The Psychology of Dexter - Bella DePaulo [27]
In regard to Dexter, we can piece together each of his signature aspects to deduce the fantasies that drive him to murder. From them we might conclude that Dexter has fantasies of dominating, shaming, manipulating, and controlling murderers of innocent people. Furthermore, he probably fantasizes about replicating the fear within them that their own victims felt. Finally, Dexter has fantasies of being both an aggressor and avenger of the innocent. This is evident in “The Dark Defender” (2-5), where Dexter dreams about saving his mother from her killers while dressed as the superhero. These fantasies are consistent with those typical to survivors of childhood abuse who sometimes have fantasies of being in control in the role of the aggressor as adults. As a young boy, Dexter witnessed the brutal murder of his mother and sat in her blood with her sawed-up corpse for several days before being rescued by Harry. It is not unimaginable that he would have both a strong unconscious drive toward aggression as well as conscious fantasies, or daydreams, now as a young and capable man psychologically tormented and angry about his mother’s murder.
Although Dexter plays out these fantasies in most of his murders, he does not, or sometimes is not able to, conduct all of the signature aspects in his crime. This is consistent with real-life serial killers as well. Crime scene investigators believe that serial criminals do not always leave signature aspects at all crime scenes. From time to time the criminal will not be able to complete the signature aspects of his crime. Factors such as time, victim behavior, or unforeseen events like intrusions can prevent him from completing the behaviors beyond those necessary to commit the crime. When this occurs, he is often less satisfied with the crime because he was unable to act on his fantasies.
In the case of Dexter, all of these factors are relevant. Time or unforeseen interruptions have occasionally precluded the completion of signature aspects, as in the murders of Valerie Castillo, Nathan Marten, and George King. With Valerie Castillo, wife and accomplice to Jorge Castillo in a coyote operation involving Cuban immigrants, Dexter ran out of time and was unable to perform his ritual overkill. With Nathan Marten, photographer and sex offender, the kill by strangulation was an impulsive reaction to catching Marten viewing photos of Rita’s children. With this victim, the lack of pre-planning and time seemed to preclude the completion of signature aspects and Dexter did not seem as relieved by the kill. Lack of preparation, time, and anxiety all precluded Dexter’s completion of signature aspects and satisfaction with the killing of George King, a.k.a, the Skinner. With this kill the tables were turned, at least initially. Dexter was caught by the Skinner and nearly became his victim, only to overpower the man at the last moment, breaking his neck and tossing him into the path of an oncoming police car just in time to escape from the scene unnoticed. In addition, some kills, like those of his brother, Brian Moser, a.k.a., the Ice Truck Killer, or Camilla Fig, do not seem to justify the signature aspects, since they are meaningful and personal. Dexter does not enjoy or get the same satisfaction from them and so would not get any gratification from his usual ritual.
Victimology
A third element of crime scene investigation is victimology, or simply the characteristics of the perpetrator’s victim. Victimology may include the victims’ age, gender, race, occupation, physical attractiveness, relationship status, or perceived vulnerability, to name a few. Sometimes there is an identifiable likeness in victims chosen by serial offenders because they prefer a