Offender Profiling

This document discusses the concept of offender profiling, focusing on the Behavioral Evidence Analysis (BEA) approach. It explores the appropriate use of profiling, victimology, crime reconstruction, crime classification, motivation, signature, and offender characteristics. The case study used in this document involves the murder of three children in 1963. The document provides insights into the possible number of offenders, planning, education level, victims' condition, weapon and ritual used, nature of injuries, situational exposure risk, and the recommendation for investigative strategy.

Running head: OFFENDER PROFILING 1
Offender Profiling
Sanaa Wehbe
S2865464

OFFENDER PROFILING 2
1. Profiling Approach
In carrying out offender profiling, the profiling approach used is Behavioral Evidence Analysis
(BEA) in association with other relevant evidence-based materials on offender profiling.
Behavioral Evidence Analysis is a deductive method used in conducting analysis of crime scenes
and in criminal profiling. It entails critical examination of physical evidence, forensics and other
characteristics in the crime scene. The outcomes of these individual interpretations and
examination are analyzed in coming up with patterns and clusters of behavior which assist in
profiling the offenders or for forensic purposes (Greenall & Wright, 2019).
I have used this approach because; this method is vast and accommodates a lot of scholarly
literature and empirical research as compared to other profiling methods, there is a large time gap
of more than 25 years between now and the occurrence of crime, this method is appropriate due
to the amount of information it avails from the existing database in coming up with collective
patterns and behaviors.
2. Appropriate use of profile
In this incident where three children were found to be dead as reported in the Coroner’s report in
1963, there are various limitations of profile and appropriate use. Firstly, the bodies were located
on the water after which they were later laid on the ditch banks, this process could have led to the
removal or ignorance of important evidence in the water or the surrounding environment (Dean
& Yule, 2017). According to the report, when found there were presence of fly larva in the eyes
and nose. The presence of these animals amongst others that could not have been mentioned is
an indication of probable contamination to the bodies affecting the actual depth of bruises and
wounds (Geberth, 2016). Another limitation could be from the first people at the scene who
could have ignored or interfered with the crime scene.
3. Victimology
Victimology also known as the study of crimes can be defined as the scientific study of
victimization. It investigates the relationship between victims and criminal offenders, the
relationship between victims and judicial system and the relationship between victims and other
institutions such as businesses, social gatherings and other social movements (Steel, 2012).
Victimology is carried out in the hope and belief that through understanding the victims the

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perpetrators can be known better. Scholars have argued that when law enforcement agencies
have information regarding victim’s environment, activities and encounter it is easier to
understand and comprehend the offender more (Greenall & Wright, 2015).
The three eight-year-old boys, of white race were found in the crime scene in nude bodies, with
right hand tied to the ankle and the left hand also tied to the ankle by shoelaces of different
colors. They had several scars in specific areas and they had anal orifice dilation. Christopher
was four feet tall with four inches having brown eyes and hair, Edward was four feet tall and two
inches, while Michael was also four feet tall with brown hair.
The above information about the victims amongst other information from the report can help us
deduce the following likely factors regarding the offenders:
Number of offenders
Following the nature and extent of injuries, it is unlikely that one person could kidnap and carry
out all the injuries to the children without help from another person. There was no news of
offender seen in any way. This is an indicating how swift the offender was in carrying out the
crime which still places the possibility of more than one person in the crime scene. Another
indication of possible second person in the crime scene is seen in the fact that, the shoelaces used
to tie the victim's hand to the ankle are different in color. Lastly, even though the injuries seemed
similar Christopher’s injuries were more severe compared to Steve and Michael’s which could
have indicated different offenders (Robertson, 2011).
Planning
It is unlikely that the offenders had planned this crime due to the difference in color of shoelaces,
the nature and extent of injuries and the presence of larva on the eyes and nostrils of the victims.
The crime could have been opportunistic in that, the offenders could have seen the boys and
noted the favorable environmental condition which enabled them to commit crime. Lack of
planning is also seen in the possibilities of lack of transport by the offenders due to the location
of the blood trail indicating that the offender left the crime scene on foot (Canter & Alison,
2018).

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Education
The offender is likely to be educated because of the following reasons. Firstly, the bodies were
dumped on the water where they were recovered, this could have been a move to cause the DNA
to become untraceable, an indication of the offender’s knowledge in DNA (Brooks, &
Robertson, 2012). Moreover, the act of moving the body from the original place where the crime
was committed to where they were located could indicate their education in that they knew it
would be difficult to trace the crime back to them without an original location. The traces of
carbamazepine would also indicate high education on the side of offenders due to its effects on
the human body as this drug element was found in Chris body (James, Kish, & Sutton, 2005).
Victims condition
When the victims were located, they were naked and tied in a specific manner indicating the
possibility of sexual assault. However, there was lack of any penetration or semen in the scene of
crime though their anal orifice was dilated with missing skin of the penis, scrotal sack, and
testes. This could be an indication that the offender had motive of sexual stimulation as seen in
the position of the children. The nature of position in which the bodies were found could also
indicate the personality of the criminal (Reid, 2017).
Weapon and Ritual
The weapon used in committing the crime is likely to have been a knife due to the nature of
injuries on the victims. Furthermore, the police were able to recover a knife in June of the same
year around the crime scene area. There could also be possibility of rituals from the nature of
injuries that were inflicted on Christopher.
Nature of injury
According to the nature of the injury, the offender had no intention of leaving these victims alive.
According to Coroner's report on this case, Michael and Steve had facial injuries, lacerations,
gauging wounds with skull fractures amongst other head injuries with fluid on the lung an
indication of drowning. While Chris also had most of these features such as facial lacerations and
bruising, head injuries, thigh injuries, and skull fracture, he also had a dose of Carbamazepine

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with the report indicating that the cause of death was excess loss of blood. In this case, the
offender must have had probable motivators to inflict this kind of death to Chris as compared to
other victims, maybe the offender knew Chris more and he had a revenge mission on him
(Hennessy, 2018).
Situational exposure risk
On analyzing victim’s exposure risk, it should be noted that there could be an indication of poor
supervision from the parents on the children. The environment in which the children were in the
Robin hood area around the mountains was dangerous to them, also this is not the first time that
Chris went missing according to his mother indicating a high exposure risk. However, the
children were in a group which reduced risks of any criminal occurrences, as such I would
conclude that the victim’s exposure risk range was medium (Leonetti, 2016).
4. Crime Reconstruction
In accordance with the statement that was made by Mark Byer the father to Christopher Byers to
detective Brian Ridge on a police interview that occurred on May 19th 1993 together with
information obtained from the other victim's parents, the order of events could have been as
follows:
1. The three children went to school as usual and they left at around 3:00 pm.
2. Mark Byers drove home and arrived at 3:10 where he failed to see Chris who was not
waiting as he is supposed to since he did not have the key to the family home.
3. Mark Byers then took his son Ryan Byers to the court at 4:00 pm for he was a witness in
a trial, he went to pick up his wife Melissa Byers from work leaving Ryan to get a ride
with Chad Bell.
4. Mark Byers arrived home with the wife at around 5:20 pm finding signs of Chris being
unable to get into the house through the window. Mark Byers leaves to go and pick up
Ryan at the courthouse where he meets Chris Byers playing on skateboard, he takes Chris
home and disciplines Chris with his belt.
5. Chris is then instructed to clean the area around the carport until his dad returns. On his
return, Mark Byers is unable to find Chris as per his instruction even though the mother
said Chris was in and out of the house frequently.

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6. Mark Byers reported Chris Byers missing as of 5:30 pm on 19th May 1993. The report
was filled at 8:10 pm.
7. At 8:15 pm Diana Moore came to Chris Byers neighborhood in search of his son James
Moore. Diana claims to have seen Steve Branch and James Moore with their bikes and
Christ in the back of Steve’s bike.
8. At 8:30 the parents start a search for their kids who were last seen around the Robin
Hood area.
There is a high probability that all the boys were approached in a group and that the offender
knew who they were though there are no indications of earlier planning.
The offender was superior to the boys and his dominance could be largely from his strength and
the weapon he had which was the knife. The wounds in Chris could have indicated his resistance,
unlike other victims who could have complied to the offender’s dominance (Chisum & Turvey,
(2007).
The victims were found nude and tied in a Hog tie manner and the body of Michael was twenty-
five feet away from Chris and Steve’s body. Coroner’s report points out to the fact that the death
of Steve and Michael could be as a result of drowning (Hess, Orthmann & Cho, 2016).
The two bicycles were later located in the water and a trail of blood located in the direction of
Mcauley drive indicating that the offenders did not use any form of transport instead they walked
away from the scene.
5. Crime classification
According to the FBI crime classification manual in relation to the crime scene analysis, the
offender was a disorganized offender. This is due to the following reasons, the offender left the
knife as evidence of weapon used in the crime and the offender is unable to show restraint in his
action of inflicting injuries to the victims. It is not known whether the area of locating the three
victims was the crime scene though it has been left randomly and sloppy indications of
disorganized offender (Knoll & Meloy, 2014).

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There was sudden and spontaneous violence to the victim with the use of different shoe laces
indicating lack of planning by the offenders (Wellford, 2017). The offender might have known
the victim, there is trail of blood and the offender left one of the victims emasculated indicating
how disorganized the offender is.
This crime can be categorized as a serious crime based on Kocsis definition of serious crime.
This is due to the offender’s choice of age, sadism and narcissism demonstrated in the crime
scene. The offender is selfish in achieving his purposes as to have victims of below ten years
who are subjected to various injuries as if to suggest the offender was excited by the crime
committed (Edelstein, 2016).
6. Motivation
Various motives could have caused the defender to commit the crime in the analysis. Some of
these motives are discussed below:
Sexual motives
There was various evidence pointing to sexual motivation by the offender beginning form the
Hog tie position to the nude body to the dilation of anal orifice to emasculation in Chris body.
The victim could have attained sexual pressure by passing several objects through the victims’
bodies since there was no evidence of semen in the crime scene area (Chan & Heide, 2009).
Revenge Murder
The offender could have been carrying out an act of revenge to one of the victim’s parents most
likely Chris, considering the nature of his family and the extent of inflicting the injuries. They
were targeted with no intentions of leaving the victims alive (Schlesinger, 2009).
Devil worship
There were reports to the police officers indicating the citation of devil worshipers in the area of
Robin Hood. The age and injuries of the victims would support this claim though it wouldn't
explain the position in which they were found (Stidham, Fitzgerald, & Baldwin, 2011).

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7. Signature
Signature is a term used to refer to behavior committed by the offender that surpasses the normal
activities expected in a successful crime. It serves the purpose of fulfilling the emotional and
psychological needs of the offender (Turvey, (Ed.), 2011). This case presents certain signatures
even though it is a single occurrence.
Signatures include hands and feet tied behind the back in a hog-tied fashion. There were several
gauging superficial, cutting wounds and anal dilation. Lastly, there were several injuries in the
genital parts of the three children.
8. Offender Characteristics
Very few evidence pointed out to the characteristics of the offender considering that the bodies
were drowned. However, there was a trail discovered by the police of footprint and brown hair
on the victims. The offender, therefore, had brown hair and it had to be a person strong enough
to carry out this crime most likely male in their youths which is 20-55 years. The offender could
be unemployed given the fact that at the time the children disappeared, most people were coming
home from work.
It can also be argued that the offender is a person who lives in the area of Robin hood
considering he might have known the victims and probably their parents according to motive.
Due to the fact that the body was not in the original place of committing the crime, it could be
argued that this is not the first time this offender has committed such a crime, since the offender
is able to comprehend disposal patterns (Ainsworth, 2013).
9. Recommendation for Investigative Strategy
1. There is need to conduct a DNA test on the hair of offender that was in the victim’s body,
more examination should also be done on the body of the victim in order to discover any
foreign DNA samples (Scott, 2017).
2. There is need to look into the background of the three victims in order to determine
anyone with probable cause from their activities as a group or individually. Since there is
possibility that they knew the offender it is important to look into their routines and
extracurricular activities

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3. There should also be an investigation around their parents since they could be key players
in the factors that motivated the victimization of their children.
4. The police and other law enforcement agencies should carry out a review of the evidence
and the investigative process in order to uncover any important details that they could
have under looked.
5. There could also be the production of fliers and media announcement encouraging
citizens with relevant information on the case to come up in gaining more ground on the
case.
6. Lastly, thorough investigation could be done around the motivators without assumptions
in order to determine whether the crime was purely sexually motivated, revenge murder,
devil worship or all of them.

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