A psychopathic mind.
An expert on criminal behavior, including serial killers, Dr. “He lacks any emotional connection, empathy, sympathy, remorse, remorse, or even fear when it comes to other people,” said Scott Bonn.
Tri-State area residents can celebrate Halloween in a big way today at the Paramount Arts Center in Ashland with “Serial Killers with Dr. Scott Bonn,” a 90-minute, interactive multimedia event.
The critically acclaimed live theater event takes participants into the minds of serial killers including Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer.
Bonn, a criminologist, former award-winning professor of criminology and sociology at Drew University in New Jersey, author of numerous high-profile true crime television shows, and expert commentator-analyst, will offer insights into the motivations, fantasies, and drives of notorious serial killers. .
The event is divided into two acts.
“Act number one is where I take the audience into the minds of some of the most evil serial killers of the last 50 years, based on my actual involvement in these cases and my experiences and interactions with them,” Bonn said. “This is a unique perspective.”
David Berkowitz (Son of Sam) and Dennis Rader (Bind, Torture, Kill or BTK) are two serial killers with whom Bonn corresponds. Their cases, like the more recent alleged Long Island serial killer Rex Heuermann, are part of Bonn’s spectacle.
“I describe their progression, their evolution into the monsters they eventually become, their motivations,” Bonn said.
The second act consists of a live Q&A session where viewers are asked everything they want to know about serial killers.
“It usually results in a really interesting and lively discussion,” Bonn said.
According to Bonn, one word sums up why people are fascinated by serial killers.
“Empathy,” he said. “What I mean by this is that we humans are empathetic creatures. “We have the empathy gene that serial killers, that is, psychopaths, do not have.”
People tend to get caught up in both the good and bad of the world to understand motivations, Bonn said.
“We are often attracted to things that are larger than life and deadly,” he said. “Even on my show I make the comparison that a serial killer like Jeffrey Dahmer has three things in common with another predator in nature, the great white shark. Both are very rare, exotic and deadly. Isn’t it interesting in our popular culture that we have “Shark Week” every year on the Discovery network and “Serial Killer Week” on the Oxygen network? There is this fascination.”
Serial killers have become famous monsters, Bonn said.
“Ted Bundy is a scary celebrity, but he is also a symbol of evil and a monster in our culture,” he said.
One of the people who stands out as the “worst of the worst” according to Bonn’s expertise is Dennis Rader (BTK).
“He’s as close to a cold-blooded killing machine as I’ve ever encountered,” he said. “He is a true psychopath, also known as a malignant narcissist.”
Bonn said he was someone with classic narcissistic tendencies. They experience the world only in terms of how it benefits them.
“The bad part is sadism,” Bonn said. “He’s also a sadist.”
Bonn is the author of the best-selling pop culture book “Why We Love Serial Killers: The Bizarre Charm of the World’s Most Brutal Murderers.” He has provided expert commentary and analysis for a number of high-profile true crime TV shows and documentaries on A&E, Discovery network, Oxygen, Investigation Discovery and Travel Channel.
Bonn is “extremely excited for the show.”
“I look forward to meeting true crime fans,” he said. “I hope we provide them with a very informative and entertaining evening.”
Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm.