Why do women write letters to convicted killers in prison? (case, murder)

[jasper12]

I think that these are very successful women, well educated, often quite attractive. They want a relationship, but one that they can control. A man on death row, is hardly a threat. He is romantic, writes long, romantic letters. Calls you, (of course, he asks for you to pay, but it is worth it...).

These women mistakenly believe a relationship like this is not going to be demanding of their time, and not require sex. What they don't get is that these killers are manipulative, and have lived lives manipulating people. They are masters. They will demand things, starting very slowly, because they are testing the waters...until it escalates...

Not unlike how Micheal Scofield in "Prison Break" skillfully manipulated Dr. Sarah Tancredi to do things for him...why did she do anything for him? She was a doctor, well off, and ended up dead in the end...

Anyways, I digress, these women may also like the shock factor of their families...hurting them, without really being too bad. Twisted, but, family dynamics often are...

[Anamandy]

Originally Posted by glass_of_merlot

I just saw the movie Bundy ( 2002 ). Apparently while he was on death row, he received more than 200 letters from women that claimed they loved him.

What is up with that? This is very common apparently? Are all these women writing to convicted killers mentally ill? I don't understand it.

As a woman I can say that I met so many fellow females who are so desperate for a man, they'll even take one sitting on death row. I have to laugh over how many females I know who absolutely hate sports but suddenly become fanatics during the superbowl or the world series so they can go to sports bars to meet guys. I have one particular friend who never played a game in her life, met a guy, and suddenly she was a pro in everything, and spent tons of money learning sports so that she could impress him. That guy wound up marrying a librarian type who'd rather knit and watch tv than lob a bat at a ball.

[dizzybint]

Lack of self respect and fear of rejection to do this kind of thing... as they know their letters will be read and probably they ll get one back... or maybe the lure of the man being locked away and safe from other women...

[shortnblack]

Depends on the type of letter being sent to the convictied fellon. Anything remotely close to romantic or sexual aspirations tells me that the woman sending the letter could be just as dangerous as the criminal. I don't know what would possess someone to connect with a convicted killer on a romantic level. It's disturbing if you ask me. I wonder if the hords of women who fell for Ted Bundy and Richard Ramirez have all of their marbles.

[bentlebee]

Attention, maybe the urge to get some fame and being part of a certain group...being bored and no self esteem.

[jasper12]

My cousin's Mother met a man in prison, through some church work, and fell in love. She divorced her husband of 20 years, left six kids, a house, and waited for this guy to get out of prison. Go figure it.

[wit-nit]

Originally Posted by jasper12

My cousin's Mother met a man in prison, through some church work, and fell in love. She divorced her husband of 20 years, left six kids, a house, and waited for this guy to get out of prison. Go figure it.

What is so sad about a situation like that is in some cases the wife got killed by the con after he got out. Hope that doesn't happen withyou cousin's mother. You can never trust a con especially a felon.

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by jasper12

My cousin's Mother met a man in prison, through some church work, and fell in love. She divorced her husband of 20 years, left six kids, a house, and waited for this guy to get out of prison. Go figure it.

Bizarre!

I had a coworker who had previous worked for a contractor doing work on Riker's Island (Prison in Queens, New York). After work she had to go through a checkpoint and open her trunk for inspection, etc. One day she was leaving and at the checkpoint and she witnessed two women fighting. One was saying, "It's MY week to visit him! You were supposed to go last week and if you didn't make it, well, too bad. You have to wait until next week."

She said it was hilarious watching two women fighting over a man WHO IS IN PRISON.

In those cases, they probably knew the guy before he went in, though. But still.

[dreamofmonterey]

Look at James Whitehouse, who married infamous Manson cult killer Susan Atkins and even attended Harvard Law school hoping to get her out on appeal.

Atkins married twice while in prison
Her first marriage was to Donald Lee Laisure in 1981: Atkins became the mercurial Laisure's 35th wife, but the two divorced after he sought to marry yet again.
She married a second time, in 1987, to a man fifteen years her junior, James W. Whitehouse, who earned a degree from Harvard Law School and represented Atkins at her 2000 and 2005 parole hearings. He maintained a website dedicated to her legal representation

Susan Atkins - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You cant reason with crazy, in some instances.

[Miss Crabcakes]

I believe its a combination of extremely low self esteem and total lack of dating standards. I mean you are talking about the lowest of the lowest scum on earth. Anyone that would find that appealing or attractive has no standards.