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JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE / September 1986 Evidence from this study suggests that the murderer with a sexual abuse history will first kill the victim to achieve control before he makes any sexual expression. The murderer may not necessarily have any orgastic experiences with the body, but rather may masturbate on or beside the body. The release of tension may also occur through substitute action such as mutilation of the body, or perhaps using, as noted with Brittain's study (1970), a phallus substitute. Consistent with our study are others (Brittain, 1970; MacCulloch et al., 1983) that underscore a feeling of relief and pseudonormal behavior following the murder. Many of the murderers recount going home and sleeping deeply after a murder. After several days, they would reflect on the murder in great detail. IMPLICATIONS The analysis of data specific to the variables of childhood sexual abuse and subsequent symptoms and criminal behaviors suggests that several variables (e.g., daydreams, isolation, cruelty to children and animals) play an important part in the subgroups (Le., rape- murder and murder-mutilate) of sexual murderers. There is every indication that the motivation for murder is a-complex develop- mental process that is based on needs for sexual dominance at the destructive expense of the victim. It appears from this exploratory study of convicted killers that there is an important difference in the symptom constellation among those with a history of sexual abuse and those without such a history. Although it is not clear whether there is a difference in psychological motivation for sexual murder, what is apparent is an early onset of specific behaviors that are noted in the subgroup of murderers who mutilate. The association of the specific impact of sexual molestation in the lives of these offenders and subsequent mutilation of their victims requires further investigation. To speculate on a possible link be- tween the adolescents who were sexually abused and those who mutilate the body suggests a premeditated pattern where acts of self-mutilation are then transferred and carried out on others. Our exploratory study raises far more questions than it answers. Current understanding of disclosed childhood sexual abuse has fo- cused on the initial treatment (Burgess et al., 1978; Conte, 1984; Sgroi, 1982), legal process (Buckley, 1981), sequelae (Browne & Finkelhor, 93