Charles Whitman, whose tumor turned him into a serial killer

Whitman’s brain is one of the critical points related to aggression and fear. tumor in the “amygdala” There was. This is one example of how our brain can change as a result of disease or damage, changing our behavior or personality.

After reading what kind of life Whitman had What a tumor can cause You will be quite surprised.

The life journey from a child with an IQ of 139 to a serial killer.

Charles Whitman a polite boy He was known as and was quite intelligent. The fact that his IQ was 139 in an exam when he was 6 years old dragged him towards success. Whitman, who entered the United States Marine Corps after graduating from high school, was among 72 students. graduated seventh. In fact, after 18 months of service, Whitman sniper badge and Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal won.

The reason why he won the badge and medal and became a skilled sniper was his father. His father, a firearms collector, taught his children to shoot and would regularly take them hunting. Whitman was 16 years old enough to tear out a squirrel’s eye. he was a good marksman. Whitman was also a good scout.

After the Marine Corps, Whitman worked first as a bill collector and then as a bank teller. Among his other jobs were traffic investigator and biology teacher.

Charles Whitman in 1966; due to severe headaches, tension at work and school, and sadness about the separation of his parents at that time. met with the university psychiatrist.

Whitman was given a series of medications, but he as well as not continuing therapies He did not use his medications regularly.

The day of the massacre came and Whitman first wrote letters and then began killing in turn.

The day before the massacre, Whitman suicide note While writing, he clearly wrote down what he was going to do. His suicide note read:

“I don’t quite understand what prompted me to write this letter. Maybe it’s leaving an unclear reason for my recent actions. I really can’t understand myself these days. I’m supposed to be an average, reasonable, intelligent young man. However, lately (I don’t remember when it started) I have been the victim of many unusual and irrational thoughts. “I wish for an autopsy to be performed on me after my death to determine whether there are any visible physical deformities.”

Whitman in his suicide note that he would kill his mother and wife tooHe wrote that his mother did not enjoy life as much as she deserved and that his wife was not a good wife for him. He also stated that he thought he would save them from the pain of this world, and that he did not want them to feel ashamed after what they would do.

And the massacre began.

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On the night of August 1, Whitman first killed his mother in her bed and covered her with a sheet. He left his mother’s house and went to his own house and took his wife from her breast. stabbed to death 5 times. He also covered his wife, whom he killed while she was sleeping in her bed, with a sheet.

He arrived at the University of Texas campus in the morning. He dressed like a worker and took his bag full of weapons and tools to the observation deck on the 28th floor of the clock tower. After killing 3 people in the tower, he started shooting at those below from the observation tower. He reached the deck approximately 90 minutes after the massacre. killed by police. Whitman injured 31 people in those 90 minutes. He killed 14 people.

Everything was understood after the autopsy.

At Whitman’s request, an autopsy was performed and a small coin-sized object was found in his brain. tumor detected. This tumor was putting pressure on the “amygdala” associated with fear and aggression. Some neurologists have concluded that even this small amount of pressure was enough to cause a series of reactions in Whitman’s brain and to exhibit many behaviors that would be considered unusual under normal circumstances. The region that underwent change was Whitman’s He also changed his personality.

Some neurologists, on the other hand, were more cautious about the evidence and said that the current knowledge about the brain did not allow to explain the actions. What triggered Whitman to commit murder remains a mystery. Some psychiatrists think it may be due to Whitman’s relationship with his father and mother.

Brain changes can mess with what makes us who we are.

American Neuroscientist and author of many books, especially “Your Brain is Your Story” David Eagleman, says that people can also change with brain changes. Citing drug and alcohol intake as an example, Eagleman also states that epilepsy can make some people more religious.

People lose their faith or lose their faith due to Parkinson’s disease and the drugs used in its treatment. addicted to gambling is among the examples given.

You have read Whitman’s life story. So, do you think the killer is Whitman or the tumor in his brain?