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Press Release - 29 September 2006

Expert on serial killers to give public lecture in Bath

An American academic who has interviewed many of the world’s most notorious killers will talk about his research into serial murder at a free public lecture at the University of Bath. (Friday 13 October, 4.15-6.00 pm).

As part of his research, Dr Joseph Diaz, from Fayetteville State University in North Carolina (USA), talked with British serial killer Dennis Nilsen in prison, where he discussed “serial murder, morality, life and death” with the 15-times killer.

He also spent time on the case of Edward Castro, a convicted serial killer, in the run up to his execution by lethal injection in a Florida penitentiary, which was witnessed by Diaz.

During his talk, Dr Diaz will focus on the crimes of Nilsen and Jeff Dahmer, a notorious American serial killer, necrophiliac and cannibal, who murdered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991.

He will also discuss the role that sexual motivation plays in serial killers, and how this fills a void they tend to feel was lacking through their basic childhood years.

“The mind of a serial killer is a haunting and disturbing place, but with this lecture we can steer through society’s ‘monsters’ and come to a better understanding of crime, ourselves, and these men and their actions,” said Dr Diaz.

Dr Joseph Diaz is an Associate Professor of Criminology at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina, USA.

He earned his B.A. in Liberal Arts from Utah State University in 1995; an M.A. in Economics from the University of Nevada Las Vegas in 1997; and a Ph.D. in Sociology from University of Nevada Las Vegas in 1999.

His first book, The Execution of a Serial Killer: One Man’s Experience Witnessing the Death Penalty, has been praised internationally.

His second book, One of these Days, deals with his interactions with the British serial killer Dennis Nilsen and will be published shortly.

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