/94]

"A search of [defendant's] home ... turned up bags and boxes of pornographic books, magazines and videotapes about sexual bondage ... In the room where the woman said she escaped, investigators found a plastic sack filled with 'bondage straps, restraints, chains' and other items ... The victim said her captor also used an electronic stun gun to shock her after she was bound, gagged and blindfolded and carried to the trunk of a waiting car. The woman said she was taken to a home and left alone in an upstairs bedroom. The attacker apparently left the house and the woman managed to escape." ["Bondage items found where woman was held," Grand Rapids Press , 11/29/94]

"A former security guard dubbed 'Dr. Smell' for his foot fetish was found guilty of murdering a college student who was found barefoot, her socks and sneakers missing…He was…on duty at the Drexel University [Philadelphia] computer laboratory where she was working the night she was beaten and strangled ... Police raided [defendant's] apartment and storage locker and discovered 20 pair of white women's sneakers ... and 77 foot-fetish videos. [The victim's] sneakers were white." ["Sneaker Slaying," Associated Press, 12/2/95]

"In the weeks before [defendant] allegedly began savaging women, he spent whole days mesmerized watching porn videos showing women being raped and tortured, a roommate said yesterday. As he grew increasingly despondent at the loss of his Japanese girlfriend, [defendant] bought and rented sadistic Japanese porn flicks, said [the roommate] ... Occasionally, excited by the copulation he saw on film, [defendant] would ask [the roommate] to accompany him to a sex club in Times Square ... [Defendant's] obsession goes back to his teen years, said another friend ... 'He used to have some porno games on his computer. He used to be able to take off these women's clothes on the computer,' said the old classmate ... " ["Porn Haze filled days," New York Daily News , 6/15/96]

"[Defendant], a [South Dakota] teen, was convicted of raping a Readers Den employee ... 'The Mitchell Police Department definitely thought pornography was a factor in [defendant's] rape,' said Assistant Police Chief Lyndon Overweg. 'The defendant had been looking at the covers of pornographic magazines in the bookstore, pulling the film away from the covers ... We also were aware that [defendant] had used pornography in the past and felt that was a contributing factor to his crime' ... Overweg said it is difficult to determine how much of an influence pornography has on people ... Pornography, however, is a common denominator that usually is present, he said. 'Whenever I've investigated a sex crime, a search ... will almost always reveal pornography at the attacker's residence or ... pornography in their backgrounds,' Overweg said." ["Officials: Set limits on explicit material," Mitchell Daily Republic , 4/13/99]

"The disappearance of eight women and a baby girl have been linked to a Kansas man law enforcement officials say used the Internet to meet his victims for kinky sex. [Defendant] is a suspect in the deaths of five women whose bodies were found stuffed in 55 gallon drums in Kansas and Missouri ... [Defendant] apparently met his victims through sadomasochistic chat rooms and e-mail on the Internet using the screen name 'slavemaster.' Police confiscated pornographic material ... from his mobile home..." ["Nine disappearances linked to 'Slavemaster,'" UPI, 6/8/2000]

the disorders,' said Deputy State 's Attorney John McCarthy. 'It was inspired by pornographic movies.' McCarthy said [defendant] was watching pornographic movies in his home the day of the attack." ["Murderer gets life sentence," Montgomery Journal , 5/8/02]

"Investigators looking into the killings of 10 women in the St. Louis area have accused a paroled robber in two of the killings after tracking him using the Internet ... The complaint ... accused [the defendant] of kidnapping, torturing and killing two prostitutes ... Four days later [after finding a body], investigators determined that the return address on the letter [showing the location of the body], 'I THRALLDOM ,' was a Web site featuring bondage and sexual torture ... " ["Internet Used to Find Man Who Is Charged in 2 of 10 Killings," New York Times , 6/11/02]

"A prowler climbed through the bathroom window of a Lower East Side apartment ... shot a sleeping man in the head, police officials said, then drank the dead man's whiskey and watched sex videos before heading downstairs, where he killed an elderly couple. The woman's body was left naked in a living room chair, and she had been sexually abused." ["Burglar Slays Man in One Apartment, Then Kills Elderly Couple," New York Times , 6/13/02]

"Police have charged a man in the slaying of a nun who was attacked as she recited the rosary while on a walk with another nun. Both women were sexually assaulted, police said ... Klamath County District Attorney Ed Caleb said [defendant] had just left 'the only strip joint in Klamath Falls' before he attacked the women. 'He then came down there, ran into them, attacked them, beat them severely to weaken them, then proceeded to sexually assault both of them, and we believe strangle one of them,' Caleb said." ["Man charged in Oregon nun's murder," Associated Press, 9/3/2002]

"A military jury gave a 25-year prison sentence to a lieutenant colonel who admitted killing his wife during an argument about pornography, an army spokesman said ... [Defendant] pleaded guilty to unpremeditated murder ... saying he beat and strangled his wife as they fought about his use of the Internet to view pornography ." ["Colonel sentenced in wife's death," Associated Press, 10/30/2002]

"[A]ccused rapist and fugitive from the law [the defendant] has simple needs. 'He likes sex and surf,' defense lawyer Roger Jon Diamond told the Post ... Diamond claims his client was hooked on having sex with unconscious women—and that his girlfriends willingly took GHB [a date rape drug] to grant his sexual fantasies. 'There are actually Web sites about this,' Diamond said. 'It's a new fetish out there. Some guys like to see unconscious women getting raped.'" ["Fugitive Scion's 'Sex & Surf' Life, New York Post , 1/12/03]

"A teenage baby sitter ... has been charged with raping and sodomizing three children he was watching in their home ... The youth had been abusing the children since the summer of 2002, when he began watching pornographic videos with the eldest child, a boy who was then 12, the warrant said. He eventually abused all three children, the [ Connecticut ] state police charged. He intimidated the children by telling them he would assault other members of the family ... and tortured them with a knife, among other items, the warrant said." ["Baby Sitter, 17, Raped and Tortured Three Children," New York Times , 2/27/04]