A MOST DEADLY MEETING reported by Sunny Frazier

Sunny Frazier, Dr. Eric Hickey, Lorie Ham

 The topic was necrophilia. You never know what you’re going to hear at a San Joaquin Sisters-in-Crime meeting. And when the speaker is Dr. Eric Hickey, all bets are off!

It’s been three years since the chapter has hosted the doctor. He was the Dean of Forensic Science at Alliant International University until his job was eliminated. It took him a whole 20 minutes to find a new job teaching psychology online for Walden University and doing their curriculum development. He also teaches Psychology of Crime at CSUF. 

“When God passes you something you think is really bad, it’s really good,” he said of his changing lifestyle, which includes perks such as teaching from his home computer in his bedroom slippers.

He also has a book coming out in 2 months on necrophilia and is co-authoring a book on female sex offenders. On top of that, he has signed on as a consultant for a TV show (but won’t name it yet).

   

Hickey described the Hare Scale for evaluating psychopathy. Most people score a 5 on the scale (although Hickey thinks we mystery writers/readers are probably a 10). Sociopaths are around a 20, psychopaths are around a 30. While Jeffrey Dahmer, who practiced cannibalism, was a 22 on the scale, serial killer Ted Bundy was rated a 35. True necrophiliacs actually score very low. Interesting to note that women are never necrophiliacs and nearly all the men are Caucasian.

I won’t go into the gory details of the different types of sex with the dead, but we got an earful. And, we had lots of questions. Inquiring mystery minds wanted to know.  

Despite his extensive study of criminal behavior, “I don’t believe people are born bad,” said Hickey. “I want to understand the dark side, and I want to understand it better.” His research will help law enforcement understand these types in their interrogations.

How does Hickey protect himself from the effects of contact with perverts? “Lots of chocolate.” We thanked him with a box of Sees. 

   

Editor's Note:

Despite the subject manner, Dr. Hickey manages to describe all these subjects in a manner that doesn't gross out the audience.