One of the most important aspects of criminology is investigation. The strength of a case is determined by the amount of evidence provided to ensure that justice is served. Cases of serial murder are often sensitive, and officers must research to establish facts and the killer’s motives. One of the most popular serial murder cases is Daniel Gonzalez’s of 2004, whereby four people were brutally murdered. When committing the murders, Gonzalez wore Freddy Krueger’s mask, making him referred to as “The Freddy Krueger Killer.” We will critically analyze Candice Delong’s podcast about this case and explore how it relates to our course materials’ submissions.
Delong seems to base her podcast on explaining the motive behind the murder cases. We understand from her submissions that Gonzalez’s actions were caused by his desire to gain popularity in his locality. Again, Gonzalez’s notorious behavior, which he had developed from a young age, significantly contributes to his actions. Gonzalez had a troubled childhood; his mother barely attended to his needs. This made him grow into an irresponsible person who broke laws numerous times. The offender’s motive is vital in establishing the cause of a crime. However, we are not convinced by the podcast’s submission, which seems to emphasize Gonzalez’s psychological state without providing solid evidence to show how Gonzalez’s mental disorder was central to the case’s motive.
Again, Delong informs us about Gonzalez’s background and personality casually, leaving us unable to understand the reason behind his actions. The offender’s background is pivotal in shaping their character and personality. Information and details about Gonzalez’s early life are scanty, and we cannot tell when he lost direction and started engaging in crime. Our course materials show that investigators can rely on one’s personality to piece together evidence and help unravel the motive behind criminal activities. Again, an offender’s background and personality can help investigating officers understand the cause of crimes. This way, crime prevention becomes easy, cases are effectively solved, and justice is served. Therefore, the lack of enough details about Gonzalez’s personality and background in the podcast makes us lack a good understanding of the case’s cause.
In addition, the social and cultural context of the crime is missing in the podcast, which is a notable omission against our coursework. Investigators must understand the offender’s social and cultural background to understand their livelihoods which can easily tell the reason behind their actions (Woodhams et al., 2007, p.234). Some of the most important social and cultural factors that could make the unraveling of the crimes easy include the offender’s financial situation, cultural norms, and any exclusion cases that might be present in society. The social and cultural factors are critical, for they help investigators understand the measures required to ensure that the same does not happen in the future. Cases of repeated crime can only be avoided when a comprehensive analysis is done to understand the reasons behind the other cases.
Further, we are concerned by the podcast’s excess attention and focus on Gonzalez’s mental state. Delong seems to blame the offender’s mental health. Although this can be one of the main reasons and cause of the offender’s actions, other factors can make an individual commit a crime equivalent to Gonzalez’s. Cultural, social, and environmental factors can easily make an individual lose their mind and result in criminal activities. Investigators need to ensure that their investigations are not narrowed into one specific aspect, for this can easily be misleading (Snook et al., 2007, p.237). Again, by dwelling on one aspect, one can overlook other factors which might be key contributors and can help formulate prevention measures in the future.
Another missing aspect from the podcast is a description and analysis of the crime scene. This makes it difficult for investigators and officers to develop a geographical profile (Emeno et al., 2016, p.4). As learned in this course, geographical profiling is essential because it helps investigators develop the offender’s profile. The offender’s motive and intentions can be established from the developed geographical profile. Therefore, the absence of these features and characteristics in the podcast makes it inconclusive and less dependable. Again, geographical profiling is vital in helping trace offenders and ensure that every criminal is brought to the book.
Furthermore, we are not given an analysis of the ethical implications of offender profiling. The podcast lacks a submission of any pre-existing stereotypes that can influence the investigation. These are essential aspects that help ensure that the details submitted are correct and free from biases (Petherick & Brooks, 2021, p.695). Investigators can gather more authentic and reliable evidence when all issues surrounding the case are availed.
In conclusion, Delong’s podcast provides essential information about Gonzalez’s case, and it was exciting to learn how the crime took place from her submissions. However, some vital details are lacking, making it difficult for us to reach a comprehensive verdict. I look forward to hearing more podcasts and critiquing them using this course’s readings.
References
Delong, k. (2022) The Freddy Krueger Killer Podcast https://open.spotify.com/episode/4JrkdyPpXvZJRw6JtCtRb9
Emeno, K., Bennell, C., Snook, B., & Taylor, P. J. (2016). Geographic profiling survey: A preliminary examination of geographic profilers’ views and experiences. International Journal of Police Science & Management, 18(1), 3-12.
Petherick, W., & Brooks, N. (2021). Reframing criminal profiling: a guide for integrated practice. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, 28(5), 694-710.
Snook, B., Eastwood, J., Gendreau, P., Goggin, C., & Cullen, R. M. (2007). Taking stock of criminal profiling: A narrative review and meta-analysis. Criminal justice and behavior, 34(4), 437-453.
Woodhams, J., Hollin, C. R., & Bull, R. (2007). The psychology of linking crimes: A review of the evidence. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 12(2), 233-249.
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