In Plain Sight

Serial killers are seen as psychopathic sadistic murders that just don’t know when to quit. They seem to stand out from society and you probably think it’d be pretty easy to spot one out of a crowd of people. Actually, more serial killers than you think blend in and live normal lives. They have disguises that makes them just like any other person, which is probably why they are so difficult to find.

We cannot comprehend the actions of serial killers just because they seem to be so unrealistic and gruesome. We think: “how can any sane person commit a crime so horrendous?” That leads us to think that these serial killers are not normal people. We think that we can’t relate to them, that we don’t have anything in common with them. We say they’re crazy, mental, or insane (which may be true in some cases), but really, a lot of them have normal everyday lives just like the rest of us.

One of the most famous of serial killers that had the perfect disguises to hid in plain sight was Ted Bundy. He seemed normal being an average all-American guy. Bundy pretty much had it all, he had the looks, the smarts, and a successful future ahead. But he was nothing but a ruthless serial killer. He later claimed to have raped and murdered at least 30 women. How’d he kept his deep, dark serial killer secret for so long? Well, the fact that his cover was near perfect, he was one of the last person that people would suspect to be a serial killer.

Ted Bundy grew up with a stable family and a normal life. Though he did have an interest in knives at a young age and he was not so much of a social kid. He was shy but a really bright student that did good in school. He studied at the University of Washington, and met his then girlfriend who he fell in love with. After his breakup with his girlfriend, he was heartbroken and a lot of victims ended up looking like his ex-girlfriend. Bundy graduated with a degree in psychology and was accepted to law school. This is around the time that his killings had started.

He lured them into his car by faking an injury and asking for their help. He would rape his victims before he beat them to death. The number of victims he killed is not definite (at least 35), but some think it may be close to 100. No one ever thought that this man could be a cold-stone killer. Bundy volunteered with his partner, Ann Rule at a crisis hotline. Rule was shocked to discover that her partner was one of the most notorious serial killers of all time.

Serial killers lead a double life, their normal daily lives and their murderous lives. They do it both. No one suspects them until they are actually caught. They have their cover that shields them from the accusations of the police and investigators. Anyone could be a serial killer. Just because someone commits so many horrific acts does not mean that they are mentally insane. That is just the easiest explanation for our minds to process. Serial killers perfect their disguise to hid in plain sight.

Citation: "How Do Criminals Hide in Plain Sight?" HubPages. HubPages, 21 Apr. 2015. Web. 20 May 2016.