Comparing Daniel Sorenson's Death with Other High-Profile Crimes

According to Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, the two teens accused of the killing and beheading of Daniel Sorenson on November 7, carefully planned the attack for no apparent reason. Worthy calls the attack a "bone-chilling thrill kill". The two teenagers identified as Canton High School Student Jean Peirre Orlewicz, 17, of Plymouth Township; and Alexander Letkemann, 18, of Westland are now being held without bail in the Wayne County Jail. They are both being charged with murder and one count of mutilation of a corpse. Worthy says her office is looking at other "persons of interest" in the case. www.clickondetroit.com

The concept of killing for thrill, though very unnerving, is not new music to our ears. Killing for no specific reason has been the defense in many murder cases.

Last week, as reported at www.cbcnews.com, a handyman who worked the grounds in Yosemite National Park confessed to killing four women. One, a park naturalist and three sightseers. Cary Stayner gave a numbing account of how he killed these women in an off-camera interview from jail, to a San Francisco TV station. His only defense: He was acting out fantasies about killing women he had dreamed about for 30 years. As of now, Stayner has only been charged with one of the murders, sources say that he'll officially face more charges after his confession to law enforcement concerning the other murders.

" Psychologically, the thrill motivated killer tends to be a sociopath, someone with a disorder of character rather than mind. He lacks a conscience, feels no remorse, and cares exclusively for his own pleasures in life... It has been estimated that 3% of all males in our society could be considered sociopathic" (Fox & Levin, 1994, pg.18)

There is no way to predict whether or not a person will be capable of murdering someone. What part of the human brain is responsible for uncontrolled urges such as killing for sport?