, Psychological Profile of Stephen Akinmurele- Clinical Approach
Name: Stephen Akinmurele.
Victims: 5 confirmed victims (7 suspected victims).
Location: Isle of Man and Blackpool, UK.
Modus Operandi: Bludgeoning following by strangulation and robbery.
Personal details:
The subject was accused of killing five individuals between 1995 and 1998, was nicknamed Cul-de-sac Killer for his
choice of elderly victims who lived in quiet peripheral areas. Stephen Akinmurele was born on 16 March 1978 in
Nigeria. He was never married and there is no record of progeny. In 1995 at the age of seventeen,
Stephen Akinmurele started the murders, throughout his crimes he was known for stealing, strangling, and murdering
at the victim's home. At the time he lived with his partner, Amanda Fitch, in Ballasalla, Isle of Man. He was detained
in November 1998 (20 years) but was never convicted, he committed suicide by hanging, before being sentenced in
Manchester prison in England (Stephen Akinmurele, The Cul-de-sac killer, 2019). The primary goal of this paper is to
understand, while applying the clinical psychological approach of profiling, what was the motivation behind the crimes
and what was the psychological state of Stephen in the moment of the crimes.
The pattern of victims chosen by the murderer is characteristic, not only because they all belong to the same age
group, but also because of the location where they were brutally murdered. Despite having a clear modus operandi,
the description of the crime scenes suggests that these are disorganized crimes. The victim and the location are
known, there are no reports of conversation during the crimes or the use of restrains, the victims were overpowered
only by the strength of the offender (Ressler & Burgess, 1985). The bodies were not moved from the scene. It is also
clear that the characteristics of Stephen Akinmurele fit into the model characterization of a Disorganized offender:
unskilled work, socially inadequate, below average intelligence, low birth order status, minimal situational stress, strict
discipline as a child, minimal use of alcohol, lives and works near crime scenes (Ressler & Burgess, 1985).
To understand the intent behind the crimes, it is integral to know the subject's past. Firstly, it is necessary to
understand the choice of victims. The authorities accountable for the case characterised the killer as volatile, angry
and with a pathological hate towards elderly. Stephen grew up with an absent father living alone with his mother. At
the age of ten he moved with his mom to his maternal grandmother's house. It was reported that the grandmother
adopted an authoritarian parenting style. Although there are no reports of abuse, the possibility of childhood trauma
as a catalyst for the anger towards the elderly cannot be ruled out. Additionally, it is even believed that this could be
the reason for choosing the victims. This factual information is a key point for the present profile. When applying the
Attachment Theory it is possible to presume what style of Attachment is displayed by the offender: Disorganized
Attachment.
Disorganized attachment occurs when children are dependent, both emotionally and physically, on someone who is
also a cause of fear and distress (Ainsworth et al., 1978). Is typically found in people who have been physically,
emotionally, or sexually abused as children by their caregivers. According to attachment theory, when a child is afraid,
they seek security, comfort, and reassurance from an attached caregiver. A disorganised child is afraid of the caregiver
and their erratic abusive behaviour (Main & Hesse, 1990). When the caretaker's abuse persists without resolution, the
child is unable to use any organised stress-reduction strategy (Hesse & Main, 1999). Children with this attachment
style may exhibit some characteristics in the future. Below are presented some consequent traits of Disorganized
Attachment:
• Prone to stress in infancy (Hertsgaard et.al, 1995), and increased adrenocortical levels in distressing situations
(Spangler & Grossman, 1999),
• Lack of control of negative emotions (Benoit, 2004),
• Show aggressive, oppositional, erratic and disrupted behaviour (Lyons-Ruth, 1996),
• Have low self-esteem and poor social Skills (Lyons-Ruth, 1996),
• Hight probability of experiencing trauma-related disorders, for example, symptoms of post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) in the school years and dissociative disorder in adolescence (Carlson, 1998).
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller BeatrizVenancio. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $10.48. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
