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A young girl runs down the street screaming that her father is killing everyone [1]. In fact, the father is found to have murdered his sons — ages 3, 4, and 7 — as well as attempting to murder his wife.
The term “family annihilators” (those who kill their families) was first coined by psychiatrist Park Dietz in 1980 [2A]. Tragically, such individuals are becoming increasingly common [4A].
Family annihilators are primarily, though not exclusively, men [3A][4B]. They tend to fall into one of four categories [4C]:
- Self-Righteous: Those who are self-righteous, for instance, blaming their spouses for the break-up of a family and angry about diminished access to children. Infidelity and the desire to punish can set off this type. Alcohol can, also, play a role [2B].
- Ashamed/Disappointed: Those who are ashamed of themselves or disappointed with their families. Cultural honor killings fall into this category. Alex Murdaugh, convicted of murdering his wife and son after Murdaugh’s own corruption came to light, is an illustration [3B].
- Paranoid: Those who are paranoid and motivated by a desire to “protect” their families from a perceived threat, such as the removal of children by social services. This type of family annihilator may believe family members are wholly dependent on him/her for their survival, and rationalize he/she is acting mercifully to “save” them from a cruel world. Depression can, also, be a factor [2C]. Until the killing spree, such an individual may be perceived by outsiders as dedicated to the family. Andrea Yates is an illustration [5].
- Sociopathic: Those who are socially alienated or outright sociopathic, killing their families for monetary gain or similar cold blooded motives. Family members are viewed as objects, mere means to an end, by such individuals. Greed and other narcissistic purposes can motivate this type. Susan Smith, who drowned her two sons to further a romantic relationship, is an illustration [6].
Biblical Context
Family annihilators were not unknown in biblical times.
The patriarch Jacob feared that his brother Esau would kill Jacob’s wives and children (Gen. 32: 11).
It was, also, routine for a new ruler to seek out and destroy any heirs of the previous dynasty to prevent revolt (2 Kings 11: 1). King David agreed to a suggestion that his predecessor Saul’s remaining heirs be executed, sparing only Mephibosheth (the son of David’s friend Jonathan) (2 Sam. 21: 1-9) [7].
There are several reasons given for David’s concession. However, he was related to Saul by marriage, and had earlier promised to spare Saul’s descendants (1 Sam. 24: 21-22).
The practice of dynastic killing was by no means limited to the Hebrews. The question is whether God approved it. A close reading of the text makes clear that He did not [8].
The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus viewed David’s actions as laudable. But the Bible, also, contains a moving scene involving Rizpah, a former concubine of Saul’s (2 Sam. 21: 10).
Rizpah took great pains to make sure the corpses of her two sons and Saul’s five grandsons remained intact. This distressing scene would have affected readers of the Bible then, as it does us now.
The famine characterized as a principal reason for the execution of Saul’s heirs was not lifted by God until Rizpah was granted the burial of her loved ones.
In sum, family annihilations are reprehensible to God.
“These…things the Lord hates,
Yes…[they] are an abomination to Him:
…Hands that shed innocent blood…” (Prov. 6: 16-17).
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[1] NBC News, “‘Father was killing everyone’: 3 young brothers shot and killed, mother injured in shooting” by John Haworth, 6/16/23, https://abcnews.go.com/US/father-killing-3-young-brothers-shot-killed-mother/story?id=100135263.
[2A, 2B, and 2C] National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, “Mass, Serial, and Sensational Homicides” by Park Dietz MD, MPH, PhD, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1629267/pdf/bullnyacadmed00051-0111.pdf.
[3A, 3B, and 3C] BuzzFeed, “5 Infamous Cases of Men Who Murdered Their Families” by Drusilla Moorhouse, 3/7/23, https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/drumoorhouse/family-annihilators-murdaugh-haight-watts.
[4A, 4B, and 4C] Wired, “Study: family killers are usually men fit one of four distinct profiles” by Katie Collins, 8/16/13, https://www.wired.co.uk/article/family-killers.
[5] Wikipedia, “Andrea Yates”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_Yates.
[6] Wikipedia, “Susan Smith”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Smith.
[7] See, also, Jehoram of Judah’s murder of his six brothers (2 Chron. 21: 4), and his widow Athalia’s murder of the remaining heirs of the house of Omri (2 Kings 11: 1).
[8] Brill, “Chapter 12 God Appeased by Homicide? 2 Samuel 21:1–14 in View of Some Hittite and Assyrian Parallels” by Paul Sanders, https://brill.com/display/book/9789004434684/BP000023.xml.
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ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse and More 
Egal aus welchem Grund, es ist immer schrecklich, wenn schwächere und hilflose Personen aus niederen Beweggründen umgebracht werden. Es ist gut, dass Du immer wieder mit viel Engagement Themen dieser Art aufzeigst und mit Fakten belegst. LG M.
Es ist besonders herzzerreißend, wenn unschuldige Kinder von denen geschädigt werden, die sie beschützen und für sie sorgen sollten. LG, A.
A tragic post, especially since it is stated that those tragedies are becoming more frequent.
A heartbreaking reality.
True.
I had the sad misfortune of working with a young mother whose estranged husband killed both of her young sons while she was at work. He killed himself as well shortly after this.
Hearing some of the details of this horror impacted me in ways I was not prepared for. Indeed, the mental image of those two young boys desperately trying to run away from their father still haunts me after all these years.
That this sweet young mother was eventually able to go back to work and rebuild her life is a testament to human resolve.
Your post, Anna, is a grim reminder that there is an enemy of the soul who exists to kill, steal, and destroy our very lives. This world, fallen as it is, is the devil’s playground, and any who smirk at such talk are blinded by him.
Thank you for having the courage to shed light on such atrocities.
Writing about such things grieves me, Ron. I feel it necessary as a way of shedding light on the evil that stalks the world, and keeping faith w/ those impacted by that evil.
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