The “Bestie di Satana” Murders |
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| Authors: | Jutta Birkhoff MD PhD Stefania Zeroli MD Donatella La Tegola PsyD PhD Felice Carabellese MD |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Forensic Psychopathology, University of Insubria, , 21100 Varese, Italy;2. Section of Criminology and Forensic Psychiatry, DIM, University of Bari, , 70124 Bari, Italy |
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| Abstract: | In recent years, satanic groups have been responsible for various types and degrees of crimes. We report the case of a number of murders committed in Italy by a group of young people calling themselves the “Bestie di Satana”. Forensic psychiatric assessment of the members of a satanic sect charged with the crime revealed that all the young people had a fragile, immature personality, a very low level of education and were socially disadvantaged. The trial of the members of the “Bestie di Satana” sect was concluded with the verdict of deliberate murder, and all the members were given long jail sentences. This report should lead us to explore social and cultural responses to juvenile satanism, statistically shown to be a relatively rare phenomenon but with a high criminal potential. |
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| Keywords: | forensic science satanic sects Psychiatric Forensic Assessment group violence homicide suicide |
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