Spree Killer (Noun)
Meaning
A serial killer whose murders occur within a brief period of time.
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- The term spree killer was coined to describe a type of serial killer whose murders occur in a very short period of time.
- He became infamous as a spree killer, terrorizing a small town for a few weeks in the 1980s before being apprehended by authorities.
- Serial killers like John Allen Muhammad were once labeled as spree killers, although many argue the term has distinct characteristics that separate it from traditional serial killers.
- Investigating spree killers poses a challenge to law enforcement because they can seem almost ordinary to friends, neighbors, and acquaintances before committing violent acts.
- To gain an edge over a potential spree killer, local authorities gathered behavioral and demographic profiles, preparing an outline to deal with different psychopathy markers and habits.