Many people wonder what causes the disturbing behavior of serial killers. Most criminologists believe the theory that traumatic childhood experiences lead directly to the behavior of serial killers. The “Homicide Triad”, which is the traits of a serial killer when they are a child, is the key factor in the development of serial killers. The “Homicide Triad” that includes bed-wetting, arson and animal torture as a child, is one of the most common traits of a serial killer (Newton, 2000, 101).

The triad is made up of fire starting, bed-wetting, and sadistic behavior. One of the important and most common parts of the “homicide triad” is arson. John E. Douglas, a psychological profiler, believes that the future serial killers are arsonists because of a “fascination due to their fondness of spectacular destruction” (Schechter and Everitt, 282). He concludes that a serial killer’s fascination for destruction increases as they get older and they turn to murder to satisfy their need for destruction. Sadistic activity, bed-wetting, and fire starting are common threads among serial killers that support the theory that childhood experiences relate to psychopathic behavior. Besides the three symptoms of the “Homicide Triad,” another common denominator in the childhood of a serial killer is sadistic daydreaming (Newton, 2000, 101).

Another problem serial killers faced as children was Sadistic daydreaming. These daydreams were usually of sexual and violent nature. A psychology professor at Luther College, Jeremy Anderson states, “Future serial killers have sexual fantasies as children to help control their fear and it is a way to relieve hostility and aggression towards others” (Horse, 2001, 1). A child uses sexual fantasies as a form of escape from an abusive situation. Their daydreams as children allow them to become in control of themselves, others and the world. They also use sexual fantasies to fulfill the love they never received (Horse, 1). For example, kicking a dog so the animal would listen to them or beat them or beating and/or killing their parents are all common sadistic daydreams of serial killers as children (Horse, 1). Sadistic