Albert Fish
Serial Killer
Biography
He was born in 1870 near Washington D.C. He was abandoned at an early age in an orphanage and saw the acts of sadism. He had a minor public education and worked as a painter and a handyman. He married and had six children. One of his children claims to say he acted strange around the year 1917. It was at that time when his wife ran away with another man named John Straube. Oddly, enough his wife came back with John Staube and asked to live with him. Fish said it was fine, but Straube had to go. Apparently, his wife just hid Straube in the attic, smuggling food to him. Once again, Fish said that his wife could stay but Straube had to go. With nothing left to do, his wife left with Straube.
Behaviors
After his wife left, Fish would take his family to their summer home in Westchester County, New York. He would climb up the hill and repeatedly shake his fist at the sky repeating "I am Christ!". Pain seemed to delight him as he inflicted pain on himself and others. He enjoyed whipping and paddling people and encouraged children (his own and the neighbors) to paddle him as well. He used a paddle that was studded with inch-and-a-half nails. He inserted multiple needles in his body and burned himself with a hot iron and a poker. On the night of full moons he would eats lots of raw meat and published material on cannibalism.
Mental Illness
He was examined several times by psychologists but they would release him saying that he was "disturbed but sane." His first murders are unknown, but he admitted to killing six people and vaguely a dozen more. He appeared to have a lot of trouble remembering anything as his memory was often hazy. Judging by his past at the orphanage, where Albert admits to saying his time there ruined his mind, he suffered from traumatic experiences. The orphanage would force him to masturbate in front of the children and he would be beaten often. And when his wife left him in later years, he was left with his six children. He described having "a lust for their blood" even though he was a good father and grandfather. After eating large quantities of meat, Albert became a cannibal. Carrying his childhood with him, he enjoyed torturing others and himself. As the years went by his personality began to disappear, turning himself into a killer. It was clear he suffered from schizophrenia and sadomasochism.
Treatments
To reduce the effects of schizophrenia, they must take Anti-psychotic medications. Treatment is life long even if the symptoms subside. Psycho-social therapy can also reduce and maintain their symptoms.
Sadomasochistic is the sexual pleasure or gratification of having pain or suffering inflicted upon the self, often consisting of sexual fantasies or urges for being beaten, humiliated, etc. To treat this many sessions of therapy may be needed, though it is hard to say since many sadomasochists don't typically ask for help. Some examples of therapies include: psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, aversion and positive behavioral therapy, reality therapy, medications, hormonal treatment, reconditioning and restructuring techniques.
Where Is He Today?
After being caught by Will King he was sent to trial where he was to be judged either as insane or sane. The judge didn't care, he wanted to punish the killer. He was found guilty and sentenced to death via electric chair. Albert Fish responded to this saying: "Going to the electric chair will be the supreme thrill of my life." He told reporters that he was excited for his execution. When the time came he died just like any other person on the electric chair despite all of the rumors.