There are few crimes more unfathomable and brutal than family annihilation, the act of killing one's own family, but a recent study — the first of its kind — begins to shed light on what kind of person is capable of something so horrific.
Researchers from Birmingham City University in England studied three decades of British family annihilation cases and found that killers are typically male (59 of 71 cases studied) and over half (55 percent) were in their thirties.
August was the most common month for killings to take place and nearly half occurred on weekends. Researchers said this is likely due to the fact that would-be killers have easier access to their families during weekends and vacation.
The study found that family annihilators' motivations tend to fit into one of four category types:
Self-righteous: The killer blames a family member for his or her problems.
Disappointment: The killer feels let down by his or her family.
Anomic: The killer links his or her family with monetary struggles.
Paranoid: The killer perceives an external threat that could separate him or her from the family.
To read the full study, click HERE.